Chapter 56: Qi Yu, You Are Very Good at Praising People

The Art Association raises the curtain.

School leaders and shareholders from various great families take their seats one after another; the youthful and beautiful host holds a microphone, wearing a lovely formal gown, with a proper and intellectual smile on her face, reading the opening remarks with poise.

Yin Huaiyu flips through the program list boredly: "It's these programs every year—violin, ballet, piano pieces... there isn't a shred of novelty."

"What's there to watch?"

Yu Shixue leans against the back of his chair, pulling up on his phone the photo Yin Huaiyu just sent; in the photo, Ling Wu is wearing plain white Dunhuang-style attire, looking compassionate.

He looks at it for a few seconds, then silently taps save.

Then he glances toward Yin Huaiyu, seeing the name of the performer following the third performance, "Moonlight Sonata"—Ling Wu.

Yu Shixue cannot help but ask: "Ling Wu has two performances?"

"Yeah." Yin Huaiyu seems not to care much, replying as he pleases: "They said a Special Student fell down the stairs and begged Ling Wu for help."

His tone is a bit resentful: "You know, he's always soft-hearted; it was the same last time when he saved that lowly person Qi Yu in the private room. I really don't know what's fun about hanging out with someone like that."

Jing Du casts a glance over.

Ling Wu is soft-hearted?

It must be that he is only soft-hearted toward Special Students.

Yin Huaiyu: "If you ask me, Special Students are just full of trouble; they probably just didn't want to perform, viewing it as an insult, yet they haven't swallowed any less of the funds issued by the Academy."

There is faint mockery in his eyes.

Yu Shixue takes the program list handed over by Yin Huaiyu, doesn't even look at it, shifts his fingertips, and passes it on to Jing Du beside him without changing a thing.

"Which two programs is he performing?"

Yu Shixue: "It's written there in black and white."

Jing Du quickly finds his name on the program list, his gaze tracking forward, and the five gilded characters "Moonlight Sonata" are written impressively on the paper.

His fingertips pause on it.

The scene before his eyes seems to drift back frame by frame to that early morning, the swing swaying under the azure sky, the melodious and graceful piano music on the rooftop coming like a whisper in the starry night, the melody of the piece initially like a tranquil night, then gradually becoming deep and impassioned...

When Jing Du walked onto the rooftop, the person was already gone.

The name of that piece was also "Moonlight Sonata."

Could Ling Wu be him?

A secret, hopeful, and excited emotion rises in the depths of Jing Du's heart, as if a long-lost surprise is placed right before his eyes, and he can unpack and possess it at any time.

The first two programs end quickly.

The host's clear and beautiful voice comes through: "Next is 'Moonlight Sonata' brought to you by student Ling Wu from Sophomore Class A!"

The lights on the stage dim.

The atmosphere is rendered quiet.

Ling Wu walks onto the stage from behind the curtain, the stage spotlight moving with the youth's steps as if paving a layer of melting moonlight; he is wearing a slightly luxurious white suit, the fabric smooth and high-quality, fitting his body line to pinch out a beautiful waist, the gemstone brooch on his chest complementing the suit as a whole, adding a highlight.

All is silent.

Ling Wu's eyes reflect the light as he walks to the center of the stage.

The white piano stands quietly, its appearance simple and elegant, without complex decorative patterns, looking very smooth and delicate, like a clean mirror reflecting the surrounding light.

The youth in snow-white sits on the piano bench.

Several scorching gazes from the judges' seats are cast upon him simultaneously.

The audience is boiling:

"Ahhhhh! Senior Ling Wu!"

"Senior Ling Wu!"

"Senior, look at the camera!"

"Wife is so handsome, so handsome! You are my wife!"

Ling Wu turns sideways toward the audience, smiles and nods, his slender index finger resting on his lips to make a shushing gesture, and the audience instantly goes quiet.

Jing Du crosses his fingers, his thumbs rubbing the thin calluses on his index finger joints, whispering: "... Could it be you?"

Everyone starts recording videos one after another.

Ling Wu's slender fingertips rest on the piano keys; the stage is dark, and a beam of light falls on him and the piano.

Like an oil painting under the moonlight.

Clear and melodious piano music pours out from under Ling Wu's fingers; the melody of the piece is initially like a tranquil moonlit night, and with the piano sound, everyone seems to step into the forest under the vast starry sky, vast and infinite, able to see the crescent moon hanging high and meteors flying by, able to hear the faint bird calls and sparse wind sounds...

The quiet, starry scenery unfolds like a scroll.

A strong soul impact, a spectacular visual feast.

Amidst the impassioned, deep, and oppressive tune, it gives people infinite room for imagination, the bright moonlight spilling onto the land, with anxiety and hope alternating in rotation.

Jin Shaoyu looks at Ling Wu on the stage, his eyes filled with deep struggle and suppressed emotion.

Jing Du listens to the familiar melody and confirms that Ling Wu is the person who played on the rooftop before; he places the program list face up on the table, his fingernails scraping it lightly.

"Screech, screech..."

It makes a faint sound.

Jin Shaoyu is dissatisfied, nudges his arm, and says super quietly: "What kind of noise are you making?"

He snatches the program list, casually slides it to the right on the desktop, and the list lands right in front of Yin Cilan.

The barrage starts scrolling rapidly:

【I'll finish what the young master didn't say, Jin Shaoyu: Are you sick or something? What's with all that damn noise? Will you die if you just listen to the piano piece quietly?】

【Program list? Go!】

【Who understands the young master's super quiet voice?】

【Tsundere brother, your actions have already betrayed you; I admit that we brother-cons are like this.】

【I'm about to be teased to death by the male supporting character (is this allowed to be said?)】

【Wow... so the person Jing Du had been looking for for a long time playing on the rooftop was actually the male supporting character.】

【This scene is too beautiful; you male supporting character fans are eating so well, and no one even notified me.】

A long while passed.

The melody stopped.

The stage lights suddenly illuminated, and the entire auditorium erupted in thunderous applause.

Ling Wu stood up and bowed.

"Amazing! Sounds great!"

"Sounds great, sounds great, sounds great..."

"Senior, what great piano skills!"

"See you all on the forum tonight for the god-tier photos of Senior!"

"..."

Ling Wu turned around, lifted the curtain, and left the stage.

"Ling Wu, come over to my side."

A clean, pleasant voice rang out from behind.

Ling Wu turned his head and saw Qi Yu standing not far away, already changed into his stage play costume; his robes were like flowing clouds, and from afar, he stood tall and elegant, gentle and refined, like a graceful and noble young master from a prominent family.

As if he had walked out of an ancient painting.

Ling Wu changed his direction and walked toward him: "Qi Yu, why are you here?"

"I came to listen to your piano piece; it was played very well, like a patch of moonlight falling into the center of a shimmering lake, instantly scattering silver threads." Qi Yu looked into his eyes, which were as clear as pool water, and he stood beside the youth to answer his previous question: "And by the way, to pick you up."

【Do good friends talk like this? "Like a patch of moonlight falling into the center of a lake," tsk tsk tsk... anyway, I don't talk to my friends like this.】

【I don't talk to my friends like this either.】

【Cultured people are just different; I would only say 'damn, that was played so badass!'】

【The villain is really laying on the praise.】

【Wait, I seem to remember the villain is a science student.】

Ling Wu's face was clear and soft, like a cold moon in water: "Qi Yu, you are very good at complimenting people."