The performance began, and the venue fell silent.
The girl’s rhythm was somewhat chaotic at first, but with Dongxue’s cooperation, it quickly became smooth.
Several judges exchanged glances, confirming the piece through their eye contact. The audience’s tensed hearts finally relaxed.
It was Master Song’s arranged version.
This version was simpler than the original, requiring fewer instruments.
But simple did not mean casual. On the contrary, the simplified demanded even higher skill from the performer.
And this piece, under Ye Xiqiu’s lead, overflowed with intense emotion.
The judges closed their eyes and entered a cold world.
As the music spread, a girl appeared before them, dressed in rags, expressionless, unable to speak. The girl was skin and bones, yet indifferent to the food offered to her. She shivered, yet would not step half a pace closer to the bonfire.
The baron brought her to the bonfire, fed her, draped his coat over her shoulders, and took her home. Under the baron’s careful care, the girl quickly grew healthy. Though still unable to speak, a smile finally appeared on her face.
But good times did not last, and the story was about to reach its turning point.
The baron was killed by an enemy, his corpse thrown before the girl.
Having witnessed the baron’s death, the girl fell into an even deeper darkness.
No, that’s wrong!
The judges below suddenly realized the melody had not grown somber, but instead increasingly cheerful.
The baron, who should have died, survived. Though he had lost an arm, he was still healthy.
This time, it was the girl’s turn to care for him.
The girl’s care was far more meticulous than the baron’s, more attentive in every way, even to the point of being somewhat sweet.
Just by looking at her smile, the baron felt his heart was filled, wanting nothing more.
The mute girl, who should have muddled through sorrow and eventually died, grew up healthy day by day, from a girl into a young woman, then blossomed into graceful maturity.
The mute girl ultimately married the baron in an embrace, living together plainly and happily.
Long after the music ended, the judges were still immersed in that gentle embrace.
It was not until Dongxue pushed Ye Xiqiu to the center of the stage to take a bow that they were awakened.
The judges exchanged glances, opened their mouths, but ultimately said nothing.
Judging by this piece alone, Ye Xiqiu clearly already had the potential to become a master. As ordinary music enthusiasts dragged in to make up the numbers, they did not even have the qualifications to evaluate her.
So they could only stare blankly as Dongxue pushed Ye Xiqiu toward the stage exit.
“Wow… this song is so… so awesome!”
In the audience, Lin Luoying held it in for a long time, and ultimately only managed to squeeze out this one sentence.
It seemed she had suffered from a lack of culture.
“Little Aunt, what do you think? Isn’t it super good?”
The little girl turned her head excitedly, only to see Lin Shuangxue with her arms crossed, coldly watching the two on stage heading backstage, lost in thought.
Lin Luoying tactfully shut her mouth.
Lin Shuangxue suddenly stood up with a swoosh and walked toward the stage exit.
“Little Aunt, where are you going? They’re about to announce the rankings!”
Lin Shuangxue did not answer, but judging by the direction she was heading, Lin Luoying knew she was absolutely going backstage to find Jiang Cheng.
The girl gritted her teeth and ultimately stood up as well.
“Little Aunt, wait for me!”
“Ah, those two are so amazing… Where’s Jiang Cheng?”
After her exclamation, Ling Xiao finally noticed something was off.
She looked left and right, but simply could not find the girl dressed all in white.
“Hey, you’re Jiang Cheng’s little sister, right?”
She finally locked her gaze on Jiang Xiaotang.
“I remember you. You’re Jiang Cheng’s little sister, right? I remember the only one who’s this short should be you.”
As she spoke, she walked up to the girl.
“You don’t know where your sister went?”
The girl stepped back half a pace, watching her warily.
“You…”
Ling Xiao was full of question marks.
“What do you mean by that? I’m not going to hit you.”
“Sister only has one little sister, and that’s Little Tang!”
The girl waved her tiny fist and said fiercely, “Redhead, I won’t let you steal Little Tang’s sister!”
After saying that, she turned around and ran off.
Ling Xiao was stunned for a moment. Before she could ask anything more, the little girl had already turned and run away.
She scratched her head in confusion.
“This… Do I really look like such a bad person?”
Meanwhile, on the other side, Jiang Xiaotang, who had run backstage, ran head-on into Jiang Cheng, who had transformed back to her original form.
Wearing her little suit, she threw herself into the young woman’s arms, hugged her white dress, and rubbed against her affectionately.
“Sister!”
“Sister is so amazing… mmph!”
Jiang Cheng extended her index finger and gently pressed it against the girl’s small mouth, making a “shh” gesture, then glanced at the girl in the wheelchair beside her.
Jiang Xiaotang instantly understood the young woman’s meaning.
This piano-playing sister named Ye Xiqiu did not know that the big sister from earlier was actually her sister!
Thinking of this, Jiang Xiaotang felt sweetness fill her heart.
This way, only Little Tang knew the secret that her sister could transform.
Mm… Could she use this to threaten her sister a little?
A bold idea surged in the girl’s heart.
But soon, this idea was snuffed out by her.
No, Little Tang was a very good girl, her sister’s good little sister. How could she do such a thing?
At least not yet.
“Ye Xiqiu, your performance tonight was amazing.”
Patting the girl’s head as a reward, Jiang Cheng turned to look at the young woman.
Ye Xiqiu was staring blankly at Jiang Cheng’s white hair. Hearing the other’s words, she immediately snapped back to attention.
“Um…” She cleared her throat.
“Jiang Cheng’s performance was amazing too. Rather… it actually scared me a little…”
“Is that so? Then I’m very honored.”
“The rankings are out!”
The host from earlier ran backstage quickly, exclaiming excitedly.
I did not expect this person to look so composed on stage but be so cute offstage.
“Who are the top three?” Jiang Cheng asked.
The host’s face reddened slightly when Jiang Cheng asked her, though Jiang Cheng had caught the main point well.
“Jiang Cheng, first place is your !”
“And second and third?”
“They are Ye Xiqiu’s and Ling Xiao’s respectively.”
“That’s good.”
Jiang Cheng smiled sincerely.
Purely in terms of music, , performed with Little Xiqiu, was naturally the most dazzling pearl of the night.
But the Freshman Welcome Party was not a music competition after all, and clearly Jiang Cheng’s makeup had earned her many points.
Though making the top three was enough, Jiang Cheng was still happy to have gotten first place.
She wondered if there would be a certificate.
“Jiang Cheng!”
A familiar and cold voice rang out, and Jiang Cheng’s smile froze.
She slowly turned her head.
Sure enough, Lin Shuangxue, with a cold expression, was walking quickly toward her, while that little tagalong Lin Luoying trailed far behind, panting as she jogged.
No, wait, who made her angry again?
Oh, no, judging by her expression, it should be me who made her angry.
No, wait, what did I do?
I just wore a… no, that’s wrong, this isn’t a wedding dress!
Then what reason did Lin Shuangxue have to be angry?
Thinking of this, Jiang Cheng puffed out her chest.
With every step Lin Shuangxue took, Jiang Cheng’s chest deflated a little more.
By the time Lin Shuangxue reached her, Jiang Cheng had already自觉 lowered her head.
“Um… Little Shuangxue, you look very unhappy. Did someone make you angry?”
Lin Shuangxue scanned her outfit from top to bottom, finally stopping at her exposed thighs, her gaze darkening.
“Come home with me.”
She abruptly reached out, grabbed Jiang Cheng’s wrist, and headed outside.
“But I haven’t changed clothes yet!”
“Change in your room.”
“Then at least tell me clearly, whose room are we going to, hey!”