Actor in Hollywood

"But we've only practiced for such a short time. What if we make a mistake?"

Lily was uncertain, but Anson had a different perspective.

"Exactly, we've only practiced for a short time. Isn't making mistakes inevitable? Or are you planning to go back and practice for another ten days or half a month before performing again?"

Haha.

Anson didn't lower his voice. In fact, he raised it, and a burst of laughter came from the bustling crowd around them. Even Connor couldn't help but laugh.

"If we make mistakes, then embrace them. Show a smile. After all, the people around us aren't stopping by for a perfect performance, are they? Maybe those mistakes are the charm of a street performance, helping Wall Street elites feel a bit better about their own work mistakes."

Ha.

A wave of laughter swept through, and the atmosphere completely relaxed.

Lily was momentarily stunned, looking at the relaxed smiles all around, and her tense shoulders loosened slightly. She turned her head and saw Miles hurriedly trying to suppress a smile, his face filled with tension. Even without him saying anything, she knew Miles was blaming himself, but this wasn't Miles' fault at all.

How could she explain that to him?

Lily gave Miles a smile, and only then did she see the relief in his expression. Yet, her mouth was filled with bitterness, and she couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental.

When Miles first approached Lily, she was ecstatic. She immediately sought out her friends, and they all quickly agreed, believing in Miles' brilliant idea. They eagerly volunteered to join and form a band—

Six people.

Yes, the band started with six people, but this year, two had already left, and it seemed like their lead singer had finally reached the end of their rope as well.

Miles hadn't forced anyone. The failure to realize their dream shouldn't be blamed on Miles. He didn't need to take responsibility for their failure.

Taking a deep breath, Lily pulled herself together.

If this was the end, if this was the finale, at least they could smile and rediscover the passion and excitement they had at the beginning.

And then, say goodbye with a smile.

She turned her head and saw the man's back, broad and upright, facing the crowd. Even though she couldn't see his expression, she could feel the ease and confidence emanating from him. His demeanor seemed to carry a kind of persuasive power and charisma. He raised his hands high and spoke out loud.

"I know everyone's time is extremely valuable. Every second you spend here is worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars..."

Collective laughter.

Blair couldn't hold back any longer. "Anson, ahhhh!"

Anson looked over in the direction of the voice, surprised that someone actually recognized him. The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. "Breathe, remember to take deep breaths."

Haha.

Another wave of laughter.

Blair felt like she was about to faint.

But to her surprise, Karen, standing next to her, was also excited. On impulse, she pulled out a portable family camcorder, opened the lens, and aimed it at the group of young people before her.

There was a bit of noise, laughter, and screams, finally attracting the attention of passersby. Slowly but surely, more people hesitated and then stopped to watch—

Could it be a superstar?

Indeed, New York is an incredibly busy city, where even lunchtime is about grabbing something on the go, with no time to stop for entertainment. But at the same time, New York is a city full of splendor, where countless top stars choose to perform. There's never a shortage of surprises.

Busy, still busy; but curious, still curious. Once one's focused world is invaded, the steps come to a halt.

The street was getting more and more lively.

Anson's thoughts were not interrupted and quickly returned to the moment.

"So, to make sure the time you've stopped here is worth every penny, the performance is starting now. I hope you can steal a moment of leisure in your busy day and then continue to tackle those multimillion-dollar deals with a lighter step."

Another burst of laughter.

This time, there were even a few whistles.

Anson turned to look at the three young people, some nervous, some excited, their emotions a mix of different feelings. Then, he looked each of them in the eye.

A simple exchange of glances calmed the chaotic emotions, refocusing them on the performance.

Smiles crept onto their faces.

"Ready to party together?"

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Unconsciously, Lily and Connor exchanged glances, then both looked at Miles. The lighthearted and joyful smiles returned to all three of their faces.

Miles nodded. He was ready.

Lifting his head, Miles looked at Anson—

All around them, there was a cacophony of noises: engine sounds, the clamor of voices, the rumble of the subway. Even though the instruments were connected to speakers, were they really sure about this?

Anson gave Miles a reassuring look.

Miles took a deep breath, straightened his back, opened his shoulders, and took his stance. He placed the bow on the strings and began to play, producing a melody that was both graceful and cold.

The enchanting melody flowed like moonlight, but it wasn't classical music. It was a simple, smooth chord progression, no different from the pop music everyone was familiar with. This contrast left the crowd stunned, some surprised and others delighted, but mostly full of questions.

… What's going on?

The cello was still a cello, but it wasn't just a cello anymore. The instrument before them resembled a guitar more, delivering a deep, rich melody that sank and fell, resonating in the depths of the soul. You could almost feel the strings vibrating deep within, and it sent shivers down the spine.

At first, it was just curiosity.

Then—

A figure appeared. It was Lily.

Lily didn't stand behind the keyboard; instead, she walked around it towards Miles.

Blair: ???

What?

No one understood. This kind of band performance was a first.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lily reached Miles's side. She stood on the right side of the cello, reached out her hands, and began to pluck the rightmost string of the cello—

Thunk!

The sound of the plucked string wasn't clear; it was slightly muddy and heavy. Yet, when combined with Miles's bowing, it created a subtle layering effect. The simple chord progression began to fill out, and this was likely the first time anyone had heard the sound of a cello being plucked.

Wow.

As the audience marveled, Connor appeared, coming to the left side of the cello. He placed his hands on the leftmost string and started plucking as well. The crisp, bright sound merged with the others, adding more layers to the performance. It was as if one instrument had transformed into three, blending into a harmonious whole.

It was incredibly cohesive.

The crowd was filled with admiration, surprise, and disbelief—

Is this really a cello?

But that wasn't all.

Anson made his entrance.

What?

What!

Anson's joining too?

So, where was Anson going to stand? The cello was already fully occupied, wasn't it?

Amid the confusion and exclamations, Anson walked to the front of the cello, then squatted down. He spread his large, slender hands and placed them on the bottom panel of the cello.

Blair's eyes widened, a shocking thought flashing through her mind: No way, no way!

But before she could fully process it, she saw Anson's hands positioned on the panel and the side of the cello's base, treating the wooden surface as a drumhead, and then—

The drumbeat began!

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