Global Film Emperor

Chapter 434 Get some rest early (Part 2)

"Slow down! Who told you to step on the gas downhill!"

"I've told you eight hundred times! The driver's seat is slightly to the left. You can't have the driver's seat in the middle of the road. The car has to be a little to the left to be in the middle of the road! How are the cars on the right supposed to drive?"

"Turn around! Turn around! Are you fucking stupid?! You almost scraped the green belt! Didn't I tell you? When you turn right to the middle, turn halfway back first, and then quickly straighten up depending on the situation. Do you even have a brain?!"

"Apply the brake lightly! Don't you notice how you slam on the brakes every time you stop? Anyone else would be throwing up from all the jolting! You can press the brake harder when you first brake, but as the speed decreases, you can gradually lift it off the ground. When the car is almost stopped, just lightly press the brake. Why do you have to slam on the brake before you stop? When going downhill, wait until the car is completely stopped before pressing the brake all the way down. Didn't you notice the car rolling backward? Press the brake! Pull the handbrake!"

"Brake! Brake!! Brake!!!"

……

Throughout the journey, Lu Nan drove nervously, her body trembling. Lu Ze also shouted until his throat was dry, feeling like it was on fire. The tender brother-sister relationship they had just experienced seemed like a dream, and now that they were awake, the real theme of their interactions was the brother's harsh scolding.

Lu Ze was terrified the whole way. Even though the car wasn't going fast, people always have an instinctive fear of crashing. After finally stumbling and bumping his way to the underground parking garage of the residential area, Lu Ze got out of the car first and gave Lu Nan, who couldn't park in the garage even after reversing more than ten times, a cold look.

"Bro, this parking space is too narrow..."

"How big is 'big'? Is leaving three parking spaces considered big? How did you usually park?"

"So... the front of the car was facing inwards..."

"When you back out, can you see the cars behind you?"

"I can't see it, that's how it was hit last time..."

"Are you brain-dead? You were hit once last time and you're still planning to park like that? You never learn your lesson. If I didn't let you park like that, were you planning to keep your car facing inwards for the rest of your life?!"

"Stop cursing, stop cursing, stop cursing, stop cursing."

She was driven to the brink of collapse by Lu Ze's scolding. She covered her ears, shook her head violently, her long hair swinging wildly. If she went any faster, she probably could have sent the car flying. In the end, she couldn't bear it any longer and slumped onto the steering wheel, sobbing softly.

Lu Ze didn't take it seriously at first, but when he saw that she didn't get up and her crying was getting louder, he frowned, walked to the driver's side door, bent down, reached through the window, grabbed Lu Nan's hair and lifted her up. He saw that there wasn't a single tear, so he pressed Lu Nan's head down and pushed her back down.

"Drip~~"

The car horn blared, and she started thrashing about. Lu Ze stopped making a fuss and let go. She pouted, hissing and sucking in cold air. Ouch, she rubbed her forehead and sat up, glancing at Lu Ze. She laughed inexplicably, probably because she was drooling too much and couldn't control her mouth. Saliva dripped from the corner of her mouth. She quickly took another breath and swallowed the saliva back, but she choked and started coughing violently, her chest resonating. After finally stopping coughing, she glanced at Lu Ze again and laughed again. This appearance really did resemble someone with cerebral palsy.

"What are you laughing at?"

"No... it's just that I haven't teased you in a long time. When we were little, you always hit me, but I still liked to tease you. Brother, do you still remember what I looked like when I was little?"

"forget."

"cut……"

He was originally a very tactful person, but he always spoke harshly to Lu Nan, never hiding his sharp tongue. After being attacked for so many years, she had long been used to it, and she knew perfectly well that even if Lu Nan herself forgot, he would remember it clearly.

He will always remember that drop of water that hit him, rolled down and became murky, with a clear dividing line between his ankle and thigh, but could always be washed back to the same color, and him running on a rural dirt road wearing the green short-sleeved shirt with Ultraman printed on it that Lu Ze had worn as a child.

She stopped hesitating, slung her bag over her shoulder, and the black linen flared pants rustled between her legs. The sound of her high heels carried far in the underground parking garage. Lu Ze, carrying the luggage, quietly followed behind her.

So this time, she no longer panicked and turned around to check at the slightest sound, as she used to. Now, she only needed to stride forward, and the long-lost sense of security finally returned.

She rented a room on the tenth floor, a two-bedroom apartment of over 80 square meters, with only two apartments per floor. The rent for a single room in this area is not much different from that for a two-bedroom apartment. After her former roommate left, she did not move to another place and has been living here ever since. Thinking about it carefully, it has been more than two years.

Lu Ze entered the room, which was decorated in a very cozy style. There was no pink filling it, just a mix of blue and white. The color scheme might be on the cooler side, but it was exceptionally reassuring.

The living room was a bit small because the kitchen had a large surface area. The kitchen utensils were very clean, wiped until they reflected light, and hung on the wall in a certain pattern. She must cook often. Even if the kitchen is kept very clean, frequent cooking will inevitably leave obvious grease stains on the range hood. Lu Nan found him some slippers, women's slippers, probably only size 38 or 39. They couldn't fit Lu Ze's size 45 feet at all. He could barely squeeze his toes in, but his heels dangled out, directly touching the floor.

She had quite a few appliances, with a refined style that looked somewhat bourgeois, but not overly idealistic, so they wouldn't just gather dust after a few uses. She didn't pay attention to the rest of the appliances, and sat down on the sofa with an air of nonchalance, turned on the TV, and the program was still the Hunan TV channel she had watched before.

"I'm going to change my clothes. There are drinks in the fridge, help yourself."

"it is good."

What was it like to visit his sister's house for the first time? Lu Ze didn't have much of a feeling about it, except that the roles of the two people giving instructions and being instructed had been reversed, which made Lu Ze feel a little bit strange.

She returned to her room and came out shortly after. She was wearing a long white T-shirt with an Indian-style pattern printed on the chest. The shirt was very large and hung down to her knees. Without Lu Ze reminding her, she flipped down the hair tie on her wrist, tied her hair back into a ponytail, and went into the kitchen to get busy.

She cooks very well, and so does Lu Ze, but even with the same dish, they taste completely different. She prefers milder flavors, while Lu Ze prefers stronger ones. So when they eat each other's cooking, they always feel like something is missing. But now, Lu Ze is content that he can eat without having to cook for himself.

Since television allows on-demand viewing, Lu Ze no longer wanted to watch those useless variety shows. Instead, he searched for movies that interested him and quietly watched them. Occasionally, he would come across classic scenes that gave him new insights, and he would quickly take notes.

As the saying goes, nature calls. He had only watched half of the movie when he felt the urge to urinate. After relieving himself, he washed his hands and glanced at the makeup box next to him. It was full of high-end brands that he had bought for Lu Nan. Only a small number of bottles and jars were placed by the sink.

But that wasn't what Lu Ze was paying attention to. After drying his hands, he gently opened the semi-transparent cabinet door, picked up the medicines inside, and read them one by one. There were no particularly embarrassing medications, only cod liver oil, vitamin tablets, painkillers, stomach medicine, and medicine for stubborn minor ailments such as migraines.

He quietly put the medicine back in its original place and just then heard Lu Nan calling for dinner. He didn't immediately ask Lu Nan why he had developed so many minor ailments. He simply sat down quietly and watched Lu Nan open a slightly chilly bottle of beer for him.

The food was the same as always, with a bland flavor, but for Lu Ze, who was tired of English food, it was an ultimate enjoyment. He ate two large bowls without saying a word. When he was eating the third bowl, he saw her stop eating and take out a gift box from somewhere and place it in front of Lu Ze.

"What?" "Open it and take a look."

She clenched her fists, pressing them against her cheeks, still holding chopsticks in her hands, and urged Lu Ze to open the gift box with some anticipation. Unable to resist her nagging, Lu Ze had no choice but to put down his chopsticks and open the gift box. Inside lay an exquisite black wallet. It had no brand name, but the stitching was very meticulous, suggesting it was a custom-made piece. It wasn't as expensive as designer wallets, but the clips could be customized to one's own preferences, just like the one Lu Nan had given him.

There are only four card slots on one side, and the other side has all the slots removed and replaced with a transparent clip for storing photos or ID cards. It's a very simple design that ensures the wallet is thin and light. The outer leather is delicate and is probably made of calfskin or lambskin.

But none of that matters. The most important thing is that a photo has been placed in the transparent folder. It's a family photo of the four of them. Lu Ze remembers this photo. It was taken in Lu Ze's old house in Shanghai. His parents are sitting in chairs, and Lu Ze and Lu Nan are standing behind them. Except for Lu Nan, none of the other three are smiling.

This is a staid photograph, featuring three staid faces and a once carefree, clueless girl.

Come to think of it, Lu Nan had never given her any proper gifts before. The gifts she received in the past were not expensive, only within her acceptable price range. Only this wallet seemed to be something special, and it must have cost around a thousand yuan.

Lu Ze liked it very much, but the price didn't matter. He took out his Gucci wallet, moved the money and cards inside to the new place, casually threw the old wallet on the sofa, put the new one in his pocket, picked up his rice bowl and continued to eat heartily without even saying thank you.

Lu Nan was actually quite happy, because she knew Lu Ze was happy. The fact that he was able to get a new wallet so quickly already spoke volumes. As for Lu Ze thanking her? She hadn't been drinking today.

There were only three dishes: scrambled eggs with tomatoes, pan-fried ribbonfish, and stir-fried pork with chili peppers. The three dishes, along with a pot of rice, were devoured by Lu Ze, leaving him with a satisfied sigh.

She received a call from a client and went back to her bedroom to talk to the client. The room wasn't very soundproof, and occasionally when she spoke loudly, Lu Ze could hear her from the living room. After washing the dishes, she went to the balcony, opened the window, and lit a cigarette.

With nowhere to flick his cigarette ash, he looked around but found no ashtray. He could only pick up the bottle and flick the ash into it. There was still some water in the bottle, and a few sparks of fire fell in with a hiss. He stuck his head out and looked downstairs. There were crowds of people outside, in twos and threes, their laughter carrying far. It was almost a holiday, and it was perfectly normal for friends to have a treat together.

However, this lively scene made Lu Ze realize that Lu Nan was very lonely. In this city where she had no relatives or friends, it was hard for her not to feel lonely.

Loneliness is not something you can only feel when you are in the dark. It is very close to people and can visit you at any time. It can exist at any time, in any scene, and can even be a kind of sound.

It can be a solitary figure in a bustling area.

It could be the drizzling rain when you're home alone.

It could be the only light that goes out among all the lights in the house.

It can be a single wine glass placed in front of a host of dishes.

Everyone has experienced this feeling, like their heart is slowly withering away, and you can hear the echo when a stone falls. This is true for Lu Ze, Lu Nan, and countless others who have left home.

"Yes, Mr. Zhang, we'll have time after the Mid-Autumn Festival to discuss the specifics. When we meet, please bring your bank statements and the documents you signed with the other party. The cost of litigation isn't important now. Didn't you only file for lawsuit after failing to get compensation? If you could get the money back without going through the law, you wouldn't have contacted me. Okay, see you on the 22nd."

She walked out of the room, held her phone between her shoulder and face, took out a glass of juice from the refrigerator, and poured herself a glass. When she saw Lu Ze looking at her, she waved to him to wait a moment. After chatting with the person on the other end of the phone for a few minutes, she hung up and drank the juice in one gulp.

"Ugh, my mouth is so dry, why are you looking at me like that?"

Sprawled on the sofa, phone tossed aside, she lazily fiddled with her hair. If it weren't for her left heel rubbing against her right calf, she would have been quite a sight to behold.

"Take your legs down. Look at any girl, whose legs are on the platform."

She didn't argue, but put down her two long, fair legs, sat up straight, turned on the TV, and idly flipped through the channels. Lu Ze was editing the quarterly report of the China Electronics Association on his phone when Lu Nan suddenly asked a question.

"Brother, do you know Chang Yiyuan?"

"do not know."

"You don't recognize such a famous star? He became famous even earlier than you. I quite like him. His movie was released during the Lunar New Year season, and it was heavily promoted. I'm planning to go see it."

Lu Ze couldn't respond to this. He couldn't very well tell Lu Nan the truth: the male celebrity she liked was a homosexual who had gotten a newcomer into the hospital and made her see a proctologist, could he?
He wasn't that gossipy to bother with such disgusting rumors; it was just something Lu Ze had heard from a few friends a long time ago, probably around the time of Zhuang Yu's wedding.

There are many people with the same orientation in the circle. Having lived in the UK for so long, Lu Ze has long since become indifferent to this kind of thing. Unless Mickey calls Lu Ze now and tells him that he is a philosopher, Lu Ze will definitely be shocked. Even if the Mendeleev brothers were to turn heterosexual, Lu Ze would not be surprised. After all, a small portion of the muscular men in British gyms are indeed... quite promiscuous.

But if you're going to sleep with a younger guy and then not even do it yourself, making him put the marbles in his own, that's going too far. You have to treat people like human beings, right? Same orientation is fine, and unspoken rules are normal, but if you're a pervert, then you'll definitely become one of the people Lu Ze hates the most.

As for the Lunar New Year film he starred in, netizens will probably know in a couple of days that the film will be withdrawn from release.

After all, publishing numbers aren't easy to get. Let's cut out several versions and submit them for review one by one. It's definitely too late for the Spring Festival release...

She asked Lu Ze a lot of inside information about the entertainment industry, such as who had connections, who had money, and who was a gigolo. Unfortunately, Lu Ze was unaware of most of these things. It wasn't because he was no longer developing his career in China, but because he simply couldn't be bothered to listen to these ridiculous things and didn't take them seriously.

Clearly, Lu Nan wasn't entirely convinced. Although she didn't know exactly how high Lu Ze's status was in the entertainment industry, she knew that Lu Ze was incredibly influential. He was the kind of person who would confidently promise that if you needed anything from Brother Lu, he would be a reliable person.

She didn't press for details, only giving Lu Ze a disapproving look at his cluelessness. She decided to skip the topic altogether. Lu Ze was even less likely to call his friends to ask about these things to satisfy Lu Nan's gossip. It's normal to be interested in celebrities; even people in their forties or fifties who aren't in the entertainment industry can't help but yearn for the lives of celebrities. But it's best to maintain Lu Nan's attitude of being indifferent to what she's hearing.

It was getting late, so Lu Nan helped make the bed in the second bedroom. After Lu Ze washed up, he went to bed and started the system tutorial. Lu Nan, on the other hand, turned on the computer and started organizing the case materials for the upcoming court hearing.

Lu Ze was thirsty when he finished his class. He glanced at the time and saw it was already 2 a.m. A beam of light shone through the crack in the door below. He quietly opened the door and saw Lu Nan still typing on the keyboard in the living room with the music playing very softly. So when she heard Lu Ze open the door, she turned around and looked at Lu Ze with some trepidation.

He didn't say anything, went to the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water, drank half of it, refilled it, and carried the glass into the bedroom. Only when he was about to close the door did he say a word to Lu Nan.

"go to bed early."

"..."

(End of this chapter)