Mr. Lizard Outside the Window - Chapter 48
Chapter 48: The Final Round
Xiao Lian woke up to bright sunlight streaming through the gap in the thick hotel curtains, casting long shadows across the carpet.
It was the day of the finals, and Banxia was still asleep? He quickly slid down from the nightstand and burrowed into the warm, white mound of blankets on the bed.
Banxia, her eyes open, watched him from beneath the covers, startling him.
"Time to wake up. It's the finals today," he said, then saw her close her eyes expectantly.
She had said she needed a good luck kiss from her prince before every performance.
She had said it before the preliminaries, and again before the semi-finals, as if he were some kind of lucky charm.
Xiao Lian gently cupped her face in his tiny hands and kissed her softly.
Banxia sat up, her long hair a mess, and slowly opened the curtains, letting the sunlight flood the room. Then, she brushed her teeth, washed her face, got dressed, and checked her violin, her movements slow and deliberate, her expression calm.
But to Xiao Lian, the sunlit room seemed filled with dark, shadowy tendrils creeping out from the corners, from under the carpet, coiling around Banxia's ankles, her legs, her waist, her torso.
"Are you… feeling unwell?" he asked, his voice low, his gaze fixed on her.
"You noticed?" Banxia looked at him, surprised. She hadn't shown any outward signs of discomfort. She touched her stomach. "I have a bit of a stomach ache, but it's nothing serious. I'll take some medicine later."
To Xiao Lian, she seemed even paler than usual, her body radiating a soft, yet steady light, her hand reaching out to him from between the dark tendrils. "Come on, Xiao Lian. It's time to go."
The competition venue was near the hotel, just across an overpass.
Banxia walked slowly, her violin case on her back, a faint light surrounding her, the dark tendrils snapping and recoiling as she moved, then reaching out again, clinging to her.
She must be in a lot of pain, Xiao Lian thought, his heart aching for her.
"If you're not feeling well, we can go to the hospital. It's okay to miss the competition," he said, crawling out of her pocket. "If you just want the prize money, I…"
He stopped, realizing how foolish he sounded. He had seen her passion for music. The prize money wasn't the reason she was here.
"It's just a little pain. It'll make me more… alert," she even managed a smile as they reached the overpass. "I've endured worse. There were times when I almost gave up. But I made it through."
Everyone had their moments of darkness, of pain. But some people shone brighter, their light undimmed by the shadows.
Banxia was one of those people. Just being near her, seeing her strength, gave him courage.
Xiao Lian felt a burning ember in his chest, a painful warmth that was both real and… comforting.
When they arrived, the final round had already begun. Banxia's turn was later. She went to the waiting room backstage.
Several other contestants were there: thirteen-year-old Lin Ling, twenty-five-year-old Cheng Cheng, and Zhang Qinyun.
They were of different ages and temperaments.
Banxia sat quietly, Xiao Lian nestled in her arms, her eyes closed.
Cheng Cheng seemed outgoing and sociable, chatting with the others.
Zhang Qinyun, his face grim, was scrolling through his phone, lost in thought.
Thirteen-year-old Lin Ling was practicing Paganini's Chaconne.
For the final round, the contestants had to choose a piece from a designated list.
Cheng Cheng had chosen Zigeunerweisen. Zhang Qinyun, like Banxia, had chosen the Beethoven Violin Concerto.
"Youth is such a blessing," Cheng Cheng sighed. "At their age, a good ranking in the Collegiate Cup can open doors to international competitions. They can launch their careers straight after graduation. So enviable."
Lin Ling looked up at him, a proud smile on her face.
"Little girl, I remember you said you were going to 'crush us old folks' in the preliminaries," Cheng Cheng chuckled, approaching her.
The girl blushed. "I… I was just joking!"
"At your age, you have so many opportunities. Win a few competitions, graduate, and boom! Instant career! A smooth, easy path," Cheng Cheng said wistfully. "Not like us old folks. We're too old for many competitions. If I don't win this time, I'm giving up on my dreams of becoming a concert violinist. Time to get a real job."
"What kind of job?" Lin Ling asked.
"Who knows? Maybe teach kids at a music school. Play at weddings and funerals. Whatever pays the bills," he looked down at his hands. "I started playing the violin when I was five. Twenty years of practice, barely a day off. I've always dreamed of being a concert violinist. And now… I have to give up."
He gently stroked his violin. "This is my last chance."
His words resonated with anyone who had dedicated their life to music, evoking a pang of sympathy, especially from the young Lin Ling.
She was next, and as she walked towards the stage, her eyes filled with uncertainty, she wondered if she should… hold back, let the older contestant win, give him his last chance at glory.
As she passed Banxia, who was sitting with her eyes closed, Banxia suddenly spoke. "You earn your place on stage, you don't have it handed to you. And for some people, the competition starts the moment they enter this waiting room."
Lin Ling's eyes widened, as if awakening from a dream. She straightened her shoulders, her ponytail swishing behind her, and walked onto the stage with newfound determination.
Cheng Cheng, his face darkening, muttered "Goody two-shoes" under his breath and went outside for a smoke.
In the waiting room, only Zhang Qinyun and Banxia remained, Xiao Lian still nestled in her arms.
"You don't earn your place on stage? So you… earned it by cozying up to the judges?" Zhang Qinyun sneered, the words he had been rehearsing for days finally escaping his lips.
Banxia frowned, confused.
He shoved his phone in her face, the screen displaying the video he had taken outside the teahouse, Jiang Lin hurrying after her, his face pale.
Many of the students at the Central Conservatory of Music came from influential families, their connections extending deep into the music world, their voices amplified by the media platforms they controlled.
He, on the other hand, had clawed his way to where he was with talent and hard work, no connections, no privileges.
He despised those who used their connections to gain an unfair advantage, especially when he had considered her a worthy rival.
"I'm winning this competition. At the Central Conservatory, only the gold medalist matters," he declared, standing over her, his phone held high, his voice tight with anger. "Do whatever you want, but if I don't win, I'm releasing this video."
He had imagined various scenarios, her reactions: panic, anger, denial… he had prepared for all of them.
But the girl simply snorted, her expression unchanged, still lounging in her chair, as if completely unconcerned.
"Go ahead," she said, her gaze fixed on the black gecko she was stroking, her brow slightly furrowed.
"Do you even understand what this means? If this video goes viral, everyone will know about your… relationship with that… maestro," he said, not knowing the exact nature of their relationship, but certain it was… scandalous.
Even the most beautiful face could be distorted by… ugliness.
Zhang Qinyun's own face was now contorted with anger, his voice low and menacing, her indifference infuriating him. "Even if you win the gold medal, your reputation will be ruined. You'll never perform again."
Banxia opened her eyes and looked at him. "So you're admitting you've already lost?"
His carefully constructed facade crumbled at her words, his deepest fear exposed.
"I don't care about his reputation," Banxia leaned forward, her eyes blazing with anger, her finger stabbing at the figure on the screen. "As long as I have my music, my violin, my heart… I'll always have a stage."
The black gecko on her shoulder crawled up her arm and nuzzled her cheek, then turned and glared at Zhang Qinyun, its black body a stark contrast to her pale skin, its eyes seeming to gleam with understanding.
Banxia leaned back in her chair, one hand resting on her stomach, her voice calm and measured. "As for you… I haven't heard you play. But from the moment you resorted to this… your music is tainted. It's not even worth listening to."
Her words, her tone, her utter disdain, stunned him.
She's the one who should be ashamed, he thought. Why is she so confident? Why am *I* the one feeling guilty?
"If it were a fair competition…" he muttered, his voice low, "I wouldn't lose to you."
"We're both playing the Beethoven. Remember what Beethoven said? Music comes from the heart. Only a pure heart can create true beauty. You… with your… schemes and your threats… you can't win," Banxia said, her lips curving into a smug smile. "Oh, I forgot. You probably don't understand these things."
The black gecko on her shoulder flicked its pink tongue, as if mocking him along with her.
"You're just… close to Jiang Lin! That's the only reason you're so confident!" Zhang Qinyun sputtered, his face red with anger.
"True musicians judge music with their hearts and ears, not with gossip and videos. You mentioned Shang Xiaoyue. Did you know her father was in the audience during the semi-finals?"
Banxia closed her eyes, her face pale, no longer interested in engaging with him.
Xiao Lian's pampering had made her soft, she realized. Just a few days of irregular meals and the stress of the competition, and her stomach was acting up again. And at such a crucial moment.
The sharp cramps made her long for her violin, for the solace of the music.
It was Zhang Qinyun's turn to perform. He stood backstage, his mind still reeling from their confrontation.
Shang Chengyuan, Xiaoyue's father, was a renowned violinist, someone Zhang Qinyun had always admired.
If Shang had been at the Rongyin selection round, and Banxia had won, it meant they both recognized her talent, her musicality.
He knew he shouldn't be thinking about this now, not before his performance.
But his mind was restless, his heart unsettled. Perhaps the arrogant girl was right. His heart wasn't pure, his music tainted by his… schemes.
He walked onto the stage, the applause washing over him, and looked out at the audience.
He didn't see his mother.
A wave of disappointment washed over him.
He scanned the crowd again and saw a middle-aged woman in a plain grey coat, sitting in the seat he had given her.
His mother, usually dressed in flashy clothes, her hair styled, her makeup impeccable, now looked… ordinary, her hair pulled back in a simple bun, her face bare, a pair of black-rimmed glasses perched on her nose.
She sat there, a little awkwardly, her gaze fixed on him.
He almost hadn't recognized her.
A lump formed in his throat.
He remembered how, when he was little, practicing at home, his mother would always rush over, her voice filled with exaggerated praise, her arms wrapping around him in a tight hug. "Oh my god! That was heavenly! My son is a genius!"
He had been embarrassed by her effusiveness then. Now, he realized it had been years since he had played for her, years since he had heard her proud voice.
Don't think about it, he told himself, adjusting his violin, lifting his bow.
Just play. Play this piece for her. Let her hear the music, the "heavenly" music she loved.
Mom, listen to me play.
In the waiting room, Banxia, her eyes closed, suddenly opened them.
The distinctive four beats of the timpani, then the orchestra fading, the violin's sweet melody entering, gradually swelling.
"Beethoven…" Banxia murmured, listening intently. "Such a gentle, lyrical interpretation. It almost sounds like… 'Ave Maria'."
She and Xiao Lian exchanged glances, a reluctant admiration in their eyes.
They had just been criticizing him, but his playing… it was beautiful.
A warmth spread through her, a poignant reminder of her mother.
And strangely, she heard echoes of her own interpretation in his music, their understanding of the piece, despite their differences, converging.
Human nature is so strange, she thought.
Even if she disliked him, she had to admit, his music was… worthy of her, a true rival.
*sighhh*
ReplyDeleteLi'l bro should think about his choices more
Tsk tsk
He has a nice mom :(