Chapter 21

The journey was not short, but the two of them chatted all the way and didn't feel bored. Kate told him about many of her audition experiences. Although she had only played supporting roles, there were actually not many actresses in Hollywood who got roles every year. There were too many people chasing stardom, like moths to a flame, either ending up shattered or burning their youth. Kate Belseck had good manners, an elegant and beautiful appearance, and a charming London accent. For an actress like her to not be famous yet, she only lacked an opportunity.

Chen Tiandu also told her that he had never visited Hollywood since coming to Los Angeles, which surprised Kate. She promised that if this audition was successful, she would act as a tour guide and show him around Los Angeles.

"A little further and we'll be at the car dealership, a place that caters to people like you. I'll drop you off here, future big director." Kate dropped Chen Tiandu off near Beverly Hills, known for its most prestigious residential areas, the most upscale commercial streets, and a concentration of the rich, famous, and influential, making it the perfect place for those with money to spend.

"I'm not a tycoon." Chen Tiandu got out of the car and waved goodbye to Kate, "I'll celebrate with you tonight, future superstar."

"I hope so, goodbye."

...

For his first car, it didn't need to be too fancy. He didn't have many demands for his vehicle and had already made a reservation online. His goal was clear: a Porsche Boxster. This is a two-seater convertible produced by the German Porsche company. The name "Boxster" comes from the combination of "Box" and "ster." "Box" is derived from "Boxer," representing Porsche's horizontally opposed engine; "ster" is a shortened form of "Roadster." The Porsche Boxster was first exhibited at the North American International Auto Show in 1993 and only went into mass production at the end of last year, making it one of the latest models.

The price was also reasonable, costing only $50,000 in North America, which would be over a million in China.

He chose a lemon yellow color, took it for a test drive, and then paid in full. Holding the shiny key, he started the luxury golden car and sped off to go shopping. He also checked the entertainment news online, where he found that "Saving Private Ryan" had already held a press conference for the start of filming. This was a big event, and he didn't have the qualifications to attend. The huge posters of the main characters were already up on the internet, and the publicity had started even before filming began. This was the power of a major company.

DreamWorks, though less than three years old, was not to be underestimated, thanks to Steven Spielberg.

"Christmas, we're heading to Ireland to start filming tomorrow. Are you ready?" Just as he was thinking about the movie, Toby Hawkins called to urge him.

"Tomorrow? No problem." Thinking of the beautiful neighbor he had just met, he felt a bit reluctant to leave. He bought a lot of things, filling the back seat of his car. He had been busy all day and even bought some ingredients to prepare a home-cooked meal for his beautiful neighbor.

However, his cooking skills were not up to par; at best, he could make fried eggs and stir-fried pork. But it didn't matter; he still had backup. He called home and asked his mother how to cook a few British dishes. When his mother heard that he was inviting a British girl to dinner, she felt it was a serious matter. British cuisine? She couldn't handle it, so she had to ask his grandmother.

"What's there to British food? Fried potatoes, roasted beef, sausage rolls... what else?" His grandmother said confidently.

"British cuisine is the worst in the world," this statement was gradually becoming true. It wasn't just Chinese people saying it; several French chefs had also said the same. Apparently, Italians were saying the same thing too. Of course, if you told a British person the same thing, they would nod and agree, saying, "I like Chinese food."

With his grandmother's help, he calmly taught him how to make two dishes. Listening to her relaxed voice, he guessed she was sitting in the sun, while he was busy in the kitchen.

Real British cuisine often involves a lot of spices, making it taste like Chinese medicine, or it might have no seasoning at all, with the idea that you can add salt, pepper, mustard, or soy sauce according to your taste. The British say this is to respect personal preferences, but he thought it was because the chefs were lazy.

Because he was cooking, he also found a famous British dish online called "Stargazy Pie." The method involves taking a whole sardine, coating it in flour, and baking it into a bread shape, with the head and tail sticking out, ideally pointing towards the sky. There's also a version with crabs, where the crab legs stick out towards the sky...

Chen Tiandu was dumbfounded. Was this a bread or a dish? This famous British dish had even spread to America—just thinking about it made him feel sick!

In a strict sense, Chinese dishes are all fried. Foreigners don't use oil when stir-frying; they boil everything in water and add a bit of olive oil at the end. The Chinese method of heating the oil first and then adding the ingredients is typical, but the seasonings are Western.

Chen Tiandu's grandmother had lived in China for most of her life and had a passion for cooking, especially for researching a mix of Chinese and Western flavors. His whole family was the first to be subjected to her experiments. Fortunately, her cooking skills had improved, and the family had gotten used to various flavors.

The phone call lasted over two hours, and several dishes were placed on the table: bacon avocado cod strips, salmon sashimi, tomato sauce sardines, and a typical Chinese dish—braised anglerfish. The vegetable dishes included spicy and sour potato threads, stir-fried eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried celery with fish skin, and braised eggplant with chili peppers... almost all Chinese-style dishes.

Nine dishes in total, with five meat dishes being substantial and well-portioned.

Western in appearance, Chinese in essence, with a perfect balance of color, aroma, and taste.

He felt a great sense of accomplishment, realizing he had a talent for cooking. Even if he couldn't act, he could become a chef and support himself. "What were the steps for that dish again? I should write them down. I heard there's a young idol in Hong Kong named Nicholas Tse who's also good at cooking... Oh, that's a few years from now."

It seemed a bit off-topic, but cooking was really interesting. He would study it more in his free time.

"Phew~"

He took off his apron and checked the time; Kate should be back soon. This was his first time cooking for a woman, and he was quite looking forward to it.

Just as he was thinking about his beautiful neighbor, the phone rang. "Kate, are you home?"

"Christmas... you... could you come to the police station?"

Chen Tiandu was taken aback. "What happened?"

...

Half an hour later, Chen Tiandu and Kate said goodbye to lawyer Donny at the West Los Angeles Police Station. "Thank you, Mr. Donny, for coming all the way here."

Donny smiled. "No problem, it's my job to serve my clients. Mr. Chen, if you're willing to let me manage your personal affairs, I would be even happier."

"Oh, you mean financial management? I didn't know you were also an investment expert."

"I mean being a personal lawyer. Many people in America have personal lawyers who provide professional legal advice and are available 24/7. Of course, this includes financial management. Money in the bank will only depreciate. If you authorize me to make certain investments, such as in stocks or government bonds, my law firm is very professional in this area."

"Mr. Donny is really flattering me. I'm interested in the personal lawyer idea. As for investments, not so fast. I want to retain the ability to move this money at any time. And a million isn't enough to make a big impact. Let's talk more when I have more money."

After seeing Donny off, he invited the exhausted Kate into the car. "A car can be replaced, but it's good that you're okay. Relax. By the way, I haven't congratulated you on getting the role yet." She had been in a car accident on her way home, and the car was completely destroyed, but she was lucky to be unharmed.

Kate managed a smile. "Thanks, but the audition results aren't out yet. Only you are so sure. Oh, is this the car you bought? I heard the Porsche Boxster is the latest model. It looks great. I'll have to go buy one soon."

Chen Tiandu said, "You don't need to rush to buy a new car. I'm going to Ireland tomorrow and might be there for a few months. You can borrow my car."

"How can I do that?"

Kate was taken aback. In Europe and America, cars are like women; you don't lend them out casually, as you'd be responsible for any issues. "We've only known each other for a day, and you've already helped me so much today." She felt a bit awkward. "I don't have many friends in Los Angeles, and my family is in London. My relationship with my agent isn't great, and I don't want to trouble him."

"Don't be so formal. I'm glad you thought of me when you needed help. Oh, I hope the food at home hasn't gone cold."

"What?" Kate was confused.

(At the start of a new week, I'm asking for recommendations and favorites! ... After reading some friends' comments, someone said I'm starting to water down the story. I don't understand why. For the female lead, this is a crucial plot point. Jumping into bed right away isn't the way to go. I don't like writing about characters having sex without much emotional buildup. Please be patient; the pace will pick up soon. I need your support!)

...

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