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Since it was already opened, they might as well drink it.
The big, carefree Kryptonian felt absolutely no psychological burden. It wasn't as if they could pour the wine back into the bottle, shove the cork back in, and pretend none of this had happened.
Wine is different from high-proof spirits. Once wine comes into contact with air and oxidation begins, the process is irreversible and cannot be paused. Leave it too long, and it will spoil.
Spirits, because of their high alcohol content, don't deteriorate after exposure to air—or even if they do, the change is negligible.
That's why spirits can be sipped slowly after opening, but wine cannot. Opening a bottle of wine and then deciding not to drink it is the real waste.
Even preservation methods for resealing wine only slow down spoilage slightly. If you're going to drink it, the best choice is to finish it as soon as possible after opening.
As for Charlize Theron, after hearing Katharine's explanation, her mind had already drifted far away—her soul nowhere to be found.
She might not have been highly educated, but she certainly knew names like Napoleon and Hitler. And the "Howard" Katharine Hepburn mentioned—who else could that be but Howard Stark?
That tiny sip she had just taken—barely enough to wet her throat—might well have been worth more than all the wages she'd earned since starting work.
No—perhaps even a lifetime of effort wouldn't be enough to afford it.
Shock mixed with dejection, Charlize began to question her life.
The old lady who had taken out the bottle, however, felt none of that negativity. She simply gazed at the wine in the decanter with a look of nostalgia.
"This bottle was a gift from Howard when he proposed to me," Katharine said. "He said we'd drink it together on our golden wedding anniversary. But you know how that turned out—he married Maria, and I didn't marry him."
"So the notorious playboy found new love," Henry said casually, examining the label on the bottle, trying to make something out of it. "Not surprising at all, is it?"
Katharine laughed. "It wasn't quite like that. He and Maria came later. Around 1938, Hollywood labeled me box-office poison. Disheartened, I left Hollywood for the first time.
"Howard wanted to continue the relationship, but in 1939, World War II broke out. He didn't enlist, but he became a technology consultant for the U.S. military. His focus was entirely on the war.
"That was also when I met Spencer. I fell for him at first sight and could never escape his charm, right up until that old fellow passed away. That was in 1967, I believe.
"By then, Howard was already happily married to Maria. And even if he'd been single at the time, I don't think I could have accepted him right away."
Golden Age gossip, told firsthand by the person herself—just listening was thrilling. Henry was one step away from crossing his legs and whistling.
Of course, he couldn't look too blatantly like a gossip-monger. Meanwhile, the wine in the decanter seemed to awaken from its slumber, its rich aroma gradually spreading.
Henry poured himself another small sip, used the same tasting ritual, and drank it.
"Mmm. Still needs a bit more time. But it's waking up—the flavors are starting to come out. You can try it again."
He poured another small sip for each of the two women.
Charlize still seemed half-absent, mechanically swallowing the wine. But the moment it touched her tongue, she felt an explosive sensation.
All her taste buds seemed to ignite at once, scrambling to send signals to her brain.
Once again, Charlize was left speechless.
Katharine, by contrast, didn't react so dramatically. Her eyes simply lit up in surprise at how the wine had changed, and she swirled her now-empty glass, savoring the lingering aroma.
Suddenly, Katharine launched a surprise question.
"Children, you didn't come to visit an old woman like me just to hear about my youthful romantic escapades, did you? Tell me—what do you want?"
Henry then explained Charlize Theron's situation, naturally omitting some of the more unsavory details.
For example, how they had first met because Charlize was so hungry she stole bread from a restaurant, or how she had been tricked into posing for Playboy-style photo shoots.
The latter was mentioned only in broad strokes, without details. But given Katharine's familiarity with Hollywood, even without specifics she could easily imagine the whole story.
"So," Katharine asked, "you're hoping I can introduce you to a reliable agent?"
As soon as the conversation turned to Charlize, she herself had already snapped back to reality. Out of trust, she hadn't interrupted Henry's account—and what he said didn't stray too far from the truth.
However, Henry's request shocked Charlize just as much. They hadn't even been working together for a few months—was he already giving up on her?
Perhaps because of the intensive acting training she'd been undergoing, Charlize's expressions now conveyed her feelings with great accuracy. Her disappointment was obvious, yet it wasn't disappointment in others—it was disappointment in herself.
Henry hurried to explain.
"Sweetheart, it's not that you've performed poorly—it's that I'm not good enough as a part-time agent. When I said I'd be your agent, I underestimated how difficult the job really was.
"But after these past two or three months, you must have noticed it too. The good projects never reach us, and even speaking roles are out of reach. The only opportunities I can get for you are from third-rate film crews.
"So I want to help you find a reliable, more capable agent to support you. I'll still help in other ways—there's no way I'd just leave you to fend for yourself."
Understanding Henry's intentions, Charlize's expression softened at last. The young woman almost jumped on him and hugged him again, ready to shower him with kisses.
This was also a minor side effect of the recent intensive acting training—her emotions had become overly expressive, not yet fully under control. As a result, her feelings often showed very directly.
Henry had noticed this as well. Based on his experience and the psychology books he'd read, people with strong emotional fluctuations were prone to spiraling into negative thought patterns.
That's why Henry always paid close attention to Charlize's expressions—he couldn't let her suddenly start thinking things like "I'm sorry for being born human."
Their interaction didn't escape Katharine Hepburn's notice. She understood perfectly—without such a bond, how could two strangers do so much for each other?
Still, as an elder, she felt it was her responsibility to look out for children she approved of. In Hollywood, if there was one thing in abundance, it was fleeting romances and people who spoke sweetly but acted otherwise.
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