Chapter 4: Rapid Development

Gilbert walked out the door, and Gwyneth Paltrow was waiting outside.

Seeing Gilbert come out, Gwyneth Paltrow quickly approached and asked with concern, "How did it go? Did it work?"

Little Gilbert nodded and replied, "Uncle Steven took the script and said he would recommend it to the film company."

"I knew it," Gwyneth Paltrow enthusiastically slapped Gilbert on the shoulder, hitting him hard.

Gwyneth Paltrow, however, didn't seem to feel anything and excitedly said, "He let you call him uncle, so he definitely thinks highly of you. With your godfather's recommendation, your script will definitely catch the attention of the film company's executives."

Gilbert pursed his lips. He felt that things wouldn't go so smoothly. In novels, success always comes after some struggles.

Gwyneth Paltrow, a bit of a chatterbox, said, "The big thing is settled, let's go celebrate. How about going to a bar?"

Gilbert glanced at Gwyneth Paltrow and skeptically asked, "Aren't you under twenty-one? Can you go to a bar?"

Gwyneth Paltrow proudly said, "Don't worry, I know a place without such restrictions. Just follow me."

With that, Gwyneth Paltrow grabbed Gilbert's hand and led him to a bar to celebrate.

The bar was near a Black neighborhood, an area in Los Angeles known for its less-than-ideal safety conditions.

The bar operated there because, as long as no trouble was caused, the Los Angeles police wouldn't bother with it. As a result, many underage people frequented these bars.

When they arrived, Gilbert saw a long queue at the entrance and said to Gwyneth Paltrow, "Forget it, it's too crowded."

But Gwyneth Paltrow directly pulled Gilbert's hand and walked towards the entrance, flashing a card to the bouncer, who let them in without a hitch.

"Wow," Gilbert asked in surprise, "What kind of card is that?"

"Obviously, it's a membership card. I got it from my cousin," Gwyneth Paltrow said matter-of-factly, though Gilbert suspected it wasn't that simple.

Nevertheless, the two entered the bar and found an empty seat near the bar.

"What do you want to drink? The leading lady of your film is treating," Gwyneth Paltrow generously offered.

Gilbert, not showing much gentlemanly behavior, mostly due to his empty pockets, didn't want to treat anyone.

"I'll have a Long Island Iced Tea," Gilbert said.

"Tsk, coming to a bar and ordering a Long Island Iced Tea, you're something else," Gwyneth Paltrow teased.

Despite her words, Gwyneth Paltrow still called the waiter over and ordered a whiskey and a Long Island Iced Tea.

Gilbert's eyes scanned the bar, taking in the surroundings.

On stage, a stripper swayed around a pole, while in the center of the dance floor, many men and women indulged themselves.

The seats around the dance floor were also packed, with many patrons puffing away, and Gilbert doubted they were just smoking.

Anyone who had been there knew that in North American bars, marijuana and sex were two indispensable essentials, with alcohol being secondary.

If you wanted to drink, you should go to a quiet bar, not here.

After a few sips of whiskey, Gwyneth Paltrow started to feel the effects, the lack of parental supervision making her feel free.

Seeing someone smoking marijuana, the slightly tipsy Gwyneth Paltrow said to Gilbert, "Let's get some and try it!"

As she spoke, Gwyneth Paltrow was about to go get some, but Gilbert stopped her.

"I don't smoke that stuff, and I think you shouldn't either," Gilbert said.

If her parents had said this, Gwyneth Paltrow would have been annoyed, feeling that they were interfering with her freedom.

But since it was Gilbert who said it, Gwyneth Paltrow listened.

"Alright, I'll listen to you. Let's go dance!" Gwyneth Paltrow suggested.

This time,Gilbert had no reason to refuse, so the two headed to the center of the dance floor, swaying to the beat of the music.

Perhaps Gilbert was too attractive, as it wasn't long before he was surrounded by girls dancing with him.

Gwyneth Paltrow couldn't compete, so she returned to her seat, pouting as she watched Gilbert enjoy himself.

During Gilbert's dance, Gwyneth Paltrow turned down invitations from three guys, keeping her eyes on Gilbert the whole time.

The dance floor was dimly lit, and Gilbert couldn't recognize who was who, only noticing the many girls around him, the heavy scent of perfume almost overwhelming him.

At that moment, a hand, like a snake, started to move across Gilbert's body, slowly working its way down and even undoing his belt.

Gilbert snapped out of it, quickly pushed the snake-like hand away, and fled, leaving a freckled, short-skirted brunette girl in shock.

When Gilbert escaped, Gwyneth Paltrow asked, "What happened?"

Gilbert, still shaken, replied, "Someone was trying to take off my pants..."

Gwyneth Paltrow was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter, "Haha, then why didn't you enjoy it?"

"Who knows if it was a person or a ghost? If I don't recognize them, and they're not a beauty, I'm not interested," Gilbert said, taking a sip of his Long Island Iced Tea to calm his nerves.

Mainly, he hadn't expected it. Weren't American girls a bit too forward? Just trying to take someone's pants off like that.

Gilbert, whose soul came from the East, wasn't ready for such excitement. He wasn't used to it yet.

Hearing this, Gwyneth Paltrow stood up, grabbed Gilbert by the collar, and they were very close.

"So, tell me, are you interested in me?"

"You?" Gilbert wanted to say no, but when he heard the name Gwyneth Paltrow, he became interested. After all, she was "Pepper Potts"!

Plus, those long legs of this American girl were really something. As a fan of long legs, Gilbert was definitely interested!

"You're the leading lady of my movie, of course, I'm interested," Gilbert replied.

"Really?" Gwyneth Paltrow pulled him even closer, almost face-to-face, so close they could feel each other's breath.

At that distance, you were either about to argue or kiss.

Looking at Gwyneth Paltrow's thin, delicate lips, Gilbert couldn't resist and kissed her.

Gwyneth Paltrow's eyes flashed with a hint of pride, satisfied with her own charm, and she responded even more passionately to Gilbert's kiss.

After exchanging breaths, they finally pulled apart, and Gilbert quickly apologized, "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

"You don't need to apologize," Gwyneth Paltrow said, pressing her finger against Gilbert's lips, making him take back his apology, and then kissed him again.

No one in the bar paid attention to the two, as many others were also making out.

Moreover, in several private rooms on the bar's second floor, people were engaging in the most primal of human activities, releasing their passionate desires.

After that kiss, Gwyneth Paltrow held Gilbert's arm and smiled, "Let's get out of here..."

"Of course..."

What happened next was simple. They left the bar, hailed a cab at the entrance, and started making out in the back seat.

Gwyneth Paltrow even wanted to take off her clothes, finding them annoying, but Gilbert stopped her.

The cab driver, seemingly used to such things, remained indifferent, focusing on driving as if he saw nothing.

When they returned to the hotel where the film crew was staying, Gwyneth Paltrow pulled Gilbert directly into her room.

Gilbert's room was shared with someone else, so it wasn't convenient.

Now, with no one around to interfere, they could fully explore the differences in male and female anatomy and thoroughly enjoy it.

After drinking and engaging in some intense activity, they fell asleep without even taking a shower, sleeping until the next morning.

When Gilbert woke up, he felt the bed was empty, but the sound from the bathroom clearly reminded him of what had happened last night.

"Sigh, isn't this moving a bit too fast?"Gilbert thought as he stared at the chandelier in the room.

Just then, Gwyneth Paltrow, having finished her shower, came out with a towel wrapped around her, drying her wet hair.

Seeing Gilbert still lying in bed, she urged, "Dear, hurry up and take a shower; the crew is starting work soon."

Overnight, Gilbert had become "dear" in Gwyneth Paltrow's mouth.

It seemed that Gwyneth Paltrow didn't consider last night a one-night stand but rather had thoughts of something long-term.

Gilbert didn't think much about it, quickly took a shower, then slipped back to his room to change clothes, and started work.

Just like that, Gilbert and Gwyneth Paltrow occasionally met in private to discuss physiological matters.

They never officially said they were in a relationship, but their connection had certainly gone beyond friendship; let's call it a temporary partnership!

But the most important thing for Gilbert was the movie "The Shallows."

Half a month had passed since Spielberg took the script away, and the crew was close to wrapping up the filming, but there was still no news from Spielberg.

Gilbert was waiting nervously, waiting for his chance to come.