CHAPTER 573: 223 STUNNING PERFORMANCE, IT TURNS OUT TO BE ANN_3

A truly outstanding performer is one who can tell a compelling story.

To give the audience a feeling of being there in the moment — that is a successful performance.

In that regard, this performance was nothing short of sublime.

Like a wondrous dream, the music has ended, yet its resonance lingers, delivering profound shock and heartfelt emotions to the soul.

The applause refused to die down.

Someone suddenly shouted at the top of their lungs: "Qin Xiangge, I love you! You truly deserve to be the piano princess!"

The high-decibel shout made the atmosphere even more fervent.

Backstage, Qin Xiangge’s face twisted with a grotesque pallor.

That shout felt like a humiliating slap across her face, mercilessly trampling all her pride and arrogance into the mud.

"Are you blind? Open your damn eyes and look carefully — is that Qin Xiangge?"

"Who else could it be if not Qin Xiangge? Who else has such superb piano skills?"

"Shen You’an. It’s Shen You’an."

Aside from the first few rows closest to the stage, where people could clearly see the performer’s profile, the audience seated farther back could only make out a hazy figure — the brighter the spotlight, the blurrier the figure.

As a result, they had no idea who was performing. The silhouette was captivatingly elegant, and the skill was absolutely peerless.

The small auditorium seemed transformed into the International Royal Theater. They witnessed a performance akin to one of world-class perfection.

To ensure she crushed Shen You’an, Qin Xiangge had spread word well in advance that she would perform a piano solo at this gala, leading everyone to assume that the performer on stage was her.

Now that someone claimed the performer was Shen You’an, many simply couldn’t believe it.

How could it possibly be Shen You’an?

Everyone scrutinized the solitary figure onstage with renewed focus.

It seemed... it truly wasn’t Qin Xiangge.

A young man’s irritated reprimand rang out unmistakably: "What’s wrong with your eyes? Open them wide and take a proper look — who is the one playing the piano?"

In the audience, the young man appeared violent and unsettling.

No one dared provoke Jiang Shengyao. Tentatively, someone ventured, "It’s... It’s Shen You’an?"

The young man angled his lips into a haughty smirk, as though he himself were the pianist on stage.

The crowd was speechless.

Mr. Jiang sure was juvenile.

And then, they felt even more thunderstruck.

Shen You’an’s piano skills were unexpectedly exceptional.

Leng Xuexi cast a quick glance at the young man beside her, catching the fleeting glimmer of affection in his eyes.

She pressed her lips together, lowered her voice, and murmured, "Brother, you’re not good enough for her. Honestly, give up while you still can to avoid heartbreak later."

Leng Yunyang let out a mocking chuckle: "So you’re turning your back on family now, huh?"

"I’m just stating facts."

Leng Xuexi stole another furtive glance at the boy seated to her right.

That gentle young man lowered his gaze, lost in thought.

Leng Xuexi sighed and gazed toward the hazy figure on the stage.

She suddenly recalled a line from a movie she loved dearly.

Encountering someone so breathtaking at a young age ensures that the rest of life cannot be spent in peace.

Shen You’an, unknowingly, had stolen countless hearts, leaving many lives marked by regret and forever unable to find closure.

"Clap, clap, clap." The applause echoed.

In the first row of seats, a tall young man stood up.

The lighting crew did their job spectacularly, directing a beam of light toward the man, illuminating his head of dazzling blonde hair.

It turned out to be a foreigner.

Someone sharp-eyed recognized him: "That’s the genius pianist Pearl!"

A murmur swept through the audience like an electric current.

Even those uninterested in piano knew of this renowned figure.

How could this luminescent piano virtuoso be attending an event at Lanya High School and watching a show with the crowd?

Everyone felt like they were in a dream.

"Ann, you are indeed the genius I’ve been searching for."

The man’s voice was unable to conceal his excitement.

There’s an old saying in Hua Country — you search high and low for something, only to discover it when you least expect.

He was immensely grateful that he had agreed to Lan Man’s invitation on a whim and had attended this gala. Otherwise, he might have missed his long-sought prodigy yet again.

The soul of this piano piece lies in genuinely conveying the poetic imagery.

Among all the pianists Pearl had known, none besides this girl before him could interpret Ravel’s impressionist style with such mastery.

At her age, Pearl himself had not reached this level of skill and comprehension.

Which is to say, in front of this girl, even he, the so-called piano genius, was inferior.

Since becoming the head of the company, Lan Man had maintained a stoic presence to command respect.

Tonight she broke character.

Her mouth formed a perfect "O," and the unrestrained joy and amazement in her gaze were unmistakable.

Shen You’an didn’t disappoint — she never did.

If not for the setting, Lan Man might’ve burst into laughing and shouting with glee.

Shen You’an was an endlessly deep treasure trove, the deeper you delve, the more astounding surprises emerge.

Yu Ruohuan’s face was void of any smile.

Her expression was chillingly grim.

Nails digging into her palms, she kept her terrifyingly fixed stare on the dark-clothed girl on stage.

So Shen You’an was the piano prodigy Pearl had been searching for all along.

She jerked her head around.

The young man’s lips curled into a gentle arc, his gaze toward the girl full of unnerving tenderness.

Yu Ruohuan felt her heart sink into an abyss.

Helian Yu lowered his gaze, lost in contemplation.

Qin Xiangge looked as though she had been struck by lightning, her expression frozen in devastation.

"Ann... So she’s Ann," she uttered.

Qin Xiangge had lost a piano competition to an unknown newcomer — a tale spread by Gao Yuyue until it became common knowledge among freshmen.

It’s only natural; there’s always someone better out there.

But if that ’someone better’ was Shen You’an...

The situation shifted dramatically.

Recall how people had mocked Shen You’an for her supposed inability to play the piano. Who could have foreseen such swift poetic justice?

Not only had she outshone Qin Xiangge, the so-called piano princess, but Shen You’an claimed first place, earning Pearl’s unwavering praise as the unmistakable genius.

Shen You’an not only possessed phenomenal intellect but also terrifying artistic talent.

Which window had God closed when he created her?

On stage, as the tune concluded, the girl turned to Pearl and gave him a slight nod, a gesture full of reverence.

Pearl smiled, his gaze upon her as warm as if appraising a flawless masterpiece.

Below the stage, gasps rose in unison.

Under the spotlight’s glow, the girl was illuminated perfectly, showcasing her impossibly stunning features.

That fleeting moment felt like a glimpse of untouchable beauty, as the lift began to descend slowly, taking her away.

The light abruptly intensified as if a dangerous force simmered in the background, itching to pounce.