Chapter 56, Song 56...
The preliminary results are in.
Qu Jiaying and Le Yi squeezed under the notice board. Ruan Qi stepped out of the crowd after looking at it from the front and happened to see Qu Jiaying. She hesitated for a moment and only greeted her.
Qu Jiaying hesitated for a moment and did not ask her about her ranking.
Le Yi finally squeezed in and looked up to read from top to bottom. The first name was Ruan Qi, the second and third names seemed to be from other East Asian countries, and the fourth name was Qu Jiaying.
Actually, this result is quite good, higher than Le Yi expected. After all, he felt that his performance was somewhat dragging down the team, but Qu Jiaying's expectation was to be first in the preliminary round, or at least in the top three.
Qu Jiaying saw clearly and squeezed out of the crowd.
She felt a burning sensation in her chest.
Memories from last week flooded back; it seemed she could never get into the top three. Was it a curse?
Qu Jiaying walked briskly around the venue. Le Yi couldn't catch her, so he had to go to the front and tell the others about her preliminary ranking.
Yan Zheng and Xiang Min didn't have time to complain about Le Yi's performance. They breathed a sigh of relief when they heard that he came in fourth place. Qu's parents were even more overjoyed.
Teacher Xia Xiaolei, on the contrary, was somewhat worried. She knew Qu Jiaying's pride very well and was well aware that she would not be satisfied with this result.
Le Yi was also in a bad mood, and briefly mentioned that she had gone to clear her head.
After reviewing the results, it was time to call it a day. Yan Zheng asked Xiang Min to help everyone pack up and return to the hotel, while he went to find Qu Jiaying.
Xiang Min glanced coldly at Yan Zheng. Everyone knew what the other party was thinking, but nothing could be resolved by staying stuck like this. He turned his head to arrange things.
Le Yi packed his things, still feeling down. Qu's father patted him on the shoulder, and he straightened his back. Qu's mother smiled and praised, "Although I don't know much about music, your performance with Jia Ying today was the most captivating, and the audience's applause was the loudest."
Mr. Qu nodded and said, "You did have some flaws today, but you are still the piano accompanist who best complements the violinist on stage."
Le Yi forced a smile at them. Qu Jiaying must be very angry with him.
Yan Zheng found Qu Jiaying and immediately blamed Le Yi, comforting her that Le Yi hadn't performed well.
Qu Jiaying leaned against the railing on the rooftop where Le Yi had been, gazing into the distance, her black skirt swaying in the wind.
In fact, Qu Jiaying quickly adjusted her emotions and was no longer so depressed. She sighed softly, "I can't push the problem onto others. In the end, it's still my own problem."
“I knew he might have a panic attack, but I didn’t think about how to deal with it. I didn’t take it seriously. It’s like not caring that someone has a seafood allergy but still insisting on cooking fish and shrimp for them. That’s wrong. I should at least have done some preventative exercises with him. Actually, his performance was much better than having a panic attack and not being able to play the piano. But I still didn’t handle it well,” Qu Jiaying said regretfully.
Yan Zheng said that the environment had changed and she hadn't had time to adapt. Qu Jiaying didn't want to blame it on the outside world either, because she had clearly understood the situation before, but her adaptation speed was still a little slow.
Yan Zheng then said that the piece was not suitable for her to express her emotions, as it was too dramatic. Qu Jiaying felt that her interpretation was more unique, so in the end she did not find the most suitable method, which affected the judges' perception.
Yan Zheng also leaned against the railing, turned his head and smiled helplessly: "You are much better than me. I would not start to reflect on myself so quickly. At this time, I am still indulging in my own emotions, but you have already moved on to the next step and thought of all the reasons. However, I still have to advise you not to be too hard on yourself."
Qu Jiaying puffed out her cheeks, sighed, and muttered in a drawn-out voice, "I know."
Yan Zheng chuckled and ruffled her hair.
Qu Jiaying pushed his hand away, but didn't let go. She held his knuckles and remained silent for a while before releasing him. Gazing at the twilight ahead, she spoke of the only pressure she didn't know how to deal with.
She posted the relevant information on her social media account before the competition, and her fans cheered her on. Some people said they would come to the venue, so Qu Jiaying was under a lot of pressure.
“Before, I only played for myself, my parents, and my teachers. I could repay them by practicing hard. But now there are more people supporting me. Oh, and that incredibly expensive piano. Just practicing hard isn’t enough. I have to achieve results. But that’s not something I can control. It’s a competition, so there are opponents and judges. It feels like I’m playing a huge gambling game,” Qu Jiaying said, frowning.
She could understand Yueyi; the music she liked wasn't for competition. It was subjective and couldn't be judged as superior or inferior. But she was also very clear that she had to follow the rules of the game now.
Qu Jiaying feels that she is now trapped by the rules of the game.
She wants to win the championship and wants those who support and like her to see the results.
Yan Zheng advised her not to pay attention to those comments and to play for herself.
Qu Jiaying nodded haphazardly. She knew very well that she had fallen into these traps several times before and couldn't get out of them for a while. She shouldn't care about these things.
But there was nothing she could do; she became even more concerned after seeing her grades.
She smoothed the stray strands of hair that had been blown by the wind and slowly walked outside with Yan Zheng.
Upon arriving at the lobby on the first floor, before even meeting up with Le Yi and the others, they first encountered Wang Zhou.
Wang Zhou looked around and spotted Qu Jiaying. Overjoyed, he quickly went up to greet her.
"I've finally found you."
"What are you doing here?" Qu Jiaying asked in surprise.
Qiu Xue watched the live stream at home. Yes, this competition is being held to the best international standards, and the entire competition is being streamed live on the official website.
“I’ll listen to you and switch jobs. You said I’m a worrier, so I found the job that suits me best. Now I work for a classical music agency,” Wang Zhou said with a smile.
Qu Jiaying raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly. She and Wang Zhou weren't that close. She had only briefly mentioned her thoughts to Qiu Xue. Qiu Xue and Wang Zhou did have a very good relationship, and she relayed everything. He was also quite good and very proactive.
"Are you going to sign Ruan Qi? You'd better hurry, she's currently abroad, where it's more convenient to work for a big company," Qu Jiaying said.
“What are you saying? I’ve been waiting for you,” Wang Zhou said.
Qu Jiaying was somewhat surprised, but also a little delighted.
Yan Zheng found Le Yi and the others, and then came back to take Qu Jiaying there. She found the nearest coffee shop and planned to talk to Wang Zhou, so that Yan Zheng and the others could go back to the hotel first.
Wang Zhou smiled and snatched the women's coat from Yan Zheng's hand, intending to drape it over Qu Jiaying's shoulders. Yan Zheng grabbed it back, staring at him with a subtle expression.
Qu Jiaying didn't feel cold. Yan Zheng handed it to her, saying in a low voice, "Auntie prepared this for you." Only then did she reluctantly put it on.
Autumn comes earlier here.
After calming down, Qu Jiaying felt a slight chill. She pulled her clothes closer to keep her shoulders and back warm.
Wang Zhou also assured Yan Zheng that they would send Qu Jiaying back after their conversation, and told him not to worry.
Qu Jiaying was impatient. She was an adult; didn't she know how to take a taxi back to the hotel? Even as dusk fell, the city was still brightly lit at night.
But it was no use; these two concerned young people had to take care of everything.
After Qu Jiaying and Wang Zhou left, Yan Zheng and Le Yi met up and gave a brief explanation.
Everyone was very happy that a talent agency had approached them after they placed fourth in the preliminary round, but they were also very cautious.
Teacher Xia Xiaolei felt that Wang Zhou's agency was not large and did not have many musicians under its wing. The foreign masters only had mainland China agency rights. However, she also felt that it was already very good that he had a company that came to him with the fourth place result in the preliminary round. He couldn't expect a better company.
Qu's mother was worried that there might be a trap in the contract, but the two ladies were also reassured that Qu Jiaying would calmly understand the whole situation.
Le Yi and Xiang Min were more concerned about whether Qu Jiaying had adjusted her mood. Yan Zheng hesitated for a moment, but still gave an affirmative answer.
Yan Zheng believes that Wang Zhou's arrival is a good thing, as it proves that Qu Jiaying's performance is excellent and that she is qualified to sign a contract, which may relieve her anxiety and pressure.
However, he was a little troubled. Wang Zhou was being too attentive. He was worried, so he took out his phone and tentatively sent a message to Qiu Xue. The reply he received was that their relationship was very good.
Yan Zheng was thinking to himself, "Why don't they know how to avoid suspicion?"
Wang Zhou, unaware of the need to avoid suspicion, was ordering food at a coffee shop. Seeing that it was getting late, but Qu Jiaying hadn't chosen a restaurant, he could only order some sandwiches and snacks.
While chatting with her, Wang Zhou secretly pondered that he and Qu Jiaying had known each other for quite some time, but they had always been avoiding each other and maintaining a distance between them.
But they also have their own judgments about each other. For example, Qu Jiaying thinks he is a worrier but treats Qiu Xue very well, and his abilities are not bad either.
Wang Zhou previously thought that Qu Jiaying was very capable, treated her female friends like Qiu Xue very well, and also had many scandals. As the boyfriend of Qu Jiaying's friend, he had to stay away from her as much as possible.
But now he has changed his stance, treating Qu Jiaying as a younger sister he takes care of, and his thoughts have changed accordingly.
You are very capable and practice very hard, but don't overwork yourself; you have a good relationship with female friends, so cooperate more, but also keep an eye on them in case any new friends have bad intentions; having many rumors with the opposite sex is not necessarily a bad thing, it means you are popular, but you must not get entangled with scumbags.
Qu Jiaying felt his meticulous care and said helplessly, "Let's not even talk about the fact that I haven't signed a contract with you yet. Even if I had, I would still just be your client. There's no need to go to this extent, is there?"
Wang Zhou took a sip of his lukewarm coffee, shook his head, and said, "I know that most people in this industry treat musicians as clients, but I'm not that type of person."
Qu Jiaying thought to herself, "But I will evaluate it."
Because of his arrival, Qu Jiaying became even more certain that better and bigger agencies would approach her in the future.
Wang Zhou gently reassured him, "Don't be nervous. I know our company can't offer you any more help right now, but you can definitely talk to other companies."
"I'm too embarrassed to look for other places if you're like this," Qu Jiaying said with a smile.
"After all, I also have a musical background, so I understand your sensitivity and the pressure you face. I will be honest with every musician," Wang Zhou said earnestly.
Qu Jiaying wiped the fries crumbs off her hands and asked curiously, "So there are selection criteria, right?"
"After all, this is still a business, so we definitely need to find musicians who are more popular with the audience. We all need to make a living," Wang Zhou said with a smile.
He pondered for a moment and then told Qu Jiaying how he had chosen her this time.
Actually, it wasn't entirely his achievement. His boss had just separated from a large overseas agency and didn't have many musicians under his wing, so he valued major domestic competitions and wanted to discover some new talents. However, he happened to be accompanying a newly-minted soloist who was also a musician who had left the same large agency for a solo recital, so he didn't come here.
Wang Zhou stayed at the scene the whole time and listened to all of them. Some musicians were more skilled, and if you compared them with the score, there were almost no differences. This might win them an award, and some listeners might like these kinds of musicians. But the most popular ones were the musicians with very personal styles.
Qu Jiaying has this potential.
Wang Zhou's boss watched the live stream remotely. He didn't feel anything special because of the distance, but he trusted Wang Zhou and Teacher Yang's judgment.
Teacher Yang is one of the judges this time. He is a good friend of Boss Wang Zhou and highly recommends Qu Jiaying.
Teacher Yang believes that Qu Jiaying will become a superstar in the classical music world in the future.
Even if female music fans prefer male musicians, the most commercially valuable are female singers, female idols, and actresses who are popular with girls.
Although Qu Jiaying has had scandals and seems to be more popular with the opposite sex, this also means that she has a story to tell, which will attract more attention. Moreover, her temperament is very appealing to women; she is both gentle and powerful, which allows her to win over both male and female listeners.
Upon further investigation, Teacher Yang discovered that Qu Jiaying's instrument and clothing were sponsored. He secretly marveled at how shrewd capitalists were, having identified a potential talent early on. The domestic classical music market has developed very well in the past two years, with many female music fans. However, most of the currently popular musicians are male, and there is a lack of female musicians who are popular with girls. She already has some basic skills.
He quickly messaged his friend who owns a talent agency, urging him to sign her as soon as possible. Otherwise, even if she doesn't win an award after participating in the Elizabeth International Competition next year, she will be immediately signed by a major foreign company.
Ruan Qi's interpretation is more nuanced and more in line with industry perception, but she won't become famous, while Qu Jiaying will remain popular.
Even if many musicians are currently popular online with their own videos, it doesn't mean they can maintain that popularity offline.
Qu Jiaying, on the other hand, is just average in online videos and her still photos are also quite ordinary. She is only prettier than the average girl, but not as pretty as a female celebrity.
The live performance at Qujiaying was excellent.
Her highly infectious playing style, her natural stage presence enjoying the music, and the added touch of her appearance, clothing, and makeup all combine to create the unique violinist Qu Jiaying.
Wang Zhou conveyed Professor Yang's appreciation, and then, after considering his own understanding, said: "Your interpretation is very personal. Even with the grandest theme, when you perform it, it is your own emotion, your perception of the world. The audience is all sitting together, but it still feels like a personal performance, only for yourself, or you are immersed in it and take your own emotions into account."
Qu Jiaying, Cai Rui, and Xiao Xing learned body language and facial expressions. She can engage the audience, and her expression is very avant-garde, which will be very popular. In this increasingly digital age, offline interaction with the audience and connecting with people is more touching.
Qu Jiaying looked at Wang Zhou. His sincerity was precious. No wonder he could move Qiu Xue. Even if a better agency came along later, her heart would inevitably lean towards him.
He may not be a good businessman, but he will be a good broker.
Wang Zhou took a taxi to send her back to the hotel. She returned to her room and gave her mother a brief report on the situation.
Because she had a plan in mind, Qu's mother wasn't too worried, only concerned that she hadn't eaten properly.
Qu Jiaying was a little hungry after having a light dinner, but didn't want to eat too much at this time. Her mother bought some fruit, reminding her to make sure she got enough fruit and vegetables even when she went out.
Qu Jiaying picked a plump, round peach, washed it, ate it, and went for a stroll outside her room. Too many things had happened today, and she was restless. She wanted to sort things out again.
The elevator lobby had a sign that said there was a restaurant with a view on the top floor, so she took the elevator up.
As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she heard the sound of a piano. Qu Jiaying pushed open the heavy restaurant door.
Suddenly, a bright and open view appeared, with a circular restaurant overlooking the building, and the colorful neon lights outside the window reflecting on the glass of the building.
The piano music flowed under the dim light, spreading to Qu Jiaying's side. They were all simple, beginner-level pieces: "Für Elise," "Minuet," "Ode to Joy," and finally "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
Still wearing his black tuxedo, Le Yi was engrossed in playing the white grand piano. His fingertips danced across the keys, and the notes fell freely and unrestrainedly.
Qu Jiaying took another bite of the soft peach, the juice dripping onto her hand. She licked it off to prevent it from getting on her black dress.
Le Yi's slight melancholy gradually dissipated, and only then did she hear some noises and raise her head.
Qu Jiaying took half a step forward, lowered her head and cupped his face, offering him the sweet and fragrant pink fruit pulp.
Le Yi's hands froze, and he didn't know how to react. He only heard Qu Jiaying chuckle softly.
Qu Jiaying sensed his bewilderment. Le Yi didn't know whether to follow her lead or passively accept it. He hesitated, his breathing quickened, and she couldn't help but smile.
Qu Jiaying's stomach, which had been feeling a bit hungry, felt full, and she seemed less anxious than before.
She stroked Le Yi's side of her neck and touched the back of her neck. Le Yi felt a sensation spreading from the back of her neck to her whole body, as if she were melting.
Le Yi's body leaned back involuntarily, and his palm touched the piano keys, making a loud noise.
Qu Jiaying couldn't help but burst into laughter, and Le Yi couldn't hide his smile either.
The dim crystal chandelier watched quietly as two people, dressed in black dresses and tuxedos with their hems intertwined, sat at the white piano, chatting and laughing about the fun they had when they first learned their instruments.
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