CHAPTER 662: CHAPTER 420: EXPEDITION CEREMONY_2

"I don’t think there’s anything to worry about, right?"

Xu Yong said,

"Although I don’t understand music, I think the Keller Cup is like the college entrance exam, and this competition with your elders is like the last mock exam before the college entrance exam. The result of the mock exam might cause us some worry, but actually, we all know that this mock exam isn’t important. What’s important is whether we’ve really prepared for the college entrance exam. If we have, then everything about the mock exam will just naturally fall into place."

"..."

Lin Tian looked at Xu Yong, stunned for a while.

"What’s wrong?" Xu Yong felt a bit uneasy being stared at so intensely, completely at a loss.

"Yong,"

Lin Tian said,

"It seems like this meal wasn’t in vain; you’re making more and more sense today, a bit out of character for you."

"Then let me give you another analogy."

"No need."

Lin Tian interrupted Xu Yong, then nodded slightly, feeling a bit relieved.

Yeah.

Xu Yong was right.

The so-called worries were just because neither he nor Gan Yanyu was fully prepared for the Keller Cup.

"Lin Tian, Gan,"

Su Ran also spoke seriously at this time,

"Like Xu Yong, I don’t understand much about your music... But during the time you prepared for the college entrance exam, it was the most confident month of my high school life."

"Confident?"

"Yeah."

Su Ran nodded.

"Actually, I’ve always been unsatisfied with many things about myself, whether it’s my personality or my appearance... Especially when I started being a popular cosplayer, I really, truly felt self-conscious to the extreme, often wondering if someone like me... really deserved to be liked by so many people?"

When Su Ran said this, even Xu Yong, who was next to her, showed a surprised expression.

He used to just bicker with Su Ran and never thought that the seemingly pretentious and coquettish "white lotus" Su Ran, who called herself a "little fairy" and "CMG," had this side to her.

Noticing Xu Yong’s gaze, Su Ran pretended to be angry and glared at him, then turned back.

Su Ran pouted and continued seriously,

"Until I met you guys, during that time we were reviewing for the college entrance exam together. At that time, watching you and Gan saying you wanted to get into Tianyin, I was really surprised, seeing you pour every effort into a goal, perhaps infected by your enthusiasm, I unconsciously became quite confident too, always feeling that I could handle everything with ease..."

After saying so, Su Ran raised her head.

"At that time, I didn’t know where this ’confidence’ came from, but later, I understood. It was because, in your minds at that time, you had already pictured yourselves living your university life together, so you succeeded! If you can’t even imagine your success, then you definitely won’t succeed!"

— Can’t succeed if you can’t imagine it?

Lin Tian bowed his head, pondering for a moment.

Yes,

Why did they feel like they could accomplish anything during that period of college entrance exam reviews?

Because they had truly almost seen themselves strolling by the campus lake at Tianchao Music University.

And now,

Can Lin Tian see the future where Gan Yanyu wins the cup?

Can he see the future where he and Gan Yanyu walk into the wedding hall, with all their family and friends seated in the chapel celebrating for them?

At this moment, Gan Yanyu beside him seemed moved as well.

"I can see it!"

Su Ran stood up and said loudly.

"You’re such a romantic fool!" Xu Yong teased beside her.

"It’s because I’m a romantic fool that I can see it!"

Su Ran said proudly, for the first time holding her head high for being called a romantic fool,

"The wedding dress on Gan is so beautiful! And Lin Tian in a suit is so handsome! Lin Tian, you getting down on one knee to propose is just unbelievably awesome!!"

After excitedly saying this, Su Ran solemnly said to Lin Tian and Gan Yanyu,

"I and Xu Yong will definitely witness your wedding!!"

"How did I get involved?"

"Nonsense, aren’t you going?"

"Of course I’m going! I want to be the best man!"

.....

Looking at the two excited yet unexpectedly serious people in front of them, Lin Tian and Gan Yanyu were stunned for several seconds.

The young woman was already blushing from the words, and at this moment, Lin Tian smiled.

He put down his chopsticks, picked up the teacup,

"Then, let me toast to the two of you in advance."

Using tea as a substitute for wine.

"If you two don’t come, no one at our wedding can touch chopsticks!"

Lin Tian loved such auspicious words.

At this moment, "wedding" in his mind also began to take shape for the first time...

"....."

Gan Yanyu turned her head, blankly looking at Lin Tian.

After a while, she also picked up the teacup on the table and gulped it down.

"Drink slower, you dummy!"

...

...

The next day.

The departure ceremony for the great Tianchao cellist Gan Yanyu to the World "Keller Cup" International Cello Competition began.

At the grand banquet.

Under the organization and invitation negotiated between He Zhichen and the association’s officials,

many musicians, music critics, university professors, who Lin Tian may or may not know, attended.

Among them, almost half of the judges from the Dragon Violin Cup committee were present.

This group of elders, who previously least wanted Gan Yanyu to go to the Keller Cup, eventually showed up.

Like a broken pot, some elders were drinking sullenly in the corner of the banquet, their expressions clearly unhappy.

Like sneaky little characters, they resembled those bridesmaids attending a good friend’s wedding, who previously advised a hundred times to break up, said every harsh word imaginable, and finally had to feign their blessings as they watched them enter the wedding hall, feeling terribly uneasy.

Some judges who had come to terms with it gracefully came to greet Gan Yanyu and Lin Tian.

"Since things have come to this point, bring honor to our country!"

"Now, asking you not to play classical music at the world competition is unlikely; in that case, just insist on being yourself."

"To be honest, if not for the association’s honor, personally, I greatly admire your persistence in classical music..."

An old professor, in the midst of talking, suddenly burst into tears in front of Lin Tian and Gan Yanyu:

"What if, what if it really succeeds? If not forced by circumstances, I too would love to see classical music stand proudly at the top of the world again!!"

Lin Tian sweated a bit, thinking to himself, you all speak so nicely now, what about when you were giving scores?

But Gan Yanyu was deeply moved, continuously bowing in gratitude to the old professors.

Soon, some familiar faces began to appear at the banquet.

"Good luck, Mr. Lin Tian."

Bai Xi entered the hall and lightly patted Lin Tian’s shoulder, still as flamboyant as ever, drawing much attention as soon as she arrived at the banquet hall.

"Yun Qiuxiu?"

Behind Bai Xi, Lin Tian saw a familiar figure—

A little girl wearing a hoodie and a hat with silver hair.

Lin Tian was surprised, not expecting Yun Qiuxiu to visit Baijing specially.

"How did you get here?" Lin Tian asked.

Yun Qiuxiu raised her head and said calmly:

"I was dragged here by Teacher Bai Xi."

".....Okay, I get it."

Lin Tian patted Yun Qiuxiu’s back and pushed her into the hall.

Next, many familiar cellists also began to appear.

There were familiar faces from the Yingqin Cup: Mao Junfeng, Zhu Ya, Yang Weize. Also, several finalists from the Dragon Violin Cup.

Gan Yanyu didn’t know she had such a good network; many contestants she had forgotten came up voluntarily to greet her as they entered the hall.

As the time for the departure ceremony to begin approached, Lin Tian still hadn’t seen them.

He found He Zhichen, and upon inquiry, learned the answer:

"Mr. Bai Junze has already been back home last week, and due to working as a teacher, couldn’t spare the time."

"I see...."

Lin Tian felt a bit rueful, but overall, he was relieved. Although it was a pity for his talent, everyone has their own aspirations, and at least he was living the life he wanted.

"That’s the other one..."

"He Zhichen continued here, pausing for a moment,

"Mr. Mao Weiang’s condition worsened last week, and he’s been admitted to the ICU; the situation doesn’t look optimistic now."