The business jet slowly stopped at a private tarmac. As the flight attendant opened the cabin door, Duke immediately stepped forward to greet them. Mrs. Leah and a blonde girl, almost sixteen years old, walked off the plane.
"Mom, let's get in the car first."
Duke took the handbag from his mother and then looked at the girl next to her. "Hi, Scarlett, you're getting more beautiful."
To be precise, Scarlett Johansson's appearance was almost indistinguishable from how she looked as an adult. Particularly, her figure was far more developed than her peers.
Carrying a small travel bag, she stepped forward naturally and held Duke's arm. Walking with the two toward the car, she said, "It feels so strange. When I got on the plane, it was snowing in New York, but now that I'm off, it feels like summer."
Duke glanced at Scarlett. The melancholy in her eyes from the past seemed to have vanished as she aged.
"Celebrating Christmas in summer must be interesting," Scarlett Johansson said. She let go of Duke's arm, grabbed a sunhat, and helped Mrs. Leah put it on to shield her from the bright sunlight at the empty airport. She then put on sunglasses herself and glanced at the sun.
"The weather in New York is nothing like this now." She muttered before catching up to Duke and Mrs. Leah.
A van and an SUV were parked just outside the private tarmac. Duke opened the car door, letting his mother and Scarlett into the van first. Then he signaled the staff to load their luggage into the SUV before getting into the van himself and sitting across from his mother.
He gestured for the driver to start and said, "The crew is filming on location, a bit far from Wellington. Mom, Scarlett, if you're tired, you can rest for a while."
"No need." Mrs. Leah shook her head lightly. "I've already had plenty of rest on the way."
"What part are you filming now?" Scarlett took off her sunglasses and hung them on her well-developed chest. "I read the original novel before coming."
"Scenes from the Shire."
Duke pointed at her V-neck T-shirt that had slipped down. Scarlett, unfazed, adjusted her chest slightly to fix it. Duke turned his eyes elsewhere and continued, "I built an almost authentic Hobbiton. You can experience how it differs from the novel."
"Does it have Bag End?" Scarlett's eyes lit up.
"Of course."
At this point, Duke recalled something else and turned to his mother. "Mom, I heard from David that the stock market is acting a bit abnormal…"
"I've sold all the IT-related stocks I held," Mrs. Leah said with a slight frown. "Duke, most of your income over the past few years has been invested in IT stocks. Be careful."
"Yes, I know what to do." Duke nodded lightly.
Over the past year, Duke had sold most of his IT stocks, except for his shares in Apple and unlisted Google. The cash from these sales was reinvested into Apple, Google, Warner Bros., and Victoria's Secret. However, these companies' management teams were unwilling to accept large investment amounts from any single shareholder, limiting how much Duke could invest.
"From my observations, the market is overly exuberant—something is not right," Mrs. Leah, ever the shrewd businesswoman, said. "A new round of reshuffling may not be far away."
Many people saw the irregularities in the stock market, but human greed and desire are boundless. Few can cash out and walk away at the right time. Many cling to the hope that the market will not crash so soon, giving them time to gain more capital.
After every stock market frenzy comes a steep drop. The real winners are those who know when to step back.
"What are you two discussing?" Scarlett, fiddling with a handheld gaming console she pulled from the tight pocket of her jeans, looked up and asked, "Why can't I understand any of this?"
Mrs. Leah reached out and patted Scarlett's arm gently. "Scarlett, there's so much in the world you don't know. School is a great place to understand and learn. You should seriously consider…"
Hearing this, Duke cast a questioning glance. Scarlett hugged Mrs. Leah's arm and said sweetly, "Godmother, you've always told me to pursue my goals steadfastly, that success comes only through persistence and effort. I'm sure my future lies in Hollywood. I hope to learn more professional acting skills."
"You're planning to drop out?" Duke asked, understanding her intentions.
The vast majority of Hollywood child stars—over 90%—drop out of school once they reach the legal age of sixteen.
"Yes!" Scarlett Johansson nodded. "My mom has already agreed…"
Hearing this, neither Duke nor Mrs. Leah said anything further.
Everyone has the right to choose their path, and Duke wouldn't interfere arbitrarily. As for Mrs. Leah, she was only Scarlett Johansson's godmother.
The van first stopped at Blenheim, where Duke had rented a house for his mother. After dropping off their luggage, he rushed back to the crew's base.
"The air here is really nice!"
As soon as Scarlett stepped out of the car, she stretched her arms and took a deep breath. "Much better than New York."
She put on her sunglasses and sunhat again, linking arms with Mrs. Leah as Duke led them toward Hobbiton.
Compared to the novel's descriptions, the crew's Hobbiton was much smaller, but the scenery was exceptionally beautiful. Various plants were thriving in the height of summer, creating a lush landscape that captivated Scarlett Johansson, who had grown up in New York's urban jungle.
"I don't want to go back to New York."
Crossing the small bridge over the Brandywine River, Scarlett curiously touched the polystyrene-made arch. "I've visited many sets, but this is the most beautiful filming location I've ever seen. If I didn't touch it, I'd never have guessed this bridge isn't made of stone."
"A lot here is fake, right?" Mrs. Leah stopped and asked.
Duke nodded, pointing at some distant trees and bushes. "Real plants can't stay this lush and fresh. Many are props made by the crew."
He specifically pointed to the crooked tree above Bag End. "That one has 250,000 fake leaves hanging on it."
"How many?" Scarlett stood up, stunned. "So this beautiful tree has fake leaves?"
"More than half of them are fake."
Duke motioned for them to keep walking. After rounding a bend, they arrived at a flat grassy area. It was set up with tables, utensils, and chairs, all in the Hobbit style, along with banners reading "Happy Birthday, Bilbo Baggins."
"Are you filming Bilbo Baggins' birthday party scene?" Scarlett asked, looking at the busy crew members. "When will this scene be shot?"
"Tonight." Duke pointed to a large cake. "Can't you tell? The cake is ready."
"What's it made of?" Scarlett tilted her head. "Don't tell me it's cream."
"Polystyrene," Duke replied, pointing again at the small arch on the Brandywine River bridge. "The same material as the bridge."
After speaking, Duke turned to Mrs. Leah. "Mom, Scarlett, are you interested in making a cameo?"
"A cameo?" Mrs. Leah didn't quite understand.
"Yes." Duke gestured to the party scene. "Bilbo Baggins' birthday party requires a large number of actors. The crew doesn't have enough people, so besides professional actors, we've had to recruit staff from the props and set departments, as well as visitors, to serve as extras."
The scene required hundreds of actors. With Christmas approaching, finding enough extras was challenging, so anyone available had to help fill the background.
"I'll pass," Mrs. Leah said, showing no interest in a cameo.
But Scarlett Johansson was eager. "Can I be a female Hobbit?"
"Of course."
This was merely a matter of being a human prop.
"Actually, I'm more interested in elves," Scarlett muttered.
Duke looked at her and shook his head. "Dear, your figure is perfect for a female Hobbit. For an elf…"
Scarlett glanced down at her prominent chest and seemed a little troubled. "I think I've developed too quickly."
"You should start dieting, Scarlett," Mrs. Leah reminded her.
"Okay." Scarlett nodded and leaned closer to Duke, whispering, "Will I get a close-up shot?"
Duke gently tapped her forehead with a finger and said sternly, "Don't be too greedy, Scarlett."
"Oh…" The girl lowered her head, playing with her blonde ponytail. "I understand."
After circling Hobbiton and the Shire, Duke brought the two to the crew's base. The base was bustling with activity as preparations for the evening's shoot were underway. Duke found an assistant to escort Scarlett Johansson to the makeup team, then continued checking on things with his mother.
The sun dipped lower and finally disappeared below the horizon. The sky turned from yellow to dark as evening descended. Once it was fully dark, a large group of actors set out from the base. Led by their respective coordinators, they moved in an orderly fashion to the filming site.
The grassy area where the party was to be held was lit with countless lanterns, ready for the shoot to begin.
...
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