Chapter 137: Meet by chance
"Apologies, it seems like there's been a misunderstanding," Renly set aside the keyboard, stood up, and turned to the owner of the legitimate street performance booth with an apologetic expression.
Ed Sheeran seemed momentarily lost, staring at Renly, and after a three-beat delay, he exclaimed, "Renly Hall? Jesus Christ." Ed covered his mouth, eyes full of disbelief. He took two steps back as he cursed profusely. Then he realized he had been impolite and hurriedly moved forward, "I really love your music, no, I mean, it's okay, it's an honor to play with you. No, I mean, "Cleopatra" is just fantastic, it's rekindled my creative drive. No, no, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you earlier..."
Ed was at a loss for words, breathless as he rambled on, and then he looked at Renly, panting. "Do I look like a lunatic, right?"
Renly couldn't help but find this amusing. "Lunatic? No; Neurotic? Yes." His response caused Ed to exclaim in frustration, and he lowered his head to self-reflect, "You like my music? If I didn't mishear just now, should I be proud now?"
"Haha." Ed laughed heartily. "Of course, definitely, for sure! Not just "Cleopatra", but also the "Ophelia" you just performed... Jesus Christ!" Ed covered his cheeks with both hands. "I'm an idiot, absolutely an idiot. The style and lyrics of "Ophelia", they're clearly in the same vein as "Cleopatra", and I didn't even realize it. God, I must look like a complete fool now! I should've recognized you sooner. I mean, the lyrics of "Cleopatra" have given me so much inspiration; I'm truly madly in love with that song... Wait a minute, did we just play "Cleopatra" together?"
Ed's thoughts were jumping around, and Renly grinned, nodding. "That's why I stopped. Otherwise, what do you think?" The teasing tone went right over Ed's head. Instead, he began to pace in a manner akin to ants on a hot pan, one circle after another. Occasionally, he'd raise his head to glance at Renly, then he'd give his forehead a good slap, looking frustrated.
"Are you planning on continuing to circle around here, or are you going to properly count our earnings from earlier?" Renly pointed at the box in front of them, which was about a third full, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course, of course." Ed finally stopped, and suddenly he remembered something. He extended his right hand, "Ed Sheeran, sorry, I should introduce myself."
"Pleasure to meet you, Ed," Renly shook his hand amiably. "You think you're a pretty outstanding singer, and I'm not just saying that."
That was the truth. In his previous life, Renly had truly enjoyed Ed's music, from his first album when Ed was still relatively unknown, all the way to his most recent album that had just come out when Renly was reborn. Ed's albums were consistently well-crafted, mostly folk and pop. He wasn't an exceptional vocalist – in fact, he often missed notes during live performances – but his lyrics were beautifully poignant. They could inject captivating emotions into a song, easily touching every listener.
However, Ed believed that Renly was just being polite. Even so, he couldn't help but want to scream, his hands clenching into fists to prevent himself from losing control. "God, God, God!" He could hardly believe he was conversing with Renly, and that Renly had complimented him. Even more unbelievable, they had just performed together. "Thank you, that means a lot to me."
Although Renly only had the song "Cleopatra" to his name, he was far from being a long-established artist, not even a recognized independent musician. He could be considered a crossover artist who occasionally dabbled in music. After all, Renly's primary profession was acting. Yet, none of this diminished Ed's admiration for him.
It wasn't just about the music itself, but also the life attitude hidden in the lyrics, as well as Renly's actual way of living. That modern troubadour stance was precisely the kind of aspiration Ed held. "You remind me of Don Quixote, I mean, in terms of the level of meaning in praising." Ed's thoughts were a jumbled mess. All the countless thoughts he usually had seemed unable to be fully expressed right now.
"Haha, Don Quixote." Renly contemplated it for a moment. "Honestly, I'd say that's a compliment too."
It wasn't about the music; it was about their performances. Everyone thought he couldn't do it, everyone stood against him, yet he walked down that path without hesitation, much like Don Quixote challenging the windmills on his own.
"From your accent, shouldn't you be pursuing a music career in London? How did you end up in Los Angeles?" Renly was quite sensitive to accents. He couldn't discern it in his previous life, but he could now. There was still a strong Yorkshire flavor in Ed's accent. And Renly was genuinely curious. Wasn't Ed supposed to have risen in the UK? The song "The A-Team" had made quite an impact on the UK charts.
Ed shrugged. "London, you know, the class structure there is too rigid. I stayed there for a year and gained nothing." Ed could naturally hear Renly's London accent. As Ed said, the entire art scene in the UK was strict. While cases of grassroots transformation into stars existed, especially with the advent of shows like "The X Factor" and "Britain's Got Talent", they were still few and far between. "So, I thought I'd come to LA and try my luck." Ed cautiously pointed at Renly. "Just like you."
Renly and Ed had different reasons for coming to the US, but there was no need to explain so much. It could be considered a different path leading to the same destination. "So, how's the luck?"
"Phew..." Ed let out a long breath. "I got here in April. I've been doing opening acts at various bars, but... I'm still searching for my opportunity."
Though he hadn't revealed much, Renly could sense the frustration in Ed's words. It reminded him of those independent artists back in Village Vanguard. "If you have the time, you're welcome to come to New York." Renly searched his pockets and then realized he didn't have anything on him except the six dollars and one cent in change from the hamburger he had just bought. Not to mention his business card. "Village Vanguard, in Greenwich Village. I work there, and there are performances every night..."
"Yes, I know it." Ed took over the conversation and noticed Renly's inquiring gaze. He hastened to explain, "I watched your videos on YouTube and did some research." This was also one of the significant reasons why he admired Renly. Stripped of its commercial attributes, he was simply singing at Village Vanguard. The rebelliousness, pride, and freedom ingrained in his blood resonated with the lyrics of "Cleopatra", vividly portraying the image of Renly in Ed's mind—the image he so admired.
What Ed didn't mention was that he had always wanted to visit Village Vanguard. It wasn't just because of Renly, but also because it was a stage that countless independent singer-songwriters aspired to. However, his financial constraints prevented him from having enough funds to make the journey from coast to coast to New York.
"Feel free to come to Village Vanguard anytime. Uh... I should be back there by late September," Renly had initially wanted to say he would be back tomorrow, but then he remembered the upcoming Toronto Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival. Thus, he corrected himself, "After that, if nothing unexpected happens, I should be around."
Ed tried to maintain some composure, but the broad smile on his face betrayed his true emotions. "Sure, I mean, okay, perfect, absolutely, definitely." Before he rambled on any further, Ed quickly changed the topic. "We should count tonight's earnings. I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but it's an honor for me to perform with you tonight."
"The honor is mine," Renly said sincerely.
Though inwardly he couldn't help but mock, it really was Los Angeles. One brick could smash out two stars, or perhaps future stars. As the global entertainment center, everyone with dreams surged toward this city like waves, carrying with them the aura of the "star dream" or what could be called the "American dream". Impulsive, naked, direct, and unfiltered.
Comparatively, Renly still preferred New York.
"Renly?" A hesitant call sounded, and Renly looked up to see three young people standing before him. They looked like high school students. He recognized their faces; they had been dancing gracefully in the crowd earlier.
Before Renly could ask, two of the boys unfurled banners in their hands. The words written on them caught his eye: "Renly Hall, My Ideal Male Lead!"
Caught off guard, Renly froze. Even though it was already the case that quite a few people could recognize him, even call out his name, even though he had won an Emmy Award tonight, proving that he had knocked on the doors of Hollywood; even though it had been over a year since he transitioned from "The Pacific" to "Buried" and truly became an actor... tonight, at this moment, he was truly seeing his fans, fans who supported him.
The mix of authenticity and artifice hit him hard, striking at his heart. He opened his mouth, but found his words pallid, even more overwhelming than when Tina Fey announced the award winner, his voice caught in his throat.
"Renly, your performance in the series is truly outstanding! You're a born actor! Not only because you've given brilliant performances, but also because of the effort you put into studying acting. I really like you! No, to be precise, I really admire you! Please keep going, okay?"
Hope realized that the prepared script in her mind was completely useless at this moment. She had perused Vanity Fair and saw how actors like Rami and James from the same show had praised Renly without end. They mentioned the hardships and challenges during filming. That was the true reason that solidified her as a fan. She had written a piece specifically, recording all the sentiments she wanted to express, but tonight, she couldn't recall any of it.
"Renly! You were born for acting!" Hope shouted loudly, her slightly trembling voice revealing her inner excitement.
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Shallowman
Shallowman The song of the chupster is "Mind Enterprises - Idol"
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