"Director Moran, I'm really grateful to you and Mr. Roy for what happened just now. If it weren't for you two, I don't know what would have happened," Chen Shufen expressed her thanks sincerely. She couldn't imagine how terrifying the situation could have been if the events had unfolded as they seemed to.
Laila smiled with lingering fear, "Believe me, that's a situation no one would want to encounter." Although she spoke to Chen Shufen, her gaze was fixed on Leslie Cheung. She happened to see him delicately cutting into his steak, his movements gentle and elegant, making her jealous of the knife and fork in his hands.
As if sensing her gaze, Leslie Cheung looked up, meeting her eyes and revealing a gentle smile.
Laila's heart skipped a beat as she thought, He's so handsome! Ahhh—her inner fangirl was screaming. She wanted to rush forward and ask for a hug!
"...," Roy bit into his steak with an air of frustration, his unfriendly gaze directed straight at the mature and charming "old man" across from him.
In Leslie Cheung's eyes, who was 47 years old this year, did he appear as an "old man"? However, age had left few marks on his face. Instead, it had settled into a unique charm, imprinting his soul with a sense of beauty and profundity in every gesture.
If it were any other time, Roy would undoubtedly praise such a man, just as he felt the charm in the long-established Hollywood figures. But watching Laila's gaze towards the man, sparkling like a sky full of stars, made him dislike that "old man."
Laila, on the other hand, was oblivious to Roy's increasingly hostile gaze. Her eyes were almost unblinkingly fixed on her idol. Even though she knew it was impolite to stare, she couldn't control herself.
She had done something truly great. She brought back her favorite idol to this world, giving countless fans the best gift they could receive on April Fools' Day, even if they didn't know such a gift existed.
Being able to see her idol breathe, eat, and look at her with gentle eyes made Laila's eyes misty again.
Luckily, she knew she couldn't be too excessive and managed to restrain her tears from welling up.
"I love Mr. Leslie's movies, especially 'Farewell My Concubine.' I think it's one of the best movies I've ever seen."
Laila's words left both Chen Shufen and Leslie Cheung momentarily stunned.
Chen Shufen was overjoyed, while Leslie Cheung smiled more casually, "Thank you." As someone who loved his work, whether singing or acting, recognition of his acting abilities brought him genuine joy, especially coming from Hollywood's director.
With Chen Shufen's hint, he finally understood who she was. He hadn't recognized her initially, partly because he never expected someone like her to appear here, and partly because his mental state hadn't been good lately, spending a lot of time in a daze.
Knowing she was Laila Moran, he finally understood why she was hailed as Hollywood's genius and treasure. If someone achieving such brilliant results at a young age couldn't be given similar titles, the world would be too unfair.
"I've also watched 'Chicago,' and it's indeed an outstanding film. The choreography of song and dance, costumes, and the actors' performances are unparalleled. The most important thing is the fusion of light and color, as well as the angles and scene transitions in filming. I think it's definitely a film worthy of the Best Picture title."
Being praised by her idol, Laila's smile deepened, "It's my honor."
Roy watched her smile, chewing his steak more forcefully. That brilliant smile should have been his, but she gave it to someone else! Damn that old man!
Both Leslie Cheung and Laila were unaware of Roy's increasingly menacing gaze. However, Chen Shufen noticed and felt her heart pounding.
She could tell he was jealous, but she wanted to defend Leslie Cheung. Clearly, it was his girlfriend who was staring at him with fiery eyes. Why did it seem like Leslie Cheung was enticing the girl?
Even though Laila's gaze seemed more like admiration than affection, Chen Shufen misunderstood. That was the way idolizing eyes looked. Even the most narcissistic person wouldn't dare to claim that a Hollywood director admired their artist with idolizing eyes. If this became known, people would probably die from laughter.
Usually, it was indeed unlikely, but who could have thought that this Hollywood director harbored a soul from the previous world that had a fondness for her "brother"?
Talking about movies, Laila and Leslie Cheung found many common topics. They conversed about movies, and acting skills, and had a harmonious atmosphere.
Chen Shufen felt the harmony between the two and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like the storm had passed, and he probably wouldn't have any thoughts of seeking death now, right? In any case, she would keep a close eye on him in the future, even if she wasn't around, making sure he didn't have a chance to do anything foolish!
"Director Moran, I'm not sure what brings you to Hong Kong this time?" She felt there hadn't been any news of her coming. Even the intrusive tabloid journalists hadn't reported it. Could it be a secret visit?
But what could be so important to make this renowned director secretly come to Hong Kong? Her heart thumped; she couldn't help but entertain a possibility. Could it be for casting actors for her new movie?
She just wanted to find a topic but unintentionally asked a question that made Laila feel embarrassed. Why did she think of using that reason in the first place?
"Well, actually, I came to watch a movie," Laila said, covering her slightly twitching mouth with the raised wine glass. "I was filming in the mainland recently, and there happened to be a movie I wanted to watch released here, so I came over to see it."
Oh, the shameful reason. Why did she think of using it at that moment?