### Chapter 113: Help Gan Yan Yu Find Her Confidence!
Hearing this, a look of bemusement washed over Gan Yan Yu’s face.
“What does ‘popping gold coins’ mean?”
“Have you played Super Mario? You hit passing blocks with your little guy and—bingo!—coins pop out.”
“So I’m supposed to headbutt someone?”
“It’s just a figure of speech.”
Lin Tian said solemnly,
“In short, if they’re your parents, they’ve got an obligation to support you until college.”
“I don’t need their money,” Gan Yan Yu replied firmly.
“That’s one thing; how much they give is another.”
In truth, even though Gan Yan Yu never brought it up, Lin Tian from the bits and pieces of earlier conversations could tell:
Her family was definitely loaded.
Forget about her dad’s overseas business ventures. Her grandpa, Grandpa Gan, had been a nationally-renowned cellist back in the day.
Back when people were still struggling with eating and staying warm, who could afford cello lessons as a kid?
But that wasn’t all.
Grandpa Gan single-handedly raised Gan Yan Yu after her parents left for greener pastures, making him a lonely old man tending to his beloved granddaughter who became quite the sheltered little princess by the time she was a teenager.
On the surface, it seemed like the classic tale of a retiree running a quaint café and his beloved protege, while Gan Yan Yu made a name for herself in local music circles and high society.
While Lin Tian was still slaving away at the tea house, trying to make ends meet with two months’ rent outstanding,
Gan Yan Yu was gallivanting around in Britain, bravely seeing the world beyond her doorstep.
It went without saying:
There was nothing simple about Gan Yan Yu’s family background.
Eight hundred bucks a month? That was downright exploitative!
Gan Yan Yu couldn’t bring herself to ask for more because she was too polite.
But to Lin Tian,
If her parents owed her anything, they should pony up.
Eight hundred a month barely keeps a girl living, let alone thriving.
“This…”
Gan Yan Yu looked quite put out.
She wasn’t mad. Her anger was simmering beneath the surface.
It’s just… Opening up that mouth and asking? Too hard!
After all, they were the most familiar strangers in the known universe.
“Speaking of which, our recording equipment is ancient, probably still on loan from SYC.”
“Yeah, and I want a turntable for the café, so we can play tunes ourselves or use it as a cool backdrop when filming.”
Seemed like Lin Tian was doing all he could to get Gan Yan Yu to agree.
The duo had already achieved a degree of stability, but there were always places begging for spending.
“Go ahead and ask. It’s the least they could do,” Lin Tian goaded her.
“But… I’m not sure.”
“Come on, they shouldn’t be stingy.”
“. . .”
Gan Yan Yu was silent.
Despite the queasy feeling inside, Lin Tian’s words were too convincing.
She gave in…
“Yeah, fine!”
She acquiesced.
Her folks’ upcoming visit didn’t worry her. After all, Gan Yan Yu had built a respectable music career in Qingzhou, and no one could meddle in that anymore.
What troubled her was simply…
She wasn’t feeling great lately.
“How’s practice going for the Star Cup? Only half a semester left,” Lin Tian asked.
They’d been partnering for a long time now.
This was the first time Gan Yan Yu practiced solo, without Lin Tian tagging along.
Lin Tian was genuinely worried.
He knew Gan Yan Yu wasn’t in top shape.
“A bit tough.”
She admitted,
“I haven’t nailed down which piece to play yet… also, without you there, I’m a bit scared I might mess up.”
“Don’t worry. Just take it slow.”
Lin Tian felt relief that she could voice these concerns.
After all, keeping everything bottled up and bottling up feelings would be much worse.
“Anyhow, what composition are you thinking of for the competition?” Lin Tian inquired.
With some spare moments before he needed to scrounge for food, he figured this was a good question.
“Sure thing!”
Gan Yan Yu’s face brightened upon hearing the question.
Even though they hadn’t practiced together in a while, she visited Lin Tian’s place regularly for meals.
For half an hour each day, regardless, she brought her cello along.
She did this for days on end.
To have Lin Tian say those exact words.
“Play here then.”
“Alright.”
With speed and precision, Gan Yan Yu grabbed her cello, took a seat on the familiar couch of dreams.
It’d been ages since she last played at Lin Tian’s. A touch of nervousness tingled in her.
A quick tune-up, and she picked up her bow.
With a pull across the strings—
The room filled with gentle, soothing music.
Gan Yan Yu played “Ode to Love.”
This was Lin Tian’s first attempt, and he really loved it.
But…
As Gan Yan Yu concentrated, her brow creased slightly.
To Lin Tian, she seemed—
Challenged somehow?
That feeling translated into her performance almost immediately.
Notably apparent.
With the final note struck,
She placed the bow aside.
Before Lin Tian could open his mouth,
Her lips curled just a smidge,
“Wasn’t good enough, was it?”
“Yeah…”
Lin Tian nodded.
You were getting a little too anxious.
Her live performance had been only sixty percent of her normal video-game-like performance.
Participation in a contest shouldn’t aim for peak conditions, but at least eighty percent.
“Maybe I just got used to your presence and then suddenly being alone.”
Gan Yan Yu murmured.
“To be honest, the issue’s the same.”
Lin Tian recalled during their last concert,
He noticed it immediately,
Gan Yan Yu lacked confidence.
Boost that self-assurance and help her face the stage without fear, and those stage-fright episodes would diminish.
But boosting confidence wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
We all know that logic.
No amount of preaching creates confidence overnight.
To make matters more frustrating, society has its usual suspects spreading “confidence despite average” propaganda, pushing PUA schemes left, right, and center.
Like, what is with that?
At the last concert, Lin Tian accompanied her.
Ever since then, Gan Yan Yu stormed the Qingzhou music scene.
Next up, the Star Cup, and media pressure would only intensify.
“Gan Yan Yu, why choose ‘Ode to Love’?”
Lin Tian asked.
“Aah,”
She pondered, “. . .I just love it.”
“Really?”
Thoughtful, something niggles.
He feels, she might not fit the romantic vibe of that music.
Perhaps, their coordination never felt perfect.
“Maybe change up a song,” Lin Tian offered. “I could write a new one for you.”
And with that, the chapter draws to a close.
(End of Chapter)
