Chapter 184: The Semifinals Begin
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As Nanali pushed open the glass door and left, Lin Tian felt a pang of confusion.
What did she an?
For any musician aiming for the world championship, losing this competition ant being shut out of events like The Dragon Cello Competition and the Kölner Cup for two whole years. Calling it a "life-or-death battle" wasn't an exaggeration. Two years was enough to change everything—careers, circumstances, even dreams. So competitors simply couldn't afford to wait that long.
Lin Tian turned to Gan Yanyu. The girl stood frozen, staring at the direction where Nanali had disappeared.
"Miss Gan."
"Hmm?"
"Snap out of it—we still need to practice."
After two more hours of rehearsing Greeting of Love, it was already past eleven at night. By now, they could recite the score backward and forward, yet sothing still felt… off. Just slightly, but enough to make their performance uncertain for the semifinals.
"Lin Tian, let's switch to another piece," Gan Yanyu suddenly said.
"What?"
Lin Tian hadn't expected her to suggest this. She wasn't the type to give up halfway through anything, especially not music.
"You've played beautifully—it's holding us back. Right now, it's just not working. Maybe the timing isn't right," she explained calmly as she walked over to the piano. "One day, we'll master this piece together. But not today. Ti waits for no one. Let's perform sothing we can confidently execute on stage."
Her tone was resolute, clearly the result of deep deliberation. Yet Lin Tian hesitated. Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to push through and perfect such a fitting piece? If they could nail it, victory in the semifinals seed assured. To abandon it now felt almost sacrilegious.
After a mont's thought, he asked, "The competition starts in two days. Is it even allowed to change pieces at this point?"
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January 3rd, Qingzhou City – Qingtian Hall
The hall buzzed with excitent under dazzling lights. Every seat in the audience was filled, and the host delivered a passionate opening speech. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation.
"A Group's lineup is practically a cakewalk for Bai Xi," Yao Han remarked from the judges' table, flipping through his notes with a smirk. "No suspense there."
"But B Group?" He shook his head. "That's the real battlefield. Yun Qiuqiu, the prodigy from Yongzhou; Christine Nanali, Britain's rising star; Mao Junfeng, the dark horse who surged during preliminaries—and Gan Yanyu. Talk about drama."
"Still rooting for Gan Yanyu?" He Shumo interjected dryly, sipping his goji berry tea.
Yao Han leaned closer, wrapping an arm around He Shumo's shoulder. "Didn't you give her an ‘A ' during the prelims?"
"That doesn't an I think she'll go far," He Shumo replied coolly. "Her style might dazzle audiences, but it does nothing for the broader musical community."
"Ah, always so principled!" Yao Han teased, elbowing him lightly. "Or maybe you gave her an ‘A ' because she's pretty?"
He Shumo brushed off the jab. "You're implying I outwardly supported Toba while secretly backing Gan Yanyu, right? Rest assured, I'm as staunch a supporter of Toba as you are. His critique of Gan Yanyu's playing hit the nail on the head. While visually impressive, her approach sets a poor precedent for musicianship."
"Well said, scholar." Yao Han chuckled, patting his shoulder. "Though, if Gan Yanyu pulls the sa stunt today, I assu you'll dock her grade accordingly?"
"Absolutely—an ‘E' if she repeats that act," He Shumo confird. Then, after a pause, he added, "But that pianist of hers, Lin Tian—he intrigues . They've been partners for a while, haven't they? Chasing Toba down to confront him takes guts. This guy's no ordinary talent."
"Speaking of which…" He Shumo turned to Yao Han. "Do you know anything about him?"
"? No clue." Yao Han laughed dismissively. "Just because I play piano doesn't an I know every pianist out there."
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Backstage – Rest Area
Originally packed with contestants, the backstage area now housed only four participants per group, plus a handful of makeup artists and staff. It felt eerily quiet compared to earlier rounds.
Lin Tian scanned the room. Mao Junfeng sat reviewing footage of previous matches, Nanali primped in front of a mirror, and Yun Qiuqiu—still exuding her otaku vibe—huddled in a corner, glued to her phone.
Could soone like her really excel at cello? Lin Tian doubted she could even handle basic life tasks.
Then ca the draw results:
First: Mao Junfeng
Second: Yun Qiuqiu
Third: Nanali
Fourth: Gan Yanyu
Online forums had dubbed their group the "Group of Death." Unlike A Group, where Bai Xi's dominance seed inevitable, predicting B Group's winner was anyone's guess. However, Lin Tian disagreed. After reviewing match tapes, he dismissed Mao Junfeng as a fluke—a one-hit wonder who barely registered on his radar. The real threats were Yun Qiuqiu and Nanali.
As the first contestant, Mao Junfeng, took the stage, the semifinals officially began.
Lin Tian's eyes locked onto Toba Jianhui on the big screen. Twelve days of waiting had led to this mont—the true revenge match was finally here.
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