Richie's music did not seem to draw the attention of anyone present. Like a fine spring rain, it quietly nourished the heartstrings of every teacher and student there.
It was so plain and unassuming that it stirred no one's heart.
When the piece ended, the students and teachers present seemed not to have realized it yet.
Richie had already left the performance area and returned to sit beside Si Ang.
The entire class seemed to have heard nothing, yet also seemed to have heard something.
There was no emotion in Richie's music, yet it could stir the emotions within people's own hearts and resonate with them.
In that silence, everyone seemed to be experiencing the wondrous feeling of silence speaking louder than sound.
The first to realize that Richie had finished playing was Henry. His expression was wistful, as though he had recalled the past.
Mr. Henry seemed to have woken from a dream, still groggy from sleep, his mind not quite clear.
"The past..." Henry did not finish, leaving Richie scratching his head in frustration, eager to hear the gossip about Mr. Henry's past.
Richie was just about to read Mr. Henry's thoughts when Henry said, "Never mind. Let the past stay in the past!"
The corner of Richie's mouth twitched. He really hated people who shared only half the juicy details and refused to finish.
Once Henry had finished reminiscing, he roused the judges from their own memories. "Teachers, what did you think of that student's performance?"
Some of the teachers had their eyes narrowed, while others rested their chins in their hands, each lost in thought.
Another ten or so seconds passed before one music teacher emerged from his daydream. "Ah! This student is difficult to assess, but he is certainly quite outstanding."
"That student's music merits