You went on a blind date and presented an A-level wanted criminal as a meeting gift?

The afternoon sun, warm but not scorching, cast dappled light and shadows on the asphalt road through the gaps in the sycamore leaves.

Lin Chen drove his unassuming bulletproof jeep to the entrance of the Beijing Conservatory of Music.

I just received a call from Su Ke'er. The little girl used an almost coquettish tone to strongly request that he attend today's school anniversary ceremony as a "family member".

Lin Chen naturally wouldn't refuse his little fangirl's request.

After parking the car, he had just walked to the artistic, ornate iron gate of the college when a white figure, like a happy butterfly, rushed out and threw herself into his arms.

"Honey! You're here!"

Su Ke'er was clearly dressed up carefully today.

She wore a pure white princess dress with puff sleeves, and her long, black hair was adorned with an exquisite bow hair clip. Her already sweet and lovely doll-like face was beaming with a smile so bright it could melt ice and snow.

Like a proud little swan, she clung tightly to Lin Chen's arm, as if she wanted to declare to the whole world her ownership of this man.

"Slow down, you're a grown man, don't act like a child."

Lin Chen affectionately stroked her pert nose, eliciting a coquettish reproach from the little girl.

The two walked side by side in the tree-lined campus. The man was handsome and tall with a profound temperament; the woman was sweet and charming, lively and agile, attracting the attention of countless students.

The auditorium was now packed with people, every seat filled.

As the youngest and most popular music teacher in the academy, Su Ke'er's appearance immediately attracted everyone's attention.

Especially when they saw her intimately linking arms with a strange man, many male teachers and students who secretly admired Su Ke'er were heartbroken.

Just then, a young man dressed in a black tuxedo, with slicked-back hair and a presentable appearance, walked over with a smile, carrying two glasses of champagne.

"Ke'er, it's been a long time. You look beautiful today."

The man spoke politely, but when his gaze fell on Lin Chen, a hint of undisguised jealousy and contempt flashed deep within his gentle eyes.

"Senior Zhou."

Su Ke'er's smile faded slightly, and she nodded politely but distantly.

This man, named Zhou Kaiwen, is a prominent figure at the music academy, a "returned overseas piano prince" who studied in Vienna. He has been pursuing Su Ke'er relentlessly, but has been repeatedly rejected.

"Who is this?"

Zhou Kaiwen handed a glass of champagne to Su Ke'er, while scrutinizing Lin Chen from head to toe with a critical look.

Lin Chen was dressed very casually today, just a set of high-quality casual wear. Although she had an outstanding temperament, in the eyes of Zhou Kaiwen, a self-proclaimed elegant "artist," she looked incredibly tacky.

"This is my boyfriend, Lin Chen."

Su Ke'er proudly puffed out her small chest and tightened her grip on Lin Chen's arm.

"Oh? Boyfriend?"

A mocking smile curled at the corners of Zhou Kaiwen's lips. He swirled the champagne in his hand and asked in a sarcastic tone:

"May I ask where Mr. Lin works? Does he... also engage with high art?"

His meaning was clear: he was mocking Lin Chen for being unworthy of Su Ke'er and for not understanding the "art" that he was so proud of.

Su Ke'er's face turned red with anger, and she was about to retort when Lin Chen gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her to calm down.

He looked at the self-important "piano prince" before him, a calm smile appearing on his face, and slowly uttered four words:

"I know a little bit about it."

"Hehe, you know a little bit?"

Zhou Kaiwen seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. He sneered and ignored Lin Chen. He turned around and walked straight onto the brightly lit stage.

"Next, I will perform a piece for you, Liszt's 'Zetta'. I hope you enjoy it."

He sat gracefully in front of the Steinway grand piano, bowed slightly to the audience, but glanced at Lin Chen in the audience with a defiant look.

The next second, his hands landed on the piano keys.

A series of rapid and brilliant notes poured out like a torrential rain!

It has to be said that Zhou Kaiwen is indeed quite capable.

He played the notoriously difficult piece "Zhong" with such fluidity and skill that the students and parents in the audience, who were unaware of its difficulty, couldn't help but gasp and exclaim in admiration.

As the song ended, Zhou Kaiwen stood up amidst thunderous applause, casting a triumphant, smug, and disdainful glance at Lin Chen once again.

However, Lin Chen's expression remained unchanged throughout.

Under Su Ke'er's gaze, which was both angry and worried, he slowly straightened his collar, placed the empty wine glass in his hand on the waiter's tray, and then, unhurriedly, walked step by step to the stage.

"What is he going to do?"

"Is he going to play the piano too? Is he crazy? Playing behind Zhou Kaiwen, isn't he just humiliating himself?"

Whispers arose from the audience.

Zhou Kaiwen stood with his arms crossed at the edge of the stage, ready to enjoy Lin Chen's embarrassing moment.

Lin Chen ignored everyone's gaze. He simply sat quietly in front of the piano worth millions, his slender fingers gently brushing across the cool black and white keys.

"Buzz—!"

[God-level vocal proficiency/perfect pitch]!

The ultimate hand speed and reflexes brought by [Advanced Body Enhancement] are activated simultaneously!

At that moment, all the noise of the world seemed to disappear. In his eyes, the piano was no longer a musical instrument, but an extension of his own body!

Every vibration of the note, every tension of the string, resonated with his soul!

He closed his eyes.

The next second, he opened his eyes, and in those deep eyes, it was as if stars were fading away!

His hands, like two bolts of lightning, suddenly landed on the piano keys!

"boom--!!!!!"

A violent, powerful melody, filled with sorrow and strength, swept through the entire auditorium like a volcanic eruption!

That's not music!

That was war!

It's a storm!

It is the roar of fate!

Below the stage, an elderly professor with white hair suddenly stood up from his seat the moment he heard the first note. His thermos cup fell to the ground with a clatter, and his cloudy eyes were filled with disbelief and horror!

"This...this is...Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3!!"

He gasped in shock, his voice trembling.

"A devilish piece hailed as the 'King of Piano Concertos'! How...how dare he play this?!"

Everyone was stunned by this sudden, hellishly difficult melody!

On stage, Lin Chen leaned forward slightly, his ten fingers moving so fast they became blurry afterimages! The violent notes, like galloping iron cavalry, surged from his fingertips, each note precise, full, and brimming with earth-shattering power!

His performance was devoid of any virtuosity.

Yes, it is simply the purest expression of emotion and a collision of souls!

The music was sometimes like a raging storm, sweeping over the listener's nerves; sometimes like a lament, telling of endless sorrow and struggle; and sometimes full of epic grandeur and magnificence, making people's blood boil!

Everyone was stunned!

They seemed to see a vast, boundless Russian plain, a lone wolf struggling through the wind and snow, and a hero breaking through the darkness to greet the dawn!

Zhou Kaiwen, standing by the stage, had frozen his cold smile, replaced by an extreme fear and pallor, as if he had seen a ghost!

He also plays the piano, and he knows better than anyone just how terrifying this piece is!

This is a piece of music that no human could possibly master!

The man in front of me not only mastered it, he even surpassed the original song!

He imprinted his soul into every musical note!

This doesn't look like playing the piano at all.

This is clearly a deity using music to judge mortals!

Finally, after a series of breathtakingly brilliant musical movements, the last note fell like a thunderclap, and then silence returned.

The music ended.

The entire auditorium was deathly silent.

Everyone was still immersed in the breathtaking soul storm they had just experienced, unable to extricate themselves.

After an unknown amount of time, the first round of applause suddenly rang out.

The next second, a thunderous applause and cheers, as powerful as a landslide and a tsunami, erupted, enough to lift the roof off the entire auditorium!

"I cried! My soul was trembling!"

"Zhou Kaiwen plays with technique, but he plays with life!"

On the stage, Lin Chen slowly stood up.

He didn't bow or pay his respects; instead, he cast his deep gaze upon the sweet girl in the audience who was already infatuated with him and crazy about him.

Su Ke'er covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. In her beautiful eyes, besides admiration, there was only the purest and most fervent worship.

Meanwhile, the once arrogant "overseas-returned piano prince" Zhou Kaiwen was ashen-faced, his head bowed in shame, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

He knew that from this day forward, he would never again have the courage to touch those black and white piano keys.