NOVEL WEB Chapter 58: The World Before Him Only Consisted of the Piano and Himself
Chapter 58: The World Before Him Only Consisted of the Piano and Himself
Half an hour ago, Qin Zeming’s leisurely day of drinking tea and teasing birds was interrupted by a knock on the door.
Having had the fortune to attend banquets in the upper circles of the capital, he immediately recognized this was the assistant of a certain big shot.
To reach his position, one must possess skill, but understanding human relationships is equally essential. In the capital, the most important thing is to identify and avoid offending those at the peak of power.
“Assistant Yang, what brings you here…”
“Cut the pleasantries. There’s a rotten apple in your association, and you need to handle it, right?”
Qin Zeming, already a savvy person, instantly understood the purpose of this visit.
Although he usually allowed his subordinates to handle matters concerning the association, there were still boundaries; some principles must be upheld.
After hearing what Assistant Yang had to say, he immediately sent his trusted aide to investigate the situation regarding the piano competition.
As expected, upon investigation, it was discovered that Shen Song had abused his position to force someone into the offline competition.
Not only that, but he also accessed the preliminary results system and tampered with the preliminary video of the contestant.
Such actions not only involved bribery but also severely undermined the fairness of the competition.
As someone who had been through the industry, the president knew how difficult it was to achieve results in their line of work; in the end, how many could truly gain fame?
Crossing a narrow bridge amidst a sea of people, the hardships endured, the efforts and sacrifices made, were all for the chance to shine on stage.
Moreover, the New Youth Cup Piano Competition was the most important event in the Chinese piano scene, aimed at selecting the best talents for the country. Such a significant matter could not tolerate any underhanded dealings.
He looked over the contestants’ personal information; Su Mu had won numerous prestigious piano awards since childhood, while Su Ning had no relevant experience at all. The distinction was clear.
“Rest assured, Assistant Yang, I will personally oversee the situation at the competition venue. I will not allow any wrongful accusations to occur, nor will I let someone like Shen Song continue to disrupt the order of the competition.”
Thus, he hurried to the competition venue, wearing a pair of elderly fitness shoes, moving swiftly.
He arrived just in time to witness Shen Song attempting to instruct security to remove Su Mu and General Chu.
His heart nearly leaped out of his chest.
If Shen Song wanted to die, he should just get lost and not drag them into this mess.
“Shut your mouth!” Qin Zeming shouted again, his expression filled with rage.
He feared hearing any more shocking words from Shen Song.
Facing the audience, he took the microphone handed to him, ensuring that his words would echo throughout the venue, allowing everyone to hear clearly.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I sincerely apologize for the issues that have arisen in this competition, which have negatively impacted both the contestants and the audience. I am the president of the Chinese Piano Association and the overall person in charge of this competition.”
“I apologize for the setbacks in this competition.”
“Additionally, I would like to announce something in my capacity as the president of the Piano Association. From this moment on, Shen Song is expelled from the association.”
“What? President, how can you do this? Why?” Shen Song exclaimed in disbelief, unable to accept that the president wanted to expel him.
“Why? You still have the face to ask!”
“As a member of the Piano Association and a judge for this competition, you are responsible for every contestant and must score them objectively and fairly.”
“And you? You actually used your authority to force Su Ning, who had no qualifications for the semifinals, into the competition, and even tampered with Su Mu’s preliminary results. Did you think you could hide all of this?”
Hearing the president accurately list his crimes, Shen Song’s legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, realizing everything was over for him.
What would he do after being expelled from the association?
When Qin Zeming arrived, he brought the police with him. After clarifying the situation, the police stepped forward to take Shen Song away.
Shen Song was dragged away by the police, utterly regretful for agreeing to that person and doing such things.
Otherwise, he could still be a respected elder member of the Piano Association, living comfortably after retirement. Now, with one wrong step, everything was lost.
Before being pulled out of the venue, he shot a fierce glare in the direction of Su Yuanshan.
Su Yuanshan had been watching everything unfold. Upon hearing the president reveal everything, he knew he had been exposed.
But how could the president, who had not concerned himself with the competition for so many years, suddenly take action this time?
Seeing Chu Hanting standing next to Su Mu, Su Yuanshan quickly realized it was him?
Could it be that he was truly enchanted by Su Mu, this cunning fox spirit?
He actually used the power of the Chu family for Su Mu.
This matter needed to be reported to that person immediately.
After the situation was clarified and Shen Song was taken away for investigation, Qin Zeming personally took a seat at the judges’ table.
“There are still two contestants, right? Then you two play! I will take Shen Song’s place to score you.”
Su Ning had been terrified earlier, and upon hearing he had to play, he became even more flustered. How could he possibly perform?
Using his hand injury as an excuse, he claimed he couldn’t play and voluntarily withdrew, hurriedly leaving without daring to lift his head.
Shen Song had already been taken away, and he certainly didn’t want to be the next one investigated.
Qin Zeming dealt with Shen Song as a way to handle the internal rot of the association, but he would not interfere with the Su family’s matters. Moreover, with his keen instincts, he sensed that General Chu would personally handle the Su family’s affairs.
Only Chu Hanting and Su Mu remained on stage, and no one dared to urge them on; didn’t they see the president patiently waiting?
Chu Hanting turned to face Su Mu, holding his hand without letting go. He gently rubbed Su Mu’s hand with his fingers.
“Stay calm, don’t let these things affect you. Just perform well.”
Su Mu hooked his fingers around Chu Hanting’s calloused fingertips, raised his face, and smiled with a calm demeanor, “These things won’t affect me.”
Having experienced such great storms in his past life, what were these?
As Su Mu sat down at the piano, his aura instantly transformed, as if he had been reborn.
His face radiated focus, and the warm sunlight illuminated his profile, reflecting the expression of someone immersed in the world of music, as if the only things in his world were the piano and himself.
His long, beautiful fingers, perfect for modeling, danced gracefully over the keys, kissing them intimately, producing beautiful notes and composing moving melodies.
Qin Zeming’s eyes lit up; this Su Mu had something special.
Previously, he had seen the records of various awards won. But how many contestants made it to the semifinals without some real skill?
So even if the resume on paper was impressive, he was not surprised. But at this moment, Su Mu’s live performance was truly exceptional!
His ears would not deceive him.
Such a stunning live performance was something he rarely encountered, almost exclusive to piano masters, yet it was happening with a university student.
In terms of technique, proficiency, and emotional expression, it was unparalleled. Even though he hadn’t heard the performances of other contestants, he still believed Su Mu was definitely capable of taking first place.