Chapter 33

Because of the smooth traffic, Ye Wei arrived at the small street outside the Ivy Restaurant on North Robertson Boulevard in West Hollywood in just over half an hour. He looked at his watch; it was 7:20, and the Willis family was due to appear in 40 minutes.

It was still early, and the restaurant wouldn't open for another 10 minutes, so the area was still quiet, with few people or cars around.

Taking advantage of the time, Ye Wei began to observe the small square street around the restaurant, making thorough preparations. He didn't see any luxury cars like Mercedes, Jaguar, Hummer, or Maserati, which suggested that no celebrities were currently in the area.

The Ivy Restaurant was so popular among celebrities for several reasons. First, the food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the outdoor tables with heating facilities and the flower-latticed outdoor seating area created a very artistic atmosphere, giving a sense of being in a rural countryside.

Second, the restaurant had a long history and a high reputation, and it was a regular haunt for paparazzi.

This made the small celebrities who craved exposure flock here, as they would be photographed and featured in various news media as soon as they arrived. However, the big stars usually just wanted to have a meal and enjoy themselves, like the Willis family today.

Why would they come to a place where paparazzi were always around, even if they found it annoying? The problem was that for stars like them, where could they go without encountering paparazzi? Even outside their homes, paparazzi were stationed year-round, following them wherever they went. Even if the paparazzi didn't follow them this time, they would soon catch up once the stars arrived at a restaurant. Informants were everywhere! Even at home, they couldn't escape the paparazzi, who had secretly infiltrated celebrities' residences to take photos more than once.

"Damn it." At this moment, Ye Wei cursed under his breath. Some people had arrived even earlier than him—paparazzi!

They were easy to identify. At the diagonal corner of the street outside the restaurant, a group of about a dozen people had gathered. This was the best spot for photography. They had set up their long-lens DSLR cameras and other equipment, some chatting and laughing, others adjusting their lenses, all ready for a big shoot.

These people probably didn't know the Willis family would be coming today. They were just waiting for something to happen, but unlike the farmer in the fable who starved to death, they always managed to catch something.

"I can't let these guys ruin things..."

Ye Wei frowned. He had no grudge against these people, but today was different! These paparazzi could mess things up. Just imagine, when the Willis family drove up, these people would start snapping photos non-stop. Willis might not even get out of the car and would drive to another restaurant with his daughters.

He couldn't let them just stand there! What to do...

As he thought, an idea suddenly came to him—the Thirty-Six Stratagems' "Lure the Tiger Away from the Mountain"! His grandfather used to say, "Trick those devils into running in circles, then strike from behind!"

After making his decision, Ye Wei checked his watch again; it was 7:32. Time was running out, so he immediately began to act.

For the paparazzi, today's weather was perfect—no rain, plenty of sunlight, ideal for taking photos. And on a Sunday close to Thanksgiving, celebrities liked to go out, so they expected to catch some big fish at the Ivy Restaurant.

"Shouldn't we allocate resources? Duplicate photos aren't worth much." "Is this your first day in the business?" "Dude, go home and take nude photos of your wife, that's worth money." "I'll pay $100 for the nude photos, $500 to sleep with your wife." "Hahaha!"...

The paparazzi laughed, cursed, and provoked each other, using foul language, their way of communicating, like a group of rednecks in a rural bar in Arkansas.

At this moment, an Asian teenager walked past them, talking on his phone, exclaiming, "What news? Matt Damon and Ben Affleck? What happened?"

The kid seemed to be a paparazzo too, which didn't surprise them. The industry had many young people, some even younger than this one. These kids used their youth to their advantage, appearing harmless to make celebrities let their guard down, allowing them to capture many explosive moments.

With the briefcase he was carrying, it was clear this was a disguised camera, and the compact camera was in his pocket. This guy was a paparazzo!

The teenager suddenly exclaimed again, "What!? They're fighting!? They're such good friends! What happened? Oh... Oh, I'm on my way!"

Instantly, the paparazzi's eyes widened, and their faces changed. Good heavens, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck fighting!? That would be front-page news, a global sensation!

They quickly took out their phones, contacting their colleagues and informants, trying to get more information: "Damon and Affleck! They're fighting, any news?" "Where? Damn it, where!!" "Did they fight after a night out at a club? Check the clubs!"...

"Haha, I'm on my way, hoping to catch something. This Thanksgiving depends on them, hoping to catch something..."

Ye Wei pretended to hang up his phone, which wasn't even in a call, and hurriedly ran towards Robertson Boulevard.

"Hey, hey, kid!" Several paparazzi immediately chased after him, while those who hesitated also looked on. "Can you tell us where it happened?" "Yeah, tell us!"

"Oh, guys, are you standing here so long that you've gone crazy? Or are you going to let your wives be slept with by others? Screw you, bye, hahaha!"

Ye Wei's laughter was full of arrogance, and he didn't stop. He kept cursing, "FUCK-YOU, this is my news, those two guys are still there, the cops are here, ha, go to hell! Take your own dick photos!"

Sure enough, the paparazzi were agitated, feeling anxious and unwilling as they watched someone else get the gold. Almost all of them followed him.

"Taxi!" As soon as he reached the boulevard, Ye Wei raised his hand to hail a taxi. A pre-arranged taxi pulled up, and he quickly got in. "Let's go!"

The driver, as agreed, drove west, but after passing a block and turning a corner, ensuring the paparazzi couldn't see, Ye Wei quickly got out and hid. The taxi would continue to Santa Monica if the driver kept his word.

He had already paid the fare and specifically chosen a trustworthy-looking Asian driver, not daring to pick a Mexican or Puerto Rican.

Ye Wei took a long detour and returned to the small street outside the Ivy Restaurant. The diagonal corner that was previously crowded with paparazzi was now empty, not a single paparazzo in sight! They must have all followed the taxi or were investigating the news.

"Phew! The whole world is peaceful now." Ye Wei checked his watch again; it was already 7:55. The Willis family could appear at any moment! Hopefully, the paparazzi wouldn't return within the next half hour.

The restaurant had been open for over 20 minutes. Ye Wei walked towards it, and it was still early, with few guests at the outdoor tables.

"Hello, I'd like an outdoor table," Ye Wei smiled at the white female waitress as he approached the flower-latticed entrance and walked up a few steps.

"Sir, please wait, let me check if there are any available..." The waitress flipped through her schedule. Outdoor tables were always in high demand, especially on Sundays, and usually required reservations. She looked up and said apologetically, "There are no outdoor tables left, but we have indoor ones."

Ye Wei smacked his forehead, realizing his mistake. He hadn't thought of that. He asked, "Can I take my food and stand outside? It's quiet, and I won't disturb anyone."

"Uh, this..." The waitress was surprised by his unusual request. "You can only stand by the fence, and you must not disturb other guests."

"Okay, thanks!"

Ye Wei ordered a latte and a homemade multigrain French toast, stood by the fence, and looked around, like a bodyguard.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed with a text message. He was instantly nervous, fearing it might be Lamo Willis saying, "You don't have to wait, we're going somewhere else." Fortunately, it wasn't. It was from Lily: "Go forward, wolf pack! PS: Don't mention the director thing."

"She's really afraid I'll be a director..." Ye Wei chuckled, feeling warm and more motivated.

The phone screen showed 8:05. At that moment, he saw a suspicious Hummer SUV slowly driving in. The driver was definitely not an ordinary person!

He squinted his eyes as the Hummer parked in a spot across the street, turned off the engine, and a male waiter enthusiastically opened the door to help the passengers out. Soon, two girls got out of the back seat, and his heart raced. YES, YES, they were Willis's daughters!

12-year-old Scott Lalu Willis and 9-year-old Talulah Belle Willis!

Then someone got out of the front seat, the passenger side, it was 15-year-old Lamo Glenn Willis, and from the driver's side...

A tall, muscular middle-aged man, Bruce Willis!

He was wearing a light brown long-sleeved T-shirt and dark blue jeans, with his trademark smile showing his laugh lines. Although he was balding, his fit figure and energetic demeanor didn't make him look 48. He was still the indestructible Detective John McClane.

He seemed to be in a good mood, thanked the waiter, and looked around, finding it strange that there were no paparazzi.

The Willis sisters also found it strange and discussed it: "Where are those paparazzi scum?" "Who knows, maybe they're dead." "That's weird."

Weird or not, it was better without the paparazzi. They were grateful.

The Willis family of four then walked towards the restaurant, getting closer. Within ten steps, Ye Wei could clearly hear the screen star's voice: "What do you want to eat?"

"Whatever, it's always the same." Lamo Willis was still sleepy and lazy, but she suddenly noticed the Asian teenager standing awkwardly by the fence, that crazy guy! She woke up instantly and looked at him with a "Is it you?" expression.

Ye Wei smiled and nodded at her, silently saying, "It's me."

"No wonder..." Lamo sized up this strange person, the "ordinary classmate" Lily Collins had mentioned.

Unlike what she had imagined, he was a handsome young man, wearing a black jacket and jeans, carrying a black briefcase and a cup of coffee. He had thick, straight black hair, a chiseled face, a tall and muscular build, but not bulky, exuding a sunny and handsome aura typical of Asian men, without any hint of weakness or the stereotypical ugliness.

His eyes were powerful, the brightness in the blackness like starlight, radiating a natural charm.

Combined with his somewhat bizarre but cool kid-like achievements and small talents, he was a standout among 15-year-olds.

She had never seen anyone like him at her school or in the circle of celebrity children. No wonder he could cause such a stir, and no wonder Lily Collins was so invested, talking about his movie dreams and fan wishes...

"Lamo?" Willis turned to look at his daughter, who had stopped. Lamo responded and followed, wondering if the guy would just stand there.

The Willis family of four sat at a reserved outdoor table near the fence. Their arrival delighted the surrounding guests: "Oh my God, you're Bruce Willis!"

This was expected, and Willis didn't get angry. He smiled at everyone and politely declined requests for autographs and photos.

The Ivy Restaurant was a place with rules. The waiters quickly restored order, and the excited guests continued their breakfast, occasionally glancing over but not disturbing them. The Willis family ordered their meals and chatted in the elegant setting.

Just one wall away from the target star! Ye Wei kept an eye on the situation, rehearsing his prepared speech in his mind. He took a deep breath and prepared to approach.

He felt it was better to introduce himself before the food arrived, as it wouldn't interrupt their meal, and with the paparazzi gone, Willis was in a good mood. If the paparazzi suddenly returned, it would be different. This was a golden opportunity!

Ye Wei walked up the steps, approached the restaurant entrance, and headed towards the table where the Willis family was sitting, not far to the left, while keeping an eye on Bruce Willis's half-bald head...

At the same time, Lamo was giving him a look, signaling him not to come over yet!

But Ye Wei's attention was entirely on Willis. He walked to the table, his heart pounding, and smiled as he interrupted, "Mr. Willis, Misses Willis, I'm Ye Wei. It's a great honor to meet you here."

Just as he spoke, he noticed Willis frowning and looking at something on his phone screen...

He had messed up! Lamo rolled her eyes, not expecting it to happen so quickly. After all, he was just a kid.

Lalu and Belle looked at him. Although he was a handsome Asian, they weren't interested in talking to him and didn't want to be disturbed.

"Oh, thank you." Willis glanced at the young man and continued looking at his phone, mechanically saying, "I'm not signing autographs or taking photos today. I just want to have a peaceful breakfast with my daughters. I hope you understand."

Ye Wei looked at Lamo, his eyes tense, urging her to speak up quickly.

"Dad, this person is a classmate of a friend of mine. He's your biggest fan," Lamo said, though reluctantly, fulfilling her promise.