February 14.
On the eve of the entire nation celebrating the Spring Festival, far away in Vienna, Europe.
The third stage—the finals—of the 2026 Ke'er Cup World Cello Competition officially began.
7:00 a.m.
When He Zhichen stood downstairs and saw Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu coming out, both wearing indescribably haggard expressions and dark circles beneath their eyes.
"Did you two sneak a taste of forbidden fruit last night?!"
He Zhichen asked in horror.
"You picked the day before the finals for your first time, Teacher Lin Tian?!"
"What the hell?"
Lin Tian rubbed his sleep-heavy eyes, speechless at He Zhichen's earth-shattering remark.
"We just didn't get enough sleep."
"Didn't you say you'd sleep for eight hours?!"
He Zhichen's eyes widened. He rarely raised his voice like this at Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu, but now his face was full of exasperation.
"You got back to the apartment at eight. Even if you two had sweet nothings to talk about, three hours of talking still leaves eight hours to sleep, doesn't it?!"
At that moment, He Zhichen was like a parent worried sick over a child taking the college entrance exam the next day, nagging without end.
"Al-right, all right."
Lin Tian patted He Zhichen's shoulder. He was too exhausted to summon much energy as he said lazily.
"It's fine. We can catch twenty minutes of sleep on the road."
"That's the biggest problem!!"
Complaints aside, He Zhichen still understood that time waited for no one.
"Get in first." He Zhichen opened the car door.
There was still plenty to handle once they arrived at the finals venue.
Whatever they had to say, they could say it in the car.
"So, how long did you two sleep last night?"
He Zhichen asked toward the back while driving.
"How