Chapter 367: Results Announced, Witness the History of the Dragon Zither Cup!
“Collaboration?”
Gan Yan Yu asked, “With Teacher Mao?”
“Yeah, we were just contacted by Teacher He,” Lin Tian sipped his tea, “Honestly, I was a bit taken aback.”
“What collaboration?”
“Something related to music.”
Now that he thought about it, Lin Tian couldn’t quite hold back his surprise.
Are they seriously considering a collaboration with me and Gan Yan Yu?
The music circle has been buzzing lately, and who doesn’t know about the duel between Moonlight and Cat against Mao Wei Ang, focusing on pop versus classical music?
Fans on either side have been throwing accusations like confetti, turning a minor fan war into a debate over who gets to represent the music industry’s status.
Even though neither Lin Tian nor Gan Yan Yu had actively participated.
But let’s face it, considering the prevailing trend, it’s hard to believe Lin Tian could look at that guy favorably.
Lin Tian despised all fan cultures, blaming their rampant behavior on the inaction of the stars themselves.
Except, of course, for Moonlight and Cat.
Now, while the contest results were still pending, the superiority of the song “Moonlight” was already quite established—there was hardly anything left to discuss. The internet had already started the post-match clean-up.
Of ten trending topics, Moonlight and Cat took up three spots—almost crashing Mao Wei Ang’s base camp!
That guy must be hating himself right about now.
Seeking a collaboration was such a wild move!
Lin Tian felt almost embarrassed by it.
It felt like the guy caught his wife cheating, only to come to Lin Tian asking if they should all hang out and make some cash together—like, what?
“Did you reply?” Gan Yan Yu asked.
“Not yet,” Lin Tian replied. “He said if we’re game, he wants to meet us tomorrow.”
“And I still need to consult you about this.”
Lin Tian smiled.
Usually, he coordinated everything with He Zhi Chen, big or small.
But to this day, Lin Tian would always discuss all choices—big or small—with Gan Yan Yu before making a final decision.
That’s a partnership!
“I think we need to clarify his intentions first.”
Gan Yan Yu pondered, tapping her chin.
“Think about it, isn’t Teacher Mao a producer? His company is an entertainment agency.”
“If it’s just a simple business deal for the sake of making money, we don’t really need that, right? We’re not lacking money at the moment?”
“True,” Lin Tian admitted.
Actually, after the release of their second classical music album, both he and Gan Yan Yu had already achieved financial freedom.
And they weren’t materialistic people; they thought money was only necessary to get by.
That’s why Moonlight and Cat were praised as a “refreshing stream on the internet”—no live streaming, no product placements, no trashy shows to cash in.
“How much is our little savings pot now?”
“Just to clarify, Little Gan Classmate,”
Lin Tian said seriously.
“The full name should be ‘Wedding Savings Pot.’”
“Anyway, it’s just something for us to use together later.”
Gan Yan Yu’s cheeks flushed slightly as she ventured a glance around, worried Lin Tian’s voice was too loud and might attract attention from nearby patrons or passing waiters.
Two individuals who looked like they had just graduated high school were discussing marriage here.
It felt nice, but also ridiculously awkward.
“I haven’t checked it in a while, but the last time I looked, it was over 80 million. Not sure how far we are from a billion now.”
“80 million!”
Gan Yan Yu’s eyes widened, counting it on her fingers.
“That’s an eight-digit number!”
“Not much, really!”
Lin Tian reached to pat Gan Yan Yu’s head but, considering they were in public, opted to give a light shove on her shoulder instead, chuckling.
He calculated internally and figured by the time the Cole Cup wrapped up, they would probably have made enough to reach a billion.
Perfect timing for a wedding!
Honestly, given Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu’s popularity, it was absurd that they hadn’t hit a billion yet.
Seemed like a randomly explosive Douyin (TikTok) influencer could rake in millions in a year.
But as mentioned earlier, they had done so little endorsement work. The only notable one was the “Depu” milk advertisement.
And they didn’t even do it for the money.
It was only after He Zhi Chen told Lin Tian that this ad could greatly increase their public visibility that they agreed to it.
Typically, their earnings largely came from their album shares, plus a bit from the recent concert and a negligible competition prize.
To be able to earn tens of millions from releasing classical music albums alone in just a few months is already quite impressive.
“That’s already a lot, and I’ll never use it all in this lifetime.”
Gan Yan Yu said earnestly.
Thinking back, she used to get 800 yuan a month from her parents for living expenses.
A year later, that turned into 80 million.
Gan Yan Yu was already satisfied!
“.”
Lin Tian chuckled and said nothing.
He knew Gan Yan Yu was likely just trying to reassure herself.
She didn’t care much about money; she had no concept of it even if she did have a wealthy dad—she was a genuine rich girl who hadn’t come into direct contact with it.
She just knew these were earnings Lin Tian had worked hard to achieve alongside her, and that was enough for her.
“Okay, I get what you mean.”
Lin Tian said,
“Tomorrow, we can have a detailed chat with Mao Wei Ang. If the collaboration is merely a business deal, we’ll just decline.”
“Okay!”
Gan Yan Yu nodded with a smile.
“Then it’s settled.” Lin Tian announced.
Actually, plans rarely go as expected.
If they were too saddened by the results of the competition later, tomorrow’s business discussion might turn into a philosophical exchange.
“Ding dong~”
At that moment, Lin Tian’s phone rang.
“Are you full? The competition results are about to be announced. Do you want to come back and witness it in person?”
He Zhi Chen sent a voice message on WeChat.
Lin Tian froze, surprised the results had been delayed this long.
He looked up at Gan Yan Yu, who was wiping red oil off her mouth.
“Let’s go.”
Lin Tian said,
“After all, we should witness the final results ourselves!”
“Wait a second!”
Gan Yan Yu halted Lin Tian.
In his puzzled gaze, she cleaned her mouth and carefully placed the folded napkin on the table.
“About our earlier topic…”
“I think maybe there are indeed people who, even now, use ‘Moonlight’ to self-promote, doing nothing but another form of ‘formalism.’”
Gan Yan Yu looked up, determination in her eyes,
“But I still believe there are genuinely influenced by us, reflecting seriously on themselves, and have made changes. From now on, they will listen more attentively to classical music.”
Gan Yan Yu exclaimed,
“I think we have still made some changes to the world! Even if it’s just a small step!”
“.”
Lin Tian stared at the serious Gan Yan Yu, rendered speechless.
After a while,
Lin Tian gently smiled.
He reached out, patting Gan Yan Yu’s head.
“Yeah!”
Back in the backstage rest room,
Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu sat down on the sofa.
The atmosphere on the big screen was particularly lively.
The backing orchestra had exited, leaving the stage empty.
The audience was buzzing, discussing animatedly, their faces still reflecting excitement from the recently concluded performance.
The expressions of the judges looked serious; theoretically, they shouldn’t be this serious for just the semi-final results.
Such a demeanor could only mean one thing.
There was someone important to them in the scoring results.
“.”
“Now, let’s announce the scores of all contestants.”
The host stood on stage, smiling.
Lin Tian took a deep breath.
He thought the host would tease them a bit.
But the next second, as the host’s words fell—
A string of numbers instantly appeared on the big screen!
[Nanaly: 9.93 points]
[Bai Junze: 9.83 points]
[Gan Yan Yu: 9.74 points]
[Mao Wei Ang: 9.71 points]
[Bai Xi: 9.63 points]
[.]
Almost simultaneously as the scores were revealed,
The entire audience stood up and erupted into applause!
“Clap clap clap——”
Thunderous applause echoed throughout the concert hall.
Some in the judges’ seats clapped in acknowledgment, while others wore expressions akin to succumbing to fate, slumping in their chairs. A few professors even stood up and left.
Cheers from the audience soon filled the venue!
People were shouting and cheering, with some raising placards with Gan Yan Yu’s name, frantically waving them in delight.
They were all going wild!
“.”
“Whoosh!!”
In the back row of the audience, a few reporters in professional attire snapped to attention and hurriedly stood up.
Then they rushed out of the concert hall!
At the entrance of the Baijing International Concert Hall,
A crowd of over a thousand gathered, anxiously waiting.
As the first man in a suit burst out of the concert hall, everyone collectively held their breath and widened their eyes.
“Gan Yan Yu has qualified!”
The man gasped, yelling to the crowd,
“And she’s in third place!!!”
With his announcement, a tsunami of noise surged through the crowd.
“ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!”
“Ahhhh, that’s amazing! Teacher Gan Yan Yu is incredible!!”
“The finals! The finals!!”
“Finally, we got the fairness we sought.”
“.”
The crowd continued cheering and shouting; some were even in tears, overwhelmed with emotion, collapsing to the ground.
Nearby, a constantly rolling camera zoomed in on the fallen individual’s face, capturing this significant moment.
All the reporters on-site, seeing the news, rushed to the streets, waving their hands to hail cabs, scurrying back to their offices at breakneck speed.
At this moment, the Baijing International Concert Hall was
chaos both inside and outside.
Everyone was letting loose their long-suppressed feelings.
And at that moment,
the star of it all,
Gan Yan Yu stared at the big screen, her mind a blank slate.
Her mouth agape, she murmured,
“Did we qualify?”
“Yep, the top 11 scorers advance to the finals.”
Lin Tian explained,
“And we’re… third!”
At this point,
Lin Tian couldn’t contain himself either; a chuckle escaped his lips.
He absolutely never expected this!
He had hoped that even with a meager 11th place, they could hang in there—just a little good fortune from fate!
Never thought they’d actually snag third place!
What the heck??
What happened to the targeting?
Could it be they aimed to control the scores but accidentally let Gan Yan Yu and himself blaze ahead?
These old geezers aren’t what they once were!
Looking at the bewildered expressions on the old judges on stage, Lin Tian’s mood soared to euphoric heights!
“Must be Debussy personally manifesting!”
“.”
“Even though I don’t know who Debussy is, if we’re thanking anyone, it should be me.”
Just then, a steady voice rang out.
The rest room door swung open.
He Zhi Chen and Tuoba Jianhui strode in together.
The old man wore an air of self-satisfaction.
“Tuoba?” Lin Tian blinked.
“Indeed, it was Teacher Tuoba who entered the venue at a crucial moment during today’s meeting, using his reputation to vouch for you,”
He Zhi Chen grinned.
“Vouch…?”
Gan Yan Yu pondered.
Astonishingly, Tuoba Jianhui had such power.
“Of course, he also gave a tiny speech.”
Tuoba Jianhui raised his fist, cleared his throat a couple of times, looking rather comical for someone trying to be serious.
“What speech?” Lin Tian queried.
“Now, that’s not something you ought to inquire about.” Tuoba Jianhui spoke mysteriously.
“Is that so.”
Lin Tian squinted.
“Even if you didn’t speak up for us, we would’ve advanced, right? They’ve already been pushed to the edge by us.”
“Then consider it as giving them a staircase to descend.”
Tuoba Jianhui smiled, unexpectedly showing a rare side of modesty on the topic.
“I just didn’t think the final score would actually land at third place. Clearly, they didn’t communicate well.”
Really a score control error?!
Lin Tian held back his urge to rant.
He initially thought the judges had glum faces because they gave him a low score, but it turned out others had given high scores.
Looking at it this way, it appeared everyone scored high, assuming others would score low, resulting in an accidental explosion of the average score.
Before the scores were revealed, those expressions must have been their effort to give fair scores, albeit while internally battling it out, right?
To be honest, who could have guessed that such a prestigious event like the Dragon Zither Cup had such manipulation at play in the scoring system? This could almost be called “backstage shenanigans!”
But if you ask Lin Tian,
Even if it is backstage antics, they rendered him and Gan Yan Yu a fair shot!
“Lin Tian, Gan Yan Yu.”
Tuoba Jianhui paused, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
Then he slowly opened his eyes.
“Now that you two have made it to the finals of the Dragon Zither Cup, there are some things I must tell you.”
At this point, Tuoba Jianhui took two steps forward.
Suddenly,
He knelt down on one knee.
“?!”
Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu jumped back in shock; Tuoba Jianhui raised his head and said:
“This is my personal request.”
“Please, no matter what, win the championship and represent Tianchao at the Cole Cup!”
(End of Chapter)
