After parting ways with Jacques Saunière, William donned a mask and leisurely strolled towards the Champs-Élysées. Visiting Paris without walking along the Champs-Élysées was unthinkable, and William realized he hadn't bought a gift for his mother since becoming wealthy.
Passing by the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, he took his time, spending about twenty minutes meandering through the scenic route to reach the famous shopping avenue.
With plenty of time to spare, William explored various shops, avoiding only those that specialized in women's clothing. Eventually, he found himself at the Patek Philippe boutique. There, he splurged over a million dollars on a sky-blue watch for himself and another three hundred thousand on a diamond-encrusted watch for his mother.
Paying with his Swiss National Bank black card, he noticed the respectful gaze of the manager. William immediately wore his new Patek Philippe, slipping his old Vacheron Constantin and the watch for his mother into his storage space as he exited the store, ensuring no one noticed.
By the time he left the Patek Philippe store, it was already past 5 PM. The sky had darkened, and the streets were lit up with brilliant lights. Admiring his new watch, William felt a rush of exhilaration—spending four million dollars was as effortless as spending four dollars in his previous life.
Walking down the street, he saw tour guides leading groups of international tourists past landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe and the nearby Eiffel Tower, which looked stunning illuminated at night. By day, it might disappoint some, appearing rather dull.
Curiosity got the better of William when he saw a long line at a street vendor selling Mexican crepes. He bought one to try but quickly regretted it. The intense spiciness made him gasp for air, tears almost spilling from his eyes. Desperate, he hurried to a nearby café and ordered a cold fruit juice to cool his burning mouth.
As he relaxed on the outdoor patio, sipping his juice, he overheard a conversation in Cantonese. Turning, he saw a beautiful Chinese woman seated not far away, chatting and laughing with a middle-aged Chinese man.
"Hey, did you see that handsome mixed-race guy? Haha, it's hilarious. Look at how he's struggling with the spicy food. Oh no, he's looking our way. Do you think he understands Cantonese? Let's go, he's coming over," the woman said, giggling.
The man, called "Brother Hua" by the woman, shook his head in exasperation. He had come to France to explore wines and coincidentally ran into Li Zi, a Hong Kong actress who was in France to unwind. Sitting at the café near the Eiffel Tower, they saw the handsome mixed-race man struggling with the spicy crepe. Li Zi hadn't finished laughing before the man approached them.
Seeing William coming over, Brother Hua stood up and apologized in halting English, his accent making William wince.
Switching to Mandarin, William said, "Hello, Mr. Liu. I understand both Mandarin and Cantonese."
Hearing William's fluent Mandarin, Liu Tianwang (Mr. Liu) realized the young man had overheard their conversation. Apologizing, he said, "I'm sorry. I apologize on behalf of my companion."
William, recognizing Liu Tianwang (Andy Lau), smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm not here to cause trouble. Beautiful women have certain privileges. Let me introduce myself—I'm William Devonshire. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Liu."
Liu Tianwang was surprised at William's flawless Mandarin and use of idioms. Replying in his somewhat muddled Mandarin, he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Devonshire."
"This is Mandarin?" William thought. "Well, I guess Mr. Liu's Mandarin is still a work in progress."
"Alright, Mr. Liu, let's switch to Cantonese. My goodness, are you really from China? Your Mandarin is worse than mine," William joked.
Liu Tianwang, slightly embarrassed about his Mandarin, laughed at William's comment. "I never thought I'd come to France and be teased for my Mandarin by a foreigner. It seems I really need to improve my Mandarin when I get back. It's embarrassing to be caught out like this." He then invited William to sit with them.
Hearing Liu Tianwang's self-deprecating comment, William burst into laughter. True to his reputation, Liu Tianwang deftly diffused the awkward situation. Turning to the woman who had been hesitant to speak, William said, "Hello, Miss Li. I've seen your 'Young and Dangerous' movies. It's a pleasure to see you're as beautiful in person as on screen."
Li Zi, startled, asked, "No way. Those movies are from five years ago. They even showed them in France?"
William smiled at the now-young-looking Li Zi and said, "I should mention, I'm English—half Chinese, half English. My father is from Shanghai, and my mother is English. So, even though I grew up in England, I'm very familiar with Chinese culture. I've read the Four Great Classical Novels, and works by Jin Yong and Gu Long."
Li Zi, surprised, said, "You're kidding. A guy who grew up in England has read Jin Yong and Gu Long's novels? I haven't even read the Four Great Classical Novels. How could you understand them?"
William laughed and casually recounted famous stories from "Journey to the West" and "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," leaving Liu Tianwang and Li Zi stunned. The three of them chatted over coffee, and after about half an hour, William brought up his real reason for approaching Liu Tianwang.
William described the entire plot of "Infernal Affairs," a movie he remembered vividly. With his storytelling skills, he captivated Liu Tianwang and Li Zi. When he finished, William asked Liu Tianwang, "So, what do you think of the story, Mr. Liu?"
"It's fantastic! You've made me want to play a role in it. William, is this story really your original creation?"
Thinking to himself that it wasn't, William knew that "Infernal Affairs" hadn't been conceived yet in this world as it was still the year 2000. Boldly, he claimed, "Of course. Why would I lie? The screenplay is already registered."
This was a blatant lie. He hadn't registered the screenplay yet but planned to do so immediately after meeting Liu Tianwang.
Knowing he had an appointment with Saunière at 8 PM, William exchanged phone numbers with Liu Tianwang and Li Zi, shook hands, and bade them farewell.
As he walked to the Monique Café, William pondered the possibility of starting his own film company. Perhaps he could produce action movies from his previous life or document some of his unique experiences. Could this work?
He mused over making movies about events he had lived through, like the "Devonshire Earl vs. the Royal Casino," a personal experience with no confidentiality issues.
After a ten-minute walk, he reached the café, ordered dinner, and ate leisurely. By 8:40 PM, Saunière still hadn't shown up. The Louvre had closed at 6 PM on this Monday, nearly three hours ago. Where could Saunière be?
William dialed Saunière's number, and after almost thirty seconds, the call was answered.
"Who is this?" a voice speaking French answered.
Having spent three months in Switzerland learning German, French, and Italian from the traders, William was proficient in basic conversations.
In French, he replied, "Hello, this is William Devonshire. I have an appointment with Professor Saunière at the Monique Café at 8 PM, but he hasn't shown up. Is the professor there?"
"William Devonshire, or WDS?" the voice queried.
"Yes, that's right. Can you let the professor know? Our meeting was almost an hour ago," William replied.
"William Devonshire, are you at the Monique Café, the one outside the Louvre?" the voice asked again, ignoring William's question.
Who is this person? William thought, annoyed at the rudeness and apparent arrogance.
"Yes, that's correct. Please let the professor know," William repeated, his patience wearing thin.
"Very well. Stay at the café. I'll come find you," the voice said curtly before abruptly hanging up.
William stared at his phone, seething. Who the hell was this guy, acting so high and mighty?
Discuss whether or not to include a subplot in the book where William makes films about his past experiences.
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