From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Dark red brick walls, ivory white corridor pillars, ink-black carved window lattices and railings. On the first floor ceiling, gargoyles resembling inverted bats can be seen. Lines and colors slowly outline the building's antiquity and grandeur, each seemingly ordinary detail bearing the marks of time's passage.

A marble staircase at the entrance serves as a connecting bridge between the street and the gate, flanked by lush gardens, leading straight to the black carved gate inlaid with mosaic colored glass, serene and calm, luxurious yet discreetly hidden in the bustling city.

Is this… the Ansen residence?

Edgar felt his mind was a bit muddled. Following Ansen's footsteps, he dazedly ascended the steps, and with a turn at the entrance, standing at a higher point, he could see the greenery of Central Park more clearly, even catching sight of young people boating beyond the trees.

At this moment, after a considerable delay, Edgar finally realized—

Central Park is to the east, so this is the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

The Upper West Side!

New York, one of the earliest gateways for Europe to enter the North American continent, has a very interesting city plan, like a chessboard grid.

The city is divided into several areas such as Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, etc., with Manhattan being the heart of the city.

On this island, it is divided into three areas: the Upper, Midtown, and Lower districts. The Lower district still retains the earliest European chaos and casualness, with streets crisscrossing in a crooked manner, free and unconstrained; but the Upper and Midtown districts are strictly divided according to the chessboard grid, with streets running east-west and avenues running north-south, neatly planned.

The world-renowned Fifth Avenue, the fifth street from west to east in Midtown Manhattan, is famous for gathering the world's top luxury brands, attracting nobles and celebrities to shop here.

Among them, the Upper district is mainly a residential area, divided into the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side by Central Park. On the precious land of Manhattan Island, it is a gathering place for the upper class and the new generation of elites.

Generally speaking, the wealthy in the Upper West Side may have a longer history; while the residents of the Upper East Side are more likely to be rising stars of the new generation—of course, this is not always the case, but relatively speaking.

The story of 'Gossip Girl' takes place on the Upper East Side.

However!

Even within the Upper district, there are differences. The geographical location of being able to see Central Park and not being able to see Central Park can be said to be worlds apart; similarly, even if you can see Central Park, a detached house and a modern apartment are two completely different things.

And what about now?

Edgar: …

Suddenly, Edgar felt some stiffness in his neck muscles.

Before him, Ansen had already opened the door.

"Hello, is anyone home? I'm back."

The voice, slightly excited, echoed faintly—

There was actually an echo.

Edgar only felt his mind was a mess. He followed Ansen cautiously, looking down at the gleaming marble under his feet, becoming increasingly careful. His peripheral vision had just caught the spiraling staircase leading to the second floor when he was immediately drawn to the enormous, ornate crystal chandelier, and he froze.

So, the chandelier in 'The Great Gatsby' actually exists in real life.

Pausing slightly, Edgar quickly reminded himself not to forget to breathe.

Then, a call came from ahead, with surprise and undisguised joy.

"Ansen?"

A woman wearing a floral dress with a light blue cardigan appeared, her beautiful golden hair naturally curled and scattered, draped over her shoulders like a waterfall. She looked to be under forty, and although there were wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, she did not appear old at all. Instead, with the blossoming smile, she exuded a different kind of charm.

Edgar paused slightly. Ansen's mother?

Ansen had already greeted her with a smile. "Judy!"

The woman named Judy quickly walked up, her steps light but not running. She opened her arms slightly, about to give Ansen a hug, but stopped in front of him, gesturing with her eyes for Ansen to open his hands and take a turn in front of her, her face full of professional interest.

She carefully looked him up and down, and finally raised her eyes, focusing on Ansen's face before stepping forward and giving him a hug.

She patted Ansen's back gently, immediately released him, took a step back to create distance, and a hint of scrutiny appeared in her eyes as she uttered a sentence.

"You've changed."

Simple words, but the tone was particularly certain.

If it had been a month ago, Ansen would have panicked at these words, worried about revealing his true colors; but after experiencing Lucas's test, Ansen seemed much more at ease, not only not flustered but also displaying a smile.

Facing the scrutinizing gaze calmly, "So, is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

The other party was not careless either, thinking carefully, "It's a bad thing, and it's a good thing."

"Although I don't know what happened in Los Angeles, it certainly wasn't that simple." A hint of concern appeared in her eyes, although not as obvious as Lucas, the expression was the same, "I told you, you should have stayed in the city, anyway, there are countless actors here, there was no need to go."

"That would be a pity." Ansen said, "I've wreaked havoc in New York, I should wreak havoc in Los Angeles as well."

The woman in the floral dress tried to put on a stern face to lecture Ansen, but obviously, the smile couldn't be contained. Before she could get angry, her expression had already relaxed, and a smile climbed onto her eyebrows.

Friend?

Seemed not quite.

Agent?

Not yet signed.

After thinking about it, Ansen introduced Edgar as a partner.

Edgar took a step forward, extended his right hand, and showed a polite and restrained smile, "Good afternoon, Mrs. Wood, I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion."

The woman in the floral dress paused slightly, glanced at Ansen, somewhat helpless and somewhat dumbfounded, but the smile between her eyebrows still slowly unfolded.

"Judy Buck, I am the housekeeper of the Wood family, very happy to meet you."

Edgar: …

Can we pause for a moment, let me go out and die for a bit, okay?

Fourth update.