Chapter 57: If You’re Gonna Take an Exam, Go for the Best!
Looking at the girl in front of him with her body slightly leaning forward and her eyes tightly fixed on his brown pupils, Lin Tian was left standing still like a deer in headlights.
Music Academy? Well, it wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it. After all, music was the road he was currently traveling down.
However, Lin Tian didn’t have the same fanaticism for music as Gan Yan Yu. Even if he didn’t attend a music academy, he could still write songs and make money, no problem.
On the other hand, if going to a music academy was something Lin Tian seriously wanted, he’d have done it already by now.
If he really wanted it, he’d go find his homeroom teacher tomorrow and say he wanted to become a music student.
Obviously, reality can be quite harsh.
With just months before the final exam, and only two left for the art exam…
The art exam itself is merely the first step; after you pass that, there are additional exams from the various universities.
Switching to studying music right now would be like joining the RNG e-sports team with only one day to train.
Art exams aren’t easy.
Even with skill cards enhancing his performance in playing instruments and music theory, “being able to do it” doesn’t always translate into doing well on an exam.
Examinations have their own quirks. The questions might want a specific kind of answer not taught in school.
In instrument performance, different universities favor different styles and pieces; some prefer traditional classical music, others prefer avant-garde pieces.
Can you be sure you’ve got it covered when a teacher will be grading your work?
Moreover, the exams aren’t just limited to instrument playing and theoretical knowledge — the big music academies require you to excel in music writing, special subject tests, and more.
All of this is more than enough to give anyone heartburn.
Most people who take the art exams start preparing from high school freshman year because attempting it later is near impossible.
A student like Lin Tian, whose academic results were pretty good and had a shot at prestigious universities…
Why bother going through the turmoil of auditioning for a music academy when he could easily apply for a less competitive major, get accepted after a few months, and then live the life everyone admires—become a top-tier party school student with a life of luxury on the internet?
Don’t believe me?
I guess that’s theoretically correct.
“Teacher Gan, actually, before I went out with you today, I was thinking—about what kind of university to attend—or whether attending a university was even necessary.”
“Oh, so you’re not going to college anymore?”
Gan Yan Yu looked quite shocked.
“No, how could I possibly skip college,” Lin Tian laughed at her words,
“But honestly, I hadn’t really considered what kind of university to attend or what kind of professional life to pursue. To me, the only thing left about college is the degree.”
“Lin Tian,” Gan Yan Yu murmured quietly.
She understood where he was coming from. At the high school senior year stage, every student starts contemplating their future.
For someone like Lin Tian, who is musically talented and has excellent academic scores,
there’s a saying:
Less talented writers end up creating better works because they’re more focused.
Maybe Lin Tian has too many talents, so he struggles more with decisions.
Asking him to join her in the quest to attend music academies is a bit presumptuous.
Realizing her words have hit Lin Tian hard, she felt impulsive and reckless.
Indeed, it’s her selfish wish,
but as Lin Tian put it, if he hasn’t figured out the value of college himself, wouldn’t taking on the stress of music academies just be more of a burden for him?
Quietly, she replied,
“If it’s too difficult, don’t worry about it,”
“I’ll take the exam with you,” Lin Tian said.
“Eh?”
She looked at him in disbelief,
“Aren’t you saying…”
“Yeah, I do think it’s pointless to get a degree nowadays.”
He turned his head and stared at her blankly,
“But I loved the picture you painted for me!”
“…”
To achieve such a future,
Lin Tian was willing to dive into the world of music academies.
It was better than living a life of privilege just to become a club dancer with no sense of purpose.
He preferred to immerse himself in Gan Yan Yu’s vision of campus life,
where the field of study or whether it’s a music academy didn’t matter at all.
For Lin Tian,
even pursuing such a seemingly intangible dream,
was worth a try.
Of course, that’s the dramatic way to say it.
Plainly put –
He just wants to enjoy playing!
“…”
“But there’s one condition,” Lin Tian suddenly turned serious.
“What is it?”
The girl shrank back, looking at him curiously,
“Did you just say that getting into ‘Xingye Music Academy’ will suffice?”
“You heard that right!”
“But didn’t you say your dream was ‘Zhuanghua Music Academy’?”
Lin Tian pointed at her earnestly,
looking at her with a weak, shy demeanor,
and then smiled faintly, changing his tone,
using a pretentious voice,
“My grades speak for themselves. Either I don’t take the exams at all, but if I do, I’m going for the best. Xingye Music Academy — a fifth-place national ranking? Hardly suitable for someone of my caliber.”
“You’re aiming for ‘Zhuanghua Music Academy’ or Hushang Music University. Only those two qualify!”
“If all you want is schools like Xingye… then sorry, I won’t join you.”
“…”
Though he was saying it as though being unreasonable,
it seemed as though the universe agreed with him.
Seeing his commitment, a smile appeared under Gan Yan Yu’s lips,
and a blush emerged on her face,
a hint of a grin breaking through.
“Alright.”
Nodding, her lips pursed again,
“So, what if we don’t get in?” she asked,
“If we don’t make it, we’ll retake our exams,”
“My artistic skills are good, but my cultural scores… even if I pass Zhuanghua’s tests, the college entrance test might not be enough,” Gan Yan Yu spoke dismally.
“Easy,” Lin Tian raised a finger seriously, “You tutor me in art, and I tutor you in academics!”
“You’re invincible in music, while I ace my studies—our combined power will make Zhuanghua Music Academy a piece of cake!”
“So, Yan Yu, you should also believe in yourself! With your talent, shouldn’t you aim higher, like the mediocre stars in the sky—”
Suddenly, the room burst with activity as Gan Yan Yu jumped up, grabbing Lin Tian’s arm with one hand and clamping shut his mouth with the other.
Her eyes wide, she looked at him intensely,
“…”
Confusion struck, he then saw a group of students emerging from the next room, books in hand, staring dumbfounded at them both.
Chapter over!
