Now, standing on the stage, Yu Shuying found herself completely immersed in memories from twelve years ago. Those memories were so distant, yet so vivid that even after all these years, she could still recall every detail.
Yu Shuying nodded slowly. "At that time, I was really excited. It was the first time I had ever had the opportunity to attend a piano musical and watch a performance by a national-treasure-level pianist."
A faint smile appeared on her face. "But what I never expected was that I would actually be chosen to perform a four-hand piano piece with that artist."
Even now, whenever Yu Shuying thought back to that moment, she still felt that it had been incredibly romantic. Among tens of thousands of spectators, she had been nothing more than an inconspicuous little girl. No one knew her. No one expected anything from her. And yet, she had suddenly been selected.
The moment her seat number was called, everything seemed to explode. The little girl who looked almost like an elf had suddenly stepped beneath the brightest light. And then... Her music had shocked everyone. Even the national-treasure-level pianist had personally come forward to congratulate her. That had been the most glorious moment of Little Shuying's life before she turned eight.
It had been December, the cold wind had been howling outside, and snow had covered the streets. Yet beneath those dazzling stage lights, she had felt as though she were standing in the warmest place in the world. She would never forget it.
Offstage, her fans were also caught up in the memories. Many of the old fans had become fans of Little Shuying precisely because of that performance. That was the moment they had decided that this little girl had an extraordinary future. They had believed she would go far.
And later, when Little Shuying's first original work appeared, countless people had cried. They had cried for the story. They had cried for the melody. And they had been stunned by the arrival of a genuine musical genius.
Now, those old fans looked toward Yu Shuying, and their eyes were filled with emotion. Applause echoed through the studio, as if trying to comfort her.
The playback continued. This time, it showed the moment Little Shuying had obtained the ticket to the musical. She had secretly hidden the ticket as she had been worried that her worldly and money-minded father would sell it.
So after carefully hiding it somewhere safe, she took out her old flip phone, and she opened the music forum. There was only one person she really cared about. The netizen known as Flower Has Bloomed.
That person had updated again, and the post contained only a few simple words. "I have another surgery in two hours. Will I survive?"
Attached to the post was a picture of a white flower. A single white flower. That was all.
But at that moment, for the first time, Little Shuying felt genuine sorrow for a complete stranger. She thought about that person for a long time. Then she silently prayed that the surgery would succeed.
Perhaps she could compose a song for that person.
Perhaps music could give them a little courage.
She also remembered the time when she had defeated a group of her peers in the piano room. Back then, the expressions of those children had changed from disdain to disbelief.
She remembered their shocked eyes.
She remembered the way they had stared at her.
And she remembered that man.
That man had merely sneered, turned around, and walked away. He had eventually compromised. Everything came rushing back.
Little Shuying silently clenched her fists because all those achievements belonged to her. They were hers. She had earned them herself.
She finally picked up a pen. On the brand-new sheet of staff paper, she carefully wrote the title and key signature of her piano composition.
[The Flower Has Bloomed — Piano, C Major]
As she wrote, the voice of the cancer-stricken netizen seemed to echo in her mind again. That ethereal humming. That fragile voice. That melody. It gradually took shape inside her mind. Little Shuying lowered her head and began writing down the right-hand musical notes.
At that moment, the playback showed two scenes simultaneously.
One was Little Shuying in her bedroom. It was the first time she had ever tried to compose an entire song.
The other was Yu Ye in the living room. He was writing another note, and the note contained only a few words: "Musical drama. Make her confidence completely stronger."
Those notes. Those countless pieces of torn paper. All of them were fragments of a silent love. A father's love that Little Shuying had never understood.
Yet now, on the Internet, people could only sigh. Some people even said:
"It's useless."
"All of Yu Ye's efforts are useless now."
"Little Shuying has already risen."
"Now Yu Ye is just a patient suffering from frequent memory loss. What else can he do?"
"Hey..."
Another person sighed.
"Actually, I know Yu Ye still wants to help his daughter."
"But how can he help her now?"
"He can't even play the piano with those rough hands."
"The world she has entered has nothing to do with his world anymore."
Inside the Education Selected Class, Professor Chen Shanzhan and her students were also watching the broadcast. Professor Chen Shanzhan walked to the blackboard, then she picked up a piece of chalk. She wrote one word: GAP.
The entire classroom became quiet as Professor Chen Shanzhan turned around and spoke calmly. "Now, there is a problem directly in front of Yu Ye, and that problem is the gap. The talent of eight-year-old Little Shuying is gradually being revealed."
"From piano to literature, from literature to screenwriting, and eventually into other artistic fields... She is stepping into worlds that are increasingly distant from Yu Ye." She paused. "But none of those things have anything to do with Yu Ye, so he began to feel that gap. He was afraid that one day, he would no longer be able to help his daughter."
The students listened attentively as Professor Chen Shanzhan continued. "But as a father, he still wants to remain strong. He insists on helping her. Unfortunately, he himself is sick. And because of his illness, he has gradually become a burden that delays Little Shuying rather than someone who can help her move forward."
She sighed deeply. "In the end, we can only say that everything is a tragedy."
Professor Chen Shanzhan finished her analysis, and the classroom remained silent. Because that was exactly what the playback seemed to be showing. And now... The playback returned to when Little Shuying was nearing the end of her seventh year.
Yu Ye had taken her to the No. 1 Theater in the City. When they arrived at the train station, Yu Ye wanted to take the bus.
Little Shuying immediately became anxious. "We're almost late! Do you know who this is? This is a national-treasure pianist! I may never get another chance to see him perform! His performance is extremely important to me!"
She was genuinely angry.
Yu Ye, however, looked completely unconcerned. "There is still half an hour. It's just a piano performance. Can't you listen to piano music somewhere else? What artist? What national treasure? Reading is the main thing."
Yu Ye looked disdainful.
Shuying became furious. She refused to speak to him for the rest of the journey.
When they finally reached the Grand Theater, she got out of the vehicle and entered alone. She checked her ticket, then she disappeared into the theater.
Outside the door, Yu Ye sat alone on a bench. He watched as couples walked inside. He watched wealthy-looking families arrive in expensive clothes. He watched people laughing and talking as they entered the theater.
None of it had anything to do with him. He sat there quietly. He was wearing an old, yellowed coat. His body was thin. His eyes always carried a trace of exhaustion.
Under the winter sunlight, his already pale skin looked even more fragile. At that moment, he simply sat on the bench outside the theater. Alone.
Inside the Grand Music Theater, Shuying sat in the fourth row and her seat number 0452. She was incredibly excited. This was her first time seeing a true piano artist perform in person. She had already researched the pianist.
Park Lengyue. A national-treasure-level piano artist. He had studied piano from childhood. He had won first place in seven consecutive Asian piano competitions. That record would eventually be broken by Shuying herself.
At that time, however, she was merely a seven-year-old girl sitting quietly in the audience while Park Lengyue was already a pianist who was incredibly close to possessing absolute pitch.
Shuying sat in her seat and stared at the grand piano onstage while her eyes were filled with fascination. It was so beautiful. She couldn't stop imagining herself sitting in front of that piano. How wonderful would it be if she could play it herself?
Then, Park Lengyue walked onto the stage. He wore an exquisite suit. His movements were elegant. His temperament was refined. He bowed politely to the audience. The applause gradually faded, then the performance began. A piece depicting a starry sky sounded throughout the theater.
Beep...
Beep...
Beep...
The melody gradually spread through the hall.
Park Lengyue's hands were slender and elegant; they seemed almost like the hands of an angel. His fingers flew over the keys. Every movement was precise. Every note seemed to fall exactly where it belonged. The perfect rhythm reverberated throughout the theater.
Shuying watched without blinking, and she was completely immersed. It was the first time she had ever felt this excited.
The performance lasted for nearly an hour. Finally, the last note faded away. Thunderous applause erupted throughout the theater.
Park Lengyue stood up, then he smiled.
He spoke in a slightly stumbling accent. "Thank you very much for coming to watch my performance. Next, I will randomly choose one audience member. That lucky audience member will come onto the stage and perform a four-hand piece with me."
The moment he finished speaking, the audience erupted. Everyone became excited. There were countless people in the theater.
Piano teachers.
Students.
Couples.
Parents.
Everyone hoped they would be selected.
Shuying merely stared at the stage, and her eyes were slightly dim. She quietly comforted herself that she wouldn't be chosen. She had never believed that she would be chosen. Because that man had once told her something.
He had said that audience selections at this kind of musical were fake.
He had said that everything had already been arranged.
He had said they would definitely choose children from wealthy families.
Shuying believed him.
So at this moment, despite desperately wanting to go onstage, she felt inferior. There were too many people here. The piano was too beautiful. The pianist was too famous. How could someone like her possibly be selected? God... there are so many people here. Such a beautiful piano. I wouldn't dare go up there. I'm not that lucky.
In the fourth row, seat 0452, the seven-year-old girl quietly lowered her head and she shrank into her seat. But deep inside... She still hoped that the goddess of luck would notice her.
Then, Park Lengyue's voice suddenly rang out. "The seat number is... 0452. The fourth row."
The entire theater became quiet for a moment, then Park Lengyue smiled. "Welcome, lucky little audience member."
He pointed toward the fourth row, and his gaze landed on the corresponding seat.
Little Shuying froze before she slowly raised her head. Everyone around her was looking at her. She was stunned. For the first time in her life... She felt nervous. Almost every pair of eyes in the theater was focused on her.
Park Lengyue smiled warmly. "Please come onto the stage and perform a four-hand piece with me."
The artist's temperament radiated from him as he looked at the little girl before him. She was like a porcelain doll. Beautiful and delicate. And completely overwhelmed.
"Ah... Alright!" Little Shuying was so excited that she almost couldn't breathe.
She desperately held back her emotions, then she nodded and stood up, before she slowly walked toward the stage.
At this moment, countless viewers watching the broadcast felt their hearts ache. This was one of the defining moments in Little Shuying's rise. It was beautiful, but it was also heartbreaking.
And even if Yu Ye had not been sick... His knowledge and understanding of the world could no longer help Little Shuying reach the heights she was beginning to touch. Now, there was even less he could do. Nothing. And yet... Little Shuying continued to rise. The thought made countless fans cry.
The playback continued, and two scenes appeared simultaneously.
One showed the outside of the theater; it was already evening. The weather had deteriorated, and snow had begun to fall while the cold wind swept through the streets.
Yu Ye sat outside. He rubbed his hands together, then he quietly moved beneath the eaves of the theater entrance. He was waiting for his daughter.
The other scene showed Little Shuying. She had been selected by pure luck, and she was now sitting on the piano bench inside the Grand Theater. She was so close to the enormous French grand piano that there were less than ten centimeters between her and the instrument.
She could clearly see the black and white keys.
She could see the strings.
She could see the pedals.
She could see the magnificent structure of the precious instrument.
For the first time, Shuying firmly told herself: I must become a piano artist. This was glory. This was the stage she had dreamed of.
Park Lengyue smiled. "Sorrowful song. I will accompany you, and I will handle the lower register while you can focus on playing."
Little Shuying nodded, then she placed her hands on the keys. At that moment, she began. It was as if she had been destined for this stage. As if everything around her had been waiting for this moment. Then, from the lower register, a bleak and sorrowful melody emerged.
Beep...
The seven-year-old girl was not even eight yet. Her arms were delicate. Her fingers were white and tender. Yet she showed no fear in front of the cameras. She even slowly closed her eyes. At that moment, the grand piano seemed to belong to her. As if it had always been waiting for her hands.
Inside Little Shuying's mind, three voices suddenly echoed. The first was a man's disdainful voice. "You want to learn piano? Can you even learn piano? Do you know how difficult piano is?"
The second was the voice of the cancer-stricken netizen, and the voice seemed to come from far away. "The Flower Has Bloomed... I may be dying. What a pity. I have never seen the light in my life. Little friend, can you compose a piece of pure music for me under my screen name? I'll hum the melody for you."
The third voice belonged to the children from those wealthy families in the piano room. "Hmph, does she even know how to play piano? She's terrible. My mother even said she's good at writing songs. But her piano skills are so poor. Hmph."
And finally... All those voices disappeared.
Every doubt.
Every sneer.
Every humiliation.
Every moment of inferiority.
Gone.
At this moment, inside the elegant piano exhibition hall capable of holding tens of thousands of people, a seven-year-old girl sat before a black grand piano. Light streamed down from above, and her small figure stood against the glow. Her beauty seemed almost unreal. She looked like a tiny shadow surrounded by brilliance.
Then the melody transformed. The sorrow and the melody intertwined. The music expanded. The entire range of the piano seemed to awaken.
Her hands moved like spirits.
Confidence radiated from her.
This was no longer practice.
It was no longer an attempt to prove herself.
She was not playing for praise.
She was not playing for victory.
She was simply... Playing. Truly playing.
Beside her, Park Lengyue watched with a smile. He gently accompanied her in the lower register. He was no longer the star of the performance, instead, he was supporting this little girl. Helping her shine.
In the audience, the people sitting in the front rows gradually stood up. One person, then another. Soon, almost everyone was staring at the stage, and exclamations erupted.
"Whose child is this?"
"Her playing is so intense!"
"Although this is a tragic piece, she possesses such a powerful breath of life for someone her age."
"What an incredible child."
"She's like light..."
"Like dust illuminated by the sun..."
"Her presence is extraordinary."
Everyone was astonished; even the reporters on the side of the stage were frantically taking photographs. They could sense it. Something extraordinary was happening.
Then, the final note fell, and the entire theater became silent. Little Shuying slowly stood up, and she turned toward the audience, then she bowed gracefully. Neither humble nor arrogant. Calm and elegant. Like a gentle spring breeze.
For a moment, no one spoke. Then the applause exploded. Many people could only stare at her, and they suddenly felt the same thing. This stage... It seemed as though it had been created specifically for her. As though this moment had been arranged by fate. As though everything had finally fallen into place. This was her stage. This was the moment she stepped into the light.
And no one knew that outside the theater, beneath the cold winter wind and falling snow, an exhausted father was still sitting alone beneath the eaves. He had never entered the theater. He had never seen his daughter's dazzling performance. He could only wait. And wait.
Because to Yu Ye... As long as his daughter was happy, that was enough. As long as she continued moving forward... He could endure anything.