**Chapter 418: A Little Display of Skill**

"Welcome!"

It was clear that Jared Reno hadn't noticed Hayden, nor did he realize that Hayden and Anson knew each other. He continued with the show as usual, naturally easing into the program.

Jared Reno didn't step forward, but he stood behind his dark brown wooden desk, extending his right hand to greet each of the four guests in turn. He then raised his voice once more, "Thank you for the performance just now. Let's give the band another round of applause."

The entire audience erupted like thunder, a roar as powerful as a tidal wave.

Blair finally found her "comfort zone," where she could shout out a name without restraint and completely lose herself in the moment.

"Anson! Ahhhh!"

"Anson!"

Her heart-wrenching scream blended seamlessly into the rumbling applause, allowing her to shout out her wildest, boldest thoughts without fear of embarrassment or shyness.

With a quick glance, Blair saw Karen's helpless expression. But when their eyes met, they both burst into carefree laughter.

Then, Blair screamed even more wildly, seizing the opportunity to pour out all her thoughts.

Miles had once performed at Carnegie Hall, where the applause was calm, polite, and enthusiastic; but the cheers before him now were frenzied, bold, and explosive. The rush of energy lifted his heart as if it were walking on clouds, with no sense of reality.

It was overwhelming, surging.

Finally, Jared Reno managed to regain control of the situation. The applause and screams slightly subsided—

"Anson, marry me!"

A scream suddenly erupted like thunder out of nowhere.

Whoosh.

All eyes turned to Blair.

Blair froze, taking a moment to realize what had happened, her body stiffening. "Oh, Jesus Christ, why are you doing this to me? Is this what they call joy turning into sorrow?"

Whoosh.

All eyes then turned to Anson.

Just as Anson was about to sit down, he turned back and looked at Blair. "How much are your assets?"

One second, two seconds—

Laughter exploded.

A tidal wave of laughter.

This joke had a bit of history.

In 1996, during the Wimbledon tennis championships, the world's number one female singles player and one of the greatest players of all time, Stefanie Graf, was preparing to serve in a match. The entire audience had already fallen silent, ensuring no distractions for the players.

At that moment, in the stillness, a man shouted, "Steffi, will you marry me?"

It was like a thunderclap, causing the entire audience to burst into laughter.

Graf was surprised as well. She paused her serve and shouted back, "How much are your assets?"

Wimbledon's Centre Court erupted into unbelievable applause, laughter, and whistles, marking one of the most iconic moments in the history of competitive sports.

And now?

Anson had cleverly borrowed Graf's classic line in response, showcasing a quick wit that left everyone in awe.

The surge of excitement from the earlier performance had yet to fully subside, and Anson's answer stirred the crowd once more.

Karen glanced at Blair, whose cheeks were now bright red, and joined in with a whistle, "Roar, roar, roar."

The person at the center of it all was now deeply regretting her actions.

Blair wished she could dig a hole and bury herself. She had only been shouting thoughtlessly, not expecting the noise in the room to suddenly quiet down, exposing her. She realized something was off and was about to stop, but the words had already rushed out ahead of her. She truly wished she could swallow her tongue.

But…

The room was filled with whistles and cheers, buzzing with excitement.

Blair took a deep breath, straightened her posture, and mustered the courage to look at Anson. The moment she did, she noticed the slight curve of a smile on his lips.

In an instant, her cheeks turned so red they could almost fry an egg.

At that moment, Blair's only consolation was that Anson didn't know who she was. Thank God!

Meanwhile, Jared Reno watched the whole scene unfold, a trace of surprise and delight flashing in his eyes.

This was a talk show, a program meant to be lighthearted and humorous.

A show relying solely on the host's efforts often fell flat, so Jared Reno needed the guests to respond and interact, creating sparks.

Anson's response was not only clever but also witty.

First, Jared Reno was impressed by the band's performance; now, he was pleasantly surprised by Anson.

It seemed like the rest of the recording might hold some unexpected surprises.

In the midst of the commotion, Jared Reno joined in with a playful comment, "Make sure to earn a bit more."

It was clear he was addressing Blair.

The audience burst into laughter.

Blair, now in a state of resigned despair, gave up resisting and went with the flow. Instinctively, she raised her hand and mimed counting money with her fingers.

Only a small portion of the audience caught this gesture, but those who did found it absolutely hilarious, causing another round of giggles and snickers, further enlivening the atmosphere.

Finally, Jared Reno made an inviting gesture, directing the four young musicians to take their seats on the four high stools to his right.

The seating had been arranged before the recording, with Anson closest to Jared Reno, followed by Lily, Miles, and Connor, sitting in a row.

After a brief pause, Jared Reno wore a puzzled expression.

"Wait, let me get this straight—you still haven't released an album?"

This question?

Anson immediately understood what Jared Reno was getting at and chuckled, "That's right, we haven't."

As expected, Jared Reno raised both hands in mock disappointment, "Can someone tell me what's wrong with record companies today? We need this kind of music."

The studio echoed with a mix of laughter and cheers, and the atmosphere heated up instantly.

Just as it seemed Jared Reno had taken control of the conversation, Anson unexpectedly added, "But that's also the reason we're here, so I'm not complaining."

Jared Reno, surprised by Anson's follow-up, asked, "Oh, why's that?"

Anson spread his hands, "An indie rock band with an album? I don't think 'The Tonight Show' would be interested. The reason we're here is precisely because we haven't released an album yet. The sequence may be a bit mixed up, but I really have no complaints."

One second, two seconds…

Laughter exploded.

To be honest, Blair was still a bit shy and embarrassed, her heart racing like a drum. Even a few seconds weren't enough to calm her down.

But she soon realized there was no need to calm down—her thoughts were immediately swept back into the conversation. Anson seemed to have this charm, effortlessly capturing attention—at least Blair's.

Blair couldn't help but think of the Emmy Awards ceremony. It was Anson's first major award show, yet he had stolen the spotlight.

And now, the same thing was happening.

Blair had no time to dwell on her earlier embarrassment, as she was already laughing along with the studio audience, thoroughly amused by Anson's response.

Karen's eyes were wide with disbelief as she silently mouthed to Blair, "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God."

No words were needed for Blair to understand. Karen had initially thought Anson was just a musician—a handsome musician, but one of those quirky geniuses with a unique, hard-to-understand personality. However, after just one introduction, her preconceived notions had been completely shattered.

Surprise, pure surprise!