After devouring a burger, Renly felt like he had stretched out completely.
During the awards ceremony, his emotions had been too tightly wound, making it hard to notice the subtle changes. As the euphoric dopamine dissipated, his muscles started to relax, and his limbs felt as if they were icy. Now, he was finally recovering. A cup of hot cocoa at this moment would be perfect. But, one shouldn't be too greedy, right?
Sitting there for a moment lost in thought, Renly suddenly felt a bit bewildered. How was he supposed to attend the celebration party for "The Pacific"? He and Andy hadn't discussed this, and his win tonight had been unexpected. Andy was probably just as puzzled. Did he need to take a taxi to the party venue and have someone pay once he arrived? But...wait a minute, the party was in Beverly Hills, right? What was the exact address again?
Renly decided to go back to the Nokia Theatre and find Rami. Then they could go together. But when he stood up, he saw a sea of people at the side entrance, completely impassable. Flashes of light exploded everywhere, turning the night sky as bright as day. He could vaguely see two figures surrounded in the middle, and the shouts of "Sheldon! Sheldon!" were heart-piercing and relentless.
Jim Parsons officially came out as gay while receiving his first Comedy Emmy Award tonight and confessed his love to his boyfriend of three years, Todd Spieak. This caused a sensation at the event, with people coming forward to congratulate him. Now that the awards ceremony had ended, it was time for the reporters and fans to bombard them.
In the center of the flashing lights were probably Jim and Todd.
Renly exhaled softly. It seemed his plan to return the same way was not going to work; he didn't want to wade into that chaotic scene.
Looking left and right, he remembered there was a convenience store on the adjacent street that he could reach when he drove here tonight. The store probably had a payphone and a computer. He could visit the official website of CAA, check Andy's phone number, and give him a call. If he remembered correctly, he should be going in that direction...
"Hey, you, it's you." Renly had only taken a couple of steps when someone called out beside him, "Your trophy, Renly... Hall? This is your trophy, right?"
Renly turned his head and saw a homeless scavenger holding the gleaming golden trophy, offering it to him. Renly felt a bit embarrassed. "Yes, that's my trophy. If you like it, you can have it." Renly raised his hands in surrender, trying to appear generous.
Unexpectedly, the homeless man made a disgusted expression. "It's not made of pure gold. It's worthless. Why would I want it? It's too heavy." And then he threw it over...just tossed it. Renly reflexively caught the trophy with his right hand. "Seems like you did pretty well this year. Keep up the good work next year." With a tone that elder generations use to praise younger ones, he nodded sagely and then left.
Renly was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. The mixed emotions were even more liberating than the moment of winning the award.
The trophy lightly swayed in his hand, and then he headed towards the adjacent street with a skip in his step. In the distance, he could see the "7-11" sign beautifully shifting colors in the neon-lit night, tall palm trees gently swaying in the wind, and the spacious street exuding a kind of tranquility different from the tranquility at the entrance of the Nokia Theatre. Scattered pedestrians strolled leisurely, seeming to purely enjoy the beauty of the night and the gentle breeze. The crowd gathered outside the street-side bars chatted animatedly. The simplicity of everyday life was in stark contrast to the glamor and brightness of the street behind him.
The breeze carried the familiar melody, and the cool guitar strings leapt joyfully. A guy with hair that resembled a bird's nest leaned against the brick wall beside the bar. Musical instruments like a saxophone and a keyboard lay at his feet, and a guitar case was placed before him, with some scattered bills inside. He spoke of the solitude and emptiness of the night with a lonely air. Beneath the dim lights, it was hard to tell whether his hair was blond or red, but he was entirely unaffected. His tender voice was like that of a cat as he softly sang:
[
And I left the footprints, the mud stained on the carpet
And it hardened like my heart did when you left town
But I must admit it, that I would marry you in an instant
Damn your wife, I'd be your mistress just to have you around
]
It was a pleasant surprise, an absolute unexpected delight. The guy was playing "Cleopatra", and it immediately caught Renly's attention. Not only because his own composition was being played, but also because the guy's wandering street performance exuded a carefree style that truly embodied the unique essence of "Cleopatra" as a ballad composed by a wandering poet.
A smile tugged at the corners of Renly's mouth, then it blossomed freely.
Renly's steps came to a halt near the guitar case. He lightly tapped his left wrist with his right hand, creating a crisp sound that harmonized with the guy's guitar strings. Beneath the neon lights of the bar, the sound responded to the melody's call with cheerful leaps and bounds.
The guy looked up at Renly and seemed encouraged. A smile formed at the corners of his mouth as he sang, "When I'm gone, I won't miss out anymore." His soft, bright voice left a lingering, ambiguous note in the night air, carrying a hint of regret, a hint of nostalgia, and a hint of comfort.
The first part came to an end as the guy stopped playing the guitar. He waved at Renly and called out, "Why don't you join me?"
"You don't mind?" Renly asked in surprise. The guy laughed heartily, "Of course not, come on, hurry!"
Looking around briefly, Renly casually placed his trophy inside the guitar case and then sat cross-legged beside it. He placed the keyboard on his lap, confirming the power source, and the introduction to "Cleopatra" flowed naturally from his fingertips. He raised his head and addressed the guy, "Are you ready? For the second section?"
The guy snapped his fingers, excitement and eagerness lighting up his face. Then, both of them began playing at the same time. The original version of "Cleopatra" was composed solely for the guitar, and since Renly had never entered a recording studio, there had been no post-production arrangement. This resulted in the melody being somewhat thin. However, with the guitar as the lead and the keyboard as the background, the layers of the entire score became rich and full, breathing new life into the piece.
Listen, the guy sang loudly, "While the church discouraged, any lust that burned within me..."
The pleasantly warm night breeze carried the boisterous and clamorous neon lights, the intoxication and haze of red wine, as well as the enchanting melodies and poetic essence. Finally, the people outside the bar heard the melody and couldn't help but cast curious glances. They saw the guy singing with all his might, his world-weary voice bursting with boundless energy within the melody. Gradually, the restlessness of the night began to settle down, lingering at the street corner. People stopped in their tracks to admire the scene, and then... they started dancing gracefully.
William Taylor awkwardly raised his hand, attempting to pat Hope Bates' shoulder, but he withdrew his hand just before touching her. He awkwardly consoled her, "There will be another chance. The awards ceremony tonight had way too many people."
"Yeah, even if it weren't for Sheldon, finding Renly wouldn't have been that easy," Graham Hughes also tried his best to console her, but Hope still felt a bit downcast.
They had been waiting by the side entrance earlier, but the fans of "The Big Bang Theory" had swarmed the place. When they saw Jim appear, chaos ensued, and they found themselves swept up in the frenzy. They were like a fragile canoe caught in a storm, unable to hold their ground. After a series of retreats, they ended up at the periphery, unable to get any closer.
In the end, the three of them had to reluctantly give up.
Hope kicked a small pebble on the ground forcefully. She had hoped that since there weren't many people currently interested in Renly, they could get closer to him. She wasn't a crazy fan; she just wanted to tell Renly that his performance was truly outstanding, that he was a natural-born actor. She hoped he would keep up the good work and that she would always support him.
But now, everything had fallen apart. Those damn "The Big Bang Theory" fans!
[
And the only gifts from my Lord were a birth and a divorce
But I've read this script and the costume fits, so I'll play my part
]
The wind carried these lyrics, and Hope suddenly lifted her head. An uncontrollable excitement spread across her face. She liked Renly, not just because of "The Pacific", but also because of "Cleopatra". These lyrics hit her every time, that sense of resignation, that touch of irony, that hint of mockery—stirring a sense of compassion and sorrow.
Hope started running frantically. She knew that wasn't Renly. It was just a street performer, and that wasn't Renly's voice. But it didn't matter; she just wanted to immerse herself in the moment, to thank the street performer for singing this song.
But suddenly, her footsteps came to a halt.
Beneath the neon lights, that radiant smile, seated cross-legged on the ground, unconcerned about his well-pressed and dignified suit. The brightness in his eyes seemed to reflect the myriad stars of the vast universe. In an instant, his clear brow radiated a dazzling brilliance, freezing time, space, radiance, and the wind. Then, her heart contracted intensely.
Before she could react, tears filled her eyes. Hope opened her mouth wide, dumbfounded and disbelieving, rooted in place. She was like a child, completely at a loss, with only that radiant smile in her eyes, as if it could illuminate the entire night sky. "Hope! Hope!" William and Graham panted as they caught up, "Are you okay?" Their concerned voices hadn't even fully reached her when they, too, saw the man playing the lively melody. "Hoo... hoo..." They were out of breath, but apart from the sound of their breathing, there seemed to be no other noise. They could only hear that moving melody calling out:
[
And when I die alone, when I die alone, when I die I'll be on time
]
At this moment, the night was so splendidly unreal, like a fairy tale world, emitting a wondrous and enchanting glow that was both bewildering and intoxicating.