Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Another Story Completed

“Alright, guys, I hope everyone can keep up the good work so we can wrap up before it gets dark, or Mr. Paxton is going to be very unhappy,” as Adrian spoke, the crew burst into laughter, while the slightly paunchy restaurant manager standing in the corner just shrugged his shoulders.

Since the restaurant was fully enclosed, there was no need to wait until evening to shoot, and this kind of hipster-styled diner was busiest at night. They wouldn’t give up peak hours for filming, just like the time in New York when the Waldorf Hotel insisted filming for ‘Scent of a Woman’ couldn’t happen during the day.

It wasn’t a big deal; after all, the daytime rental was much cheaper. As for changes in lighting affecting the shot, let’s not forget that’s what the lighting crew is for.

“So let’s get started,” Adrian clapped his hands to signal everyone to set in motion while glancing at Monica, who had positioned herself at the center of the restaurant’s stage, moving her body with ease as she prepared for the upcoming shoot.

A fleeting smile passed over his lips, but Adrian maintained the seriousness he always had on set.

The scene they were about to shoot was one of the most classic moments from ‘Pulp Fiction’, where Mia, dressed in a white blouse and black trousers, danced a perfectly synchronized twist with Vincent, who was in his suit and shoes, on the diner’s stage. They also managed to reference the history of American cinema, music, and dance, all at once–well, that last bit was what the film critics said, which goes to show how bizarrely they put it.

Back to the shooting, the whole process was much more relaxed than before. Monica’s modeling experience allowed her to control her movement and dance rhythmically to the music. She had performed this part during the audition and didn’t need much acting, so the shooting went exceptionally smoothly.

Even so, this part was shot over and over again from various angles, more than ten times, not just for backup, but also to make the dancing pair look more in sync.

By the time night fell, the restaurant scenes were finally wrapped up. The story ‘Vincent and Masha’s Wife’ came to a close, leaving only ‘Bonnie’s Situation’ to shoot.

“Have a good rest over the weekend, guys. By next Monday, I want you all looking fresh and energetic,” Adrian said loudly as he patted the shoulders of the crew.

“So you can squeeze them even harder, right?” Travolta joked as he walked over with a grin.

“Do you really think I’m squeezing them, John?” Adrian responded.

“Oh, for sure. You’re not just squeezing them; you’re putting pressure on us too,” Travolta said with a spread of his hands and a playful smile, his demeanor tending to relax once he got comfortable with people.

“Well, then wait until Monday, and I’ll squeeze you even harder,” Adrian replied with a tight fist and a half-smiling gaze at Travolta. Just then, his eyes drifted past him to a nearby filming trailer, and he abruptly excused himself with an “I’m sorry” and rushed off in that direction.

Parker looked back, understanding the situation, and made his way to his own car.

“Can I join you for dinner, Monica?” Adrian approached the woman emerging from the trailer with a smile. Monica, who had finished getting ready, wore a dark belted coat over simple clothes, her graceful figure evident.

“Dinner?” Monica raised her eyebrows, showing little surprise.

“Yes, just two blocks away there’s a small restaurant. Although it doesn’t have any famous dishes, the burgers and fries are pretty good.” Adrian smiled as he looked at her, “Trying these foods occasionally won’t affect your figure.”

Monica frowned slightly, and after a moment of hesitation, she nodded somewhat reluctantly, “Alright then.”

Her decision seemed a bit unwilling, but the small movements of her hand carrying the bag had already caught Adrian’s attention. So, once he got her affirmative answer, Adrian directly wrapped his arms around Monica’s waist and headed to his car, Monica struggled lightly a couple of times but didn’t resist too much.

The two blocks weren’t far, and a few minutes later they arrived at the restaurant Adrian had mentioned. It wasn’t big, much like those in other cities in the United States, but its clean and tidy environment made a good first impression.

“Okay, I admit, at least in terms of taste, it’s great.” Monica bit into her burger, chewed slowly, and then commented. As an Italian woman, even while eating such ordinary fast food, she exuded a certain charm.

“I stumbled upon this restaurant by chance,” Adrian said with a light smile, dipping a fry into ketchup before putting it into his mouth, “Life is like that, you never know what’s going to happen next.”

Monica blinked and did not respond, as if she did not understand what he was trying to say.

“Are we on a date right now?” Adrian suddenly asked.

Despite their previous encounter the night before, Monica was still taken aback by his directness. After a few seconds of shock, she said, somewhat angrily, “I think I already…”

“Enough, Monica, we’re not children. You know why you said that,” Adrian didn’t give her a chance to argue, cutting her off with a smile, “You are just feeling resentful, resentful that you’re at a disadvantage, resentful that you don’t have control, right?”

“I… No!” Monica glared at Adrian, denying his claim, but clearly at a loss.

“It’s disappointing, Monica,” Adrian said nonchalantly, “I thought I could be honest with you. I thought when I was honest with you, you could be honest with me too, but it seems I was mistaken.”

Monica’s breathing became rapid, and she looked at Adrian clenching her teeth. She might be experienced, but in terms of tactics, she was far from Adrian’s match; otherwise, she wouldn’t be in this situation.

After several seconds of this stalemate, Monica suddenly huffed heavily, “Do you really think I can’t take the lead?”

Adrian raised an eyebrow about to speak, but before he could open his mouth, he took a sharp breath, surprised by the Monica in front of him. Monica, with her arms crossed on the table, clearly wore a look of satisfaction and challenge, her plump, ruddy lips slightly parted as her tongue lightly licked the corner of her mouth. They locked eyes this way, both silent for a long time.

After what felt like several minutes, Adrian finally exhaled, “Wow, this is a restaurant after all…”

His words were cut off as they went back down his throat–the contact was direct this time, unlike before when shoes had been between them. Adrian swallowed hard, now tasting the flavor of Monica’s thwarted advance. Despite this, he still looked at Monica with a half-smile, even as his breathing grew heavier. And just as unyielding, Monica bit her lip and locked eyes with him, her breathing just as rushed, a fine sweat breaking out on her forehead, her cheeks flushing more deeply, her entire being suffused with desire.