Chapter 61 Trio: My heart sank to the bottom of an icy abyss.

Gu Yinyan noticed the moment she trembled slightly.

Pretending not to know that the trembling was caused by him, he tightened his grip on the soft ruler in his hand, and his knuckles lightly swept across her lower back again.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

Gu Yinyan turned his head slightly, his lips only half a centimeter away from her face.

A light blush crept onto her face as he drew near. He couldn't help but think of a long time ago, when she had just kissed him, her face cradled in his hands—a scene just like that.

"Gu Yinyan, let me go right now." Liang Yizhi whispered, turning her face slightly in the opposite direction. "Catherine... will be back soon."

The commanding tone sounded more like a plea to him.

Gu Yinyan withdrew his hand and released her. The soft ruler at his waist slid away as nimbly as a water snake and returned to his hand.

This is enough; if it goes any further, she might really get angry.

He carefully rewound the ruler in his hand, and said calmly, "You seem to have lost some weight."

Still thin? Who's to blame for this? They've been making her think about all sorts of nonsense all day long, how could she not be thin?

In addition, she has no one to confide in now, and all her doubts are hidden in her heart, so it's normal for her to lose a pound or two.

The faint blush on Liang Yizhi's face hadn't yet faded. She said, contradicting herself, "You're mistaken."

Gu Yinyan simply looked at her and said, "If it's you, it can't be wrong."

Liang Yizhi had a gut feeling that if Catherine didn't show up soon, her face might burn.

Fortunately, Catherine returned shortly afterward and finished measuring the other required data for Liang Yizhi.

The dress customization process takes about two to three weeks, so it should arrive just in time for the concert.

After leaving the studio, Gu Yinyan took Liang Yizhi to eat nearby. Liang Yizhi hadn't eaten much all day, but her stomach didn't feel empty; in fact, she couldn't eat much.

Gu Yinyan, sitting opposite him, put down his cutlery and asked, "What's wrong?"

Liang Yizhi has been acting strangely ever since they left the studio.

She hesitated for a moment, but finally said frankly, "It's nothing, it's just that you gave me such an expensive gift, and I'm wondering how to reciprocate."

Perhaps it's true that one is obligated to accept gifts, the better Gu Yinyan treated her, the more uneasy she felt. She kept thinking about what gift would be appropriate to give him in return, but she couldn't come up with anything.

She didn't want to make these reciprocal gestures too obvious; she needed to find an appropriate time to give back in a reasonable and appropriate manner.

Gu Yinyan didn't care about any of that. He gave Liang Yizhi the gift simply because he wanted to give it to her, without any other intentions.

He thought for a moment and said, "If you really want to give me a return gift, then focus on preparing for the performance."

Gu Yinyan's voice is clear and melodious:

"That would be the best gift for me."

-

When the holiday ended, Liang Yizhi met Huo Si at the orchestra.

The week before she learned that Hoss was coming, she couldn't sleep well and dreamed about rehearsing, afraid that she wouldn't be familiar enough with the piece and would embarrass herself in front of Hoss.

On their first meeting, they simply exchanged greetings and got to know each other briefly.

Hoss himself was somewhat different from what she had imagined.

His short, curly hair was coiled into many loops, most of it nearly gray. He had a dignified appearance, and the reflective glasses on his nose made him seem unapproachable, somewhat like an illustration of a celebrity in a textbook.

However, Hoss is actually very friendly. He will greet each member of the band politely in turn, answer all questions, and patiently listen to their stories of becoming his fans.

Liang Yizhi didn't get too close to him, but that didn't stop her from looking at him with starry eyes from afar, gazing at him quietly with admiration.

Being able to be in such a space with her idol was already a dream come true for her, let alone being able to perform on the same stage with him.

When Gu Yinyan came to pick her up, she surprisingly forgot about the unpleasant incidents that had happened between them before, and her animated expression when sharing them with him was as if she had returned to the past.

Her colors came alive again.

Seeing how happy she was, Gu Yinyan was also infected by her good mood, and a smile appeared on his face.

He asked Liang Yizhi, "Did you tell him that you are also his fan and have liked him for many years?"

"No," Liang Yizhi said. "Idols and fans should maintain an appropriate distance."

"Furthermore, we'll be working together in the future. I don't want him to feel too burdened when we collaborate."

Liang Yizhi doesn't think her feelings are important enough to warrant the other person knowing. This affection is worthless in the face of a perfect performance. What she needs to do is eliminate personal emotions, let go of so-called burdens, and give herself and the performance a perfect ending.

Gu Yinyan knew that the more she said this, the more it meant that Liang Yizhi was under some kind of hidden pressure.

They say they don't want to put pressure on others, but actually they carry a heavier burden in their hearts than anyone else.

The car was parked steadily in front of the house, just like always.

Outside the car, the wind was bleak; inside, the air was warm and humid.

Just as Liang Yizhi was about to wave goodbye to him, Gu Yinyan stopped her.

She turned her head and saw a pair of unfathomable eyes staring at her.

"Don't worry," Gu Yinyan told her. "Since the orchestra entrusted this task to you, it means they believe you can do it well."

"I believe in your abilities." He tilted his head slightly. "I believe... Liang Yizhi will do a great job, right?"

Liang Yizhi looked into his eyes, and there was affirmation, encouragement, and everything that made her feel at ease.

Like a spell from a fairy tale, after saying this, Liang Yizhi silently recited it in her heart and smiled softly.

"Yes. She'll do a great job."

-

Rehearsals with Hoss began in earnest.

During warm-up before rehearsal, Hoss sat down at the piano and casually played a piece. When he finished, he turned around and found a girl standing behind him watching him.

She is the girl who will be playing a duet with me.

Liang Yizhi quickly turned her head away, pretending not to be looking at him.

Haus was amused by her and asked her in English, "Shy girl, why are you avoiding me?"

Liang Yizhi turned around and said, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to get a little closer to admire it, and I was afraid of disturbing you."

“Not at all.” Hoss spread his hands. “We should get to know each other better; it will be very helpful for the concert.”

Only after receiving permission did Liang Yizhi dare to step forward and exchange a few words with Huo Si.

The trio tests the coordination and understanding between several instruments and musicians. Hoss's initiative to get close was very helpful for this practice, and it unconsciously shortened the psychological distance between them.

After warming up individually, they began their first joint performance of the excerpt, starting with the piano.

The piano keys under Hoss's hands seemed to be dancing sprites, and the music flowed out smoothly and beautifully.

Liang Yizhi and Shi Ruocheng, who were opposite her, exchanged a surprised glance.

He truly deserves to be called a world-renowned pianist.

Shi Ruocheng and Liang Yizhi have been able to coordinate well in the past few days of practice, so the most important task is to work on their synergy with Huo Si.

Hoss's playing is superb, and the biggest challenge for them is to ensure that the audience cannot perceive the differences between the musicians. They are working hard to overcome this challenge through practice.

The piano sets the tone for the piece, followed by the violin and cello entering simultaneously.

Liang Yizhi was completely focused, with all her attention on her two hands as she drew the bow and rubbed the strings.

As they got into the swing of things, the three instruments seemed to be having a fierce dialogue, each expressing its own understanding of the music, and finally merging into one.

The first round of practice is over.

Liang Yizhi slowly lowered the bow, and a few seconds later, Huo Si was the first to applaud.

Both Liang Yizhi and Shi Ruocheng had expressions of surprise and delight on their faces.

"That's fantastic! It's much better than I expected on the first try," Hoss said. "You guys are really talented."

Liang Yizhi was initially worried that she would become distracted during rehearsals, but fortunately, once she settled down, she found herself more engaged than she had imagined. This was largely thanks to Huo Si's professional attitude and Shi Ruocheng's meticulous approach to the performance.

This ensemble performance gave them tremendous confidence.

The next step was to discuss and adjust some details.

...

Two more weeks passed.

During this time, Liang Yizhi also visited Catherine's studio twice. She tried on sample dresses and made minor adjustments to the size and fit.

Gu Yinyan accompanied her both times, but having learned from her previous experience, she didn't let him in this time to prevent him from having any other ideas.

The production schedule for this dress was very tight, so by the time it was ready for fitting on the last day, it was right before the performance.

Before entering the fitting room, Gu Yinyan asked her from behind, "The ready-made clothes are already out, can't I even see them?"

Liang Yizhi naturally had her own thoughts on this.

"Wouldn't it be less of a surprise if I saw it beforehand?" she said. "Anyway, there's only one day left before we see it, so just bear with it a little longer."

Gu Yinyan was forced to stay outside, and watching her retreating figure, he could only smile helplessly.

The dress looked fantastic when tried on; it had many more detailed designs than the initial version, and Liang Yizhi was extremely satisfied.

She said to Catherine, "Thank you, Catherine, this is truly the most beautiful dress I've ever worn."

Catherine winked at her: "It's only because the model is beautiful that she can pull off such a great look."

Liang Yizhi smiled, lifted her skirt, and walked to the sofa. She picked up a box from her small bag: "This is a small gift I bought for you. Thank you for going to so much trouble."

"Oh my god!" Catherine exclaimed, "I have a salary, and Mr. Gu has already paid me. Why are you buying these things for me?"

"His is his, and mine is mine. Open it and see if you like it."

She picked out a pair of delicate earrings for Catherine; they weren't very expensive, but their unique design made them stand out.

Liang Yizhi knew, of course, that Gu Yinyan had paid for her custom-made dress, so she didn't need to worry about it at all. But she didn't want outsiders to misunderstand, as if she were Gu Yinyan's appendage.

After considering it, Catherine accepted the gift.

"Thank you, Ms. Liang. I really like this earring." After she finished speaking, she leaned closer to Liang Yizhi and whispered, "I always thought you were Mr. Gu's girlfriend. Judging from your tone, you're not?"

“No.” Liang Yizhi shook her head. “We’ve just been good friends for many years.”

"I see." Catherine nodded.

After trying on the clothes and making sure everything was correct, Catherine packed the clothes for Liang Yizhi.

She handed her the bag: "Then I wish Mr. Gu and you a speedy recovery..."

Halfway through her sentence, Catherine shook her head and changed what she was about to say to herself: "I wish you a successful performance tomorrow!"

Liang Yizhi smiled and accepted it, saying, "Thank you."

The next day.

The long-awaited performance is finally about to begin, taking place in the grand theater in the city center.

Liang Yizhi specially curled her hair today, creating a soft, curly perm. Her hair was braided into a long, thin side braid that draped over her fair shoulders and neck.

When she changed into the custom-made dress, she drew gasps of admiration from everyone.

Even Hoss exclaimed, "My God, it's so beautiful. It feels like I'm going to perform with the princess in the castle today."

Liang Yizhi couldn't help but chuckle at his exaggerated style of praise.

Before the performance, she quietly turned on her phone. Half an hour earlier, she had sent a message to Gu Yinyan.

Have you arrived yet?

No reply yet.

Gu Yinyan had made a promise to her long ago that he would come to see her performance today no matter what. With half an hour until the show started, he was most likely driving.

Liang Yizhi stopped thinking about it, put down her phone, checked the bow and strings, tuned the instrument, and made final preparations for the performance.

—The last ten minutes.

Liang Yizhi glanced at the time, patted her chest to calm her nerves. She then opened WeChat and discovered that Gu Yinyan hadn't replied yet.

Has it finally arrived...?

She guessed that something might have happened that caused a delay. Being late or not replying to messages didn't seem like Gu Yinyan's style.

She sent him an emoji.

When I put the phone down again, it suddenly started vibrating violently on the table and almost slid off the edge.

Liang Yizhi's heart skipped a beat at the vibration frequency.

Thinking it was Gu Yinyan, I was surprised to see an unfamiliar number displayed on the screen.

She felt the number looked familiar, but couldn't remember where she had seen it before.

Liang Yizhi answered with a puzzled look: "Hello."

"Hello, is this Yizhi?" The voice on the other end was panting.

"Yes, it's me."

“I am your Aunt Mao, your mother’s friend.” She seemed to be moving, walking very fast, and her voice was trembling.

Liang Yizhi remembers that her mother did indeed have such an old classmate.

Before she could speak, Aunt Mao, panting heavily, said in a hurried voice:

"I went hiking with your mother in the mountains today, and she... accidentally fell and slipped down the slope. She's unconscious now, so please come to the hospital as soon as possible."

A phone call from not long ago flashed through her mind; her mother had told her that she wanted to go hiking to exercise.

Mom... fell down the mountain?

Liang Yizhi's brain almost crashed instantly, and she lost the ability to react. Her heart sank to the bottom of a cold abyss.