72: Malibu Art Museum

Lin Feng took the wine glass. The icy coldness of the glass wall contrasted sharply with the warmth of her fingertips.

He looked at the alluring red liquid in the glass.

He knew that this glass of wine was the prelude to tonight's “deep communication.”

He knew even more that the woman before him was far more dangerous and alluring than this fine wine.

He had originally come here with the mindset of a hunter, intending to acquire his desired prey.

Yet, at this moment, standing before this Hollywood Queen, looking into her eyes that seemed to see through everything...

Lin Feng suddenly felt that he was the prey being scrutinized and slowly led into a trap.

He swirled the wine glass, and the crimson liquid left beautiful arcs along the glass wall.

"The taste of time?"

Lin Feng's gaze shifted from the wine glass to Scarlett's face, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"I thought that Ms. Johansson's gallery would collect more tangible works of art."

This was a test.

And a counterattack.

He was reminding her, and himself, that tonight's theme was “gallery” and “artwork.”

How could Scarlett not understand the meaning behind his words?

She let out a soft laugh. Her voice, slightly ethereal due to the sea breeze, carried a unique charm.

"Of course there are works of art."

Instead of taking him to see any physical paintings, she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him at the railing of the terrace, gazing out at the dark sea in the distance.

The sea breeze ruffled her long dress and stirred Lin Feng's clothes, creating a quiet and ambiguous atmosphere.

"It's just that the art here isn't meant to be looked at."

Scarlett also raised her glass, but instead of drinking, she merely swirled the wine gently.

"They need to be felt and experienced with the heart."

Her gaze turned to Lin Feng. Her emerald eyes, under the moonlight, looked like two bottomless gems.

"Just like movies, just like acting."

She naturally steered the conversation toward her own field.

"Do you know what the most important quality of a good actor is?"

Scarlett asked suddenly, swirling her glass.

This question took Lin Feng by surprise.

He thought she would continue to test him with suggestive and provocative remarks.

He didn't expect her to talk about her profession.

Lin Feng pondered for a moment.

"Empathy?"

He gave what he considered the most standard answer.

Only by empathizing with a character can an actor bring that character to life.

After listening, Scarlett slowly shook her head.

"No."

Her answer was crisp and decisive.

"Empathy is just the foundation, the entry ticket. But what truly allows an actor to reach the top is not empathy."

She brought the glass to her lips and took a small sip. The crimson liquid made her lips look even fuller and more alluring.

"It's foresight."

"Foresight?"

Lin Feng's brow furrowed slightly; this word struck a chord within him.

"That's right, foresight."

Scarlett put down her glass, leaned slightly forward against the railing, and the sea breeze carried her unique scent into Lin Feng's nostrils.

"In front of the camera, you have to anticipate your co-actor's next line, what kind of emotion he'll use, what kind of action he'll take."

"You have to anticipate the angle the camera will cut to, and how the lighting will fall on your face."

"You must also anticipate when the audience sitting in the cinema will feel tense, when they will cry, and when they will laugh."

She turned her head and looked at Lin Feng, her eyes growing sharp.

"Acting is never just a simple emotional release."

"It is a carefully planned psychological game targeting everyone, including yourself."

"And top actors are the most skilled players in this game."

Every word from Scarlett was like a bullet, accurately piercing Lin Feng's mind.

Lin Feng's heart trembled.

Foresight!

Psychological game!

These words, his desire for basketball games, and his pursuit of the Eye of the Heavenly Emperor, unexpectedly coincided!

He had always thought that the Eye of the Heavenly Emperor was about seeing through an opponent's movements.

But after listening to Scarlett, he suddenly realized.

It wasn't just about seeing through movements.

It was about seeing through the intentions behind the movements, the psychology behind the intentions, and even anticipating the opponent's next psychological shift, and the one after that!

This was true control of the entire court!

Scarlett seemed to see through his thoughts, and a hint of amusement appeared in the smile on her lips.

She continued.

"I watched your game tonight."

"Your skill and your physical talent are both top-tier. There's no doubt about that."

Her tone shifted.

"But..."

"You seem to... lack this 'foresight' ability."

"You are like a Chicago Bulls charging into a china shop—brave, powerful, and capable of destroying everything in front of you."

"But you can't see the layout of the entire room, you don't know which piece is the most precious antique and which is just a cheap imitation."

"You are more like a lion hunting on the savanna, possessing unparalleled strength."

"Yet you can't see the overall pattern of the savanna, you can't see the direction of the wind, nor can you see the pack of hyenas silently approaching in the distance."

Every word she spoke was like a sharp scalpel, precisely cutting through Lin Feng's skin, poking at his deepest, most painful spot.

The humiliation of six consecutive losses.

The helplessness of turnover mistakes.

The confusion regarding the overall picture of victory.

At this moment, this woman exposed it all in a manner so calm it was nearly cruel.

Lin Feng did not refute her.

Because everything she said was the truth.

The knuckles of the hand gripping the wine glass were white from exertion.

Scarlett took in his reaction completely, and a hint of subtle admiration flashed in her emerald eyes.

She enjoyed this feeling.

The feeling of having the most vulnerable side of a powerful man completely under her control.

She suddenly changed the subject, and her question became more direct and personal.

"Why were you in such a hurry to see me?"

Her voice dropped slightly, carrying a captivating magic.

"Just because you lost a game?"

"Or is it that you, a frustrated artist, urgently need a new muse to find inspiration after being broken?"

Her question was baited.

If Lin Feng answered yes, it would confirm that he was a weakling crushed by failure and desperate for comfort.

Everything that followed would then be dominated by her.

Lin Feng was silent for a moment.

Instead of looking into Scarlett's probing eyes, he drained the remaining red wine in his glass.

The pungent liquid slid down his throat, bringing a burst of heat.

He set down the empty glass with a soft 'clink.'

Then, he turned around, looking into her eyes for the first time, truly honestly, and without reservation.

"Because I realized."

His voice was calm, yet carried an unprecedented determination.

"I can only see the hoop."

"But I cannot see the whole picture of victory."

There was no pretense, no justification.

Only the rawest, most genuine desire.

Hearing this answer, Scarlett was clearly stunned for a moment.

She had anticipated many kinds of answers—bravado, flirting, or feigned seriousness.

But she never expected a statement that essentially laid bare his ambition.

Immediately after, she smiled.

It was the appreciation of meeting a worthy opponent, the joy of finding a kindred spirit.

The sharpness and probing in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a hazy yet dangerous glow.

She proactively took a step closer to Lin Feng.

The distance between them instantly closed to just a breath apart.

Lin Feng could even smell the captivating scent emanating from her hair, a mixture of red wine and perfume.

"Sometimes..."

Scarlett's voice was as soft as a whisper in a dream, yet it clearly entered Lin Feng's ears.

"To see more clearly, you need to close your eyes first."

"And feel with your heart."