Chapter 524: Interesting People, Interesting Events

In the morning, Xia Yu was engrossed in work, with Li Qian silently assisting him. Whenever she had nothing to do, she would read by the side.

Realizing that they had been so busy recently and hadn't had a proper break, Xia Yu suggested to Li Qian that they take a stroll along the Thames River after lunch to enjoy the scenery on both banks.

It was snowing lightly today, and viewing the scenery in the snow promised a unique pleasure.

Li Qian was delighted when Xia Yu suggested a snowy walk, her cheeks flushed with happiness.

Given that Hong Kong is in the tropics, it was likely that Li Qian had never had the chance to enjoy the snow before, which made her reaction quite understandable.

On the banks of the Thames River, there were several notable landmarks: the statue of Admiral Nelson, Westminster Abbey where many great British figures were buried, St. Paul's Cathedral with its Renaissance style, the Tower of London that witnessed dark times in British history, the Tower Bridge with its liftable bridge deck, and the iconic Elizabeth Tower, known as Big Ben.

The Thames estuary was usually filled with busy commercial ships, while the upper reaches of the river were renowned for their serene beauty.

Therefore, Xia Yu and Li Qian decided to start their walk from the upper reaches to better enjoy the scenery along the river. They would go as far as they could, and if necessary, they would split the journey into two or three parts.

Along the way, Li Wuming and others kept a bit of distance from Xia Yu and Li Qian, with their vehicle following slowly behind. Xia Yu and Li Qian strolled hand in hand along the Thames.

Whenever they came across interesting or beautiful spots, they would stop to appreciate them. The carefree nature of their outing, combined with Li Qian's melodious laughter, put Xia Yu in a very relaxed mood.

As they were leaving Westminster Abbey, they noticed that a temporary stage with a canopy had been set up in the spacious Parliament Square. A crowd had gathered around the stage, where a young man was playing the piano.

Li Qian, who was holding Xia Yu's arm, became curious. She blinked and said, "Xia Yu, it looks like there's a piano performance. Let's go have a look."

"Sure, let's go!" Xia Yu replied gently, and he followed Li Qian's eager request.

When they got closer, Xia Yu could tell within ten seconds that the piano on stage was a fine instrument, but the young performer's skills were mediocre. He shook his head slightly, but seeing Li Qian listening with curiosity, Xia Yu also relaxed and continued to observe.

Soon, the young man finished his performance, and the applause from the audience was sparse. The young man left the stage with a look of disappointment, and the host stepped up to speak.

From the host's explanation, Xia Yu learned that the local piano store was holding an event to promote their latest model of Steinway piano, which was the very piano available for anyone to play.

The rules of the event were interesting. The piano store had put up a top-of-the-line model, and anyone could volunteer to perform. A decibel meter was suspended in the center of the stage, and there was a five-meter audience circle. After the performance, the audience could applaud voluntarily.

If the decibel meter recorded applause exceeding 90 decibels, the performer would win the piano.

Of course, there was only one piano. If multiple performers achieved over 90 decibels, the one with the highest score would win, unless the first-place performer gave up, in which case the second-place person would automatically win.

Given the difficulty of achieving 90 decibels from a distance of five meters, due to various influencing factors, it was a challenging task.

Perhaps performer A might have more luck and a larger audience, resulting in louder applause, while performer B might face fewer audience members, even with an equally good performance, resulting in less applause.

But sometimes, isn't luck also a part of skill? Those with confidence and skill could seize the opportunity when there were more people around!

"No, what's happening? It's been two minutes and no one has come up. Ladies and gentlemen, aren't you brave enough to give it a try? Play a song for your beloved and show your endless love."

The host said into the microphone, casting a subtle glance towards a specific spot.

Xia Yu was surprised to find that the host was looking in the direction near him.

Xia Yu's keen observation allowed him to quickly shift his attention to a group of five or six handsome young men and beautiful young women nearby.

A very handsome young man with blonde hair and blue eyes said to one of the most beautiful and tall young women with long black wavy hair, "Elena, you are the piano princess of Oxford. If you go up and perform, I'm sure you will receive the warmest applause."

"Yes, Elena, I also want to hear you play a piece that belongs to heaven," another young man said with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Among their group, all three boys admired Elena. Unfortunately, her remarkable status meant they could only strive to impress her.

Not only did they like Elena, but at Oxford University, those who admired her could line up from the main gate to the dormitory.

Today, they had finally managed to invite Elena and a few other girls out under the guise of a club gathering, so they wanted to make the most of the opportunity.

However, they were all members of the piano club and admitted that their piano skills were not as good as Elena's. Although they were eager to impress her, they maintained a gentlemanly demeanor and politely encouraged Elena to perform.

Elena, with a faint smile on her lips, shook her head slightly, making her intentions clear.

At this moment, one of Elena's pretty friends subtly glanced at one of the blonde boys. Although she was quite jealous, she did not show it. Instead, she encouraged, "Three handsome gentlemen, don't you all admire the beautiful Princess Elena? Seize the opportunity!"

Upon hearing her friend's words, Elena's expression changed slightly. She shot a reproachful look at her friend and said with mild dissatisfaction, "Martha, what are you doing?"

Martha, though unhappy, quickly smiled and said, "Elena, if I don't say this, they might not have the courage to go up."

Martha's sudden intervention surprised Elena and the other boys, but one exception was the blonde young man who had spoken first.

While the other two boys were still reacting, he placed his hand on his chest, bowed slightly to Elena, and said, "Elena, I've had a piece prepared for you for a long time. Please give me your guidance."

Without waiting for Elena to respond, he walked briskly toward the stage, leaving the other two boys astonished.

"Oh~ A young and handsome gentleman is going up. Let's look forward to his performance."

"May I ask, sir, could you introduce yourself?"

The host inquired.

"Of course!"

"I am Anthony, a student from Oxford University. I came out today with my friends and am honored to participate in your event."

Anthony answered politely, with a demeanor that impressed the audience. It seemed he came from an aristocratic family.

"So what gave you the courage to perform on stage?"

The host asked curiously.

"It is the most beautiful goddess in my heart who gave me boundless courage. Today, I have a piece I've been preparing for years to play for her."

"Wow…"

Anthony smiled gently, glancing at Elena, while everyone followed his gaze.

Immediately, the two boys who came with Anthony clenched their fists, while Elena, who stood out, maintained a smile due to her upbringing. However, Xia Yu, who was close by, could detect a cold and even angry look in her eyes.

Of course, Elena's friend Martha also had a somewhat different attitude. Although she concealed it well, it did not escape Xia Yu's keen observation.

"Interesting, a lot of scheming…"

Xia Yu couldn't help but smile and murmured to himself.

Xia Yu realized that the host and Elena's friend Martha were part of Anthony's scheme. The event was likely staged deliberately. He had initially wondered why the piano store would spend so much, but now it made sense.

However, for Elena, who was so meticulously planned for, Xia Yu could accept this.

Even from Xia Yu's perspective, Elena was indeed impressive. With her jet-black hair and extremely fair skin, such beauty was rare in Britain. She also exuded a subtle elegance that reminded Xia Yu of Snow White.

Elena's demeanor suggested she was from an aristocratic family.

At this moment, the host on stage stopped talking, and Anthony, with his blonde hair and blue eyes, sat at the piano stool and began to set the mood. The surrounding audience fell silent.