Chapter 274: Violin Performance

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Backstage, the first male performer got ready.

He was holding his violin, his palms full of sweat.

The first and last performers always suffered no matter the competition.

The first performer didn’t have a previous performer as a benchmark, so the score was on either end, but it was mostly high.

About twenty competitors were in the exhibition competition, and several knew each other.

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They either met at various competitions or conversed before the start of this competition, so were mostly familiar with each other. Among them, only Qin Ran stood out like a sore thumb.

The twenty-something participants of the exhibition competition were sure that they had never seen her before. After all, they would definitely remember such a good-looking person.

“Are you here for the exhibition competition too, Number 17?” someone asked sweetly.

Qin Ran looked up.

A girl with short hair was looking sideways at her. Her eyes were black and bright, and she had a babyface. She wasn’t very good-looking, and her friendly expression wasn’t as natural as Lin Siran’s. The number plate on her waist was number six.

Qin Ran glanced at her and muttered “Yeah” coldly.

Everyone around her knew she was always cold.

But the babyface was probably accustomed to being sought after and didn’t expect to be treated so coldly. Her sweet smile collapsed for a moment.

Pursing her lips, she smiled again. “My name is Tian Yiyun, what’s your name? Why haven’t I seen you before?”

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“Qin Ran. I’ve never been here before.” Qin Ran reached out and pressed down the peaked cap on her head.

Qin Ran?

The babyface squinted. She had never heard this name in the assessment before, so she didn’t want to waste her time. Furthermore, since Qin Ran was so indifferent, Tian Yiyun just smiled casually and didn’t carry on chatting.

Instead, she walked towards the entrance and waited for the first male performer to ask him about his scores.

Qin Ran realized that once Tian Yiyun left, she was no longer being sized up by the others.

The others also distanced themselves from her as if she was of no threat.

Squinting slightly, Qin Ran retracted her gaze at will.

“You’re the first person who remained so calm after hearing Tian Yiyun’s name.” She heard someone saying as she pulled her peak hat down.

Turning slightly, the first thing she saw was a head of curly hair.

The other party pulled out the stool next to her and sat down, tilting her head to look at her. She was very good-looking and was also a little charming. The number plate on her waist was Number 12.

“Oh.” Qin Ran leaned back in her chair and raised an eyebrow.

“I’m Tian Xiaoxiao.” Tian Xiaoxiao was very interested in Qin Ran. Putting her chin on her hand, she stared at her and started gossiping. “Tian Yiyun turned into an overnight celebrity after her first assessment. Most people guessed that she would become Dai Ran’s next apprentice and Qin Yu’s junior. As for Qin Yu… You’ll know who she is if you enter the association.

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“Look at everyone, who doesn’t want to be on good terms with Tian Yiyun?” Tian Xiaoxiao thought for a while and laughed. “It’s because they all know that if they have a good relationship with Tian Yiyun, they’ll have a higher chance of seeing Teacher Dai when they enter the association. If they’re lucky, they might even receive some pointers from him.”

Who wouldn’t want to climb higher in the Violin Association?

Some people lacked talent, but after showing off in front of the big bosses, they might even play small roles in the Royal Theater in the future.

The twenty-something competitors were divided into two groups. One group had fewer people and were lone rangers like Qin Ran, while the other group was centered on Tian Yiyun.

After hearing Tian Xiaoxiao’s words, Qin Ran nodded and lowered her hat again without showing much reaction.

Tian Xiaoxiao smiled when she saw that she didn’t seem interested in Tian Yiyun.

**

On stage.

The first boy finished his performance.

His skills were average, but his spirituality and emotions were good and he was rather talented, so the seven teachers didn’t need to discuss much.

The majority of them gave him 60 to 80 points.

When it was Wen Yin’s turn, he gave 50 points.

But more than half of the teachers gave him a pass, so the first boy still got the pass card.

The other six teachers stared at the score and the first teacher couldn’t help but glance at Wen Yin. “Director Wen, isn’t 50 points too low?”

Thousands of people signed up for the Beijing Violin Association every year. After receiving layers of checks, the people who could finally arrive here were all very capable.

Other than some rare exceptions, the teachers rarely failed them.

Wen Yin frowned. “He could be better.”

“These people haven’t gone through the systematic training of the association, after all, so they can’t be compared to the official students.” A teacher couldn’t help but laugh when he heard Wen Yin’s words. He felt like Wen Yin was too demanding of this group of new students.

However, since Wen Yin followed Master Wei and was used to hearing Master Wei play the violin, it was understandable that he was harsh to ordinary students.

So these people were calm when Wen Yin gave a fail grade to the first five performers.

When the sixth performer whom the teachers had their eyes on came on stage, they sat up straight in unison.

In the second row, Cheng Mu was feeling a little drowsy ever since the first violin performance.

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Sitting beside him, Lu Zhaoying didn’t usually watch such performances, but because he could play the piano, he wasn’t as bored and dull about the violin.

Furthermore, those who were selected for the final exhibition competition of the Violin Association were exceptional and were better in terms of skills and emotions as compared to Lu Zhaoying’s piano.

Lu Zhaoying also understood that.

After the sixth performance, he couldn’t help but glance at Cheng Juan. “This girl performed several times better than the previous ones. This time, Director Wen should give her a pass, right?”

The other six teachers basically scored around 90 points. Since the first performer, Tian Yiyun received the highest score, and Wen Yin indeed passed her.

However…

He only scored 60 points, no more, no less. She only just managed to pass.

Onstage, Tian Yiyun’s expression remained unchanged after receiving Wen Yin’s score of 60. She smiled and bowed while carrying her violin, saying that she would work harder.

When she went backstage, she was surrounded by the others, who asked her about her scores.

“Director Wen only gave me 60 points.” Tian Yiyun took out her scorecard and sounded very disappointed.

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“Oh my God, Director Wen actually passed you?” The others couldn’t help staring enviously at her. “I thought he was just an unsentimental violinist. He failed all the others!”

**

“Director Wen is so strict. If he was a piano teacher and I played in front of him, would he kick me out?” Lu Zhaoying touched his nose involuntarily.

Cheng Juan put his hand on the armrest and looked at him indifferently.

After a few more people played, Wen Yin only passed Number 9.

Both Number 6 and Number 9 received only 60 points.

The other teachers already knew of Wen Yin’s high standards, and after the most anticipated performer, Number 6, they weren’t in much anticipation of the other performers.

“Number 12 has spirituality, but he’s lacking in skills.” The seven teachers gave Tian Xiaoxiao 70 to 80 points, which wasn’t an exceptional score.

“Her profile states that she’s an artist?” One of the teachers frowned. These teachers were very serious about the violin. Most of the artists here at the association wanted to add on stuff to obtain a glamorous resume and personality.

But since this performer’s comprehensive level was on par to the standards, the teachers didn’t nitpick on her.

They gave lower scores to the following performers.

Later, none of the teachers scored 90 points.

“Let’s see how many are left.” A teacher stood up to move about. “Next, Number 17, Qin Ran. Let her come up.”

Wen Yin immediately sat upright and stared at the stage with a serious expression.

If the other teachers were paying attention, they would definitely notice the change.

In the second row, Cheng Mu was slapped awake by Lu Zhaoying. “Wake up, it’s Qin Ran’s turn!”

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He sat up in a daze.

Cheng Juan’s expression remained unchanged, but he stared intently at the stage.

The lights around the stage were extinguished, leaving only one spotlight.

It was hot in Beijing, so she wore a white T-shirt, black jeans, and a peaked cap.

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She held the bow with her slender fingers.

“La—”

Her first musical note sounded. On the first row, all the teachers looking at Qin Ran’s information sheet looked up.

Qin Ran was naturally very serious when she devoted herself to something. Standing upright, her thin figure was almost perfectly integrated with the violin and its music.

The bow danced on the strings, and sonorous notes pranced about, seemingly soaked in the blood on a battlefield. Most of the association’s students were well-versed in the intermediate and high-level skills like the glissando and the harmonic, but none of them managed to play in such a beautiful integration!

Her standard was too high! She didn’t use many techniques and didn’t put all her fingering skills in one note like the Number 6 performer.

The skills she incorporated were a little lackluster.

But what did it matter?!

What did it matter!!

The teachers couldn’t help but stand up. Their hearts were surging with the music!

Even the drowsy Cheng Mu sat upright involuntarily. His eyes lit up and he stared at Qin Ran. At this time, he was full of vigor and wanted to find Cheng Huo and the others valiantly and fight with them!

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Cheng Juan listened seriously.

This was the terrifying prodigy that Master Wei had set his eyes on.

At the end of the five-minute exhibition performance, everyone was still immersed in the waves of emotions.

“Who is this Qin Ran? Why haven’t I heard of her before?” The faces of the teachers were flushed with excitement.

“No way, if such a student signed up, we would have heard of her!”

“She has already reached the standards of the fifth grade, right?”

The six teachers discussed amongst themselves for a while, then turned to look at Wen Yin. They suddenly remembered what he had said at the start.

“Teacher Wen Yin, this…”

Wen Yin also sucked in a deep breath. He was different from the other teachers. Although he had never heard Qin Ran play in real life, he had watched her video from Master Wei.

Her talent for the violin was extraordinary.

But just like Master Wei, Wen Yin also felt like Qin Ran was too carefree. She learned everything too easily and was likely to go astray.

But today, Wen Yin finally realized why Master Wei was so insistent on Qin Ran. This girl’s performance was almost invincible.

If she could be persistent…

He felt like soon, there would be another “Master Wei” who could perform a solo concert in the Royal Recital Hall of Continent M.

After regaining his composure, he turned to the teachers and smiled. “Teachers, let’s score her.”

He lowered his head and wrote his score on the scoreboard.

The others exchanged glances and felt very perplexed.

How should they score her?

According to their understanding, this performance was perfect, but a full mark… It had not appeared since the establishment of the association.

But they didn’t have much time to think.

They hurriedly wrote down their scores.

“What the f*ck, Qin Ran plays the violin too well?! No wonder Master Wei followed her for so many years.” In the second row, Lu Zhaoying finally suppressed the vigor in his body and turned to Cheng Juan involuntarily. “Master Juan, how many points will the teachers give her? Is it possible to get all 90 points?”

These teachers wouldn’t be too easy on the students.

Even Tian Yiyun, who had the highest average score, only received above 90 points from three teachers. The other three teachers had given a score of 80+, while Wen Yin had given her 60.

Cheng Juan continued staring at the stage and lifted his chin. “Of course.”

While they were talking, the teachers had already shown their scores.

The first teacher was true to his heart. 100.

95.

98.

95.

95.

95.

Although the other teachers followed the rules and didn’t dare to give 100, their score of 95 and above were affirmation towards Qin Ran. This was an unprecedentedly grand occasion.

Everyone was focused on Wen Yin’s score.

He wrote quickly, and under everyone’s focus, calmly showed his score—

Zero.

WTF?

Not to mention Lu Zhaoying, even the other teachers felt like Wen Yin was going overboard!

He had even passed Number 6 and Number 9!

Even if it wasn’t 90 points, he should at least give 80 points?!

Wen Yin didn’t explain anything and just glanced at Qin Ran. “I hope that you can obtain a score from me two months later.”

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Qin Ran went backstage.

While waiting for the 18th performer, the other six teachers couldn’t help but ask Wen Yin, “Director Wen, you’re too harsh on this student. This Number 17 is so good that only Qin Yu can compare to her…”

Wen Yin glanced at them. “Was I harsh?”

The other teachers were speechless. Wasn’t this considered harsh?

Wen Yin just picked up the information sheet. He really didn’t think he was harsh. The other six teachers had compared Qin Ran to the students of the Beijing Violin Association, and she was indeed outstanding in comparison, but Master Wei also had his expectations of her…

Qin Ran had very clearly reached the fifth grade.

But Master Wei’s requirement was for her to reach the sixth grade in one summer vacation!

So Wen Yin would give her the score she deserved after the summer vacation!

Compare her to the students of the association? This wasn’t Master Wei’s intention!

They weren’t on the same level, after all.

From the very beginning, he had placed Qin Ran among the group of prodigies in Continent M’s International Violin Organization.

Compared to the group of prodigies who had been trained since young, who were talented and willing to work hard, Qin Ran had received almost no systematic training and had not touched the violin for a long time. She deserved the “0”.

However, Wen Yin didn’t explain this to anyone.

**

Qin Ran’s final average score was 82.57.

The other teacher’s scores were very high, but her average was pulled down by Wen Yin’s score.

They could leave after their performance, so Tian Xiaoxiao had already left more than half an hour ago.

But Tian Yiyun and the others had stayed.

They couldn’t see the situation onstage.

When she came back, Qin Ran’s expression was the same and she didn’t look particularly excited. At first glance, they guessed that her performance hadn’t been good.

Furthermore, they had never heard of her name.

Tian Yiyun and the others weren’t concerned about her.

Qin Ran took the cap she had left on her seat and directly left.

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At the gate, Cheng Juan, Lu Zhaoying, and the others had also come out. Lu Zhaoying was still complaining to Cheng Juan about Wen Yin.

He originally thought Wen Yin would directly give Qin Ran full marks!

Leaning against the wall, Cheng Juan bit a cigarette in his mouth and held his phone. He seemed to be on the phone, but he responded casually without saying much.

He didn’t stand up straight until he saw Qin Ran walking over. Looking in her direction, his eyebrows were relaxed and seemed to be especially warm, like a layer of haze, while reflected against the sunlight. His expression couldn’t be seen clearly because of the reflection, but his gaze could be felt.

Qin Ran was like a box of treasures to everyone. The deeper they dug, the more surprises they discovered.

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He stared at Qin Ran, his cigarette unlit. He threw the cigarette into the trash can and smiled calmly. “Let’s go.”

Reaching out, he hung up the phone very coolly.

“Who were you calling?” Qin Ran felt a little uncomfortable under his intense gaze. She coughed and changed the subject.

Glancing at her, Cheng Juan took the hat from her and put it on her head slowly. “My sister. She wants to invite us to dinner, do you want to go?”

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