Chapter 90: Post-Mortem on the Concert
A year and a bit away from school had made Gan Yan Yu a rare sight now that she was coming back in. No small feat, let me tell you.
In fact, what’s truly impressive about Gan Yan Yu is that during her time in England, she actually came back once.
She took her academic proficiency tests.
So, resuming her studies meant she could seamlessly transition straight into her senior year in high school.
Now, throwing someone who hadn’t been in class for over a year right into the thick of senior year wasn’t exactly the most stress-free environment.
Psychological preparation was key.
Honestly, I’ve got no idea where Gan Yan Yu has “recovered.”
Sure, she’s put on some weight and seems physically healthier now through sheer hard work. But does that really mean she’s completely fine?
Perhaps it’s all in her mind.
Judging from her performance at that concert, it’s still hard to say if she’s considered normal yet!
But given that I’m just as messed up, I wouldn’t dare comment either.
“.”
I led Gan Yan Yu into the living room and poured her a glass of water.
“Thanks.”
She took the glass gently, like a tiny hamster, taking dainty sips while sitting primly on the couch.
Gan Yan Yu being polite was nothing new, she always behaved as if it was her first time visiting—even after returning multiple times!
There’s no reasoning with her.
Probably the only way to solve this would be to make her the lady of the house.
“Has there been any news on the media reports?”
I asked as I sat down in another corner of the couch.
This “Concert of Soul Resonance,” frankly speaking, wasn’t even a competition; so getting good feedback, or awards, wasn’t really an expectation here.
Still, both Gan Yan Yu and I were giving our all because professional music media outlets across Qingzhou were at the event.
Their reviews and influence on Qingzhou’s music scene were far greater than any single concert!
“I’ve seen some reports, but ‘NQ’ will publish their weekly report this Sunday,” said Gan Yan Yu.
“NQ” referred to the highly respected “NobleQuest.”
Being the most authoritative music media locally, and topping magazine sales across the province, their opinion was critical.
“Still waiting until Sunday?”
I felt a tad sad. Just like after an exam, knowing the results would have to wait.
Even if we felt great after our performance, we couldn’t celebrate prematurely.
After all, you never know—like when a particular athlete made a fool of himself due to underestimating his opponent.
This time, I was quite apprehensive.
Honestly, the first two pieces, “Ode to Love” and “Can-Can,” weren’t played at their best levels.
The third piece…
It was nuts.
Thinking back now, Rian truly felt he had synced so well with Gan Yan Yu.
If we were to dissect it, the reality was, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t alleviate Gan Yan Yu’s suffering.
He ended up choosing the most extreme route.
He almost did self-harm to connect spiritually with the young lady during the performance.
Previously, whenever they played “Symphony No. 40,” they were just going through the motions. Rian couldn’t follow her lead, and she didn’t understand him.
But in the peak of tension,
They achieved true synchronization.
Their excitement, anxiety, and anger perfectly mirrored each other, which matched “Symphony No. 40” beautifully.
That moment, it resulted in the purest form of playing imaginable!
This performance, purely luck by any measure.
Initially, Rian was just gambling.
But to Rian’s fortune, he won.
He vowed, such risky stunts would never happen again.
First, not every time can they sync in such harmony.
Secondly, even if they went all out, there’s no guarantee of success—Rian might even collapse halfway through the concert.
Most importantly,
Doing it again would get him killed by the neighbors.
“Oh.”
More pressing than anything else,
They couldn’t be sure if Gan Yan Yu would hold up better than him.
Recalling this, Rian snapped out of his thoughts and turned abruptly.
“Gan Teacher, you didn’t have an asthma attack after your performance, did you?”
“Nothing serious, just felt a bit tight-chested after getting home.”
Gan Yan Yu held her chest, reminiscing about the moment.
“I rested a bit, took my medication, and was fine.”
“How did that happen?”
He was surprised.
Based on his understanding of her condition, Gan Yan Yu should have nearly collapsed then.
Her relatively okay status after her performance surprised him even more, considering the circumstances.
“You didn’t feel the usual difference in state before playing?”
Curiosity was overwhelming him.
He sensed perhaps, this revelation could be key to conquering the fears linked to her disease!
The girl tilted her head, staring at the ceiling.
Lost in thought.
“Different? Maybe slept enough?”
“What were you thinking during the performance?”
You’re hopeless!
“EH?”
Rian was stunned.
Here, Gan Yan Yu fiddled with her fingers, looking both hurt and angry.
“I wanted to jump off the stage and bash your head with my violin bow! You fool!”
Her eyes filled with resentment,
“No one worries that much, how could I focus on other things?”
Then, she even suspected, Rian might have intentionally done these things just to worry her.
But from everything that followed, she realized,
Rian was simply a big idiot!
“S-sorry!”
Rian clasped his hands and bowed deeply.
“Not a big deal. You’re fine, now.”
Realizing his seriousness, Gan Yan Yu seemed embarrassed,
“Don’t do dangerous things next time, or else—”
“What?”
“Or else I’ll yank your hair!”
Gan Yan Yu attempted a fierce look, trying her best to intimidate him.
“I usually don’t yank hair.”
Rian sweat-dropped and continued,
“Maybe, avoiding illness was because all you were doing was worrying about me, not yourself?”
This couldn’t be good!
Could he keep inflicting pain on himself every perform?
He’d turn into King M soon.
(Finish Chapter 90)
