The Best Director

Hey, Michael, I’m about to head out,” Wang Yang said as he grabbed a pair of sneakers from the shoe cabinet by the door. He bent over to tie his shoelaces and glanced back at Michael Pitt not far away, chuckling, “You’ll have to make do with instant noodles, ha ha!”

Leaning against the wall, Michael Pitt smiled and took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, preparing to light one up.

Be careful not to burn down my apartment,” Wang Yang warned with a couple of words. Once his laces were tied, he took a few steps on the floor, opened the door, and was about to leave when his cell phone suddenly rang. He took it out to look, his cheerful expression slowly settling, answered the call, and said, “Hi, Rachel.” Across the room, Michael Pitt paused with a cigarette in his mouth and lighter in hand, eyes fixed on Wang Yang.

Hi, Yang, do you have any plans tonight?” Rachel’s gentle voice with a hint of laughter reached him. Hearing her question, Wang Yang touched his head awkwardly and said, “I’m planning to have dinner at Jessica’s place.” There was silence on the other end for a while before Rachel softly “oh” came through, calmly saying, “Then I won’t keep you.”

As she was about to hang up, Wang Yang couldn’t help but call out, “Rachel! In a soft voice, Rachel asked, “What?” Wang Yang was silent for a moment before he said, “Rachel, I want to say thank you.” Rachel hummed in response and said, “Yang, that’s also what I wanted to tell you. Thankyou.”

After hanging up, Wang Yang silently put his phone back in his pocket. Michael Pitt, pressing down on the lighter, lit the cigarette at his lips and said to Wang Yang, “Yang, I also want to say, thank you.”

Enough of that,” Wang Yang said with a smile and a shake of his head, then added, “I’m off,” and walked outside.

In the afternoon streets, a parade celebration was in full swing, with groups dressed in Native American costumes performing various acts, and throngs of tourists lining the streets, every face smiling, the air filled with a festive joy.

Wang Yang watched on the sidelines for a long time before he continued on his journey. Due to several road closures and traffic congestion, he hadn’t driven himself, opting instead for the subway and walking. Arriving at the neighborhood where Jessica lived, passing by the little fountain, and walking a bit further, Wang Yang looked ahead at the beautiful two-story house and dialed Jessica, saying with a smile, “I’m here.”

After putting away his phone, Wang Yang reached the grass in front of Jessica’s house, only to see a white Labrador speeding towards him — Danny. The dog hadn’t seen Wang Yang in a while and was now overwhelmed with excitement upon catching his familiar scent, launching itself at him. With a “whoa,” Wang Yang caught the paws of the oncoming Danny and laughed, “Hey, Danny, how’ve you been?”

Danny, panting with his tongue out, kept struggling restlessly at his feet, trying to break free and pounce on him.

Danny, enough!” Jessica called out from the house, decked out in colorful clothing with a ribbon tied on her wrist, her brown hair flowing down with a headband adorned with colorful feathers, looking very much like a Native American and quite beautiful. She came over, gently patting Danny’s head and said with a laugh,” Danny, back off, stop hassling Yang.”

Hi!” Wang Yang greeted her and let go of Danny’s paws, saying, “It’s alright, Jessica, you know I love dogs.” Freed, Danny immediately jumped up, frolicking around him. Wang Yang crouched down and vigorously patted Danny’s neck, laughing, “Buddy, you’re so enthusiastic… oh!” He felt his cheek warm from a big lick of Danny’s tongue and, grinning through gritted teeth, said, “Sneak attack, huh? See how I deal with you!” With that, he grabbed Danny’s head and rubbed vigorously, turning it into a shaggy mess like a lion’s mane.

Watching him and Danny tangle in play, Jessica smiled sweetly, leaning forward with bent knees and said, “Yang, you should go for his ears, blow into them, that’s his weak spot!”

Aye aye, Captain!” Wang Yang laughed and roared like a lion, opening his mouth wide to blow into Danny’s ear. The dog shivered all over, ears perked up in confusion, then tackled him even more fiercely, sending him tumbling onto the grass.

Jessica laughed happily at the side, her crisp laughter ringing out as she called, “Be careful, it’s going to lickyour face! Oh, watch the left side!”

After playing with Danny a bit, Wang Yang followed into the house behind Jessica. Joshua hadn’t returned from his outing, and Kathy was busy in the kitchen at the back, so the living room was occupied only by Mark Alba. Jessica smiled at Wang Yang and said, “Yang, make yourself at home. I’ll continue preparing dinner.” She then turned to Mark Alba and said with a smile, “Dad, please take good care of Yang for me.” With that, she left the living room and walked towards the kitchen at the back of the house.

Wang Yang looked at Mark Alba, who was wearing a white shirt, and smiled, “Hey, Mark.” Mark Alba’s rugged face was expressionless, his gaze intensely scrutinizing Wang Yang as if it was their first encounter. He reached out a hand to Wang Yang, who shook it, and Mark Alba gave a firm tug, his other hand firmly patting Wang Yang’s shoulder as he said in an even tone, “Kid, welcome to my home…”

Mark, thank you…” Wang Yang laughed. His shoulder was a bit sore from the patting, and he couldn’t help but mutter under his breath about Mark’s strength.

Having greeted each other, they sat down on the fabric sofa. Mark Alba sat up straight, maintaining a stern demeanor. If it had been a year and a half ago, Wang Yang might have felt awkward, but after so much experience and dealings with middle-aged men, he was quite at ease; after all, sitting in a conference room for meetings was much more uncomfortable than this.

Seeing that Mark was still not speaking, Wang Yang looked at him and took the initiative, “Mark, I also want to thank you for another thing. Hebrew Karl is a good lawyer; he has helped me a lot with legal affairs.” Hebrew Karl had been introduced to him by Jessica, and certainly, Jessica must have gotten the information from Mark.

It’s nothing.” Mark Alba finally spoke up. He suddenly asked, “Yang, your movie ‘High School Musical’ is about to start filming, isn’t it?”

Wang Yang replied with a “Yes,” saying, “Everything is ready. After Thanksgiving, we’ll head to Salt Lake City, Utah. ‘High School Musical’ will be filmed there.”

Utah,” Mark Alba repeated, and a smile actually appeared on his face as he said, “A good place. Hill Air Force Base is there, and the pilots are all elite.” He glanced at Wang Yang and added, “Did you know? They trained some excellent B-29 bomber pilots there. Paul Tibbets was one of them. He later dropped the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.”

Wang Yang nodded quietly and said, “Yes, I know. The Enola Gay bomber, ‘Little Boy’ atomic bomb, they ended the war.” Mark Alba’s eyes lit up with interest as he said, “Everyone knows about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, knows ‘Little Boy’, but few remember that it was the Enola Gay that dropped the bomb.”

Maybe I just have a good memory.” Wang Yang shrugged and then said earnestly, “I dislike war, but I try to understand it. Especially World War , as it’s the most recent global conflict—we need to know why wars happen, how they end, and what they bring us. We need to understand these things so that those who perished in the flames of war can rest in peace.”

Mark Alba nodded in agreement and smiled at him, saying, “Well said.”

Hi, Dad, Yang.” Jessica peeked from the hallway into the living room. Seeing the two of them getting along well, she couldn’t help feeling happy and said with a sweet smile, “I just came to check in on you two, continue your chat… After that, she hummed a tune and walked towards the kitchen.

Wang Yang and Mark looked at each other and smiled. Mark joked, “What is my daughter worried about? Does she think I’m going to fight you?” Wang Yang laughed without saying anything; he felt the atmosphere was quite extraordinary, as if he was in “Meet the Parents,” with Mark treating him entirely as Jessica’s boyfriend. But now that he was here attending the Alba family dinner, there was no longer any distinction.

I heard from Jessica that you took good care of her in San Francisco, is that right?” Mark Alba looked at him, his expression turning serious once again as if he was about to discuss something important.

Oh?” Wang Yang was taken aback and then, somewhat sheepishly, burst into a laugh, spreading his hands as he spoke with a chuckle, “I guess that’s true. You know, when the teacher asked me to take good care of her, being a good student, I did just that.”

Mark looked at Wang Yang in silence for a long time before suddenly patting his shoulder and said solemnly, “Then continue to take good care of her, remember, don’t let her get hurt in anyway.”

Wang Yang met Mark Alba’s gaze openly, without a hint of evasion, and nodded firmly, saying, “I will.”

That’s great!” Mark laughed, looking at the young yet mature handsome young man before him, he felt very comforted, and was happy for his daughter. As for those worries, he decided to set them aside for now; there was no need to fret over hypothetical troubles. Mark stood up with a smile and asked, “Would you like to see some photos from my days in the Air Force?”

Wow!” Wang Yang got up eagerly and exclaimed with a smile, “Of course, it would be an honor.”

Night had fallen, and the spacious dining table was filled with all sorts of tantalizing dishes, fluffy bread, pumpkin pie, ham, and of course, a fragrant, glistening roasted turkey.

The Alba family and Wang Yang sat at the table, with Mark at the head of the family’s seat, his wife Kathy and Joshua to his left, Jessica and Wang Yang to his right. Mark looked at them and spoke with sincerity in his dinner speech, “On this day, we have so much to be thankful for, for those who sacrificed for freedom, for those who have helped us… Thank the Lord for the bountiful food he has given us, and for the life we can breathe freely, thank you for all this! Amen.”

Kathy, Joshua, and Jessica all closed their eyes and recited with sincere faces, “Thank you for all this, Amen.” Thinking of his current happiness and this beautiful atmosphere, Wang Yang also softly followed, “Thank you for all this, Amen.”

After the prayer, Joshua couldn’t wait to grab a piece of bread and bit a large chunk, mumbling with a mouth full, “Oh, this is delicious! Geez, I’m starving.

Watching their son wolf down his food, Mark and Kathy shook their heads with amiable laughter. Jessica looked at Wang Yang with eager eyes and asked, “Yang, would you like some pumpkin pie?” Wang Yang nodded and said, “Sure, thank you.” Jessica then picked up a knife, cut a piece of the pumpkin pie, and smiled as she placed it on Wang Yang’s plate.

Seeing her eagerness, Wang Yang guessed that she must have made the pumpkin pie herself, so he savored it properly; it was very soft and sweet. He looked at Jessica and gave her a thumbs up, praising her, “Wow, this pumpkin pie is delicious, the texture is really nice, and this sweetness…” he pondered a moment and then laughed, “I’m guessing you put a lot of honey into it?”

Seeing him enjoy the food and offering such praise, Jessica felt both delighted and sweet. Why did she like cooking? This was the reason. She loved to see the people she cared about enjoying the food she made; she loved that feeling. Hearing Wang Yang’s follow-up, she gasped in surprise, “Yang, how did you know?”

With everyone curiously looking at him, Wang Yang shrugged, took another bite of the pie, and chuckled, “Don’t forget, I grew up in a restaurant; I know these tricks of the trade.”

Everyone seemed to realize, and Joshua, still munching on his bread, asked with full curiosity, “Yang, are there pumpkin pies in Chinese cuisine?”

Chinese cuisine has so many dishes, I’m not sure about pumpkin pies, but my family’s restaurant has them.” Wang Yang laughed, now reminiscing about his family’s “Wang’s Restaurant” with fondness rather than impatience. He explained, “You know, for a small unnamed restaurant to survive, you have to meet many customers’ needs, expand the ‘services’ you offer. So we take reservations, and if someone wants a pumpkin pie, our restaurant can make it.

Having heard his words, everyone understood. Kathy suddenly asked, “Yang, I once made a Chinese dish, but no matter how I cooked it, it didn’t taste like the ones in restaurants. I wonder why?” Wang Yang, while eating pumpkin pie, responded, “Oh, which dish? Tell me how you made it?”

Jessica didn’t speak, quietly watching the family chatting happily with Wang Yang. A smile curved up the corners of her mouth, her heart sweet, sweeter than the taste of pumpkin pie.

During this pleasant and sumptuous dinner, Wang Yang answered many questions related to Chinese cuisine and also discussed some movies and life; of course, he also heard a lot about the Alba family, learning many interesting stories about Jessica. He felt as if he had been integrated into this family, become one of its members. He felt warm, and he could feel the family’s love for Jessica, their intention to protect her from any harm!

Under the brilliant starry sky, Wang Yang and Jessica walked down the community street, approaching the small fountain not far ahead. Arriving at the fountain, Wang Yang stopped and said, “This is as far as I should go.” He looked at Jessica’s face, which glowed enchantingly beautiful under the bright street lights, and said, “Thank you for the invitation, I had a very great dinner. He laughed again and added, “That roast turkey was really delicious,” and noted that it wasn’t small at all, as there was still a lot left over.

“I’m glad you liked it,” Jessica replied, looking straight at him without avoiding his gaze.

Thank you, Mary,” Wang Yang said with a grin. Mary was her nickname, which he had just learned from Kathy. Of course, Jessica’s middle name was Mary, but it was something he had never paid attention to before.

Jessica also smiled with her lips quirked up and suddenly said, “Call me Jessica.” She took a deep breath, her heart suddenly racing, and mustering courage she said, “Yang, I like the sound of your voice when you say this name!”

Wang Yang knew what she was saying, and his heartbeat sped up. He nodded and said, “OK, Jessica…” Looking into her eyes, which sparkled like crystals with that intense, hopeful expression, he exhaled and took a step forward. His heartbeat was fast, but his movement was slow as he leaned toward Jessica’s lips.

Jessica’s eyes widened slightly, her lips trembling uncontrollably as he moved closer. She suddenly felt like she couldn’t breathe, her heart constricting. Was the moment she had dreamed about for so long finally happening?

When their lips met, soft and warm, Wang Yang felt like he could sense her emotions. He kissed her gently, then lifted his head to look into her eyes, reaching out to hold her hand. With sincerity and tenderness, he asked, “Jessica, would you be my girlfriend?”

A grin of extreme joy spread across Jessica’s face. She held her breath, nodding repeatedly, unable to speak. She threw herself into Wang Yang’s arms, hugging his back tightly, and said, “Of course, of course!” She felt so happy, so fortunate. She closed her eyes, repeating in her heart, “Thank God, thank you…”

Wang Yang hugged her just as tightly, his chin gently caressing her hair. A wave of warmth flooded his heart, along with that sweet sensation of love lost long ago. He felt like he had reclaimed a piece of his soul, his entire being trembling with joy. Ever since their reunion, Jessica had been supporting him, encouraging him, helping him to fulfill his dreams. She truly was his sweetheart, wasn’t she?

With these thoughts, Wang Yang kissed her forehead again, and smiled, “Thankyou, my sweetheart!” After saying that, he moved to kiss her lips once more.

Jessica’s face radiated happiness, her lips parting to meet his, grateful for everything.