Chapter 264: The Great Piano Competition! First Stage! (4K)
For He Zhi Chen’s words, Lin Tian chose to ignore him for now.
He turned his head and headed straight towards Gan Yan Yu.
“Are you okay?”
“Hmm.”
“Gan Yan Yu, have you lost your mind?!”
Lin Tian’s roar caused Gan Yan Yu to shudder.
The young woman held her arms in a flustered motion, her head hanging low.
“Someone came charging at us with a weapon and you really stood there! What if they hit you? Can you take a hit from a stick??”
Lin Tian ranted furiously.
His head was buzzing.
Sometimes he truly didn’t know if Gan Yan Yu was genuinely or feigning stupidity.
But judging by her actions now, Gan Yan Yu’s brain seemed irrevocably broken!
“Sorry, sorry.”
Gan Yan Yu lowered her gaze and murmured.
“Alright, Teacher Gan Yan Yu was just trying to protect you,” He Zhi Chen quickly stepped up to smooth things over.
Afterwards, he hurriedly shifted the topic:
“Mr. Lin Tian, have you truly spent time practicing?”
“Those moves just now, not everyone could pull that off.”
If good looks only proved one’s strength, then those few moves were no longer about physical condition but about combat skills!
At eighteen, disarming a kn*fe-wielding opponent and killing an obviously older man, over twenty-five.
Such astonishing physical prowess.
Without this sudden incident, He Zhi Chen might never have discovered such abilities, no matter how long he observed Lin Tian.
What other secrets had Lin Tian been keeping?
“I practice occasionally,” Lin Tian replied carelessly.
He turned his head and looked at Gan Yan Yu, who was standing with her head bowed, looking embarrassed.
He couldn’t harden his heart enough to continue scolding her.
Lin Tian knew it was an unconscious move she had made, meant to protect him.
But he had to criticize her because of it.
If she did it again, next time, what would happen? How much could she handle?
Really, she was starting to think she had Hollywood scenes in her head.
He needed Gan Yan Yu to remember this lesson deeply and abandon the idea for good.
Silence fell upon them.
Soon after, police officers from Tokyo arrived.
The man was handcuffed and taken away with them to the station for questioning.
As a foreigner attacked on Japanese soil, and one who was here for a music competition no less, the Tokyo police took the matter seriously.
During their stay, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu were warmly welcomed by the Japanese staff. Besides providing tea and snacks, they also brought breakfast.
The police worked efficiently.
After waiting for some time, the investigation results came out swiftly.
The violent man was a heavy-duty otaku, unemployed, dependent on others, who loved anime.
He had a nearly fanatic adoration for pianist Sato Sakura.
And he had severe mental illness, which made him dangerous.
It seemed Japan was truly a place teeming with talent.
Fortunately, Lin Tian ran into a local thug, not a serious threat.
Luckily, no one got hurt, and the case was quickly closed.
Last, the officer offered to drive Lin Tian to the rehearsal himself.
Once done, Lin Tian returned to the hotel that night.
As he thought about today’s events,
With increasing fame and worldwide attention,
Criticism, defamation, and even danger followed closely behind.
Even if Lin Tian proved himself, he wouldn’t win over everyone.
Still,
Lin Tian mostly shrugged off the negativity.
Nonetheless, he couldn’t entirely deny that it affected his performance somehow.
Since,
His creations relied heavily on past experiences.
So, there were always doubts regarding authenticity.
Sometimes, Lin Tian pondered whether he deserved such high praise.
The attacks weren’t entirely unwarranted.
If performing solely for fame,
Then he really was just a fraud.
In the evening, Lin Tian saw Gan Yan Yu back to her hotel room.
Before she closed the door, Lin Tian stopped her.
“I’m sorry for earlier.”
Standing in front of the door, Lin Tian was slightly hesitant,
“After all, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
Reflecting on the morning’s encounter, ultimately,
Lin Tian decided to apologize.
No matter what, Gan Yan Yu acted to protect him, and anger wasn’t justified.
Remembering that moment, Lin Tian felt regret.
He was carried away.
Screaming at Gan Yan Yu like that must have been hard for her too.
“It’s okay.”
Gan Yan Yu raised her eyes slightly, softly saying,
“You were protecting me.”
Lin Tian was taken aback.
Gan Yan Yu smiled warmly at him.
Scratching his head and feeling his face turn red, he remembered something suddenly.
“Hey, Little Gan. Before you went abroad, didn’t you participate in several competitions?”
Gan YanYu, puzzled, responded with ‘Yes?’
“Well, do you remember participating in contests in high school?”
“Yes.”
If Lin Tian recalled correctly, back when Gan Yan Yu was sixteen and still living in China, she had participated in big events like the Parrot Zither Cup and the Starlight Cup.
She’d also attended numerous smaller tournaments.
Lin Tian only knew bits and pieces, as these topics weren’t often broached with him.
That period, however, apparently cast a dark shadow over her life.
So much so that she seldom shared these experiences with him.
Back then, her asthma had yet to be treated in Britain and had worsened, affecting her everyday life.
Gan Yan Yu, known simply as “Granddaughter of Gan,” started becoming more prominent in cello competitions at home.
Her debut attracted considerable attention due to her impeccable memory and immersive playing technique.
Despite that, her age and experience invited a deluge of criticisms.
Her stunning looks and privileged status didn’t help matters.
She was doubted for her ability to play cello and question why she received so many accolades.
These became tools for online trolls, turning her life into a nightmare.
“How did you get through that time?” Lin Tian asked.
He knew the end result was Gan Yan Yu giving up and leaving for Britain, thus ending her cello career domestically.
Knowing the endgame, but not the journey, what kept Gan Yan Yu going amidst all this?
Curious, Lin Tian really wanted to know.
At that moment, Lin Tian recalled his own first competition, parallel to Gan Yan Yu when she first debuted.
Their circumstances were oddly similar.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Gan Yan Yu chuckled, responding,
“Because I want to bring music to people.”
“What else matters?”
Lin Tian paused.
Indeed.
Wasn’t that exactly what Gan Yan Yu had always said?
She said it countless times before.
Only now, did it have such profound impact on him.
Lin Tian realized he lacked this purpose.
“You’ve got this, Lin Tian.”
Gan Yan Yu adjusted his tie and smiled,
“Your time.”
“Although I can’t accompany you physically, I will watch.”
Tokyo International Music Hall.
First stage of the preliminaries, first round.
It was already intense.
Up went the sixth participant.
The piano rang with the confident sound emitted by a man in white suit standing center stage.
Everyone in the halls held their breaths.
They all marveled at this incredible display.
“(d*mn talent, Nishikawa Yuha!)”
In the resting room,
A British pianist watching on screen, expressed awe and frustration.
“(That piece… was his recently composed Rhapsody ‘Dawn Night’s Grief.’ It’s pushing emotional impact to its limits!]”
Another clenched-teeth statement echoed.
Now,
Onstage, performing with vigor, was one of the key figures of this Sato Sakura International Piano Competition — Nishikawa Yuha.
Given his achievements across various regional competitions, including winning the “Tokyo Spark Cup” and “Chiba Falling Blossoms,” he had become a widely recognized contender prior to the actual matches.
Most notably, his commercial success in composing furthered his renown.
Just last month, Nishikawa’s new composition, ‘Dawn Night’s Grief’, surged to 8000 sales on the first day, receiving unanimous accolades.
Though many onlookers were skilled composers themselves,
Few had the commercial success as Nishikawa did in presenting their work at such high levels.
Hence, when Nishikawa demonstrated such superior prowess on stage, naturally, it left others feeling overwhelmed.
There wasn’t just one aspect of “piano” where they were outshone, but also musically.
It was truly impressive!
Actually,
There was another pianist in the audience with similar accomplishments
18-year-old boy, watching the performance with amazement.
Sure enough,
Lin Tian couldn’t help but admire.
Relying purely on technique, he was far inferior to this Japanese pianist.
Heshi Chen was right.
One should not underestimate the world stage.
Encountering such talent was nothing strange.
‘Dawn Night’s Grief’ was indeed a splendid composition.
Interestingly enough,
At the welcoming banquet the other day, many people were approachable, but today, most had disappeared.
Evidently, they feared the backlash from the public opinion.
Or maybe, observing Lin Tian’s performance had sparked some uncertainty in their minds.
Understanding, indeed.
“.”
Lin Tian carefully analyzed the performance, reminiscing about last night’s chat with teacher Gan in his head.
Suddenly, a voice caught his ear,
“(His performance is top-tier, but the song lacks a bit of spirit.)”
Lin Tian turned around.
Beside him, a curly-haired man with a scowl commented on the performance and shook his head in disbelief,
“(It’s completely rigid, such symmetrical patterns… Does it even qualify as a decent rhapsody?)”
“(Do you agree, Mr. Lin Tian?)”
The curly-haired man turned to look at Lin Tian.
“Yeah.”
Although this fellow spoke harshly,
Lin Tian nodded in agreement.
He glanced at the screen and noticed it too.
This piece was barely a 6 out of 10.
Certainly not a masterwork.
Weston’s piano performance elevated the piece tremendously.
Similar to ‘Only Because You Are So Beautiful’.
While the song itself didn’t amount to much,
Combined with passionate performances,
Who wouldn’t get inspired?
“(His compositions are generally mediocre and rely heavily on exposure from competitions. I don’t understand why people keep praising him.)”
The curly-haired man added,
“(Furthermore, his performance isn’t much; quite predictable.)”
While agreeing initially with criticism about the composition,
Lin Tian was intrigued at the shift in tone.
“(Speaking of which, who is this guy?)”
From the announcer’s broadcast, the next contestant was introduced:
“Please welcome the next contestant, Watanabe Satoru.”
Curly-haired man tucked his hands in his pockets, turning away.
“Watanabe Satoru?”
An unfamiliar name.
Lin Tian tried to recall any mention during his chats with He Zhi Chen or online, nothing popped up.
Most likely, an irrelevant, unremarkable participant.
Nonetheless, the critique on West’s composition caught Lin Tian’s interest.
As applause echoed and Watanabe Satoru stepped onto the stage.
Meanwhile,
Inside the waiting room,
The pianists who watched every bit of Nishikawa’s performance diligently were either preoccupied with their phones or in conversation.
It seemed no one recognized this Watanabe Satoru.
Just when Lin Tian reached for his phone to ask He Zhi Chen about him,
A pure, clear piano tune filled the air,
Instantly capturing everyone’s attention towards the screen.
(To Be Continued…)
