Nora paused, slightly leaning closer to Charles, and asked, "Who is Darth Vader?"
Charles bent down a bit and whispered, "A character from a movie."
After speaking, Charles noticed Anson's gaze and hesitated, "Did I get that right?"
Anson smiled broadly and nodded gently, "Yes."
Then, Anson turned to Lucas, "You probably don't know who Darth Vader is either, do you?"
Lucas remained calm, "Do I need to know?"
Anson laughed and waved his hand, "No, no, you don't."
He had always thought that *Star Wars* had deeply influenced North American culture, permeating every aspect, and that even if someone hadn't seen it, they would at least have heard of it. But now he realized that was a bias. There were indeed people like Nora and Lucas who knew nothing about movies.
On the contrary, Charles, who was well-read and knowledgeable, could easily catch the reference.
Anson turned to Lucas, "So, you just told Mom and Dad to come to Los Angeles?"
Lucas sighed almost imperceptibly, "No, I just told them that you haven't been doing well lately. We all know what the entertainment industry is like. We understand that you can't avoid everything, but at the very least, we can be your support."
Then, Lucas turned to the Wood parents and said, "We agreed that I would come first this week to check on your situation."
"In two weeks, Mom would come and take you to an exhibit."
"Then two weeks after that, Dad would visit to see you."
"We staggered the visits so that you wouldn't suspect anything. But now look what happened!"
"Father!"
"Mother!"
Nora said confidently, "I was worried about Anson, so I came to see him. What's wrong with that? How was I supposed to know you'd all show up today? And you! I almost slipped up when I saw Charles!"
Charles cleared his throat and bowed his head slightly in embarrassment, "Sorry, that was careless of me."
Then, shifting the topic, he asked, "Lucas, what about you? Didn't you say you were coming over the weekend?"
Lucas didn't back down, "Oh, come on, it's easy for me to get here from San Francisco. Anson wouldn't be suspicious. And it was you two who..."
So, it really was just a coincidence?
This time, Anson was dumbfounded.
But behind this coincidence, he felt a strong warmth.
Watching the lively chatter in front of him, Anson couldn't help but smile broadly and chimed in, "Lucas, be honest, did you subscribe to TMZ updates?"
Lucas didn't hesitate for a second, "Of course."
Anson couldn't believe it, "Lucas! I'm not a minor anymore. You don't need to keep such a close watch on me. I won't cause trouble in Hollywood."
He felt a little guilty saying that—he seemed to have forgotten how he ended up here in the first place.
But Lucas was unmoved, "I'm just keeping an eye on my brother's news. You have no idea how dangerous the entertainment industry is. Those people will do anything for fame and fortune."
It was hard to argue with that.
Unexpectedly, Nora agreed, "Anson, I think Lucas is right. We don't usually read entertainment news, but I don't want to see your name on the front page of *The Times*."
"Mom!" Anson protested.
Charles joined in, "Anson, you can't blame Lucas for this..."
"Dad!"
Anson rolled his eyes, exasperated.
Taking a deep breath, he said, "TMZ is a tabloid site. You can't believe everything they publish. A lot of their news is fabricated."
"When I was filming in Portland, everyone thought I was recording in Sound City. I put out that fake news to throw people off."
Charles's eyes lit up, "So, you collaborate with the paparazzi too?"
Anson was both amused and exasperated, "Dad, that's not the point. The point is that TMZ gossip isn't reliable. If you're worried, you can just ask me directly."
Lucas shook his head, "You don't understand. Our focus is on knowing about any news that might hurt you, so we can protect you."
I don't need your protection.
If this were the 19-year-old Anson from his past life, that's what he would have said.
Back then, he was too young and eager to grow up, to prove to his parents that he could handle things on his own, that he wasn't a child anymore. All that care and protection felt like a burden.
It wasn't until years later, after facing the harsh realities of the world, that he realized those burdens were actually his armor, keeping him safe.
Now, looking at Lucas, Anson took a deep breath and smiled patiently, "Lucas, you can't read every piece of news, and you can't fight everyone who dislikes me..."
Lucas interrupted, "Why don't they like you?"
Anson was taken aback, "What?"
Lucas repeated, "I mean, why don't they like you?"
Anson burst out laughing, "Lucas, liking or disliking someone doesn't need a reason. Just like you don't need a reason to dislike someone. If you hate someone, even if they do nothing, you'll want them gone."
Lucas thought about it seriously, "Okay, I can't argue with that."
Anson continued, "So, you can't stop it all."
Lucas asked, "Then what should we do? Just sit back and watch, doing nothing?"
Anson replied, "No, you can do what you're doing today—stand by my side and show me that the people who dislike me don't matter because they have nothing to do with my life. The people who like me and support me are the ones who define my life."
"I'll need that reminder. Trust me, in this industry, I'll need those reminders."
Lucas quietly stared at Anson.
Anson said nothing more, meeting Lucas's gaze calmly.
Finally, Lucas gave in, "Alright." But after less than half a second, he asked again, "So what's the deal with Hayden and Brad?"
Actually, even now, Anson didn't have an answer about Hayden. They never met again and just drifted apart, becoming strangers.
Anson thought for a moment and said, "They were jealous of my success, and I figured it out, so they moved out."
For now, let's treat that as the correct answer.
Lucas asked, "Really?"
Anson shrugged, "What else? Do you want to check for emotional scars?"
Lucas was left speechless, "Fine."
Not only Lucas, but Charles and Nora also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Then Charles remembered, "Anson, I was serious about what I mentioned earlier. Aren't you considering moving? Maybe you should buy a property. After all, you're an actor now, right?"
Anson looked at him in disbelief, "Dad, what's with the questioning tone at the end?"
Charles just smiled.
Lucas chimed in, "I don't like this house. I told you last time. It's too easy for the paparazzi to spy on you, and you should have your own private space."
Nora nodded in agreement, "Since you've now established yourself in Los Angeles, it might be a good idea to buy a property. It doesn't have to be big, just three bedrooms would do."
Anson nearly choked—three bedrooms, and that's not too big?
Just as Anson was about to retort, there was another knock at the door.
This time, all four of them were stunned.
Anson counted, one, two, three, four—the entire Wood family was already here. Anson looked at Lucas, "Who else did you tell about me?"
Who could be at the door?
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