Chapter Summaries

Before beginning their ten days of closed-door training, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu visited a pet shop in Vienna, where Gan Yan Yu decided to take home a gravely ill rabbit. Lin Tian agreed to raise it, and Gan Yan Yu hinted that the rabbit’s heart condition reminded her of herself.

• Gan Yan Yu asked to visit a place before closed-door training, and she led Lin Tian to a pet shop in Vienna.
• Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu looked at the animals, but Gan Yan Yu chose a quiet Little White Rabbit named Qiqi instead of a kitten.
• The clerk explained that Qiqi had congenital cardiomyopathy, was not for sale, and might not live much longer.
• Gan Yan Yu said Qiqi’s eyes reminded her of her own and insisted on raising her; the clerk offered to let them take the rabbit for free if they treated it well.
• Lin Tian agreed to take Qiqi, and a familiar voice behind them spoke to Isaac in Japanese.

Gan Yan Yu adopted a rabbit while she and Lin Tian prepared for the finals, and Isaac accused her of being selfish for keeping it. After reassuring Lin Tian that she knew why she had adopted it, Gan Yan Yu revealed that she had a congenital heart condition and declared that she would prove herself on the final stage.

• A shop assistant agreed to let Gan Yan Yu adopt a rabbit, while Isaac told Nishikawa Yuuhaku that he liked the calico cat but would not adopt it because he could not care for it.
• Isaac insulted Gan Yan Yu as selfish, but Nishikawa Yuuhaku restrained him and dragged him out after Isaac challenged Gan Yan Yu to face him in the finals.
• Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian brought the rabbit to her apartment, named it Brother Rabbit, and began their isolated training for the finals.
• Gan Yan Yu asked whether Isaac was right that she had adopted the rabbit to satisfy herself, and Lin Tian assured her that she was not selfish.
• Gan Yan Yu told Lin Tian that she had a congenital heart condition, which she had kept controlled with daily medicine, and said she would prove herself on the final stage.

Lin Tian learned that Gan Yan Yu had a congenital heart condition, and she assured him it would not affect their Ke'er Cup finals. They began choosing music for the final competition, with Lin Tian presenting two pieces for them to try.

• Lin Tian recalled Yun Qiuqiu telling him about an unlabeled medicine bottle in Gan Yan Yu’s cello case and realized it had been for her heart condition.
• Gan Yan Yu told Lin Tian she wanted to face the finals with him without hiding anything, and she guaranteed that her condition was safe and would not affect their performance.
• Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu joked about her heartbeat before moving to his apartment to practice with Brother Rabbit.
• They discussed why the judges had not lowered their semifinal score and agreed to focus on performing their chosen music despite expecting bias in the finals.
• Lin Tian showed Gan Yan Yu two compositions to try: Beethoven’s “Emperor” and Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique.”

Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu tried classical masterpieces as possible choices for the Ke'er Cup finals, but he ruled out Tchaikovsky's emotionally overwhelming Pathétique Symphony No. 6. After testing several other works, they reached the final page of Lin Tian's notebook, titled “Requiem.”

• Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu performed Beethoven's “Emperor” Concerto No. 5 and agreed to keep it under consideration for the finals.
• They tried Tchaikovsky's Pathétique Symphony No. 6, and Gan Yan Yu said she could feel the composer's despair and found the music beautiful.
• Lin Tian decided they should not perform Pathétique at the Ke'er Cup, despite Gan Yan Yu's objections.
• Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu tried several more works, including Mahler's symphony, Vivaldi's Four Seasons series, and Schubert's fantasy, but found all of them suitable.
• Lin Tian tried to skip the notebook's final piece, but Gan Yan Yu persuaded him to reveal its title: “Requiem.”

Lin Tian confronted Gan Yan Yu about her inability to imagine a long future, then chose Beethoven’s “Emperor” as their likely competition piece while refusing to let her perform music about death. That night, Gan Yan Yu secretly played Mozart’s “Requiem,” and Lin Tian left the choice between struggle and fate to her.

• Gan Yan Yu challenged Lin Tian over his refusal to consider “Requiem,” and he questioned whether she could imagine a life with him beyond the competition.
• Lin Tian accused Gan Yan Yu of never believing she would live far into the future, and she admitted she did not know what to do.
• Lin Tian explained why he feared “Pathétique” and “Requiem” would draw Gan Yan Yu too deeply into death, then chose Beethoven’s “Emperor” for their finals repertoire.
• Lin Tian walked Gan Yan Yu home, and she lay awake that night thinking about his words and wanting to try the forbidden piece.
• Lin Tian woke from a frightening dream and found Gan Yan Yu playing Mozart’s “Requiem,” then told her she had to choose between struggle and fate.

Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu chose Mozart’s Requiem for the Ke'er Cup finals and spent a week training intensely. He Zhichen proposed recording their preparation, and although Lin Tian rejected a training show, Gan Yan Yu became interested in documenting their trip to Vienna if they could control the editing.

• Gan Yan Yu chose Requiem for the finals, and Lin Tian agreed to perform it with her.
• Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu trained daily while discussing their future and caring for Brother Rabbit.
• After a week, He Zhichen visited and learned they had already chosen their competition piece.
• He Zhichen brought filming equipment and proposed recording their final seven days of training for an online variety show.
• Lin Tian rejected filming during their training, but Gan Yan Yu suggested recording their Vienna trip if they could decide what footage remained.

As Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu prepared their Requiem performance for the Ke'er Cup finals, they struggled to find the profound emotion that could win over the judges. After sharing pudding with Brother Rabbit, they found the rabbit dead the next morning, just before their match.

• Gan Yan Yu persuaded Lin Tian to let He Zhichen install cameras to record their training, and He Zhichen set them up in Lin Tian's room.
• Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu continued refining their performance, then discussed how to prove classical music was irreplaceable through a moving work and deep emotion.
• Lin Tian ordered pudding as a reward, and Gan Yan Yu shared some with the curious Brother Rabbit.
• Lin Tian asked Gan Yan Yu whether Brother Rabbit knew it would die, and Gan Yan Yu said it did before feeding it pudding.
• The next morning, Lin Tian found Brother Rabbit dead in its cage, and Gan Yan Yu accepted its death before telling Lin Tian they would do their best in the match the next day.

On the night before the Ke'er Cup finals, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu both struggled to sleep and watched the stars together on his balcony. Gan Yan Yu pointed out that Lin Tian had never directly told her he liked her, and as she fell asleep on his shoulder, he finally whispered his feelings and wished her luck for the competition.

• Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu cremated their rabbit, then had a final dinner before the finals with He Zhichen and Teacher Gao Zhenyang.
• He Zhichen urged Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu to get eight hours of sleep before their competition, but both struggled with nerves and insomnia.
• At three in the morning, Gan Yan Yu joined Lin Tian on his balcony, where they sat together and counted stars.
• Gan Yan Yu realized Lin Tian had never directly told her he liked her and said she needed to feel his love to face their opponent with confidence.
• After Gan Yan Yu fell asleep on his shoulder, Lin Tian whispered that he liked her more than anyone and kissed her forehead.

On the morning of the Ke'er Cup finals, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu arrived exhausted after staying up together, while He Zhichen worried about their ability to perform. As the crowd and media framed them as Asia’s last hope, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu embraced that responsibility and declared they would win for Asian and classical musicians.

• He Zhichen found Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu looking exhausted and learned they had slept for fewer than three hours.
• He Zhichen told Lin Tian that the livestream had reached 3.4 million viewers and that fans were calling the duo the Light of Asia.
• Lin Tian explained that he and Gan Yan Yu fought for classical music, their friends, and the musicians who had supported them, rather than for a country.
• Gan Yan Yu woke in the car and agreed with He Zhichen that they could accept the responsibility fans had placed on them.
• At the Vienna Golden Hall, reporters questioned Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu about representing Asia, and Lin Tian said they would win for Asian musicians, Chinese musicians, and classical musicians worldwide.

Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu arrived at the Golden Hall for the Ke'er Cup finals as fans across China tuned in to Zhang Dong’s newly authorized livestream. The judges took their seats, and the unexpected appearance of Steven Kao left the competitors and Gan Yan Yu stunned.

• Lin Tian declared that he would fight for Asia and classical music, and fans cheered as he and Gan Yan Yu entered the Golden Hall.
• Zhang Dong began the only officially authorized Chinese livestream of the Ke'er Cup after Lin Tian’s manager helped him secure broadcast rights.
• Gan Hua and Tuoba Jianhui watched the finals together, while He Shumo and Yao Han watched from a private cinema.
• Connor and Perez praised Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu, then wished them well despite fearing their success could harm other musicians’ careers.
• Lin Tian noticed Nishikawa Yuuhaku smiling at him and Isaac glaring at Gan Yan Yu in the competitors’ lounge.
• The judges arrived, and the audience recognized Steven Kao, whose past included helping lead the anti-classical movement that changed competition rules.

Lin Tian learned that Steven, a revered Classical Musician, had helped drive the reforms that marginalized classical music and had come to the Ke'er Cup finals. After Bennett Meyer performed a polished modern pop piece, the judges gave him only 89.31 points, leaving the competitors and audience stunned.

• Gan Yan Yu told Lin Tian that Steven had helped advance the International Musicians Association's reforms, and Lin Tian condemned him for opposing classical music.
• Steven's arrival alarmed the cellists, who believed he had come to stop Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu; Isaac said he wanted Gan Yan Yu and her performance to die.
• Bennett Meyer opened the finals with a technically flashy modern pop performance that energized the audience.
• The judges scored Bennett Meyer 89.31 points, prompting widespread shock because his score fell below 90.

Steven’s unusually strict judging shook the Ke'er Cup finals, lowering contestants’ scores and leaving the remaining cellists anxious. Hypnos Brian then earned 97.84 points, higher than his second-stage score, suggesting Steven was not targeting Pop Music alone.

• Meyer received 89 points, and Steven’s strict scoring unsettled the contestants and audience.
• Lin Tian comforted Gan Yan Yu by arguing Steven’s arrival had rattled their competitors too.
• Contestants including Lawson Polk, Allen Perez, and Noel Perkins scored below their second-stage results, deepening fears about Steven’s judging.
• Zhang Dong worried that Steven would give Moonlight and Cat humiliating scores, while a viewer suggested he was judging Pop Music by classical standards.
• Hypnos Brian performed confidently, and the judges awarded him 97.84 points, higher than his second-stage score.

Brian scored nearly 98 with his Pop Music performance, while Connor suspected Steven was favoring styles aligned with the International Musicians Association. Gan Yan Yu prepared to compete as Isaac Mek and Nishikawa Yuuhaku were called to perform.

• Brian received a score above 97, and Yao Han explained that Brian had turned childhood insecurity and hardship into musical drive.
• Connor scored 97.19 and realized that his modern Pop Music style may have earned a genre bonus, suggesting Steven was steering the finals toward the association’s preferred music.
• Lin Tian grew uneasy about Gan Yan Yu’s quiet resolve as they waited for her turn.
• Isaac Mek and Nishikawa Yuuhaku were called to perform before Gan Yan Yu, and Lin Tian wished Nishikawa Yuuhaku good luck.

Isaac Mek performed in the Ke'er Cup final with extraordinary precision, embodying his belief that technique and control could create great music without emotional expression. As he played, memories of his father’s fatal, emotion-driven performances revealed why Isaac rejected emotional artistry, while the chapter left his challenge to Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian looming.

• Nishikawa Yuuhaku and Isaac Mek walked onto the stage together as the crowd welcomed Isaac, whom many saw as Pop Music’s strongest contender.
• Isaac began his performance, and Connor and Perez recognized how meticulously he controlled every movement, expression, and breath.
• Yao Han explained to He Shumo that Gan Yan Yu pursued emotion while Isaac pursued extreme technique and control.
• Isaac remembered his father, Garrett Meck, a celebrated cellist whose emotionally intense performances led to his collapse and death onstage.
• Isaac recalled rejecting his father’s approach and vowed to prove that technique alone could create great music, condemning Gan Yan Yu as another selfish musician.

Isaac delivered a mechanically precise performance of “Blinding Lights,” leaving the audience convinced he had secured the Ke’er Cup. Gan Yan Yu noticed a subtle change in his playing and recognized that he was an ordinary person after all, then prepared to perform as the next contestant.

• Isaac performed “Blinding Lights” with extraordinary control, earning stunned reactions from Yao Han, Connor, Perez, and the audience.
• Gan Yan Yu noticed a slight change in Isaac’s style during a passage and concluded that he was not simply a machine.
• Isaac finished to thunderous applause, while Steven remained mostly expressionless.
• The host announced that Isaac Mek’s final score would be withheld until the finals ended, leading contestants to believe his score exceeded Brian’s 97.84.
• Connor and the other contestants waited to watch the remaining performances, and Gan Yan Yu was called next.

Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian prepared to perform classical music after Isaac’s celebrated Pop Music performance left the audience convinced that the order had put them at a severe disadvantage. As they headed for the stage, Lin Tian encouraged Gan Yan Yu to focus on their future together, and their final performance began.

• Isaac’s precise Pop Music performance led the audience and contestants to fear that Gan Yan Yu would suffer from the contrast when she performed classical music.
• Zhang Dong cursed Isaac on the livestream and received a one-minute ban, while Connor and Perez lamented the organizing committee’s open targeting of Gan Yan Yu.
• Connor worried that Isaac and Brian would take the top places, even as he struggled with the unfairness he saw in the Golden Hall.
• He Shumo predicted that Isaac’s performance would bolster the association’s system, but Yao Han insisted that Gan Yan Yu would not be defeated.
• Lin Tian took Gan Yan Yu’s hand, encouraged her with talk of their future and honeymoon, and led her toward the stage.

Gan Hua and Tuoba Jianhui recalled how Yao Xing’s devastating collapse during a final orchestra performance had shaped their views of Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian. As Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian began their finals performance, Isaac noticed an unexpected group standing behind them.

• Tuoba Jianhui told Gan Hua that Yao Xing had first drawn his attention to Gan Yan Yu, and Gan Hua remembered the orchestra’s desperate final tour performance.
• Yao Han told He Shumo that Yao Xing had collapsed just before finishing a brilliant performance, then admitted he had manipulated Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu because he wanted to see his brother’s back view again.
• Yao Han declared that Gan Yan Yu would not give up even in a desperate situation, as Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian took the stage.
• Viewers rallied online for Gan Yan Yu, while the Golden Hall fell silent as she and Lin Tian prepared to perform.
• Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian began an emotionally intense piece, and Isaac criticized their choice before Nishikawa Yuuhaku pointed out a group standing behind them.

Gan Yan Yu performed Mozart’s “Requiem” with Lin Tian and a vocal ensemble, turning the cello piece into an overwhelming expression of pain, death, and gentleness. As the performance moved into “Tuba Mirum” and “Rex Tremendae,” the audience began to see a new meaning in her music, and Isaac watched her in stunned silence.

• Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu began the performance with a Latin vocal ensemble, shocking the audience and drawing every sound under Gan Yan Yu’s musical control.
• Gan Yan Yu played the “Kyrie” with chilling precision and sorrow, prompting Yao Han to recognize the performance as her inner voice and Steven to recall a young man who had once stood above an orchestra.
• During “Dies Irae,” Gan Yan Yu played with violent intensity and seemed to scream through the cello, alarming He Shumo and leaving Lin Tian wondering whether she was performing as if it were her final moment in life.
• Gan Yan Yu turned toward Lin Tian with a teasing smile, then moved into “Tuba Mirum” and “Rex Tremendae” with a slow, trembling gentleness.
• Nishikawa Yuuhaku concluded that welcoming fate could mean finding the strength to continue, while Isaac stared at Gan Yan Yu in stunned silence.

Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian performed the final movements of “Requiem,” turning their grief for Brother Rabbit into a radiant resolve to face the future together. Their performance reached its climax, while Steven recognized it as the chance to break free from the shackles that had bound him for twenty years.

• Gan Yan Yu’s cello shifted from grief to hope, and Lin Tian realized she was mourning Brother Rabbit rather than herself.
• Lin Tian answered Gan Yan Yu through the piano, helping her understand that she could face fate and keep moving forward with him.
• Gan Yan Yu played the ninth movement, “Sanctus,” with renewed strength, and she and Lin Tian drove the performance toward a glorious climax.
• Yao Han watched Gan Yan Yu’s transformation and broke down, grieving that his brother had never performed this way.
• Zhang Dong praised the duet but became furious that it was about to be ruined by the classical music traitor.
• Steven quietly wept as he watched the performers and recognized the chance to cast off his twenty-year shackles.

Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu finished their performance of "Requiem," moving Isaac to confront his unresolved feelings about his father and leaving Steven in tears. As the audience erupted in applause, Steven stood and personally applauded the performers.

• Steven recognized Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu as inheritors of the Chinese musicians who had once shaken him, and their performance brought him to tears.
• As Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu played the final movement, Isaac broke down, and Nishikawa Yuuhaku confronted him about his resentment toward their father.
• The music helped Isaac realize he had been running from his fear and grief, and he wept as he began to consider moving forward.
• Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu finished their performance, bowed together, and received thunderous applause.
• Steven removed his sunglasses, stood up, and applauded Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu as tears streamed down his face.