Chapter 401 – The Finals of the Dragon Zither Cup: Everyone’s Take on Lin Tian
“Esteemed ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the finals of the 2025 National Cello Competition Dragon Zither Cup!”
“Eleven contestants will compete today to decide the annual champion!”
In the arena,
The noise was deafening as the commentators began their enthusiastic introductions.
The entire venue was buzzing with tension and excitement.
“The winner of this match will represent the Tianchao cellists in next year’s Cole Cup!”
“This is not only the honor of the individual contestant, but also the honor of our nation’s music!”
Zhu Ye, facing an already packed live chat room boasting over 300,000 views, detailed the rules further for the competition.
At this moment, netizens had already been swept up by the atmosphere.
[Mr. Hairy Teacher, go go go!!!]
[Brother Ze, you can do it! You can do it!]
[The two most representative players from Tianchao must be Brother Moonlight and Cat!!]
[Brother Moonlight, k*ll them all! Show no mercy!]
[F…]
Watching the sea of encouraging messages, Zhu Ye and Feng Ye couldn’t help feeling a bit unaccustomed.
Why is no one fighting?
Back during the semi-finals, almost as soon as the live stream opened, the intense rhythm made both commentators worried about potentially being fired, leading to a spontaneous mental breakdown.
Now, here they were in the finals, which had an even higher heat and more intense competition, with everyone just cheerfully supporting their favorite contestants.
They were getting thrown off guard by this!
But after sharing a smile and understanding each other’s thoughts,
It’s Mr. Lin Tian, Feng Ye thought.
Last week’s grand outdoor cello concert at Yu Zi Square was nothing short of legendary, covered extensively by official media.
Under the leadership of Mr. Lin Tian, three distinct styles of cello musicians came together for a thrilling ensemble performance.
Feng Ye witnessed that performance.
d*mn, that was impressive!
As expected, the grudges between the music fans had decreased.
They pulled off something utterly insane yet great!
“Feng Ye, who do you think has the best chance at winning the title this year?” Zhu Ye asked.
As usual, before the contest officially started, the commentators would discuss such topics to build hype.
“And what about you? Who do you think will win?” Feng Ye replied in an unexpected manner, turning the question back onto Zhu Ye.
“Well, I… I feel a bit ashamed,” Zhu Ye scratched his head and chuckled,
“I have my sights set on one Brit.”
One Brit?
The statement immediately conveyed to all netizens whom Zhu Ye was referring to.
Nanali Kristin, who exploded with talent during her performance in the semi-finals by slaying Bai Junze and Mr. Hairy Teacher!
Gaining the highest score, that ‘rebellious’ performance stunned all the competitors and commentators alike, showcasing true “talent.”
“Even though she’s a Brit, Nanali isn’t a special guest; she’s been competing in local tournaments nationwide since last year—strictly according to the rules, she counts as one of us nationals!” Zhu Ye explained, “Her skills are undeniable, despite some claiming she got lucky, but even so, I still hold that Nanali is the finest cellist in this tournament.”
After saying that, he cheerfully added,
“But of course, personal opinions won’t represent the official commentary stance.”
A wave of “Hahas” filled the chat.
Quite the desperate attempt to survive.
However, none of the fans truly harbored any grudges toward Zhu Ye for expressing his opinion.
Throughout these Dragon Zither cups, people had come to love these bold, insightful commentators.
“I answered already, now it’s your turn,” Zhu Ye glanced at Feng Ye, curious about what wild guess he might make.
“Ah, well… I feel a bit ashamed too.” Feng Ye said shyly.
More ashamed?
Could anything be harder to say than believing a Brit could represent Chinese cello?
“I think, Gan Yan Yu will take the title,” Feng Ye stated.
“…”
Though prepared, Zhu Ye still sucked in a breath upon hearing this. Even he had to give Feng Ye the thumbs up:
“You’re a bit more embarrassed, huh?”
“Hahaha”
Feng Ye burst out laughing.
A true Dragon Zither Cup joke!
Neither explained further, knowing that everyone else had deduced the reason why, but it remained unsaid during commentary.
However, Feng Ye’s admission ignited a lot of similar reactions from viewers:
[What’s there to hide? Brother Moonlight and Cat are the greatest! The championship belongs to Cat Sauce!]
[Lin Tian and Gan Yan Yu will surely create new wonders in the finals!]
[Haven’t the state newspapers mentioned her name already? I don’t believe it’s impossible for Gan Yan Yu to win!]
[Our Moon God is here to break records today!]
…
“Alright, alright.”
Feng Ye cut off the chat with Zhu Ye.
He knew that conversation would never end.
“Let’s focus on the stage! The competition is about to start!”
As the producer switched the camera angles.
Feng Ye turned his gaze to the entrance of the stage, quietly praying:
“If we’ve come this far, we have to show them a victory!”
Meanwhile,
In the public dressing room,
“Gan Yan Yu Teacher, long time no see!”
Mao Wei Ang, equally ready, stood up and greeted her.
“Hello.”
Gan Yan Yu nodded.
“Not really long since the last meeting,”
“It’s the final match. Seeing Teacher Gan here, I’ve decided not to return to the restrooms, just wanted to extend my greetings,”
Mao Wei Ang remained polite and modest, glancing left and right beside Gan Yan Yu, puzzled.
“Where’s Teacher Lin Tian?”
“I didn’t go out with him, let him sleep longer. He’ll be along later.”
“Time is slipping away, we need to hurry.”
Mao Wei Ang voiced his concern,
“Arriving early could help acclimate to the tense atmosphere.”
“Mm-hm.”
Gan Yan Yu nodded.
In fact, she was not particularly anxious.
Give Teacher Lin some extra rest.
It’s fine, relax.
She thought to herself.
After all,
This is their final match of the year.
Life or d*ath is just a day away.
Gan Yan Yu hoped Lin Tian would play with a lighter heart and contribute to their performance this day.
Likewise,
Gan Yan Yu herself would approach with a relaxed attitude.
She hoped somehow,
Regardless of the outcome,
She and Lin Tian could laugh it off happily.
—
They’re certain not to lose,
For some reason,
That’s how Gan Yan Yu felt.
It was like intuition,
If she and Lin Tian got on stage together,
They would definitely win this game!
—
Somehow, in her heart, Gan Yan Yu felt incredibly confident.
Previously, stepping onto a stage required immense courage for her.
Now, she faced the upcoming match confidently.
This change came from Lin Tian,
From everything they had shared together.
—
So—
Slow down.
It will be fine.
Their draw order was tenth out of eleven participants, a detail they knew beforehand during the rehearsal lottery session.
They could calmly appear on stage and perform.
—
After the competition—
Gan Yan Yu had a few things she wanted to say to Lin Tian.
At this moment,
Gan Yan Yu fidgeted with her hair.
Recalling what happened yesterday, her thoughts were jumbled.
Maybe she wasn’t fully prepared to explain everything to Lin Tian.
How should she explain it?
“Wow, Mr. Hairy’s piece ‘Comeback with the Wind’ is incredible! It really hits the spot!”
“.”
On stage,
Mao Wei Ang played the cello, performing with deep emotion.
In the audience, everyone stared at Mao Wei Ang on stage, eyes wide with surprise and delight.
“Does anyone else think Mao Wei Ang’s cello sounds different than before?”
“Yeah… it sounds much softer.”
“It touches my heart more deeply.”
“I love his new vibe so much!”
“.”
Audience members stared, fellow cellists watched in awe from backstage.
Is this the “transformed” version of Mao Wei Ang?
Feng Ye felt waves of pride watching him perform.
Sure enough,
After that ensemble performance, Mao Wei Ang’s cello lost its previous hollow nature.
It became warmer, more nuanced,
Feng Ye admitted, feeling a genuine appreciation for Mao Wei Ang.
When the performance ended,
Mao Wei Ang returned to the common lounge.
Looking up at the ceiling,
“It’s over.”
His last performance, plain and simple, lacked the dramatic climax he had anticipated.
Without checking others’ reactions,
Mao Wei Ang felt his performance was more captivating than ever.
Thanks to Lin Tian and Teacher Gan.
Thinking back on how Lin Tian had helped him, Mao Wei Ang smiled.
Too bad,
His performance couldn’t be seen by Lin Tian.
Mao Wei Ang turned and found Gan Yan Yu still sitting in the lounge.
Next to her was a female contestant, Bai Xi, as flirtatious as ever.
Bai Xi turned around when Mao Wei Ang approached, looking at the live performance screen.
At the moment, Baim Junze, displaying wild techniques, was stirring excitement among the audience.
“Teacher Bai Junze’s improvement is amazing. How much did he learn in just half a month?”
“Awe, Teacher Bai, what kind of potion did Teacher Lin Tian feed you all?”
It was clear Bai Xi also directed this at Mao Wei Ang beside her.
Though not directly addressing him, after hearing those words, Mao Wei Ang waved in front of Bai Xi and corrected her earnestly,
“That’s not the case, Teacher Bai Xi, your cello is also outstanding. The results aren’t certain, getting discouraged now would undermine everything.”
Seeing Mao Wei Ang’s serious demeanor, Bai Xi laughed.
“Don’t try to comfort me, the disparity is obvious. It’s okay, I didn’t plan to insist on the championship anyway.”
Bai Xi said with a smile,
“All I have ever aimed for is playing the piece that represents ’the perfect self’. Making it to the finals of the Dragon Zither Cup is already fulfilling.”
For the ’perfect self’?
Mao Wei Ang heard such sentiment for the first time, slightly surprised.
“Well, I envy you guys. Back then, wanting Teacher Lin Tian to listen to my performance and guide me, he absolutely refused.”
Bai Xi leaned on the table, clasping her chest,
“Ah, he’s my hero!”
Upon hearing this, Gan Yan Yu, who had been focused on the performance, turned around.
“Is that so?”
“So you also received quite a bit of help from Teacher Lin?”
“Yeah.”
Bai Xi lifted her head, sighing,
“A great deal of assistance.”
Mao Wei Ang refocused on the screen, observing Bai Junze, feeling a mix of emotions.
Unexpectedly,
Teacher Lin Tian unknowingly helped so many cellists.
He turned to look at Gan Yan Yu, a bit perplexed.
Not here yet?
“Oh oh. Is he.. okay?”
“My God, he’s bleeding so much!”
“Call an ambulance, call an ambulance!”
“Familiar face. This teenager seems familiar.”
“.”
Amidst noisy chatter,
Lin Tian gradually awoke.
Surrounded by curious bystanders, a man appeared anxious, making a phone call.
“Hello 120, I hit someone, can you come quickly?”
“Quickly! My life is at stake!”
The man yelled in distress.
After Lin Tian fully woke up, the man looked over and saw him, immediately widening his eyes and asking with care,
“Are you okay?!”
“Hold tight, I’m calling an ambulance for you.”
Lin Tian felt the noise was unbearable.
Holding his throbbing head, he put down his hands and saw bl**d on his palm;
“sh*t.”
Lin cursed under his breath, rising from the ground.
Seeing Lin stand up, the driver panicked:
“What are you doing?! I’m making a call! Please stay still!”
“Stop shouting, I’m fine!”
Lin’s fierce roar silenced the driver instantly.
Lin casually scanned and saw his ride-share was parked across the street, within reach.
The pain from his leg intensified, but Lin struggled up, walking forward.
“Holy cr*p, is he out of his mind?!”
“Isn’t he severely injured? How can he walk?”
“He’s practically a superhero!”
“What about forgiving the driver and not making him pay?”
Passersby whispered various reactions—astonishment and fear intermixed.
The man, seeing Lin’s back, wept tears of gratitude, collapsing to the ground.
Making another call:
“Hey honey, you won’t believe what happened!”
“I met a living Buddha.”
When Lin Tian got into the car, the driver turned around, terrified.
“Seriously, man, calm down!”
The driver fastened the seatbelt, his sense of justice surging,
“I’ll take you straight to the hospital!”
“No need.”
Lin kicked the backrest, gritting his teeth,
“Baijing International Concert Hall, get moving!”
(End of Chapter)
