Chapter 314: The Gathering of Cellists, This is Networking!
“When does it start? When does it start?”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m so excited!”
“This is probably the first time I’ve spent so much money to see a classical concert.”
“Ahhh, are we really about to see Moonlight and Cat in person? Hurry up, hurry up!”
At this moment,
Inside the venue.
There’s still a bit until Moonlight and Cat grace the stage.
With tens of thousands of people in the venue, the atmosphere is totally buzzing and chaotic.
For many, this isn’t just an ordinary concert.
It’s an extraordinary “rite of passage.”
For half a year,
Moonlight and Cat’s names have become mythic in the minds of many!
And now,
The legendary figures are about to appear.
Many audience members were already so excited they could hardly contain themselves.
Waiting quietly for this final countdown to their performance.
“…”
“Where’s the popcorn?”
“I brought it. Don’t rush me.”
Xu Yong sat in the front row.
Feeling the rambunctious atmosphere, he was so excited he could hardly sit still.
“Can’t believe the first time I see Lin Tian perform it’s in a venue like this.”
“What a freakin’ dream! Just six months ago, he was working with me at that tea restaurant.”
“Now he’s holding a concert at an international venue while I’m sweating bullets about the parent-teacher meeting next week. We both have bright futures!”
As a witness along the way,
Xu Yong was highly qualified to say such things at this moment.
He had watched in awe as Lin Tian transformed from the guy who worked at the restaurant, borrowed money from him to buy a piano, to someone who no longer worked and eventually stopped attending school.
If anyone in the world could truly understand Lin Tian’s rise, it was Xu Yong, his desk mate!
This feeling of not seeing his desk mate at school every day, but constantly running into him on all sorts of social media was just too much!
Every time Xu Yong was flipping through the list of words to memorize during evening study sessions,
Seeing Lin Tian making fun little videos with cute girls made him dizzy with frustration!
But he finally got through those tough times.
Thinking about it, Xu Yong felt genuinely happy for Lin Tian.
After all,
He had witnessed not just Lin Tian’s current brilliance, but also the hardships he had endured.
If there was anything that left Xu Yong feeling unbalanced,
It was probably that with Lin Tian gone from school, the only person he could still talk to every day was Su Ran!
Xu Yong turned his head.
Next to him, Su Ran cradled her face, revealing a dreamy expression:
“They’re so great together; they must be wearing amazing couple outfits today!”
So why did he end up this way with her?
Every time he thought about it, Xu Yong felt more than a little crazy.
It was so strange!
At first, he just liked to spar with the girls from Xiaohongshu online, debating issues about male and female fights for days on end. It was super satisfying.
If you weren’t a regular on the forums, you could hardly understand that feeling.
Today’s forums were just not the same.
But if you went back ten years?
That kind of chess-match debating, countering every move!
With beautiful parallel sentences, explosive metaphors, and pure primal aggressiveness.
It was just exhilarating.
Such scenes could often unfold in various corners of the forums.
But now,
Whether it was a primary schooler on Bilibili who instantly drained any competitive urge, or bizarre anthropomorphic creatures on TikTok engaging in mind-blowing dialogues,
Xu Yong felt utterly unmotivated to argue with them.
Debating with those folks? Doubling your words would just be a waste of time!
In contrast, encountering such a rare and valuable opponent was incredibly precious!
Especially since the other party was a female fighter!
Anyone who had debated with female fighters knew.
Most of the time, it was such a dull battle.
What seemed like long-winded essays were actually disconnected thoughts, far more emotional than logical.
They often couldn’t spit out a word and would either start tagging their ancestors or block you outright once they felt they were losing.
An absolute classic—“I’ll delete any bad comments!”
But Su Ran wouldn’t.
She truly wasn’t afraid!
She wouldn’t block, wouldn’t run away, and wasn’t shy about trading insults face-to-face in class.
She was exactly the dream debate partner Xu Yong had been searching for!
Such back-and-forth banter was downright exhilarating!
Initially, Xu Yong just wanted to hang out like this.
But before he knew it,
They were walking home together after classes, eating at the same table, shooting videos during holidays, and even coming together to see Lin Tian’s concert!
This was totally messed up!
Maybe, the reality of their relationship wasn’t actually as close as it seemed; they were just two strangers “thrown together.”
“Popcorn.” Su Ran raised her hand to urge him.
“Oh, right.”
Xu Yong set the bucket of popcorn on his lap.
“Ah—”
Su Ran was busy taking pictures and couldn’t reach her hand out, so she opened her mouth instead.
Xu Yong grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into Su Ran’s mouth.
“Tastes bland.”
“I’ll find you a tastier piece.”
Xu Yong rummaged around, found a darker piece, and handed it over.
“Mmm, mmm, mmm~”
This time, Su Ran made a satisfied chewing noise.
“Not bad. I bought it online in advance. This place has good flavor.”
“It really is good.”
“…”
“Wait, hold on!”
Xu Yong realized, tossing the popcorn back into the bucket.
How did they slip back into this couple-style interaction again?!
He widened his eyes and turned his face,
“Su Ran, I think we…”
Just then—
The venue lights went out.
Everything around them went dark.
The ambiance shifted to a deeper shade, and many audience members couldn’t see those beside them at all.
“What’s happening?”
“Is it a power outage?”
“Don’t scare me like that; I’m drinking water!”
“…”
The audience was voicing their dissatisfaction at the sudden blackout, creating a chaotic scene.
“Bang—”
Suddenly,
The stage lights turned back on.
Everyone’s gaze was forcibly drawn to the stage.
At this moment,
On stage, a man and a woman appeared.
The man was in a black suit, the woman in a white gown—one black, one white.
They walked step by step; halfway, the man turned back to check if the woman was close behind before pausing slightly and then continuing forward.
Just like that, the two reached the center of the stage.
The entire audience fell silent.
They stood there, dazed and staring.
In this venue of tens of thousands, a bizarre atmosphere descended.
It was as if everyone was confirming an answer in their hearts.
Until,
The man picked up the microphone,
With a simple yet powerful voice, he said:
“Hello everyone!”
“We are Moonlight and Cat.”
In an instant,
The audience erupted with deafening cheers!
“Ah?? Ah????”
“Moon God is awesome!!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, so handsome, huh?!!”
“Cat Teacher is so cute, ah, I’m dying! Cat teacher is so cute, ah, I’m dead!”
“Moonlight Brother, I love you ahhhhh!”
“…”
No flashy lifting platforms, no grand introductions by the host, no epic BGM as a backdrop!
Moonlight and Cat just… simply walked out!
So straightforward that at first, everyone wasn’t quite sure.
Maybe that was precisely the craziness they yearned for, that when they finally met, it felt like a dream—a surreal experience!
“No one told me Cat-chan looked so much prettier in person?!”
“Is Moon God really that handsome? d*mn, I wish I was dead!”
“Finally met, woo woo woo!”
“Tears are falling for no reason; I just want to cry!”
“Ahhhhhhh, Moonlight Brother, did you hear that? I freaking love your partner!!”
On stage,
Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu stood there silently, absorbing the spectacle.
And their crazy cheers lasted a full three minutes.
In this venue filled with thousands, those cries felt like a tornado with the power to destroy everything, drowning everyone in a storm of excitement.
Anyone who had attended a concert knew how normal it was to hear such heart-wrenching, heartfelt shouts at a concert.
What was abnormal was Moonlight and Cat—doing nothing yet making such cheers last for three full minutes!
Even weirder,
This was freaking a classical concert!
As Lin Tian raised his hand towards the audience,
The atmosphere finally began to settle down a few seconds later.
Looking out at the audience, each face showing excitement and anticipation,
Lin Tian chose to hand the microphone over to Gan Yan Yu.
“Thank you so much for joining us for our first concert.”
Gan Yan Yu held the microphone, speaking somewhat shyly,
“As ‘Moonlight and Cat,’ we’re delighted to receive so much love.”
“Thank you all, thank you for loving our music… loving classical music.”
Gan Yan Yu paused briefly, speaking earnestly,
“Tonight, we will do our best to perform, to ensure we don’t disappoint any fans here.”
—“Cat sister, I love you!!”
In the front row, a girl stood up and shouted exuberantly.
Soon, laughter and cheers echoed throughout the crowd.
“…”
Lin Tian reclaimed the microphone from Gan Yan Yu.
“Don’t want to say much.”
Lin Tian smiled and said,
“Let’s get started!”
The first piece, “Can-Can”!
On one side of the stage, the famous “Aier Orchestra” from Qingjiang was already in position, ready to accompany.
“Let’s welcome our first special guest, Yun Qiu Qiu!”
As Lin Tian personally introduced her.
Yun Qiu Qiu, wearing a blue textile dress and high heels, walked onto the stage with a somewhat unsteady gait.
“Yun Qiu Qiu? Who’s that?”
Murmurs of confusion arose from the audience.
“What kind of person dares to share the stage with our Cat-chan?”
Quickly, an avid music fan in the audience offered some insight.
“Isn’t she the one who performed! This isn’t just anyone; she’s the top cellist from Yongzhou!”
“To give you classical music novices a heads-up, she’s one of the top four cellists in Qingjiang Province!”
“Oh, she has a Bilibili account too, called ‘Qiu Qiu-chan.’”
“Oh! I’ve seen her!”
As the buzz continued in the audience,
Before long,
Piano music began to play.
Lin Tian sat at the piano, playing with deep emotion.
Meanwhile, Gan Yan Yu and Yun Qiu Qiu, sitting across from him, simultaneously drew their cello strings.
Joyful, lively music echoed through the venue filled with tens of thousands.
Though he had experienced this during rehearsal, hearing the music resonate in such a vast space still made Lin Tian feel a rush of excitement.
More than that, a sense of shock.
His mind flashed back to the hilarious moments of first trying to tame this piece with Gan Yan Yu.
The audience immersed in this cheerful music for a while—amidst thousands, they stayed quiet, assuming the position of attentive listeners as the melody flowed.
“Live version, oh my God, Cat-chan on the cello is phenomenal!”
“Ah, seeing Cat-chan seriously playing the cello is just so charming!”
“Qiu Qiu-chan is also amazing—two cellists make the emotions even richer!”
“Uh-oh, TikTok has poisoned me—I feel like I want to dance along!”
As for this special guest,
She really didn’t need much introduction.
At the moment the music began to play, everyone instinctively recognized the talent of the cellist.
Her sound—different from Cat-chan’s.
“Has she always played so flamboyantly?”
Quickly, some audience members noticed that at this moment, Yun Qiu Qiu was moving her head rhythmically on the chair, eyes shut, brow furrowed, as if engaged in an artistic battle.
At once, no one could make heads or tails of it.
“Hahaha, so infectious!”
“What a contrast; where did Moonlight and Cat find this weirdo?”
“…”
In fact,
Only Lin Tian knew what she was doing.
A quick glance at Yun Qiu Qiu, and he understood.
This girl was once again searching for an anime scene in her head, and getting carried away!
And not gonna lie, her method was pretty effective.
She could perfectly match the duo’s melodies, and her extraordinary stage presence was incredibly captivating!
During the Parrot Zither Cup’s semifinals, Lin Tian had recognized this unique style of play.
Now on stage together, he felt its allure sink even deeper.
After the first piece ended,
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
Next up:
“Canon in D.”
Following the announcement of this piece, cheers immediately filled the venue.
This piece was not simple!
To this day, many Moonlight and Cat fans still considered it the best work—no contest!
Once again, Lin Tian announced the participating guest:
“Christine Nanaly.”
“Another master?!!”
Upon hearing the name of the second guest, some audience members could hardly sit still.
Wait, this is just the second piece and there are already two guests?
What’s going on?
When the classical music enthusiasts in attendance heard the name “Nanaly,” their expressions shifted dramatically, and they hurried to explain (show off) to those beside them.
“She comes from the most ancient cello family!”
“She’s practically a classical music deity!”
“I thought someone of her stature wouldn’t perform casually…but for Moonlight and Cat, it makes sense!”
“Whoa, I knew she participated in the Parrot Zither Cup, but I didn’t expect Moonlight and Cat could get her on board too!”
Word spread like wildfire.
When a beautiful blonde mixed-race girl walked onto the stage,
Cheers erupted in the audience.
“Whoa! Foreign girls are just stunning!”
“That face is so gorgeous, she has such an aristocratic vibe!”
“Wait, I always thought Moonlight and Cat were more entertainment-oriented; I didn’t know they had this kind of clout in the music industry!”
From just one Yun Qiu Qiu, now they had a member of a noble cello family.
This seemed to be about more than just guest appearances; it was demonstrating their connections in the music world!
The music began to play.
The beautiful and soothing notes of “Canon” spilled forth throughout the grand venue,
The ultimate indulgence was here.
—In such a majestic space, this comfy ambiance,
To enjoy a live version of “Canon,” played by Moonlight and Cat themselves.
Any fan would find it hard not to exclaim… heavenly music!
“So awesome, fam.”
At the same time,
In the front row, VIP ticket holder Zhang Dong was giving a thumbs-up to his phone.
Because the concert venue didn’t allow live streaming—at least not blatantly filming the stage.
So Zhang Dong held the camera low, letting the audience hear the sound while the image was just of himself.
In reality, his daily work had been quite demanding.
Getting a chance to come to an idol’s concert, Zhang Dong was initially planning to enjoy it peacefully without streaming, as the organizers hadn’t encouraged that either.
Yet, after just two pieces, he couldn’t hold back any longer.
If he didn’t share, he’d feel pent-up for ages!!
“It’s like listening to heavenly music, everyone.”
Zhang Dong excitedly chimed in,
“Those who weren’t here are truly missing out!”
“I’ve always believed that Cat Teacher’s performance can only be truly felt when experienced live—that emotional resonance is breathtaking.”
“This Miss Nanaly is also incredible; her collaboration with Cat Teacher is neither overshadowed nor overshadowing!”
At that moment, Lin Tian, still playing piano on stage, also noticed something.
He was somewhat surprised by Nanaly’s sound.
She had made such rapid progress!
Compared to her performances at the Parrot Zither Cup stage,
Nanaly’s music had traded some of its past aggression for steadiness, showcasing those proud aspects in a more confident manner.
What made Nanaly’s sound exceptionalwas her “absolute confidence” in music.
That kind of confidence was contagious, able to be communicated through the music itself, allowing others to feel her charm.
And that kind of confidence? You couldn’t fake that.
It stemmed from the depths of her bloodline, her heritage from a music family.
Now, Nanaly undoubtedly showcased that charm to the fullest.
No wonder He Zhi Chen warned him to be cautious of Nanaly.
In just two months,
The kind of Nanaly now before him, he certainly couldn’t say was a sure win!
“Though I know this Miss Nanaly, I haven’t seen her perform much. I didn’t expect there were such exceptional cellists in Qingjiang,”
Zhang Dong remarked in his live stream.
In his streaming room, besides the viewers who missed the event, many “scene weirdos” joined in.
“Of course! That’s our Moonlight and Cat’s connections, right?”
“Blonde girls are definitely stunning! I took so many pictures!”
“Dong-ge, since you’re sitting so front-row, please get us some visuals! As a third-class seat, I can barely see anything.”
“While talking to Cat-chan might feel guilty, I’ve got no such qualms about this foreign girl. I’m ready to pray right now. Amen!”
A lot of the audience at the venue weren’t content just to enjoy the music; they wanted a place to chat.
So Zhang Dong’s stream became a hub for many live attendees.
Everyone eagerly exchanged what they felt and thought, discussing the current stage effects.
Zhang Dong was delighted by this situation, and he inevitably found himself chatting more.
After the second piece ended, he seized the opportunity to say:
“Honestly, I can understand why they invited some well-known classical musicians from Qingjiang for this highly significant concert.”
“But I wonder if anyone else feels like I do; while these collaborations sound great, I still want to hear Moonlight and Cat perform solo.”
As soon as he said that, the “scene weirdos” energetically chimed in support.
“+1!”
“Yeah, I also want to hear Moonlight and Cat play solo, or at least let the guests accompany them instead; both pieces were half-and-half with guests.”
“I don’t understand why they started with two pieces featuring guests!”
“But it’s okay, as long as the guests are of high quality, it’s still enjoyable.”
“That’s true; strangely, it feels a bit… ominous?”
Zhang Dong unwittingly made such a remark,
“But the next piece should be…”
“Let’s welcome special guest—Bai Xi!”
With Lin Tian’s another announcement,
The audience erupted once more!
If the previous two guests required some knowledge to recognize,
Then this one was a heavyweight!
“Wait! Isn’t she the one who faced Cat-chan in the finals?!”
“Teacher Bai Xi is incredible! She was famous since she was a teenager!”
“Oh my gosh, I’ve watched her compete; she’s such an elegant teacher!”
“What in the world, how did they manage to invite her?!”
“…”
Bai Xi, who once won against Gan Yan Yu in the Star Cup and then lost to Gan Yan Yu in the Parrot Zither Cup.
Many longtime fans felt the pressure from her through Cat-chan’s perspective!
Even after winning the Parrot Zither Cup finals,
Many fans still felt uneasy, thinking, if they faced her again, they couldn’t guarantee a win.
At this time, Zhang Dong took a moment to calculate.
“Holy cow!”
Zhang Dong exclaimed happily,
“This concert has gathered the best cellists in Qingjiang all in one place!”
“Now that’s impressive, guys; this is the clout of our Moon God and Cat God!”
Considering that one province in our Tianchao is equivalent to a medieval European nation,
What kind of musicians could host their own concert and gather the finest performers in the country as guests?
Just think of the status and cohesion they must have in the music community to achieve this!
“Epic!”
“This is exactly the kind of ‘strongest classical concert in history’ I wanted to see!”
“It feels like ‘Moonlight and Cat’ really unites the cellists together.”
“Great job on the guest list!”
“…”
As the third piece, “Cello Concerto in E Minor” began,
The resonating sound created by Bai Xi and Gan Yan Yu’s bows harmonized throughout the venue.
All the audience members wide-eyed, holding their breaths in appreciation of this performance.
This collaboration from the finest cellists in Qingjiang left Zhang Dong feeling the change.
It seemed Bai Xi’s performance strength this time was significantly heightened compared to the previous pieces.
Zhang Dong was puzzled.
Was she holding back?
Did Cat-chan have to rein in her performance intensity in previous concerts?
Suddenly,
Zhang Dong’s pupils widened.
Was it possible that…
“The real purpose of these guests isn’t just the concert itself, but to share Cat Teacher’s performance load?”
“That means Cat Teacher—”
Zhang Dong swiftly glanced at the jumbo screen.
Upon careful inspection, Gan Yan Yu’s expression didn’t seem too optimistic.
(To be continued…)
