170. Chapter 170: Protect Her by First Suppressing Her! (Third Update) (Vote for me!)
“What? You’re inviting me to eat?”
Lin Tian scratched his head carefully, trying to recollect if he had any prior interactions with this musician.
But hold on—during that heated argument in front of the office with Tuoba Jianhui, one of the people sitting inside was probably him.
If it’s about invitations, Gan Yan Yu is the contestant and I’m just the accompanist. There’s no way someone would invite only me without her.
Wait a minute.
Is he here to take up the torch for Tuoba and settle things offline?
I mean, it shouldn’t be that dramatic in the musical world of Zhong Hua, right?!
After pondering hard, Lin Tian decided to meet this person anyway.
Whatever the motive, if this was related to Tuoba, it would be good to meet up and hash things out.
Very soon, Lin Tian confirmed a meeting tonight with Yao Han at a restaurant called Brilliant—apparently a place he’d never heard of.
Upon checking with a map app, it turns out the joint is in the suburbs of Qingzhou.
Good grief, even public transport would require two transfers.
Time to hail an Uber.
Around 5 PM, Lin Tian stepped outside.
A small car took an hour to drive from Qingzhou’s central area down a street even locals hadn’t ventured through for ages.
Occasional big trucks rumbled past, stirring dust that made everything look bleak. From the car window, Lin Tian could spot buildings sporadically every few dozen meters—like it was barely a suburb but rather the outskirts where city meets countryside.
Being a famous judge from the capital, surely they wouldn’t put him in such a remote spot, right?
Lin Tian puzzled over this until, ten minutes later, the car pulled up in front of a restaurant named Brilliance.
Out of the car, Lin Tian saw the sign—Brilliance—written on a standalone dining hall.
What kind of weird name is that for a Chinese joint?
Inside, Lin Tian approached the counter to ask, only to realize that amidst the grandeur of the place, there was only one other patron seated at a table.
He sat down.
“Oh! Here you are!”
Yao Han leapt up with enthusiasm, extending his hand,
“Hello!”
“Hello.”
Lin Tian gave a token handshake.
Still, he couldn’t help but feel peeved about braving traffic to get to this small joint.
“You understand, during the competition, if a contestant and a judge privately interact, it would be chaos if caught by the media.” Yao smiled, settling back.
Seems like he wanted to skirt a rule for this talk.
“I want to discuss how you and Gan Yan Yu played yesterday,” Yao said plainly.
“I really believe your performance with her cello was outstanding, man! I haven’t been moved so deeply on stage in ages—you guys totally have what it takes for international competitions!”
Even though he was complimented genuinely as a judge, Lin Tian felt no joy.
“Sure, we have the ability, but isn’t making it to the semifinals a bit tricky lately?”
Yao Han caught the frustration in Lin’s tone, understanding well his plight.
Yet, another sigh followed:
“Tuoba? He can be selfish and arrogant. Most great musicians like him tend to be self-centered. Don’t take it to heart.”
“But you agree with him?”
“Wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
This must be all for a pep talk, right?
At this point, the waiter came up with some dishes.
Spicy fatty intestine, fish-fragrant eggplant, and stewed pork knuckles.
Looks like a Sichuanese joint.
“In a sense, yes and no,” Yao explained, serving himself.
“What’s the story?”
“Gan’s cello is dangerous, sure. But not all about destruction.”
He met Lin Tian’s gaze earnestly:
“Truthfully? I kinda envy you.”
“Huh?”
“As a pianist, getting to play alongside Gan Yan Yu—what a rush!”
Yao’s face lit up vividly as he talked about the performance they witnessed together of “One Step Away,” the duo playing on stage almost transporting Yao himself inside their dance.
Seeing such a scene live was exhilarating.
As a pianist himself, Yao wondered how ecstatic it must be to be part of these performances.
Only Lin Tian had read Gan properly to collaborate successfully. Others like Tuoba Jianhui would merely watch in horror as the music swallowed them whole.
But even if it consumed him, Yao would be into it!
“To me, I root for you both to continue. Ignore anything that holds you back.”
Unlike Tuoba who viewed Gan with an elder’s protective stance,
Yao had no personal stake in controlling the situation.
It had nothing to do with him if their lives plunged into chaos!
His wish was just the ultimate perfect performance—heart-wrenchingly beautiful.
“. . .”
In Yao’s eyes, Lin Tian glimpsed—frenzy.
An obsessive passion for music.
He cleared his throat, steadying himself, then resumed:
“You questioned yourself after the disappointment. Wondering how best to back her while keeping control—right?”
Lin Tian’s eyes widened with realization:
“This is what top-tier pianists feel?”
Effortlessly hitting on his exact dilemma.
“Suffice to say, suppress her,” Yao said.
“Huh?”
“As an accompanist, if you just trail behind, you’re useless.”
“To support her, you need to assert yourself—step in front of her, dive deeper first. Protecting her means surpassing her.”
“In other words, next time, as long as you ensure it—show you’ve got the chops, Tuoba Jianhui will have egg on his face!”
Yao, getting fired up, slammed the table and stood up,
“Goddamn, I’ve had enough of that old coot! I don’t trust other pianos, but you’ll nail it, Lin Tian!”
(End of Chapter)
