Actor in Hollywood

"No, Karen, believe me, this time it's different. It really is."

"Really! The moment I saw him appear on the red carpet, I felt an electric shock run through my knees, and I swear my heart skipped a beat."

Blair Miller was feeling frustrated as she tried to explain the magical moment that happened on the Emmys' red carpet to her friends.

In just forty-eight hours, rumors from that night had spread like wildfire, reaching a fever pitch when *Entertainment Weekly* awarded Anson the title of Best Red Carpet Look. The discussions exploded, igniting curiosity and sparking debates.

Clearly, Blair was on Team Anson.

But her friends were not.

To Blair, watching it on TV was a completely different experience than just hearing about it. "If you'd seen Anson, you wouldn't be saying that."

Karen Fox wasn't convinced, nodding dismissively. "Sure, sure, whatever you say."

Although Karen said the words, her attention was already drifting elsewhere. To her, the topic wasn't worth discussing—it was just Blair running her mouth. But as Blair continued to chatter and complain, Karen's gaze fell on a figure in the distance—

A small gathering, maybe just a dozen people, which was nothing on New York's bustling streets. But it was enough to catch her eye.

It looked like a street performance.

So common.

Karen didn't think much of it, but her eyes were involuntarily drawn to a figure in the crowd. Like a tender green shoot breaking through the winter earth in early March, a thin veil of golden sunlight fell gently, and the fresh, vibrant spring colors slowly began to spread, awakening every cell in her body.

Karen froze. "Blair, let's go take a look."

Usually, Karen would walk past street performances without a second thought. Today, however, something compelled her to take a few quick steps closer.

Thump.

Thump.

Her heart raced, and Karen had to muster all her strength to keep herself from screaming. *Now this* was a handsome man, right?

"Huh."

She heard Blair gasp beside her, and Karen nodded eagerly, about to tell Blair that this was the kind of guy worth fawning over:

No makeup, no fancy clothes, no lighting, and no media hype. Just standing there, simple and real, yet commanding attention with an extraordinary presence.

But before she could speak, Blair's voice broke through. "Anson!"

Karen blinked. "What?"

Blair continued, "That's Anson! The Anson I've been telling you about. Oh my God, why is Anson here?"

Karen was stunned. She stared at the man in front of her, her brain shutting down, forgetting even to breathe.

Anson, unaware of the commotion around him, was in the middle of a rehearsal.

He had an idea—a bold experiment.

But the band needed to be in sync, not just with the sheet music, but with each other's rhythm and flow. Practice was the only way to achieve that.

Performance, whether on a music stage or in front of a camera, worked the same way.

When performers start worrying about the audience's reactions and feedback, reality often interferes, dragging them into a spiral of self-doubt.

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When they are fully immersed in their performance and practice, focusing on themselves, the melody, or the role, and eliminating distractions, they can present perfection.

Bit by bit, they start discussing, adjusting, and practicing. They become so absorbed that they temporarily forget about the crowd, turning the street into a practice room. This focus and dedication exude a different kind of charm. Even though they are still somewhat inexperienced, people gradually start to stop and watch.

There aren't many onlookers, maybe out of curiosity about the band's rehearsal or because the melody they inadvertently caught is particularly pleasing. Perhaps the band's wholehearted practice unintentionally radiates a unique appeal, but eventually, the number of spectators slowly increases.

Unlike the punk rock band in *The Princess Diaries*, Anson today thought of cleverly utilizing the cello to create different sparks—

The band is still a band, but not limited to rock. There's a bit of pop, a bit of country, a bit of rock, and a bit of retro.

Twenty years later, the boundaries between musical genres have become increasingly blurred, and the fusion of different styles creates a new auditory impact, bringing fresh possibilities after the creative bottleneck in music.

Some music stands out because of poetic lyrics, some grabs all attention due to its rhythm, and some touch the heart with a captivating melody.

In Anson's view, they need to cleverly utilize the cello but must break the public's stereotype of the instrument. The cello should be the protagonist, but they should try to catch the ear with rhythm and drumbeats. Thus, a new inspiration for music production emerged in his mind.

At this moment, he temporarily set aside the pressure to succeed, the dream of changing history, and the countless anxieties of real life, focusing solely on the music. Each adventure, each attempt is also a form of play, a chance to rediscover the joy that music initially brought, returning to the original passion.

As Anson said, if they are really ready to give up, at least they can give themselves a chance to unburden and fully enjoy it before doing so.

After all, this is the end, isn't it?

Through stumbles and falls, a smile slowly returned to their faces, their focused gaze and immersed thoughts oblivious to the changes around them.

It wasn't until a certain moment when Connor let out a long breath and caught sight of the crowd around them with his peripheral vision—

At a glance, there were at least thirty people.

Thirty people are not many, but after two years of street performances, except for the initial curiosity about the cello that attracted more people, they had never seen such a scene.

Connor's heart nearly jumped out of his chest.

"God!"

Connor exclaimed, and then Lily and Miles noticed it too. Their expressions immediately stiffened, losing the focus and relaxation they had just had.

The pressure hit them head-on.

Anson noticed as well, turning to look around.

He was a bit nervous too.

Although he had performed in *The Princess Diaries* and had memories of performing in the past, street performance was still a completely unfamiliar experience for him.

Anson gently exhaled. Remember, he was determined to seize every moment in life and fully enjoy this rare second chance.

"Hey, guys," Anson said.

"We shouldn't be thinking about success or failure because you have already failed. You were ready to give up; this is the final celebration."

"We should hold on to the present and enjoy the music to the fullest. In the beginning, this is what made you dream and embark on this journey."

"So, how about it? Are you ready?"

Lily swallowed, a little uncertain. "But we've only practiced for so long. What if we make a mistake?"

Fifth chapter.

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