Gan Yan Yu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Gan Yan Yu
Alias(es)	Cat / Cat-chan; Teacher Gan; Yan Yu (used during music creation) 46 319
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Moonlight and Cat; formerly signed to Huan Yin 162
Occupation/Role	Cellist, classical-music performer, and one half of the Moonlight and Cat duo
Status	Alive; married to Lin Tian 474 477
First Appearance	Chapter 2, “Homage to the Legendary King of Durability” 2

Background

Gan Yan Yu was primarily raised by her grandfather, Gan Hua, after her parents left her when she was young. Her isolation and limited social experience left her unusually detached from ordinary teenage life, though Gan Hua fostered her passion for the cello and music. 34 108

After returning to China, Gan Yan Yu’s condition worsened when Gan Hua suffered a car accident and her parents attempted to end her musical path by taking away her cello and terminating her agency contract. Their actions drove her to repeated suicide attempts. 20 22

She first met Lin Tian while sitting on a railing, apparently preparing to jump. After he later found her playing cello on a rooftop while searching for her cat, she accepted his help and began staying at his home. 2 Lin Tian encouraged her to continue playing, pursue Gan Hua’s dream of winning the Kohl Cup, recover physically, and return to school with him. 22 29

Gan Yan Yu eventually confronted her parents and gained the right to live independently in Gan Hua’s house, with regular financial support and visitation arrangements. 34 Though initially distant from them, she later accepted a limited reconciliation while continuing to assert her independence and musical partnership with Lin Tian. 115 116

Appearance

Gan Yan Yu is a petite, elegant young woman whose public image often contrasts sharply with her private manner. She was severely underweight when Lin Tian met her, but gradually recovered through exercise and regular meals. 25 40 375

• Long, straight black hair; frequently wears it in a ponytail with a hair tie. 12 91
• Approximately 166 cm tall. 25
• Initially weighed roughly 40 kg; later reached 98 jin during her recovery. 25 375
• Usually favors dresses, school uniforms, and refined or retro clothing; later becomes more willing to wear brighter, more youthful styles. 106 357
• Presents an aloof, “ice queen” image on stage, but is notably gentle and expressive away from it. 446

Personality

Gan Yan Yu is polite, considerate, and intensely sincere. She often worries that she is inconveniencing Lin Tian or interfering with his life, leading her to withdraw whenever their relationship seems too intimate. 44 45 Her instinct is to contribute equally rather than accept support without repayment, whether through cooking, arranging a piano for Lin Tian, or sharing expenses. 37 40 49

Her social inexperience makes her naïve about romance, online culture, and ordinary peer interactions. She spent much of her childhood alone and has difficulty reading others’ feelings, but gradually learns to seek advice, speak honestly about her anxieties, and stand up for herself. 73 108 116

Despite her gentle disposition, Gan Yan Yu is fiercely ambitious. She deeply wants to win, fulfill Gan Hua’s legacy, and make more people hear classical music. Her insecurity and anxiety often intensify before competitions, but she becomes increasingly assertive and self-assured as her career progresses. 165 361 438

Health

• Gan Yan Yu struggled with suicidal thoughts and self-harm tendencies after her parents interfered with her musical future. 6 20 22
• She suffers from severe asthma-like attacks aggravated by exhaustion, emotional pressure, and intense performances. 63
• She later reveals that she has a congenital heart condition which she manages with daily medication. 450 451
• Her tendency to overpractice, skip rest, and use beer to remain awake has repeatedly endangered her condition. 84
• She collapsed on stage after leading an orchestral performance despite her poor health. 316 320

Abilities & Skills

Cello Performance

Gan Yan Yu is an exceptionally gifted cellist with formidable technical fundamentals, rapid learning ability, and near-perfect score retention.

• Her learning ability is rated S, while her cello ability is rated A+ when Lin Tian first reviews her status. 7
• She can master difficult pieces in an unusually short time and rarely makes technical mistakes once a piece has been fully practiced. 83 219 326
• Her skill and control are later recognized as world-class during the Ke’er Cup. 443 445
• Her early performances were technically flawless but emotionally distant, earning her an intimidating “ice queen” reputation among competitors. 446

Experiential Performance

Gan Yan Yu can immerse herself in a composition so deeply that she intuitively perceives and performs its emotional world, even without knowing the composer’s history.

• Gan Hua taught her to imagine a composer’s life in order to understand a piece’s emotional core. 168
• Her immersion allows her to produce unusually vivid, emotionally overwhelming interpretations. 118 119
• This gift lets her experience music from multiple emotional perspectives rather than merely reproduce the score. 118
• Excessive immersion can destabilize her mentally and physically; Tuoba Jianhui warns that it may consume both her and those who attempt to follow her into that state. 169 170
• Works without a clear narrative or emotional subject, such as Debussy’s “Moonlight,” initially disrupt her usual approach. 360 361

Musical Analysis

Through training and competition experience, Gan Yan Yu develops the ability to assess performances more objectively rather than relying only on instinctive immersion.

• She studies opponents’ recordings before the Ke’er Cup and realizes that she is not inferior to them. 439
• She learns to identify why a performance succeeds or fails and confidently critiques Alick Zorn’s playing. 438
• This growth allows her to balance emotional expression with conscious technical structure. 438

Composition

Gan Yan Yu initially shows little interest in composition, but begins learning from Gan Hua in secret so she can write a piece for Lin Tian. 474

• She composes “Love Letter” as a personal confession and performs it during her Ke’er Cup victory ceremony. 473 474
• The performance deliberately retains an imperfect double stop, making the piece feel more authentic and emotionally direct. 474

Domestic Skills

Gan Yan Yu is a meticulous cook who treats food preparation as seriously as music.

• She cleans Lin Tian’s home and begins cooking for him shortly after they meet. 8
• Her dishes include Pineapple Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, Stir-fried Lettuce, and her signature Yan Yu Coconut Sago. 50
• She especially loves sweet foods, pudding, and desserts. 50 361

Equipment & Personal Items

• Cello — Her primary instrument and the center of her life; her parents once confiscated it in an attempt to force her away from music. 22
• “Rainy Day” pendant — A silver pendant given by Lin Tian to support her confidence during competition; she continues wearing it long afterward. 122 287
• Hair ties — Frequently shared with Lin Tian and used to tie her hair before performances. 77 178
• Parrot Qin Cup trophy — Kept close because she and Lin Tian won it together. 404
• Brother Rabbit — A sickly white rabbit she adopts before the Ke’er Cup finals because she sees herself in its struggle against illness and fate. 450 451

Competitive Career

Competition / Event	Result	Notes
Manchester International Cello Competition, Youth Division	Competitor	At sixteen, she impressed Nana Li with a flawless but emotionally distant performance. 446
Star Cup	Runner-up	Fan attention and performance anxiety severely affected her during the competition; a later account identifies her as finishing second. 125 475
Parrot Qin Cup	Champion	Won Group B in the semifinals and later won the competition with Lin Tian as her partner. 192 323
Dragon Qin Cup	Advanced to finals; withdrew	Reached the finals after placing third in the semifinals, then withdrew before the final round. 374 412
Ke’er Cup	Champion	Took first place in Group B with a score of 98.15, then won the overall championship. 443 472

Relationships

• Lin Tian — Musical partner, closest confidant, and eventual husband. He helps her survive her lowest period, supports her career, and performs with her as Moonlight and Cat. 2 22 192 474 477
• Gan Hua — Grandfather, guardian, and first cello teacher. His legacy and unrealized ambitions strongly shape her drive to compete; he later awakens from his coma and supports her Ke’er Cup preparation. 168 412 474
• Gan Sheng — Father. Their relationship is strained by his past absence and objections to her cello career, though he later provides support and acknowledges her independence. 34 115 116
• He Xin — Mother. She is more openly welcoming toward Lin Tian than Gan Sheng and tries to repair her relationship with Gan Yan Yu. 115 116
• Christina Nana Li — Longtime rival whose pursuit of Gan Yan Yu develops into mutual respect and understanding. Nana Li ultimately assists Lin Tian’s proposal by giving him the ring box. 95 135 446 474
• Bai Xi — A skilled fellow cellist and major domestic rival. Gan Yan Yu respects Bai Xi’s confidence and ability. 127 167
• Tuoba Jianhui — Idol, critic, and eventual supporter. His harsh evaluation initially devastates Gan Yan Yu, but his concerns stem from the danger he sees in her immersive performance method. 149 169 192
• Su Ran — Lin Tian’s classmate and one of Gan Yan Yu’s first female friends. Su Ran helps her discuss feelings and relationships she struggles to understand. 108
• Alick Zorn — French cello competitor whom Gan Yan Yu directly challenges and critiques at the Ke’er Cup. 438

Major Arcs

Recovery and Partnership

Lin Tian’s intervention prevents Gan Yan Yu from dying during a period of despair over her family, career, and grandfather’s condition. Their partnership begins as an effort to protect her and restore her ability to pursue music. 2 20 22

Moonlight and Cat

Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian begin creating and publishing cello-piano performances under the identities Cat and Moonlight. Their online success brings both new opportunities and pressure from viewers who interpret their partnership as romantic. 31 46 73

Return to the Stage

After more than a year away from domestic stages, Gan Yan Yu returns at the Resonance of Souls concert. Though overwhelmed by media pressure before the performance, she completes the concert with Lin Tian and begins rebuilding her confidence. 76 86 91

Competition Growth

The Star Cup exposes her fear of crowds, fan expectations, and failure. Her losses and rivalry with Bai Xi and Nana Li force her to confront jealousy, insecurity, and her desire to win rather than hide behind selflessness. 125 135 136 361

World Champion

Gan Yan Yu enters the Ke’er Cup as China’s representative, overcomes international rivals, and confirms her world-class ability at Vienna’s Golden Hall. After winning, she publicly thanks Lin Tian, performs her self-composed “Love Letter,” and accepts his proposal. 443 472 473 474

Notable Quotes

“Yan Yu, that statement is true. I will always, forever be by your side. No matter where we go, I will be with you, and we will continue to play music together!” 192

“My music has never been played for myself.” 451

“That was the luckiest day of my life. I used to resent fate for being unfair. But now I understand, I just used up all my luck on meeting Lin Tian.” 473

Trivia

• Gan Yan Yu chose the name Moonlight and Cat for her and Lin Tian’s duo. 451
• Although she appears mature and classical in public, her room and personal tastes reveal a strong fondness for pink and cute things. 91
• She calls desserts a necessary reward after competitions and once sampled pudding from eight different Beijing shops. 361
• Her unusual ability to become completely immersed in music also makes her highly capable at role-playing and fashion shoots. 302