Chapter 368: Chapter 92 Screening

“Do you know what you’re doing, Britney?” Adrian shifted his position, crossed his legs, sat up straight, and folded his hands in front of him, looking at Britney with a serious expression.

The young girl bit her lip, her chest heaved twice with rapid breaths before suddenly calming down, “I am asking you a question, sir.”

With her thumbs still clasping the straps of her backpack, she slightly turned her body, displaying a cute and well-behaved smile. Her body had also loosened up compared to how stiff it was initially, seemingly as if she would topple over with just a push.

Britney was actually quite clever, though it was just a dash of craftiness, but it was enough to set her apart from her peers. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have stood out in the Mickey Mouse Club, which, despite being a minor club, was fiercely competitive. Hence, Britney understood the importance of opportunity at an early age. She might be proud and confident, but she wouldn’t be semi-ostracized due to her pride and self-assurance like Christina.

So, after the club disbanded, she did not hesitate to grab the olive branch extended by Adrian. That’s why she appeared here dressed like this.

At the very beginning, she didn’t understand the implications behind Kirsten’s words, but she instinctively sensed something. American schools were at the forefront when it came to educational enlightenment in this area. Moreover, magazines that introduced the entertainment industry would subtly mention a thing or two, and Britney quickly remembered Jennifer Lopez’s flirtatious interactions with Adrian during her audition and dance tryouts at the record company, affirming her thoughts.

As for what choice to make, it didn’t need to be discussed further. Upon affirmation, the only answer left in her mind was already clear–Adrian’s repeated indoctrinations over the years left no room for Britney to think otherwise.

Because of the memories from his past life, Adrian had always been spot-on with their characters, even if the information from his previous life wasn’t always accurate. He would still observe and analyze, wouldn’t he? This kind of manipulation tailored to their personalities could subdue even the likes of Kate, Monica, and Julia. What more of a slightly crafty girl like Britney?

He was so successful, so formidable, and so considerate, why not? Britney said to herself. Her family background was decent; her father was a building contractor and her mother, a teacher. She also had an older brother by four years. However, the care she received from her parents wasn’t much, as they seemed to give more love to her brother. Therefore, the small considerate acts from Adrian easily captured her heart.

Thinking that the other person was great, and craving fame at any cost, compounded by long-term brainwashing, it would be strange if Britney didn’t act this way.

However, easier said than done. Even with her slight cleverness, Britney wasn’t exactly successful in social interactions. For instance, during her time at the Mickey Mouse Club, she tried every means to blend into the group but never became as popular as another girl who was simply better at conversation and observing others’ expressions. After speaking out of turn, Britney usually could only cover it up with a silly laugh, and she was not good at making amends. If it wasn’t for her cuteness and lack of distinctive talents like Christina’s, she might also have been one to face exclusion.

Therefore, Britney, clueless, reminisced over Kirsten’s hints, combined with the magazines she had occasionally found in her brother’s room, which were hidden away, helped her to understand the phrase “asking a question to a teacher” quite literally. Sometimes Britney could be quite bold and stubborn, especially once she decided that something must be done. Thus, she practiced repeatedly in secret at home for several days. After receiving a call from Adrian, she slipped out alone with the clothes and props she had prepared, and after arriving at the villa, she snuck into the bathroom to change before Adrian arrived, leading to the scene at the beginning.

“Britney, come here,” Adrian finally beckoned to her after tapping his fingers on the armrest for quite some time.

Holding back her wildly beating heart, Britney obediently walked in front of him, her eyes wide open, maintaining a smile as she looked at him.

“You know, I really like you,” Adrian said seriously, grasping her shoulders and looking into her eyes, his dark eyes unforgettable like the night sky, “To be frank, your current appearance is very seductive, but you need to understand, there are limits to everything, and going too far can bring a lot of trouble, so let’s stop here. As for your record, since I’ve said that you have the potential to rival Madonna, you certainly do, so why not focus more of your energy on practicing? Don’t worry, by this time next year at the latest, I will start preparing your debut album.”

This solemn promise immediately made Britney’s eyes shine with excitement. She actually trusted Adrian completely, but for some reason, she still felt a hint of unease, as if she needed to do something more to be truly assured.

“Okay, if there’s nothing else, you should head back. I’ll have the driver take you, just to avoid any trouble,” Adrian said, then leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

With the sensation on her forehead, Britney, who was somewhat conflicted, finally understood what she needed to do. Recalling what Kirsten had said, it was all about crossing that line! Although she didn’t understand the legal aspects, her mother had also warned her about how to handle certain situations, so as long as she crossed that line, that kind of intimate connection would surely make Adrian care about her more!

“Do you really not want to give me some guidance, sir?” She immediately displayed a look of sorrow, with that pitiable expression combined with her youthful aura was exceedingly seductive; women are born actors, after all.

Adrian was indeed stunned for a moment, then laughed, “Didn’t I just give you guidance?”

“I think it’s not enough. I hope you can give me further guidance, sir, please,” Britney pleaded.

“Don’t be like that, Britney, you’ll make me commit a crime,” Adrian joked, his eyes beginning to twinkle with mischief.

“I insist, sir.” The girl showed a stubborn look at the right time, “You’ve said that I can be very obstinate at times, and I won’t give up until I get what I want.”

As she spoke, she gently swayed her body, then put down her schoolbag and took off her black jacket, placing her hands behind her back, standing on one foot while raising the other slightly behind her, the picture of sweetness and innocence.

Adrian couldn’t help but take a deep breath and after watching her for a while, he said, “Are you serious, Britney? I am no gentleman!”

Britney laughed, once again shaking her body as an answer to his question. Adrian took another deep breath and suddenly lifted her up, as she let out a low exclamation, he placed her on his lap, “Well, let’s do something interesting next.”

—————————–

Adrian spent Halloween at Kate’s house, although Monica, Julia, and Gwyneth, who had returned from Rosarito, hinted over the phone that they wanted to go to the costume parade with him, he politely declined them all. As for Sarah, she had often been going out with Liv lately, probably due to their mutual empathy, they got along exceptionally well, even getting intimate in bed several times.

“You haven’t turned bisexual, have you, dear?” Adrian joked after hearing about this from Sarah.

“Isn’t that exactly what you want?” Sarah retorted, her cheeks flushed.

“Yes, it’s a pity I’ve only had a taste of sweetness once.” Adrian then sighed on purpose, referring to the one other time beyond that day in the pool when they had a threesome.

Faced with his insinuation, Sarah always made excuses, while Liv pretended to be innocently clueless, as if she didn’t understand at all. If Kate was pregnant and therefore restricted to that one time, couldn’t Sarah and Liv tangle with him occasionally like Monica and Julia did?

Regretfully, despite his sighing, Sarah simply smiled without responding, signaling that much more effort was needed.

As for Blanchett, who still seemed a bit distant, knowing what she was hesitating about, Adrian decided to find an opportunity to properly rattle her. As long as she was hesitating, she wouldn’t escape the palm of his hand.

Oh, and then there was the future Little Sweet. That day in the study, Adrian didn’t go too deep into communication but simply taught her how to kiss with her tongue and lovingly caressed her somewhat petite body. Faced with Kirsten, who was only a step away, he could hold back, let alone now with Britney.

However, her Lolita-style uniform was indeed very attractive. Adrian’s reaction at that time was half pretended and half genuine, especially when holding her close and caressing her, the feeling of possession was simply indescribable. If he hadn’t been so strong-willed, he might not have completely devoured Britney, but he certainly wouldn’t have let her go so easily.

“This is just the beginning, we’ll take our time getting to know each other better,” he had said at the time, but then he added in a low voice, “But remember, when you come here, you must wear this outfit. Understand?”

One could imagine how charming the girl was then, and Britney, lost in the heat of passionate kisses and caresses, had agreed to everything.

Everything was under his control. If it had been someone mature like Kirsten or Natalie, he definitely would not have spoken such seductive words but would firmly reject them; one must play hard to get with clever people. But with Britney, there was no need to worry. Even if she didn’t make the connection at the time, it didn’t matter. There would be plenty of time, and she had already fallen into his hands.

Speaking of Kirsten and Natalie, he was clear about the former’s intentions; Kirsten didn’t intend to hide them. This made discussions easier, and he would not hesitate when it was time to act. Natalie, on the other hand, was tricky. Of course, he kept in touch with her through correspondence and calls, and their relationship remained close. After Adrian expressed in a letter his wish to have a recent photo of her, Natalie promptly sent one.

But she was very protective of herself, calling beforehand to ask what it would be used for, to which Adrian threw out the ready-made excuse, “I’m preparing a new file.” As a result, he received a very formal, bare-headed photo, which was amusingly frustrating. This probe could not be counted as a failure but couldn’t be deemed a success either.

No matter, there was plenty of time. Adrian wasn’t too concerned. He had visited Natalie on the set of “Beautiful Girls” a few times, and the girl was very happy. After all, under Adrian’s instructions, the crew had adjusted the filming schedule to accommodate her schooling. Though nobody said it, the perceptive girl sensed the maneuver.

“Thank you for taking care of me. I won’t say exactly what, but you know. I’m glad and happy to know you. Mom always says I mention you too often. Oh, please, when discussing my movie, you’re not going to talk about Lyon instead, are you?” Natalie wrote so in her letter, the Lolita aura seeping through her writing, charmingly.

As November began, the temperature in Los Angeles dropped significantly, especially with a considerable difference between day and night, making it easy to catch a cold. This was the case for adults, and even more so for children. However, Lily continued to grow healthily. The reason Adrian stayed home with Kate during Halloween was precisely because of this adorable little one.

The little one, now over a month old, still liked to cry out of the blue, but it was much improved compared to when she was just born. She spent more time looking at the world with curious eyes and would show a happy smile when teased by her parents. Besides that, she seemed very lively and active, her little arms and legs constantly moving about.

“Once she grows up, she’s bound to be a wild child, maybe even tearing the house apart daily for fun,” Adrian joked.

He often carried his daughter around for walks, and sometimes he would just place the little one on the bed and watch her. An hour could pass just like that, and he even liked to talk to her in the “goo goo ga ga” baby language, which even he couldn’t understand, making Kate jealous.

“I’m thinking maybe I should trade places with Lily,” she complained.

“Come on, Kate, you’re not going to get upset over me cuddling our daughter, are you?” Adrian laughed, more in jest than in comfort, which earned him an eye-roll from Kate.

Lily seemed to love her daddy’s arms too, laughing the most when he held her. But what she liked least about her daddy was his habit of waking her from her sleep in all sorts of ways. When that happened, she would start wailing and long for her mother’s embrace. Then, for quite a while, she wouldn’t let her daddy hold her, regardless of whether he had done it intentionally or unintentionally.

“Smart little one, she’s only a bit over a month old and she can already distinguish so clearly, she’s indeed my daughter,” Adrian said admiringly. Each time he awoke the little one and drew Kate’s angry gaze, it would take several hours before he could hold her again. If he reached out to her, even without touching, the little one would look as if she was about to cry. If his hand quickly withdrew, she would immediately return to normal. Her speed in changing expressions was unmatched by anyone.

Well, that’s the family life. As November ushered in, the film adaptation of Austen’s novel “Emma” finally began its previews. Critics who attended shared their thoughts, and many fortunate enough to get preview tickets also started sharing their impressions online. Generally speaking, the response was positive.

“As we all know, several novels by Ms. Jane Austen have always been favorites for adaptations, and the romantic comedy ‘Emma’ is no exception. It has been adapted into films as early as 1972, and it’s said that BBC is currently interested in producing a mini-series. The 1972 film was more faithful to the original, but at the same time, less flexible. As a celebrated ‘Miracle Director,’ Adrian was bound to make alterations during filming. He focused more on the romance between Emma and Mr. Knightley, reducing parts of the two other couples, which made the characters more robust and emphasized the original novel’s plot to the greatest extent.

Here, I must praise Miss Gwyneth Paltrow’s acting. When she was announced as the lead, there were many doubts about her playing the role of Emma, with everyone questioning whether an American actor could convincingly play a British character. She has now proven with facts, through her expressions and body language, how well she captured the wit, humor, and pride of Emma, especially with that authentic London accent. If you didn’t know better, you wouldn’t guess that she’s an American and not British.

However, Gwyneth is still a bit too young, and there are some details she didn’t grasp perfectly, although this did not affect the overall level. This might be because of Adrian, who is a detail-oriented director. From ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ to ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘Forrest Gump,’ even though the genres and methods differ, the detail is always quite precise. This movie is no exception, from the color tone of the visuals to house decorations and costumes, all carrying the characteristics of that era. He can paint freely, but Gwyneth may not have always kept pace with him. Moreover, although the story is well arranged, cutting some content — a little more time would have been better — makes some of the finer points seem disconnected. Of course, this did not affect the enjoyment, and it is a good movie.”

This is the review written by Paulie Collett for his column in the Los Angeles Times. Although Collett tends to be favorable due to his good relationships with various movie studios, and his reviews are often criticized by colleagues for touching only on the positives and glossing over the negatives, this review is relatively objective. It highlights both the strengths and issues of the movie, and even many British critics agree.

“You have to admit, Gwyneth Paltrow, this American actress has really captured the essence of Emma. When you immerse yourself in the movie, you quickly forget she’s American. This once again proves the ‘Miracle Director’s’ insight; he always picks the right actors for the roles,” wrote a review in the Guardian.

“Great, Adrian has won yet again. Not only is the film visually stunning, but the performance by the lead actress, Gwyneth, is also impeccable,” reported the Independent. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on . Your support is my greatest motivation.)