Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 24: Unfinished Words

The evening breeze, carrying the moisture from the pond and the fragrance of grass and trees, brushed against Jiang Yu's cheeks, finally dispelling some of the murky atmosphere of interpersonal scheming at the banquet.

He leaned against the railing, his gaze falling on the lake surface, which was bathed in a silvery light, softened by the corridor lights and the moonlight.

He took out his phone, about to call David and ask if there was any new development on Marvel's end, when the faint footsteps behind him, almost drowned out by the croaking of frogs, made him stop in his tracks.

He turned around.

It's Liu Yifei.

Alone, dressed in that black dress, she resembled a lotus quietly emerging from the water, bathed in the interplay of moonlight and the dim glow of the corridor.

Clutching a small handbag, she was clearly stunned when she saw that there was someone on the terrace, and it was Jiang Yu. She stopped a few steps away, and a hint of awkwardness flashed across her face, like a startled deer, and she subconsciously wanted to turn around and back.

"President Jiang." Her voice was very soft, like a feather brushing the surface of water. She greeted him, nodded, and then moved to take a step.

"Miss Liu," Jiang Yu called out to her, his tone unusually calm, even to himself, with a hint of trying to ease her tension, "It's a bit stuffy inside."

Liu Yifei stopped and turned around.

The moonlight perfectly outlined the contours of her profile, her delicate skin seemed to glow with a warm light, and her long eyelashes cast small shadows under her eyelids. In her usually clear eyes, besides her usual politeness, there was also a hint of lingering fatigue.

She looked at him, as if to confirm whether his words were just polite formalities.

"Mmm," she responded softly, her voice still very gentle.

Then, I didn't know what to say.

The air grew quiet, with only the faint echoes of a distant banquet taking place.

The silence wasn't awkward, but rather held an invisible tension between two almost complete strangers who were now alone together by some strange fate.

Jiang Yu put away his phone; he could call David later.

Looking at Liu Yifei, who was completely different from the Liu Yifei in his memory, that strange feeling resurfaced in his heart.

In her past life, when she went on blind dates, she was calm and insightful, wearing the armor of experience, and could calmly discuss with him the rise and fall of industries and the ups and downs of life.

The girl in front of me, Liu Yifei, is only twenty years old. Her armor is not yet fully formed, and deep in her eyes lies a desire to break through the barriers ahead, perhaps with a hint of weariness.

She is vibrant, fragile, and stubborn.

He broke the silence, choosing the safest topic: "Filming must be tough, especially the action scenes."

Liu Yifei seemed to breathe a slight sigh of relief and replied, following the topic, "It's alright, I'm used to it."

Her answer was brief, an almost instinctive politeness in the face of such concern: "It's all work."

Jiang Yu wasn't surprised and continued, "The role of Golden Swallow is very different from your previous roles, so it's quite challenging."

Sure enough, when the role itself was mentioned, Liu Yifei's eyes brightened slightly, and her professional aloofness faded a bit.

She looked at the shimmering water and said softly, "Yes, it is quite different."

He paused, as if organizing his thoughts or weighing whether he should reveal his true feelings to an important person he barely knew.

"Try to break some preconceived notions, although it's quite difficult!" Her voice trailed off, the last three words almost unspoken.

That almost inaudible sigh was like a very light snowflake.

Jiang Yu saw the fleeting helplessness and self-discipline beneath her calm exterior.

This difficulty refers not only to the hardship of action scenes, but more so to breaking free from the constraints brought by the huge halo of the "Fairy Sister" image, and also to the various invisible barriers that a young female actor has to face in this complex industry.

"Challenges are a good thing," Jiang Yu said softly. "Actors progress by constantly breaking down and rebuilding. You have great potential; keep going, and you'll find a wider world."

If these words were spoken by a highly respected senior, it would be perfectly normal encouragement.

The way he said it, coming from someone who looked so young, was rather odd.

Liu Yifei was clearly surprised. She looked up and looked at Jiang Yu again.

Under the moonlight, his eyes were calm, without the expected politeness, more like a deep lake, its bottom unseen, yet strangely giving one a sense of reliable stability.

She nodded, very softly but earnestly: "Thank you, Mr. Jiang."

Another brief silence followed.

This silence seemed less tense.

Liu Yifei followed Jiang Yu's example, leaning slightly against the railing and casting her gaze at the shadowy pavilions and trees in the distant garden.

After a while, she suddenly spoke, her voice still very soft, as if talking to herself, or perhaps asking him, "Mr. Jiang, is Hollywood really that difficult?"

This question surprised Jiang Yu slightly.

He hadn't expected her to ask such a pointed and somewhat longing question in this setting.

He turned his head and saw that besides curiosity, there seemed to be a kind of inquiry in her eyes that even she herself might not fully understand.

Jiang Yu pondered for a moment, carefully considering his words: "Difficult, yet not difficult."

He chose to be candid, rather than offering specific advice: "There's a well-established but also very rigid industrial system and set of rules there. The difficulty lies in getting those who control the rules to truly see and respect you, instead of treating you as an exotic symbol or a replaceable part. The difficulty lies in breaking down prejudices and gaining the right to engage in equal dialogue and even to formulate some of the rules."

Jiang Yu paused, noticing her focused expression, and continued, "It's not difficult because there, the ultimate pass is always your work and your ability. If your work is strong enough, you'll achieve both box office success and critical acclaim; if your professional skills are strong enough to be irreplaceable, then even the most rigid rules will be forced to make way for you. They worship success there, they worship geniuses and strong individuals who can bring profits, although this worship can sometimes be very realistic and cruel."

His answer was official and realistic, without any false comfort or exaggerated threats.

Liu Yifei listened quietly, seemingly lost in thought.

Jiang Yu's words were like a key, opening a crack for her to glimpse the true scene behind that door; there was not only a red carpet and glory, but also cold rules and fierce battles.

She didn't press the matter further; she knew that with her current qualifications and work, it was too early to talk about Hollywood.

The night breeze seemed to have turned cooler, bringing with it a heavier moisture.

Jiang Yu straightened up, ending the unexpected conversation: "Let's go back. It's windy outside, be careful not to catch a cold."

His tone was natural, like a casual reminder. After speaking, he turned and walked towards the private room without stopping or looking back.

Liu Yifei stood there, watching his figure quickly disappear around the corner of the corridor.

The words "Be careful not to catch a cold" still lingered in my ears. They were just four ordinary words, but on a night filled with exchanges of interests and polite words, when spoken by someone I had just been a stranger, they carried a gentle tone that made me wonder if I had misheard them.

She raised her hand to gently gather her wind-blown hair, shook her head as if trying to shake off this inexplicable feeling, and then stepped forward to follow.

The two returned to the private room one after the other, maintaining a polite distance, which did not attract much attention from the people chatting animatedly at the table.

Wang Zhonglei was still having a long talk with Lafite, Huo Siyan was laughing and talking to Li Binbin, and Cheng Long and Jet Li were exchanging words in hushed tones.

The banquet was drawing to a close, and the air was filled with the relaxation and fatigue of a hearty meal.

Liu Yifei silently returned to her seat next to her mother. Liu Xiaoli immediately cast a questioning glance at her, but she simply shook her head gently, indicating that it was nothing.

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