Chapter 6: Crisis of a Piano Level 0 Player

Chapter 6: The Crisis of a Piano Newbie

That evening, Zhou Lan dropped by to deliver the suit to Zhao Yu. The room was dark, no lights on. Zhao Yu sat cross-legged by the floor-to-ceiling window, his silhouette nearly dissolving into the darkness. He seemed detached from the world, the lights outside and the city's nightlife having nothing to do with him.

A wave of loneliness hit Zhou Lan, making his heart ache. He flicked on the light and asked, "Why are you sitting on the floor?"

Zhao Yu's face was reflected in the glass window, expressionless, his gaze unfocused.

Zhou Lan set down the suit and quietly crouched beside him, his voice softening without him meaning to: "Did Ms. Chen say something to you? She's pretty forceful; don't let it get to you."

Over the time they'd spent together, Zhou Lan had gradually come to understand this young man, no longer seeing him as just a job but starting to genuinely care about him.

"She didn't say anything to me." Zhao Yu looked away, stood up, and stretched lazily, slipping back into his usual demeanor. "Coming all this way this late to drop off clothes—you're really dedicated. Tell her to give you a raise."

He wasn't about to open up to Zhou Lan, his walls firmly up to keep him out.

As Chen Li's assistant, Zhou Lan knew better than to expect otherwise. Being disliked by him was normal, let alone having a heart-to-heart talk. All he could do was sigh quietly.

"I don't get to decide the bonus." Zhou Lan took out the suit. "Try it on and see if it fits."

Zhao Yu changed into the suit. It was well-tailored and showed off his figure, but Zhou Lan just kept shaking his head when he saw him.

"Doesn't it look good?"

"It's not a question of whether it looks good." Zhou Lan's brow furrowed deeply. Before, light-colored clothes had hidden the differences between Zhao Yu and Chen Xitong, but now, in a suit, all the problems were back in plain sight. In fact, any formal outfit just amplified Zhao Yu's own vibe.

Zhao Yu tried a few "sweet and innocent" looks, pulling out all the stops, but it didn't work. Finally, he slumped into a chair: "Assistant Zhou, think of something fast. Not a single thing can go wrong the day after tomorrow."

"What about trying glasses?"

"No, that looks too dorky. He already got suspicious last time." Zhao Yu said, "Do I really have to wear a suit?"

"It's a charity event, so it's pretty formal."

"Chen Li's got money to throw at charity?"

Zhou Lan didn't bother responding to the sarcasm. He thought for a long time, then said, "I do have an idea, but it's pretty demanding. Not sure if you..."

Zhao Yu sat up straight. "Whatever it is, just say it."

Zhou Lan cleared his throat and spelled out his plan.

...

Wednesday morning, the hospital room was very quiet, with all the monitors running steadily. Chen Xitong looked like he was just asleep, breathing evenly, his expression peaceful.

Even though she was desperate for money, Chen Li still kept him in a good hospital room, hiring the best caregivers to look after him every day. Her love for him was unconditional—maybe that's what a mother is.

She turned and left the room, leaving all the warmth behind the moment she stepped out, turning back into the sharp, formidable businesswoman.

When she saw Zhou Lan waiting downstairs, she asked, "Didn't I tell you to go get Zhao Yu? Is he ready?"

Zhou Lan said, "He left a day early."

Chen Li got into the car. "A day early? What's he going to do?"

"Volunteering."

"Volunteering?!"

...

At the Star Blessing Children's Home, a five- or six-year-old girl sat on the ground wailing at the top of her lungs. Her voice was the loudest in the whole place; she was so young that once she started crying, she just couldn't stop.

Zhao Yu crouched down to wipe her tears, but the girl shoved him away, flailing and rolling on the ground, landing several kicks on him.

The director heard the commotion and hurried over, worried the girl might offend him. The director knew he was Chen Li's son, and Chen Li had donated a lot to the home over the years; he didn't want to offend him.

"Xitong, leave this to me. Go rest."

"Go do your thing; I've got this." Zhao Yu brushed the dust off his pants.

The director was surprised; he hadn't expected this pampered young man to have such patience. The girl had hearing problems, which was why she was so loud, and even many of the staff couldn't stand her crying.

Zhao Yu picked at his ear, staying remarkably calm—this crying was nothing compared to the sound of his dad smashing liquor bottles.

Even though the girl fought hard, Zhao Yu firmly picked her up and didn't let go, even as she hit and kicked him. His approach slowly worked; she struggled in his arms but eventually stopped hitting and just cried.

Zhao Yu held her and gently patted her back to calm her down, a skill he'd only learned yesterday but was already good at today.

The girl fell asleep in his arms without even realizing it, and Zhao Yu's expression softened without him meaning to. This hearing-impaired kid had been abandoned by her parents and was already three when the home took her in.

A three-year-old knows everything, and that's exactly why the feeling of being abandoned is so sharp.

Zhao Yu didn't understand what it was like to be a hearing-impaired kid, but he completely understood how she felt. He cared for her not for any other purpose, but simply because he felt a pang of sympathy.

As he held the girl and soothed her, a man passing by in the corridor stopped, his gaze landing on Zhao Yu.

Gu Hansheng had arrived earlier than the event's start time, intending to assess the possibility of a group charity project, but hadn't expected to witness this scene.

Zhao Yu was wearing a cartoon apron, looking more relaxed than usual. It was the first time Gu Hansheng had seen him so at ease, exuding a natural comfort. The genuine sympathy he showed while soothing the child surprised Gu Hansheng.

Chen Xitong had grown up surrounded by adulation; his innocence stemmed from his ignorance of others' suffering. If it were him, he would never be able to empathize with the children here, and faced with this girl, he would only be at a loss.

Gu Hansheng didn't know the person before him wasn't Chen Xitong but entirely Zhao Yu, yet his gaze seemed drawn, unable to look away for a long time.

Zhao Yu inadvertently looked up and met Gu Hansheng's eyes, his heart skipping a beat. This was the second time Gu Hansheng had startled him; the man appeared out of nowhere, always catching him off guard.

Fortunately, Zhao Yu had experience now. He quickly adjusted his demeanor, flashing a sunny smile in Chen Xitong's style.

The sudden shift cut off the inexplicable emotion stirring in Gu Hansheng's heart. Before he could figure out what disappointment he felt, Zhao Yu handed the girl to a nearby staff member and walked out.

"Brother, why are you here so early?" Zhao Yu asked.

"Just looking around." Gu Hansheng straightened his clothes for him. "The event is about to start. Go change."

Zhao Yu naturally wouldn't change; his goal was to avoid wearing that suit. So he smiled and asked, "Will I embarrass you dressed like this?"

"Of course not." Gu Hansheng looked at his apron with a hint of a smile. "You could buy a matching one."

"Really?" Zhao Yu linked arms with him, looking up and saying, "You're not being sarcastic, are you? Hmm? Don't bully me for not understanding."

"No sarcasm, and I won't bully you." Gu Hansheng led him toward the front hall. "Have you done volunteer work here before?"

"No, just a whim."

At that moment, Chen Li had just arrived and was greeting familiar business owners. Seeing Gu Hansheng come out, these owners' eyes lit up, immediately turning their attention to him.

"Well, if it isn't Young Master Gu? So you're interested in children's charity work too?"

"Young Master Gu, do you remember me? We crossed paths at that dinner party before."

Gu Hansheng couldn't even be bothered to offer his hand, simply saying, "Who's this 'Young Master Gu'? I don't recall any around here."

There was a brief, awkward pause. Chen Li stepped in to smooth things over: "Mr. Gu is young and already accomplished. He'll surely be at the helm of Tuotu before long. That nickname is meant to be friendly, but it actually undersells him."

"Ms. Chen, long time no see." Gu Hansheng turned to her and shook her hand—and only hers.

"Long time no see." Chen Li mustered a smile.

Zhao Yu watched Gu Hansheng's expression from the corner of his eye. Seeing it soften, he knew the handshake meant the past was forgiven.

After all, the last time Chen Li had seen Gu Hansheng was outside Chen Xitong's apartment building. She knew Gu Hansheng was dogged by rumors and couldn't stomach her son being romantically involved with another man, so she'd flat-out told Gu Hansheng to stay away from Chen Xitong, and later even tossed out the gifts he'd given her son.

Zhao Yu had heard the story from Zhou Lan and could picture just how icy Chen Li's tone had been and how merciless her actions were.

With Gu Hansheng's status, people trying to suck up to him could line up from the first floor of his company all the way to the fiftieth, yet Chen Li had shut him down—he must have remembered that. But for Chen Xitong's sake, he was willing to swallow his pride, meet with Chen Li, and let bygones be bygones.

Zhao Yu sometimes wondered just how much that love at first sight for Chen Xitong really meant to him.

The event kicked off, and the kids from the children's home took the stage to show off their talents. The charity foundation sponsored kids who showed promise in specific areas to learn skills, and at the annual event, they had to show what they'd learned.

The performance was underway, and Zhao Yu sat in the front row—Gu Hansheng to his left, Chen Li to his right.

Chen Li shot a glance at his apron and whispered, "Why are you wearing that?"

Her tone was disapproving—she clearly thought Zhao Yu was embarrassing her in public.

Zhao Yu turned and leaned close to her ear, whispering, "Mr. Gu likes it."

Chen Li was stunned, unable to believe Gu Hansheng had taste like that—until she caught the teasing curl of Zhao Yu's lips and realized he was messing with her.

"I do like it," Gu Hansheng suddenly spoke up.

Zhao Yu was startled, turning to look at him, not expecting his ears to be so sharp. He quickly explained, "I was just joking with my mom."

Gu Hansheng kept his eyes on the kid playing piano, tilting his head a little as he said, "I wasn't joking."

It wasn't the apron he liked—it was the man himself. That was practically a confession.

The air between them quietly turned charged.

The piano piece was the last act. When it ended, applause filled the room, and the young pianist shuffled forward to bow, looking nervous. Just then, some businessman piped up: "Hey, Xitong, aren't you a pianist too? From a pro's perspective, how would you rate this kid's playing?"

Chen Li said, "Mr. Li, even if he broke it down for you professionally, you wouldn't get it. Music is something you feel with your ears."

"I'm a plain guy, but I still need to know if it's worth spending money to train this kid." Mr. Li suddenly asked the kid, "Hey, little one, what piano grade are you at?"

The kid was only eight and froze at the question, stammering and unable to get a word out.

The director quickly jumped in: "He hasn't taken the exams yet, but he's the best piano player we've got here."

Mr. Li sighed. "Just the best in the children's home? He's not exactly young. If he's got real talent, treating it as a hobby isn't going to cut it."

Hearing the edge in his voice, the director got nervous and instinctively looked to Zhao Yu for help.

The spotlight had been on Zhao Yu, but he had no professional take, so all he could say was, "He played really well."

Mr. Li pressed on: "Then test him, Xitong. Let's hear how big the gap really is."

Test him? How?

Zhao Yu was totally confused when the kid suddenly spoke up: "Brother, I... I can play with you. I... I'll work hard..."

Everyone turned to look at Zhao Yu—including Gu Hansheng.