[Chapter 170: You Can Give Up on That Idea Now]
Chapter Clink, clank... crisp sounds echoed from the kitchen.
Although, at Daniel's suggestion, Anne Hathaway was still determined to learn how to make the simple food first, it clearly remained a challenge for her.
Daniel was about to offer some guidance when Anne abruptly kicked him out. "I'd feel nervous with you standing right here," she said.
After a full hour, Anne finally brought out two dishes. One was a simple vegetable salad. The other was stir-fried chicken breast.
The chicken wasn't burnt, but it was deathly pale and looked completely unappetizing.
Daniel tasted the vegetable salad first. Hmm. It was pretty ordinary. With this stuff, as long as the vegetables were fresh and there was some salad dressing, it wouldn't taste terrible. Of course, it wasn't exactly delicious either.
Then he tried the chicken breast. He took a bite, then set down his fork. "You try it too."
Seeing Daniel's lack of reaction, Anne used a fork to pick up a piece and put it in her mouth. After just a few bites, she gagged and spat it out into a tissue.
"It's awful."
She quickly rinsed her mouth with water. "You didn't spit it out."
Daniel shrugged. "I generally don't waste food."
"Even food like this that has no salt and smells like raw meat?"
"Yes."
"Then you keep eating."
Anne pushed the entire plate toward him.
Daniel shot her a sharp look. "I meant the food already in my mouth. If I haven't eaten it, forget it."
"Then I'll throw it away."
Anne turned and dumped it in the trash can.
Daniel said, "Don't throw it there. Put it in the sink and use the garbage disposal. If you dump it there, it's going to smell terrible."
"Oh, okay," Anne said, nodding. "I'll clean it up soon."
She tasted the vegetable salad again and said excitedly, "This tastes good. Just like what I get when I eat out."
Daniel watched her eat and asked, "What exactly do you want to do?"
Anne paused, swallowed the salad in her mouth, and said seriously, "I want to hold onto you tightly."
Daniel frowned. "What do you mean by 'hold onto tightly'?"
Anne looked at him earnestly. "I want to be the only woman in your life from now on."
Daniel shook his head. "Then you can give up on that idea now. That's absolutely impossible."
Anne sighed but kept going. "I know -- you're capable, you have a big dick, you last long, you're a billionaire, and you can make people beautiful..."
She listed his virtues, but her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke.
"I'll prove that I'm worth it," she added quietly.
Daniel smiled slightly. "What you mentioned is only a small part of what I can do."
Anne's eyes widened. "You have other skills? What are they?"
"You'll find out later," Daniel said. "For now, just drop those unrealistic thoughts. I won't marry any woman, ever."
Anne's tone hardened with resolve. "I'll try to change your mind."
Daniel shook his head. "Actually, this topic is kind of awkward. Let's just drop it."
"Fine. Time will tell."
"That's exactly what I was going to say."
The food Anne had made was utterly inedible. Daniel wasn't about to eat just this salad, so he had no choice but to step into the kitchen himself and cook dinner.
He kept it simple: grilled herb chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and a basket of warm dinner rolls.
Watching Daniel move effortlessly around the kitchen, Anne couldn't help but stare. "I didn't know you could cook."
"I learned a long time ago."
Once everything was on the table, Anne picked up her fork and took a bite of the mashed potatoes.
Her eyes lit up. "This is delicious."
She tried the grilled chicken next and nodded repeatedly. "And this is even better."
Daniel smiled. "Grab a roll while they're still warm."
He didn't think the meal was anything special, but Anne ate with obvious satisfaction.
...
That night, Anne finally seized the initiative during the nightly activities, reclaiming some ground. But she soon faltered and was forced to fight back passively.
Over the next few days, Anne came by Daniel's place every day, seemingly intent on moving in permanently.
She worked hard every night and hadn't given up on learning to cook. She even searched out food show videos and watched them whenever she had time.
That night, Daniel asked, "How's the house hunting going?"
"Still looking," Anne replied.
"I can buy one and give it to you."
"No, then I'd lose the confidence to speak to you as an equal."
Daniel smiled. "Don't overthink it. Just consider it compensation for destroying your house."
"I've already said no compensation is needed."
"Alright, then I'll make it up to you another way."
Daniel produced a Spirit Transformation Elixir, a Foundational Reinforcement Elixir, and an Osteogenic Elixir.
After some explanation, Anne took them one by one.
Immediately, the room filled with her excited cries.
Having just been drained of energy, she quickly regained her strength, and climbed on top of him.
...
When everything settled, her eyes sparkled as she asked breathlessly, "Is this the other skill you mentioned?"
Daniel smiled. "More or less."
Anne's eyes brightened. "So there's more?"
Daniel didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "Do you really want to be tied to me?"
Anne propped herself up. "Of course. I'm very sure."
Daniel said, "If it's a partnership, I won't interfere in your affairs. Whatever you do is your freedom. But if you want to get closer to me, I hope you won't do any scenes with nudity in the future. To make up for it, I'll find better opportunities for you."
Many Hollywood actresses don't refuse nude scenes, because they help win awards. Those old Academy guys love seeing actresses take their clothes off on screen. They also love watching handsome men and beautiful women play ugly characters.
In another world, Anne would have starred in films like Havoc and Brokeback Mountain back-to-back next year. She performed explicit scenes in both. Though she didn't win awards for them, she successfully shook off her innocent princess image and expanded her acting range.
Anne looked surprised. "How did you know Molly was trying to persuade me to do explicit scenes?"
Daniel asked, "Did she tell you it could help with awards and rebranding?"
Anne nodded. "Yes."
Daniel said, "You're young. Forget about winning awards for now. Rebranding is possible, but it could also cause you to lose all the audience appeal you've built. There are many ways to rebrand -- like playing the right role in a successful movie."
Anne smiled bitterly. "Easier said than done."
Daniel said, "If you believe me--"
"Of course I do."
"Then wait for my news."
Anne's eyes lit up.
She looked forward to what kind of surprise Daniel would bring her.
*****
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