As someone behind her let out a sharp intake of breath, Catherine lost her balance and started to fall sideways. She opened her mouth to cry out, but before she could make a sound, a hand had already grabbed her arm while another arm encircled her waist, causing her to let out a small "ah."
"Are you okay, Catherine?" Edward's voice came from behind her.
"I'm fine, thank you," the little girl quickly pulled away from his embrace. Though it felt awkward, she maintained her politeness. "I'm very sorry for stepping on your foot."
"It's nothing, I shouldn't have been standing here," the boy said with a charming smile.
However, Catherine ignored the charm and asked, "When did you arrive?"
A slightly embarrassed Edward responded, "I came over when you were analyzing Mr. Schwarzenegger's and Mr. Patrick's characters."
Then he added, "I thought your analysis of my character was spot on."
"Oh, in what way?" The girl felt a bit impatient but didn't show it on her face.
"Rebellious at heart yet still kind and childlike. I liked that description. Most of the reviews I've read just say I did a good job, but they're vague. Your precise comments were the first I've heard," Edward said, clearly animated.
Catherine blinked. She realized she had misunderstood something; the current Edward Furlong wasn't yet the troubled, drug-addicted young man of the future. Feeling a bit sympathetic, she thought about how much of that would be his own fault, but also how Hollywood's environment didn't help.
"Yes, Edward, you did bring the character of a rebellious yet kind boy to life. But you know, kindness should always come before rebellion. If you can, remember that," Catherine said seriously.
Edward was stunned. He didn't fully grasp what the girl was trying to say, but her solemn tone made him nod, "I understand."
However, he quickly smiled again, glancing at James and Michael, who were still bantering. He whispered to Catherine, "Want to get out of here?"
The girl, who indeed had that thought, looked at him in surprise. Edward winked and took her small hand, "We can leave through the side door."
But Catherine, with her head full of certain clichéd plots, felt a bit uneasy. She discreetly pulled her hand back, "Thank you, but it would be impolite to leave without saying goodbye to the host."
Edward was a bit taken aback and was about to say something, but James's teasing voice interrupted, "What, Edward, thinking of sneaking off with Catherine?"
"That's slander, Mr. Cameron. I didn't do anything," Edward protested, raising his hands in mock surrender, which effectively masked his embarrassment and made the guests laugh.
Arnold Schwarzenegger approached, pulling Edward aside and whispering something with a smile. It was clear they had a good relationship. Catherine was curious to listen in, but James called her over, "Catherine, I really can't imagine how your little head holds so many ideas. Michael tells me you wrote a screenplay for Ms. Meg Ryan. Is that true?"
Catherine stole a glance at the sly old Michael, unsure of his intentions. She nodded, "Yes."
While the guests again murmured in surprise, James merely frowned in thought. After a few seconds, he looked at Catherine again, "Can you come up with a screenplay idea right now? Any genre?"
This request was quite rude. No matter how talented a screenwriter, they can't always have inspiration on demand. But James seemed oblivious, eagerly awaiting the little girl's response.
Catherine frowned slightly. She didn't know what Michael Eisner had said to make James hold her in such high regard. Regardless, she was still a child. However, she found it hard to refuse James's request. She had never been good at saying no, in her past life or present. Besides, she wanted to build a good relationship for Jessica in advance. While she could recall movies well, she couldn't remember TV shows as clearly. Despite "Dark Angel" only having two seasons, without James Cameron's expertise in sci-fi and special effects, its quality couldn't be guaranteed.
Her mind whirled with thoughts. Coming up with a script on the spot was simple enough; she had plenty of ideas. But... oh, forget it, who cares!
Sometimes, impulse really is a devil. The little girl could be quite impulsive at times, and it was clear that old fox Eisner had noticed.
"Okay, please wait a moment, alright?" Catherine said cheerfully. She then spun around in place twice, clasping her hands behind her back and resting her chin on her hands, pretending to think deeply—for about a few minutes. Then she clapped her hands, "I think I have an idea. It's a concept I've had for a long time. With some additions, it should work perfectly now."
She smiled confidently, then took a few steps towards the governor. Gesturing at Arnold's physique, she said, "There's a software salesman, very strong, just like Mr. Schwarzenegger here."
Everyone laughed. It was clear Catherine was hinting that Arnold had inspired her.
The little girl continued, "He has a wife of 16 years and a 14-year-old daughter. It's a very ordinary family, just like any other. Over the years, his wife has grown tired of their mundane life. She still loves her husband but craves excitement. One day, she meets a spy, or rather, a conman pretending to be a spy..."
Everyone was captivated by the story, finding it intriguing. James, however, felt a bit disappointed; this sounded like a family comedy. Getting Arnold to do a comedy seemed inappropriate at this point.
But Catherine didn't stop, "He finds out about his wife's affair. He still loves her and wants to stop the conman, but he doesn't have much time. He has a lot of work to do, so he uses his power to have his colleagues wiretap her phone, both for work and personal reasons. He even has her monitored around the clock and uses police helicopters..."
The governor, finding it strange, interrupted, "Wait, Catherine, if he's a software salesman, how can his colleagues wiretap and how can he use police helicopters?"
"Oh?" The girl widened her innocent eyes, thought for a moment, and then said, "Oh, I forgot to mention. He's indeed a software salesman, but that's just a cover. He's actually a federal agent with the codename 'Alpha,' investigating a terrorist organization."
This twist left everyone momentarily stunned. Catherine continued quickly, "So now our hero has to deal with the terrorist threat while saving his wife from the conman. When he and his wife are in danger, how will he protect her and reveal that he is actually a secret agent, a true lie?"
Just then, Sparrow came to Catherine's rescue, leaning down as if whispering in her ear. He then straightened up and smiled at the guests, "I apologize, ladies and gentlemen. Mrs. Mason has called, and Miss Catherine needs to rest. It's getting late."
"No matter what, I still have to say thank you, Uncle Eisner." George glanced in the rearview mirror as he drove. In Hollywood, it's common to invite directors and stars to social gatherings to network, but George was surprised that Michael Eisner, as the CEO, personally attended and even brought the entire cast of "Terminator 2," which was set to release in July. This was a significant boost for George, who had just been promoted to department manager.
"No, George, I just made a few phone calls. In fact, if you hadn't performed well at the board meeting, the directors wouldn't have agreed to invest in 'The Parent Trap,' and tonight's party wouldn't have happened," Eisner said with a smile.
"The real star is Nancy. Miss Mason's script was perfect for her, and if it weren't for Nancy, Miss Mason, the biggest highlight of the film, might not have agreed to act," George said, quickly adding, "That's my opinion."
Eisner nodded and suddenly asked, "What's the status of Miss Mason's EP?"
"I asked John. It can be released next Thursday after Halloween, but per the contract, we can't do extensive publicity, can't use her real name, and can't use her image. The record company is unhappy about this. John admits that if it weren't for these restrictions, the first-week sales could reach 800,000 copies. Honestly, I don't understand Miss Mason's thinking. Maybe she just finds it fun," George said, somewhat frustrated.
"Okay, I see. I'll inform the record company tomorrow. No promotion at all," Eisner said, rubbing his chin.
George didn't quite understand his reasoning but didn't question it. These matters weren't his to worry about. He just sighed, "What a pity."
Michael Eisner didn't reply. He knew Catherine's value better than George. At the party, he had initially intended to tease James and test Catherine. He hadn't expected the girl to come up with such a solid story on the spot. He still remembered the look of reluctance on James's face when Catherine left.
"George, there's one thing I need you to ensure," the old man finally spoke, "We must maintain the closest possible relationship with Miss Mason. Whenever she has an idea, we want to be the first ones she thinks of."