Unexpectedly, the piano problem he had racked his brains over without solving—
In the end, Gan Yan Yu had solved it.
Lin Tian's heart was suddenly struck by a wave of softness.
From Old Mister Wan Qi's earlier conversation, it seemed that he and Gan Yan Yu had not seen each other for a very long time.
She had taken the initiative to contact an old senior she had not seen in ages, all to obtain a piano.
Gan Yan Yu was the kind of person who would rather postpone suicide than trouble someone else.
Lin Tian looked at Gan Yan Yu.
Damn.
Why was she getting cuter the more he looked at her?
It was not that she had not been cute before. It was just that when she stood there expressionlessly like a doll, she always gave Lin Tian the impression of being both silly and adorable.
And now, she was even starting to play little tricks!
It was like the difference between Asuka Saito and Yuna Hashimoto.
But what Lin Tian could not understand was—
Why did she have to seek out this particular senior?
Wasn't asking such a highly regarded musician for nothing more than a piano making a mountain out of a molehill?
Just then, Wan Qi, who was leaning against the nearby wall, took a drag from his large pipe and said:
"Actually, I could pay out of pocket and buy you a new one. But I'll be moving away soon, and I can't take something this big with me~ Rather than letting it gather dust in some empty corner, I'd rather hand it over to capable young people and let it keep shining."
As he spoke, the old gentleman slowly glanced at Lin Tian.
He smiled.
"Young man, would you like to try it out first?"
Lin Tian understood.
Though the old man had said he wanted him to try the piano, what he really wanted was to assess his skill.
Since he was going to accept someone else's gift, Lin Tian naturally would not refuse.
He sat down before the piano.
His fingers began to dance across the keys.
"~"
Beautiful piano music filled the room.
He played a piece he had performed before—"Wedding in My Dream."
Almost the instant his hands touched the keys, Lin Tian sensed that this piano was extraordinary.
Its tone was rounder and warmer than that of an ordinary piano.
This was something that only occasionally appeared in pianos that had been used for long enough.
Thirty years of use had allowed the materials of the soundboard and strings to naturally "mature." After aging, they had not only remained perfectly functional, but had instead developed richer resonance and more complex tonal layers.
Such a phenomenon was rare.
Not only did it require the piano to have been maintained exceptionally well over thirty years, it also required a certain amount of luck.
When such gentleness met "Wedding in My Dream"—
Light, winding, and melodious.
Every transition between notes beneath Lin Tian's hands was an immersive experience.
This was also the first time Gan Yan Yu had heard Lin Tian perform this piece.
She leaned against the piano and stared straight at Lin Tian.
Her eyes seemed to sparkle with tiny stars.
After finishing a section, Lin Tian withdrew his hands.
"Good piano."
"Did you write this piece too?"
Wan Qi did not rush to comment. Instead, he asked this question.
"Hm?"
As Wan Qi spoke, he stared at Lin Tian. The longer he looked, the more familiar Lin Tian seemed. Finally, he slapped his thigh.
"Ha! So it really was you!"
"Last time, one of my students shared a video with me. The waiter in it played this very same piece. I even said then that it was well written and wondered which up-and-coming composer had composed it."
As if he had discovered some unexpected treasure, the old man's expression grew increasingly delighted.
"What is this piece called?"
"Wedding in My Dream."
"Good, good, good!"
Wan Qi hurried out of the room. Seeing Lin Tian still standing there in a daze, he waved him over and urged him with a frown:
"Come, come, sit down and let's talk!"
They sat on either side of the tea table in the living room, while the young man who had opened the door earlier brewed tea for the three of them.
Gan Yan Yu set her phone on the tea table and seriously watched the video of Lin Tian performing at the restaurant, which she had never seen before.
When she watched Lin Tian handsomely finish the full performance of "Wedding in My Dream," Gan Yan Yu's eyes widened.
Her heart surged with excitement.
So "Salut d'Amour" was merely one of Lin Tian's many works?
"Lin Tian, how many pieces have you written that I don't know about?"
"It's not that exaggerated. So far, I've only written these two."
Lin Tian explained as he was about to lift his cup and take a sip of tea—
Only to see the old man sitting across from him staring at him with a pair of deep, hawk-like eyes.
The stare made Lin Tian's scalp prickle.
"Young man, I have a feeling."
Wan Qi smiled, relaxed his tense expression, and took a sip of tea.
Looking into Lin Tian's eyes, he said:
"You may become the greatest composer of this era, but not yet."
"Not yet?"
"To become a composer, it isn't enough to write good music. Accumulation is also important." Wan Qi said with a touch of dark humor, "For example, some musicians only have people discover the charm of their music after they die."
What kind of hell joke was that?
Lin Tian broke into a cold sweat.
The old man continued:
"What a pity. If I hadn't retired, I definitely would have brought you into my orchestra—"
As he said this, Wan Qi looked at Gan Yan Yu, then sighed again.
"But your ambitions aren't here either, are they?"
"Mm."
In truth, Lin Tian was not all that interested in music.
It was only because this was what Gan Yan Yu pursued that he gave it his all.
His own goal had always been to rise above others, as a means of getting revenge on his parents.
As for whether music or something else was the tool, Lin Tian did not care that much.
"Yan Yu, have you thought this through? Earning the highest honor in cello is no easy matter."
Wan Qi said to Gan Yan Yu again, "For you, there may be better paths. There's no need to spend your energy on these music competitions."
"Teacher Wan, this is my choice, whether for myself or for Grandpa."
Only when it came to this subject—
Gan Yan Yu always held to this view with calm seriousness.
As a musician, there were many ways to become famous. Perhaps one did not necessarily need music competitions to prove oneself.
But if one wanted to reach the summit and earn everyone's recognition for oneself, one's country, and the music one loved—
There was only competition.
"..."
Hearing this, Wan Qi sighed helplessly.
He looked at his reflection in the teacup, unable to say whether he felt gratified or saddened.
Old Hua, your granddaughter is exactly like you.
Since the conversation had reached this point, Wan Qi stopped beating around the bush.
"I called you here today not only because I promised Yan Yu a piano, but also for another reason—"
After speaking, Wan Qi waved to the young man brewing tea nearby.
The young man walked behind Old Wan and formally introduced himself to Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu.
"Allow me to introduce him. This is my student, Gao Zhenyang, a lecturer in the Orchestral Department at Xingye Music Academy."
"Hello."
Gao Zhenyang smiled at the two of them with his hands clasped before him.
"Hello." Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu nodded in return.
Lin Tian had always thought that this young man, who had either opened the door or served tea, was the old gentleman's servant.
Xingye Music Academy was no minor institution.
It was a university in Qingzhou and currently ranked among the top five music conservatories in the country.
There was a saying:
The teachers who taught you at university were likely the people with the highest social standing you would ever meet in your life.
Likewise, the teachers employed by Xingye Music Academy were all prominent figures in the music world.
This young man looked to be only in his twenties. Though his title was merely lecturer, his status was not to be underestimated.
"Since you've decided to pursue the Kohl Cup, you can't just charge ahead blindly on your own. Even without an agency, you need someone to help plan things out for you!"
"When Gao first graduated, he worked as a music agent for a time. Now, not only does he teach at the academy, he is also a Council Member of the Qingzhou City Music Association."
"I'll be retiring soon and moving to Europe, so I won't be able to help you two. If anything comes up in the future, you can discuss it with Gao."
Lin Tian understood the old gentleman's good intentions.
He was introducing a consultant for the two of them, who had no agent.
To be honest, although musicians could register for various music competitions individually, these contests involved complicated and cumbersome procedures. Without someone to guide them, they could easily make mistakes as high school students.
But would someone of this status really work for free?
"Old Wan has shown me kindness, and Old Gan is also a cellist I have always deeply admired."
Gao Zhenyang said solemnly,
"Especially since I have the honor of helping an outstanding composer like Teacher Lin Tian and an exceptional cellist like Teacher Gan Yan Yu, I feel deeply honored."
Impressive.
As expected of an educated man. Even his flattery sounded pleasant.
This was the first time in Lin Tian's life that someone had called him "Teacher."
Lin Tian only knew that in the anime community next door, it seemed that any random person could be called "Teacher," but this was still the first time he had been addressed that way.
And honestly, it felt pretty good.
"Then, Teacher Gao."
Gan Yan Yu asked somewhat anxiously, "What are we still lacking in terms of performance?"
"You are lacking nothing."
Gao Zhenyang adjusted his glasses. "In my opinion, you are already unbeatable among competitors your age. If you entered some city-level competitions now, you would crush them with ease."
Smack!
Wan Qi struck Gao Zhenyang on the head with his large pipe.
"You brat, be serious!!"
"Cough, cough."
Gao Zhenyang did not dare complain. He quickly composed himself and said seriously,
"Teacher Gan, I have watched your performance videos on Douyin. They are exceptional. As long as you maintain this level, it will be enough to support you through the Parrot Qin Cup."
"Teacher Lin Tian not only possesses powerful compositional ability, but his piano skills are likewise unmatched among people his age."
"In my opinion, the only thing you lack right now is a résumé."
Gao Zhenyang looked at Gan Yan Yu and asked seriously,
"Teacher Gan, you haven't participated in any domestic performances for over a year, have you?"
"Mm." Gan Yan Yu nodded.
She then used the motion of drinking water to conceal her inner tension.
"Two weeks from now, there will be a concert at Qingtian Concert Hall."
"It's a concert, not a competition. There are no rankings, but several professional music media outlets like NQ will be present. Surely I don't need to explain what NQ is, right?"
"Mm." Gan Yan Yu nodded again.
"What is NQ?"
Lin Tian, sitting beside her, did not understand.
"NobleQuest, NQ for short. It's a very famous music media outlet." Gan Yan Yu said softly. "Noble means dignified and elegant, while Quest means exploration and pursuit. They claim to focus on high-quality music and art, and they publish their own magazine."
"Whenever Qingzhou City holds a major concert, they are there. They score and review the performers based on their performances, and those scores are published in their magazine and on their website. Other local music media usually repost them, so their influence is immense."
"I see."
Then this kind of concert might seem relaxed, with no competitive relationship between the performers.
But in reality, because of these media outlets, it was also closely tied to musicians' reputations.
If Gan Yan Yu took part in this concert and successfully made a name for herself.
The prospects for the development of their Douyin account were looking very promising as well.
But those who could participate in a concert had to be musicians who had passed through layers of selection and had some standing, right?
"I'm on this concert's committee myself."
Gao Zhenyang said,
"I happen to have a spot available. When the time comes, Teacher Gan won't need to go through the preliminary selection. I'll submit your name directly."
"OK."
Lin Tian understood.
So that was what a consultant was for. It really was useful!
As expected of someone with a title in the Music Association. This really made things a lot easier.
"But."
Gan Yan Yu, standing nearby, showed a conflicted expression.
Although she had participated in some small competitions and recitals in the United Kingdom, that had been abroad, where no one knew her.
She had not set foot on a domestic stage for over a year, especially one on the scale of Qingtian Concert Hall.
She did not know whether she could still perform at her former level.
If she messed it up, she would lose not only her own face, but her grandfather's as well.
Just then, a hand landed on the girl's shoulder.
Gan Yan Yu looked up, and the boy gave her a thumbs-up.
"I'll go onstage with you!"
"Oh, right." Gao Zhenyang added from the side, "the performers at this concert are allowed to choose their own accompanists. You can have Teacher Lin Tian accompany you from the side."
In an instant, Gan Yan Yu's pupils trembled slightly.
"Okay."
The girl no longer hesitated.
"Mm, and one more thing." As if remembering something else, Gao Zhenyang rubbed his nose and asked tentatively,
"Have you two ever performed together?"
"No." The two answered in unison.
"You'll need to practice that!"
Gao Zhenyang's expression turned tense. "You can't build chemistry in a day or two. You need to make the most of your time."
"There are only two weeks until the concert!!"
Before you continue