Chapter 073: The Little Widow Meets Her Love Rival
Amidst the enthusiastic applause of the live audience, Lin Lang gracefully walked off the stage and slowly approached Zhou Mengyao, who was standing below.
"How was it, Mengyao?"
"Did my piece give you the feeling of breaking through a siege and entering the hunting hour?"
Zhou Mengyao transformed into a fangirl, her eyes full of pleasant surprise as she replied, "You're amazing, Lin Lang! This piano piece is so exhilarating!"
"Listening to you play live is truly an audio-visual feast. This piece makes me feel like the darkness before winning a championship, where I'm riding a battle motorcycle, speeding wildly, breaking through the darkness, and heading towards dawn."
"Awesome!"
"Absolutely awesome!"
"You must give me a copy of the sheet music. I want to learn this piece too, hehe…"
Lin Lang replied cheerfully, "Okay, no problem."
Immediately after, Marry Yang stepped forward, scrutinizing Zhou Mengyao with a probing tone, asking, "Miss, are you Lin Lang's girlfriend?"
It turned out Marry Yang was jealous, so she couldn't hold back her envy and directly confronted Zhou Mengyao with some hostility.
Zhou Mengyao truthfully replied, "You've misunderstood. I'm just Lin Lang's high school classmate. May I ask who you are?"
AI-generated image of Marry Yang
Lin Lang introduced with a smile, "This Chinese-American mixed-race beauty is Sister Marry, the director of the Huaxia Pianist Master Cup Competition program, and also the director of the Appraising Heirlooms program."
Zhou Mengyao greeted, "Hello, Sister Marry!" after hearing that.
Lin Lang continued to introduce, "This is Zhou Mengyao, Asia's top female racer, and also the only daughter of Master Zhou Zhongdang."
Marry Yang realized after hearing that, "So it's Old Zhou's daughter. I've watched your racing competitions on live TV. I didn't recognize you without your racing suit. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mengyao!"
Marry Yang and Zhou Mengyao simply shook hands.
Understanding that Zhou Mengyao and Lin Lang's relationship was purely platonic, Marry Yang's jealousy instantly vanished, and her hostility towards Zhou Mengyao disappeared.
Zhou Mengyao's slight smile was captivating. Standing next to the exotic, black-haired, blue-eyed Marry Yang, the two great beauties appearing in one frame truly had their own unique charms, both incredibly beautiful.
Marry Yang said joyfully, "A Lang, with you participating in the Master Cup piano competition, our program's ratings are guaranteed!"
"I never expected that besides being a treasure appraisal expert, you're also a hidden piano performer, and your ability to compose piano pieces is absolutely amazing. It makes me see you in a new light."
Lin Lang humbly replied, "I just have a slight understanding of composition, a slight understanding! A slight understanding!"
Marry Yang couldn't help but say, "You're playing the pig to eat the tiger again. Is it that hard to admit you're excellent?"
Zhou Mengyao echoed, "Yes!"
"The five professional judges downstairs just now were full of praise for you. You're incredibly impressive!"
Lin Lang shrugged, "Actually, I didn't want to come and dominate, but you insisted I participate in the auditions. Now all the limelight has been stolen by me. How are other excellent pianists supposed to stand out?"
Zhou Mengyao, however, replied, "One cannot be complacent in life. When it's time to act, act. At critical moments, one must not yield!"
Lin Lang joked, "Then you haven't heard, 'Develop stealthily, don't be reckless, you'll have everything if you persevere to the end!'"
"Hehe…" Zhou Mengyao covered her mouth and chuckled sweetly.
Marry Yang said admiringly, "A Lang, your thought process is really different from ordinary people. Although there's an element of showing off, honestly, you definitely have the skill to show off!"
"Sister Marry, this is the first time I've heard someone use the term 'showing off' to praise someone. Your way of complimenting me is truly unique!"
Marry Yang said with eyes full of admiration, "I won't banter with you anymore. Congratulations on advancing to the semifinals!"
Lin Lang politely replied, "Thank you!"
Marry Yang continued, "I'm really looking forward to your performance in the semifinals tomorrow morning. With your strength, making it to the finals should be as easy as walking and chewing gum."
"I'm going to be busy. Bye-bye!"
"Goodbye, Miss Zhou!" Marry Yang walked away with a smile.
Lin Lang replied with a smile, "Bye-bye…"
AI-generated image of Marry Yang
Zhou Mengyao politely replied, "Goodbye, Sister Marry!"
Immediately after, Lang Lang, who was only eighteen years old and still had baby fat on his face, came over like a little fanboy, greeting with eyes full of admiration, "Hello, Lin Lang Gege!"
Lin Lang replied, "Hello!"
Lang Lang said with an exaggerated expression, "Lin Lang Gege, you're so amazing!"
"I consider my piano playing skills to have reached the top tier of domestic pianists, yet I am completely awed by Lin Lang Gege. I've never seen a divine pianist like you. Can we be friends?"
Lang Lang made no attempt to hide his admiration and appreciation for Lin Lang.
"Of course!"
Lin Lang gently pinched Lang Lang's chubby cheek. It was full of collagen and felt very good. He then replied, "Little brother Lang Lang, you're so cute!"
"Here, this is Gege's business card. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
Lang Lang took the business card as if it were a treasure, but then he looked puzzled, "Uh… Gege, why does your business card say 'Lin Lang, Independent Angel Investor'?"
"Are you not a professional pianist? Do you have other side jobs?"
Lin Lang replied, "NONONO!"
"Playing the piano is just my side job, it's not even really a side job. I just dabble in it. My main profession, Lang Ge, is a businessman. If there's an opportunity, I'll take you to get rich."
Lang Lang was shocked upon hearing this, exclaiming, "No way?!"
"Lang Ge, you just play the piano as a hobby, and you've reached the ceiling of domestic pianists? That's too incredible!"
Lin Lang patted Lang Lang's shoulder, encouraging him, "You play the piano very well too. You're just a little bit green now. Your future is promising!"
Lang Lang grinned after hearing that, looking chubby and cute.
"Lang Ge, I graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in the US, and I practice piano at least eight hours a day. Compared to your amateur piano playing skills, I'm at best a little brother. I truly admire you!"
"Many people praise me as a piano prodigy, but there's no harm without comparison. Lang Ge, you are simply a genius among geniuses in the piano world!"
"When the female host announced just now, I didn't hear clearly. Lang Ge, what's the name of the piece you just played?"
Lin Lang replied, "This is a 'King's Return' style piece. The title is 'Time to Pretend'."
"Lang Ge, this original piece of yours is absolutely captivating. That irresistible feeling makes me want to ask you for the sheet music, hehe…"
Lin Lang laughed after hearing that, "You little rascal came over to chat just to ask for the sheet music, didn't you?"
"Uh… I want to learn this piece too, is that okay?!" Lang Lang scratched his head, laughing awkwardly.
Lin Lang generously replied, "Later, text me your email address, and I'll send you the sheet music for 'Time to Pretend'. What's the big deal?!"
"YES!" Lang Lang clenched his fist excitedly.
Lin Lang ruffled Lang Lang's greasy hairstyle, teasing, "Don't comb your hair like a cow licked it anymore, and lose some weight to get handsome. Lang Ge will teach you how to pick up girls."
Zhou Mengyao, standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh after hearing that, "Lin Lang, stop messing around. Don't lead the kid astray."
Lang Lang chuckled, "Lang Ge is so humorous. As for teaching me how to pick up girls, forget it. But if you teach me how to play the piano, I'd be willing to humbly learn from Lang Ge."
Lin Lang, however, replied, "The trouble with people is wanting to be teachers. I'm just a dabbler at piano, an amateur cross-genre player. I can't give you any pointers."
"Uh… Lang Ge, you're being too modest." Lang Lang laughed awkwardly.
"Lang Ge, goodbye! My agent is already calling me. Bye-bye…" The chubby little Lang Lang waved his hand and scurried away.
Lin Lang replied, "Bye-bye…"
Zhou Mengyao watched Lang Lang's retreating figure and said, "That little chubby guy is quite friendly, daring to come over and chat with you. Northeasterners are very outgoing. That little chubby guy's accent, you can tell he's from somewhere in the Northeast, right?"
Lin Lang replied, "Yes, Lang Lang is from northern Liaoning. The Northeast is a wonderful place with outstanding people, and it has produced talents since ancient times."
"Mengyao, you can't underestimate this little chubby guy. Although he's unknown now, he's bound to have a place in the piano performance world in the future."
Zhou Mengyao said after hearing that, "Then we'll have to see if Lang Lang, this little chubby guy from northern Liaoning, can give the judges an eye-catching performance in tomorrow morning's semifinals, where experts gather."
Lin Lang smiled but said nothing…
The next morning.
Shanghai Television Station.
Huaxia Pianist Master Cup Competition Semifinals.
The 24-member expert judging panel, all expert judges from the piano education world, sat below the stage, holding scoring pens, professionally and rigorously evaluating and scoring the semifinal contestants.
The chief judge of the expert judging panel, Li Qi, is a famous Chinese pianist, a renowned piano educator, a professor and postgraduate supervisor at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the president of the Chinese Musicians Association, the president of the Shanghai Musicians Association, and the director of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.
The female host announced, "Next, please welcome semifinalist A001, Lang Lang, to the stage for his performance. Semifinalist A002, Lin Lang, please prepare."
"Semifinalist A001, Lang Lang, will perform 'Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major'. Please begin your performance."
Lang Lang, with his youthful chubby face and very greasy hairstyle, sat on the piano stool, his expression beaming, shaking his head as he played the piano, looking utterly engrossed.
Backstage in the studio, Zhou Mengyao adjusted Lin Lang's tie and smoothed out his suit collar, saying, "Lang Lang, that little chubby guy, really brought out his true skill in the semifinals."
"Lin Lang, listen to Lang Lang's piano playing, it flows like water, all in one go. It seems he's quite skilled, oh~"
Lin Lang, however, was closely admiring Zhou Mengyao's naturally harmless goddess-like face. Her inherent sweetness made Lin Lang more and more captivated. Breathing in the faint fragrance from Zhou Mengyao, that clean and fresh aura was simply too charming.
Zhou Mengyao only wore light makeup, yet it was a vibrant campus beauty look. She was truly a born beauty.
Lin Lang said after hearing that, "Lang Lang is the first to perform. The subsequent contestants will be under a lot of pressure, right?"
Zhou Mengyao nodded and replied, "Lang Lang being the first to perform will put a lot of pressure on the subsequent contestants."
"But Lin Lang, with you performing second, the later contestants might as well just withdraw and go home to sleep. Going on stage after you would just be getting obliterated into dust, they'd just be cannon fodder~"
"Mengyao, I'm not as amazing as you say I am?"
Zhou Mengyao smiled captivatingly, her eyes shining when she looked at Lin Lang, and replied, "Yes! You don't even know how amazing you are. Besides winning, you have no other choice!"
"I'm not good with compliments. When I'm complimented, I get carried away. Mengyao, if you keep complimenting me, I might just float away!"
"Then float away, let me see. Will you be like a kite with a broken string, flying further and further, and finally never returning?"
Lin Lang asked playfully, "Mengyao, if I really were like a kite with a broken string, drifting away with the wind and never returning, would you miss me terribly?"