Reborn in Hollywood

Elena Neves.

Li Rui's pupils contracted slightly.

He was very familiar with that name.

In Fast & Furious 5, she is a female police officer in Rio de Janeiro and Dom's girlfriend during his single period.

The one who was later killed by Cypher in Fast & Furious 8.

But right now, she's just an eighteen-year-old girl, dressed in work clothes, standing in front of a loom, struggling to make a living.

Li Rui looked at her for a few seconds, then looked away.

"Let's go."

When I got home that night, Monica was lying on the sofa watching TV.

She's six months pregnant and has been getting lazier lately, preferring to lie down rather than sit.

"How's the factory?"

"good."

Li Rui sat down next to Monica. "The equipment is quite new, but the management is chaotic. If you had a different person in charge, it should be profitable."

Monica nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Li Rui leaned back on the sofa, but his mind was still on the girl in work clothes.

It's not because of anything else.

Simply because—she will become a part of that world in the future.

Like Dante, like Reyes.

If you come across it, it feels like a waste not to try it.

The next day, he went to the factory again.

This time, he went straight to Elena's workstation.

The girl looked up and saw a strange young man standing in front of her, and paused for a moment.

"You...who are you?"

"The new boss is Li Rui."

Elena quickly put down the fabric in her hand and stood up helplessly.

"Hello...boss!"

Li Rui looked at her.

Eighteen years old, without makeup, with healthy wheat-colored skin and big, bright eyes.

When nervous, eyelashes tremble slightly.

How old are you?

"Just...just turned eighteen."

"Who else is in the family?"

Elena's eyes dimmed slightly.

"I have a younger brother who is still in school. My mother is in poor health, and my father... passed away."

Li Rui nodded.

"How much is the salary?"

"1200 reais per month."

Is that enough?

Elena bit her lip and didn't say anything.

Li Rui took a business card out of his pocket and placed it in her hand.

"Come to this address tomorrow at 3 PM. There's a part-time job there that pays more than working in the factory."

Elena stared blankly at the business card, which bore the name of a coffee shop.

"This is……"

"Think it through before you come." Li Rui turned and left without looking back. "If you don't want to come, then forget it."

The next day at 3 p.m., at the open-air café in Ipanema.

Li Rui sat in the corner with a cup of Americano in front of him.

At 3:05, Elena appeared across the street.

She changed into a clean white dress, let her hair down, and put on light makeup—although her technique was a bit clumsy.

She saw Li Rui, took a deep breath, and crossed the road to walk over.

"Mr. Li... Mr. Li."

"sit."

Elena sat down opposite him, her hands on her knees, extremely nervous.

Li Rui called the waiter over and ordered her a glass of juice.

"Have you thought it through?"

Elena nodded.

"I've made up my mind."

"Aren't you going to ask what kind of part-time job I have?"

"I won't ask."

She looked up into his eyes and said, "Whatever it is, I'll do it."

Li Rui raised an eyebrow.

Why?

Elena bit her lip.

"My younger brother needs to pay his tuition next semester. My mother needs medication, and the money from the factory isn't enough..."

She paused for a moment, then said, "You're rich. I shouldn't suffer if I follow you."

Li Rui looked at her.

At eighteen, his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

Do you know what this means?

Elena was silent for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Know."

Li Rui didn't ask any more questions.

He took a bank card out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

"This is 100,000 reais, the password is six zeros."

Elena's hand trembled slightly.

"this……"

"Take this, use it for your mother's medical treatment and your brother's tuition."

Li Rui stood up. "Tomorrow, I'll have someone rent an apartment for you in the city. Move in and wait for my call."

He turned and left.

After taking a few steps, I heard Elena's voice behind me.

"Mr. Li!"

Li Rui stopped.

"What...what do you want me to do?"

Li Rui turned around and looked at her.

The eighteen-year-old girl's eyes held no fear, only a calm acceptance of her fate.

He smiled.

"You'll find out what I'm doing once you move into that apartment."

Three days later, Elena moved into a luxury apartment in the Santa Teresa district.

One bedroom and one living room, fully furnished and decorated, with a view of the Christ the Redeemer through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

There are security guards and surveillance cameras downstairs, so it's very safe.

She stood in the center of the living room, looking at all of this, feeling like she was dreaming.

The 100,000 reais have already been transferred to her mother.

My younger brother's tuition has been paid, and my mother's medicine has been bought.

Now, she has another house like this.

She knew in her heart what the price would be.

But so what?

At eight o'clock in the evening, the doorbell rang.

Elena took a deep breath and went to open the door.

Li Rui stood at the door, holding a bottle of red wine in his hand.

"Are you getting used to it?"

"Habit..."

Li Rui walked in and placed the wine on the table.

Do you drink alcohol?

"Won't……"

"Then learn it."

He opened the bottle and poured two glasses.

Elena took the cup, took a sip, and choked, coughing violently.

Li Rui smiled.

Take your time.

She didn't go home that night.

Paper wrapped fire.

A month later, Monica discovered it.

When Li Rui came home that day, she was sitting on the sofa, her face as cold as ice.

"Where did you go?"

"factory."

"lie."

Li Rui looked at her without saying anything.

Monica stood up, walked up to him, and stared into his eyes.

"That girl, eighteen years old, in that apartment in the Santa Teresa district."

She spoke slowly and deliberately, "You think I don't know?"

Li Rui smiled slightly.

How did you know?

"João's people."

Monica said, "Some of his men saw you coming out of that building for several days in a row."

Li Rui sighed.

"What are you trying to say?"

Monica stared at him, her chest heaving.

Then she suddenly laughed.

That kind of laughter is more terrifying than anger.

"What am I trying to say?"

Her voice trembled. "I was pregnant with your child, I followed you from Miami to Rio, I cooked for you every day and waited for you to come home, and you're keeping an 18-year-old girl on the side?"

Li Rui didn't say anything.

Do you know how angry I am?

Monica continued, "I should kill you—no, I really want to kill you right now!"

Li Rui looked at her.

On that face, there was anger, grievance, and a tiny bit—just a tiny bit—resignation.

"Then why don't you do it?"

Monica paused for a moment.

Then she laughed. It was a laugh filled with helplessness, despair, and utter despair.

"Because I can't move."

She said, "Because I fucking realized I can't live without you."

"Nonsense! If you could leave, wouldn't all my time spent brainwashing you with the Force have been for nothing?"

Li Rui walked over and reached out to hug her.

Monica pushed him away.

"Don't touch me!"

Li Rui stopped.

Monica looked at him, her eyes reddening.

"I have only one request."

"you say."

"You are not allowed to bring her home."

Her voice turned cold. "This is my territory. If she dares to step through this door, no matter how old she is, I will kill her. I mean it!"

Li Rui looked at her.

The anger and resentment were still there on that face, but there was something more complex and indescribable about it.

"it is good."

Monica turned and went back to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

That night, Li Rui slept on the sofa in the living room.

The next few months passed like this.

Li Rui goes to the factory two or three times a week and occasionally visits Elena.

Monica pretended not to know, and Elena never inquired about his family affairs.

The two women were like parallel lines, each living in their own world.

When Monica was a little over nine months pregnant, her due date arrived.

She woke Li Rui up at three in the morning that day.

"She's about to give birth."

Li Rui instantly regained his senses.

He carried her into the car and sped all the way to the hospital.

He sat in a chair outside the delivery room, listening to the screams coming from inside, his fingers slightly clenched.

An hour later, the nurse pushed open the door and came out carrying a crumpled little thing.

"Congratulations, it's a girl."

Li Rui stood up and looked at that small face.

With his eyes closed, wrinkled and ugly like a little old man.

But a strange feeling welled up inside him.

This is his daughter.

Martina.

In the hospital room, Monica lay on the bed, her face pale, but her eyes were surprisingly bright.

Li Rui carried his daughter inside and sat down beside her bed.

"have a look."

Monica took the child and stared at the little face for a long time.

Then she cried.

"It's so ugly," she said between sobs.

Li Rui smiled.

"Like you."

"Bullshit! It looks just like you!"

The nurse chuckled to herself.

That afternoon, Li Rui left the hospital and drove to Elena's apartment.

He hasn't come for a week.

When I opened the door, Elena was sitting on the sofa, lost in thought.

She was stunned when she saw him.

"Why are you here?"

"Look at you."

He walked over and sat down next to her.

Elena stared at his face.

"At the hospital...did she give birth?"

"Um."

"Boy or girl?"

"girl."

Elena forced a smile.

"Congratulations."

Li Rui looked at her.

"Is that all you wanted to say?"

Elena looked up and met his gaze.

"So what do you want to hear?"

Li Rui didn't say anything.

Elena bit her lip, then suddenly laughed.

"I also have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

She took a piece of paper from under the coffee table and handed it to him.

Li Rui looked down.

Pregnancy test report.

Two red lines.

He looked up at her.

"How long has it been?"

"Two months."

Li Rui remained silent for a long time.

Elena looked at him, her eyes showing a hint of nervousness, but mostly calm.

"Do you want to?"

Li Rui did not answer.

He simply reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Elena leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"That's what I want," she said softly.

Li Rui rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Then keep it."

Actually, there was something else Li Rui didn't say: he already knew that Elena was pregnant; that's how useful Force perception is.

They even knew that Elena was carrying a girl.

He did not return to the hospital that night.

The next morning, he went to João's office.

"Find me some lawyers specializing in trust funds, the best kind."

João was taken aback for a moment.

"Trust fund? For whom?"

"Two daughters."

João blinked.

"two?"

"Um."

João smiled.

"Mr. Li, your efficiency... is too high."

Li Rui ignored him.

Give me the proposal within a week.