Mike happened to walk over from nearby, but he was already used to such scenes and wasn't surprised at all.
His arrival was primarily due to a phone call he had just received. Unfortunately, a piece of news came through: the two rock bands originally scheduled to arrive this afternoon had both encountered unforeseen issues.
No one was injured, but in the phone call, they had explicitly explained their difficulties to Mike, stating that they probably wouldn't be able to arrive on time tonight.
Mike understood the underlying meaning of their words. The phrase "unable to arrive on time" essentially meant that it was highly probable they wouldn't make it at all.
Cao Baiming's face flashed with a hint of helplessness upon hearing this.
The reason he had invited these two bands was precisely because they were his personal favorites. It wasn't that he couldn't afford others, but these unexpected events were too sudden, and the other party hadn't explained the situation at all.
What was most unfortunate was that both bands had encountered problems at the exact same time. It was too coincidental.
"This evening alone is twenty million yuan in performance fees. They wouldn't be foolish enough to refuse such a thing, would they?"
"They probably wouldn't. Although they didn't mention the specific difficulties, it must be something unavoidable. Otherwise, no normal person would refuse a gig paying twenty million yuan for a single night."
"Indeed, indeed. If I had that job, I'd gladly do it for a lifetime," Wu Xue chimed in.
Thinking about it carefully, it did seem to be the case. These people were already somewhat famous. Even when touring around the world, the most expensive performances, lasting several hours, would only fetch them a little over a hundred thousand yuan.
This evening, there was no need for continuous performance, no exhausting hours. Just twenty million yuan in wages. As long as their minds were intact, they should be able to appreciate the benefits.
"Alright, alright, I won't think about it anymore. Tonight, I'll be the center of attention for the entire event!"
Cao Baiming said confidently, pulling Wu Xue into his embrace.
"What do you think? We can have a duet. I'll play the piano and you sing, wouldn't that be perfect?"
A blush spread across Wu Xue's face, and a smile bloomed.
"Okay, if you hadn't mentioned it, I might have forgotten that I used to be a music streamer!"
"That's exactly what I'm saying! You're a professional, too. We don't need anyone else to join this party. We have everything we need!"
The afternoon passed quickly as numerous helpers arranged everything. The necessary preparations were soon completed, and the sky had not yet begun to darken.
"Not bad, we're even ahead of schedule."
In the span of an afternoon, a once-empty street, a common thoroughfare, had been transformed into the backyard of a luxurious villa. Colorful lights, sound systems, and various other equipment were set up around the area.
Surrounding the expanse of water, fireworks were prepared to be set off at precisely midnight. For everyone who would soon arrive, and those who hadn't yet, this would be a pleasant surprise, as currently, besides the staff and Cao Baiming himself, no one else knew about this.
Looking at everything around him, Cao Baiming felt a surge of emotion. Tonight, it should be an unforgettable evening for everyone who had come. It wasn't just his birthday; tonight, every single person present was meant to be happy and joyful.
Cao Baiming turned and walked towards the sea. Mike managed almost all aspects of the event, and only a few final preparations remained. The agreed-upon time was exactly six in the evening, and there was still well over an hour to go.
As he walked forward, the scent of the sea grew stronger and clearer with each step, accompanied by the distinct sound of waves crashing against the water.
While the sea itself wasn't entirely his, the area he had leased encompassed everything by the shore. That stretch of beach could certainly be considered part of the area he had purchased.
Taking one step forward, then another, the ground beneath his feet gradually transitioned from firm to soft. Looking down, he realized he had unknowingly walked onto the beach.
The sand grains rubbed together, making a soft rustling sound. The fine sand on this beach was very pale, appearing dazzling under the sun. However, it was now close to dusk.
The sun was about to set. Coincidentally, this part of the beach faced west, offering a perfect view of the sunset.
Upon reflection, this wasn't entirely fortunate. A place where one could see the sunset naturally meant one couldn't see the sunrise. There was always a trade-off; one couldn't have everything in the end.
Cao Baiming squatted down, gently cupped a small handful of sand, and watched the grains sift through his fingers and back onto the palm of his hand. He had never seen such fine, soft sand.
It was as if it were a jewel meticulously crafted by the Creator, offering a unique joy only to those who could truly appreciate beauty.
He stood up again and took a step forward. At that moment, he noticed a small sand pit had formed beneath his feet.
The pit was neither too large nor too small, fitting his foot perfectly. In its center, a small pool of water had even formed.
He recalled a football award called the Golden Foot award, a prize that even Messi had never won. However, the prestige of this award seemed somewhat limited.
Winners had their footprints permanently etched onto a golden plaque. The thought of it made him feel a bit awkward.
Not far ahead, there was a piece of discarded wooden board. If pieced together, it could serve as a temporary, simple stool. If possible, it would surely be more comfortable than sitting directly on the sand.
Cao Baiming walked directly towards it without hesitation. Suddenly, in that very moment, the sky changed.
Just then, the sun was obscured by a cloud, and through reflection, it seemed to cast the light of sunset prematurely. The sky ahead had already turned a fiery orange-red, and the sea surface mirrored this glow.
The entire atmosphere seemed to have been dyed with color. Without any prior warning, the sunset had arrived ahead of schedule.
At this moment, the scene was breathtakingly beautiful.