The stage lights focused on Su Feiyan as he walked onto the stage with his teacher. He sat quietly and gently placed his fingers on the keys. The moment he touched the piano, a familiar sense of comfort washed over him. This was the very piano from the music room, the one he knew so well. The feel of the keys and the memories of countless practice sessions all came rushing back to him.
"Wait a second," he thought, surprised. "The piano during the rehearsal was different." His thoughts wandered momentarily, filled with curiosity. Who knew that he was more familiar with this piano and had gone out of their way to make the swap?
He shook his head, pulling himself back to the moment. He couldn't afford to lose focus. At this very moment, all eyes in the room were on him. Taking a deep breath, Su Feiyan adjusted the bench to sit comfortably. He could still hear the murmur of the audience and their enthusiastic applause echoing in the background. Familiar voices filled his mind—his father, mother, sister, and Lin Xi. Their cheers and claps were his motivation to perform his best.
With a deep breath, Su Feiyan let his fingers fall onto the keys, and the first notes of the piece began to flow.
The performances were in full swing. Cheers and applause intertwined seamlessly, filling the entire auditorium. The students unleashed their energy with abandon, as if they wanted to release all the pressure they'd been holding onto in this one evening. The variety of performances left Su Feiyan in awe: cross-talk, comedy skits, dances, solo songs, choir performances, and even a play prepared by the freshmen. In that moment, he felt grateful to be at this school, thankful for his courage to step out of the blind circle and into a broader world.
Meanwhile, his mother and Lin Xi were engrossed in conversation. No one but them knew what they were talking about. It seemed they had endless things to discuss. Every time Su Feiyan tried to eavesdrop, he failed. They always seemed to know when he was listening, and their voices would drop even lower, making it impossible for him to catch a word.
His father patted him on the shoulder and whispered with a grin, "Don't bother; you won't hear anything. Girls' ability to notice eavesdropping is maxed out. It's a girl's secret skill."
After that, Su Feiyan had no choice but to sit quietly with his father and sister to watch the performances. Of course, with his sister around, "quietly" was out of the question.
"Brother, brother, this dance is so pretty! I want to learn how to dance too!" Su Feiya exclaimed, tugging on his arm excitedly, her voice full of enthusiasm.
"Sure, sure," Su Feiyan replied absentmindedly. But inwardly, he sighed. He knew his sister's three-minute passion for new things all too well.
The performances carried on one after another, and the show was nearing its end. After the current solo performance, it would finally be Su Feiyan's turn.
His mother finally wrapped up her conversation with Lin Xi. Su Feiyan couldn't help but wonder what they'd been talking about for so long. How had his mother managed to get shy, introverted Lin Xi to chat with her for such a long time? He had to admit—his mom's social skills were maxed out. It seemed like all moms had this innate ability.
"All right, you're up next! Nervous?" his mother asked gently.
"Actually, I'm fine. Your son has had plenty of stage experience," Su Feiyan replied confidently, though a slight tension lingered in his chest. Maybe it was because his family was here. Or maybe it was because Lin Xi was here. He silently promised himself to do his best.
"Xiao Feiyan!" A familiar voice suddenly called out. Su Feiyan stood up in surprise.
"Teacher! You really came!" He stood up and gave his teacher a big hug.
"Of course I came! How could I miss a performance by my most outstanding student?" his teacher said with a smile, pulling him toward the backstage area. "I'll walk you to the stage in a moment. Remember, don't get nervous—just play like you always do. Adjust the bench after you sit down, and don't forget to bow after the performance."
"Got it," Su Feiyan nodded.
"Oh, by the way!" his teacher added as they walked. "That adorable little deskmate of yours will be watching from the audience too. All right, let's get ready."
The host's voice came through the microphone: "For our final performance tonight, let's welcome Su Feiyan, who will be performing a piano solo: Debussy's 'Clair de Lune.'"
A wave of applause and cheers swept through the room, growing louder and louder. He thought he could hear his father, sister, mother, and even a faint cheer from Lin Xi amidst the crowd.
Accompanied by his teacher, Su Feiyan stepped into the spotlight, standing center stage. He knew that countless pairs of eyes were fixed on him. A bright beam of light illuminated him, making him the focus of everyone's attention.
Sitting down, he adjusted the bench to the right height and placed his fingers gently on the keys. The instant his fingers touched the piano, a strange yet comforting sense of familiarity coursed through him. It was the same piano from the music room, the one that had accompanied him through countless hours of practice. He realized this was the very piano he had played for Lin Xi.
But wait—he thought—this wasn't the piano they used during the rehearsal. Someone must have known how familiar he was with this one and swapped it for tonight.
He pushed the question aside, deciding it could wait. Taking a deep breath, he brought his focus back to the moment. His performance began.