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

“Miss Li Li, although she may not have expressed the piece very well just now, at least technically she played the cello flawlessly. I think it wouldn’t hurt to give her another chance.”

At this moment, Yin Yue stepped in to smooth things over. As a teacher, she still had to stand up for her students when it mattered most.

"Teacher Yin, you can't say that."

After saying this, Li Li sighed, as if there was a hint of disappointment in her voice, and slowly continued.

"Su Ruxue, I don't deny your talent on the cello, but if you take this kind of attitude just because it's an assessment, how can you guarantee that every performance will go smoothly? Do you know why candidates sit so far away from the examiners during assessments? It's to make you understand that you should treat this assessment as a performance on stage, and this distance is the distance between you and the audience."

“You are different from many other trainees here. You are not a behind-the-scenes worker. You are a performer, a musician, understand? As a performer, the stage is everything. You must have reverence for the stage. You are responsible for your audience. There is no room for error in a performance.”

"What you perform is what you convey to the audience. Even if your music is a stinking pile of excrement, the audience will accept it. As a performer, if you don't accurately convey the true meaning of the music, you have failed. Can you understand why I have such high expectations for you?"

"......"

Being scolded by a teacher is never a pleasant experience. Even unrelated bystanders will recall their past fears upon hearing it.

Lin Han felt exactly that way; he was tired of hearing it all.

Although it sounds harsh, the logic behind it is indeed sound.

I just don't know if Su Ruxue will listen to me.

After all, for a musical prodigy to be reprimanded like this was utterly humiliating...

"I understand, Teacher Li."

Su Ruxue's calm voice came through, and Lin Han was stunned.

Lin Han gently lifted a corner of the curtain. At this moment, the two teachers were sitting with their backs to Lin Han, while Su Ruxue in front of them was looking at Lin Han's position from a distance.

Their eyes met.

Su Ruxue's eyelashes trembled slightly, she tilted her head gently, and smiled radiantly at Lin Han. The young man was instantly stunned.

This contact was not accidental; rather, Su Ruxue's gaze was always fixed on Lin Han's position.

The reason why I performed poorly was because of your presence.

Now, put aside your pride, humbly accept criticism, and play it again, just to become better, and also because of your existence.

not to mention.

Su Ruxue had already experienced what was arguably the most humiliating moment for a cellist.

She ran away back then.

Now, it's different.

That person was right beside her, very close to her.

Su Ruxue smiled slightly. After speaking, her gaze returned to the two teachers, becoming firm.

Li Li quickly sensed that the girl's sensations had become completely different from before.

Did what I just said have an effect?

Li Li frowned. Her intuition told her that if she gave Su Ruxue another chance, she would be a completely different person.

"Okay, I'll make an exception and give you a chance to play it again."

"Thank you, teacher." Su Ruxue bowed immediately.

"Don't rush to be happy yet."

Li Li's face remained expressionless as she continued speaking seriously.

“This time, my requirements will be even stricter than the first time. Not only must your mastery of the piece be perfect and there be no mistakes in your performance, but I also want to hear your understanding of the song and Smith from your cello. If I feel that you have not conveyed this to me well, you will fail this assessment.”

“Okay.” Su Ruxue replied without hesitation.

Yin Yue also showed a relieved smile, like an aunt, and picked up her pen again.

"let's start."

083. Su Ruxue's rumored boyfriend

Su Ruxue held the cello in one hand and raised the bow in the other.

The girl took a deep breath, her eyes resolute.

The melodious sound of the piano rang out again.

This time, Su Ruxue performed the Cello Concerto in D major, Op. 39, Second Movement - Adagio.

Compared to the first movement, the second movement is noticeably slower and therefore more emotionally resonant. However, the joyful and uplifting feeling remains unchanged.

With her eyes closed and a slight smile on her face, Su Ruxue, like an elegant white swan, presented her most graceful and beautiful side to the tourists who stopped to admire her from outside the pool.

This lovely white swan appears to be playing for her two teachers, but in reality, her heart belongs to a visitor who has never entered the venue. The young girl is eager to convey her joy to that visitor.

That was precisely why Su Ruxue faltered during her first performance; now, she must find herself again. That person is important, but to avoid disappointing him, she must temporarily set aside this restless heart.

As the music deepened, the cello's unique, steady tone gradually accelerated, bringing a natural transition from joy to melancholy.

Everyone in the world knows that Smith's compositions bring joy, but how many people know about his life, which withered and died like a falling leaf?

Su Ruxue succeeded. In this warm and tender music, another side of Smith's work, distinct from its courtly style, is revealed—the human side.

The rest of the time became a pure auditory enjoyment.

Lin Han closed his eyes, savoring Su Ruxue's zither music, lost in its beauty, and smiled knowingly.

This is the Su Ruxue he knows.

When Lin Han opened his eyes, a human face appeared in front of him.

Yin Yue tilted her head, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"who are you?"

Lin Han sighed and mouthed "Damn it."

Then, Lin Han opened the window with his other hand, preparing to perform a leap of faith.

Yin Yue panicked and immediately grabbed Lin Han's hand.

"You're having an affair?! And you even jumped out of the window!"

"If you don't jump, you'll have to take responsibility!"

"You got someone pregnant and you think you can just run away?!" Yin Yue's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?!" Su Ruxue complained.

Left with no other choice, Lin Han had to return. Since he had already been seen, there was no point in running away.

The spacious and bright practice room.

It should have been the time for the assessment, but at this moment, Su Ruxue and Lin Han stood obediently in front of Li Li.

Oh no, this teacher with the stern face is definitely going to give me a good scolding.

Since it was Lin Han's fault for barging in without permission, he could only stand at attention and take the beating.

Just now, Lin Han was silently mourning for Su Ruxue. How painful it must be for such a grown-up to be scolded by a teacher.

Unexpectedly, Lin Han experienced the joy of being scolded in duo queue so quickly.

“Miss Su Ruxue, I think you should know the base’s rules, right?” Li Li sat in the chair, looking coldly at the two of them, her face extremely gloomy.

"I know," Su Ruxue replied dejectedly, her head bowed.

Bringing outsiders into the base will result in disciplinary action at best, and at worst, it will be treated as a breach of contract. If it is an external staff member like Su Ruxue, the punishment may be being sent back to the training room.

The reason Su Ruxue was so happy to leave Chuandu and come to Baijing was because she got this amazing practice room. Now that it's being taken back, it's undoubtedly very cruel for Su Ruxue.

Li Li slowly shifted her gaze to Lin Han and returned to the question she had just asked.

"who are you?"

Hearing this question, Lin Han felt relieved.

The fact that they asked this question when they were already standing right in front of you shows that they didn't recognize you even without makeup.

Lin Han hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.

Li Li sighed heavily and said,

"Miss Su Ruxue, I understand that you want to relieve stress by seeing your boyfriend, but we also have rules here. If you want to see your boyfriend, you can wait until training is over..."

Boy friend...??

Lin Han was stunned, but before he could explain, Yin Yue, who was standing next to Li Li, put her arm around Li Li's shoulder and said,

"How about we just forget about it, Ms. Li? This kind of thing can be a big deal or a small deal. The two kids are still young, going through puberty. Weren't you like that back then?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Han and Su Ruxue both glanced at Li Li with gossipy eyes.

"Yes." A bitter smile flashed across Li Li's face.

Twenty years ago, when Li Li was a professional violinist, she underwent intensive closed training at a training institution.

That was truly prison-like life. Back then, there were no smartphones, so Li Li's boyfriend could only sneak in during the twenty-minute break between get out of class and bedtime each night to see her.

Their daily trysts were thrilling. But they were eventually caught, Li Li was punished, placed under even stricter surveillance, and was forced to separate from her boyfriend.

So many years have passed, and although Li Li has grown into a strong figure in the music industry, she can never get her lost first love back.

Thinking of this, Li Li was moved.

Looking at Su Ruxue and Lin Han in front of her, they looked just like her and her boyfriend back then.

Times have changed, and Su Ruxue is far more outstanding than she was back then. If she were to be cruelly punished now, would it create another regret like hers?

Seeing that Li Li's expression softened, Su Ruxue suddenly hugged Lin Han from the side.

Two soft mounds pressed against Lin Han's arms, and all four of Lin Han's heads suddenly lifted up at once.

"Teacher Li, please forgive us, we'll never do it again!"

"I really, really can't live without Han, that's why I brought him in!"

That affectionate yet slightly coquettish "Han" left Lin Han completely stunned.

"OK OK."

Li Li's stern face finally broke into a slight smile.

"It won't happen again."

"You did a great job in the assessment just now. Even if you pass, go out and have some fun with your boyfriend later. Don't stay in the training room all the time. Cherish your youth."

"Uh-huh!"

Unexpectedly, Li Li, who is known for her "learning until you drop" attitude, would say something like that.

"By the way, I have two coupons for that five-star barbecue restaurant in the city."

As Yin Yue spoke, she suddenly pulled two coupons out of her bag.

"I was planning to go with my best friend, but she has to work overtime tonight. If you two don't have any plans tonight, you should give it a try, the food is really good!"

In fact, Su Ruxue didn't lack the money at all. But she still gratefully accepted Yin Yue's kindness.

Just before leaving, Li Li suddenly pulled Su Ruxue aside and said seriously,

“Miss Su Ruxue, I was being considerate of you as a girl earlier, so I didn’t say anything. Now I need to make things clear to you.”

"I can turn a blind eye to you bringing your boyfriend to the practice room, but doing *that* kind of thing in the practice room is a bit much, isn't it? This isn't how you seek thrills!"

"I didn't do that kind of thing!" Su Ruxue's face flushed red, and she said blankly.

“I saw it all just now.” Li Li frowned.

"Under the desk, a white cover."

Su Ruxue was stunned. She looked in the direction Li Li pointed and saw a deflated balloon with half a chicken foot sticking out from under the desk.

Su Ruxue panicked.

How could this possibly be mine!

My own practice room, whose else is it besides mine?

Besides himself, only one other person has the key to this door.