Chapter 22: I’m Here to Help!
“Wait up!”
Though Lin Tian really didn’t want to interrupt Gan Yan Yu while she was feeling so bummed out, he just couldn’t help himself.
“Asthma?”
“Yeah, I’ve had it since birth. It acts up whenever I get nervous. It’s gotten much worse over the years.”
Lin Tian pondered this deeply.
Sure, for most people, asthma might not be a big deal. But for someone chasing their dreams on a big stage, it could be a deal-breaker—almost like a d*ath sentence. Almost.
What kind of terminal diagnosis was this?!
Lin Tian was completely flabbergasted.
He realized it wasn’t entirely fair to be mad at Gan Yan Yu, though. After all, it was his own guesswork.
Why did Xu Yong sound like a dead man on the phone?!!
Taking a moment to calm down, Lin Tian asked again:
“So you went to the UK to treat your asthma?”
“Yup. Sorry for lying to you before, but I did take cello lessons there too.”
“Who cares about that! So you’re not actually terminally ill?”
“No, why would you think that?”
Lin Tian swiftly stepped forward, grabbing Gan Yan Yu by the shoulders.
?!
With surprise, Gan Yan Yu shot her head up, like a frightened rabbit.
Caught in the embrace of the young man, she just gaped at Lin Tian.
“That’s good to hear,” Lin Tian said softly.
Looking at the girl with a mix of relief and tenderness, he smiled.
Gan Yan Yu froze.
Over the past few hours, Lin Tian had thought she only had days left.
Struggling to stop her from committing s*icide, yet constantly reminded she had barely any time left.
No matter how hard he tried, the end result was always d*ath.
This deep sense of helplessness had been swirling around Lin Tian until tonight.
When he finally realized her condition:
Relief washed over him.
Finally, the huge weight off his chest.
He was genuinely happy!
Moved to his core, Lin Tian decided now was his time to settle things!
“You’re thinking about s*icide when your grandpa’s still in a coma and your dream hasn’t come true?!”
Suddenly:
Lin Tian grabbed her shoulders, shaking her roughly.
d*mn it!
What will happen to your grandpa if you just d*e?
Don’t say you’re going to play music forever; your grandpa on bed rest ruins that dream!
Never seen such a pathetic display before!
Gan Yan Yu didn’t expect Lin Tian’s mood swing as quick as flipping a page.
Dazed and confused, she held up her hands to plead:
“Sorry… sorry!”
Lin Tian let go and Gan Yan Yu cradled her head, her world spinning.
Unsteady on her feet, she fell to the ground.
Once the dizziness subsided and everything calmed down:
Her expression turned somber.
“In the last two days, my parents came back.”
Lin Tian was slightly startled.
“They don’t support me playing the cello. They cleared out everything from my room at grandpa’s place—trophies, certificates—everything thrown out.”
“I tried to fight them, but it was no use. The agency dropped me like it was nothing.”
“So, I can’t compete anymore.”
After her revelation, silence again blanketed the scene.
Now Lin Tian understood why she was in such a mental state.
Growing up with grandpa, spending a year away for treatment, then coming home only to find grandpa in a vegetative state.
Before you can recover from that grief:
Those very same parents you haven’t seen since you were three, come back.
Acting as guardians, they destroyed whatever remained of her precious memories.
If the accident had been a reason for living after grandpa’s passing, it was her desire to fulfill grandpa’s dream.
But those two imposters calling themselves “parents” snuffed out every bit of hope.
And with it, the fire inside a 18-year-old.
Lin Tian finally grasped why she seemed so emotionally numb.
If the purpose of her existence vanished, what’s even worth living for?
“But thank you, Lin Tian,” Gan Yan Yu said, standing up and looking at Lin Tian seriously.
Earlier, the story of ‘Jacqueline’ he shared was so beautiful.
You shouldn’t give up until the very end.
“I’ll wait until grandpa wakes up. No matter how long it takes, I’ll keep waiting.”
“And I’ll continue playing the cello.”
Adding on, Lin Tian said.
“But…”
“Just because you aren’t signed to a company doesn’t mean you can’t compete as an independent artist!”
“Besides, a kid at 18 relying on parents to live? The ones who abandoned you at three should’ve never called themselves parents. Who gives them the right to interfere in your life now?!”
His tone hardened.
A little personal vendetta too.
Silence reigned for a moment.
“You’re right,” Gan Yan Yu said.
The girl turned her gaze back to the distant city.
Living alone definitely has its uncertainties.
But look at this young man. He did pretty well through life on his own.
Maybe she could achieve her own dreams if she kept working hard too.
“Sure, competing as an independent artist means starting from scratch. And it’ll be much harder.”
Chasing dreams is romantic.
But practical obstacles are real too.
“What about your grandpa’s dream?”
Sitting on the railing, Lin Tian asked.
“To win the Ke’er Cup, to let our classical music reach the world,” Gan Yan Yu almost instantly responded.
These words had echoed countless times in her mind.
No one understood better than she did.
Without family support or company backing.
To complete grandpa’s dream alone would be a tough road.
From district competitions to provincial, then national leagues.
Only making it to the top four in the Long Zither Cup could earn her the chance to compete in the Ke’er Cup with three others.
Onward to Vienna, where she’d face cellists from around the world.
In Gan Yan Yu’s country, the cello is a niche instrument.
And while she’s recently reached the level where provincial competitions were within reach, starting over with no backing would be immense.
She remained with her head bowed.
Suddenly:
On the distant mountain, the sun peeked above the horizon, casting a faint ray of light piercing the night sky.
The dark blue hues softened to gray blue, then filled with sunlight.
This soft glow illuminated Gan Yan Yu’s face.
Morning… it’s dawn?
Gan Yan Yu’s pupils trembled slightly.
“Lin Tian?”
Glancing over, she found, at some point, Lin Tian had climbed onto the railing.
Turning around, he pointed dramatically at her,
“Consider it done!”
(End of Chapter)
