Chapter 459: Her Amazement, His Surprise (5)

Before long, Shen Nian emerged from backstage and stepped onto the stage. Her appearance clearly took the audience by surprise.

"Huh, what kind of outfit is that?"

"What’s she going to perform?"

They were used to seeing song and dance routines—complex ones, simple ones, but routines nonetheless. But now, Shen Nian’s appearance made them realize this wasn’t going to be a song and dance number.

Shen Nian hadn’t come on stage to sing and dance, of course. She was dressed in a black tailcoat and a top hat, her jet-black hair tucked away inside. In her hand, she held a gentleman’s umbrella.

If anyone from a later era had seen her getup, they would have instantly known what she was about to perform. The current audience, however, just stared at Shen Nian with curiosity, not yet realizing what her act would be.

That’s right—Shen Nian was going to perform magic. While magic shows did exist in this era, they were nowhere near as common as they would be in the future. It was especially rare to see such a performance at a venue like this.

Shen Nian had chosen to perform magic for a couple of reasons. For one, magic was eye-catching, cool, and left a lasting, unforgettable impression on people.

For another, when it came to performing magic, Shen Nian had an advantage no one else could possibly match!

Shen Nian walked confidently onto the stage and gave the audience a gentlemanly bow. Her gaze swept over the crowd for a moment, and when her eyes found their target, she smiled.

"Today, I’ll be performing magic for you all."

After her announcement, Shen Nian began her performance.

In her previous life, Shen Nian had gone through a period of being fascinated with how magic tricks worked, researching them obsessively. Simple tricks were no challenge for her. Not to mention, she possessed a powerful tool: her unique space.

The audience, having sat through so many song and dance numbers already, was starting to get a little bored. Then, they suddenly heard Shen Nian announce she was going to perform magic.

Magic! That was something you usually only saw on major television specials. They never expected to see it live, let alone performed by an employee’s family member!

At that thought, a flicker of worry passed through the crowd. ’An employee’s family member... can she really pull off a magic trick?’

From the moment Shen Nian appeared, Lu Cheng’s gaze had been fixed on her, unmoving. He was slightly surprised when he saw her outfit and heard she was going to perform magic, but he quickly composed himself.

’Magic isn’t easy,’ he thought, ’but I’m sure Shen Nian will do a fantastic job!’

Shen Nian knew that for her act to be a success, she had to grab the audience’s attention right from the start.

With a smile, Shen Nian looked out at the crowd and held out her hands, turning them over to show that both her palms and the backs of her hands were empty. Then, with a flick of her wrists, she waved her hands through the air. A cloud of petals blossomed from her seemingly empty palms, showering the stage and enveloping her in a rain of flowers.

"WOW! That’s amazing! How did she do that?!"

"It’s so beautiful!"

The audience erupted in gasps of amazement. Their earlier worries about her performance vanished, replaced by eager anticipation.

After her successful opening, Shen Nian rode the momentum, performing one brilliant little trick after another. Her movements were graceful and captivating, earning round after round of applause from the audience.

When Shen Nian made a series of white doves appear and fly upwards, the excitement in the room reached its peak.