As soon as the words left his mouth, Anson couldn't contain his excitement.
In that moment, he felt like he was transported back to before he was 25 in his past life—reckless, wild, and carefree, like the Monkey King causing chaos in the heavens. He did whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, living life in full bloom under the sunlight.
Lily felt the same way.
Originally sitting in the front passenger seat, Lily twisted herself completely around, still strapped in by the seatbelt, to look at the two companions sitting in the back. Her eyes were filled with eagerness and longing, emotions she could no longer hold back.
"A record, Miles!"
"Connor? Say something!"
However, Miles and Connor seemed to be stunned, unsure of how to respond. Their brains stopped working, and they couldn't make a sound.
Anson noticed this.
He thought it was normal.
"I think you should seriously consider it. For me, it's just a small matter, but for you guys, it's not."
Lily froze. "Anson, what are you talking about? We don't have a choice right now."
"Miles, what's wrong? Don't you want to record a real album?"
"Connor, our dream... it's finally coming true."
Anson had to raise his voice, "Lily, we have plenty of time. This isn't a one-time deal. You guys can take some time to think it over."
Lily's face was filled with anxiety.
Anson chuckled, "If you're worried that I'll regret it once I cool down, don't be. Like I said, it's a small thing for me, but it's not for you."
"Hey, think about it."
"I have a fallback. For now, my acting career is going well. I don't need to worry about what's next. I don't care if the record succeeds or fails. Even if no one listens to it, I can still move on with my life."
"And besides, the media probably won't miss out on a story like this."
"Something like a hobby band, or not focusing on your main career—there will be all sorts of rumors. Even if the record is released, it'll face plenty of challenges."
"But you guys are different."
"You don't have a fallback."
"If you choose to record this album, Connor will have to quit his job, Lily won't be able to do any gigs for a while, and Miles would have to leave the symphony. Your absence will definitely cause resistance and discontent. If the album fails, there's no guarantee they'll welcome you back with open arms."
"And more importantly..."
Anson paused slightly.
"You guys have hit a wall before, more than once. If you fail again this time, lighting that spark of hope only to snuff it out, rekindling a dream only to have it shattered—that's the most brutal part."
"So, Lily."
"I know what I'm doing. But are you guys really sure?"
A slight breeze stirred, and the car fell silent.
Hope can be cruel.
Especially when it's ignited, only to be extinguished again. When you touch the dawn and then it vanishes, the journey from hope to despair is the harshest punishment.
Lily's excitement and fervor suddenly froze—
She thought this was great news—Anson was actually willing to form a band with them and record an album. They were finally on the verge of achieving their dreams.
After all, Anson was an actor, the soul of their performances, and his talent had sparked the chemistry their band had been missing. He was the key, and everything hinged on Anson's willingness.
But now, as she calmed down, Lily understood what Anson meant.
Indeed, Anson didn't need to pay any price, but they would have to throw themselves into the fire.
But—
"I'm in," Miles spoke up.
All eyes turned to Miles.
Miles' gaze met Anson's in the rearview mirror for a brief moment.
"Anson, you're right; but you're missing the most important fact."
"Without you, our dreams would've already died."
"We've been wandering the streets for so many years. We've got the passion, the creativity, and the skills, but we never had the chemistry to bring it all together until you came along."
"So, with your talent, you've reignited our dreams. You're not just an optional part; you're not just doing this for fun. You're the soul of the band and our only hope."
"If I refuse, I'd be betraying everything I've stood for all this time."
"We've already failed so many times—what's one more? After all, we're still young right now. If we fail, we can get back up. A few years later, we might not have the strength anymore."
"So while we've still got the strength, I want to give it another shot."
Miles was calm and collected. His words were steady and unassuming, with no dramatic flair, completely different from the way he played the cello. But his simple and sincere words carried the weight of a thousand pounds, pressing heavily on their chests, making their blood boil.
Lily's lips moved slightly—
She admitted to herself that she yearned for this opportunity, even if it meant crashing and burning. But when the words reached her lips, she couldn't bring herself to say them.
Because she realized that if she agreed, all the pressure would fall on Connor.
They all knew what Connor had been through, and she didn't have the right to force him to make a choice.
The words lingered on her tongue, and her gaze became strained.
Connor noticed.
He looked up to meet everyone's eyes, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Lily, if you want to nod, go ahead. We all know how much you want this chance. You're the only one among us who has stuck it out, no matter how hard it's been."
Lily felt her nose start to tingle. "But…"
But without Connor, it wouldn't feel right.
Connor glanced at the rearview mirror, locking eyes with Anson. "I thought I'd come to terms with reality, but I've just been fooling myself. The moment I took leave to come to Los Angeles, I knew I was lying to myself."
"Give up?"
"Heh, even I don't believe that."
"Anson, does your band still need a bassist?"
Lily quickly covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.
Anson paused for a moment. "Actually, we still need a drummer. Can you handle that?"
The car fell silent.
Miles quietly raised his hand. "I could give it a try."
Connor, confused, replied, "Huh?"
Miles looked serious. "We can't put a cello in every song. We need to show what makes the band unique, and that means fully utilizing the instruments. So we should be bold and try different things."
Lily cautiously added, "I can play the banjo."
Connor, with a touch of embarrassment, said, "Uh, actually, before I became a bassist, I was a guitarist. It's just that no one else in the band wanted to play bass…"
"We've heard that story before," Anson quipped, sparking laughter all around.
Excitement, joy, anticipation.
Was this really how dreams came true?
The more it felt real, the more uneasy Lily became. Regaining a bit of her composure, she asked, "What if we record the album and no label wants to release it?"
Anson slowly retorted, "Then you'll all be working off the debt you owe me. Hey, guys, I'm not running a charity here."
"Wait, I thought you were financing it, and you'd take the lion's share of the profits. Naturally, that means you assume the risk, right?"
"Oh no, is it too late to back out now? I thought teaming up with you meant we'd have a guaranteed record deal. I think I've just boarded a sinking ship."
Amid the playful chatter, the car continued on its way into the unknown.
No one could predict the future, but that's precisely what made it so alluring.