It was already ten o'clock at night when the welcome party ended.
Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, and Viggo Mortensen, several members of the "Fellowship of the Ring", had made plans to go to a bar in a small town for drinks, hoping to strengthen their relationships.
However, Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf, acted alone.
"Why isn't he with the Fellowship of the Ring?" Martin wondered aloud, a bit puzzled.
Peter Jackson asked, "You don't know? Oh, I forgot you weren't born yet."
He then explained, "In the 1980s, Ian came out as gay on a BBC live broadcast. He was so brave—back then! After coming to Queenstown, probably looking for like-minded people, he'd go to a gay bar in town every night for a drink."
"Of course, the others in the Fellowship wouldn't dare to join him."
"I see!" Martin responded.
After saying a few words, Peter Jackson went to sleep in his room.
Martin followed Liv Tyler to her room.
Cate Blanchett, who was in her room next door, was particularly surprised: "You two?"
Martin replied, "Liv asked me to sign her copy of Harry Potter."
"Really? Then go ahead!" Cate Blanchett said, but in her mind she thought, Come on, look at Liv's excited expression. She clearly wants Martin to sign her body.
She then thought, But Martin is only thirteen... is that okay?
Had Martin known what Cate was thinking, he would have definitely pressed her down on the bed and shown her with facts whether it was okay or not.
However, after returning to her room, Cate Blanchett changed her mind. She recalled the scene from the party earlier, when Martin had effortlessly lifted Liv with one hand.
Damn it, she thought, does a thirteen-year-old really have that kind of strength?
Martin may not be old, but he was certainly strong!
Cate Blanchett didn't spend too much time pondering whether Liv Tyler and a thirteen-year-old boy would break the law.
In fact, such things happened all the time in Hollywood—as long as no one reported it and there was no evidence, it was fine.
And this was New Zealand. According to local customs, you could get married at the age of twelve.
Cate Blanchett lay on the bed for a while, with images of Martin lifting Liv Tyler repeatedly playing in her mind, unable to sleep at all.
She didn't know what she was thinking.
She climbed out of bed, grabbed a glass, and jumped back onto the bed.
She knelt halfway, pressing the glass against the wall, and listened quietly.
Her room was right next to Liv's—just a wall separated them.
Now, let's focus on Martin and Liv Tyler.
The two arrived at Liv Tyler's room.
As soon as they entered, Liv Tyler closed the door and smiled at Martin. "I'll go get the book."
Martin was taken aback. "Is there really a book you want me to sign?"
Then he saw Liv, the "Elf Princess", bend over at the bedside, her back to him, as she struggled to drag a suitcase from under the bed.
The weather had gotten colder, and Liv Tyler was wearing tight jeans. As she bent over, the fabric of the jeans clung to her body.
The outline of her... curves, the shape... the scenery, was simply mesmerizing.
Martin casually sat on the sofa, tilted his head, and stretched his legs, silently admiring the view.
The suitcase was heavy, and Liv Tyler struggled a bit to drag it back.
When Liv Tyler exerted herself, the fabric of her jeans stretched tightly, as if they might tear at any moment. It seemed inevitable.
Finally, Liv Tyler managed to drag the suitcase out and squatted down.
This motion caught Martin's attention again.
In his mind, he silently praised the inventor of low-rise jeans.
His gaze settled on her as she moved, admiring her silhouette.
As the saying goes, *the peaks and valleys, the waves raging, the rivers winding like Tongguan Road—*this was the scene being described.
"Ah, found it!"
Liv Tyler jumped up excitedly, waving her book. She adjusted the waistband of her jeans with one hand, momentarily revealing her beauty.
Seemingly unaware, she twisted her waist and turned around playfully like a little girl. Then, she hopped up to Martin, handing him the book.
"Here, sign it!"
Martin took the book and asked, "Do you have a pen?"
"Oh, there are some in the suitcase. I just forgot about them."
(Martin thought: What a perfect thing to forget!)
They both enjoyed the moment of shared laughter, their connection growing stronger.
When Martin finally signed the book, Liv Tyler grinned and said, "Martin, I want to try it again... Lift me."
"OK!" Martin agreed.
"But this time, I want to change the position."
"What position?"
She grinned mischievously. "Hey, hey, this position!"
Liv Tyler trotted over to the bed, jumping and performing a graceful gymnastics move on the bed.
She had been learning dance since childhood, and her flexibility was impressive.
"Martin, come to me!" she called out.
"I'm coming!"
Martin followed, ready to lift her once again.
It was just a simple demonstration of his strength.
Meanwhile, Cate Blanchett, who had been eavesdropping next door, couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
When the sounds from Liv Tyler's room finally ceased...
Cate glanced at the clock and saw that two hours had passed.
"Damn, that took so long?!"
"God, is Martin some kind of powerhouse?!"
"Liv Tyler is one lucky girl!"
Her body ached, especially from staying in an uncomfortable position while eavesdropping. One hand still clutched the glass she had been holding the whole time.
She had stayed like that for nearly two hours. It was a wonder her muscles hadn't cramped.
As she thought about it, something odd caught her attention—a pillow, perhaps from the next room...
Meanwhile, Liv Tyler, looking a little tired, lay down on the bed and sighed. "Martin, you're amazing. You've got some kind of divine strength! Maybe you should join the Arab world—then you could marry four wives. Ha!"
Martin, leaning against the pillow and sipping some milk to replenish his energy, replied, "Lifting is pretty exhausting."
He moved closer to Liv Tyler, about to touch her smooth back, when he suddenly stopped and exclaimed, "Wait—what happened here? Why there's a wet spot here?"
Liv Tyler blushed deeply. "I... I couldn't hold it back earlier..."
After a relaxed and fun night, Martin began learning swordsmanship with Liv Tyler. The process was enjoyable, but their instructor found it a bit annoying.
What puzzled Martin was why Cate Blanchett kept looking at him strangely.
In addition to learning swordplay, Martin also taught equestrian skills. And of course, Liv Tyler and Cate Blanchett joined in. Her Majesty, the Elf Queen, was eager to take part.
Martin sat on the horse, with Cate Blanchett in front of him.
Their bodies pressed together, but Martin remained calm, teaching her.
"Hold the reins like this..."
"Your legs need to stay tight so you don't fall off..."
"Pay attention to your posture when shooting arrows. Remember, we're elves..."
Martin reached around her back, adjusting her position with care. Cate Blanchett's breath quickened, and her focus wavered. At that moment, she couldn't help but think, If something did happen between Nicole and Martin, it wouldn't be so strange. After all, Martin is incredibly charming.
[•———•——•———•]
𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧