Ji Yi’s face carried a hint of a smile as he looked Shao Xinxin up and down with eyes that seemed to see through everything. "So, you’re Shao Xinxin, huh?"
Previously, when the Shao family wanted him to take Shao Xinxin as his disciple and even tried to bribe him with money, his impression of the Shao family was already poor. But who would’ve thought, as the saying goes, ’blood is thicker than water.’
This Shao Xinxin, who appeared to be only five or six years old, dared to impersonate little one and attempted to become Gu Maowen’s apprentice.
Listening to Ji Yi’s ambiguous words, Gu Maowen curiously asked, "What? Do you know her?"
"I don’t know her, I’ve just heard the name. It’s also true that there have been rumors circulating outside, saying that the person you’re looking for is Shao Xinxin," Ji Yi said with emotion, "I don’t know who spread it, but it’s spread so widely that even you, Gu Maowen, don’t know that you’re looking for Shao Xinxin."
With that, Ji Yi intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Shao Xinxin.
Shao Xinxin pursed her lips slightly but remained silent.
"It’s just rumors," Gu Maowen, not young anymore, had seen through such groundless rumors long ago.
He turned to look at Shao Xinxin and asked, "The little one in the video is only two or three years old, and you’re five or six, right? Why would you claim to be the person in the video?"
Shao Xinxin knew in her heart that her plan would be disrupted by Ji Yi, but she wasn’t flustered at all.
So what if Ji Yi knew Qin Sui’an? So what if he recognized that Gu Maowen was looking for Qin Sui’an?
She had always been attending piano training classes, and she had lived a whole life again. She refused to believe that her piano skills were inferior to Qin Sui’an’s! As long as she played the piano in front of Gu Maowen, he would realize that she was even more talented than Qin Sui’an and more suitable to be his apprentice!
With that in mind, Shao Xinxin confidently raised her chin and looked at Gu Maowen firmly. "Mr. Gu, if you don’t believe me, just listen to me play the piano!"
"Oh?" Gu Maowen chuckled lightly. This little girl’s tone was quite arrogant.
Ji Yi stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking like he was enjoying the show.
The assistant, on the sidelines, listened eagerly, with the gleam of gossip shining in his eyes.
Considering that the little girl seemed to have some skill, he whispered, "Mr. Gu, what if she’s telling the truth? Why don’t you let her play and see?"
Gu Maowen glanced at Shao Xinxin and said, "Alright, I’ll give you a chance."
"Thank you, Mr. Gu!" Shao Xinxin flashed a bright smile. "Mr. Gu, I won’t disappoint you!"
In the lounge, there was an electronic piano. Gu Maowen pointed to it and said, "Go ahead, play your best piece for me."
Shao Xinxin looked at the electronic piano, and a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes. "Mr. Gu, is there no other piano? At home, I use a Steinway piano, the same brand as the one on stage."
The electronic piano cost at most tens of thousands of yuan. How could it match her status?
Gu Maowen frowned.
Ji Yi chuckled. "Old Gu, the electronic piano that accompanied you as you grew up is being scorned."
This electronic piano had been with him for some years. Gu Maowen’s family background used to be extremely poor. This electronic piano was the prize he won when he participated in a competition for the first time and got first place.
Gu Maowen had always treasured it. He even brought it with him wherever he went. On one hand, this electronic piano had given him a different life, and on the other hand, he used it to remind himself to not let money and interests blind his original intentions.
Shao Xinxin was stunned. Ji Yi’s words instantly reminded her of the origin of this electronic piano. She reacted quickly and immediately showed a regretful and self-blaming expression, saying softly, "I’m sorry, Mr. Gu, I can play the electronic piano, but I might not be accustomed to the touch, and there may be mistakes. I hope Mr. Gu won’t mind."
Gu Maowen no longer wanted to listen to her play the piano. Even if she might be the person he was looking for, if her character was so low and her talent notwithstanding, he wouldn’t accept such a person as his apprentice.
Perhaps they had spent too long at the lounge door. There were quite a few people gathered nearby, whispering quietly.
"I just heard that this little girl is Shao Xinxin."
"Oh, isn’t that the person Mr. Gu is looking for?"
"But why does the atmosphere seem off?"
"Is Mr. Gu bullying her?"
The murmurs continued.
Just as Gu Maowen was about to send her away and have his assistant take away this person who had been lying, Ji Yi spoke up to stop him. "There’s no need to ruin your reputation over this matter."
Gu Maowen had been abroad for many years and didn’t understand that public opinion in China could "kill" a person, no matter how powerful or high in status they were. Ji Yi, on the other hand, was more accustomed to these non-mainstream tricks than Gu Maowen. He was better at handling such situations.
Gu Maowen glanced at him, then turned to look at Shao Xinxin. After a moment, he said to her, "Go ahead and play."
"Thank you, Mr. Gu!" Shao Xinxin didn’t dare to mess around anymore, afraid that she would really be driven away and lose her chance. She hurried to the electronic piano, sat down, straightened her back, and placed her hands on the black and white keys.
Shao Xinxin played her best piece, the one that had won her second place in a piano competition in her previous life. She was very confident that this piano piece would definitely make Gu Maowen take notice of her and eagerly accept her as his apprentice!
The sound of the piano echoed from the lounge. Even the people nearby who were watching could hear it.
"It sounds good!" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
"This little girl is quite talented!"
"Maybe she’s really the one Mr. Gu is looking for!"
As the piano piece ended, Shao Xinxin stood up, respectfully bowed to the electronic piano, then turned to Gu Maowen with a face full of anticipation. "Mr. Gu, I’ve finished playing."
Ji Yi knew nothing about the piano, so he didn’t hear anything special in her performance. However, having just attended his old classmate Gu Maowen’s concert not long ago, he felt that Shao Xinxin’s performance was quite ordinary compared to Gu Maowen’s.
He turned to look at his old classmate.
Gu Maowen’s expression didn’t change much, but his eyes conveyed a sense of "I didn’t misjudge you."
He chuckled lightly. "You’re not the person in the video."
Shao Xinxin clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and asked him defiantly, "Mr. Gu, am I worse than her in playing the piano?"
"Hmph." Gu Maowen sneered disdainfully, not mincing his words. "You’re not just a little worse."
A piano piece not only conveyed the emotions of the music but also reflected the character of the pianist. From the piano piece just now, he could hear the superficial emotions, the pretense performed for others, and the improper attitude of the pianist eager to "show off."
This was the worst way to interpret music, and it was the type he hated the most.
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