Chapter 362: Debussy’s “Moonlight” (Part 1)
In the Baijing Concert Hall.
The “Dragon Zither Cup” National Cello Competition, Professional Division, is happening live on stage.
With a flourish, the host announces the next contestant: “Gan Yan Yu!”
Suddenly, the air in the concert hall electrifies.
“It’s finally here! Contestant Gan Yan Yu from Qingjiang!”
“This must be one of the performances that many in the audience have been eagerly waiting for,” the commentator Zhu Ye declares, her expression serious.
“I’m not sure if everyone has been online recently, but there’s been quite a heated debate among netizens about the popular music from Teacher Mao and the classical music of Teacher Gan Yan Yu.”
Ah, what a fiery debate indeed!
At this moment, the netizens in the live stream can hardly contain themselves.
Who could come here to watch the live show and not know about it?
In this period, the discussions surrounding the Dragon Zither Cup on Weibo have been blazing.
On one side, we’ve got the king-level producer of the Chinese music scene, and on the other, a new rising star in the music world.
It’s been a volcanic eruption of opinions!
Even when the live stream kicked off today, both sides were already having their “intense exchanges” in the chat.
“Maybe it’s fate’s cruel joke; Teacher Gan Yan Yu just happens to perform right after Teacher Mao,” Feng Ye remarks.
“Having them back-to-back must surely satisfy those viewers eager for a ‘strong vs. strong’ showdown,” she adds.
In reality, this online buzz is significant—it involves two spotlight contestants and touches on a sensitive issue of the Dragon Zither Cup’s system: the preservation of classical music.
So why hasn’t the official Dragon Zither Cup organization chimed in?
It’s simple.
They want to stir up these competitive topics to heat up the event! They revel in these effects.
That’s also why this topic has spread like wildfire, even reaching neighboring Chinese music circles—all tied to the officials’ laissez-faire attitude.
Now, outside the competition stage, no one feels the pressure more than the two commentators.
Being part of this circle, both Zhu Ye and Feng Ye lean more towards neutrality.
That is, while respecting the results of the competition reforms and supporting the cultivation of more world-class musicians, they also hold a soft spot for classical music and don’t want to see classical musicians tossed aside by the tides of time.
Feng Ye himself is a fan of both Gan Yan Yu and Lin Tian.
His feelings at this moment? Let’s just say, they’re complicated.
With his understanding of the organizing committee, Feng Ye knows that Gan Yan Yu is doomed to be eliminated today.
Yet, it pains him to think that these two pure souls might be targeted by the toxicity of today’s internet fan culture.
At least on the stage where they deliver their final bow.
So—
Feng Ye takes a moment, gathering his thoughts, then faces the camera and says:
“Actually, I want to say a couple of things.”
“Both Teacher Mao and Teacher Gan Yan Yu are musicians deserving our admiration. Whether it’s pop music or classical music, as long as it’s music that you enjoy, then it’s good music.”
“I just hope that during the upcoming performance, everyone can listen quietly to this piece, regardless of any past stereotypes you have about classical music—I believe Lin Tian and Teacher Gan Yan Yu won’t disappoint us.”
To the side, Zhu Ye looks at her partner in surprise.
Feng Ye has always had a quirky and bold on-screen persona, and seeing him so serious takes her a bit off guard.
So much so, she momentarily forgets to pick up the conversation.
As for the majority of viewers who were silent until now, they start popping up with comments.
“Well said! Why always obsess over what genre of music to listen to? I listen to jazz and often meet people who criticize me for liking gorillas playing trumpets!”
“You folks should give it a listen too; our Moonlight and Cat’s music deserves some real appreciation!”
“Listening with half-hearted attention? Have a clue—it’s hard to find angles to criticize when you don’t even understand it!”
At that moment, while the Dragon Zither Cup’s official live stream is setting the stage for Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu’s entry, over on Bilibili, several independent commentators authorized by the Dragon Zither Cup are starting to climb to the homepage.
Among them, the most popular is an uploader named Uncle Sunny Dong, whose viewership is only second to the official stream.
In fact, just as Gan Yan Yu is about to step on stage, Zhang Dong has just started his live stream.
This is the stronghold of Moonlight and Cat fans!
As soon as the stream opens, a flood of netizens rush in.
And when the viewers enter, hoping to vehemently vent their frustration over the perceived inequality faced by Moonlight and Cat at the Dragon Zither Cup,
What greets them is Zhang Dong, chilling in oversized shorts, casually lounging, and devouring a bowl of braised beef noodles.
Everyone is left stunned.
Is this still the passionate big streamer we know? What happened during that time off to make him look so disheveled?!
You’d think Zhang Dong had been working summer shifts in Ukraine!
“Don’t worry about it,” he waves dismissively at the concerned comments.
“I’m just doing some music study.”
“Pursuing a musical dream is a battle against the heavens; it’s perfectly normal to crash and burn along the way.”
Zhang Dong makes a “wait a sec” gesture, chugs the soup from his noodle cup,
“Burp~”
Placing the cup down on the table, the sight melts everyone’s hearts further.
Gone are the days when Uncle Dong would sip wine during streams!
“I’m not in the mood to joke around today; I almost didn’t stream at all,” Zhang Dong says, his eyes narrowing as he focuses on his screen.
“But today’s competition? Dong Ge has to witness it with you all.”
“Moonlight and Cat? They’re not just two individuals—they’re fighting!”
“If they face any injustice, we’ll stand together!”
With that, Zhang Dong’s expression grows serious as he looks out at the audience.
Then he clasps his hands together in a prayer-like gesture.
“Brothers, lend your strength to Moonlight and Cat!”
All eyes are glued to him.
Thousands of viewers and netizens hold their breath.
Finally—
As the stage lights focus.
Gan Yan Yu’s high heels land on the ground.
The young man and young woman step onto the stage!
“They’re finally here,” Yao Han in the office says, eyes glued to the pair.
Lin Tian sits down at the piano on one side of the stage, while Gan Yan Yu takes her place on the chair diagonally across, her cello elegantly resting on her lap.
They lock eyes, both taking a deep breath.
The first hand to rise is Lin Tian’s.
“Deng—”
The piano note descends, moving slowly.
Rippling arpeggios flow across the stage floor, reflecting the opulent gilded ceiling above.
As Lin Tian’s right hand melody climbs into higher notes,
Gan Yan Yu’s bow lightly touches the strings, a low, gentle chant enveloping each note like the softness of night.
So tender.
The prelude alone is a stark contrast to the earlier “g*n Out Like a Dragon.”
This sound is so tranquil and enchanting,
It immediately captures the audience’s hearts.
“Moonlight’s piano skills are getting better and better,” Zhang Dong sighs. “He can finally completely sync with Cat’s cello. That’s no small feat!”
What surprises him more is that—
He never expected Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu would choose such a graceful piece for such a life-or-d*ath competition.
“How could this be?”
Zhang Dong feels puzzled, anxiety creeping in,
“How can such a piece stand against pop music?”
Not that delicate-sounding scores can’t work—it’s just that with the high bar set by the previous “g*n Out Like a Dragon,” this melody, which is weaker in emotional resonance, struggles to inspire empathy.
He thought that for such an important competition,
Lin Tian would at least write something like “Can-Can” to go head-to-head.
At the very least, he shouldn’t let the auditory experience fall behind, right?
In this crucial moment, Zhang Dong is too focused on the song selection, worrying for Lin Tian.
As Zhang Dong shares his concerns about the piece, a comment rolls through.
“Just look at the title of the piece.”
Zhang Dong stares wide-eyed; he had completely overlooked the name of the piece.
He quickly glances down at the bottom left corner of the screen.
In an instant, his pupils dilate.
—”Moonlight.”
“Moonlight?”
At the commentary booth, Feng Ye tilts her head, squinting.
“They even named it after themselves.”
“Of all things, it’s a piece of pure classical music.”
With this thought, Feng Ye chuckles.
“What’s so funny?” Zhu Ye asks curiously.
“Teacher Lin Tian is giving us a lesson,” Feng Ye replies. “A beautiful classical music lesson.”
“…”
As the music transitions into its developmental section,
Lin Tian’s piano gradually speeds up, like waves in the night, pushing gently forward.
Gan Yan Yu’s cello, like the moon in the night sky, casts a silvery glow on this wave.
Together, they weave a mesmerizing scene of a moonlit beach.
Everything feels so harmonious and serene.
The music drifts from the center stage towards the judges’ seats, to the audience section, reaching every ear of those watching the performance.
In a daze, it feels as if all conflict and hate no longer exist.
The inferno ignited by “g*n Out Like a Dragon” is doused in an instant.
Suddenly, the competition’s results and outcomes feel utterly unimportant in this moment, amidst the music.
“So beautiful,” Zhu Ye exclaims involuntarily.
Meanwhile, in the official live stream,
Many viewers, who were previously urged by Feng Ye to calm down and genuinely listen to the music, now feel a hint of emotion creeping in.
“It seems… not too shabby?”
“It’s great for studying at night.”
“Though I might be missing some context, it feels pretty comfortable to listen to.”
Another wave of comments chimes in excitedly:
“Absolutely, where else can you hear such gorgeous piano and cello besides Moonlight and Cat?”
“This is why I love Moonlight and Cat; every time I hear a new piece from them, it’s like a healing experience!”
“This is real music appreciation!”
“It’s really enjoyable; the climax hasn’t even come yet! Knowing Moonlight, there’s something bigger waiting for us, just you wait!”
At this point,
Sitting at his computer, Zhang Dong closes his eyes, savoring this “Moonlight.”
In a daze, following Gan Yan Yu’s cello, he feels transported to a brand new scene.
Moonlight pours through the shattered stained-glass windows of a church, flowing as a river over the black and white keys of the piano. Zhang Dong pulls out a violin, and the rippling arpeggios ripple out under the vast dome.
“Moonlight, I truly don’t understand you,”
Zhang Dong opens his eyes, almost wryly smiling,
“It’s beautiful—truly, it is.”
“I haven’t heard a piece that soothes my heart like this in ages. This piece could well be called the pinnacle of classical musical culture.”
“But to perform a piece like this as a final piece—is it a farewell without regrets?”
“Does Teacher Lin Tian hope to treat this stage with his self-titled piece, offering us a classical music feast as his curtain call?”
Meanwhile, Feng Ye at the commentary booth feels both delighted and sorrowful.
The joy lies in him being able to appreciate such a beautiful classical scene on this stage—it surely is a delightful experience.
The sorrow, however, is because Teacher Lin Tian hasn’t pulled any tricks to fight back.
In this semi-final that is destined for failure,
Perhaps, both Teacher Lin Tian and Teacher Gan Yan Yu have already come to terms with their fate.
Since they can’t advance,
Then let’s have no regrets!
In front of a substantial portion of the music circle, they offer one last piece that reaches the pinnacle in every way, letting people experience true cultural charm.
Thus,
Even if they are eliminated, it will help them in their future classical endeavors.
With such thoughts,
Feng Ye feels a twinge of sadness.
He knows full well that under the context of certain elimination, Teacher Lin Tian’s choice is as good as it can get.
But he still feels it’s a shame.
It’s akin to a deep-seated feeling and expectation simmering inside.
Hoping they would work some miracle out of nowhere and break this fate with a spectacular performance.
“Don’t you think this music sounds a bit strange, Feng Ye?”
Just then, Zhu Ye’s voice cuts through his thoughts.
Strange?
Feng Ye blinks, puzzled by that description.
“It just feels… empty, and not in a meaningful way, more like just pure… without any story,” Zhu Ye furrows her brow in explanation.
Feng Ye listens intently to the music,
Gradually, his expression starts to shift.
“It really does seem like it!!”
He had been so caught up in following the musical melody that he’d overlooked something so obvious.
As he listens closely, perplexity clouds his face.
“This piece has no central theme!”
“Huh? No central theme??”
Zhu Ye’s expression turns more confused.
“Can a piece with no central theme even be called classical music?”
“I don’t know either,” Feng Ye admits sheepishly.
He’s never encountered such a situation before; he lacks depth in classical music studies.
But, based on common understanding, isn’t classical music all about structural beauty?
What happens if a classical piece lacks structure? How is he to judge whether it even counts as classical music?
What’s going on now?
Feng Ye is utterly bewildered, glancing back at Lin Tian on stage, muttering,
“Teacher Lin Tian, what are you up to?!”
(End of Chapter)
