Chapter 348: A Major Shift Not Seen in 16 Years!
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“Are you people just a bunch of fakes?! How can you possibly hear one piece of music and think of so many things??”
“Too exaggerated! After all these years of listening to songs, I’ve never heard one that made me cry right from the start!”
“I refuse to believe it’s because my empathy skills are lacking!”
“That’s so fake! I felt absolutely nothing!”
“Honestly, sure it’s beautiful, but it’s nothing compared to Maestro Mao’s earlier piece!”
“…”
In the official live-stream of the Dragon Zither Cup.
As Moonlight and Cat reached the climax of their performance, an increasing number of deeply inspired netizens shared their experiences about “dreams.”
This, however, led to more rebuttals and attacks.
The less they understood, the angrier they got when everyone else was cheering.
In reality, most of the netizens who couldn’t empathize would, upon seeing others share their experiences, quiet themselves, revisiting the music, believing it was their fault for not listening closely enough.
And those attacking the piece seemed to be reacting against the “fan culture.”
In truth, their anger was more about their own embarrassment.
Why did it feel like everyone understood this obscure piece of music while they were left clueless?
Why did others find so much emotion in this piece while they heard nothing?!
Doesn’t that mean their taste was subpar, unable to appreciate the finer nuances??
This imbalance led to polarized reactions in the live stream chat.
At this moment, as if anticipating the outcome,
In the final majestic chapter of “The Blue Danube,”
Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu intentionally slowed their performance, reveling in the grandeur of the final stage.
Both wore knowing smiles on their faces.
Gan Yan Yu meticulously controlled her bowing within ±0.3 millimeters of Lin Tian’s manuscript while using her heel to trigger the effects pedal.
Real-time generating organ-like quantum clouds from overtones. Not destructive, but rather akin to Higgs boson collisions that revealed the divine particles of classical music.
In this gentle, soothing melody,
Piano and cello intertwined, swirling, confessing to each other.
“…”
In fact,
Lin Tian hadn’t anticipated that Gan Yan Yu’s “arrangement” would have such a stellar effect.
The piece “The Blue Danube” was originally inspired by Lin Tian’s insight into Gan Yan Yu’s dreamstage ideas.
So when Gan Yan Yu suggested adding her own thoughts after the third movement, Lin Tian readily accepted.
It was the first time he saw Gan Yan Yu’s compositional talent.
Her changes were minimal, just a re-arranging of the existing score.
She added an exhilarating climax to the enduringly gentle piece.
Transforming the ancient notes into something with a more modern spirit.
Thus,
What started as a way to infuse Gan Yan Yu’s visions of the future into the arrangement,
In a twist neither Lin Tian nor Gan Yan Yu anticipated,
The ancient score came alive!
It was as if a “time-space displacement device” reversed the flow of 19th-century rivers into a cyberpunk riverbed.
Suddenly,
Every musician and audience member in the venue followed Gan Yan Yu’s muse, seamlessly empathizing with the scenes portrayed by the young woman!
All thanks to Gan Yan Yu’s effort!
If it weren’t for her “slightly selfish” request, such profound emotions wouldn’t have been elicited.
As for those emotions? Only appreciated by those who could champion classical music.
An easy task!
“Hahaha, our Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu are amazing!”
In the closing stages of the music, Feng Ye, who had been holding back, finally burst into laughter.
He turned to his partner Zhu Ye beside him.
“Do you remember? Just before the piece started, we were questioning why Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu didn’t switch the song?”
“Right!”
Zhu Ye replied.
“Many classical musicians have almost transformed to cater to our stage—trying to appeal to every audience member.”
This was understandable; after all, no musician would want to half their audience off the bat! Clearly, the broader the appeal, the more advantageous it would be in a competition.
“Yet, our Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu didn’t just ignore that audience, they delivered this performance instead!”
At this point, Feng Ye couldn’t hold back!
He was still maintaining the polite announcer’s smile, but he was ready to burst out laughing any second!
He didn’t continue, wanting to keep face for the audience.
He feared if he said more, the newbies would break down! He could also get penalized.
—Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu not only didn’t plan to cater to those audience members, they instead composed a piece that pulled their leg!
The message was clear: my music is only for those who understand us!
As for everyone else… heh, you can listen, but any negative feelings that arise? Not our problem!
“…”
Just thinking about how they were initially debating why not to switch the song makes it even more ironic.
Now that’s true genius!
Feng Ye couldn’t help but sigh.
To be honest,
As the official commentator, he felt a bit… secretly thrilled!
It felt wonderful!
The old-school musicians generally harbor sentiments of dissatisfaction towards classical music.
After all, we all start our musical journey with classical music, right?
Hardly any music academy begins without venturing into classical first.
However, in this grand era,
Most musicians swallowed that resentment.
Now, seeing Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu so audaciously reinventing classical music on stage,
Besides jealousy, there was the joy!
All musicians still in love with classical could only sum up their feelings in four words—
Finally, a breath of fresh air!
“Those were stunning performances, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu!!”
“Though they’re rivals, musicians like them definitely deserve to win!”
“Ugh, I wish I could express myself as freely as they do… but my skills won’t measure up!”
“Wahhh, I can’t do it, you guys must keep playing classical music forever!”
In the backstage rest room.
A bunch of cello players who idolized “Moonlight and Cat” were emotional and couldn’t hide their excitement.
Their lighthouse didn’t let them down!
They truly raised their voices for all lovers of classical music on the Dragon Zither Cup stage!
This scream contained not just their dreams, but the passion they had yet to fulfill.
“…”
Meanwhile, on the commentary platform,
As Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu’s music was about to conclude,
Feng Ye prepared his final summary.
This was also why he, from being a merely appreciative reviewer of Moonlight and Cat, completely transformed into a fan:
“The strength of Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu lies in their stage performances, which never simply involves playing the music —”
“Both in and out of the venue, the stage is their artistic canvas!”
That statement hit the nail on the head, proving what made Moonlight and Cat the most fearsome performers—
Such adorable chemistry and little stratagems, underpinned by their powerful musical talents, turned everything inside and outside the stage into part of expressing their emotions!
Even the reactions from the commentary duo and the audience watching the competition were part of that narrative.
All these seemed to be predicted by Moonlight and Cat.
Their performance resounded, relaying their thoughts.
This ability was not something an ordinary classical musician possessed!
Perhaps due to Moonlight and Cat’s “internet celebrity background,” being seasoned in turbulent waters, they knew the audience and fans like the back of their hand.
That’s why they had this unmatchable knack!
Now Feng Ye finally understood!
What set Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu apart from ordinary classical musicians.
Why, after nearly 20 years, there had never been musicians like them capable of creating such upheaval at the Dragon Zither Cup stage with classical music?
This was, in part, due to Lin Tian’s compositional abilities and Gan Yan Yu’s performing talent.
However, more than that, it stemmed from their growth experiences to this day.
Compared to most composers who stagnated creatively,
Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu quickly shared each composition online, seeking feedback from netizens!
That’s no small feat!
Even now, asking some well-known composers to immediately throw their finished works onto platforms like TikTok and face the public’s scrutiny, is something they wouldn’t do!
In everyone’s eyes,
Those platform voices just aren’t worth noticing.
—They can’t even appreciate it; their taste and perspective aren’t on the same level—so is there a point?
Moonlight and Cat would tell you,
Absolutely!
In such an environment, every time they composed, they eagerly posted it on short-video platforms letting various complex netizens shine their judgment upon it.
No matter the critique, they would take it all in stride!
Even with harsh reviews, they faced them head-on!
That’s something any artist with a bit of pride would never stomach.
But Moonlight and Cat not only did it but also mingled with the public.
Because of such experiences,
They are now more attuned to the public’s demands and know how to stir people’s emotions while leveraging both internal and external factors, allowing more audiences to empathize with their classical music.
These are powerhouses!
This is why they can surpass nearly two decades of classical musicians in 2025, drawing so many people toward classical music!!
With that in mind,
Feng Ye’s spirit was ablaze.
When the performance ended,
As Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu stood and bowed at the front of the stage,
The applause erupted.
Zhu Ye turned to Feng Ye, whose eyes were already brimming with tears.
Zhu Ye froze for a moment before breaking into a smile,
“Looks like our Feng Ye teacher was also moved by the music!”
“Indeed, I actually have a dream of being a classical musician.”
“Hahaha, you’re still young, it’s never too late to chase that dream now.”
“Well, I still need to finish my commentary for this round of Dragon Zither Cup first.”
The two commentators quickly fell into their humorous banter again.
The atmosphere in the audience was electric.
At the judging panel, the judges exchanged glances, some frowning, others serious, clearly indicating there was significant controversy.
Yet, even among the most radical of the old-timers regarding classical music,
Looking at the unprecedented cheers from the audience, they could feel strong public sentiment.
Ultimately, after a brief struggle, they revealed expressions of resignation and placed their scores on the evaluation sheets.
Meanwhile,
In an office backstage.
Yao Han leaned back with his arms crossed, watching everything with keen interest.
Beside him, another male voice chimed in:
“Looks like Gan Yan Yu’s advance is secure; I bet those professors never expected this sole classical piece to trigger such a stir.”
Yao Han turned to see He Shu Mo entering the room.
The man leaned against the desk, adjusting his glasses, joining him in watching the big screen.
“The old fogies are rigid, not senile. They can hear how exceptional this arrangement of ‘The Blue Danube’ is.”
Yao Han quipped, “To let such a masterpiece go unnoticed, they’d be responsible for the consequences.”
“Indeed, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu’s performance is ridiculously strong,”
He Shu Mo lamented with a deep sigh.
As an academic who focused on theory, he found nothing to critique in such a performance.
Only admiration was left.
If these two didn’t make the cut, the entire music association would be the laughingstock.
“But I must add, even with this, it’s just the prelims.”
He Shu Mo said seriously,
“You ought to know, they can’t let someone who only plays classical music represent Tianchao—this year’s Ke’er Cup is a must-win.”
“Yeah, who would have thought this year would produce so many outstanding cellists?”
Facing He Shu Mo’s serious demeanor, Yao Han chuckled lightly,
“Gan Yan Yu, Bai Junze, Nanaly, Bai Xi, Mao Wei Ang, Zhang Yunwen.”
Each contestant possessed talent that exceeded their times.
If scattered across different eras, each could have become a legendary figure in the music field. Yet, here they all congregated in the 2025 Dragon Zither Cup.
In such a favorable situation,
The Tianchao music association felt hope, and rightfully so.
The association had waited too long.
The honor of the Ke’er Cup is not only personal but also pivotal for the entire Tianchao music scene.
Perhaps,
This year would become the most hopeful year to claim victory since Gan Hua’s era, 16 years ago.
Ultimately, deciding which contestant will represent in this year’s Ke’er Cup is crucial.
But no matter who is chosen,
It’s impossible to select someone who only plays classical music.
This is betting on the honor of the entire Tianchao cello community.
Sixteen years ago, Gan Hua’s experience has left an indelible wound on Tianchao’s cello legacy.
Such situations must never arise again.
“Especially since Gan Yan Yu is still Gan Lao’s granddaughter.”
Thinking this, Yao Han couldn’t help but chuckle.
Everything felt like a large boomerang.
It was thrown out sixteen years ago, and sixteen years later, it had come back to hit the mark.
If, by any ridiculous chance,
Gan Yan Yu wins the Dragon Zither Cup and represents Tianchao,
Then this whole scenario would be jolly good fun!
Yao Han couldn’t wait to see that day come, imagining the music scene’s thrill ride.
“So that’s why you’ve been supporting Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu?”
He Shu Mo adjusted his glasses, feeling a gleeful mockery.
“I wouldn’t put it that way.”
Yao Han responded,
“Don’t you think, after sixteen years, it’s time for the Dragon Zither Cup to undergo a big change?”
“I’m not optimistic.”
He Shu Mo stepped off the desk and walked to the office door.
“I’m going to rest; call me when Bai Xi is performing.”
As he opened the door, he paused on the precipice of leaving,
“Next time, in the semifinals, Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu won’t have it as easy as today.”
“When that time comes, even facing immense public pressure, the old fogies won’t allow them into the finals.”
“This is betting on the reputation of the entire association; there can be no errors.”
“Bang—”
The door closed.
At that moment, in another rest room located directly beneath the office,
Mao Wei Ang watched Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu bow and exit the stage, finishing his drink in one go.
It was still warm when poured, but after zoning out during the performance, he realized it had cooled down!
Mao Wei Ang smiled knowingly.
He tucked his leg in and stood up, his agent quickly approaching.
“What’s up, Maestro Mao?”
“Leaving.”
“Leaving?!”
The agent was taken aback, “Aren’t you watching the rest of the matches? Bai Xi’s performance is next.”
“Not anymore.”
Mao Wei Ang picked up his cello and smiled gently,
“Time to prepare for the next ‘battle’.”
“Next battle?” The agent didn’t understand.
The prelim results would come out soon, but the semifinals were still half a month away.
Why the “next battle”?
Mao Wei Ang just smiled and didn’t explain, going out of the rest room while the agent hurried to keep up.
Walking down the long corridor, Mao Wei Ang gently swayed the freshly refilled warm water—infused with his favorite goji berries.
As he shook it, the meaning behind the man’s smile grew increasingly profound.
“Lin Tian.”
“Your piece is out now; even if neither of us intends, the entire music world’s quarrels probably won’t stop.”
This wasn’t merely a clash between the two of them.
This was a showdown between contemporary Tianchao’s classical and pop music!
(This chapter is complete.)
