Capítulo 275: Watching out for each other
At the midnight hour, the iconic theater was abuzz with excitement, and everyone's faces were brimming with delight.
The unexpected appearance of the "Fast 5" cast undoubtedly added some discussion points and sensation to the "Buried" preview. Renly's appeal as a rising star was indeed remarkable. It could be imagined that discussions about "Buried" would remain lively for the next few days. How long this excitement would last, however, depended on the quality of the work itself.
"Is that Renly?"
"Yes, that's Young Master Renly! My goodness, he's even more charming in person than on the screen. There's an indescribable elegance about him that's incredibly captivating."
"I feel he exudes a subtle grace, like a humble gentleman with the sunny youthfulness of a young man. And yet, there's also the dignity and refinement of a mature man. My God, I don't even remember his role in "The Pacific". Wait, you all address him as "Young Heir"?"
...
A brief appearance left a lingering resonance.
Strictly speaking, Renly was still a completely unknown newcomer. Forget about his appeal, even his basic image was quite unclear. The audience's impressions of him were entirely pieced together from media portrayals and bits of news reports. It was hard to form a clear image. The buzz at the midnight screening of "Buried" was simply the result of media hype.
But the face-to-face interaction just now had faintly sketched a physical form in the minds of the audience, gradually aligning the name "Renly Hall" with a face, physique, and impression.
Entering the interior of the cinema with brisk steps, after passing through the ticket checkpoint, one could see a short corridor with two screening rooms on each side. At the end of the corridor was another screening room. That was all there was.
Renly couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He believed that the encirclement just now shouldn't count for much. Compared to the fervent fans of Robert Pattinson, it was barely worth mentioning. Still, he couldn't help feeling a bit flustered, perhaps even a bit embarrassed. When a person gets caught in a tightly packed crowd, things get out of their control. The ubiquitous arms and shouting make it impossible to respond properly, leaving one flustered and disoriented. Even an elephant might be consumed by an army of ants. Clearly, Renly didn't have six arms.
"Wait, wait." A breathless shout came from behind, causing Renly's group to stop in their tracks. They turned around and saw Bradley's figure, "Can I interview you? Just two minutes. Did Renly invite the entire cast to watch the movie today? Paul? How's the progress of "Fast 5"? How's Renly's performance? What are your expectations for tonight's movie?"
Among their group, Paul was undoubtedly the main focus. Bradley naturally directed the questions towards him, and the others standing by also instinctively turned their gaze towards Paul.
Renly halted his steps, intending to witness the interview. After all, today was a great opportunity for promoting both "Buried" and "Fast 5". He had participated in both projects, so it was only fitting to contribute to the promotion. However, after turning around, his peripheral vision caught a figure, and he swiftly turned his head again, spotting someone who had retreated back into the restroom and was now hiding behind its wall.
Renly's brows slightly furrowed, and a light overflow of a smile appeared. He turned around simply and didn't approach. Instead, he fixed his gaze on that spot, his intense gaze carrying an unabashed intent.
Edith Hall knew she had been exposed. If she continued hiding, she would only make herself more embarrassed. So, she walked out gracefully, calmly adjusting her attire before sizing up Renly. She commented with a critical tone, "God, the way you look right now is like you were caught having a secret affair with a maid in the kitchen. Your appearance is truly uncouth."
Having just experienced the encirclement by the audience, Renly's shirt was slightly disheveled, and his coat's belt had been pulled out, with the collar stuffed into his neck. His appearance was indeed extremely disheveled, which was an immense embarrassment, especially for a noble.
However, in the face of Edith's mockery, Renly remained calm and composed, standing upright as if there were no issues with his attire and appearance. This was his natural stance. His candid and straightforward expression added a touch of carefree charm, even more alluring than his usual meticulousness.
Edith's attempts at attacking had no apparent effect. This made her roll her eyes directly. This was the reason she disliked Renly! It was always like this! He could always leave her in an embarrassing situation without a sound. Although she enjoyed watching the confrontations between Renly and Elf, each clash sparking like fireworks, it was a different story if it were her.
"Jesus Christ, you've truly been influenced by Arthur," Edith complained, shaking her head. Then she noticed the smile forming at the corner of Renly's lips. She shook her head again and added, "That wasn't a compliment."
Today, Edith was dressed in a formal outfit—a lake blue silk shirt paired with black wide-leg trousers. She stepped in red pointed high heels and wore a short black jacket on top. Her short hair was tied into a ponytail, presenting a capable yet elegant air. It was concise, neat, and incredibly stylish.
"You didn't come here just to support me, did you?" Renly raised an eyebrow at her and asked, brimming with enthusiasm.
Edith rolled her eyes once more, her lips quirking into a disdainful expression. She didn't hold back her criticism as she retorted, "I've told you before, don't take after Arthur, being so presumptuous. I have a date today and came all the way to watch the movie. Who would've thought that they wouldn't screen a classic black-and-white film today and instead chose such a boring one."
Shaking her head, Edith's face was filled with distaste. "Seeing your face on the big screen, I'm sure I won't sleep well tonight. If my date didn't think it was unnecessary to change locations, I would've left a long time ago."
In the face of Edith's full-blown barrage, Renly couldn't help but laugh. "So, is today an older date?"
Today, Edith had chosen a deep red lip color. That fiery crimson lip outlined her whole demeanor with a touch of enchantment. This was Renly's assumption. If it were a younger date, Edith would present her domineering older-sister image. Once, Renly had seen Edith wearing black lipstick for a date, leaving that young man utterly captivated.
Edith pursed her lips. "Of course. If it were a young person, we would already be in the room by now." As for what they would be doing in the room, listeners were free to imagine.
Renly couldn't help but chuckle. "Well then, I'd better remind you to watch out for the elderly's heart condition."
At Renly's insinuation, Edith understood immediately. If even her date was old enough to have heart problems. She retorted without showing any weakness, "If you were looking for a date with a friend of Dorothy, remember to let me know, so I can go observe."
Observing Renly's expression of "submission rather than resistance", Edith couldn't suppress herself and rolled her eyes for the third time. She decided that leaving as soon as possible would be best.
Indeed, Edith had a date, but it wasn't her companion who had suggested coming to the midnight screening of "Buried"; it was her.
For Edith, she wasn't curious about Renly's performance, nor was she curious about the quality of "Buried". However, she was somewhat concerned about the premiere's outcome, fearing that it might be a complete disaster.
Deep down, she hoped for Renly's success because she and Renly were of the same ilk, both non-conformists.
She wouldn't gather a group of friends to come to the cinema to support Renly's film; that would truly cheapen the gesture. Personally attending the cinema to show support was already the pinnacle.
However, she hadn't expected to encounter the film's fervent fans at the midnight screening—that was the first surprise. Subsequently, she bumped into Renly directly—that was the second surprise. Edith didn't want her true intentions to be discovered because they were both from the family of Hall, and the Halls wouldn't engage in such warm-hearted mutual support. That would be overly emotional.
Pointing towards the screening hall, she said, "I don't want my date to wait too long. Before the lights go off in the screening hall, we have plenty of things to do." Edith spoke, her expression serious as she warned, "Don't come and disturb me! If today's date doesn't go well, hmph." Edith rotated her hand, turning it into a fist. The vibrant red nail polish looked dazzling.
Renly innocently shrugged his shoulders, his expression resembling that of a pure and harmless child. He seemed to ask, "How could I possibly do something so terrible?" This caused a slight twitch at the corner of Edith's eye; she made a retching gesture before turning around and leaving in quick strides.
But after only a few steps, Edith stopped, turned around, and asked, "I've taken on a job next week, a photo shoot for Rolling Stone. Your name is on the reserve list. Did your agent mention it to you?"
"No," Renly shrugged his shoulders. Next week, he was heading to Rio de Janeiro for filming. All the publicity events that Andy had scheduled for him, including radio interviews, magazine features, and talk shows, were all canceled. However, compared to the publicity frenzy for "Fast 5", Renly was actually benefiting more.
Edith shook her head, not bothering to conceal her disdain. "It's a good thing it's not you. It's really a relief. I'm tired of photographing you. It's truly boring." Then, a smile appeared on the corner of Edith's lips. "But is this really alright? It seems that "Buried" is almost receiving no promotion, and I estimate the outcome will be beyond terrible. Once Arthur knows about it, I'm sure he'll laugh until his stomach hurts."
"No, he'll pour a glass of fine Dalmore whiskey and play a Beethoven vinyl record, savoring this happy news slowly," Renly responded, not showing any signs of anger. Instead, he seriously corrected Edith's statement, managing to make her laugh.
"I hope I don't fall asleep later," Edith blinked at Renly. Then, without further hesitation, she turned gracefully and walked into the screening hall.
Renly also didn't pause. He turned around and looked at Bradley and Paul, who were in conversation. Then, he heard Bradley raise his voice and shout, "Renly, if you were to recommend "Buried" to a friend, what would you say?"
Renly earnestly pondered for a moment and then said, "The savior for claustrophobia?" His serious words carried a sense of absurd joy, leaving people unable to hold back their laughter.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
Shallowman
Shallowman Who do you think is Edith's date? I bet you'll never be able to guess... probably... no, not a chance!
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