novellhall Chapter 131 All the Women Gather [4000]
Chapter 131 All the Women Gather [4000]
Chapter 131 All the Women Gather [4000]
The messages were sent out one by one.
Keira went back to England for a play rehearsal and regretfully said she couldn't come, but sent a nice bottle of whiskey and a greeting card.
Everyone else can attend!
In the bustling world of Hollywood, this is already considered quite a rare occurrence.
This shows that Chen Xun is quite popular in this circle.
The party was scheduled for Saturday afternoon, starting with a barbecue in the backyard and continuing into the evening.
Chen Xun began preparations a day in advance.
He didn't hire a professional chef or catering service.
I've decided to do it myself!
In his previous life, Chen Xun was a culinary master on Douyin. As long as he followed the tutorials on Douyin, the food he made, if not top-notch, would at least be good enough for everyday banquets!
During holidays and festivals, he usually cooks at home and serves a large group of relatives.
Considering the American habit of serving food separately, Chen Xun plans to prepare several of his signature Chinese dishes that are also suitable for sharing.
For the Chinese food portion, Chen Xun plans to prepare several dishes that he is relatively good at and that are also suitable for sharing.
Jackie Chan's yard already had a barbecue grill and all the necessary barbecue tools, which was convenient for Chen Xun.
The sun was shining brightly on Saturday afternoon.
The fusion-style terrace and garden in the backyard are already set up.
The equipment had already been set up on the long table.
Chen Xun spent the whole morning preparing several hardcore Chinese dishes.
The braised pork ribs glistened with oil, the steamed sea bass sizzled as it was drizzled with hot oil, and a large bowl of spicy blood curd wafted out with an enticing aroma of numbing spiciness, while glistening shrimp dumplings and shumai sat on the side.
"Do you think Lee So-yeon will get so excited that she'll run around the house again?"
Christine handed a stack of plates to Chen Xun with a slight smile on her lips.
She knew that Lee So-yeon was her fan, and she had been extremely excited when she called her earlier.
"Highly likely!"
Chen Xun recalled Li Suyan's loud and boisterous personality.
The two were talking when the doorbell suddenly rang.
Speak of the devil and he appears!
Lee So-yeon, carrying a bulging canvas bag with the logo of a Korean girl group printed on it, brightened up as soon as she saw Chen Xun open the door: "Chen Xun oppa!"
Congratulations on moving! That's fantastic! This house is amazing!
Chen Xun smiled and took the bag she handed him. Inside were exquisitely packaged scented candles and a set of movie-themed coffee cups.
Chen Xun smiled as he looked at her energetic appearance.
Lee So-yeon is warm and straightforward, and she is a rare friend in this industry who is not involved in too many self-interests.
"Soyeon is here!"
Christine saw Lee So-yeon and came over to greet her.
"Good afternoon, Miss Stewart."
Lee So-yeon took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound calm: "I'm Lee So-yeon, Chen Xun oppa's friend. Do you need any help?"
"sure!"
Love me, love my dog.
Christine has a pretty good impression of her fan.
Rob arrived in a small refrigerated truck, which contained his carefully selected drinks.
Several cases of craft beer from different regions, a batch of well-regarded but not exorbitantly priced California wines and champagnes, and sparkling water and various juices for those who don't drink or drive.
Dakota and her sister Ellie were the first to arrive.
Dakota was dressed casually in a simple dress and was holding a gift box tied with a ribbon, inside which was a set of exquisite bone china teacups.
"Congratulations on moving, Chen."
Her smile was bright, her gaze quickly sweeping over the newly renovated house and yard, her eyes showing appreciation.
After not seeing each other for a long time, Dakota showed no awkwardness and immediately gave Chen Xun a big hug.
A purple attribute orb then fell:
[Girl's Emotions +5]
Chen Xun smelled Dakota's scent; it was very refreshing, and he wondered what kind of perfume she was wearing.
"Me too!"
Ellie shouted to join the queue at the back.
Dakota's face flushed slightly. She turned and walked over to Christine to help her with the barbecue, showing no signs of anything amiss.
As soon as Dakota left, Ellie rushed up and leaped into Chen Xun's arms.
Fortunately, Chen Xun had been training recently and his physical fitness had been improving, allowing him to catch Ellie steadily.
Wow~
Ellie was incredibly excited!
Aside from meeting boys her age at school, she also encountered actors of the same grade or middle-aged actors on film sets.
She felt that the boys in her grade were childish, and she felt that she had nothing in common with the actors who played her father, mother, or uncle.
Chen Xun's appearance perfectly fulfilled all her fantasies about boys.
Good looks and talent!
Ellie nestled on Chen Xun's shoulder, whispering in his ear, "My sister talks about you all the time at home~"
As she spoke, she slid down to the ground to find Dakota and Christine.
This child!
Chen Xun sighed.
He's small but incredibly clever!
She probably saw through her relationship with her sister Dakota a long time ago.
Immediately afterwards, Gina Carano arrived in a rugged off-road vehicle.
She gave Chen Xun a tight hug as soon as she got out of the car, almost choking him.
"Hey buddy, nice house, big enough for practicing boxing!"
The gift she gave was a professional fascia gun and a bottle of herbal wine that was said to relieve muscle soreness.
After greeting Chen Xun, and hearing that there was a boxing room belonging to Jackie Chan inside, he went upstairs to see what was new, seemingly ignoring Chen Xun, the host.
Next up is Kate.
She brought a large basket of brownies she had baked herself. They looked a bit wild, but they smelled delicious. As soon as she came in, she loudly complained to Chen Xun: "Wow, you've made a fortune quietly, acquiring properties in Beverly Hills without a sound. Don't forget your girlfriends when you throw parties next time!"
She remains as outspoken and direct as ever.
Seeing Chen Xun and Christine busy in the yard, she just blinked, gave a sensible look, and ran to help set the table.
Chris Hemsworth, his wife Elsa, and his brother Liam came together.
Before Chen Xun even reached the door, he heard Hammer Brother shouting loudly outside, "Where's Chen Xun? He didn't even say he'd come out to meet you!"
This guy and Chen Xun are practically best buddies!
Chris gave Chen Xun a firm hug as soon as they met: "Congratulations on moving, Chen! This place is really nice!"
Liam was a little shy, but he still smiled and congratulated him.
The two hostesses quickly got into a conversation with Christine and Dakota.
The courtyard gradually became lively.
Lee So-yeon looked at the lineup in front of her.
The rising star Thor, his brother who is also an actor, two highly anticipated young Hollywood actresses, and his idol Kristen Stewart—
She felt like a random passerby who had stumbled into a high-level player's game, so she could only follow behind Robert, silently helping the waiters serve drinks and replenish snacks.
Robert, Chen Xun, and Li Suyan had previously dined together.
I'm fairly familiar with it.
He naturally took good care of this junior who was still in school.
The party atmosphere gradually warmed up.
Everyone sat on the terrace in the backyard. The early autumn evening was pleasantly breezy, and the string lights shone with a warm glow in the darkening sky.
The food is buffet style, with grilled vegetables, mini burgers, and Asian-style snacks.
Most importantly, the Chinese food prepared by Chen Xun was very satisfying for everyone!
Compared to the simple preparation of Western food, the rich flavors and multi-layered textures of Chinese food felt novel to them.
Chen Xun's cooking style is quite different from that of Chinese restaurants in America, leaning more towards home-style cooking.
In the middle of the meal, Lee So-yeon also showed off her skills by making a dish of stir-fried pork with chili peppers.
Having truly mastered Chen Xun's teachings, everyone praised the food highly.
The conversation naturally shifted from the house to their current situations.
Chris mentioned that the Thor sequel will probably start filming next year, and Dakota said she has several independent scripts to read and wants to choose one that is challenging.
"Speaking of new projects."
Chris suddenly nudged his usually quiet brother Liam with his elbow: "Didn't you just get a big series? What's it called again—The Hunger Games?"
Chen Xun raised his eyes and met Liam's gaze.
Liam seemed a little embarrassed, but quickly recovered and nodded.
"It's just been decided."
Liam's voice was softer than his brother's, with a slight Australian accent: "I'll play Gale Hawthorne."
"Gale?"
Christine raised an eyebrow; she was clearly familiar with the original work.
"The female protagonist's childhood friend, the one who later became one of the resistance leaders?"
"Yes, that's him."
Liam smiled, a hint of helplessness in his expression: "Actually, I initially auditioned for Peeta Mellark."
Chen Xun paused, his hand holding the cup.
"Pita?"
Dakota repeated, his gaze shifting between Chen Xun and Liam.
"yes."
Liam shrugged, trying to sound relaxed, but a hint of resentment could be detected: "I prepared for quite a while, tried several rounds, and Director Gary and Ms. Susan were very kind and gave me a lot of feedback, but in the end they felt my temperament wasn't quite right for Peeta!"
He chuckled self-deprecatingly: "That's pretty much what they said, so they suggested I try Gale, saying that the role is more direct, more outgoing, and more in line with my current on-screen image."
He paused, looked at Chen Xun, and this time the envy in his eyes was undisguised: "I heard they are very interested in you, Chen. They gave you an audition invitation for Peeta. Congratulations, that's a fantastic opportunity."
All eyes were on Chen Xun.
"Thanks, Liam. I just got the materials too and am still figuring it out, but Gale's character is actually quite powerful, especially in the later stages."
"Maybe!"
Liam sighed and admitted, "But Peeta is the male lead, with more screen time, character depth, and scenes with Jennifer."
He rallied his spirits, raised his glass, and said, "It would be a lie to say I'm not envious, but that's how this industry is. What's suitable is best. Good luck, Chen, that's the truth."
"Thanks!"
Chen Xun also raised his glass and clinked it against his from a distance.
Ellie whispered to her sister, "Which is harder to play, Peeta or Gale?"
Dakota gently patted her hand, but didn't answer.
Rob quickly stepped in to smooth things over, steer the conversation towards the global influence of the original Hunger Games novels.
Fortunately, as the alcohol took effect, the group completely let loose.
Liam was initially just a little sore, but after drinking the wine, he was fine.
Chris was chatting away with Rob about how they dealt with all sorts of strange bugs while filming in the Australian outback, while Dakota and Ellie were whispering amongst themselves in a corner.
Chen Xun felt that the room was a bit stuffy.
He didn't drink much alcohol today, but he drank quite a lot of beverages, and his bladder is protesting.
He put down his cup, whispered to Christine beside him, "Go to the bathroom," and then got up and walked into the house.
The guest bathroom on the first floor of the main house is at the end of a short corridor.
The corridor lights were dimmed to create an atmosphere, making it seem like a different world from the lively courtyard behind.
Chen Xun pushed open the door and had just stepped inside when, before his hand even touched the light switch, a force suddenly came from behind him!
He was very sober today, hadn't drunk much, and reacted extremely quickly. His body tensed instantly, and his elbow instinctively tried to push backward.
But when he caught a whiff of a scent mixed with alcohol and a familiar perfume, he held back a bit.
A muffled groan was heard from behind.
He was then pushed into the restroom.
Click!
The door was closed and locked from the inside.
The bathroom lights were off, with only a sliver of light from the corridor seeping through the crack in the door, barely outlining the room's shape.
Chen Xun turned around and, by the dim light, saw the person pressed against the door, almost touching him.
It's Kate.
She had clearly drunk quite a bit; her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were somewhat glazed, and she was staring straight at him, her breath reeking of alcohol.
"Kate? You—"
Chen Xun frowned, wanting to ask her what she was up to.
Before he could finish speaking, Kate suddenly stood on tiptoe, cupped his face in her hands, and pressed her warm, alcohol-scented lips against his without warning.
hum~
Chen Xun is a little obsessed!
He didn't expect Kate to be so bold.
The kiss lasted a few seconds before Kate pulled away slightly, her forehead pressed against his, panting, her eyes shining brightly in the dim light.
After an unknown amount of time, Chen Xun slipped away.
The light in the corridor made him squint slightly. His heart was beating steadily in his chest, but the burning, taut feeling on his face still lingered.
He took a deep breath, calmed his breathing and expression, and then walked towards the living room.
As soon as I stepped into the porch connecting the living room to the backyard, I bumped into Christine, who was carrying a plate of fruit and seemed to be taking it to the backyard.
She saw Chen Xun come out from inside, paused for a moment, and her gray-green eyes swept across his face.
Why is your face so red?
She asked casually, her gaze lingering on Chen Xun's face for an extra second.
"It's okay, it's just too stuffy in there!"
Chen Xun tried to make his voice sound normal as he took the fruit plate from her hand: "Give it to me, I'll put it away."
Chen Xun carried the fruit platter and walked quickly towards the backyard.
The party continued, and it seemed that no one had noticed the little incident that had just occurred.
Christine returned to her original seat and listened to Dakota say something, nodding occasionally.
The party gradually came to an end.
Dakota and Ellie followed Christine back to her villa in Beverly Hills.
It's supposed to be a sisters' night!
Although Ellie was unwilling, she was pulled away by her two older sisters, leaving with many glances back at each step.
As she was leaving, Christine glared at Chen Xun, making him feel somewhat innocent.
He really had no interest in this little one; he was just sleeping with her older sister.
Chen Xun was happy to have some peace and quiet, and took this opportunity to focus more intently on preparing for the audition for "The Hunger Games".
Time flew by as I studied the script, analyzed the characters, and adjusted my mindset.
Before we knew it, the day of the audition arrived.
The audition took place in an office building in downtown Los Angeles.
The casting studio temporarily rented by Lionsgate.
Chen Xun and Luo Bo arrived half an hour early, and several cars were already parked in the parking lot.
As Rob unbuckled his seatbelt, he said in a low voice, "Relax, Bro. You were personally invited by Gary Ross, so you're already ahead of the game. But we still have to go through the motions. The casting director, the producer, and Susan herself might all be involved. We have to get everyone on board."
Chen Xun nodded. Today he was wearing simple dark casual pants and a well-fitting cotton shirt.
She didn't dress up intentionally.
The goal is to achieve a clean and simple texture, closer to the original state of the pita.