Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 300: Follow

Renly pushed open the door of the public restroom, but the long line outside hadn't diminished at all. He looked around but could no longer find Scarlett. A moment ago, two bikini-clad women had recognized Scarlett, and things got lively quickly. To avoid drawing further attention, Scarlett had to make her escape.

"Hey, aren't you that rich kid from 'Buried'?" The man at the front of the line, in his early thirties, looked up from his phone and recognized Renly immediately.

Renly chuckled at the odd mix-up and made a "shaka" hand gesture, Hawaii's most famous greeting. "I guess I am pretty rich in the movie," he quipped.

The man laughed heartily, "You're a funny guy."

With the pleasantries exchanged, Renly turned and headed toward Andre and Paul. The people in line waved enthusiastically, returning the shaka gesture. The scene was still under control; no one rushed him, after all, this was a surfing competition, not the Toronto Film Festival.

As Renly left the line, a figure darted out from behind a motorcycle and quickly caught up to him. Walking side by side, Renly glanced from the corner of his eye and immediately recognized Scarlett Johansson.

Today, Scarlett was dressed casually—a loose white t-shirt that concealed her figure, paired with denim shorts and sky-blue flip-flops. She looked like any ordinary person you might see on the street, hiding all her features. Yet, there was something unmistakably unique about her. Her long hair was tied into a messy bun, with a few loose strands falling around her face, exuding an air of relaxed elegance. An unflattering pair of black-rimmed glasses covered her beautiful eyes, adding a touch of nerdiness to her look. Her lips were lightly glossed with a cherry-blossom pink, giving her a subtle allure.

"Even with light or heavy makeup, she's always stunning," Renly thought, quoting a Chinese poem.

Noticing Renly's gaze, Scarlett remained unfazed, casually asking, "What?"

Renly hadn't even gotten the chance to ask why Scarlett was walking beside him before she turned the tables, making him smile even more. He said nothing, just stopped in his tracks.

Scarlett walked a couple of steps further before realizing Renly had stopped. She quickly turned around, glanced at him, then nervously looked around. "What's wrong?" she asked again.

The same question, asked twice, but with entirely different meanings and tones. Renly could sense Scarlett's irritation. Today, she seemed more on edge than the last time they'd met.

Renly, however, pretended not to notice Scarlett's mood. He folded his hands behind his back and gestured forward, "I'm just trying to avoid any misunderstandings. Don't want you thinking I'm stalking you."

Scarlett was momentarily stunned, then gritted her teeth silently. Damn that Renly!

She wasn't sure why, but the paparazzi who had been trailing her earlier veered off the moment they saw Renly. She had hoped to avoid them by coming to the surfing competition, but it seemed she couldn't shake them off. Now, she just hoped to use Renly as a cover to lose them.

And here he was, turning the situation back on her! Beneath that gentlemanly exterior must lie a devil!

"Well, what if I gave you permission to stalk me?" Scarlett shot back, lifting her chin and squinting at him, a playful glint in her eyes.

Renly raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his gaze. He lowered his head and chuckled softly, "Ha."

His voice, deep and magnetic, resonated lightly in his throat, his brief smile as fleeting as a beam of moonlight, leaving Scarlett slightly taken aback. This man was truly something else. Deciding to cut to the chase, she said, "I'm avoiding the paparazzi. I need your help."

Renly looked up, a hint of surprise in his expression. He teased, "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

Scarlett hesitated, then realized the unintended meaning of her words—was she implying Renly didn't have enough presence to attract the paparazzi? After all, Renly was an actor, and a very popular one at that.

She bit her lip, pondering how to explain herself, but then caught the playful glint in Renly's eyes. He was messing with her on purpose. Grinding her teeth again, she retorted, "So, your answer? Yes or no?"

"No." Renly's response was quick and direct.

Scarlett was genuinely surprised, momentarily thrown off before bursting into laughter. "Aren't you supposed to be a gentleman?"

"'Gentleman' doesn't mean 'yes-man,'" Renly replied smoothly, his calm demeanor unshaken.

Looking at Renly's composed expression, Scarlett found her mood inexplicably lighter. He was a cunning man, no doubt about it, and probably fooled many people with his appearance—herself included. She chuckled again.

Renly gave her a polite nod and started walking again, but after just a few steps, Scarlett caught up to him once more. Renly was puzzled and gave her a questioning look.

Scarlett said nothing, simply walking alongside him at a leisurely pace. The irritation from earlier had vanished, and her steps seemed lighter now.

Unable to resist, Renly asked, "What's up?"

The tables had turned. The same question, but this time, Renly was the one asking. Scarlett shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm stalking you."

Renly's eyes sparkled with amusement. "So, does that mean you see me as a man now?" The conversation had come full circle.

Scarlett pouted, scanning him up and down playfully. "Well, at least you're not a woman." Renly chuckled, shaking his head. "How about this: we make a deal," Scarlett proposed, smiling slyly.

Renly didn't agree or disagree, just waited.

After a brief pause, Scarlett continued, "You help me ditch the paparazzi, and I'll buy you dinner tonight—any place you want."

"I already have plans for dinner, madam," Renly replied with a polite yet teasing tone, effectively turning her down.

Scarlett didn't mind at all. "Then let's make a different deal. Help me lose the paparazzi, or I'll tell them I'm on a date with you. By the way, I just got out of a marriage, and the paparazzi love to dig up dirt on me. They're dying to create some soap-opera-level drama."

Her tone was even, but the threat was clear. At the same time, she poked fun at herself.

Renly smiled. "Actually, I have a third option," he said seriously. "I could continue hanging out with my friends and call the paparazzi myself, telling them where you are. How does that sound?"

Scarlett couldn't help but laugh again. Renly was truly an intriguing guy. If he was trying to play hard to get, it was definitely working. "But you wouldn't do that, right? Because you're a gentleman."

"Is that flattery or truth?" Renly asked with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Unexpectedly, Scarlett didn't respond right away. After a moment of thought, she said, "Hmm, which answer would get me what I want?" Both of them smiled knowingly.

Renly said nothing more and started walking again. Scarlett followed closely behind, no words needed, as a quiet understanding had formed between them.

"So, do you prefer fine dining or a local Hawaiian joint?" Scarlett asked curiously. "Honestly, I'm sick of sushi. That's all there seems to be here."

"Hawaii has a huge Japanese population, so that makes sense. But yeah, I'm tired of it too," Renly replied.

"I thought udon was the big thing here. I once waited 90 minutes in line for udon at a place behind Waikiki Beach, and it was such a letdown. I couldn't believe so many people liked it."

"Oh, you went to that place too? It's right on the main street, right? I went there as well. It's really nothing special. I think tourists just get fooled into going."

"So, we're just fooled tourists too?"

"...Yes."