From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

“Of course, no problem.”

Anson entered the restroom, looked around, found the toilet paper dispenser, and took out some toilet paper.

The restroom was empty and quiet, with only the rustling sound of paper being pulled.

Annie took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and braced herself, “Sorry, Anson, could I have… ten sheets?”

As soon as she said it, Annie closed her eyes, but still needed to finish, “Also, could you wet a few?”

Anson, “What?”

Annie, “Could you wet some? Because, I, uh, I need to wipe…”

Anson, “Of course.”

Annie lowered her gaze and sat quietly in place, feeling ashamed, embarrassed, annoyed, and depressed, why did things like this always happen again and again?

She blamed herself.

Then.

“Damn it.” Annie cursed under her breath, tears finally failing to be contained, breaking through her eyelids and wetting her cheeks.

Annie resentfully and stubbornly wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Anson couldn't see, “What's wrong?”

Annie, “I, I can't reach. I just got blood… more blood on my skirt.” As soon as she finished speaking, she was amused by the absurd scene before her, “God, I look like a fool now.”

“Like Carrie?” Anson joked.

Pfft.

Annie laughed instantly, both crying and laughing, nodding repeatedly, “Like Carrie.”

Anson reached his arm further in, “I can reach down a bit more.”

Annie looked up, she didn't have the strength to stand up anymore, “How about you just drop it down.”

Anson took a deep breath, “I could, but I think it'll fall on the floor, and that would be… uh… unsanitary, you know, this is a restroom.”

Annie, “Then, then from below…”

Anson passed the toilet paper through the gap under the stall, but didn't expect Annie to directly open the stall door, which made Anson subconsciously turn his back and sit down against the stall door, with only his right hand still inside, maintaining a polite distance.

Annie saw it immediately, she almost forgot her embarrassment, her mind only thinking about solving the problem and getting out of the predicament as soon as possible, or rather, her brain simply hadn't processed it and had completely lost the ability to think; but now looking at Anson's polite back, hot tears welled up in her eyes again, a "thank you" surging from deep in her throat, and she hurriedly took the toilet paper and closed the stall door again.

Anson paused slightly.

Although he didn't see anything visually, the bloody smell captured by his sense of smell wouldn't lie.

“Annie, are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you need me to go outside and see if any other girls have sanitary napkins?”

“No, Anson, no. You can't go out, you're Anson Wood, if someone finds out that Carrie is being reenacted here, things will get out of control.”

Anson opened his mouth, trying to retort, now wasn't the time to worry about these things, but then he thought that if things got out of control, Annie might also be in trouble.

Anson only felt a headache, “Then, this… jacket, I have a jacket, you can use it.”

Annie twitched her lips, “I don't think your jacket can cover my butt.”

Anson tilted his head, “I think it should, I'm quite tall.”

Pfft.

Annie chuckled, “Anson, the key is, I don't want other people to see me wearing your jacket, you know what the news would look like.”

Instantly, Anson understood—

Trouble.

That feeling was like being tied hand and foot, this wouldn't work, that wouldn't work, even the slightest bit of gossip could be examined under a microscope.

Those gazes, those looks, those whispers, formed an invisible cage, trapping them.

Anson felt a little irritable and frustrated, but he still took a deep breath, calmed down, and his brain began to work at high speed.

“Okay, Annie, I have an idea. We need to take some risks. You know why the New York Yankees always win?”

The current situation was really terrible, definitely not the best time to joke, but the smile at the corner of Annie's mouth still lifted weakly.

“Because no one can take their eyes off the pinstripes?”

“Bingo. You wait for me.”

With that, Anson turned and ran out.

As soon as he went out, Anson regained his composure, avoiding panic, avoiding haste, what he needed now was confidence and calm.

Lucas was not far away, looking over, asking with his eyes.

Anson looked Lucas up and down, “Lucas, I need a little help.”

Lucas didn't answer immediately, but squinted at Anson, “I know that look of yours, it usually means no good.”

Almost failing to maintain his composure, Anson's mouth still lifted slightly, “Lucas, I'm serious, the situation is a bit tricky right now.”

Lucas didn't fall for it easily, “You can solve it yourself.”

Anson took a deep breath, “Lucas, I need you to go to the screening room, the booth that gives out merchandise, and help a little. You know I can't go there.”

The movie theater itself had an event, placing officially licensed merchandise such as posters, postcards, keychains, etc. at the entrance of the screening room, which could be exchanged for one item with a movie ticket, or purchased separately.

The point was that it was not only a densely crowded area, but also required face-to-face interaction with the booth staff, so Anson couldn't go there in person—

A lamb in the tiger's den.

Lucas rolled his eyes speechlessly, “Say it.”

Patiently waiting for Anson to finish explaining the plan, Lucas stared at Anson calmly, although without any particular expression, his eyes almost swallowing Anson alive.

Anson, “Lucas, the more you dodge and hide, the more likely you are to arouse suspicion, on the contrary, being under the spotlight is the safest.”

Lucas, “But this is too blatant.”

Anson, “That's why it can divert attention.”

Lucas, “If you want to try, you try. I refuse.”

“We can wear hats.”

“No, no chance.”

“Lucas…”

“Shut up.”

Lucas ignored Anson, turned around and strode away towards the merchandise booth at the entrance of the screening room, muttering to himself—

Why does the movie theater even sell merchandise? So that even after the movie ends, there is still a large group of viewers gathered around the booth, unwilling to leave for a long time.

However, Lucas didn't know whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, the merchandise that Anson was aiming for was being neglected, no one wanted to buy it, not even one.

Lucas finished checking out in less than three minutes, but imagine, even movie fans disliked the merchandise, how terrible was it?

The answer was, T-shirts.

White T-shirts, there was a spray paint artist on site who could create different images and styles of Anson from "Catch Me If You Can" on the T-shirts according to the movie fans' needs; he could also create images of the movie fans themselves, even with Anson in the same frame.

These T-shirts were particularly large, with the largest size being XXXL, even Lucas looked particularly loose in them.

In Anson's view, the key was the spray paint painting, the more exaggerated and shameless it was, the more it could divert attention.

Not to mention Lucas, when Annie saw the T-shirt, she was also speechless.

Looking up at Anson, confusion in her eyes, “Are you sure?”