135. Chapter 135 – Gan Yan Yu’s Letter
Hearing this, Gan Yan Yu, who had been blocking the door, suddenly froze in place.
Her hand slackened, and she was pushed open by Nanaly.
“…”
Stepping inside, Nanaly looked around.
“It’s so late, why are you practicing here alone? Where’s your partner, Lin Tian?”
“He…”
“You really…”
Looking at Gan Yan Yu, who looked like she had just wandered out of a nightmare, Nanaly couldn’t hold back her rage. Pointing at her, Nanaly yelled,
“Do you have any idea what kind of mindset I came to Qing River with!?”
“My mom transferred from England to China, and I applied to university here just to follow her. I’m here to beat you on the big stage and show everyone!”
“Not only will I beat you in the Parrot Zither Cup, but also in the Dragon Zither Cup! I want to win and win again, making up for all my past losses!”
“That’s how I feel about coming here. Could you please take me seriously?! Don’t let me see you sitting here daydreaming after losing once!”
“…”
After a series of loud exclamations concluded, Gan Yan Yu stood there, frozen.
She stared at Nanaly for a long time, lost in thought.
“I don’t think I’m too affected,” the young woman said.
“Huh?”
Nanaly dropped her hand, confused,
“Really?”
“Bai Xi is strong, and winning first place was expected.”
“What about…?”
“Bai Xi has always wanted to perform with Lin Tian,” Gan Yan Yu whispered softly.
“What if Lin Tian feels playing with Bai Xi could be even better?”
“Huh??”
Nanaly narrowed her eyes.
Struggling to process her thoughts, Nanaly cautiously asked,
“So, you’re worried that if you lose your duet partner Lin Tian will go play with Bai Xi?”
“…”
Gan Yan Yu didn’t respond, indicating her agreement.
“So, what if he does?” Nanaly still didn’t understand,
“If your music partner finds someone else improves their performance, isn’t that inevitable?”
“No, I don’t want that to happen.”
Lifting her gaze, Gan Yan Yu said,
“I know I’m not very good and have strange illnesses. I shouldn’t be with Lin Tian.”
From the moment she teamed up with Lin Tian, Gan Yan Yu had been trying her hardest to keep up with him.
From daily training to shooting videos, to handling their daily routines,
Everything had been taken care of by Lin Tian.
All Gan Yan Yu could do was play the cello well and not slow him down during performances.
Lin Tian’s music was so good.
Anyone playing it would sound the same, right?
Why should it always have to be “Gan Yan Yu”?
If she wanted to be the one playing,
Then she had to be the best, better than any cellist.
If she couldn’t…
Given Lin Tian’s talent, collaborating with an even more talented performer would be justified, right?
It’s a fair game, no complaints.
“But I don’t want to give up, even if I lose, I don’t want to see him with someone else for practice!”
Gan Yan Yu said.
“…”
Nanaly’s eyes went blank.
She was deep in thought.
“Wait up, I’m saying—”
Splaying both hands, Nanaly paused before continuing,
“Is this because you can’t bear to part ways or… am I sensing something?”
“A—Jealousy?”
Jealous.
The moment those words escaped, it was clear Gan Yan Yu was completely dumbfounded.
Coming back to her senses, she waved her hands furiously,
“No, no, our relationship isn’t like that.”
“But it sure seems like it!”
Crossing her arms, Nanaly imitated Gan Yan Yu’s tone,
“What… oh dear, I don’t want to see Lin Tian practicing with anyone else. I just want him for duets; I get upset when I see him talking to other girls in competitions. Isn’t that jealousy?!!!”
“…”
Gan Yan Yu was utterly speechless.
Her mind was now in overdrive.
Is this jealousy?
So this is what jealousy feels like.
Just imagining Lin Tian interacting with other girls made her feel uncomfortable.
Even though Lin Tian hadn’t done anything wrong.
But still, just because she lost, she couldn’t help but imagine Lin Tian abandoning her for Bai Xi.
“Normal duets don’t act this way! Only people who like each other are this clingy!”
Nanaly wore a look of exasperation, watching Gan Yan Yu fidget over such a trivial matter.
Sure enough.
Love. Only love can interfere with a cello player’s ability to draw the bowstrings!
Even for someone as capable as Gan Yan Yu, she couldn’t escape it.
“Liking someone?”
Gan Yan Yu nodded slightly,
“No, we’re not like that, and we never should be.”
“Still at it, huh!?”
Nanaly’s eyes were wide with disbelief.
She thought she had convinced her.
“No, no, I shouldn’t be that kind of person. Someone like me—”
Head bent low,
“But… thank you, Nanaly!”
With that, Gan Yan Yu embraced Nanaly tightly,
“At least, I know how to talk about it now!”
Then, she released her grip, picked up her cello, and walked away.
“…”
All Nanaly did was stand rooted to the spot, her robotic response leaving her bewildered as she gingerly scratched her nose.
Tiny face as red as a tomato.
Meanwhile, elsewhere—
Lying on the bed, Lin Tian stared at the ceiling.
He kept recalling Gan Yan Yu’s appearance today.
Did he need to stop her when she left?
Something definitely wasn’t right.
No matter how much she claimed she wasn’t bothered by the loss,
She still seemed off.
Letting her wallow in it could be dangerous.
She might already be sobbing quietly somewhere.
Lin Tian’s regret grew deeper.
d*mn.
He should have stopped her.
Not letting her walk away could have changed everything.
Tomorrow might be too late.
She could end up being a shy, anxious mess of a person, completely closed off.
The next day—
Knock knock knock!
Lin Tian opened the door to find Gan Yan Yu.
“Teacher Gan, there’s something I need to tell you!”
“And I too!”
Interrupting Lin Tian, Gan Yan Yu blurted out.
Lin Tian was stunned, staring at her.
Then, Gan Yan Yu reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope,
Handing it over.
Lin Tian took it, feeling its weight.
A pink wax seal kept it closed.
“This is…”
“A letter.”
Gan Yan Yu crossed her arms behind her back, lowering her head so her bangs obscured her reddened cheeks,
“I’m sorry for yesterday. I should’ve talked to you properly instead of getting ahead of myself, thinking you’d leave.”
“…”
Though she wanted to comment on “getting ahead of yourself”,
Lin Tian felt something unblocked within him,
As if he had long expected something.
Nothing was needed.
A single night—she sorted everything out herself.
Lin Tian glanced once more at the letter.
What year is this, using traditional letters?
Just as he prepared to open it, Gan Yan Yu placed a hand over his.
“There are some secrets in here.”
Raising her eyes, pleadingly and tenderly,
“Promise me, Tian, wait until we achieve our dreams, then you can read this, okay?”
