After driving a few blocks away from Times Square, the area started to get more crowded.
Everyone got off the car, Robert and Catherine walked together, Joseph was held in Luke's arms, and Claire jumped and followed Luke, following the increasingly crowded crowd.
The family squeezed to the "Cross of the World", and the street was already crowded with people.
Claire was better off, as she had seen similar situations many times when she participated in charity performances.
Joseph, however, stared wide-eyed over Luke's shoulder, looking down at the densely packed heads around him, and exclaimed, "So many people."
Everyone laughed.
Every New Year, Times Square holds a New Year's Eve performance so that people who come to join in the fun don't have to wait there in boredom.
Soon a singer began performing on a temporary platform extending from the second floor.
Claire stood on tiptoe, leaned close to Luke's ear and shouted, "Guess who's performing this year?"
Luke looked at her smiling face and didn't need to think too much: "Sheila?"
Claire laughed out loud and couldn't help but slap him several times: "Can't you be a little dumber?"
Luke: "I'm really that stupid, do you still love me as your brother?"
Claire: "Yes, it's cuter to be silly."
"You're the cutest." Luke chuckled.
Claire was stunned for a moment, then reacted: "Ah, you are the cutest. No, you are the cutest one!"
Amidst the laughter, Sheila appeared.
As a veteran diva and Batman's rumored girlfriend, her popularity suddenly rebounded this year and she received overwhelming welcome.
However, there were too many bored people who just wanted to watch the show, and the name changed from "Sheila" to "Batman", as if they wanted to summon Batman in this way.
Unfortunately, they don’t have bat lights, so they are destined to just think about it.
Sheila began her performance calmly, she was used to these people putting her together with Batman. Her repeated denials were of no avail and she could only let these people make a fuss.
After a while, everyone's desire to joke finally faded, and they began to nod their heads left and right to the rhythm of the magical prelude.
"Cheap Thrills", a cheerful and brainwashing electronic dance music, also comes from Luke. It is his return gift to Sheila for taking care of Claire.
This new song by Cyrus, which was released just a month ago, has already stayed at number one on the Billboard charts for four weeks, and it looks like it will continue to stay that way.
Previously, Sheila relied on the popularity brought by the Batman and Earthquake benefit performances to return to the front line through a "backdoor" approach.
But with the release of this super hit single that has been at the top of the charts for four consecutive weeks, this veteran diva finally staged a comeback and consolidated her explosive popularity this year.
When the song ended, everyone's heads were still shaking unconsciously and their bodies were swaying, as if the magical music was not far away yet.
After several seconds, Sheila bowed, smiled and left the stage, and cheers gradually began to rise, and those most difficult "audiences" once again shouted Batman in unison.
Sheila on the stage smiled and shook her head, as if she said something.
But the microphone in her hand had already left her mouth, and the noise around her was so loud that almost no one could hear clearly.
Luke, who possesses the primary ability of sound waves, made a little guess based on the half sentence he heard and completed the sentence: "If he really comes, I will be happier than you."
Luke could only smile and shake his head. Batman's dormant period hasn't ended yet.
And isn't Batman celebrating Christmas? He's listening to Sheila singing live, and celebrating the New Year with you guys! He really doesn't know how to appreciate his blessings.
These unreliable thoughts flashed through his mind, but there was a smile on his lips.
These spectators are his strong backers. If he wants to raise the reputation of the American map to revered status, he really has to rely on the promotion of these spectators.
He is not in a hurry, as he will have plenty of time in the future to slowly complete this "god-making" plan.
In the warm atmosphere, the time came to 11:59 at night.
Looking at the countdown displayed on the large electronic clock, everyone began to shout, "Twenty-nine, twenty-eight... ten, nine... three, two, one!"
Fireworks exploded all over the sky, accompanied by the cheers of the crowd.
2004 passed and 2005 came.
…
The next morning, Claire got up early and sneaked to the Christmas tree in the living room of the villa, wanting to be the first to open the Christmas present.
Picking up a small pink gift box slyly, she smiled and murmured softly, "I wonder what gift that stupid Luke prepared for me this year? I hope it's not another prank like study materials, otherwise I will definitely beat him up."
She shook the gift box gently, but no sound was heard.
Taking a deep breath, she reached for the ribbon tying the box.
Suddenly, she felt something was wrong next to her and turned her head sharply to look.
On the single sofa a few meters away, Luke was holding a tablet in one hand with headphones on, and slowly putting an almond walnut chocolate cookie into his mouth with the other hand.
Snap!
There was a crunching sound, and he bit off a small piece of cookie and chewed it slowly.
Claire stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly jumped up, rushed over and grabbed his neck: "Tell me, when did you come? What did you hear?"
Luke's hands deftly avoided her charge.
Even though his body was swaying, he did not forget to take another bite of the cookie and replied calmly, "I've been sitting here since six o'clock, so can you explain why you think such a small box can hold study materials?"
Claire looked alert: "Because it can hold a USB drive, and the study materials on a USB drive are enough for me to graduate from college."
Luke: “…” This logic is really flawless and there is no flaw.
Seeing that he didn't say anything, Claire asked him: "Why didn't I see you when I came in? You must be lying."
"I have special hiding skills that allow others to not notice my presence." Luke said seriously.
Claire: “Huh?”
Luke motioned for her to sit over there, then he demonstrated: "Look, that's it."
As he spoke, he slowly and evenly brought the cookie to his mouth, then very slowly bit off a small piece and chewed it slowly.
This time, there really was no sound at all.
Claire was stunned for a moment, then said stupidly, "Are you kidding me?"
"I'm telling the truth." Luke said, "If you don't believe me, I'll show you again."
Having said that, he repeated the action just now.
A little head popped out from the bedroom passage: "Luke, Claire, what are you doing?"
Luke: “…”
Claire: “…”
She finally came to her senses from being deceived and yelled in annoyance: "Luke, you big shot! Didn't Joseph see you?" and started beating him.