Chapter 359: Life Consultation with Nanaly
Looking back at the history of the Dragon Zither Cup.
It’s truly unprecedented!
How could this be fair play?!
The popularity of pop music is like a nuclear strike on the classical music scene.
To perform a pure music version of a recently exploded pop song at the Dragon Zither Cup as a pop composer.
Imagine the sheer hysteria. The screams from the audience!
This is already a win in the court of public opinion.
Provided that Mao Wei Ang doesn’t go into full mental breakdown mode on stage directly—
This is basically a shortcut to the final round!
Compared to
Lin Tian and Teacher Gan’s selections, it’s night and day.
Truly astonishing.
Maple never imagined there would be a day when a performance would revolve around which selection to make, deciding one’s fate right there and then.
“Yeah, let’s look forward to Master Mao’s performance today.”
Maple nodded in agreement as the commentator, secretly praying inside.
Lin Tian and Teacher Gan,
Hold it together!
Backstage at the concert hall.
Lin Tian followed behind Teacher Gan, preparing for the dressing room when he bumped into Nanaly coming from the other direction.
Lin Tian raised his hand to greet her.
Unexpectedly,
Nanaly didn’t even lift her head, with a scowl on her face, she just passed them by.
“.Did they not see us?”
Gan Yan Yu looked embarrassed and confused.
“She seems off.”
Lin Tian turned to look at Nanaly.
No idea why,
She’s standing there perfectly fine,
But something was off about Nanaly.
Like she didn’t have a living vibe.
A suffocating energy field.
“Too nervous? After all, this is the semi-final.”
Gan Yan Yu expressed concern,
“Is she really able to perform well in this state?”
Gan Yan Yu knew well how much a contestant’s mindset could affect their performance.
Even though she tried to sound reassuring,
She already felt it within seconds,
There was no way Nanaly was performing like herself now.
“What happened? Who got to her?!”
Lin Tian said, originally jokingly.
But seeing Teacher Gan’s worried face, it felt more real.
“Let’s go check on her.”
“Check on her? Teacher Gan, you know the current situation.”
Lin Tian said agitatedly,
“Aren’t we the ones who need to focus on our mindset?”
Everyone knows,
Today’s competition, everyone’s eyes were on the duel between Moonlight, Cat, and Mao Wei Ang.
The most pressure must be on Teacher Gan.
“Nanaly is our opponent. If she can’t handle it, that’s on her.”
Lin Tian said.
The competition was about to start, everyone’s stress levels were through the roof.
Even if the competition is objective, none of it mattered to them.
“But she’s also our friend,”
Gan Yan Yu whispered.
She knew Lin Tian had a point.
But seeing Nanaly just now, she felt—
Lin Tian sighed and agreed.
“Gan Yan Yu worries so much. It won’t stop because we choose not to act. She’s too good-hearted, can’t stand seeing people suffer. She’s going to worry no matter what.”
Lin Tian didn’t mind.
“Maybe I should see her. Just in case.”
“Not you too,”
Lin Tian cut in quickly,
“Don’t you know bad vibes are contagious? What if she affects you?”
Lin Tian built up a good mindset with Gan Yan Yu,
He understood her too well.
The compassionate and deeply empathetic “Little Gan,” if not careful, might take Nanaly’s mood with her.
Gan Yan Yu was quiet.
She understood her own flaws.
“You stay here, I’ll check on her then come back.”
Gan Yan Yu nodded.
This backstage had a really nice feature—each candidate had their personal sign outside their private resting room.
Lin Tian remembered Nanaly’s door number so easily found her room.
“Knock, knock, knock—”
He knocked on the door.
Behind it, the door flung open,
And Nanaly, sitting on the sofa, jumped up, startled.
When she saw Rintian at the door, her fierce looks softened almost instantly.
“Rintian?”
“You’re scaring me,”
Rintian said teasingly as he closed the door,
“Who did you think I was?!”
“What are you doing here?” Nanaly asked calmly.
“To check on you, at Gan Yan Yu’s request.”
“Why didn’t she come?”
“…”
Rintian tilted his head, looking at Nanaly,
“Should I go?”
“No, not like that!”
Nanaly blushed and explained hastily, “I was just wondering… didn’t expect her to care…”
“She’s always been that kind,”
Rintian laughed,
“Besides, I stopped her from coming, afraid you had some heartbreak, she might share in your struggle, and then we’d both be heading home during the semi-final.”
“…”
Nanalyze fell silent again, fiddled with her Lolita dress’s bear charm, eyes downcast.
—The little toy didn’t look too bad.
If it could ease anxiety, Rintian considered getting one for Gan Yan Yu, so she wouldn’t just squeeze her thigh.
Seeing the silence stretch on for about 20 seconds or so,
“Talk to me, please.”
Rintian started,
Arms crossed against the wall,
“What’s wrong?”
Rintian raised his voice.
For those who don’t know better, they might misunderstand Rintian as someone super understanding and patient—especially given that Gan Yan Yu is the ultimate example.
Really quite misleading.
Because these wonderful qualities are only reserved for one person,
Gan Yan Yu.
Rintian has patience but not a lot of it.
He fundamentally isn’t a great conversationalist.
He prefers just bashing men, regardless of gender lines.
Rintian cannot accept when someone passively accepts emotional investment. Especially without talking.
Is he supposed to guess?
Only Gan Yan Yu makes him do that.
Otherwise, his patience goes based on looks.
If it’s an uggo, he’d smack them away already.
Fortunately,
Rintian doesn’t mind Western girls.
He still gave Nanaly another two minutes.
In the meantime, on the big screen, the competition had started.
Commentators began an enthusiastic round of analysis.
“…”
Rintian wasn’t too anxious as his own performance was after this round.
Without Nanaly speaking, he just stayed there quietly watching the match on the big screen.
Next to him, Nanaly looked terrified, though Rintian ignored her as he stared at the screen.
Nanalyze bit her lip, as if ready to say something but stayed silent and still raised her head to the screen.
Inside the dressing room,
Silent as they watched the live broadcast.
All that remained in the room was the broadcast music.
After watching for half an hour,
Rintian stood up.
“Alright. Since you aren’t saying anything, I’m leaving.”
Just as Rintian was about to head towards the door,
“Why do you care about me?”
Nalyze’s voice echoed behind.
Rintian turned.
“Please, it’s not me, it’s Gan Yan Yu, pleading me to do so.”
“…”
Nalyze bit her lip again, struggling internally before,
“I feel so ashamed to talk about this.”
“Are you actually worrying about shame?”
Rintian exclaimed,
“I thought after losing so many times, you’d be over being a groupie in front of Teacher Gan. Didn’t you lose your face long ago?”
“Do you have to be so harsh?”
Nanaly abruptly covered her face, either trying to suppress the urge to fight with Rintian or unwilling to let him see her cry.
“This might be my last time performing in Tian Chao.”
“That’s great,”
Rintian replied, “Didn’t you hint at going home to chase your dream?”
“This home is different.”
Nanaly took a deep breath and continued,
“I want to return to Europe to study art.”
“But if I lose to Gan Yan Yu here, I have to go home and face what my family wants…”
“So that’s it.”
Rintian understood.
No wonder Nanaly had been acting ghost-like, clinging to Gan Yan Yu.
Now it made sense.
Honestly,
Putting himself in Nanaly’s shoes,
He might be furious at Gan Yan Yu as well.
This kid’s heart might not be as black or white as she appears.
“Because of art, you don’t want to keep playing?”
Rintian smiled,
“Isn’t that ironic?”
“Exactly, you agree with me, right?”
Hearing this,
Nanaly seemed relieved,
“Then you haven’t lost yet?”
That’s where Rintian drew a blank.
Given the deal set at this match, why did she appear dead-set on failure?
After all,
Even if defeated, Gan Yan Yu always gives her best.
Indeed,
Thought Rintian.
Perhaps, Nanaly can’t be as relaxed.
As Rintian mused to himself, the big screen called out,
“Bringing on the next competitor, Bai Junze!”
Bai Junze’s well-known entrance made Lin Tian and Nanaly sit straight, both focused on the big screen.
Three, two, one—
As Bai Junze started his song, another intense rock piece—“Terminator of Leopards.”
Wait, rock music in a cello competition?
Rintian was amazed at Bai Junze’s creativity.
Even Bai Xi was probably cautious about such daring changes.
Yet Bai Junze really rocked the stage.
In tandem with the rhythm.
Bai Junze’s electrified cello shone like a cyber weapon under the spotlight.
“Pretty cool,”
Rintian admired, despite not fully understanding the technicalities.
After all, he had met quite a few mad geniuses playing the cello.
Rintian turned to Nanaly ready to share his thoughts.
But the girl was frozen in awe.
Nanaly looked entranced, mouth agape.
Eyes wide with adoration.
Moments passed as the music reached its crescendo.
And then, in the interlude, she lowered her head back to reality.
“Their mom is here.”
“So?”
“I thought I could face this with composure, but now, no matter the outcome, I’m okay.”
Nanaly gazed tenderly at her cello,
“But maybe, I’m not as strong as I thought I was.”
Rintian looked at her, equally stunned.
“So you’re scared your mom’s presence ruined your self-made confidence?”
Rintian asked,
“You fear mom more than I do. I’m not afraid of ghosts—especially gruesome ones.”
“It’s not fear of mother, but of memories related to the cello.”
Nanaly looked at Rintian,
“I really envy you all.”
“To enjoy performing endlessly, if I had that perspective, I might be sitting here cooler, right?”
Actually,
I wanted to laugh just now.
“Nanaly, why do you hate playing?”
Nanaly froze.
“By British logic, perhaps. But Tian Chao folks, if truly disliking it, wouldn’t keep performing this much.”
“I just have natural talent,”
Nanaly said, voice trailing off.
The teenager murmured softly,
“I’ve never once wanted to continue playing.”
“Have you ever had a moment where you felt joy in performing?”
Rintian responded,
“I think you’re overthinking. It’s irrelevant whether you love it or not. Finish this performance!”
“I”
“Next performer, Nanalyze!”
Her name announced,
The girl shook, full body tremble,
She turned back to look at him,
Rintian gave her a thumbs-up,
“I’ll be right here waiting,”
(End of Chapter)
