Actor in Hollywood

Before Anson stood Kristen, with no makeup on, her golden-brown hair softly draped over her shoulders. She wore a simple black polka-dot spaghetti strap dress, with a denim jacket casually hanging on the back of her chair. Her eyes were warm and bright as she looked at Anson.

The playful, mischievous spirit that had just emerged quickly retreated at the appearance of a third person, hiding behind her eyes and quietly observing the newcomer.

Kristen, in real life, was slightly different from her role as Mary-Jane in the crew. She had a touch of playfulness and mischief about her.

Even after a decade in Hollywood, she still maintained a mischievous attitude, often playing harmless pranks on the set.

For example, she would intentionally flip Anson's carefully marked script to another page.

Or, right before filming began, she would suddenly make a funny face at Anson.

Now, as she looked at the stranger standing next to Anson, Kristen showed no fear or shyness. She widened her eyes and carefully studied the stranger's face.

The dim lighting in the café softly and mysteriously fell on Kristen's shoulders, casting a gentle glow on her face, making her features radiate with a serene, vibrant charm. Her eyes and entire demeanor came alive.

On the other hand, Jack felt somewhat awkward and shy—

He had been observing the girl, only to realize she noticed him. The girl, with her bright eyes, calmly stared back at him, seemingly reading his thoughts. Jack couldn't help but avert his gaze, silently shifting his focus to the ceiling.

Pretending nothing happened, he glanced back.

To his surprise, the girl was still looking at him. Startled, Jack quickly turned to Anson, silently asking for help.

Anson noticed this little exchange, sensing the subtle shift in the air.

But Anson didn't say anything, acting as if he hadn't noticed, and naturally introduced them.

"Kristen, this is Jack."

"Jack, this is Kristen."

"Jack just arrived from Los Angeles today for a movie audition. He's staying at my place for now, and since he hadn't eaten dinner yet, I invited him to join us. I hope that's okay?"

Kristen shook Jack's right hand, but as soon as Jack grabbed it like it was a hot potato, he immediately tried to pull away. Kristen mischievously didn't let go, causing Jack, unable to release his hand, to look at her in bewilderment. Her eyes sparkled with amusement.

Then, Kristen released her hand and looked at Anson. "Of course, it's no problem. We're just chatting, after all. It's nice to meet new friends. I was worried our conversation might be too boring."

Anson waved his hand lightly. "Boring is fine. After all, we've got looks on our side."

Kristen paused for a second before understanding Anson's playful twist on words. She had been talking about the conversation, concerned that the two of them might feel awkward. Anson, however, was referring to himself, implying that even if he were boring, his looks made up for it.

Was he being self-deprecating?

Kristen's smile bloomed fully. "A wooden beauty is still okay?"

Anson, with a serious expression, motioned toward Jack. "A wooden beauty is still a beauty, right?"

From the start to finish, Jack hadn't said a word—wasn't he the wooden beauty?

Jack, completely out of the loop, didn't catch on to Anson's joke. One moment Anson was self-deprecating, and the next he was teasing Jack. Jack looked at Anson, puzzled. "Huh?"

Wooden. Beauty.

Kristen, however, understood, and she burst into laughter.

Anson gently patted Jack's shoulder. "I was saying you could take a look at the menu. Even though this is a café, they have simple meals."

Jack nodded in confusion.

Once seated, Kristen got straight to the point. "Sorry to call you out even after work ended. After watching your performance this afternoon, I had some ideas and also a few questions I wanted to discuss with you."

Anson nodded slightly. "Of course, no problem at all. I'd be happy to discuss it. I don't have much experience, but I'm looking forward to having in-depth conversations with other actors and gradually adjusting. Besides, we're partners."

Kristen smiled softly. "Partners? Oh, that makes me a little sad. I thought we were friends."

And with that, she playfully teased him.

But Anson wasn't falling for it. "This friend of mine doesn't even have my contact information. Today on set, she had to ask for my phone number on the spot. I thought a friendship could be a little closer."

As he spoke, Anson pinched his fingers together, indicating "just a little closer."

Kristen laughed. "So, do you think Mary Jane and Peter Parker are friends?"

Anson thought about it seriously. "Yes."

Kristen was a bit surprised. "But they don't talk in private, they don't have each other's contact information, and their lives don't intersect at all."

"But Mary Jane is willing to show Peter Parker her most vulnerable, ugly, and worst sides."

"She doesn't have a choice, does she? They're neighbors."

"No. To Peter, they're neighbors; but to Mary Jane, Peter is just a stranger."

"And yet, Peter still likes Mary Jane."

"Unrequited love is the most perfect love in the world because it only needs one person to exist. But at the same time, it's the most bitter love because it's only one-sided. Peter Parker has a crush on Mary Jane, nothing less and nothing more. That's all there is to it."

A back-and-forth, like sparring swords.

Sitting to the side, Jack felt incredibly uncomfortable. His gaze darted nervously between Anson and Kristen, unsure if he should intervene or remain silent. Quietly, he raised the menu in front of him, trying to hide.

This time, Kristen couldn't keep up with Anson. The conversation stalled, and for a moment, she retreated into her own thoughts.

After a short pause, Kristen looked up again, seriously meeting Anson's gaze.

"So, when did Mary Jane fall in love with Peter Parker?"

This time, Anson didn't interrupt Kristen. He simply listened patiently.

Kristen wasn't a genius, but her performances were always full of sensitivity and depth. Her gaze often conveyed the intricate layers of a character, and Anson believed she had her own ideas. He just needed to be patient, to let her finish and then continue the exchange of inspiration.

"We all know Mary Jane likes Spider-Man. She even kisses him willingly. But when did she start liking Peter? The movie doesn't tell us."

"I mean, I know Spider-Man is Peter, but Mary Jane doesn't know that, right?"

Confusion clouded her thoughts as she wrestled with the complexities of her character. She hadn't fully organized her ideas, so her words came out somewhat muddled. She looked up at Anson.

"Does what I'm saying make sense?"

Anson understood. Kristen had an idea, a concept, a framework. Clearly, she had thought deeply about Mary Jane, which explained why she had impressed Sam Raimi and won the role. However, she couldn't see the whole picture yet; she lacked a framework to organize her thoughts.

It wasn't because Kristen wasn't smart enough, but rather, as the saying goes, "You can't see the true face of the mountain when you're in the mountain itself."

She was simply too close to the situation.

Evidently, Kristen had realized this as well, which is why she sought another person's opinion for guidance.

Kristen had found Anson.