Givenchy

Givenchy personally pulled out a chair for Audrey Hepburn to sit down. Judging from their expressions during their conversation, they weren't like an old married couple who knew each other intimately, but rather like lovers still in the throes of passion; even their eye contact was tender.

Watching the two of them, Henry couldn't help but think of a term that hadn't yet been used in this era—"male best friend."

Admittedly, this word has been imbued with a lot of negative connotations since its inception. However, there is no more suitable word to refer to a female friend of the opposite sex, whose relationship is more than friendship.

No wonder both of Hepburn's husbands had many complaints about this fashion mogul. Anyone would find it unbearable to see their wife looking at another man with such adoring eyes.

But the distance between them isn't the kind that crosses the final line between a man and a woman; rather, it's about expressing their feelings without restraint before that line is drawn.

As someone closely observing this situation, Henry couldn't help but wonder: which is more serious, emotional infidelity or physical infidelity? And where do men and women see the bottom line?

The three were seated, and a waiter immediately came to pour water and bring the menu. However, neither of the two old friends looked at it; Audrey Hepburn simply said to the waiter, "Give us a surprise."

The concept of no-menu dining is not yet prevalent in this era. However, in bars or some Western restaurants, when customers don't have a specific food or drink preference, they might leave the choice to the chef.

However, Henry temporarily left his seat to inform the waiter about the two men's health conditions and to ask the chef to avoid certain flavors.

Hepburn Hepburn's thinness wasn't achieved through dieting or training. Rather, it stemmed from the hunger she experienced during the war as a child, which damaged her health. Furthermore, her constant travel in recent years had taken a toll on her digestive system.

Mr. Givenchy was in very good health, but considering he had flown in from France, and probably went directly from the airport to the restaurant, he must have been somewhat tired.

Looking at the chef's license and the Germany nutritionist's certificate hanging on the restaurant wall, Henry believed that what he had just said was enough for the chef to make a judgment.

By the time Henry returned to his seat, the two good friends were already chatting.

Givenchy said with concern, "Didn't you just have that kind of thing happen to you? Why are you going to Africa again?"

"Because there are people there who need help. What other reason could there be?" Audrey Hepburn said matter-of-factly.

"So you're leaving tomorrow? Aren't you going to rest for a few more days? I thought I was busy enough as a designer and creative director for the group. I didn't expect that your schedule would be even more hectic since you took a break from acting. How long has it been since you went back to your home in Switzerland to rest properly?"

"Life goes on, so does the struggle. My time is running out, and there's still so much to do. I will eventually have my moment to rest, but until then, I hope to do more for this world and leave behind more good."

"Oh, Audrey. You've accomplished so much more than I have. Even so, don't you greedily think it's not enough?"

The two people, both of a certain age, had long passed the stage of wanting to create any achievements, and were now thinking about what they could leave behind. But the mention of that taboo word inevitably made the atmosphere become somber.

Audrey Hepburn was much more positive. She quickly steered the conversation away from the potentially Abyss topic, patted Henry on the shoulder as he returned to his seat, and said, "Do you know how I met this boy?"

If Henry were facing anyone else, he probably would have already gone back after hearing such tantalizing words. But Givenchy cooperatively shook his head and said, "I don't know. Was it an interesting experience?"

"He was introduced to me by Catherine," Hepburn said with ill intent.

"Catherine!" Givenchy asked, referring to another mutual friend, "How is she doing?"

"Don't worry. Catherine is much stronger than me. Interestingly, Catherine told me that when the boy first saw him, he said, 'Oh, it's this Ms. Hepburn.'" Audrey Hepburn made a very convincing expression of disappointment.

Sure enough, the topic came up again, and Henry covered his face and smiled wryly.

Givenchy, however, had a wry smile on his face, because he himself had once said something similar.

After a moment's hesitation, he looked at Henry and asked, somewhat annoyed, "Really?"

?

Lowering his hand from his face, Henry replied helplessly, "Yes, sir. I know a friend in Los Angeles, someone I'm not very close to, who somehow heard that I admire Ms. Hepburn a lot."

"So he tried to lure me in with an invitation to a private dinner with Ms. Hepburn. I was so excited that I forgot there were actually two Ms. Hepburn in Hollywood."

"So I acted rather rudely in front of another person. My nose almost had to be repaired at the hospital; it was the kind of situation where it was broken and I was too ashamed to file a complaint."

Knowing the whole story Givenchy chuckled and said, "Oh, in that case, I'm much luckier. At least the person I made a mistake with won't be the one to set my bones."

Catherine Hepburn punched Howard Stark so hard his nose was broken—a legendary tale in Hollywood.

World War II Allied soldiers couldn't do, Hollywood girls did.

Everyone knows this is true, but no photos were taken; apart from the parties involved, no one knows the details. So even today, reporters still like to ask either of these two questions when they meet them.

In short, the two male protagonists, both equally unattractive, inexplicably evoked a sense of kinship, as if they were comrades who had fought in the same trench.

Givenchy finally understood why Audrey Hepburn had introduced him to this young assistant. It turned out she was teasing him about that initial misunderstanding.

The two Hepburn ladies' quirky tastes often found themselves in perfect unison, leaving these grown men utterly unable to get angry.

It's much easier to get to know a man than a woman. With shared interests as a bond, Givenchy also became somewhat interested in Hepburn's young assistant.

He looked at the young man in the inexpensive suit—in the eyes of this fashion mogul, any non-bespoke suit was cheap. Despite the fact that his Armani suit was an unexpected expense for Henry, the young man asked curiously:

"I know that many people have unrealistic fantasies about celebrities and stars that they don't usually meet and can only learn about through various newspapers and media. It's as if these people are all perfect."

"Once they meet her in person, most people will be disappointed, even angry that we're different from what they imagined. What about you, kid? What are your thoughts on becoming Audrey Hepburn's assistant?"

This was a tricky question; Henry didn't even know if the fashion mogul was trying to exclude men from his woman's life, hence the difficult question.

But Ms. Hepburn was equally interested in the question, staring at Henry with wide eyes as if she might turn into a death stare at any moment.