Chapter 202: Intimacy

Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Intimacy

No sooner had she finished speaking than Keira and Henry immediately leaned in, saying in unison, "We’re going too!"

Irene was amused by their enthusiasm. "It’ll be a miracle if you don’t get snatched by a shark, and yet you’re thinking about fishing for them."

She specifically sought out a local elder who had lived by the sea for decades to ask about the weather. Learning that the wind and waves were small and the currents stable, she finally nodded in relief: "Alright, then let’s go. But safety first—no wandering far."

The rented small fishing boat slowly pulled away from the pier as the sea breeze brushed across the surface, kicking up tiny ripples.

Keira and Henry leaned against the gunwale, one moment pointing at flying fish in the distance with exclamations, the next fighting to fiddle with the fishing nets on board. Their playful bickering made them look exactly like a carefree young couple.

Henry would carefully tuck Keira’s wind-blown hair behind her ear, and Keira would naturally hand the coconut in her hand to Henry’s lips. They were so natural and intimate that even the nearby staff couldn’t help but chuckle secretly.

Jerry Bruckheimer, who had come along to monitor the progress, stood beside Irene with an iced coffee in hand. Watching the two fooling around at the stern, he suddenly lowered his voice and leaned into Irene’s ear, his tone carrying a hint of calculating amusement:

"Irene, look... Is it possible for our Elizabeth and Will to go from on-screen to off-screen?"

Irene glanced sideways at Jerry and met his exceptionally bright eyes, filled with testing and expectation. She instantly understood his meaning. This wasn’t mere curiosity—he was clearly pondering points for future promotion.

Her gaze drifted toward Henry and Keira as she quickly reminisced.

During this time in private, the two had indeed stayed very close. They would take walks together after finishing work, read scripts together during breaks, and even always sit together for meals. They were so intimate that they didn’t seem like just ordinary colleagues.

But in her previous life, the promotional focus of Pirates of the Caribbean had always been on Captain Jack himself. In her memory, there was no tied-in hype for Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner at all. Was it because her casting change in this life had given Jerry new ideas?

While she was lost in thought, Henry Cavill in the distance seemed to suddenly sense her gaze. He abruptly turned his head and looked straight at Irene.

Irene was slightly startled.

His eyes were bright, carrying a sense of composure after being watched, yet hiding emotions she couldn’t quite read. It wasn’t simple curiosity, nor was it his character’s state during filming. It was more like a silent response, tinged with an indiscernible seriousness.

Irene calmly withdrew her gaze, clicking her tongue inwardly.

Young people weren’t so easy to fool.

Before Irene could weigh the pros and cons in her mind, Jerry had already quietly passed the idea to the publicity and distribution departments of Disney and Fox.

She hadn’t expected the legendary producer to move so fast. By the time she realized it, two speedboats carrying the publicity heads from both sides had already docked at Port Royal Bay.

The group, dressed in sharp casual wear and holding planning notebooks, headed straight for the set as soon as they stepped onto the beach, their faces written with the excitement of "we’ve found a gold mine."

Meanwhile, on set, Irene was directing the scene where Elizabeth and Will bid farewell at the harbor.

There were no extra props, only the mottled wooden pier, the surging pale blue seawater, and two people standing in the light and shadow.

Keira Knightley had already changed into Elizabeth’s vintage gown. The sea breeze blew her skirt up gently. Her eyes were slightly red, yet she maintained a stubborn front, her voice so soft it seemed it would break in the wind: "You shouldn’t have come back. It’s too dangerous."

Having already gone through a simple rehearsal, Henry Cavill caught her emotion almost instantly.

He took half a step forward and reached out to gently grasp Keira’s wrist, his movement steady and reassuring. His eyes hid a restrained yet burning concern, and his tone was low and firm: "As long as I can see you, I’m willing to face any danger."

The two didn’t intentionally move closer, nor was there any exaggerated crying. Relying only on the shifting of their gazes, the slight pauses of their fingertips, and the subtle coordination of their breathing rhythms, they portrayed the innocent yet firm love of the characters to the fullest.

One take.

The director of photography by the monitor couldn’t help but whisper in praise, "The chemistry between these two kids is getting better and better."

As soon as the clapperboard snapped, Keira naturally let go of his hand and smiled as she helped Henry straighten his wind-ruffled collar. Henry also looked down and softly reminded her that there was sand on her skirt. Their movements were familiar and natural, the intimacy on and off-screen connecting almost seamlessly.

Not far away, the publicity heads from Disney and Fox watched with glowing eyes. They huddled together, whispering and nodding occasionally, unable to suppress the upward curve of their lips.

Jerry walked over to Irene and lowered his voice, carrying a confident smile:

"See? We don’t even need to guide them. They have a story of their own."

Irene didn’t speak, just watched the pair of young actors in the center of the set who were still quietly going over their lines. She couldn’t say whether she supported or opposed such a thing.

The reason for support was that it was indeed beneficial for her movie. She had seen the power of CP fans in her previous life. Their spending power was no less than that of solo fans. And Hollywood was full of showmance couples. Who cared if it was real or not?

The reason for opposition was that she knew very well the consequences of hyping a romance. Very few ended well. Regardless of whether love had truly blossomed between them now, once that feeling became entangled with interests, it was hard to say how much sincerity would remain. Moreover, they were still so young.

So young that she couldn’t bear to see them head toward a foreseeable end.

The evening sea breeze blew away all the heat from the beach. The small seaside wooden cabin temporarily rented by the crew was brightly lit.

A long wooden table was crowded with people: Disney publicity, Fox marketing, Jerry, Shelly, Irene, as well as Henry and Keira’s agents. The atmosphere was significantly more serious than during the daytime filming.

Before the meeting officially began, Keira’s agent pulled her to a corner, her voice extremely low, her gaze sharp and cautious:

"I’m asking you for the truth, Keira. Are you and Henry... really dating?"

Keira’s fingertips gently curled her skirt. Her eyelashes fluttered as she shook her head slightly, her smile clean and frank: "No."

The agent’s brow furrowed deeper as she scanned Keira’s face, then pressed in a lower voice:

"Is it just ’not yet,’ or ’never’?"

Keira didn’t answer directly. She just crinkled her eyes and let an ambiguous smile curl the corner of her mouth.

That smile neither admitted nor denied, perfectly resembling the hazy feelings a young girl couldn’t hide. The agent instantly understood.

On the other side, Shelly also pulled Henry to the window and asked directly and bluntly,

"Henry, don’t beat around the bush. I’m asking you, are you and Keira really in a relationship?"