They don't actually think I like them, do they?

Su Ruxue froze, staring blankly at the video, lost in thought.

"Isn't this what you've always wanted to achieve? To let more people hear and appreciate your classical music. You've already done it. The bunch of old men in the association can only decide who wins this competition, not who the people like. The Star Cup is just a shoddy competition. What's the point of the championship? We'll see about the Parrot Cup!" Lin Han shrugged and said with a smile.

Seeing Lin Han's relaxed appearance, Su Ruxue's eyes welled up with tears.

She recalled that aged figure again, the same smile that had appeared when she faced countless setbacks, encouraging her to keep going.

"Mmm!" A smile finally appeared on Su Ruxue's face.

........

Ning Lei stepped onto the stage amidst everyone's attention.

Before him stood a transparent and exquisite trophy; below him, the gratified gaze of his teacher, Liu Chuan, and the fervent eyes of thousands of spectators.

Ning Lei picked up the trophy.

He hesitated for two seconds, then put it down.

"I'm giving up this championship!" Ning Lei said.

013. Failure is a constant throughout life.

The entire auditorium fell silent upon hearing this.

W-what's going on?

He just said he's giving up on this championship... right?

The audience began to doubt their ears.

The female host standing next to her was also stunned; she had never encountered such a situation before.

Three seconds later, the entire auditorium erupted in chaos!

Liu Chuan, sitting on the judges' panel, stood up abruptly, abandoning all decorum, and began to hurl insults at Ning Lei.

"Ning Lei, what the hell are you doing? Do you know what you're saying?"

“I know, Teacher Liu.”

Ning Lei smiled easily and answered calmly, but his eyes were incredibly resolute.

"This trophy shouldn't belong to me. There were clearly many better pianists than me in this competition. If I win this trophy, I think I'll live in a false sense of accomplishment for the rest of my life, and I'll never be able to forgive myself..."

"Yes! That's so well said!!"

The audience erupted in cheers, raising their hands in support of Ning Lei.

"That's right, Su Ruxue should have been the champion this year!"

"Although we are ordinary people and don't understand art, we can still tell whose music touches us more!"

"Well done, Ning Lei! I'm a fan now!"

At this moment, in the backstage dressing room, Su Ruxue stared blankly at everything happening on the screen.

She turned to look at Lin Han, her expression terrified:

"What exactly did you say to him?"

Lin Han awkwardly turned his face away, making an innocent sound.

"I do not have it!"

On the judges' panel, Liu Chuan was trembling with anger. His face darkened, and he spoke in a low, hoarse voice.

"Ning Lei, do you know what your actions mean?"

“I know,” Ning Lei said.

"Do you know that you're going against the entire association?!" Liu Chuan shouted.

Sweat beaded on Ning Lei's forehead, but he remained resolute:

"I know."

There are some things that are inconvenient to say in this setting, in front of everyone, but Ning Lei is well aware of them.

Liu Chuan devoted everything to nurturing Ning Lei, and the association paved the way for Ning Lei. Everything was done to help Ning Lei complete this "battle to become a god".

The final step is for Ning Lei to lift the trophy, at which point everything will have a perfect ending.

However, Ning Lei has now refused, and this is not as simple as giving up a trophy.

It's like trampling down the path the association paved for him and openly standing against the association.

Ning Lei will have no place in the entire Jinchuan cello world!

More importantly, the points were awarded by the association. Now that Ning Lei has refused the championship, saying he doesn't deserve it, isn't that a slap in the face to the association?

For the association, this is a blatant disregard for its authority.

However, Ning Lei had already made these preparations.

He has always had only one ideal: to restore the glory of the Jinchuan cello.

However, this kind of glory was not what he wanted.

“Wake up, teachers! If you continue to be unwilling to lower your proud chins and don’t even have the courage to face the true essence of art, Jinchuan Cello will never rise.”

After speaking, Ning Lei turned and walked off the stage.

Behind him, Liu Chuan and several other judges were yelling angrily at Ning Lei, but Ning Lei could no longer hear them.

Ning Lei enjoyed saying those pretentious words, but he had to bear the consequences himself.

Back in the lounge, Ning Lei looked at Su Ruxue.

"Senior, go ahead."

Afterwards, Ning Lei returned to his seat alone and lowered his head.

Su Ruxue stared at him blankly, a relieved smile appearing on her face.

She knew that she didn't need to say anything now; simply moving forward was the greatest comfort she could offer Ning Lei.

Inside the auditorium at this moment.

The audience was still in an uproar. Everything that had just happened was too exciting. Some people were filming videos, and others were posting them on their WeChat Moments.

Ning Lei's announcement of forfeiting the championship was a major embarrassment for the association. This competition was definitely worth it!

The professors were practically slumped in their seats, while Guan Han was grinning from ear to ear. People's joys and sorrows are not always shared.

While the audience was still excitedly discussing, the host, who had received instructions from the organizers backstage via earpiece, finally snapped out of her daze and hurriedly picked up the microphone:

"Because Ning Lei, who ranked first, announced that he would forfeit the championship..."

At this moment, a white cheongsam floated up from the left side of the stage, and high heels clicked on the stage.

The host was stunned. After a brief moment of surprise, she quickly continued, "Based on the scores, the champion will be awarded the title. The champion of this Star Cup is—Su Ruxue!"

Su Ruxue walked gracefully to the trophy, smiled sweetly, and then picked it up.

With this gesture, the young girl made a definitive declaration to Jinchuan:

The cello empire belonging to Su Ruxue has returned!

The entire audience erupted in prolonged applause, congratulating the return of the old god.

The professors were completely blank, staring blankly at what was happening before their eyes.

......

competition is over.

Lin Han found Ning Lei in the small square in front of the concert hall.

"Thank you, young man," Lin Han said.

Lin Han was also aware of the enormous price Ning Lei would have to pay for all of this.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you." Ning Lei smiled. "Master, you made me see myself clearly, and you made me see the true face of the association. You changed me."

"But your future is ruined," Lin Han stated the truth ruthlessly.

Those who uphold their beliefs are certainly worthy of respect, but utter defeat is an undeniable fact. It seems Ning Lei is now completely cut off from his career as a "professional pianist."

Ning Lei looked up at the blue sky and white clouds in the afternoon, then looked down at Su Ruxue's cheongsam and big breasts not far away.

Then, Ning Lei, with a firm gaze, said:

"After the competition, I felt my mind went blank, but when I thought about it, failure is a constant in life, that's life."

"Leaving the association will allow me to focus more on making my own music."

"Good awareness." Lin Han praised frankly, "Then, see you again if fate allows."

"Wait a minute, Master."

Ning Lei called out to Lin Han.

"what happened?"

Lin Han saw that the passionate young man in front of him had a burning desire in his eyes and a thirst for knowledge.

"Could I have Senior Su Ruxue's WeChat?"

"climb."

Amid Ning Lei's wails, Lin Han and Su Ruxue left.

Then, Su Ruxue hailed a taxi and got in with Lin Han.

After getting into the car, Su Ruxue finally stretched and exclaimed excitedly.

"go for meal!"

Then, Su Ruxue casually tossed the trophy she had just received onto the cushion.

Lin Han quickly picked up the trophy. "This is your honor, take care of your trophy! What if you break it?"

"Oh, it's alright. I already have a whole box full of city-level trophies in my storage room, there's no room left on the shelves."

"??????" Lin Han was dumbfounded.

Looking at Su Ruxue's nonchalant attitude, he suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

Ning Lei ruined his entire career and handed the trophy to Su Ruxue. What the hell was he after?

014. Explosive Sales

After a long morning of work, Lin Han finally got his reward – a delicious mango smoothie.

Lin Han frantically dug at the ice slush with a small shovel, his anger rising.

Do you have some misunderstanding about 'eating'?

"what?"

Su Ruxue innocently took a bite of pudding.

"As long as I'm full, that's fine."

Then, Su Ruxue chewed on the pudding, cupped her fair face, and revealed a happy expression.

For her, having a cup of pudding after a performance is the greatest happiness.

Lin Han was furious. Every time he finished his work, he would look forward to this young lady treating him to a feast, but both times she only came here to dig up graves!

Seeing that soft pudding, Lin Han felt his blood pressure soar, and he wished he could give Su Ruxue a bite of the pudding.

Seeing Lin Han's sullen expression, Su Ruxue's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile.

However, Lin Han still noticed that smile.

Is this guy secretly enjoying himself??

Lin Han thought Su Ruxue was stupid, but it turns out she was deliberately trying to annoy him!

As Su Ruxue scooped up the next spoonful of pudding, Lin Han kicked the table leg without making a sound.

This slight swaying happened to hit Su Ruxue's elbow.

The pudding slipped off the spoon, tracing a graceful arc through the air before flying away.

"what!!"