Chapter 69: Have You Ever Heard This Piano Piece?

Yu Zhile asked curiously, “Old Yang, how did you convince the director? That can't have been easy, right?”

Yang Bing replied, “It really wasn’t easy! But since we went through all the trouble to rent this piano, it would be such a pity not to use it! So I told Director Zhang that there’s a piano teacher from our school who can take Cai Lanlan’s place and perform the piano piece, so that the beautiful piano we rented wouldn’t go to waste.”

Yu Zhile was stunned. “No way! He just agreed like that?”

Yang Bing gave a wry smile. “Of course not! Director Zhang’s first reaction was to shake his head and say it wasn’t necessary. Then I suggested that the teacher could put on one of the dance troupe’s animal costumes and perform on stage. That way, the audience expecting Cai Lanlan would be curious and wonder if it was really her. That piqued Director Zhang’s interest, and after I added a few more words, he began to think it sounded like a good idea, so he decided to go with my suggestion.”

“Amazing!” Yu Zhile clapped Yang Bing on the shoulder, already looking forward to seeing the piano Old Yang had mentioned, and anticipating his very first piano performance!

Eighteen thousand spectators! With all the staff and security, there must be close to twenty thousand people in the main venue! Yu Zhile was a little nervous, but even more excited and full of anticipation!

...

An hour later.

Yang Bing brought over a panda costume. “Ready? After this act, it’s your turn to go on stage!”

“Yeah, let me try it on first!” Yu Zhile went into the changing room and put on the panda suit. Aside from feeling a bit stuffy, he found it didn’t affect him otherwise. As long as his hands weren’t restricted, there was no problem. After all, with the Piano Pieces of the Night, not to mention five movements, he could play a dozen with his eyes closed.

This was a piece that had been etched into his bones; practice makes perfect, and after playing it countless times, even a fool could remember every note, every key.

Backstage.

Qin Haiyu was once again scanning the crowd for her husband. She only had one more act left—the debut performance of her new song—but her husband still hadn’t shown up. Was he so enthralled by the show outside that he’d forgotten all about his wife? Hmph, men really are all heartless!

With no other choice, Qin Haiyu took out her phone and started playing a mobile puzzle game to distract herself from her frustration.

At that moment, the folk dance on stage was halfway through. Tired of the intense modern routines from earlier, the audience now found this folk performance to be a refreshing visual feast.

Very soon, the dance performance ended. The host took the stage, and after a witty comedic exchange, began to announce the next act—Yu Zhile’s performance.

At this, the audience was dumbfounded by the announcement! Mr. Panda? Piano performance? The Piano Pieces of the Night—five movements? What did that mean? Wasn’t the piano performance supposed to be Cai Lanlan’s act? Why had it suddenly become Mr. Panda?

Backstage, the celebrity guests were busy gossiping in confusion.

“Who is this Mr. Panda? Wasn’t the piano act supposed to be Cai Lanlan’s?”

“Maybe Cai Lanlan wants to surprise everyone, so she’s wearing a panda costume?”

“I doubt it! The program title has even changed! The official program listed Cai Lanlan’s signature three-movement piece, but now this Mr. Panda is performing the five movements of the Piano Pieces of the Night. That suggests it’s not Cai Lanlan in disguise.”

“The Piano Pieces of the Night? Has anyone heard of that?”

“No, I searched for it, but there’s nothing by that name online. Maybe it’s a new piece composed by Cai Lanlan, and she’s pretending to be Mr. Panda to trick everyone—then she’ll reveal herself for a surprise?”

“Well, when you put it that way, it does sound possible!”

...

Amid the audience’s curiosity and speculation, Yu Zhile, completely unrecognizable in the panda costume, made his way onto the stage with an adorably clumsy gait.

At that moment, a pale blue spotlight suddenly shone down on the stage, and in its glow, an ice-blue piano, as if sculpted from crystal, slowly rose up.

Yu Zhile was stunned! The piano was breathtakingly beautiful—he wanted it so badly! No wonder Old Yang said it was so hard to rent such an extravagant, expensive piano. With its crystal exterior and ethereal aura, it was the most dazzling and alluring piano he had ever seen!

He wondered how much such a piano might cost. Yu Zhile’s heart was instantly captivated.

He walked over to the piano and, standing before it, lowered his head to caress the keys, which were translucent white and icy blue, smooth to the touch.

“This piano is gorgeous!” Yu Zhile murmured involuntarily, as all the other stage lights went out, leaving only a single shaft of golden light enveloping him and the piano.

He took a deep breath and sat down, his hands trembling slightly with nerves. He wondered how such a beautiful piano would feel to play.

Drawing a long breath, he set his ten fingers on the keys, ready to begin. Inside the panda head, he closed his eyes, and the familiar melody of the Piano Pieces of the Night flooded his mind.

The first movement began.

There was no sheet music, nor did he need any. He didn’t even have to look at the keys. Yu Zhile was completely absorbed in his own ocean of music.

A soothing, melodious piano sound drifted out. Yu Zhile’s hands danced across the comfortable keys.

It was only through comparison that he now understood why Old Yang had said it was so hard to rent this piano, and why it was so extravagant and expensive.

The tone was not much different from his own piano at home, but the feel of the keys was truly exquisite! Playing his home piano was like running his hands across his own thigh—rough and hairy. Playing this one, however, was like caressing his wife’s beautiful leg—smooth and elastic, impossible to let go of.

He was lost in the music, immersed in pleasure and comfort.

Swaying gently to the rhythm, his panda head bobbing, Yu Zhile’s fingers floated over the keys, playing the piece that no one but himself had ever heard.

At this moment, many people in the audience and watching the live broadcast began to sense something unusual—especially Cai Lanlan’s devoted fans. When the camera caught Yu Zhile’s hands on the keys in profile, they knew for certain that Mr. Panda was not Cai Lanlan.

After all, Cai Lanlan was a woman, her fingers long and slender. The panda pianist, though also with long fingers, had large, broad palms—clearly a man’s hands.