The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 1824 Dissolution and Disintegration
Theo was there, but he was slowly sinking, at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Jasper noticed, and clearly, Theo wasn't joking this time. "Hey buddy, are you okay?" A hint of genuine concern showed in his eyes.

Theo didn't speak, his brows furrowed, as if he were struggling with himself. The pain stole all his attention, and the world around him became blurred.

Theo raised his right hand to cover half of his face, trying to hide it, but his trembling fingertips betrayed his disheveled state and struggle.

"Uh, it's alright." Theo took a full beat to answer, trying to force a smile, but there wasn't a trace of a smile on his upturned lips.

"I've had some tinnitus ever since the explosion."

Jasper kept staring at Theo, who tried to look Jasper in the eye as a way of letting him know he was alright.

However, things didn't go as planned; Theo couldn't help but dodge and shift his gaze, his eyes wandering aimlessly.

He felt he might lose control of the situation and inadvertently revealed his genuine struggle.

Jasper noticed.

He stared intently at Theo, a flicker of struggle and pain in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant, almost before he could even reveal it.

Compared to Theo, Jasper has experienced much more over the years. He has long since learned to control himself and live each day as if it were his last.

If Theo doesn't want to be discovered, then he'll play along.

Jasper flashed a smile, neither exaggerated nor unrestrained, just right, and raised his hands high, as if preparing to celebrate the party.

"Oh, in that case, you wouldn't mind playing some Zen music, would you?"

Zen?
Theo was taken aback.

Before Theo could react, Jasper picked up the remote control, pressed a button, and a melody began to flow from the speakers—

Death metal rock.

The bass and drums intertwined and collided, and a voice screamed, "Ahhhhhh... Ohhhhhhh..."

Theo was completely dumbfounded.

Jasper stood up, grabbed his air guitar, and started playing wildly, even mimicking the pose of a rock band lead singer by tossing his long hair around.

Theo: ...

Ha. Hahahaha.

This time it was genuine, because it was so unexpected and amazing that it made people doubt their eyes. Theo chuckled as he looked at the scene before him.

Then, Theo took his feet off the coffee table, spread them apart, and used the chessboard, tea set, cookie box, and other items on the coffee table as a drum set.

Bang. Bang bang bang bang bang.

Theo joined Jasper and began to play along with the music.

Emmanuel looked at the figure in the video through the camera lens, an indescribable sadness welling up in his heart. He slowly raised his head, looked away from the camera, and gazed at Anson, who was so close to him, with his own eyes.

Emmanuel couldn't see Michael Kane because Kane was behind him; he only knew that Kane was making very large movements and was clearly enjoying himself. But he could clearly see Anson.

Anson was smiling, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned. He closed his eyes, not to hide himself, but to plunge into the torrent of musical notes, indulging himself in it.

It's a release, and it's also enjoyment.

The louder the noise, the lonelier the loneliness; the more crowded, the more isolated; the more joyful, the more sorrowful. As children, we often couldn't understand the adult world. Happiness was happiness, and sadness was sadness—everything was so simple and clear-cut. How could one be sad when happy? And how could one feel happy when sad? These are two emotions that shouldn't be confused.

Until one day I suddenly realized that things were not so simple. Life is full of bittersweet experiences, with laughter mixed with tears.

The sadness and bitterness hidden behind a smile are the most hurtful.

Theo was just like that, as if he were in a sea of ​​people, noisy and bustling, but all he could see were unfamiliar faces. In the midst of revelry and unrestrained joy, those faces gradually blurred and turned into a halo. The happiness and joy had nothing to do with him. In this vast world, he seemed to have no place to belong. He drifted in the sea of ​​people, letting himself get lost in the crowded torrent, drifting towards the unknown.

Extreme loneliness, extreme sorrow, strike the heart instantly, leaving one utterly defenseless.

As I laughed... bitterness began to seep in.

Unconsciously, Emmanuel stood still, immersed in the melody, savoring the bitter taste in his mouth.

"Card!"

Alfonso's voice came from behind, finally ending the filming. A buzzing sound filled the air, and a jumble of emotions pounded against my eardrums.

Emmanuel didn't immediately come to his senses. He could see Anson open his eyes, the corners of his mouth turn up in a smile, and he exhaled a breath of fresh air.

That was Theo, but it was also Anson.

Anson continued to play the air drum kit, his smile blooming freely. All the repression and confusion were released in the rock beats, breaking the fourth wall. Illusion and reality were seamlessly connected. In a second, he returned from the story to reality, but he was still releasing and enjoying himself, dancing alone.

He was laughing, completely undisguised. The relief and relaxation in his smile revealed the repression hidden deep within his soul, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Emmanuel froze, standing there blankly, staring intently at Anson.

Perhaps he never truly understood Anson.

Or to be more precise, he consistently refused to understand Anson because the rumors and stereotypes blinded him to the conclusions he was forced to draw, and he assumed he already knew enough, that he already knew everything that needed to be known, and that he didn't need to learn anything more.

He wasn't even willing to try. He had already made up his mind before even making contact. No matter what Anson did or how he did it, he could extract the corresponding negative labels from his own stereotypes and attach them to him. He didn't give Anson a chance at all. He had already pronounced his judgment early on and refused to change.

until now.

"Cut. Emmanuel, filming is over." Alfonso walked up and patted Emmanuel on the shoulder.

Emmanuel finally snapped out of her daze, lowering her head to hide her emotions, but she didn't have time to respond to Alfonso. She looked at Anson again, her eyes revealing a hint of confusion and turmoil.

Guilt. Shame. Regret. Remorse.

A variety of flavors wafted across his tongue, but Emmanuel didn't know how to express them. The turmoil in his mind made him feel particularly small and helpless.

A figure flashed past my eyes, and it was none other than... Michael Caine.

Michael Caine stepped forward, patted Anson on the shoulder, said nothing, simply raised his right hand, and waited patiently.

Anson paused for a moment, then raised his right hand and gave Michael Kane a high five.

Michael Caine seemed quite content as he swayed back. Without a word, it was clear he was in a good mood. His body was swaying to the rhythm, tapping out the beat with his body, twisting and turning like Shin-chan, though it wasn't quite the elephant dance.

Alfonso leaned over the coffee table and gave Anson a high five, the usually shy and honest man letting out a hearty laugh.

Emmanuel's chaotic thoughts finally settled down. He looked at Alfonso, hesitated slightly, but finally looked at Anson, his thousand words condensed into a simple sentence.

Can we do it again?

(End of this chapter)