novelraw Chapter 147:
Chapter 147:
Chapter 147: Gan Yanyu's Idol
For all art students, whether satisfied or regretful, the story of the provincial art exam—sweat-soaked and footprint-laden—had now come to an end. Life would go on, with college entrance exams and other tests waiting ahead. For Lin Tian, this provincial exam had been far easier than he'd anticipated. At least, it hadn't weighed as heavily on him as performing at a concert did.
But then again, it wasn't supposed to be that difficult in the first place. Lin Tian simply aimed for perfection, as he always did. As someone who'd never scored below top marks academically, if he was going to take the art exam, he intended to ace it. That's why he'd pushed himself so hard before the exam, elevating his solo performance skills drastically.
Though the results wouldn't be out for some time, Lin Tian felt he'd done enough. And honestly, this provincial exam wasn't as critical as people made it seem—at least not for him and Gan Yanyu.
To put it simply, the art exam served as a threshold. A strong score allowed art students to compete with regular high school students for university spots, but with significantly lower academic requirements. For example, while a top-tier university might require a staggering 690 points from general candidates, art students could get in with just over 500 points due to their combined scores. Some might even gain admission to prestigious institutions with barely passing grades.
It sounded impressive, even enviable to non-art students. But there was a catch.
Reputable art universities didn't care about provincial exam scores. They held their own rigorous entrance exams, known as school-specific tests. Only students who passed the provincial threshold were eligible to take these exams. Even if you ranked first in the province, it meant nothing unless you aced the school-specific test.
In essence, the art exam was merely a stepping stone. For students using the art route to lower their academic burden, it was a golden ticket to universities they otherwise couldn't dream of attending. However, for those genuinely pursuing artistic dreams, the path was far more grueling. The real battlefield lay in the school-specific exams.
And when it came to Zhonghua Music University, the competition reached its bloodiest level. There, Lin Tian wouldn't just face Qingjiang Province's finest; he'd contend with top-tier musicians from across the country, all vying for the same dream. Compared to the provincial exam, the difficulty of passing here was exponentially higher.
Of course, if Lin Tian truly became Qingjiang's music champion, failing the Zhonghua exam would be unacceptable. But until then, anything could happen. The Zhonghua Music University exam wouldn't occur until next year. Future concerns could wait. For now, Lin Tian could finally relax after completing the provincial exam.
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"Next week, December 20th—the preliminary round of the Parrot Cello Competition."
Just two days into his break, Lin Tian heard those ominous words while clearing lunch dishes in the living room.
"As my piano accompanist, Lin Tian, do your best," Gan Yanyu said earnestly. "This time, we're competing together."
The most terrifying challenge yet was upon them. Last week, Lin Tian had dominated the art exam against fellow seniors. Next week, they'd face Qingjiang Province's elite—a leap akin to defeating a Bronze-ranked player one day and facing Faker in the League of Legends World Championship finals the next.
"Don't you think this is a bit too much?" Lin Tian muttered under his breath.
At that moment, Gan Yanyu, who'd been staring at her phone, gasped suddenly.
"Mr. Toba is coming to Qingzhou!"
"Mr. Toba? Who's that?"
"Toba Jianhui! Have you seriously never heard of him?" Gan Yanyu thrust her phone toward Lin Tian.
On the screen was a news headline:
"Renowned conductor, composer, professor at Zhonghua Music University, and standing director of the Zhonghua Composers Association, Toba Jianhui, arrives in Qingzhou to serve as a judge for the upcoming Parrot Cello Competition."
"Nope, never heard of him," Lin Tian replied bluntly. If he had any knowledge of older-generation musicians, he'd have recognized Grandpa Gan's identity long ago.
"Really? You've never heard of the 'Ocean Wave Orchestra'? He founded it."
"Nope."
"What about Forest Waltz? It's super famous."
"Still no."
Gan Yanyu sighed, giving up on explaining further. She slumped onto the couch, gazing at her phone silently.
Lin Tian wanted to empathize with Gan Yanyu's excitement, but he simply didn't share her reverence. While Toba's titles sounded impressive, Lin Tian refrained from judgment without hearing his work.
"Do you really admire this conductor that much?" Lin Tian asked.
"Yes, I do!" Gan Yanyu turned to him, nodding fervently. "He's incredibly talented. His performances are the most beautiful and moving stages I've ever seen. I've been watching his recordings since I was little."
"I see."
If Gan Yanyu, a performer of her caliber, held such admiration for Toba, he must indeed be extraordinary.
"A big part of why I want to attend Zhonghua Music University is to take one of his classes," she added.
"That makes sense," Lin Tian said. Imagining how Gan Yanyu must feel was like picturing yourself being judged by your lifelong idol during the most important competition of your life. It was understandable why she was so thrilled.
Even Miss Gan, usually composed, couldn't hide her excitement. From another perspective, perhaps Lin Tian could leverage Toba Jianhui's presence to win Gan Yanyu over entirely.
"I can't believe Mr. Toba is judging the Parrot Cello Competition this year," Gan Yanyu said wistfully. "We might even get to meet him during the preliminaries."
"Miss Gan, should we watch this interview clip?" Lin Tian suddenly perked up, handing her the phone.
"Mr. Toba, is there any contestant you're particularly looking forward to seeing in this Parrot Cello Competition?"
"Not exactly looking forward to, but there is one contestant who has caught my attention—"
Toba Jianhui's weathered face exuded authority as he spoke calmly into the camera.
"Her name is Gan Yanyu."