Chapter 36: Smooth Sailing**

Ross's explanation failed to stop Phoebe; not only did it fail, but the situation worsened as Phoebe became even bolder and more direct in her flirtation.

Her mischievous tongue was truly amusing.

Luckily, Monica squeezed through from behind, managing to stop Phoebe just in time. However, it seemed that Monica's intentions weren't entirely pure either.

As Monica fiddled with her hair, she shyly glanced at Paul with a smile, asking, "Is there a Mrs. Stevens around here?"

Before Paul could respond, Chandler awkwardly interjected with a reminder, "Ahem, there's a Mr. Bing here."

Ha!

Amid the laughter, Monica quickly averted her gaze, retreating to Chandler's side, awkwardly touching the back of her neck before turning to look at her boyfriend:

Chandler Bing.

The uproar in the studio was unstoppable, especially since the main storyline of this season revolved around the progress of Monica and Chandler's relationship.

However... Gloria had to admit, she couldn't blame Phoebe and Monica, because she felt the same way.

Even though she was watching the performance, witnessing the live filming of "Friends," which she had eagerly anticipated, something seemed different now.

Her gaze couldn't help but revolve around Paul, even when others were speaking. She couldn't resist trying to catch a glimpse of that man—his smile, his eyes, his movements, his posture. It inexplicably made her feel happy, as if happiness was that simple.

Look, it's happening right now.

Gloria noticed the corners of Paul's mouth gently curve into a smile, and her own lips followed suit, forming a similar curve.

Paul's smile was neither shy nor reserved; he accepted the compliments with grace, without appearing arrogant, meeting their gazes with poise.

"No, there isn't."

"But I do have a daughter. She was just born recently, and her mother passed away. I'm trying my best to become a good father."

Phoebe and Monica, in unison, placed their right hands over their hearts, expressing their sympathy, "Oh."

At some point, Monica had left Chandler's side again and was standing next to Phoebe. The two of them leaned slightly against each other like sisters, standing shoulder to shoulder. Their expressions, movements, and voices were completely synchronized, radiating a mixture of regret and joy, sympathy and tenderness.

Women often have a special fondness for single dads, and this moment was no exception.

Paul lowered his eyelids, the light in his eyes dimming, but his lips curved slightly upwards, exuding a touch of charm and romance in that graceful arc.

"I often get that reaction."

No modesty.

And he even boasted a little.

His tone and expression carried a slight hint of showing off—subtle, yet undeniably charming, causing the women in the studio to burst into collective laughter.

Meanwhile, the men were left puzzled: ???

Offstage.

David Crane glanced at Marta, silently asking with his eyes: So, is this the effect you were hoping for with this scene?

Marta, sensing the gaze, instinctively looked up, panicking—surely her fangirl expression hadn't been noticed, right?

In a fluster, she quickly straightened her smile, putting on a serious face, even a bit stern, as she glared back in an attempt to cover up her embarrassment.

David Crane just smiled without saying a word, turning his attention back to the scene.

"Alright!"

Ross was getting anxious.

Seeing the focus completely shift to Paul and the situation veering off track, he hurriedly clapped his hands to draw the attention back.

Though clumsy and abrupt, it was effective.

---

Ross forcefully shifted the topic.

"Why don't we all sit down? What do you say?"

Hehe.

Ross's smile was quite strained, but he still tried to keep his spirits up, gesturing for everyone to sit on the iconic ginger-yellow couch in the center of the café.

"And I... I'll help everyone order coffee."

Monica and the others easily found their familiar spots, while Ross guided Paul and Elizabeth to a small round table nearby.

Out of habit, Ross tried to pull out a chair for Elizabeth, but to his surprise, when he pulled, the chair didn't budge.

Ross: ?

Looking down, he saw that Paul was holding the chair in place with just one hand.

Ross blinked in confusion, then looked up at Paul, forcing a flattering smile, "Why don't you do it? You do it."

Then.

Like an Eskimo, Ross rubbed his hands together, cautiously and slowly retreating, creating a clear distance between them.

Paul withdrew his gaze, turning to Elizabeth, and when their eyes met, he gave her a harmless smile as he pulled out the chair.

A one-second change of expression.

But Elizabeth wasn't dumb; she could sense the tense atmosphere between Paul and Ross. She looked at Paul with a face full of exasperation, silently reproaching him.

Paul shrugged lightly, looking completely innocent, as if he had no idea what Elizabeth meant.

This scene—

Gloria knew that the focus was actually on Ross, with everyone else just in the background. Those background exchanges of glances and body language were visible on camera but overlooked by the audience. Yet, she couldn't help but notice the interaction between Paul and Elizabeth, smiling at it.

Paul, as a brother, was both lovable and infuriating, right?

And as a man, he was like a hidden treasure.

Ross approached the ginger-yellow couch, raising his voice as he spoke to his friends, "As for you guys, why don't you just chat for a bit? Talk about whatever comes to mind."

After speaking, Ross glanced behind him out of the corner of his eye, then faced his friends again, secretly pointing at himself, "Discuss me more."

This was the real reason Ross had gathered his friends—he needed them to be his support.

He needed to clear the area so that his friends could openly praise him.

It's always a bit awkward to do that when the person in question is present.

So, with a turn, Ross finally left, but why did his movements look a bit odd?

His feet moved forward, but his upper body leaned back, especially his ears, which seemed to stretch as he eavesdropped, his retreating figure clearly reluctant to leave.

Haha!

Indeed, comedy isn't limited to language and facial expressions; the sparks from body language and the entire scene's dynamics can also bring smiles.

"Cut!"

At that moment, the director Michael's voice came from above the studio. It wasn't because someone had made a mistake; rather, it marked the end of the first take of this scene.

Finally!

The smooth, seamless filming had finally concluded.

Then, all eyes in the room eagerly turned toward the source of the voice, including David Crane and Marta.

Outside the set, the producer speaks.

On the set, the director speaks.

Regardless of how the observers felt about this take, it's ultimately up to the director to judge whether it was good or bad, whether changes or adjustments were needed.

The live audience was no exception. Without the director's command, they couldn't make any noise, as that could disrupt the filming process, which would be disastrous.

So, thousands of burning gazes surrounded Michael, the air subtly heating up, the temperature rising as anticipation, excitement, and enthusiasm surged, barely contained, waiting for the director's word to release it all.

Michael declared, "Perfect!"