### Chapter 262: The Welcome Banquet Has Ended!
“Are you Teacher Moonlight? I’ve heard so much about you! I’ve listened to every one of your pieces!” exclaimed a Japanese pianist enthusiastically.
“I never expected to meet you here! I’ve wanted to know you for ages!” another South Korean, communicating in English, chimed in.
Before long, five or six Asian-looking pianists gathered around Lin Tian.
They all crowded around him, vying to address him. Their sudden warmth left Lin Tian slightly overwhelmed.
So, all pianists are natural-born extroverts?
He nodded and smiled at each of them, replying:
“Yeah, that’s me.”
“Thanks.”
“. . .”
This scene was quite eye-catching, and even musicians who didn’t know Moonlight found themselves drawn in by curiosity and began to watch as well.
In the live stream, comments from netizens were heating up.
[(Ah, he really is this famous?)]
[(Is he really that amazing?)]
[(It seems only musicians from East Asia have heard of him?)]
[(Really? Even Nagashima Makoto is here, and he’s a favorite of mine! Knowing ‘Lin Tian’ too?)]
[(…)]
Initially, users saw these events simply as entertainment, but now seeing so many musicians recognize this “Lin Tian,” everyone’s curiosity was piqued.
Meanwhile, in a corner unseen by Lin Tian,
Within an hour,
【Who is Lin Tian】
had quietly made it to the top ten trending topics on YouTube.
At the banquet, before Lin Tian could interact much with the approaching pianists,
A voice interrupted everyone:
“Ladies and gentlemen, dear contestants, and media friends, welcome to the ‘Sato Sakura’ International Welcome Banquet!”
The beautifully dressed female host walked onto the stage.
After a brief introduction,
She announced:
“Please welcome Mr. Daigo Kurogi, dean of Tokyo University of the Arts Music Department, to give a speech.”
With applause, an energetic-looking elderly man stepped forward.
Clearing his throat into the microphone, he spoke fluently in English:
“Good evening, everyone.”
“On behalf of the Sato Sakura International Piano Competition organizing committee, I would like to extend my warmest welcome and heartfelt thanks to you all.”
Following that was a lengthy, formal speech.
Tokyo University of the Arts was indeed a prestigious institution in Asia.
The old man looked ancient but spoke clearly and did not drag out his words unnecessarily like Chinese officials often do. He appeared quite energetic.
Being the dean, he must be a musician of great achievement, right?
Lin Tian turned to look at Gan Yan Yu.
Unexpectedly, she was listening very attentively to this dull speech.
“Another music idol you admire?” Lin Tian asked.
“Nope, practicing my English listening skills,” Gan Yan Yu replied seriously.
“Huh.”
Is it really okay to practice English this way in such a serious setting?
“You lived in Britain, right?” Lin Tian questioned.
Considering Gan Yan Yu’s learning ability, Lin Tian assumed her English should be excellent.
“I mostly kept to myself while I was there,” she explained.
“So how did you do on your final exams?”
Gan Yan Yu hadn’t shown Lin Tian her report card yet.
On their last final exams, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu had returned to school.
Given how much he had been behind, Lin Tian’s grades didn’t drop too much, and Qingzhou No. 7 High School’s students were all high achievers.
He ended up ranking fourth in class and seventh overall after cramming the night before using his [Efficient Learning] skill.
For Lin Tian, it felt like a huge step backward.
Gan Yan Yu, meanwhile,
Was ranked 38th in her class and 182nd overall.
Qingzhou No. 7 High School’s 182nd position suggested she was steady enough to aim for a good public university, perhaps even a first-tier one.
Better than anticipated.
If we also consider her as the top scorer in the Qingjiang Music Art Exam,
She might have a shot at prestigious universities.
Knowing she took a year off, it was mind-blowing she was still middle-of-the-road in her class.
Lin Tian finally understood why she was marked as “S,” meaning super capable.
No matter what field someone with talent steps into, they always succeed!
But despite that, Gan Yan Yu wasn’t satisfied.
She felt she lagged far behind Lin Tian and might drag him down.
Though the college entrance exam was still months away,
Gan Yan Yu took every chance to study diligently.
Imagine if her competitors learned she was studying vocabulary while prepping for competitions—wouldn’t they question their lives?
“So, what did he say?” Gan Yan Yu asked earnestly.
“He mostly introduced the competition’s history and its importance in the international music scene and discussed goals like nurturing new talent and promoting global music exchange.”
That sort of talk made Lin Tian feel less like he was there just to compete and more like he was contributing to something bigger, like adding bricks and mortar for international music and cultural exchange.
“How wonderful,” Gan Yan Yu sighed softly.
Gazing at Lin Tian, she thought,
Isn’t this exactly what she’s been striving for?
Just that “Sato Sakura” is not aiming for the Dragon Zither Cup but something equivalent for cellists.
Even so, it sparked plenty of imagination.
Even if the speeches were somewhat hollow,
“Sato,” Gan Yan Yu began.
“You must work hard.”
“Glad to hear it! Thanks, everyone!” With the speech concluded,
The official portion ended.
The next segment was pretty straightforward—
Eating, chatting, and watching performances.
The entertainers were from the Tokyo International Art Association and were said to be seasoned performers.
The performance was decent, although Gan Yan Yu seemed completely uninterested.
While everyone watched the show, the young woman sneaked half a tray of dorayaki, annoying Lin Tian so much he turned the dish towards himself.
Why not eat other delicious food when there’s much better stuff available?
That evening, after the banquet ended, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu stepped out of the restaurant.
He Zhi Chen waited at the door for them.
Before Lin Tian could say a word,
“He Tian Teacher, you haven’t been active online again,” He Zhi Chen said, pulling out his phone.
“Congratulations, Teacher Lin Tian! You’ve hit one million views on Twitter for the first time in your career!”
(End of Chapter)
