Sophia had asked Anita about the opportunity countless times, but every time, Anita seemed clueless. She claimed not to know anything about Perry or the opportunity, leaving Sophia frustrated and confused.
Despite their misunderstandings, the outcome was unexpectedly positive. Sophia finally felt a sense of relief.
After Anita removed her cheongsam, the trio left the set together.
Anita, as usual, wore a sun hat and a mask. It wasn't to avoid the paparazzi but to escape drawing attention from passersby.
As for John and Sophia, there was no need for them to hide—no one recognized them.
Just as they were leaving the crew, John chuckled and said, "Looks like some bastards are tailing us again."
Anita replied nonchalantly, "It's normal, isn't it? The paparazzi live for this stuff."
She had long since grown accustomed to it.
But then, a glint of slyness flashed in Anita's eyes as she continued, "Ah, I was excited to get into acting at first, but now it seems I've become famous by accident. Fame brings all these unwanted problems with it."
John raised an eyebrow, surprised. When had his sister become so self-aware?
He quickly understood what Anita was doing.
After her comment, Anita casually shifted positions, moving next to Sophia and deliberately nudging her toward John. "One of the worst things about being a star is that I can't go shopping with a man without drawing media attention. They'll make a whole story out of it."
Originally, Anita had stood between John and Sophia, but now, Sophia found herself in the middle. With Anita's nudge, Sophia accidentally bumped into John.
Anita's intentions were blatantly obvious.
Sophia blushed, feeling a little embarrassed.
John couldn't help but shake his head. "Sisters, really? I don't know how to respond to this acting. You're great on screen, but your real-life performances are more embarrassing than a student's first try."
It was clear to him that Anita had never mentioned being "afraid of the paparazzi" before. She'd acted like this only because Sophia was with them. It was a blatant show.
Anita pretended not to hear his words and asked innocently, "What? I can't hear you, John. The wind's too strong. I didn't catch that."
John was left helpless, his sister's antics always catching him off guard.
Meanwhile, after Anita had pushed her toward John, Sophia stumbled backward slightly and found herself very aware of how solid John's arm felt when she hit it. His muscles were much harder than she'd expected.
Despite not having the appearance of a bodybuilder, John was clearly built. His triceps were powerful, and she felt the strength in them when she bumped into him.
If John had known what she was thinking, he would have been insufferable.
Men were meant to be strong, after all.
As Sophia continued to ponder, John suddenly spoke in a low voice, "The person following us isn't just some random paparazzi. He's a martial artist."
Sophia immediately felt a rush of panic. "Then what should we do?"
"You go with my sister," John said quickly, "I'll handle this."
Before he finished speaking, a strong wind rushed toward them. John turned just in time, his senses already alert. A figure shot toward him with lightning speed, fingers outstretched, aiming for the back of his head.
Ordinary people would've been caught off guard, but John reacted immediately. As the attacker's fingers closed in, he twisted and threw a powerful punch.
Bang!
The attacker, who had expected to finish things quickly, was thrown backward, stumbling a few steps. He stared at John, surprised by his strength. "You're a martial artist, not a monk?"
The man who had attacked was Bill, a disciple of the White Dragon King. His plan had been to strike fast and leave in seconds, believing that a monk like John wouldn't pose much of a threat. In the eyes of a true Heaven Master, a monk was no different from an old, weak woman if they weren't using their special techniques in advance.
But when Bill attacked, John resisted it effortlessly. He was no monk.
"Bill, how dare you hurt him!" Sophia shouted, her voice trembling with anger.
The Swift family, the backers of whom were the White Dragon King, was well known in Houston. Sophia knew Bill from her family's dealings with the Swift family over the years.
Bill paused, recognizing her voice. He looked her up and down and sneered. "Ah, the Long family girl. Why aren't you in Houston, comforting your grandfather as he dies?"
"How dare you!" Sophia snapped, her eyes flashing with fury. "My grandfather is fine! It's you who's the one who's dying!"
Bill chuckled darkly. "I don't have time for this nonsense. My target today isn't you. Stay out of my way."
With that, he turned his attention back to John. "Kid, you've impressed me by blocking my first move, but that's all. Let me show you what real power is."
Sophia's mind was racing. It all clicked now.
The Long family's opportunity—it was John. She realized that the chance Perry had mentioned all those years ago was John himself.
Desperately, Sophia turned to Anita and pleaded, "I've been coming to you all this time for the Long family's interests, but now… after everything, I truly consider you my friend. Please, tell me—can you help save my grandfather? I'll even kneel if it's necessary!"
Tears welled in Sophia's eyes as she dropped to her knees, her desperation clear.
Anita hurried to hold her up. "Sophia, I didn't know the answer before, but now that I do, I won't keep it from you."
Sophia's heart skipped a beat. "Really? You're going to tell me?"
Anita smiled, nodding. "Yes, I'll tell you. The opportunity Taoist Perry spoke of is here, right in front of us."
Sophia looked around in confusion. There was no one else around. She scanned the area, still perplexed. "In front of us?"
Then, she locked eyes with Anita, realization dawning. "Wait… Are you saying the opportunity is you? Have you found a way to cure my grandfather?"
Anita shook her head. "No, it's not me…"
Sophia's face fell. "Then who is it?"
Anita glanced at John, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. "It's him."
Sophia's eyes widened as she turned to John, shock evident on her face. "Do you mean… him? Your brother?"
Anita smiled brightly. "Yes. John is Perry's disciple. The opportunity you're looking for is him."
Sophia still couldn't believe it. A rogue like John being the answer to her grandfather's life?
If only she knew how wrong she was about Perry.
With a playful grin, John responded, "Don't call me that. I'm just a shameless bastard."
Despite his words, he didn't deny the truth.
Sophia's eyes lit up with hope. "Mr. Lopez, you're an expert! Can you save my grandfather? Please, I beg of you, for the sake of my friendship with Anita!"
John scoffed. "I'm not an expert. I'm just a shameless rogue."
The dynamic between them was palpable, and Sophia found herself helpless in front of his arrogance.
Suddenly, she dropped to her knees before him again. "Mr. Lopez, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have insulted you. Please, I beg you, save my grandfather."
John smirked. "You're a girl. How can you admit you were wrong? You must be doing this against your will. Besides, you're right—I am indeed a shameless rogue."
Sophia, undeterred, looked up at him with determination. "I'm not going against my will. I'm sincerely apologizing. I'll stay on my knees if you don't agree to save him."
Seeing her desperation, Anita couldn't hold back anymore. "John! Enough! Sophia is my friend—stop teasing her!"
John sighed, the teasing finally stopping as he gave in. "Alright, alright. You really know how to work me, don't you, Sis? Miss Long, get up. It's not good to kneel in front of me."
"Does that mean you'll save my grandfather?" Sophia asked eagerly.
With a smirk, John replied, "Well, with such sincerity… I guess I can't say no, can I?"
The moment of tension finally broke, but it was clear that Sophia's journey to hope was just beginning.