*Chapter 127: Genuine Reactions*

"Alright."

Lucas said.

One word, concise and clear.

However, behind this simple word lay a web of intricate thoughts and internal conflict, until finally, the decision was made and spoken.

The moment the words left his mouth, Lucas no longer hesitated. His calm and stern face displayed a sharp and decisive resolve.

"But we need to wait a bit longer."

Anson, who had just begun to relax, tensed up again because of Lucas's next words, but this time, he didn’t panic.

As expected.

Lucas continued, "The stock market hasn't hit rock bottom yet; it's not the best time to invest."

"In the next few months, the entire market will continue to decline. The negative impact of the tech bubble hasn't fully played out."

"The OS-X operating system is expected to be released in March next year; based on the current market situation, I suggest we wait until November before making any moves."

A professional is, after all, different.

Even though Anson had just thrown out a spontaneous idea, in the blink of an eye, Lucas had already made a judgment and decision, offering professional advice.

Anson nodded lightly, "I'll leave the specifics to you then."

Looking at Anson’s nonchalant attitude, quickly returning to his familiar self, unable to stay serious for more than three seconds, Lucas found himself oddly accustomed to it.

A faint smile appeared in Lucas’s eyes. "You shouldn’t invest all your money. If I’m not mistaken about Hollywood, investing in oneself is also a very important part of the industry."

"I’ve heard that at certain events, even getting in isn’t the hardest part. Once inside, the judgmental eyes will classify you based on your clothing, jewelry, shoes, and accessories. If any flaws are spotted, you could be socially ostracized."

"I don’t fully understand the specifics, but I’m sure Uncle Darren could give you some advice."

Not being an expert doesn't mean being ignorant.

Clearly, Lucas knew something about the rules of the fame game.

But Anson didn't care, "Luca, are you worried that others might judge me based on my appearance? Only those insecure failures obsessively pursue luxury brands, hoping to build a layer of impenetrable armor out of money, not realizing that this shiny armor has long since exposed them."

"Those clothes are just fabric until someone gives them life."

After saying that, Anson looked down at himself, scanning up and down with his eyes, exuding a confidence and composure that was unmistakable.

Lucas immediately understood, the corners of his mouth twitching upward ever so slightly. "Mom can rest assured; you’re still the same as before."

His calm words quietly carried a hint of sarcasm.

Anson didn’t mind, openly accepting the scrutiny.

Once, he cared about others' opinions, but after hitting rock bottom, he realized that behind the saying "Clothes make the man" lies the truth that demeanor stems from upbringing. A person's behavior often reflects the soul's essence, and no matter how splendid the attire, it can’t mask the aura emanating from within.

Perhaps, the confidence and composure displayed were similar, but the original Anson's confidence came from his family’s support, while his own came from the calmness born of hardship.

Similar, yet different.

Then.

A timid voice broke in from the side, "Excuse me..."

The faint smile on Lucas's lips vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, piercing gaze that froze the air.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the approaching footsteps halt and step back.

Anson also looked over—

The stiff mummy-like figure who had stepped back a bit was none other than the young woman who had earlier warned him about Lucas and offered her goodwill.

She hadn’t left after all.

---

Always observing from the side, hesitating repeatedly, and struggling internally, in the end, she still moved closer but didn’t expect to be scared off by just a glance from Lucas.

She held her breath.

Anson showed a warm smile, easing the cold tension in the air. With a gentle look, he asked, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

Seeing Anson’s expression, the young woman mustered up the courage to move slightly closer, despite Lucas's intimidating gaze on her back. It was just a half-hand’s distance.

Deep breath.

Another deep breath.

“Excuse me, are you the actor who played Paul in ‘Friends’ a while ago?”

Her words were jumbled and incoherent.

The sentence structure was off, and even the basic grammar was wrong. Adjectives and adverbs were completely mixed up as if her system had crashed, utterly chaotic. But one thing was certain:

The young woman’s voice was trembling slightly.

It was hard to tell whether it was from fear or excitement.

However, Anson understood, and the curve of his lips lifted fully, “Yes, I’m Paul.”

“Ah!”

The young woman covered her mouth and let out a short but excited gasp, her eyes brimming with joy.

Her eagerness was evident from her feet, which seemed ready to leap as if she were Dorothy wearing red dancing shoes—excitement had clearly overcome fear.

But thousands of words were stuck in her throat, and she couldn’t even make a sound of amazement. She wanted to get closer, but Lucas’s piercing stare made her hesitate.

Anson felt like laughing. He glanced at Lucas, who was exuding an unapproachable aura, and mouthed silently, “She recognized me.”

Lucas wasn’t convinced, “She can’t even say your name.”

Anson chuckled quietly—

Though that was true, this was the first time someone had recognized him since “Friends” aired, so it didn’t matter that she couldn’t say his name.

It’s like when “Harry Potter” was released, and even years later, people still called the three main actors by their character names.

At least their faces were recognized.

This was just the beginning.

Anson ignored Lucas, stood up, extended his right hand, and smiled.

The young woman glanced at Lucas, then nervously took Anson’s right hand, slowly curling her fingers around it. Despite the slight chill in her sweaty palm, her grip was strong, as if she was using all her strength to feel and experience, fully immersing herself in the beauty of this moment.

“Wood. Anson Wood.”

The young woman quickly nodded, her eyes locked on Anson’s face, not blinking, completely forgetting about Lucas for a moment.

“Ah.”

Unintentionally, a gasp escaped her lips. She hurriedly covered her mouth with her left hand but refused to let go of his right hand, failing to control herself.

“Ah, ah, ah. Wow, I—I really like you. Oh my God, you’re so handsome, a hundred times more handsome than on TV.”

Lucas rolled his eyes.

He couldn’t understand, not at all. What was happening here?

Anson was just Anson, his brother, an ordinary person, with two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, just like everyone else. Why would anyone scream over Anson? Why would someone tremble just from shaking his hand?

Could someone please explain this to him? What’s the logic behind this?

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