章節 598: Listening party
Before leaving Sinai Mountain Hospital, Renly found Annie once again.
Annie was getting her IV, her youthful brows furrowed tightly, clearly showing her pain and the fact that she, too, was a child who had to endure illness and live in the hospital year-round. Yet, she widened her eyes and spoke with determination, "Annie is a strong girl, right? Just like Alex!"
Standing in front of these children, Renly always felt so small and helpless.
After encouraging Annie, Renly took his leave. Alex's surgery was still ongoing. Heart transplantation was no small procedure, lasting anywhere from five to over ten hours. The wait was long and agonizing, but compared to the frail figure lying on the hospital bed, everything else seemed inconsequential.
Sitting on the subway, swaying back and forth amid the bustling crowd, amidst the noise and commotion, people remained entirely strangers to each other. They kept their distance, quietly enjoying the rare silence and tranquility, allowing their jumbled thoughts to settle. Supermarkets were like that, and so was the subway.
Unbeknownst to him, Renly had spent over three hours at Sinai Mountain Hospital. When he emerged from the subway again, the setting sun was casting its slanting rays between the tall buildings, reflecting off the swaying Hudson River as if it might sink at any moment. Renly couldn't help but chuckle; he wondered if Neil and the others would be interested in a nighttime Hudson cruise. Otherwise, it seemed he would have to postpone fulfilling their last bet.
Compared to his own home, Renly was familiar with the roads around Village Vanguard like the back of his hand. There was no need for him to scrutinize the surroundings. He left the subway station and allowed his steps to naturally lead him to his destination. However, the streets seemed unusually crowded today.
When he arrived at Kennedy International Airport earlier in the morning, he thought there were fewer people around, assuming most reporters were heading to Venice and Toronto. But why did it suddenly feel like the crowds had surged? Was it because of rush hour?
Today wasn't even a Saturday. How could there be a rush hour now? As for the weekend's nighttime frenzy, it hadn't fully descended yet. Renly was puzzled.
His confusion didn't dissipate but deepened as he thought about it. This was New York, a city with a population of eight million, where every day and night was filled with countless activities and parties. Different groups, different communities, different classes could always find their moments and spaces. There was nothing strange about that.
Dismissing his doubts, Renly rode his skateboard, making his way towards Village Vanguard. But instead of fewer questions, more arose because the direction the crowds were moving in appeared to match his. Then, Renly witnessed the spectacular scene at the entrance of Village Vanguard.
The line of people extended along the blocks, and at a glance, it seemed to reach the end of the street. The queue continued growing, turning at a corner and spilling onto the adjacent street. Newcomers kept joining, exchanging cheerful greetings as they headed to the end of the line. When they met acquaintances, they inevitably paused, chatted, and laughed. The swollen crowd occupied nearly the entire sidewalk, forcing vehicles to slow down as they had to utilize the roadway.
The scene was ablaze with activity, as if reigniting the heat of midsummer, boiling and roiling.
As far as the eye could see, there were at least two hundred people or more, and sporadically, new arrivals joined the throng. This spectacle, even at the peak moments of New York's most popular clubs and nightlife, was roughly the same in scale, but those moments usually didn't occur until after 10 PM. It was not possible at this time.
The more lively this scene appeared, the more abnormal it felt.
Renly couldn't help but look up at the vast evening sky. Against the indigo backdrop, the lingering radiance of the setting sun continued to burn. Some streetlights in Manhattan had turned on, while others remained off, and the sky bore a deep shade of blue. He hadn't seen it wrong; nighttime had not yet arrived.
What on earth was happening right before his eyes?
Village Vanguard was one of the recommended attractions at the endpoint of New York's City Hall. Not only did it authentically preserve the architectural and decorative styles of the 1930s and 40s, but it also continued the essence of America's golden age of music. This was a testament to New York's artistic history.
However, as a jazz bar, it had already completely declined in contemporary society. Except for a few cities like New York, Memphis, and Nashville, jazz bars had all but disappeared. Even as a "tourist attraction", Village Vanguard had never been particularly popular.
In Renly's memory, Village Vanguard, which could accommodate around eighty to a hundred people, would be considered completely packed if it was filled to capacity. Every time it was because a famous singer came to perform, starting promotions about half a month in advance to attract tourists and fans, along with professional old music enthusiasts, to fill up Village Vanguard.
So, was tonight's grandeur due to a famous singer coming to perform? Norah Jones? Jason Mraz? Taylor Swift? Or perhaps Train?
Renly slowed down, gently riding his skateboard towards the entrance of Village Vanguard. He was searching for promotional posters for the famous singer's performance; the public relations company would surely have provided posters, with the only difference being their scale. However, Renly was disappointed as he couldn't find anything. This only deepened his confusion.
Looking at the people preparing to queue up at the entrance, Renly hesitated. He didn't want to cut in line, so should he enter from the back door?
His thoughts had just emerged, and he hadn't had a chance to ponder them when he heard a shout, "Young Heir!"
"Phew!" It was the sound of someone taking a sharp breath, and the once boisterous street fell completely silent in the blink of an eye. The stark contrast lay in the second half of the queue, where people still chattered and reveled, seemingly oblivious to the unusual silence at Village Vanguard's entrance. This sharp contrast made the silence at the entrance all the more pronounced, as if even the sound of breathing had been snuffed out. Just like snuffing out a cigarette, there wasn't even a wisp of smoke left.
Renly followed the sound and looked over, his eyes showing surprise. "William?"
Standing right in front of him was not William Taylor, but who was it? Not only William, but there were also several familiar faces beside him: Graham Hughes, Hope Bates, and Tessa Britton. All these were familiar faces of movie fans that Renly had seen several times before, making a deep impression on him.
However, they appeared at Village Vanguard, and Renly couldn't help but wonder why. This wasn't a movie premiere or an evening of classic films at an art house. Were they here for sightseeing? Did it have nothing to do with him?
"Is there any event here tonight?" Renly casually asked, and he saw the comical and strained expressions on their faces. It was hard to tell whether they were laughing or crying. They all exchanged glances, which made Renly chuckle. "What's going on? Is there some special event that requires cosplay?"
Tessa, who was standing nearby, couldn't resist taking a step forward. "Young Heir, weren't you coming to participate in tonight's event?"
This exchange left Renly even more puzzled. "Is there something special happening that I should know about? During my three-week vacation in the Caribbean, I felt a bit disconnected from the world's developments."
"Renly, Renly!" Janis Black, who had been submerged in the crowd, finally noticed Renly's presence. She waved enthusiastically. "Why did you come over? Nathan said you were vacationing in Cuba. Did you rush back just for this? Is there something inside, like people looking for me?"
This joke made Janis burst into laughter, but the others nearby didn't seem to catch on. Their faces remained frozen in astonishment, their eyes bright as they stared at Renly, unmoving and utterly silent, as if they feared that any noise would shatter the dream and wake them up to reality.
"You don't know?" Janis finally realized what was happening and muttered, "I can't believe Nathan didn't mention it to you." She then explained, "After your album was officially released, Stanley and Neil were over the moon. They've been talking about it every day at the bar, getting more excited as they went. Last week, they thought, 'Why not attract more genuine music lovers to come and share and discuss together?' So, Neil posted an event on Facebook, inviting those who genuinely love your music to come to the bar and hold a listening party for "Don Quixote"."
Renly opened his mouth, trying to make a comment, but found himself at a loss for words.
Janis tapped her head. "I forgot all about it. They said they wouldn't invite you; it was just for fans to connect. I guess that's why Nathan didn't mention it. Why did you come today?"
"I just got back from vacation today because I have to go to the film festival in Toronto next week," Renly replied, looking back at the long queue in disbelief. "So, you mean all these people came specifically for my album?"
Not for Renly himself, but solely for "Don Quixote"? It sounded like something out of a fairy tale.
"You should ask them for the specific details. But, if I'm not mistaken, yes, that's exactly it," Janis said with a playful smile, teasing Renly about his bewilderment and surprise. Then she patted his shoulder. "Since you're here, let's join in. Stanley and the others definitely won't mind." With that, Janis herself burst into laughter and pushed Renly into Village Vanguard.
As William and the others remained at the entrance, they exchanged glances and then collectively exclaimed, "Ah!"
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