36. Concert Etude: The Howl of the Forest
◎Hero◎
[A prominent entrepreneur's extramarital affair was exposed; his mistress and child attempted suicide in a busy city center!]
[The wife suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized; the marriage to the wealthy man had long been a sham!]
[Unveiling Liang XX: A Business Empire and a Broken Family...]
Similar headlines, accompanied by blurred but still vividly depicting the chaos at the scene, circulated on major social media platforms and news portals, reflecting the public's already fervent interest in the secrets of the wealthy and ethical tragedies.
Liang Chuling's name, along with the halo of her genius piano prodigy, was thrown into the center of public opinion for the first time in such an unpleasant way.
No one involved was spared; all became victims of this storm.
Liang Chuling's phone number, which she used for business collaborations, was almost constantly being called.
Reporters, partners, school teachers, and even some distant relatives.
She is being truly dissected by public opinion.
Her life, her family, her privacy, her sadness and anger, were all laid bare for people to judge.
Her past relationship with Zhou Xu was brought up again; even Li Xun, who is far away in Philadelphia, was dug up by netizens, who speculated whether there were more complicated emotional entanglements involved.
Ms. Ma held her daughter's hand tightly: "Don't look, don't listen."
But there's no way to avoid seeing or hearing it.
Some media outlets called her private number directly, aggressively asking: "Ms. Liang, as your daughter, do you feel responsible for your father's mistress's suicide with her child? Do you regret confronting your father in such a drastic way?"
As Liang Chuling listened to the other party's question, which contained hidden traps, the confusion and pressure reached their peak, but instead gave rise to calmness: "I don't regret it."
The other party was clearly not expected to be so direct and remained silent.
Liang Chuling continued, "I don't regret it. Under the circumstances at the time, it was the only way I could think of to get what we deserved."
“I don’t regret it. They’re not the only victims. My mother almost died too. Why should I regret it? Why don’t you ask my father if he regrets it?”
Liang Chuling hung up the phone immediately after speaking. She didn't know if she regretted it or not, but whether she regretted it or not didn't mean she felt guilty towards Zhou Xu, or towards that woman and child.
But this guilt is a weight she must bear alone, not a scripted performance of remorse in front of the public. She must armor her wounded heart.
Aunt Zhang arrived at the hospital with food, looking very worried. On the way, she overheard a news report on the car radio saying that the stock price of Liang's father's company had plummeted, putting immense pressure on the board of directors, who were demanding that Liang's father quell the situation as soon as possible and restore the company's reputation.
“He will definitely hold you accountable for this,” Ms. Ma said, watching the news.
Sure enough, in the evening, Liang's father called Liang Chuling directly.
"Liang Chuling, you're using such despicable means to ruin me? What do you think you'll gain? You think you're so capable? Let's see how many of your performances and endorsements you can keep!"
Liang Chuling received a call from the school. The caller's tone was tactful but firm, advising her not to participate in an on-campus exchange performance scheduled for next week.
This is just the beginning.
Several collaborative projects that were originally in talks also indicated around the same time that they "need to reassess the risks of cooperation" or "suspension of progress".
Isolation surrounded us from all sides.
Zhou Xu's situation was equally bad, or even worse.
His elders flew to Beijing and interrogated him for several hours in his apartment.
Although there is currently no direct evidence to file a case regarding the kidnapping allegations, the police's initial questioning has been enough to put the Zhou family on high alert.
They used a lot of resources to mediate and barely managed to keep the situation under investigation, but Zhou Xu's music career had already been devastated.
The performance invitations that had already been greatly reduced due to his bad behavior were completely wiped out, and partners terminated their contracts one after another, with demands for compensation flying in like snowflakes.
"You can't stay in the country any longer." Finally, the elders made the decision. "Come back with us immediately and wait out this storm. As for the piano, we'll talk about that when you've calmed down!"
Zhou Xu was effectively placed under house arrest, and an unprecedented sense of powerlessness and regret overwhelmed him.
Amidst the storm, Liang Chuling felt a conflict with that voice from across the ocean that she herself couldn't understand.
She kept checking her phone, longing to hear Li Xun's voice—but when she actually saw his name, fear would rush in first.
How much does he know? What will he think? What will Li Chi think?
However, Li Xun's contact with him became infrequent, with only the fixed greetings every morning and evening.
Good morning, little genius.
Good night, get some rest.
The initial confusion was quickly replaced by relief.
She pieced together from scattered information and WeChat Moments updates that Li Chi had made a major breakthrough. A new sponsor had shown interest in the idea of an all-Chinese French-style orchestra, and they were working hard on it. Li Xun accompanied Li Chi around preparing materials, working day and night.
The little time he managed to squeeze out for greetings was already at its limit.
Looking at the few words he sent, Liang Chuling felt relieved that he was unaware of the upheaval happening here.
She was too tired, too tired to waste any more energy explaining this mess, and she refused to hear any accusations that might come out about her immaturity or impulsiveness.
For him, it was a long-awaited rain after a drought; for her, it was a filthy quagmire. Yet, she stubbornly raised her head, feeling that everything she had done was due to the circumstances and she had no other choice, and therefore she should not be blamed.
The storm continued to rage, and Liang Chuling was surrounded by enemies.
As a result, Ms. Ma, who had been bedridden, contacted a media outlet and requested a public interview.
The interview took place in the hospital ward.
Facing the camera, Ms. Ma calmly recounted the indifference and betrayal in her marriage over the years, as well as how Mr. Liang still pressured her to divorce after learning of her heart attack, and even threatened her in the hospital.
But she didn't dwell on her pain.
“My daughter, Liang Chuling, is just a child who loves the piano. She shouldn't be dragged into the ugly disputes of adults, and she shouldn't have to endure these unwarranted accusations and suppression because of her father's mistakes.”
“Many people think she was impulsive. But I want to say that everything she did was not for herself, but for me. She saw me lying in the hospital, and she was just doing what a daughter and a victim could do in a desperate situation.”
“I will document all the injustices and oppression against my daughter and reserve the right to pursue legal action. As a mother, I will never allow anyone to harm my child.”
Once the interview video was broadcast, Ms. Ma won a lot of sympathy and support with her image as a victim and protector, both fragile and strong.
Times have changed. Public opinion today favors narratives featuring strong female protagonists. For a time, the topic of a prodigy pianist fiercely confronting her cheating father for her mother even overshadowed the attention given to the sex scandal itself.
Immediately afterwards, another unexpected wave of support quickly sparked a second wave of attention on social media platforms.
It's Lin Jiani.
She published a long article, not shying away from her past disgraceful identity, but instead using it as a starting point to tell the whole story about her and Liang's father, and how Liang Chuling put aside past grievances, allowing her to find her footing and dreams again at the age of thirty.
Lin Jianni pleaded for more tolerance and understanding from the public towards Liang Chuling.
This lengthy article, with its unique perspective and sincere emotions, has sparked numerous shares and discussions. People have seen another side of Liang Chuling beyond her family tragedy.
Shortly after this article was published, Jin Xi somehow logged into the school's official account and forwarded Lin Jiani's long article.
Lin Jiani's heartwarming testimony from the past, combined with Jinxi's official support in the present, create a resonance between the two forces—one gentle and one firm—which echoes Ms. Ma's interview and together form a protective wall.
Public sympathy and appreciation for independent women were mobilized, and there was a significant shift in the accusations and prying directed at Liang Chuling personally.
The public's criticism was more focused on Liang's father.
The mother and daughter had never been closer than they were at this moment.
They were no longer vines clinging to that man, but allies relying on each other to face the storms together.
Public pressure and pressure from the board of directors left Liang's father in a state of utter distress.
The company's stock price continued to decline, and its partners became uneasy.
Ultimately, on the advice of his lawyers and public relations team, in order to save the company, he had to issue a public apology, admitting his irresponsibility towards his family and promising not to interfere with or suppress Liang Chuling's career and life in any way.
Liang's father seemed to age ten years in an instant.
He saved his company, but his image as a businessman who kept his promises and his pretense of a loving father had collapsed and could never be salvaged.
Under the strong arrangement of his family, Zhou Xu boarded a flight to an overseas destination.
He didn't notify anyone, and no one had time to see him off.
The investigation into the kidnapping ultimately came to nothing due to insufficient evidence and the victim's poor mental state, which prevented her from providing valid testimony.
But the price he paid was temporarily leaving the land he longed to showcase his talents, and also leaving Liang Chuling, whom he cherished. His music career entered a long hibernation.
The woman and child were properly taken care of and placed in a private sanatorium to receive psychological and physical treatment.
The storm subsided at an extremely fast pace thanks to the combined efforts of the Liang and Zhou families.
They all hope this scandal will be over as soon as possible, so they are using all available resources to cool things down, remove it from trending topics, and guide public opinion.
The shared desires of capital and power are sometimes more effective than any public relations maneuver.
From a certain perspective, this has become a good thing in another sense.
The situation escalated as quickly as it did initially, and it has subsided just as quickly now, like a thunderstorm that came and went in a flash.
-
The sky outside the window was a clear, bright blue. Liang Chuling looked at the newly sprouted green shoots in the garden downstairs and accompanied her mother to complete the discharge procedures.
Liang Chuling helped her mother out of the hospital. The sunlight was dazzling, and she squinted.
Now there are push notifications about her everywhere.
[The countdown to the fall of a prodigy: Liang Chuling may have to temporarily leave the stage]
[Psychological experts say that Liang Chuling needs at least two years of psychological healing after experiencing such a major family upheaval]
[Management team suggests taking a break from school, Curtis's trip may be in jeopardy]
The car is already waiting.
Ms. Ma opened the car door: "Are you really sure?"
"I've thought it through."
Ms. Ma got into the car: "Actually, what they said makes sense. Taking a break for a year or two is not a bad thing."
Liang Chuling closed the car door: "I can't stop."
"Why? You're not even 18 yet, you have plenty of time."
"If I stop, I might never get up again. Everyone is waiting for me to stop, so I can't stop."
As the car drove along Chang'an Avenue, Tiananmen Square was teeming with tourists, and red flags fluttered in the wind.
“That would be very hard,” Ms. Ma finally said.
“I know, but stopping will be even harder. After I stop, I will ask myself every day, and then I will hate myself.”
Ms. Ma continued, gently placing her hand on the back of her daughter's hand: "You don't need to work so hard. You can rest. It's okay if you can't get up. You can try something else. Don't let the piano bind you for life. You are free."
Liang Chuling looked down at her mother's hand. The hand was well-maintained, but there were still bluish bruises on the back of the hand from when she received an IV drip during her hospitalization.
"But I've been bound to the piano for life."
Elena once said that Liang Chuling was different from them.
They can see their own boundaries, so they are free to choose other options.
But Liang Chuling had already been chosen, chosen by the piano, and since she had been chosen, she could not back down.
The agent called: "Chu Ling, Curtis has replied. Their campus performance spots are very limited, and freshmen usually need at least a semester to adjust before they can get a chance to perform. They've agreed to let you participate in the opening ceremony performance, but there's a condition."
"What are the conditions?"
"The school has proposed that you participate in a school-wide competition to challenge teachers and students, with the voters being students from within the school. You will represent the freshmen and compete against those teachers."
Liang Chuling remained silent for a moment.
"Chu Ling, this is a match we're destined to lose. The students can't possibly vote against the teachers."
If you knew it was a match you were destined to lose, would you still go?
Liang Chuling said, "I'll go."
The final movement of the Heroic Polonaise is actually a funeral.
The hero is dead, and people are holding a funeral for him.
But the music didn't stop at the funeral. After the funeral, there was another short, soft passage that continued on.
It's as if to say: The hero is dead, but the road continues.
The most important thing about a hero's journey is perhaps the "journey".
When Liang Chuling plays, she always thinks about that passage: why did Chopin write those few sections after the hero's death?
Later I understood that the world doesn't stop turning just because a hero falls; fate will choose a new hero and make way for the next one.
Liang Chuling opened her palms. These hands were once born only to touch musical notes, but now they have experienced shattering and have also driven the treacherous gears of fate.
Geniuses cannot admit to being vulnerable, and heroes cannot admit to needing to be saved.
Even if everything is out of control, she still has to keep going. Keeping going means that she can't push anything away.
The screen lit up again; it was a message from Li Xun.
[Author's Note]
The next chapter will be broken.
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