Actor in Hollywood

With a single glance, Anne Hathaway noticed Anson.

Even though the lighting in the coffee shop was dim, and more than half the seats were already occupied, it was still effortless to spot him. He stood out easily from the bustling crowd.

He was just wearing an ordinary ash-gray hoodie, with messy, laid-back short hair casually hanging down. Yet, his every movement exuded a relaxed and bright aura, effortlessly capturing any passing glances.

It seemed that he had this ability, no matter where he went, he always became the center of attention.

Instinctively, Anne stopped in her tracks, but as she was about to step forward to greet him, she hesitated for a moment. She noticed Anson was talking with a friend—would it be inappropriate to interrupt them like this?

"Huh!"

Her friend, Hannah Harris, gasped sharply beside her, quickly covering her mouth. She turned and stared at Anne with wide eyes. Although she didn't say a word, her body language couldn't be clearer.

Anne felt a bit shy—

She really shouldn't have shared so many behind-the-scenes stories from the film set with Hannah.

The problem was, after the filming of "The Princess Diaries" was completed, they hadn't kept in touch privately. Running into him unexpectedly today, suddenly stepping forward to greet him seemed a bit abrupt and awkward, but ignoring him might also come off as rude.

Hannah shook Anne's left hand repeatedly, "Anne, that's Anson Wood, right? Right! I didn't get it wrong, did I? That's really him, right?"

Taking a deep breath, Anne forced herself to calm down, "Yes, you didn't get it wrong."

"Anne, Anne, Anne!" Hannah couldn't contain her excitement.

Anne felt a bit helpless.

She knew Hannah had always wanted to meet Anson because she had shared many behind-the-scenes stories and fun moments from the filming. Hannah was very curious about Anson, and now, unexpectedly, the opportunity had arisen. Hannah could hardly contain her excitement, expressing it with her whole body like an excited flea.

Anne regretted it; she really shouldn't have shared those stories.

But...

Anne regained her composure, "We'll just go over and say hello, nothing more. He's with friends, and surely wouldn't want to be disturbed. We'll just greet him and then leave."

Hannah didn't wait, nodding like a bobblehead, not sure how much she actually took in.

Anne stood in place, taking a moment to steady her breathing and mentally prepare herself. "Alright, I'm ready."

But her feet remained rooted to the spot.

Hannah urged, "Anne!"

Anne gave a wry smile, "We haven't been in contact since the film wrapped up. The last time we met was half a year ago. Give me a moment to prepare myself."

Hannah nudged Anne mischievously with her shoulder, "Mental preparation? What kind of mental preparation? The kind you need before facing the Dark Lord, or the kind you need before facing your crush?"

Anne was speechless for a moment, raising her hands as if pretending to strangle Hannah from a distance. "I'm going to kill you, Hannah, I swear I will."

Hannah tilted her head, stuck out her tongue, and rolled her eyes playfully, then returned to normal. "No problem, just let me meet Anson first."

Anne burst out laughing.

But with that little distraction, Anne's nerves relaxed, and she finally took a step forward.

"…Anson?"

She was still a bit nervous before she spoke, but after she did, she couldn't help feeling excited.

Anson turned at the sound of his name, searching the room with his eyes. When they finally locked eyes, a smile spread across his blue eyes, and Anne's lips curled up in response.

"Anne." Anson stood up, pleasantly surprised. "What brings you here?"

Anne's eyes were full of warmth as she smiled, "This is a place my friend and I come to often."

"Oh!" Anson suddenly realized, "You live in New York, don't you? Sorry, I completely forgot about that. Clearly, I'm not a very good friend."

Anne was about to respond, but a voice interrupted from the side, "If remembering a friend's address is the standard, then most friendships are just superficial. After all, home addresses aren't something you share lightly."

Anson followed the voice and nodded seriously, "You're right; otherwise, it would make a serial killer's job too easy. We should stay vigilant."

"Haha," Hannah laughed heartily, leaning forward slightly and extending her right hand, "Hannah, Anne's closest friend." Then, in a lower voice, she added, "Anne always said you're very handsome and charming, and I think she wasn't exaggerating."

Anne's eyes widened, "Hannah, you—?"

Anson laughed as well, "Thanks for the info. Actually, Anne mentioned it on set, but I thought she was just being polite. It seems she was serious."

Anne couldn't believe it, "Hey, Anson!"

But Anson looked straight at her, his bright and clear gaze not wavering, making Anne's heart skip a beat. She quickly cleared her throat to hide her fluster, "Hannah's not really my closest friend. Just an ordinary friend. Only an ordinary friend!"

Hannah clutched her chest dramatically, pretending to be heartbroken, "I never thought you were this kind of person, Anne."

Anne, who seemed expected to panic, instead nodded seriously with a straight face, "See, she doesn't know me at all. This is who I really am."

She spread her hands and shook her head, looking calm and unaffected, without a trace of mischief.

Anne, usually known for being well-behaved, occasionally showed a playful side, but it wasn't often. This was the first time Anson had seen this side of her.

He was a bit surprised.

A smile crept up the corners of Anson's eyes, and then he thought of Kristen and Jack. An idea popped into his head, and he decided to extend an invitation, "Are you here to relax, or do you have plans with other friends? If you don't mind, you're welcome to join us."

After all, the discussion about Kristen's role was nearly finished. The three of them just sitting there talking might make Jack even more distracted. Anson felt like a bit of a third wheel—if he wasn't mistaken, Jack probably had a thing for Kristen.

Love at first sight?

So Anson decided to extend the invitation. If Anne and Hannah joined them, they'd naturally become the new disruptors, and Jack and Kristen, who knew each other slightly better, would have their own group, making the conversation flow more naturally.

Anne hesitated. This wasn't part of their plan, and she didn't want to intrude on Anson's gathering with his friends. The words of refusal were on the tip of her tongue, but before she could say anything, Hannah had already stepped forward boldly and taken a seat.

"That would be great. I was worried that just talking with my 'ordinary friend' Anne might get so awkward that I'd want to die."

She emphasized the term "ordinary friend."

"Hannah, Hannah."

But Hannah had already started introducing herself to Jack and Kristen.

Anne, feeling awkward, glanced at Anson, "Sorry, are we interrupting?"

Anson shook his head gently, giving Anne a mysterious smile, "No, actually, I was the one interrupting them first. This works out better."

Anne: ???

Following Anson's gaze, it took her a moment to realize what he meant. When she did, she opened her mouth in shock, blinking in disbelief as she looked back at Anson, her wide, bright eyes full of surprise and excitement.

Anson put a finger to his lips, his eyes twinkling with amusement, "Shh."