The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 1836 You come and I go
Dull-witted. Stupid. Incompetent.

His face was patchy with red and white marks, his hair was messy like a bird's nest, his shoulders were curled up in a ball, his stubble was messy and unkempt, and his shirt and tie were a mess.

Theo stood frozen in place, staring dumbfounded at the shadow beside the light, like a broken wind-up toy with all its springs and gears falling out. He tried his best to keep up with the rhythm, but found that his brain was completely paralyzed, refusing to cooperate and ceasing to function. It seemed as if he was about to drool.

One second. Two seconds.

It remained motionless and unresponsive.

The others in the checkered wooden house were all restless and irritable. Looking at Theo, who was like an idiot, a nameless anger rose up. What was wrong with this guy?

In the silence, the tension brought on by stiffness and numbness continued to intensify, and every passing second became an ordeal.

Three seconds!

Just as his patience was about to reach its limit, Theo finally spoke, seemingly to avoid drooling. However, his indistinct words clearly showed that his mouth was full of saliva, and he was trying his best to avoid falling into an even more embarrassing and humiliating situation. Nevertheless, the way he spoke helped.

"You scared the crap out of me..."

What should have been words of protest, anger, or relief turned into weak, listless words, limp and powerless.

As they spoke, their words were automatically muted at the end.

In the shadows beside the light, the figure even lowered its gaze and glanced at Theo's suit trousers.

Theo was taken aback, finally snapping out of his daze. He was about to respond when the other party didn't give him the chance.

"I apologize for such a dramatic action, but we had no other choice." There was a hint of amusement in his words and voice.

"I'm absolutely fed up with the cops lately."

The camera shifts, and the figure in the shadow of the lamplight takes two small steps forward, moving out of the light source and gradually revealing its true form—

She was a young woman, her hands clasped across her chest, leaning casually against the wall. Her long hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, and she wore no makeup, revealing the beautiful curve of her oval face.

A black T-shirt paired with a beige trench coat, with no unnecessary embellishments, and a pair of black military boots and cargo pants, exudes a cool and dashing style.

Despite leaning against the wall, he should have looked lazy, but his straight back, open shoulders, and taut arms revealed a well-trained competence and alertness. His so-called laziness and casualness were just a disguise; in fact, he was on high alert and ready to strike at any moment.

That relaxed and casual attitude can be a sign of confidence.

The lights were still bright and dazzling. In the backlight, it was impossible to see the facial features clearly. Half of the face was hidden in the light, like a pipa player half-concealing her face, with a bit of mystery. But it was just such an appearance that easily stole all the attention in the room.

Ah.

A slight smile played on his lips, revealing a hint of relaxation, as if he had just finished afternoon tea and was about to chat for a bit, only lacking a cigarette between his fingers.

"How are you doing lately?" she asked.

Without being condescending or aggressive, he remained calm and composed, like an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time, yet without being overly friendly or enthusiastic.

Theo slightly raised his chin to examine the face, the pent-up anger in his chest dissipating. He glared at her irritably before avoiding the light again.

"Absolutely brilliant. It couldn't be better." Theo didn't hide the sharpness in his words, delivering a vicious blow.

The woman noticed, held her breath—or rather, adjusted her breathing, holding it in her chest, and slightly composed herself. Then, the woman said, "Turn off the light."

The ski mask next to them turned off its lights without asking any questions.

In an instant, the checkered wooden house was plunged into darkness, with only a faint glow trying to penetrate the newspaper wall but ultimately failing, leaving only a blurry light.

The woman was now just a blurry silhouette in the shadows, her head bowed, seemingly chewing something.

Emmanuel continued in his arduous squatting position, then turned 360 degrees, groping in the darkness to find the right angle. When the light bulb hanging overhead lit up, he was greeted by Theo's handsome but useless face, his large eyes filled with bewilderment.

Know nothing.

Theo also held his breath, seemingly processing the information. Clearly, he hadn't expected their reunion to take place in such a setting.

Although he was still unconscious, Theo's instincts still kicked in and he launched an attack.

"The cops are still using your old photo on the wanted posters." He tilted his head. "That photo didn't bring you justice."

In other words, Julianne looks much better now than in the photos.

Julianne, ex-wife, ex-wife whom I haven't seen for a very, very long time...

Emmanuel held his breath, remained in a deep squat position, and rotated 360 degrees again, the camera accurately finding Scarlett's face.

This is Julian's first stunning appearance, and the audience's impression and judgment of Julian comes entirely from this scene. The previous scenes are just a prelude, and it can even be said to be the key to the first act of the entire film. Alfonso and Emmanuel have been discussing and working hard for this scene.

However, Scarlett seemed completely oblivious to Emmanuel and the camera; her gaze passed through the camera and landed on Anson.

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, a smile that held a mix of mockery, melancholy, bitterness, and lightness. A single smile concealed a multitude of emotions. Julianne stared intently at Theo, speaking with a knowing, meaningful tone.

"What does a cop know about justice?"

Quietly, her gaze never wavered, looking over with composure, yet her eyes held a deep and complex meaning, clearly indicating that things were not so simple.

A fleeting moment of stunning beauty, yet it was far more than that; time seemed to stand still.

Theo paused for a moment, then glanced at Julianne again.

Julianne noticed this, slightly raised her chin, and took the initiative to meet Theo's gaze, looking back defiantly.

Theo looked slightly embarrassed under that gaze and subconsciously looked away.

A glance exchanged between them silenced the rest of the noise in the air. Although there were other people around, the narrow space seemed to have been cleared out, leaving only Theo and Julianne.

Theo quickly changed the subject, "What exactly is your purpose?"

Julianne did not answer, her lips still curved slightly, her eyes fixed on Theo. She even showed a hint of loneliness because of Theo's evasive gaze, yet she seemed completely unsurprised. Hidden in her understanding was a hint of disappointment and bitterness. She just stared straight at him like that.

Emmanuel, hidden behind the camera, could clearly and accurately see that gaze, bypassing the camera and crashing directly into Theo.

The tension and complexity in the air continued to escalate. Emmanuel didn't even need to turn around to look behind him to notice the tug-of-war between the two. The chemistry between the actors surged and permeated the camera, instantly drawing them all into the world within the lens.

(End of this chapter)