After everything was arranged, it was completely dark.
Simon said goodbye to Ron McMillan and others in the parking lot and was about to get in his car to leave when Sandra Bullock ran over again.
Feeling Simon's questioning gaze, Sandra's face flashed with a hint of embarrassment, but she still said, "Simon, there's a carnival in West Hollywood tonight. Do you want to come along?"
Because it was Halloween night, the streets outside the parking lot were already filled with all sorts of strangely dressed people, making it very lively. In fact, Los Angeles attractions like Universal Studios and Disneyland would have even grander celebrations tonight.
Although he had some memories, Simon still wanted to personally experience North America's Halloween activities.
However, facing Sandra's invitation, Simon hesitated.
Janette had suggested that everyone celebrate Halloween together a few days ago. To prepare for the holiday, she didn't even come to the set today, and she called Kathryn at noon, saying she was too busy to handle everything herself.
Now, both women were at his house.
Noticing Simon's hesitation, Sandra felt a little disappointed and was about to nonchalantly say that it was okay if he couldn't make it, when Simon spoke, "Okay, but Kathryn and Janette might also come along. Is that alright?"
It seemed his relationship with those two women was indeed quite deep.
However, from the situation over the past few days, this matter seemed obvious enough.
The disappointment in her heart grew stronger, but Sandra still smiled and nodded, "Of course, it'll be even livelier with everyone together".
Simon gestured towards the street nearby: "So, where exactly?"
"It's the Santa Monica Boulevard section in West Hollywood. You can see it directly from here. I, um, I'll wait for you on Holloway Drive, which is the street that extends west from the turn on Santa Monica Boulevard. There's a large parking lot on Holloway Drive, so you can park your car there. Nine o'clock, how about it?"
It was already past seven in the evening. Simon thought for a moment that two hours would be enough to have dinner, so he nodded in agreement.
The two parted ways. Simon drove his SUV through the increasingly crowded streets of downtown Santa Monica, returning to the Montana district. The houses on both sides of the road were also decorated with lanterns and lights today, with prominent jack-o'-lanterns hanging from every household.
Arriving at his own doorstep, the villa's entrance was adorned with two extra-large jack-o'-lanterns, each over a meter tall, resembling two strange guardian beasts. Several strings of smaller, beautiful jack-o'-lanterns were also hung from the roadside to the villa's entrance.
Due to the holiday decorations, he couldn't drive his car into the yard, so Simon had to park his SUV on the side of the road.
After getting out of the car and reaching the door, Simon specifically took a few glances and found that the two extra-large pumpkins at the entrance were real.
He immediately felt a little worried.
Such large pumpkins, each probably weighing one or two hundred pounds, how were they going to eat them? They couldn't just throw them away, right?
What a spendthrift!
Muttering that to himself once again, Simon opened the door and entered the villa. A faint scent of food wafted through the air.
Hearing the sound, Janette immediately rushed out of the kitchen. Kathryn also poked her head out to greet Simon, but then quickly pulled back, likely busy with something.
"Simon, just a little longer, it'll be ready soon".
Janette, like a young wife, took Simon's messenger bag, pushed him to sit on the living room sofa, and even picked up the remote control to turn on the TV before running back to the kitchen.
Alright.
For the next month, guess he would just drink pumpkin soup.
Pumpkins seemed to keep quite well.
Leaning back on the sofa, Simon thought this and couldn't help but survey his surroundings again.
The villa was no longer its initial empty state; various furniture and appliances were mostly complete.
Simon naturally didn't have the energy to arrange these things.
A month ago, ever since she bought the first lounge chair, Janette had been constantly moving things into this villa like an ant moving house. Eventually, she even got a spare set of keys and decorated the place grandly, like a hostess.
Not just the living room, but essentially the entire villa had been tidied up by the woman.
Moreover, under the pretext of creating a 'butterfly effect' themed mural for 'Run Lola Run', Janet even set up a studio for herself in the villa. When tired from painting, she would definitely need to rest, so she also set up a bedroom. Upon learning that Simon would personally compose the soundtrack for 'Run Lola Run', the woman even moved her piano from her Malibu mansion.
By now, the entire villa basically exuded Janette's presence. Even Simon himself was burdened by a string of IOUs forced upon him by the woman, an unknown number, but estimated to be at least over a hundred thousand dollars.
Having grown up in a wealthy family, Janette's standard for selecting furniture and appliances was to choose both the right and the expensive ones. Simon certainly didn't have enough money at the moment to fill a villa with sixteen rooms.
So, every time Janette bought a piece of furniture, she would issue an IOU and then tirelessly pester Simon to put his fingerprint on it. The woman had now accumulated a thick stack of IOUs, often proudly waving them around in her hand, and looking at Simon with an expression like she was looking at her debtor.
Having lived two lives, Simon, while not lacking the desire to accumulate wealth and being meticulous when necessary, was essentially very indifferent to money. Therefore, he let Janette do as she pleased.
As for Janette's intentions, Simon was not a naive rookie unfamiliar with human affairs, so he naturally knew exactly what she was thinking. Although he wasn't ready to accept a relationship yet, Simon wouldn't turn away a woman who had a good impression of him.
Simon had always felt that in one's life, besides one's closest relatives, it was very rare to meet a few people who were truly good to you.
When you meet them, you must cherish them.
After resting on the sofa for a moment, Simon got up and walked towards the kitchen.
Passing through the dining room, Simon was surprised to see a very prominent roasted turkey in the centre of the dining table. Arriving in the kitchen, he washed his hands, skilfully took the chef's knife from Kathryn, and began chopping carrots, saying, "Is there a mistake? It's not Thanksgiving, why is there a turkey?"
Kathryn handed the chopping task to Simon, walked to the side, opened a soup pot to check, stirred it gently with a spoon, and said with a smile, "I don't know either, it must be a mistake".
Janette, wearing oven mitts, brought out a plate of apple pie from the oven, glanced at Simon, and said, "I like to eat turkey, is that not allowed?"
"Of course," Simon immediately nodded and said, "Also, do you like pumpkin? Those two big ones outside, take them with you later".
Janette flatly shook her head: "No, I don't. Those are for you to get through winter."
"Forget it, I'll hibernate."
"I'll wake you up."
"I have terrible morning temper; I eat people when I first wake up".
"That's okay, I'll bring Kate".
Kathryn, who had been laughing at their bickering, now said, "Why do you need to bring me? Can't you just bring a hunting rifle?"
"Oh right, Kate is smarter."
Simon, with a very hurt expression, blurted out a Chinese phrase: "The most venomous heart is a woman's."
Janet looked surprised: "Oh, what language is that?"
"Hebrew, right?" Catherine echoed, "I remember Simon saying he spoke Hebrew."
"Hebrew isn't like that," Janet shook her head, pondered for a moment with her head tilted, and said, "I remember now, it's Chinese. I happened to hear it a few years ago when my old man was negotiating business".
Upon hearing this, Kathryn looked at Simon for confirmation.
Simon nodded in agreement.
Janette then glanced at Simon again and said to Kathryn, "Kate, who knows how many more interesting things this little boy has hidden in his head? Perhaps we can take some time to excavate them".
"No need to dig, actually, I was abducted by aliens when I was a child..."
"Pah!"
"Hehe."
"Alright, no more jokes," Simon said with a smile, "Let's eat quickly, and then we'll go to the carnival in West Hollywood".
Janette immediately complained, "But I want to go to Universal Studios."
"It's too far, and it's a bit late. If you want to go, we can go earlier tomorrow afternoon," Simon persuaded, "Besides, I made plans with Sandy; she'll be waiting for us there."
Upon hearing this, Janette became even more displeased, huffing twice and saying, "You despicable man, Kate and I are at home preparing dinner for you, and you're out flirting with other women."
Despite saying this, after a lively dinner, Janette didn't refuse to go to West Hollywood.
However, the three Halloween costumes the woman had prepared were temporarily swapped.
Originally, there was a knight's armour, a princess dress, and a witch's costume, with the corresponding person for each being self-evident.
Now, Kathryn became the knight, Janette remained the princess. Simon donned a black robe and became a witch, oh wait, a warlock.
Santa Monica Boulevard starts in Hollywood, passes through West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica City, and extends all the way to Santa Monica Beach, with a total length of over twenty kilometres. Looking down at Los Angeles from above, Santa Monica Boulevard resembles a straw, with only one distinct turn in West Hollywood where it shifts towards Beverly Hills.
The three got ready, drove from the Montana district, bypassed Sunset Boulevard to the north, and easily found the agreed-upon Holloway Drive in West Hollywood.
Sandra was already waiting outside a parking lot on Holloway Drive. The girl was wearing her 'Run Lola Run' costume from the daytime, red hair, blue vest, green pants, big leather shoes, which was already a perfect Halloween outfit without any extra dressing up.
The Halloween night activities had already begun. The few of them exchanged brief greetings and then walked together towards Santa Monica Boulevard, not far ahead, quickly merging into the dense crowd.
Simon didn't know how many people had gathered in West Hollywood that night. As far as the eye could see, the middle of the road was filled with all sorts of 'demons and monsters,' and on both sides of the guardrails, the uncostumed onlookers were packed tightly, making it exceptionally lively.
Before his rebirth, various festivals had become increasingly bland, either flocking to tourist attractions, packed like sardines, or busy with formulaic greetings and farewells.
Now, amidst hundreds of thousands, or perhaps even millions, of revellers, with lights, crowds, cheers, and laughter... unconsciously, Simon once again experienced a long-lost and pure festive atmosphere.