Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 31: Is it all predestined?

On Friday afternoon, sunlight shone through the sparse early winter clouds, bringing a lazy warmth.

"Finally, I can breathe a sigh of relief," Jiang Yu thought to himself. He declined the driver's offer to pick him up and decided to take a walk along the Xingtang Road sidewalk to clear his mind.

Xingtang Road is not wide, and there are mostly old residential buildings and scattered small shops on both sides. Most of the trees on the roadside trees have fallen, and the branches are gnarled and pointing to the sky.

Jiang Yu wrapped his thin woolen coat tighter around himself and strolled along, temporarily putting aside his thoughts about casting for "The Witch".

As I walked, a small coffee shop came into view.

The warm yellow light shone through the glass window, appearing especially inviting in the gradually cooling twilight.

The room was warm and inviting, filled with the aroma of coffee mixed with a subtle sweetness from roasting.

The store wasn't crowded, and soothing jazz music filled the air.

Jiang Yu walked straight to the counter, his eyes scanning the price list. Just as he was about to order an Americano, his gaze inadvertently swept over the row of seats by the window.

Then, he paused.

A girl was sitting in the innermost seat by the window.

She was facing away from the doorway, wearing a green sweater, with her long, black hair flowing smoothly over her shoulders. She was holding a book in her hands, looking down intently at it.

Liu Yifei.

Jiang Yu was somewhat surprised, not expecting to meet her here in this way.

Seemingly sensing the gaze, Liu Yifei raised her head and looked towards the counter.

When her gaze met Jiang Yu's, a slight surprise flashed in her clear eyes, which then turned into a polite and gentle smile, and she nodded slightly as a greeting.

There was no deliberate overture from the celebrities to the investors or potential producers, nor did they pretend not to know them; it was just a very natural reaction, like bumping into an acquaintance.

Jiang Yu smiled back, nodded, and then turned to the counter: "A hot Americano, please."

While waiting for his coffee, his thoughts drifted slightly.

The last time we met was at the Hengdian film set and at that social banquet. She was Liu Yifei, an actress dressed in costume or formal wear, and he was President Jiang, surrounded by a crowd.

At this moment, the two seemed to have temporarily shed their labels and become just two ordinary customers in this small café.

.......

Holding the freshly made coffee, Jiang Yu originally planned to leave immediately.

As I reached the door and placed my hand on the doorknob, I paused for a moment.

Looking back at the quiet figure by the window, a thought popped into my head: It seems a bit impolite to just leave like this?

After all, we've officially met and even had a meal together.

He turned around and walked towards Liu Yifei's seat.

"What a coincidence." Jiang Yu stopped by the table, his voice not loud, but with a natural familiarity.

Liu Yifei closed the book, looked up, and still had that faint smile on her face: "Yes, President Jiang. What a coincidence."

She gestured to the empty seat opposite her, "Would you like to sit here?"

"Thank you." Jiang Yu sat down opposite him and placed his coffee cup on the table.

He glanced at the book she had closed; it was an original English version of "One Hundred Years of Solitude".

"Are you reading this book?"

"Yes, let's revisit it. Every time I read Márquez's writing, I get a new feeling." Liu Yifei's voice was soft, with the earnestness one has when talking about things they like.

"It's a book that really tests your patience and focus," Jiang Yu added.

The two of them started their conversation naturally, beginning with "One Hundred Years of Solitude".

The topics were whimsical yet surprisingly peaceful.

Strangely enough, no one mentioned "The Witch".

Liu Yifei did not test the waters, did not take the opportunity to promote herself, and did not even show any special interest in the role.

Jiang Yu didn't mention anything work-related, and the two tacitly maintained the purely private nature of this chance encounter, as if they were just two ordinary friends chatting about some common topics.

The sky outside the window darkened without us realizing it, and the streetlights lit up one after another, casting warm spots of light on the glass.

The coffee was finished, and the conversation came to an end. The brief silence was not awkward.

Looking at the girl's softer features under the light, Jiang Yu suddenly spoke as if possessed.

"It's getting dark, how about we grab some dinner together? I know a nice, quiet private restaurant nearby."

As soon as he said it, even he was slightly taken aback.

Liu Yifei was clearly stunned as well. She looked up at Jiang Yu, a clear look of surprise flashing in her eyes, as if she hadn't expected him to suddenly suggest having dinner together.

The air was quiet for a few seconds, with only the soft echo of the café's background music.

To Jiang Yu's surprise, the astonishment on Liu Yifei's face slowly faded. She nodded gently, her voice still soft.

"OK."

.......

The private restaurant Jiang Yu mentioned was indeed not far away, hidden in a narrower alley. The storefront was unassuming, and inside was a traditional courtyard house structure, which the owner had carefully transformed into several quiet private rooms.

The environment is elegant and offers excellent privacy.

When ordering, Jiang Yu handed the menu to Liu Yifei: "Take a look and see what you like to eat."

Liu Yifei didn't refuse. She took the menu, looked at it carefully for a while, ordered two light dishes and a soup, and then handed the menu back to Jiang Yu: "Mr. Jiang, would you like to take another look?"

Jiang Yu ordered two more signature dishes and a pot of chrysanthemum and goji berry tea.

The atmosphere was more relaxed while waiting for the food than it had been in the cafe.

Perhaps it was because they were away from public places and in a more private space; or perhaps it was the invitation to have dinner together that unconsciously brought them closer together.

Their topics are no longer limited to literature and film; they have begun to include more everyday life.

When Liu Yifei talked about the fun things that happened when she lived abroad as a child, and her original intention to learn dance and performance, her tone was relaxed, and she would occasionally bring up a little bit of complaining, revealing the lively side unique to girls of this age.

Jiang Yu then shared some of his experiences studying at USC, as well as some of the frustrating and sometimes laughable setbacks he encountered in the early stages of his entrepreneurship.

Jiang Yu discovered that Liu Yifei was actually quite talkative in private, and had her own ideas and a sense of humor, not as aloof as she appeared on the outside.

Liu Yifei also sensed that this young boss, who was rumored to be tough in the industry, was not as distant as she had imagined when they got along in private.

The food was served, and it tasted really good.

The two ate and chatted in a pleasant atmosphere.

"Actually, I'm a little surprised you agreed to have dinner together," Jiang Yu said with a smile, taking a sip of tea.

Liu Yifei picked up a piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks, looked up at him, her eyes clear: "Why are you surprised? Is it because you're President Jiang and I'm just an actress? Or is it because of... 'The Witch'?"

She finally mentioned the name, her tone calm, more like stating an objective fact than probing.

Jiang Yu nodded frankly: "A little bit of both. After all, we are now potential partners with a 'work relationship'."

"So we should avoid suspicion even more?" Liu Yifei tilted her head slightly and asked in return, then laughed to herself, "If my mom knew, she'd probably say I'm too casual."

She paused, put down her chopsticks, and her expression became more serious. "However, I think that actors and producers, or any collaborators, are first and foremost human beings, besides their working relationship. Normal interaction and understanding are not necessarily a bad thing. Moreover, I believe that President Jiang is not the kind of person whose professional judgment would be affected by having a private meal."

Looking at her, Jiang Yu's opinion of her rose even higher.

He is neither arrogant nor humble, knows his limits, and has courage.

"You're right," Jiang Yu nodded. "Work is work, and life is life. Besides, it's been a pleasure chatting with you."

A faint blush rose on Liu Yifei's face, whether from the warmth of the heating or something else, it was hard to tell.

She picked up her chopsticks again and said softly, "Me too."

Dinner ended in a pleasant atmosphere. Jiang Yu called a car to take Liu Yifei back to her place in Beijing.

As the car stopped at the entrance of the residential complex, Liu Yifei turned to Jiang Yu before getting out and said, "Thank you for dinner, Mr. Jiang. I had a very pleasant chat today."

"I'm happy too, Ms. Liu." Jiang Yu called her by her name naturally. "Take care on the road and get some rest."

"Okay, goodbye."

After watching Liu Yifei walk into the community gate and disappear into the path shaded by greenery, Jiang Yu then told the driver to drive away.

(Hoping those with monthly passes can give me some support!)