Actor in Hollywood

Who was that?

If entertainment reporters didn't recognize Anson, that would be surprising. But considering it had been eleven months since the Emmy Awards, and since Anson was a newcomer who wasn't the main focus during "The Princess Diaries" promotional period, it was understandable that a small portion of the media might be confused, vaguely remembering his face but not his name.

Their brains didn't immediately recall the memory, but their hands quickly pressed the shutter button, the overwhelming flashlights completely engulfing that figure.

Then—

"Anson!"

A voice called out, followed by several more shouts.

"Anson, Anson!"

Memory awakened.

So, this was Anson, the one who sparked countless discussions at last year's Emmy Awards, and now, after being out of the spotlight for half a year, he had become a film lead?

This had been mentioned before.

In the North American market, there was an invisible barrier between TV actors and movie actors. Although many TV actors appeared in movies, only a few managed to become top-tier, let alone reach the pinnacle.

So far, only Leonardo DiCaprio and Will Smith had managed it; at best, George Clooney counted as half, and in the future, Jennifer Aniston could be added.

That's about it.

And now, after guest-starring in "Friends," Anson had immediately become a movie lead. Even if he wasn't the main character, it was still a rare achievement.

In an instant, the reporters at the scene pressed their shutter buttons even faster.

Click, click, click, click.

Amid the overwhelming silver flashes, Anson stopped moving forward, searching for the source of the voice amidst the bustling screams.

Then, he found it.

Anson started walking, taking big steps forward.

Gloria was stunned. Cheering was one thing, but the kind of ecstatic cheering she had just done was just a release, never expecting—

That Anson would actually come over.

Huh!

As she kept shouting, her voice got stuck in her throat.

Gloria's eyes widened, feeling both excited and nervous, ecstatic and uneasy. The conflicting emotions intertwined, turning into the pounding of her heart, which thudded loudly in her ears, over and over.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Anson appeared right in front of her.

His lips curled into a slight smile, and suddenly, the golden sunlight dimmed, the noise of the crowd faded away, and all that was left in Gloria's eyes, mind, and thoughts was the figure in front of her.

"Hey, Gloria."

Gloria blinked, completely losing her ability to respond. What did Anson just say? Did he actually remember her name? Was Anson calling her?

Anson didn't get a response and paused slightly.

"Sorry, did I get your name wrong? If so…"

Gloria quickly waved her hand, "No, no, no… I mean, you didn't get it wrong. I'm Gloria, Gloria Preston."

She stammered out a bunch of words.

Gloria could barely breathe.

"You… you still remember me?"

Anson's smile blossomed again. "Of course, you were the first audience member to ask for my name. How could I forget? I'm really happy to see you here today. I'm glad you didn't forget me."

Gloria's cheeks warmed up. She could feel herself completely bathed in Anson's gaze, with nowhere to escape. Her wildly beating heart turned into a wave of noise pounding against her eardrums, overwhelming her. She wanted to shy away but couldn't move; not even her neck could turn. She was wrapped up in Anson's smile—

Falling, slowly falling.

The world froze in that moment.

Anson didn't notice the detail. "Thank you so much for coming. I hope you'll enjoy 'The Princess Diaries.'"

Gloria's brain, feeling like mush, finally responded reflexively, nodding quickly. "Like it? I'll definitely love it."

"Haha." Anson laughed heartily. "Even if you don't like it, you say you do—I respect that spirit. But honestly, I do hope you enjoy it."

Rustle, rustle.

Rustle, rustle.

The air was filled with a sense of excitement and restlessness, the burning fervor evident in the eyes around him, like the scorching summer sun touching Anson's skin, almost setting it aflame.

Anson noticed—

With a quick turn of his head, he glanced around, giving a smile to those gazes.

"Ah!"

In an instant, it was like gasoline was poured onto a spark, and a blazing fire erupted. The entire world exploded with an unbelievable energy, causing the smile on Anson's face to widen even more.

"Ahhh!"

Losing their minds, losing control.

Elaine felt like her soul had left her body. She stood there in a daze, swaying with the overwhelming waves of excitement, trying to call out to Anson but unable to speak. The voice welled up deep in her throat, but it just wouldn't come out.

Unintentionally, Anson's gaze met hers.

Their eyes locked, staring at each other.

Elaine held her breath.

Anson looked at the girl in front of him, who stared at him wide-eyed like a rabbit, and smiled. He nodded slightly in greeting.

Thump.

Elaine could clearly hear the echo of her heart skipping a beat.

Anson then turned back to Gloria. "Enjoy the movie, and be safe going home tonight." With that, he turned and walked away, his long legs quickly carrying him out of sight.

"I will," Gloria called out to his retreating back. Only now did she realize she was trembling all over, shaking intensely.

Nervousness. Excitement. Euphoria. Happiness.

And maybe even a little bit of fear, though she couldn't tell if it was because she worried it was all a dream or because she had gotten too close to the sun.

But she couldn't stop shaking.

It was a completely new experience, something she had never felt before.

Yet she was trapped in this vivid, overwhelming emotion, drowning in it like someone caught underwater.

"Gloria…"

"Gloria!"

The voice calling her name grew louder, and Gloria finally snapped out of it. She looked up and saw Elaine's concerned face, her eyes checking to see if she was okay.

Gloria didn't know how to explain her current state. She wasn't hurt, just… overwhelmed, like the adrenaline rush after chugging ten cans of Red Bull all at once.

But when she looked at Elaine, she noticed something surprising—

Elaine was the same.

She was trembling uncontrollably, her pupils slightly dazed, but the happiness, joy, and excitement were unmistakable. Her blank mind was finally starting to come back to life.

Gradually, the feeling of reality dragged her back down to earth.

It wasn't just Elaine. All around her, people's gazes were fixed on Gloria, their excitement and happiness mixed with envy, raining down on her like a torrential downpour.

Then—

"Ah!"

Gloria and Elaine turned to each other and screamed simultaneously.

"Ahhh!"

At this moment, what could be a better release than a scream?

Nothing.

One person, then two, then three, four, five, and in an instant, the screams spread throughout the crowd.

The surging waves pushed the atmosphere in the Chieftain Theatre to its peak.

And it didn't stop there; it kept spiraling out of control, igniting the purest, most primal, most fervent emotions along Hollywood Boulevard.

The feast had begun.