A week had passed.
As expected, "Roman Holiday" spread through the crowds like a virus, surpassing even "Yes! Prime Minister" in popularity.
Politics discussions were ultimately the hobby of a minority, but love was different. Whether unmarried yearning for innocent love, married reminiscing about past innocent love, or seeking thrilling extramarital affairs, love appealed to all.
Theatre managers from various regions rushed to London, doing everything they could to meet Lu and obtain his approval for staging "Roman Holiday" in their theaters.
The streets of London were now at the point where "everyone knew 'Roman Holiday'."
Phyllis, who played Anne, naturally became popular, while the name Lu, the playwright, originally only known within a relatively small circle, began to gain fame among the general public.
...
Bray Road.
Lu was hunched over his desk typing away at "The Roger Mystery". In fact, the book was mostly finished, with only some final touches remaining.
When he was writing "And Then There Were None", he had more leisure time and could write while serializing, but now he was getting busier and often found himself overwhelmed. Therefore, it was best to finish the entire book before starting serialization to avoid interruptions from unexpected events causing delays.
Of course, Cooper supported this decision. He always had a good attitude towards milking the cash cow.
Lu stretched lazily.
At the same time, "Meow~"
I jumped onto his leg.
Lu reached out and rubbed my paw pads, then stroked my smooth fur.
I couldn't help but purr.
On the other side, Natsume Soseki looked somewhat jealous and discontented. "Why does this little guy like you so much?"
Lu chuckled. "It's because I feed it well."
I seemed to understand and nestled on Lu's leg, acting coquettishly.
Natsume Soseki could only sigh in resignation.
Because Lu earned a high income, the food he bought for me was various meats like chicken, duck, and fish, delicious and nutritious. I became shiny with such a diet, so naturally, I preferred Lu.
Natsume Soseki muttered, "This little ingrate."
Lu couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, don't compare yourself to a cat."
Natsume Soseki certainly didn't really dislike me.
He changed the subject: "By the way, your 'Roman Holiday' has received high discussion in major newspapers. Of course, there are criticisms, but there are more people who approve and praise it."
With that, Natsume Soseki shook open a stack of newspapers and handed them over.
Lu casually flipped through them.
Not only were there "The Times," "The Daily Telegraph," and "The Manchester Guardian," the "Big Three," but also some newspapers and magazines he hadn't heard of before.
"The Star,"
"Saturday Review,"
"Black and White,"
...
Lu asked, "What are these?"
Natsume Soseki replied, "These newspapers and magazines have reviewed 'Roman Holiday.' By the way, there are even comic magazines in here."
Lu picked one up to read:
"'Roman Holiday' tells a fairy tale-like story but gives a realistic ending..."
This short review carried a touch of melancholy.
Natsume Soseki echoed, "I think it's quite objective, and well said."
Lu asked, "What does it say?"
Natsume Soseki answered, "Even though I've read your script and know the ending, when watching the fourth act, I couldn't help but keep staring at that corner, hoping the princess would run out. But she didn't. So, that's what makes it a classic."
Lu chuckled lightly. "It's only been performed for a week, how can it be a classic?"
Natsume Soseki lightly "hmm-ed," saying, "If we were discussing 'Yes! Prime Minister,' I might not say it's a classic because it's too early. But 'Roman Holiday' is destined to be one. People from different times, regions, and backgrounds will resonate with it, experiencing the most primitive emotions."
One could only say that although the theme of love was cliché, it was also timeless.
Lu continued to read the newspapers, the pages rustling.
Natsume Soseki asked, "If you're looking for critical theater reviews, you might want to check out the magazines of various universities, especially those of Oxford and Cambridge."
Lu followed his advice and carefully read through them.
Oxford and Cambridge were indeed the top universities in the UK, where free discussions never ceased.
For example, there were two different voices regarding Lu's "Roman Holiday" in a magazine called "Punch" at Oxford:
Supporters believed Lu was a trailblazer, and "Roman Holiday" was both innovative and classic. As time passed, more playwrights would become believers in "Roman Holiday" and use it as a basis for their own creations.
Opponents believed "Roman Holiday" was bland and unremarkable. They even doubted whether there was truly love between the princess and the journalist.
Natsume Soseki asked, "Have you read them?"
Lu nodded.
Natsume Soseki shrugged, "This is where literary critics shine; their perspectives are so sharp that they can always find a way to criticize. Sometimes, even you as the author can be convinced by them."
Lu recalled his experience with the reading comprehension questions during his high school entrance examination before he crossed over. The questions often revolved around the author's intended meaning, but ironically, even the authors themselves would be puzzled when asked about it.
Reading aloud, Lu remarked, "The structure of 'Roman Holiday' lacks innovation. Lu simply skillfully tells a story. From a philosophical perspective, it merely reflects the inevitable outcome of certain love stories sparked by social disparities, destined to remain as fleeting sparks without resolution…"
Natsume Soseki chuckled, "See, that makes sense. The part questioning whether there's love between the princess and the journalist is especially intriguing."
Continuing to read, Lu added, "Their social statuses are vastly disparate, and both sides are merely seeking novelty in each other. This novelty draws them closer and leads to some unique feelings, but does it count as love? Perhaps, if the roles were reversed and it was a prince pursuing a commoner, it wouldn't seem out of place at all."
The room fell silent.
After a while, Natsume Soseki remarked, "Don't look at me, I've never been in love."
Although he didn't marry for love, it was said that he had a deep emotional bond with his wife, setting an example of love after marriage.
Looking at the name of the article's author, a literature professor from Oxford, Lu realized that criticism was normal. As Shakespeare said, "There are as many Hamlets as there are readers." Some viewers might remain unmoved by Anne's innocence or Joe's change of heart after watching "Roman Holiday." Lu couldn't force everyone to applaud, or else it would become a test of reading comprehension.
Putting "Punch" aside, Lu said, "Criticism is necessary…"
Just as he was halfway through his sentence, there was a knock at the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
Slow and deliberate.
Natsume Soseki got up to tidy the bed, asking Lu, "Did you make an appointment?"
Lu shook his head, "No."
He walked over to open the door, only to find Phyllis Dale standing there with a man in his early forties behind her.
The man reached out eagerly to Lu, saying, "You're Master Lu Shi, right? Phyllis wants to learn acting from you."
Lu: ???