Chapter 127
Turning around, the first thing that came into their view was that proud, striking figure.
Renly knew that this was highly inappropriate. Twenty years of good family upbringing in this lifetime trained his gaze to lock onto the newcomer’s eyes. Yet his peripheral vision effortlessly caught the majestic curves of her figure, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit distracted. Nonetheless, Renly maintained his courtesy and smiled as he said, “What a pity. It seems the encore outside wasn’t enough to hold us back.”
It was clear to anyone that the cheers outside weren’t for Renly or the other newcomers, but Renly interpreted it in his own unique way. His self-deprecating humour immediately brought a bright, hearty laugh from the woman in front of him. Her laugh was so exuberant that even James and Rami beside him seemed to tense up.
“I’ve seen your performance. It was impressive,” the woman said, extending her right hand first. Her honey-coloured skin gleamed with a healthy lustre, smooth like silk. “Sofía.”
Renly gentlemanly held her hand with just the front part of his palm, bowed slightly, and gestured toward her hand with his forehead, a respectful greeting. “Renly.” Straightening back up, he politely released her hand and added, “It’s Ms. Vergara’s performance that truly blurs the lines between reality and fiction. Before today, I was feeling rather pleased with myself, but now I see I’ve been far too narrow-minded.”
Standing before him was none other than Sofía Vergara, whose performance as a Colombian with a distinct accent in ‘Modern Family’ left a deep impression. Yet at this moment, Sofía spoke flawless American English—in fact, with a Los Angeles accent. There was no dissonance, making it impossible to tell she was originally from Colombia. That was precisely why Renly made that comment.
In ‘Modern Family’, the cast was full of hidden talents, including Eric Stonestreet, who was a straight man in real life yet portrayed a gay character so naturally in the show that it looked seamless. When audiences later learned he was straight, it truly shattered their perceptions.
“You’re an interesting guy,” Sofía said with a dazzling smile. Countless people have commented on her “accent joke” over the years. Almost everyone brought it up, with some even asking her to imitate her character’s accent on the spot. Though often without malice, she still found it offensive. However, Renly brought it up in a polite and complimentary manner, which left her in high spirits.
After watching Sofía walk away, James firmly grabbed Renly’s arm, his voice trembling with excitement. “Dude, go for it! Are you seriously not making a move? She’s the hottest sex symbol of the year!”