“What happened? Why did Lusheng go up on stage?” Upon returning to her seat, Zhao Yasuo asked repeatedly.
Chen Jiale said excitedly, “Just now, the host suddenly turned the spotlight on us! He said that you were invited here today and wanted you to come up and perform a piece. But after the light hit us, he realized you weren’t there, only we were. Then the host changed his tune on the fly, saying that as your students, he wanted to see our level. And then Lusheng raised her hand.”
Zhao Yasuo looked at the person on stage in shock.
When the piece ended, the host was the first to start clapping. He walked from the side to the center of the stage, took the cello from Xia Lusheng’s arms and set it aside, then looked at her and asked, “Teacher Zhao’s students really are not to be underestimated. Little girl, what is your name? How old are you this year?”
Xia Lusheng stood up with composure, her face showing no extra expression. The host placed the microphone in front of her.
“Hello, host. Hello, everyone. My name is Xia Lusheng, and I am sixteen years old.”
Below the stage, Zhao Yasuo watched Xia Lusheng with surprise and said, “Lusheng… Lusheng isn’t timid at all. This is truly beyond my expectations.”
After all, Xia Lusheng’s personality was extremely introverted. Zhao Yasuo had guessed that she would be stiff and unable to let go on stage, but in reality, her performance was very graceful.
Gu Yitong smiled faintly and said, “Lusheng was playing the cello in a hotel two years ago. She is much more relaxed on stage than a first-timer. This performance isn’t surprising now.”
Zhao Yasuo was stunned for a moment, but after thinking it over, she felt Gu Yitong had a point.
When she first met Lusheng at the Cat’s Eye Cafe, the girl below the stage was dull and taciturn, but on stage, she was incredibly confident. As long as she was cradling her cello, it was as if she held the whole world in her hands.
On stage, the host and Xia Lusheng exchanged a few questions and answers. Suddenly, the host noticed something was wrong. He stared at Xia Lusheng for a moment, turned off the microphone, and asked tentatively, “Lusheng, your… your eyes…”
Xia Lusheng replied naturally, “I can’t see. I was born blind.”
The host looked stunned and couldn’t react for a good while.
When Xia Lusheng went up on stage earlier, a companion had held her hand to lead her up. He had thought it was because she was timid and her friend was accompanying her; he hadn’t thought much of it. He never expected…
Originally, although the host thought Xia Lusheng’s cello level was excellent, he didn’t find it miraculous; after all, she was Zhao Yasuo’s student. But now, knowing she was blind, his mood immediately changed.
The host hesitated for a moment: “Lusheng, regarding your blindness—can it be made public?”
“It is a fact.”
The host understood that Xia Lusheng had agreed. He turned the microphone back on and looked at the audience with a complex expression: “Everyone sitting here, I just learned a piece of news that shocked me deeply, turning my appreciation for this young girl beside me into pure admiration.”
The audience had also noticed the change in the host’s expression earlier, but since the mic was off, they couldn’t hear what he said to the girl. Hearing his words now, their interest was piqued.
The host kept them in suspense, asking the crowd, “Tell me, how was this young girl’s cello playing? Does she have the style of Teacher Zhao?”
The people in the audience were very supportive and responded loudly, “Yes!”
The host glanced at Xia Lusheng with pity, patted her on the shoulder, and said to the crowd, “Then did any of you see that this young girl is blind?!”
The whole place was shocked, causing a commotion.
“What? Blind?”
“This… this…”
The photographers below reacted quickly, snapping several photos of Xia Lusheng in succession.
The host wanted to say more, but it was time for the next part of the program. He could only say briefly, “Today, Lusheng taught me a very profound lesson. I sincerely hope she can keep going on this path. Lusheng, keep it up.”
Xia Lusheng turned toward the host and gave a deep bow: “Thank you.”
The applause from the audience was thunderous.
Gu Yitong went up to lead Xia Lusheng down. Xia Lusheng gripped Gu Yitong tightly; her palms were covered in sweat. It seemed she wasn’t actually calm just now—she just hadn’t shown her nervousness.
Back at their seats, Yu Qi and the others ignored the coldness on Xia Lusheng’s face, chirping excitedly as if they were the ones who had been on stage: “Lusheng, you were so cool just now!”
“Lusheng, the piece you played was amazing! Before I met you, Teacher Zhao was always praising you. I wasn’t convinced before, but now I believe it! I’m totally impressed!”
Teacher Zhao stepped forward and patted them, saying, “Alright, let’s talk more when we get back. For now, listen to the performance.”
Yu Qi and the others sat down obediently, but when they looked at Xia Lusheng, their eyes were sparkling.
…
After the concert ended, Gu Yitong and Xia Lusheng didn’t return to the hotel immediately; the two of them sat on the street.
Gu Yitong tucked Xia Lusheng’s collar for her. Xia Lusheng grabbed Gu Yitong’s hand and said: “Sister Yitong, I want to know how far I can go. Today’s concert was just the beginning. I want to try to move forward; I don’t want to hide behind you anymore.”
Hearing this, Gu Yitong was slightly dazed. The little girl who was still relying on her yesterday had suddenly said today that she didn’t want to hide behind her. The sudden, unannounced change made Gu Yitong freeze for a moment before she snapped back to reality.
Then she smiled. She looked at Xia Lusheng tenderly and said, “Lusheng has grown up.”
Clearly, it was a good thing, but inexplicably, a trace of loss flitted through Gu Yitong’s heart.
Because of this concert, a small wave was stirred up. Headlines like “Zhao Yasuo’s Genius Blind Student: Though She Cannot See the World, She Still Harbors Dreams” appeared. Being Zhao Yasuo’s student and blind that title alone was enough to grab attention.
Xia Lusheng’s name became a small hit in the cello world. Some reporters even contacted Gu Yitong, saying they wanted to interview Xia Lusheng for an inspirational column.
But Gu Yitong refused.
…
Back in A City, when they were parting at the airport, Li Lei looked at Gu Yitong and Xia Lusheng reluctantly: “Sister Yitong, could you leave me your contact information…?”
This move was exactly what Gu Yitong wanted. Heaven knows how relieved she was that Lusheng could make a friend; since a person Lusheng was willing to socialize with had finally appeared, she naturally wanted to keep the connection.
Gu Yitong quickly took out a pen and paper and wrote down a string of numbers and an address for Li Lei: “Phone number and address. Come play with Lusheng when you have time.”
Li Lei happily tucked the address away: “Okay!”
A black car suddenly stopped beside them. The window rolled down, and a man in his forties looked at them through the glass. His gaze swept over Gu Yitong and Xia Lusheng before landing on Li Lei.
“Leilei, get in the car.”
Gu Yitong: “You know him?”
Seeing the middle-aged man, the smile on Li Lei’s face vanished. She pursed her lips and said to the two of them, “It’s my dad. I’m going back now. Lusheng, I’ll call you when I have time.”
With that, Li Lei opened the car door and sat inside. The man stepped on the gas, and the car sped away.