This wasn't Anson's first time attending an awards ceremony, but the situation had subtly changed.
At the last Emmy Awards, Anson was a rising star, becoming famous overnight, a common occurrence in Hollywood. People were used to it and saw no reason to make a big deal about it since no one knew if they'd still see this young man six months later.
This time at the Golden Globes, Anson was a superstar. Two films in a year exploded in the market, making him an overnight sensation once again, but this time, his rise was more like a rocket. Everyone present could feel a sense of threat, and behind the envy and jealousy, they couldn't help but be wary and guarded.
Tonight, even more so—
Wearing a light blue suit, flamboyant and bold, Anson broke the usual norms of award ceremonies with an attitude that was both provocative and revolutionary.
Was he the center of attention?
Undoubtedly.
But it wasn't just the attention. Behind those gazes lay a tangle of emotions:
They realized Anson was now their equal, if not surpassing them, rising to a higher stage of the pyramid. The young man they had once looked down upon now required them to look up.
More importantly, Anson was still young—only 20 years old. Most of his friends were relatively unknown Hollywood actors. While all the faces at the Golden Globes were familiar, none of them were his friends.
So.
After the buzz and shock of the red carpet, away from the cameras' focus, before the banquet hall went live, in the brief pause, those critical, sharp, and scrutinizing glances surrounded Anson, forming a small vacuum that isolated him.
It was as if a stranger had crashed a party. If the host didn't step up to greet him, the stranger would remain awkwardly out of place.
The atmosphere was slightly tense, with looks and body language conveying a "let's see how great you really are" vibe.
This is the vanity fair.
It makes you wonder—did Leonardo DiCaprio go through the same treatment when he became famous overnight?
Of course, this wasn't a universal reaction.
Undoubtedly, not everyone felt this way. Some people surely wanted to befriend Anson, and there were likely many hoping to ride his coattails.
But.
The key issue was that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston had already made their positions clear, drawing a line. At this moment, in front of so many eyes, it would take some courage and boldness for someone to be the first to break the ice.
So.
Brad Pitt finally laid his eyes on Anson, looking down from on high.
The Hilton Hotel's banquet hall still had its golden-age design, with a round stage at the front facing tiered seating—
Not like a lecture hall, but with the seating divided into three levels. The lowest was a round-table setup, like a traditional New Year banquet, where you could almost imagine peanuts and sunflower seeds being served.
The middle level had café-style booths, with small round tables seating three or four people, fostering intimate conversations.
The topmost level was the theater-style seating, where the audience sat in rows, taking in the view below.
The whole atmosphere felt less like an awards ceremony and more like a small banquet where film crews and friends could sit together closely.
A different kind of social event.
At this moment, Brad was standing on the second tier, chatting with a group of people. At the same time, his arms crossed over his chest, he glanced at Anson through the crowd. His elevated posture conveyed a sense of provocation, disdain, and mockery, as if he were waiting for the show to begin, silently watching Anson.
It felt like a cat playing with a mouse.
This was the first time.
Even though Anson and Brad weren't friends and had no intention of becoming friends—after all, their relationship had started on the wrong foot—it wasn't like they were enemies either.
Especially since Anson's life hardly intersected with that of Jennifer and Brad. They had been living their separate lives, and the misunderstandings of the past should've blown over by now.
Until today.
Old grudges and new tensions unexpectedly built up and exploded all at once.
It was an accident—
One that neither Edgar nor Eve could have foreseen.
They lacked experience, sure, but that was only part of the issue. There was no need to blame their inexperience because, in the past five years, only Leonardo had faced a similar situation in Hollywood. No matter how much you prepare, things can still change in an instant.
They had been so focused on hoping Anson would make a splash at the Golden Globes that they didn't anticipate the backlash and attacks from his peers. Brad was just riding the wave, and the situation unfolded naturally.
So what should Anson do?
Panic?
Actually... no.
In his past life, he had walked into many such traps unprepared. He could still remember the day he got fired from the TV station.
He had gone to work like any regular day, just another day as an ordinary employee, only to step into a trap. Back then, everyone at the company treated him like a plague, and the stares and expressions he received were so piercing and suffocating, it felt like they were choking the air out of him.
Now that was truly walking through fire and braving the storm.
In comparison, this group of scheming, backstabbing cowards felt like child's play. They couldn't even hurt a hair on his head.
He stood firm—
No fear, no hesitation, no retreat. Not even a hint of nervousness.
Calmly, he scanned the room, treating those wary and guarded glances as though they were admiring looks, taking them all in and surveying the scene.
So far, there was no sign of Tom Hanks or Steven Spielberg, which meant waiting for someone else to break the ice seemed unlikely. If Anson were to make the first move, it could place the other person in the spotlight and make them a target. It was a no-win situation.
Worst of all, this was Anson's first Golden Globes ceremony. He didn't even know where to sit, so even if he wanted to head to his seat, he wouldn't know where to go.
But whatever came, he'd handle it.
Anson had already started to move, with no worries at all, ready to confront Brad directly—
After all, he had nothing to hide.
However.
Just as he took his first step, a figure emerged from the crowd, breaking the deadlock, and under everyone's gaze, walked straight toward Anson.
"Hey, Anson."
With warmth and cheer, they opened their arms and gave Anson a hug.
"God, you look amazing tonight. All the ladies here are jealous of me because I did what they all wanted to but were too shy to do."
She even squeezed Anson's arm.
She thought Anson would be shy. After all, he was just a 20-year-old boy, usually reserved in front of older women. But when she looked into his clear eyes, with a smile in his pupils, it made her feel nervous instead.
She sighed softly and shook her head, "As Jack said, you're no fun—you're not scared of pranks at all."