Luke and Gao Yuanyuan entered the Dolby Theatre together and took their seats.
Their seats were in the second row—clearly, the organizers had put some thought into this arrangement.
The Hero film crew and the Pirates of the Caribbean crew were seated side by side, and Luke's seat was right between them.
On his left sat Anne Hathaway, with the Pirates team beside her.
On his right sat Gao Yuanyuan, with the Hero crew beyond her.
That seating arrangement…
Luke was sure Mr. Eisen had something to do with it.
With two beautiful women sitting on either side of him, you'd think he'd feel lucky—but in truth, he didn't feel "blessed" at all. This wasn't exactly a comfortable setup!
He fixed his eyes on the stage. The ceremony was about to begin.
"Welcome to the 75th Academy Awards!"
The announcer's voice boomed through the speakers.
"And now, please welcome tonight's host—Steve Martin!"
As the golden curtain slowly rose, a white-haired man in a black tuxedo walked onto the stage.
It was Steve Martin—actor, director, and producer.
At fifty-eight, he was known not only for his wit but also for having a wife twenty-seven years his junior—yet his gentlemanly reputation was impeccable.
The audience of Hollywood stars gave him a warm round of applause, filling the hall with excitement and energy.
Smiling, Steve began his opening monologue:
"Thank you, everyone—you're far too kind! I really appreciate the enthusiasm. Some of you even stood up for me, but I'm sure it's not because I'm handsome—you just wanted to get on camera!"
Laughter swept through the theater.
"Welcome to the 75th Academy Awards," he continued, "and a special salute to all of you—the most beautiful representatives of the human race!"
More laughter erupted.
There was no denying it—Steve knew how to work a crowd. The room's energy climbed higher with every line.
He kept the jokes coming, casually chatting about the various stars and film crews in attendance as if he were hosting a friendly get-together.
Meanwhile, the cameras followed his lead, zooming in on whoever he mentioned, giving every celebrity their little moment of attention.
The Oscars didn't have a rigid format, but the event generally followed three phases:
1. Fun but mostly meaningless banter,
2. Live performances, and
3. Award presentations.
These segments were mixed together in a way that kept the night lively and full of surprises.
The smaller awards were given out first, with the biggest honors saved for last—to keep the suspense high and the viewers glued to their seats.
After finishing his opening jokes, Steve Martin kicked off the first act of the night.
"Now, please welcome Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah to perform the theme song from Chicago—'I Move On'! Give them a big hand!"
Applause thundered as the two women stepped onto the stage and began their duet.
Anne leaned closer to Luke's ear and whispered, "The Chicago crew is something else—having the supporting actress perform while the lead just sits there."
Luke nodded. "Hollywood or not, some behind-the-scenes drama is universal."
Chicago was, without a doubt, the strongest contender that year, with a staggering thirteen nominations.
The film, adapted from the Broadway musical, starred Renée Zellweger as the lead actress—whose boyfriend, incidentally, was comedy legend Jim Carrey.
But tonight, Catherine Zeta-Jones, the supporting actress, was clearly stealing the spotlight from Renée. The rivalry between them could've fueled an entire palace drama.
After chatting quietly with Anne for a bit, Luke noticed Gao Yuanyuan sitting silently beside him. Director Zhang Yimou, seated to her right, was deep in conversation with Li Renjie, leaving her looking a bit isolated.
Luke turned and whispered , "Don't just sit there quietly. If the media catches that, they'll spin it—say you're being snubbed or that you don't fit in."
"But… no one's talking to me," she murmured softly.
"Then just smile, clap, pretend to be engrossed in the show. Or, if that feels fake, you can chat with me instead," he suggested.
She smiled faintly. "Thanks. You're always looking out for me. Even on the red carpet earlier—you helped me so much. I don't know when I'll ever repay you."
"That's easy," Luke replied. "Be my woman."
"Huh?"
"I mean—consider signing with my agency," he corrected quickly, grinning.
Gao Yuanyuan blinked, a little surprised. She hadn't expected such an offer.
"I'd love to, but my current agency won't let me go so easily."
"No problem. As long as you're willing, I'll handle it."
"Let me think about it, okay?"
He nodded. It was a big decision—she had every right to take her time.
Meanwhile, Anne, noticing the two of them whispering and laughing, grew curious.
She tilted her head, trying to eavesdrop—but when she realized they were speaking , she pouted and lightly tapped Luke's leg with the heel of her stiletto.
He brushed her foot away, which only made her more mischievous.
Anne slipped off her right shoe and, with her bare foot, gently nudged his leg—half teasing, half flirting.
Luke's traditional-style "flying fish" outfit had a wide hem that hid the movement, so no one else could see what she was doing.
But Gao Yuanyuan, sitting right there, noticed everything.
She froze for a moment, startled. That kind of intimate gesture? What exactly is going on between Luke and Anne?
Surely, they weren't just friends or coworkers.
She had once harbored feelings for Luke herself—after all, what woman wouldn't be drawn to a man like him?
But after he'd gone public with Yuffie, she'd let it go and forced herself to move on.
Yet now, seeing his ambiguous interaction with Anne, Gao Yuanyuan suddenly realized Luke wasn't exactly the faithful type.
And strangely enough… instead of disappointment, a quiet sense of satisfaction stirred in her heart.