A Midsummer Night's Dream

The bright lights in the hall suddenly dimmed. All the beams converged into spotlights, focusing on Deng Hao beneath the piano platform.

Everyone's attention was immediately drawn over.

Deng Hao sat before the piano, his fingertips lightly touching the keys.

Light, nimble notes drifted out with his movements.

After only a few notes, Su Rui had already identified the piece Deng Hao was playing.

A world-famous piece, "The Blue Danube."

As Deng Hao's fingers danced, the easy, cheerful melody soon filled the entire hall.

The tune was light and captivating.

Dressed in a white suit, with his already outstanding looks, he seemed like a prince basking in everyone's attention.

"Isn't that... Bai Yanyun's boyfriend? I never expected him to be so talented!"

"Yeah! Compared to him, my boyfriend is practically a pig!"

"He really looks like a prince from a fairy tale..."

Amazed cries came from the girls around them. Bai Yanyun smiled reservedly, then turned to look at Li Ruobing with a provocative expression.

It had to be said that Deng Hao was indeed remarkably gifted in the arts. Combined with the atmosphere tonight, he was performing beyond his usual level.

Everyone present was drawn in by the brisk, joyful melody, their spirits lifting.

Several middle-aged men in suits held red wine glasses, their eyes closed and expressions utterly satisfied as their bodies swayed gently with the music.

They had completely immersed themselves in the sea of music.

"Looks like tonight's winner has already been decided. Deng Hao's skill only needs time to mature before he can stand among the world's top masters."

"Indeed. I never thought he possessed such unimaginable talent."

"Perfect background, astounding talent—he and the Bai family's young lady are simply made for each other. Tonight is destined to be their stage. Li Ruobing... sigh!"

Ten minutes later.

When the final note fell, someone in the crowd began clapping of their own accord.

Clap clap clap!

The applause merged into a roaring wave!

Smiling, Deng Hao adjusted his bow tie and bowed to thank everyone.

"Yan Yun, your boyfriend is impressive," Hu Yuhua praised. Even he could hear how beautiful Deng Hao's playing was, and how it made people feel relaxed and at ease.

Deng Hao walked over, and Hu Yuhua took the initiative to shake his hand. "I was worried about the opening ceremony, but now it seems my concerns were completely unnecessary!"

"Uncle Hua, since you've asked, I'll certainly do my best!" Deng Hao said with a smile. "I do know a thing or two about playing the piano!"

"Darling, you're amazing!" Bai Yanyun hooked her arm through Deng Hao's and praised him coquettishly. "It seems there's no need for tonight's competition to continue..."

Ding!

Just as Deng Hao, Bai Yanyun, and Hu Yuhua were talking, crisp piano notes rang out again.

Su Rui stood before the classical piano in the center of the hall. He first ran his palm casually across the keys, then closed his eyes and quietly listened to the subtle differences in tone.

"In 'The Blue Danube,' you got the second-to-last note of the second little waltz wrong," Su Rui said slowly, his fingers lightly brushing over the keys. "The overall melody of the second waltz is beautiful and mournful, unlike the cheerful first waltz. Yet at the end, you used a clear high note rather than a low note, ruining the overall rhythm and beauty. Of course, ordinary people can't hear such a subtle difference, and this is a mistake beginners often make. It isn't a major problem."

As Su Rui's words fell—

The hall instantly went silent.

"A... beginner?" Deng Hao's expression froze, then he gave a derisive laugh. "What do you know about piano pieces? Do you even know what a tonal transition is?"

A melodious piano tune spread through the hall.

Bai Yanyun was stunned for a moment before saying in an exaggerated tone, "A 'Beginner's Tutorial Piece'? What is he doing? Does he really think anyone can play the piano? Trying to fool people with such amateur tricks—if he wants to show off, he should at least use a better method!"

Bai Yanyun was filled with contempt.

She had spent years abroad, devoting herself to studying music. She was extremely gifted at piano performance and had received many honors.

In her eyes, Su Rui's behavior was nothing more than asking for trouble!

"Ruobing." Hu Yuhua glanced at Li Ruobing, silently asking what exactly her male companion was doing.

Deng Hao turned his palm over and sneered. "Do you think learning the Beyer Piano Basic Tutorial means you can play the piano? Don't tell me you think you're bound to lose, so you're trying to disrupt things with such a lowly method?"

Yes, what Su Rui was playing was indeed an entry-level piano piece.

The melody was extremely simple.

"Ruobing, call him back." Hu Yuhua raised his chin at Li Ruobing expressionlessly. "The summit's opening is about to begin. Let Yan Yun and her boyfriend familiarize themselves with the score."

"Music isn't something you can master just because you want to learn it. You need exceptional talent and sensitivity," Deng Hao sneered, about to continue. "Without boasting, some people may never reach the level Yan Yun and I have achieved in their entire lives... They should just admit defeat and accept the punishment..."

Li Ruobing remained expressionless, but a faint sneer curled at the corner of her lips.

The piano music suddenly changed!

The simple, cheerful tune abruptly shifted. The notes gradually brightened, spreading freely like a tide and filling every corner of the world.

Su Rui's fingers danced lightly over the keys, gliding from low notes to high ones like a path of blooming roses, then falling from high notes back to low ones like pearls scattered across the ground—fragmented, yet gleaming.

His body swayed ever so slightly with the rhythm, his eyes half-closed as though he had already immersed himself in the moving melody of his own solo.

Su Rui closed his eyes.

He was simply too familiar with this piano piece, so familiar that he could play it entirely by feeling.

Li Ruobing held a glass of champagne in one hand, astonishment appearing in her eyes.

Clear, pure piano notes flowed like a gentle stream.

The crowd immediately erupted in commotion.

If Deng Hao's piece had been a cup of refreshing, crisp sake, then Su Rui's melody was a rich, mellow vintage from an exquisite winery!

Mellow, ancient and simple, intoxicating beyond escape!

A unique, gentle light appeared in Li Ruobing's gaze as she looked at Su Rui. She had to admit that Su Rui always managed to surprise her.

She did not know what there was that Su Rui could not do.

He always did the most surprising and astonishing thing at exactly the right moment.

The piano piece Su Rui was playing was very famous. It had been used as an example in countless textbooks and as background music in countless variety shows and television stations.

After hearing a piece too many times, people would always grow tired of it.

But beneath Su Rui's fingertips, this old piece seemed to be born anew with fresh vitality.

The entire hall seemed to transform into an endless field. Moonlight above the heavens was soft and tranquil, and beneath such a gentle melody, one could lay down every guard and disguise...

There was no scheming from the business world or official circles, no work, no worries—only a melody so captivating that one could lose oneself in it.

"This... is 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'..." Deng Hao's expression turned ugly. He had studied music professionally, so it was easy for him to tell that Su Rui's piano skills were high—extremely high, far beyond his own!

At that moment.

The people in the hall stood with their mouths slightly open, stunned as they stared at the lone figure in the center of the hall.

"Oh my god... this... this wonderful melody, it feels as though I'm listening to a concert!"

"This is the level of a world-class master. No... even world-class masters could not reach this standard..."

Among the crowd, several highly professional music appreciators stared wide-eyed, scarcely daring to believe their ears.

"At a city-level Arts and Culture Summit, I can actually hear a melody like this..."

"Don't talk. Listen carefully!"

The hall was silent, filled only with Su Rui's lingering piano music.

Everyone reacted differently.

Several young girls gazed at him dreamily, taking out their phones to record Su Rui at the piano.

Several middle-aged men in sharp suits looked thoughtfully at Su Rui, slightly entranced.

In a corner, an elder silently nodded, sometimes sighing with emotion, sometimes lamenting...

Though everyone's reactions differed, they all listened quietly, completely immersed!

Bai Yanyun's face had gone pale.

Although no one in the hall spoke, everyone could tell that Su Rui's piece was far more beautiful than Deng Hao's. It drew people in involuntarily, making them forget everything else.

They could not bear to speak, could not bear to let even the slightest noise or flaw taint such a beautiful piece!

They all quietly admired and listened, allowing the melody to ripple beside their ears.

It was as if a golden moon had appeared in their minds. Beneath its moonlight, a breeze stirred, and a sea of green grass rose and fell gently, carrying the fragrance of earth and flower petals into the distance...

The piano music rose wave after wave, gradually moving from its beginning toward its ending.

No one wanted the piece to end so quickly.

They still wanted to listen.

Li Ruobing felt the same.

But in the end, it had to end.

When the final note came to an abrupt stop, the hall fell into dead silence.

No one cheered.

The atmosphere of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" still lingered, and no one had the heart to shatter that rare tranquility.

Su Rui picked up a paper towel beside him and wiped his palms. Beneath the hazy light, his figure appeared exceptionally tall and straight.

Crack...

Something shattered.

It was the image of Deng Hao as a prince on a white horse, which had only just formed in the hearts of the young girls. At that moment, Su Rui crushed it completely.

Su Rui stood and opened his eyes to look at Li Ruobing, his tone exceedingly gentle. "'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is for you. May you think of me whenever you hear it in the future."

Whoosh!

Applause surged through the hall like crashing waves and rolling thunder.

It went on without end!

Several girls clapped until their palms turned red, yet they continued cheering desperately.

Through the crowd, Su Rui saw Bai Yanyun and Deng Hao's ugly expressions. He smiled. "When it comes to music and the arts, are you even worthy of carrying my shoes?"

What Bai Yanyun had said to Li Ruobing earlier—

Su Rui now returned it to her word for word.

Like a powerful slap across the face!