From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

A deep, azure fish tank stood in the mall's lobby, where colorful tropical fish swam leisurely, and clusters of delicate jellyfish drifted about. The entire space was bathed in a profound blue light, and passersby couldn't help but quiet their footsteps and lower their voices, as if they too had entered an underwater world, swimming silently.

A sense of tranquility.

Dinner concluded, and as footsteps prepared to head to the supermarket to purchase sundries and fresh ingredients for breakfast crossed through the mall lobby, Lucas noticed Anson's distraction, following his gaze to search the space.

Initially, Lucas assumed Anson was focused on the fish tank, which had become a popular topic among nearby residents when it was first installed, a bold design in the early 21st century.

However, that wasn't the case.

The direction of Anson's gaze was fixed on the movie theater behind the fish tank—

Edwards Theatre.

This theater belongs to Regal Entertainment Group (REG), currently the second-largest cinema chain in North America, after AMC, with various theater brands under its umbrella.

Movie posters lined up at the entrance, covering all the recent popular releases; moreover, Edwards Theatre distinguishes itself by treating independent and art films equally, prominently displaying an area dedicated to promoting award season contenders.

Additionally, the premiere of "Just Married" this week occupies the most prominent position. This romantic comedy, starring Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy, is the third of its kind in just a month, and 20th Century Fox hopes it will replicate the success of "Shallow Hal" and "Maid in Manhattan," with full-scale promotion.

However, "Catch Me If You Can" still undeniably holds a significant spot.

Lucas was slightly surprised; he thought the last place Anson would want to be near was a movie theater, but he noticed Anson's gaze.

Instantly, Lucas understood.

Lucas inquired, "Want to go see a movie?"

Anson abruptly averted his gaze, looking at Lucas, "Are you out of your mind? I came here to avoid the spotlight, and now you want me to walk into the line of fire?"

Lucas remained unfazed, his expression calm, "But you can't and shouldn't let those prying eyes change your daily life."

Anson was taken aback.

"If you want to see a movie, we'll see a movie."

These few words struck Anson's heart deeply—

He thought he had prepared himself mentally. After all, even if he hadn't eaten pork, he had at least seen pigs run. In his previous life, he had seen the fanaticism and absurdity of fans through social media, and various news stories painted a picture of a wild, fleeting world.

However, when he truly experienced it himself, he realized the gap between imagination and reality, instantly falling into the predicament of young Frank Abagnale:

Nowhere to escape.

In that chaos and crowd, it was truly impossible to find room to breathe.

So much so that he fled in disarray.

Lucas's words opened a window, allowing Anson to see a different possibility:

He shouldn't let that chaos, that noise, that madness control his life. After all, daily life isn't always lived under the spotlight. He must now learn to coexist with those noises.

So, did Anson want to see a movie?

Yes, he did.

To be precise, Anson wanted to blend in with ordinary moviegoers and watch "Catch Me If You Can" once.

Although the flash mob events spanned the entire North American continent, Anson appeared at different theaters and different screenings; but to maintain mystery and surprise, Anson had never joined the audience to watch the movie with everyone.

In Anson's view, one of the charms of movies lies in:

Watching together as a group.

Being in the theater, connecting a group of strangers through the big screen, collectively experiencing an adventure in two hours, crying together, laughing together, grieving together, and being happy together, taking two hours from one's own life to embark on a journey with a group of strangers they've never met.

This is a kind of romance.

It is precisely because of this that film festivals are so charming, because they bring together a group of true movie lovers. Everything is about movies, and the moment the lights go out, everyone joins hands to enter the world of light and shadow, trying to explore the length of time, the depth of the universe, and the mysteries of life.

In real life, Anson had just finished an incredible journey, which made him want to go to the cinema and experience Frank Abagnale's adventure with the audience more than ever before.

To be precise, this wasn't about himself, nor was it about "Catch Me If You Can," but about the memories of the movie theater.

For Anson, this was a completely new experience.

He wanted to try it.

However, there was still some hesitation in his eyes.

Anson was torn, "If I'm exposed, things will probably get out of hand."

If he wasn't careful and exposed his whereabouts, causing a commotion would be a minor issue. People might misunderstand, thinking Anson's appearance was a new flash mob event, and then explaining and clarifying would be the real trouble—

No one would believe the boy who cried wolf.

Anson was particularly helpless:

In fact, from beginning to end, he hadn't lied, he had only concealed his whereabouts. He had never shouted "Wolf is coming," which was truly unfair.

Lucas noticed the helplessness in Anson's expression, and a smile appeared in his eyes, "It's okay, if you're exposed, I'll cover your retreat, ensuring you leave safely."

After a pause, Lucas lowered his voice in a serious manner and hummed a line, "And - I ... ..."

Pfft.

Anson couldn't help but smile—

That tune was clearly the chorus of Whitney Houston's legendary hit "I Will Always Love You," an absolutely universally known part.

The point is that this song is the theme song of the movie "The Bodyguard."

In the movie, Whitney plays a superstar, and Kevin Costner plays her bodyguard.

Anson glanced at Lucas speechlessly, "So you're Whitney Houston, and I'm Kevin Costner?"

Faced with Anson's retort, Lucas didn't refute, remaining calm, and brought the topic back, "Besides, it's already eleven o'clock, and if we go in now, it'll probably be a midnight show. There won't be many viewers then, so you should be confident that you won't be exposed."

Anson admitted that he was a little tempted.

Lucas didn't wait for Anson's reply but already knew what Anson meant, turning to walk toward the movie theater's ticket window, preparing to buy tickets.

Anson wanted to call out to Lucas, but in the end, he swallowed it down.

Perhaps, this was for the best, cautiously returning to daily life, little by little pulling the daily life that had been swept into the tornado back on track.