Chapter 396: Hero saves the beauty
The man staggered backward, his steps unsteady. Amidst the urgency, he managed to retreat only half a step, his expression fierce, his gaze sharp, refusing to yield ground.
The young woman hadn't anticipated this turn of events. She seemed startled, frozen in place, unsure of what to do. She glanced around, but her feet remained rooted.
Renly rushed forward, nearly colliding with the girl. He hesitated for a moment, then smoothly turned his body, avoiding her. But in this new position, he lost his angle for an effective push. He could only rely on his momentum, using his shoulder to charge fiercely toward the man.
In the next instant, Renly couldn't spare a thought for the man. He shouted at the girl, "Move, get out of the way!" With a burst of energy from his legs, he closed the distance between him and the girl in an instant. He grabbed her and swiftly pulled her to the side.
Renly followed closely. In his line of sight, he clearly saw the man stumble and lose his balance. However, the man's right hand emerged from behind him, holding a dark object—a pistol. "Watch out!"
Renly only had time for a brief shout. He didn't have time to deal with anything else. He covered ground in three long strides, then leapt upwards, like a fierce tiger descending a mountain. He kicked forcefully into the man's abdomen. Already off balance, the man was sent flying as if he were a kite with a broken string.
As Renly's feet hit the ground, he didn't wait to regain his balance. He charged forward, accurately grabbing the man's right hand. Using his hand like a blade, he struck down on the man's wrist with precision and force. After just two strikes, the man's grip on the pistol loosened, and the weapon fell to the ground.
In one fluid motion, Renly lunged forward, kicking the pistol aside. He twisted the man's right hand with both of his hands, forcing him to turn around. With one hand pinned behind the man's back, his balance was completely compromised. He fell heavily to the ground, like a sack of sand, facing the earth.
Following the pull of gravity, Renly pressed his knee against the man's back. Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly twisted the man's left hand behind him, then grabbed the sleeve of the man's coat and pulled forcefully. He used the sleeve as a makeshift rope to bind the man's hands together. With that, it was done.
The entire process was swift and clean, lasting no more than thirty seconds. But the impending crisis had been hair-raising, causing dry mouths and racing hearts. Finally, the crisis was resolved. The looming dark cloud had dissipated, and the relief of surviving washed over everyone, letting out a collective sigh.
In the screening room, only seven or eight audience members remained. Everyone else had fled. Upon seeing the thug subdued, they burst into applause.
Renly stood up, turned around, and witnessed this scene, a sense of amusement rising within him.
It was reminiscent of the time back in London during a family gathering when Elizabeth had asked him to play the piano. Unexpectedly, he had performed a Tai Chi routine instead, leaving the entire audience baffled. Only Edith had stood by, clapping with a mischievous grin. Even Arthur had worn a look of amusement, though he wisely concealed it.
The situation had been dire just moments ago. The other party had drawn a weapon. In the end, Renly had merely acted in self-defense—nothing more. So, he simply smiled at the other audience members and spoke, "Let's call the police now. When the officers arrive, let's all help by providing our statements."
Upon hearing the word "police", the thug at the back grew visibly anxious. He started by begging for mercy, but when that proved ineffective, he burst into a string of curses, creating a lively scene.
In the screening room, an unexpected situation arose. The theater's duty manager swiftly arrived to inquire about the circumstances. What followed was relatively straightforward. After the police were called, they arrived promptly at the scene. Everyone cooperated in providing statements, and the police apprehended the thug under the charge of disturbing public order. The incident came to a temporary conclusion.
Paul and Hazel stood near the exit, observing Renly and the police officer engaged in conversation not far away. An air of concern was inevitably present in their eyes. When Renly walked over, Paul asked with genuine concern, "Is everything alright? Is there something else?" Could it be that the thug had some kind of background? Did the police need to issue a warning to Renly?
Renly simply shook his head with a light laugh, "No worries, just casual chatting."
Unexpectedly, two police officers had recognized him just now. They paused for a brief chat, offering high praise for Renly and Paul's actions today. Later, they even asked for his autograph.
This was certainly a unique experience. In everyday life, being recognized unexpectedly, especially by uniformed civil servants, was a subtle change that was proving that the present-day Renly was no longer "a nameless nobody."
"Are you alright?" Renly's gaze turned towards Hazel.
Hazel stood still, supported by her own two feet. Her eyes gleamed with excitement, her smile radiant and infectious. She exuded an atmosphere of jubilation from head to toe, a feeling that defied adequate description. Finally, she exclaimed, "Wow, this is the most wonderful day of my life! Hands down!"
Renly and Paul exchanged a glance, unable to hold back their laughter.
"Sir," a polite voice sounded behind Renly. Turning around, to his surprise, it was the same girl from earlier. Her face bore an apologetic smile, but her eyes held both the excitement reminiscent of Hazel and an apology. "I'm really sorry for causing the disturbance earlier. And, thank you for helping out. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened."
Paul looked at Renly and noticed his hands behind his back, his face sporting a smile, an impeccably gentlemanly posture. His manners were poised and refined, yet he seemed to have no intention of responding verbally. This created a sense of distance.
Thus, Paul took the initiative to step in, "No need for that." He wasn't adept at socializing, his words were plain and simple, and his face carried a genuine smile, "In a situation like that, anyone would have stepped in. We just happened to get there before others. Besides, you were the first to speak out against their rude behavior, and that's truly commendable."
The girl beamed a bright smile, with a touch of shyness. Her gaze lingered momentarily on Hazel, then swiftly returned, landing on Paul, "I hope we didn't disturb your enjoyment of the movie. It was originally an exceptionally brilliant film. It's just a pity to encounter such an audience that lacks appreciation."
To be precise, the girl was no longer just a girl; she should be described as a young woman.
Thick eyebrows, bold as charcoal, traced a compelling outline, adding a striking element. On her petite oval face, they contributed a touch of valiant heroism. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were sharply delineated in black and white, their round pupils agilely shifting, resembling the playfulness of a clever fox. Her tapered chin outlined a clean and spirited curve, elevating her overflowing youthfulness. Her entire being seemed to radiate with vibrancy.
Amidst her radiant expression, there was a trace of playfulness hidden behind her shyness, carrying a touch of Audrey Hepburn-like elegance. It was natural, untouched by any alteration; genuine, devoid of any concealment.
"Even so, it was still incredibly marvelous." Hazel, standing by the side, emphasized with unwavering determination.
The young woman gently bit her lower lip, untroubled by the interruption. She earnestly nodded in agreement, "Yes, I personally loved it. I'll come back to watch it again some other day."
Her gaze couldn't help but steal another glance at Renly, observing his tall and upright figure like a blooming orchid. Swiftly retracting her gaze, she blinked her eyes a couple of times. Then, with politeness, she turned her attention to Paul and extended her right hand, "I'm sorry for interrupting your friends' gathering. I'm Lily, Lily Collins, and I'm very grateful for your help."
Paul courteously shook her right hand, "No problem at all, just doing what needed to be done." Paul paused, then remembered he hadn't introduced himself and took it upon himself to rectify the situation, "I'm Paul, this is Hazel, and this is Renly."
"Aha!" Lily's entire face lit up as if the sun was peeking out from behind the clouds. Her radiant brilliance was dazzling and exuberant, "I knew it! You're Paul Walker, and you're Renly Hall!"
Having scrutinized for a long time earlier, she had never dared to be certain. Now that she finally received confirmation, her spirits soared. She couldn't help but jump a little, clapping her hands excitedly as she exclaimed. But after the words escaped her lips, her nerves finally kicked in. Her pupils dilated, "Jesus Christ! Is it really you guys? Am I not dreaming?"
Observing the girl's startled and excited demeanor, it was truly hard to suppress laughter.
Lily Collins—her father was the renowned British singer Phil Collins, a dual winner of the Grammy and Oscar awards.
With extraordinary resources at her disposal, she began acting at the age of two in "Growing Pains". As she grew older, she naturally transitioned into Hollywood. She starred in movies like "The Blind Side", "Mirror Mirror", "Love, Rosie", and "Rules Don't Apply". However, born in 1989, her age still young, her acting skills were somewhat immature, much like Emma Roberts. She was more prominent in children's and youth-oriented films.
Hazel seemed to have found a common language and exclaimed with delight, "Isn't it magical? Just a few minutes ago, he was buried alive on the big screen, and now he's right in front of us. I feel like I can't distinguish between reality and the movie anymore."
Lily covered her mouth, restraining herself from being even more overwhelmed, and then nodded repeatedly, "Yes, I can hardly believe my own eyes just now. But the main question is, is that really how the movie ends? Was Paul really buried alive?" Lily looked at Renly with disbelief, seeking confirmation.
Renly's lips curled slightly, "I don't think Paul was buried alive. He's right here. Didn't you see him? Or is it just me who can see him?"
This teasing remark left Lily and Hazel momentarily stunned. Even Paul, standing nearby, was taken aback for a moment before he realized the situation. Paul chuckled helplessly, shaking his head. He didn't know how to counter Renly's comment.
The two young women exchanged a glance and burst into uproarious laughter, clapping their hands together in pure amusement.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Shallowman
Shallowman Very Chinese-novelish of the author. At least for once we are following the conventions of novel writing...
Also, weird for a person to fully Introduce oneself, so I tried to make it more natural for Lily
"The Blind Side" - "Weakness"
"Mirror Mirror" - "Snow White's Magic Mirror"
"Love, Rosie" - "Love You, Magic Mirror"
"Rules Don't Apply" - "Breaking the Rules", "To the Bone"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone