Chapter 010: The Graceful Gentleman

Standing in place, he exhaled deeply, his left hand forming a loose fist, with his thumb gently rubbing against the straight and slender index finger. After a moment, Lance turned his head and walked back. Regardless, he had attended the funeral today, and at the very least, he needed to show his respect to Karel Reitz. Moreover, he himself had just undergone a rebirth, and that sense of empathy provided him with a reason to stay.

Raising his head, Ryan could only see Lance's back as he turned to leave. The sun's fragmented gold filtered through the dense foliage, casting its light upon that tall and upright figure, resembling a breathtaking oil painting, leaving one breathless. However, Ryan felt as if every pore in his body was screaming; the sense of humiliation nearly overwhelmed him, making it difficult for him to breathe

In the later stages of George's entertainment career, many believed that he would become an outstanding politician, and he himself harbored such aspirations, hoping to become another successful case of a celebrity transitioning into politics, following Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now, some signs of this can already be observed

Ryan slowly straightened his body, watching Lance's figure gradually disappear into the sunlight, becoming a blur of radiance, as his chilled fingertips finally began to warm up gently

You!" Ryan forced himself to speak angrily, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he was met by Lance's deep-set eyes. The profound pupils emitted a chilling and dangerous aura, causing his words to be abruptly lodged in his throat, rendering him completely voiceless.

George displayed a humble expression, yet gently patted Lance's arm with his right hand, using body language to convey his comfort. "It's not that I have a good memory; it's just that so much has happened during this time that you haven't been able to sort out your thoughts. Even if I don't remind you, that despicable scoundrel will definitely not let you off easily, will he?"

The funeral was about to begin, and everyone was gradually finding their seats. A person sat down next to Lance without hesitation. Before Lance could turn his head to greet him, a low voice came from beside him, "So, have you spotted a woman you fancy? Would you like me to go ask for her phone number?" George seated himself with grace, making no sound at all, exuding an elegance reminiscent of an early 20th-century British gentleman. His left hand was busy adjusting the cuff of his right sleeve, carefully smoothing out the creases of his shirt.

If Lance can only resort to verbal threats and physical violence, then such a Lance is hardly to be feared, for in Hollywood and in modern society, these are precisely the most useless weapons—rules are the true lethal weapon of the truly intelligent. Do not forget, if he can defeat Lance once using the rules, he can do so again.

"You are right, this is just the beginning." A glint of malice flashed in Ryan's eyes, sending a chill even under the scorching sun

Lance strode forward with great strides, his inner anger and regret gnawing at him, nearly consuming all of his rationality. Everything that had happened today was too overwhelming, too rapid, and too fierce; even though this was the second time facing such a situation, the amount of information was still too great to digest—he had just returned from 2015 to 2002. The two confrontations with Ryan in such a short time had drained all his mental energy, and the rationality and calm he had painstakingly accumulated had completely vanished at this moment. The amount of information was still too great to digest—he had just returned from 2015 to 2002. The two confrontations with Ryan in such a short time had drained all his mental energy, and the rationality and calm he had painstakingly accumulated had completely vanished at this moment

Dear Mr. Ryan Cavallog, is this all your means?" Lance's words were pronounced slowly, each word heavy as a thousand pounds, striking Ryan's chest like a powerful blow, making his breathing increasingly difficult. Then he saw Lance's rosy lips slightly part, releasing a light laugh, "Ha, this is truly disappointing." Mockery, indifference, and sarcasm poured out like a tide, "Do not forget, this is only the beginning."

He likes this kind of situation, even enjoys it

The thought merely flashed through Lance's mind, and he immediately revealed a smile, "Your memory. I mean, your memory is truly remarkable; I had almost forgotten that matter, yet you still remember it."

There exists a type of man whose individual features, when considered separately, may not be handsome, and may even fall short of conventional standards. When examining aspects such as height, weight, physique, education, occupation, and experience in isolation, there seems to be nothing particularly remarkable. However, when viewed as a whole, he possesses a unique charm and elegance, a quality that matures and deepens with the passage of time, much like the finest red wine

So, have you finalized your date for tonight? Lance also threw the same topic back, implying a question about George's "gains" at the funeral today

Basking in the sunlight, Lance walked briskly, lacking even the energy to discern his direction. He simply moved forward rapidly, his chaotic mind unable to engage in any thought, merely venting all his negative emotions with abandon. It was only when his mind finally began to cool down that Lance realized he had already walked out of the cemetery

Lance placed his hands in his pockets and chuckled softly, "As for women, I'm not quite sure if I can trust you." The underlying implication was that George's charm was so great that if he were to ask for a woman's phone number, she would likely fall in love with him.

Returning to the funeral, Lance did not see George's figure, nor did he see Sophia's presence. He only noticed Ryan and David O. Russell sitting side by side. However, this time Ryan did not pay attention to Lance's arrival and departure. Lance found a spot in the corner and sat down.

George seemed unconcerned and quickly shifted the topic, "So, have you made a final decision regarding the matter you mentioned last time?" He turned his head and looked earnestly at Lance, his eyes filled with sincerity and his face expressing genuine concern, as if he were a close friend perfectly articulating his worries.

George is precisely this kind of man; the wrinkles of his experience are part of his charm. Even though the redness and swelling still linger at the corners of his mouth, and are even more pronounced than before the funeral began, his elegance remains captivating, making it easy for one to overlook his disheveled appearance.

As he scrutinized George before him, Lance suddenly became curious, a hint of amusement appearing between his brows, as if he had encountered a rather intriguing object. "I truly do not know how you managed to do it?" he said, speaking nonsense with his eyes wide open, feigning to be a close friend while secretly stabbing himself in the back with a smile.

This is even more chilling than Ryan

The blazing flames in Lance's eyes gradually cooled down, ultimately freezing into ice. The ethereal blue flames gently swayed deep within his azure pupils, resembling a volcano shrouded in mist at the depths of the ocean, with a surging aura of danger that sent chills down one's spine. Then, the thin petals of Lance's lips curled slightly to the left, and the wicked and ruthless smile caused Ryan's pupils to widen in shock. In that instant, he became completely rigid, unable to utter a sound or make a single movement, like a puppet that had lost its strings, dangling at the fingertips of Lance's right hand. Then, the thin petals of Lance's lips curled slightly to the left, and the wicked and ruthless smile caused Ryan's pupils to widen in shock. In that instant, he became completely rigid, unable to utter a sound or make a single movement, like a puppet that had lost its strings, dangling at the fingertips of Lance's right hand.

Lance sat quietly in place, tilting his head to carefully observe George. Bathed in golden sunlight, George's facial features softened instantly. Lance squinted his eyes but could only vaguely discern the outline of George's face within that dazzling halo of light. It must be acknowledged that George is a very charming man

Then, Ryan felt the pressure around his collar loosen, and his lungs finally filled with a large amount of air, causing him to bend over and breathe deeply. This was not Lance; this was not the Lance he was familiar with, Lancelot Strelow. This version of Lance was so unfamiliar, so terrifying, disrupting all his rhythms and plans

George shrugged lightly and said, "I don't seem to be in good shape today; it looks like I can only wait for the next opportunity." After speaking, George pressed his lips together, and the swelling at his chin immediately twitched, indicating that it was all too obvious—"It's all your fault." This teasing made Lance slightly curl the corner of his mouth, but he did not respond.

Lance concentrated all his attention on George, and he could see every detail of George's facial expression, yet he failed; he did not see any flaws. George's eyes revealed a clear sense of confusion, his brows slightly furrowing together, as if the expression had been calculated with precision by a device. "What?" accurately conveyed his bewilderment, yet it did not reveal the slightest hint of his true emotions.

Ryan looked at Lance, who was so close, and the depths of his ocean-like eyes stirred up turbulent waves. The flames of anger burned fiercely deep within his pupils, causing an unprecedented surge of accomplishment within Ryan—he was the victor, he was indeed the winner of this confrontation, while Lance was merely a struggling loser, needing his charity just to catch his breath. This caused an unprecedented surge of accomplishment within Ryan—he was the victor, he was indeed the winner of this confrontation, while Lance was merely a struggling loser, needing his charity just to catch his breath

Ryan took a step back, preparing to turn away gracefully as a victor, leaving the loser behind to savor the taste of defeat. However, he suddenly felt a powerful tugging force at his collar; before he realized it, Lance had firmly grasped his collar and lifted him gently. This reminded Ryan of the earlier scene—Lance fiercely beating George Clooney. Yet, the previous embarrassing shadow in the office made Ryan grit his teeth, unwilling to show weakness and eager to avoid another blunder

A simple phrase made George smile involuntarily, his charming smile shining brightly under the sunlight. The two exchanged glances, and the unspoken understanding between them resembled that of the closest friends. Those nearby, who were searching for their roles, couldn't help but glance over, greeting the two of them. Even Meryl Streep approached, teasingly remarking, "This is not a scene you see every day," which elicited laughter.

As he spoke, George's gaze once again turned to Ryan, who was sitting in the front row, with a hint of implication. Then George turned his head back to Lance, his gentle tone carrying a touch of warm concern, his slightly furrowed brows subtly expressing the worry of "I am thinking of you." "In my opinion, it would be better for you to let go, completely put this history behind you, and start anew. What do you think?"