Landon obeyed the command of the female director-cum-leading lady.
(TN: What is this cum thing? am i too dirty minded or something?)
He cast aside all distracting thoughts and threw himself into this frantic plot that combined sci-fi metaphors with emotional demands.
He became the "key character" in her script who finally flips the switch, cooperating with her to complete this grand yet fragile ritual in the manner and intensity she required.
When the storm subsided, Jennifer curled up in his arms, exhausted. She remained motionless for a long time, as if she had truly depleted all her energy and entered a deep state of dormancy.
Only the intertwined, gradually slowing breaths of the two remained in the room.
Landon gazed at the blurred halo on the ceiling, feeling as if he too had just experienced an adventure on a conscious level.
He couldn't distinguish how much of it had been acting, how much was a real emotional release using the scene as a pretext, and how much was a dramatized projection of the insecurity and possessiveness deep within her heart.
After a long while, Jennifer seemed to reboot successfully and slowly opened her eyes.
The hollowness and madness of the character were gone from her eyes, replaced only by deep fatigue and a hint of relaxation after completing a challenge.
She didn't speak, only burrowed tighter into his arms, her fingers unconsciously clutching his arm.
Landon gently stroked her hair, remaining silent as well.
This adapted performance of "dark city" was both a warning from Jennifer regarding his relationship with Tracy and a vent for her insecurity and possessiveness.
The recording time for "Burn" had already been finalized for tomorrow night.
Just as the daytime scenes finished, Landon's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, and a concise text message was displayed on the screen:
["Fordham University entrance, lincoln navigator, 9KSL555."]
Landon's heart skipped a beat, and his blood seemed to accelerate instantly.
He calmly raised his eyes to look at Jennifer, who was walking toward him. Then, Landon stood up and gave Jennifer, who had just finished filming her scenes, a hug.
Landon released her, a hint of helplessness appearing on his face. He waved his phone screen and said in a low voice, "I just got a notification. There are some temporary adjustments on the producer's side. I need to rush over tonight to practice 'Burn' some more and find the right feel. I'm going into the studio tomorrow; I can't mess this up."
The smile on Jennifer's face faded.
She didn't speak, just stared quietly at Landon with those deep blue eyes that seemed capable of seeing through a person's heart.
Time seemed to stretch, and the background noise of the set felt like it was drifting away.
Landon could clearly hear the restless, rapid thumping of his heart in his chest; he almost suspected Jennifer could hear it too.
He tried his best to maintain a calm expression, even carrying a bit of the annoyance of being pressed by work.
Just as Landon felt his nerves were about to snap, Jennifer suddenly burst out laughing. That smile was like sunlight after the clouds disperse, so bright it was almost dazzling.
She reached out and affectionately patted Landon's cheek, her tone light and cheerful: "Go ahead! Future Pop King, work comes first." After saying that, she stood on her tiptoes and quickly pressed a warm, soft kiss onto Landon's lips.
Then, she turned around decisively, took her waiting assistant, and left without looking back, leaving only a faint scent of perfume behind.
Landon stood there, watching her back disappear into the corner passage, before slowly letting out a long breath. He felt like the shirt on his back was slightly damp with sweat.
This job is really not easy.
He rubbed his face, adjusted his expression, and walked toward the waiting Zoe.
"Let's go," Landon said to Zoe, his tone returning to normal.
Zoe nodded. The two walked to the Mercedes, and Zoe pulled open the door to get in. Landon, however, did not get in; he helped Zoe close her door, a gesture that made her look at him with some surprise.
Landon didn't explain. Instead, he walked around to the driver's side and tapped on the window.
Bruce rolled down the window and looked at him in confusion.
"See any paparazzi?" Landon asked in a low voice, his eyes alertly scanning the surroundings.
Bruce shook his head; his professional training kept him constantly observing the environment. "No obvious tails found." He paused and gestured with his eyes toward a black lincoln navigator parked on the roadside not far away. "However, that car has been parked there for a while, and no one has gotten out."
Landon followed his gaze. The license plate was indeed the "9KSL555" from the text. He felt a bit more at ease.
"Take Zoe back first, I have something to handle," Landon instructed in a low voice. He took out a black baseball cap he often wore from the car, pulled it onto his head, and lowered the brim.
Bruce nodded: "Understood, Boss. Call me when you need a pickup."
"Yeah," Landon responded, turned, and walked toward the lincoln navigator.
Bruce and Zoe inside the car exchanged a look, both seeing a hint of helplessness in the other's eyes.
Landon walked up to the car. The front passenger and back seat windows were covered in dark tint, making it impossible to see inside.
Just as he stood by the back door, before he could reach out, the door was suddenly pulled open from the inside. A wave of high-end perfume and the warmth of a woman's body hit him.
Immediately after, a hand wearing an exquisite watch—possessing no small amount of strength—suddenly reached out, grabbed his collar, and yanked him into the spacious back seat!
The car door closed quickly behind him. The light inside was dim, permeated with Catherine's favorite perfume.
Before Landon could even sit properly, a warm body wearing only a form-fitting silk dress impatiently straddled his lap. Then, she snatched the baseball cap off Landon's head and tossed it aside.
The next second, lips carrying a burning longing and some long-suppressed emotion fiercely sealed his mouth.
Catherine kissed him passionately and dominantly, as if she wanted to pour all the desire and emptiness she had forcibly suppressed during this time into this kiss.
Ever since Landon left Los Angeles to join the filming of "A Beautiful Mind," her life had been busy, but seemingly very dull.
Whenever the night was still, those images of the passionate and indulgent nights spent with Landon would always uncontrollably break into her mind, leaving her restless.
This week, Landon's new song "Yeah!" continued to dominate the charts. She repeatedly watched the MTV showing Landon's energetic figure and his close dancing with female dancers. She could only futilely project herself onto that lucky girl, but this illusory substitution could not alleviate her growing longing at all.
On an impulse, after arranging her schedule, she flew to New York.
At this moment, holding the real Landon in her arms and feeling the heat and strength of his young body, Catherine felt that nothing else mattered.
Career, status, the risk of possible exposure... all were cast to the back of her mind.
Now she only wanted to take, only wanted to confirm, only wanted to "compensate" for all the longing accumulated during this time, with interest, within this private cabin space.
The lincoln navigator started smoothly and merged into the evening traffic of New York.
The soundproof partition raised between the front and back seats turned the rear into an absolutely private mobile space.