Marvel Salted Fish Kryptonian

However, after greeting Henry, Catherine looked at the other strange girl with a strange expression.

She was wearing a coat as bright red as Rose's, with white fur trimmings around the collar and edges. Even her hat was the same style, with a ball of white fur on the tip.

This style combination made Catherine casually say: "You are... Santa Claus."

The girl, who was originally smiling and so nervous that she couldn't speak, instinctively punched the man who was grinning beside her when she heard such a comment.

This coat was given to her by Henry because she didn't have a snow-proof winter coat. It was said to be an extra coat at home, and the style of the coat is indeed masculine.

Actually, it is quite different from the classic Santa Claus, but it is hard for people who see it not to make such an association...

Charlize, not wanting to get a runny nose from the cold, gave in. But then the topic was brought up again, and she couldn't help but punch the man next to her.

Finally remembering where she was, Charlize quickly greeted her, "Ms. Hepburn, nice to meet you. I'm Charlize Theron. I brought a bottle of champagne, I hope you like it."

Katharine Hepburn showed a surprised expression and said, "Oh, those who brought alcohol are all my good friends."

After taking the paper bag, she lowered her voice to Charlize like a child secretly complaining, "You know, my roommates control me too much. They can't eat this, they can't drink that. I feel like my world is about to fall apart."

Henry and Charlize could only smile awkwardly at this time.

"Come in. It's cold outside. Come in and warm yourself by the fire." Catherine walked slowly into the house. The house was very quiet, but there was a blazing fire in the fireplace, which made crackling sounds from time to time.

After they entered, they hung their coats on the hangers next to the door. Charlize Theron wore a proper blue-green dress with white dots, neither too formal nor too rude.

Henry swiftly helped Catherine prepare the vase and put the bouquet in it. He also helped open the iron band of the champagne and slightly loosen the cork.

Catherine excitedly pushed open the cork, and the sound of "pop" made her smile excitedly. Then she poured three glasses of champagne and took a big sip herself.

She wasn't a heavy drinker, but she hadn't tasted something like this in a long time. Rather than liking it, she felt more like she missed it.

The three of them sat down by the fireplace.

Henry looked around the house. It had a strong family atmosphere, not like a place where an elderly person lives alone. But today it was especially quiet. "Catherine, you said you have a partner. Where are they?"

"That's my brother, Richard, and his family. During the Christmas holiday, the whole family went out for vacation. I didn't go with them after I received your call."

"Ah, sorry. Did I interrupt your family trip?"

Catherine shook her head and said, "No, I'd rather be alone. On weekdays, the house is so noisy, with a bunch of kids running around, it's overwhelming. I finally get a vacation, and they insist on taking me along."

"Your call saved my life. Besides, I don't care where they're going. I'm Katharine Hepburn. I've been to every place in the world except heaven and hell."

Henry quipped, "Oh, so you went to the moon with Neil Armstrong and Colonel Aldrin?"

"You kid!" Catherine shook her hand in disgust at this guy who found the flaw in just one sentence.

The three of them gathered around the fireplace, listening to Catherine complain about the brats of her brother's family. Counting their generations, they were already her great-grandchildren, the fourth generation.

Although every word was a complaint, one could actually hear concern in it. Otherwise, who would care about a child who was so fat that he couldn't even walk, and then actually rolled down the stairs, ignoring the adults' concerns and just smiling heartlessly.

Or he'd tug at her ears all day, telling her what she could eat and drink. He'd tell her to only eat a few bites and drink a certain amount. Her doctor father wasn't even that nagging.

Charlize Theron liked this feeling very much, and even had a bit of yearning. She was still very unfamiliar with Katherine at first, but she immediately started chatting with her.

On the contrary, Henry, who was originally full of dirty talk, could not get involved in the conversation between the two women. He became a ruthless answering machine, only responding with "ah", "oh" and "hmm".

Chapter 307 Christmas Dinner

Catherine and Henry, who was visiting, prepared dinner together. In addition to the ingredients available at home, Henry also bought some fresh fruits and vegetables at the supermarket on the way here.

Considering she was nearly ninety years old, it was impossible for her to cook anything with a heavy, oily, or salty flavor. In fact, even Catherine herself couldn't handle strong flavors.

She just likes to complain about people forbidding her to eat.

Just like the champagne Charlize brought, Catherine only took a big sip at first. The rest was just enough to moisten her lips, and most of the drink went into Henry and Charlize's stomachs.

Although he doesn't have a nutritionist license, Henry is still able to make people eat delicious and nutritious food.

Food that tastes good but is too salty, or that is nutritious but tasteless, only means one thing: employers don't pay nutritionists or chefs enough, so they come up with this kind of food waste.

It's not that difficult to achieve everything. It just takes a little ingenuity and a bit of effort.

So the three non-blood-related friends also prepared a sumptuous Christmas dinner for themselves, even though Christmas had not officially arrived yet.

The dinner Henry prepared had a unique feature: it had so many dishes that even if they only took a bite of each, it would be enough to fill the two ladies present.

But there was no need to worry about leftovers, because Henry could eat everything on the table, even the plate and knife and fork.

Although Charlize and Katherine had seen Henry's appetite before, seeing it with their own eyes again still made them, actresses who have to control their figure, feel... jealous!

Even though one of them is already semi-retired, her age still restricts her from overeating.

Catherine looked at the man who was shoveling food into his mouth with such elegance. God knows how those two adjectives came together. She felt strangely angry. "Henry, don't you think you're overweight? How much do you weigh now?"

Eating and talking naturally, Henry replied, "Two hundred pounds. I weighed myself not long ago. It should be okay. I don't have a belly." Unlike women who are shy about their weight, Henry was frank to the point of being annoying.

Besides, they know their own business. Henry wasn't the skinny, effeminate type, but he wasn't the fat, sumo-like type either. He had the build of a heavyweight fighter, bulky, but not the muscular bodybuilder type.

Actual strength... Considering the Kryptonian template, one punch may not be able to blow up the earth, but it can still flatten a mountain.

It's just because I don't have sharp muscle lines that some people think I'm fat. But in the eyes of jealous women, I'm useless...

In the eyes of Katharine Hepburn, the first generation of Hollywood queen, they were no different from little chickens. She slapped away Henry's claws that reached for the last pudding, and discussed with Charlize to divide it up.

You know, the pudding for dessert was made per person, one per person. No matter how much the two ladies insisted that they were full, stuffed, and couldn't eat any more, they didn't miss the pudding.

When they snatched the last pudding from Henry, who looked aggrieved, and shared it, their mood was like ups and downs between heaven and hell, more sour than taking a sauna.

While I marveled at the deliciousness of the dessert, I was also terrified by the calorie count. After just one bite, I'd have to run a few more kilometers tomorrow to burn off the calories. Then another bite... and another...

Henry sat by and watched them both with regretful expressions after swallowing the pudding. But as long as there was something in their mouths, they felt like they were in heaven.

Their expressions change alternately like this. The wonderfulness of their facial expressions makes people have to admit that these two are well-deserved actors.

It's a pity the camera was in Los Angeles. Otherwise, this scene should have been captured for a permanent record.

After the three of them had finished their meal, Henry and Charlize worked together to wash the dishes. Then they sat at the dining table and opened a bottle of old red wine that Catherine had just taken out of the underground cellar.

The wine label was so old that it was blurred. The old lady pushed the bottle of red wine in front of Henry. Of course, the Kryptonian guest opened the bottle with a corkscrew without thinking.

Corks in older wines like this are quite difficult to handle. If you're not careful, they can break and fall into the wine. While this won't affect the wine's flavor, it will still leave you with chunks of crumbs, which can be quite disturbing.

But this wasn't a big deal for Henry, as Catherine had all the tools she needed to open a bottle. So Henry first took a needle-shaped blade and scraped the edge of the cork where it met the bottle to loosen the stickiness.

Then slowly screw the corkscrew into the aged cork, not too quickly or you'll damage the brittle cork.

Finally, use moderate force to remove the cork. Don't pull too quickly, and don't use excessive force. Otherwise, when the corkscrew is pulled out, only the loosened part will be removed, and the entire cork will still be stuck in the bottle.

Henry performed this operation slowly and meticulously. There was no other way; if he was too rough, everyone would have to drink red wine soaked in broken corks.

But it was this slow movement that was unexpectedly beautiful, causing both Catherine and Charlize to stare at Henry in amazement, unable to look away even for a moment.

When the cork was pulled out smoothly without leaving any trace, the two ladies almost screamed at the same time.

As soon as the cork was pulled out, the aroma of the wine immediately hit Henry's nose. With his super sense of smell, it was the first time he had smelled a red wine with such a complex flavor.

It's not that kind of bad weird smell, but rather an old wine that has, after years of settling, all its flavors are restrained and self-sealed, brewing a new fragrance.

Henry poured a small sip, swirled it in the glass, sniffed it, and drank it in one gulp, just like a seasoned sommelier.

"Well, I still need to sober up."

Charlize said in surprise: "Hey, I can smell the fragrance here. Do I still need to sober up?"

He poured a small sip into each of their glasses. "Try it fresh from the bottle. This red wine tastes even better after it's been decanted."

Meanwhile, Henry poured the red wine into a decanter. He held the bottom of the bottle, his thumb wedged into the groove at the base. The grape-colored liquid trickled down like silk.

All these actions are to allow more wine to come into contact with air, speed up the oxidation process, and release the flavor.

Charlize Theron was amazed by the first sip. Although she is not a sommelier and has never tasted truly fine wine, she could still clearly feel that the drink in the glass was extraordinary.

"Catherine, what kind of wine is this? It's delicious."

"It's a gift Howard gave me. It's said that the Allies captured Hitler's wine cellar, and inside was a collection of wine specially brewed by Napoleon to celebrate his ascension to the throne. It's said that only five bottles were produced."

...The Kryptonian froze while pouring the wine. He smiled awkwardly at the old woman who was smelling the empty glass of wine.

Wow, what we are drinking is not old wine, but cultural relics.

Napoleon was crowned in 1804, and this year is 1994. This wine is exactly 190 years old, no more, no less.

Even without considering the age of the wine, its commemorative value is limitless. It was brewed on Napoleon's coronation order and was collected by Hitler...

If this were to be auctioned, it would be no problem to exchange it for a few houses.

Chapter 308: Romance in the Golden Age

It’s open now, let’s drink.

The Kryptonians, being so outspoken, have no psychological burden at all. You can't just pour the wine from the decanter back into the bottle, put the cork back in, and pretend nothing happened.

Unlike high-proof liquors, red wine begins to oxidize once it comes into contact with air, a process that is irreversible and cannot be interrupted. If left for too long, it will deteriorate.

Because of its high alcohol content, strong liquor doesn't deteriorate when exposed to air. Or, even if it does, the deterioration is minimal.

So you can drink spirits slowly after opening the bottle, but not red wine. It is a real waste to say you don't want to drink red wine after opening it.

Sealing the bottle only slightly slows down the wine's deterioration, so if you can still drink it, it's best to finish it as soon as possible after opening.

As for Charlize Theron, after listening to Catherine's explanation, her mind was already wandering and her soul had flown away to who knows where.

Although she wasn't well-educated, she knew names like Napoleon and Hitler. And who else could Katharine Hepburn have been referring to as "Howard" other than Howard Stark?

Take the small sip of wine she just drank, for example. It couldn't even moisten her throat. Maybe she couldn't afford it with all her salary since she started working.

No! Maybe even if I work hard my whole life, I still might not be able to afford it...

Shocked and frustrated, Charlize Theron began to question her life.

As for the old lady who took out the bottle of wine, she certainly didn't have so many negative emotions. She just stared at the wine in the decanter with a nostalgic look.

"This bottle of wine was a gift Howard gave me when he proposed to me. He said we could drink it together on our golden wedding anniversary. But as you all know, he married Maria and I didn't marry him."

"So, the playboy has found a new love. Isn't it not surprising at all?" Henry said as he looked at the label on the wine bottle, trying to figure out something.

Catherine smiled. "That's not the case. He and Maria happened later. It was around 38 when Hollywood criticized me as a box office flop. Disheartened, I left Hollywood for the first time."

Howard originally wanted to continue the relationship, but World War II broke out in 39. Although he did not join the army, he became a scientific advisor to the US military. His focus was always on the war.

"That's when I met Spencer again. I was captivated by him the first time I saw him, and I couldn't escape his charm until he passed away. That was in '67.

"At this time, Howard had already tied the knot with Maria. Even if he was still single at that time, I wouldn't have been able to accept him right away."

Golden Age gossip, told from the very mouths of the people. It's so captivating just to listen to it, Henry practically crossed his legs and whistled.

However, it's not good to show your attitude too obviously. The red wine in the decanter is gradually waking up from a deep sleep, and the rich aroma of wine begins to spread.

Henry poured himself another sip, and, using the same wine-tasting technique, drank it all in one gulp. "Well, we'll have to wait a little longer. But the wine is starting to sober up, and the flavor is slowly coming out. You can try it too."

The two women were given a small sip each. Charlize Theron seemed to be still in her trance and drank it mechanically.

But the moment the wine entered her mouth, she felt an explosion of flavor. All of her taste buds were stimulated and active almost simultaneously, scrambling to transmit information to her brain.

Once again, Charlize was left speechless.

Catherine's reaction was not as bad as Charlize's. She just had bright eyes, surprised by the change of this red wine from the previous one. Then she swirled the empty wine glass with unsatisfied feeling, sniffing the aroma of the wine in the glass.

Caught off guard, Catherine suddenly attacked and asked, "Children, you came to see an old woman like me, you don't come to me to hear about my romantic affairs in my youth, do you? Tell me, what do you want to do?"

Henry told the story of Charlize Theron, of course omitting some of the more unpleasant things.

For example, the two met because Charlize was so hungry that she stole bread from a restaurant; and she was tricked into being a Playboy photo model.

Of course, the latter was briefly mentioned, but the details were not given. But with Catherine's knowledge of Hollywood, even without those words, she could probably imagine the whole process.

"So, you want me to help introduce you to a reliable agent?" Catherine asked.

In fact, when talking about Charlize, she had already come back to her senses. It was just out of trust that she did not interrupt Henry's statement. In other words, what he said was not far from the truth.

But Henry's request shocked even Charlize herself. We'd only been working together for a few months, and he was giving up on me?

Perhaps due to her constant acting training during this period, Charlize's expressions always managed to express her feelings appropriately. So her disappointment at this moment was quite obvious, yet it wasn't disappointment towards others, but disappointment towards herself.

Henry quickly explained, "Dear, it's not that you didn't perform well, but I'm not capable enough to play the role of your agent. When I first said I wanted to be your agent, I underestimated the difficulty of the job.

"But after these past two or three months with you, you should have realized that we don't get any good projects, and we can't get any with lines. The opportunities I can help you get are all with second-rate film crews.

"So I hope to help you find a reliable and more capable agent. I will continue to help you in other areas. There's no way I'm going to just abandon you like this."

Understanding Henry's thoughts finally softened Charlize's expression. The little girl almost jumped on him and bit him again.

This is also a minor aftereffect of her recent intensive acting training, causing her emotions to be too outwardly expressed, rather than being able to control them freely. Therefore, her emotional expressions are often quite direct.