Chapter 36

Everyone was quiet. Although they were not professional piano students, Vark College had always offered piano classes. The students present had all studied piano for at least some time, and they could tell Kate was playing at a professional, advanced level. Soon, everyone “understood.” Kate was always targeting Emma; Emma mocked Kate—everyone expressed their understanding, assuming it was due to jealousy. However, what they didn’t know was that Kate’s piano playing skills were, in Emma’s eyes, truly poor.

Finally, the piece ended, and the venue erupted in warm applause. Kate stood under the stage lights, her eyes full of expectation, staring intently at the silver-haired man sitting in the main seat, his eyes closed. It was Darell, in a sapphire blue tailcoat that accentuated his noble bearing. His slender fingers possessed the elegant length of a concert pianist's. What was more shocking was that, as a world-class pianist, he was neither overweight nor showed signs of aging, but handsome beyond belief.

After a long while, Darell finally spoke, amid everyone’s anticipation. “As an ordinary, non-piano major student, you played not badly. You’ve got a lot of room for improvement.”

Darell’s words left everyone astonished, and Kate’s mouth gaped open. She wanted to say, “I’ve been studying piano for twenty years. I’m a piano teacher at Vark College, not a student!” but held back. If she said those words, wouldn’t she be slapping her own face?

Kate was extremely embarrassed, and the school leaders hadn’t expected such an awkward situation. The venue was thick with an uncomfortable atmosphere.

“Tsk, tsk!” Suddenly, from the direction of Kate’s class, a girl in a blue-black long dress laughed. Kate was instantly furious, her face contorting. She clenched her fists. “It’s Emma! She’s laughing at me! Since she dares to mock me, I’ll make her a fool of herself in front of the whole school.”

“Mr. Wallaker, actually, we have another classmate who also plays very well. How about letting her come up and play a piece for you?” Kate suggested.

However, Darell was impatient. Kate’s performance had given him a rough assessment of the overall student level at Vark College. He knew that the student chosen to perform the opening piece would be among the school’s best, and it seemed clear to him that Vark College’s music education was in disarray; the students possessed little talent.

“No need. I want to end the lecture early today. I’m in a hurry.” Darell’s words left the Vark College leaders slightly embarrassed. They had hoped to use this arts festival to boost the college's reputation in the arts, spending considerable money to have Kate perform for Darell, hoping he would recognize their school’s caliber and cooperate with them. Instead, he wanted to leave early.

“Mr. Darell, since you’re already here, how about listening to the students play one more piece?”

Chapter 30

“Pyrrhic, my flawed!” Kate said emphatically. “Although I didn’t play well, the student I mentioned has always told me she’s a winner of many competitions, even those I haven’t won. I believe she’ll not disappoint you.” With that, she pointed at Emma. “Emma, come up here!”

Kate’s plan was malicious. She had seen Emma’s information and watched surveillance video of her piano class. While everyone practiced seriously, Emma never touched the piano keys, instead staring at the music score in a daze. Kate reasoned that a girl raised in extreme rural poverty, just happy to eat well, would have little opportunity to learn piano. Therefore, Kate assumed Emma was a country bumpkin who couldn’t even read music. She even lied—Emma had never bragged about her piano skills, yet Kate slandered her, clearly aiming to have her despised by the entire school.

Emma saw through Kate’s scheme. If she, now labeled a “boastful piano master,” played poorly, she would disgrace herself and Vark College, and the school leaders would forever remember her boasting as the reason for missing this opportunity.

“Emma, what should we do? Kate is deliberately targeting you!” a classmate said nervously. “How about you just admit you can’t play?”

“Yeah, let her win this time. We admit defeat.”

Several of Emma’s usual supporters urged her to concede, when a sneer came from afar. “Tsk, someone just said our Miss Johnson’s playing was poor. Yet now you don’t even dare to show your playing. It’s really ridiculous!” The speaker was Aria’s former friend, now a fan of Kate’s.

Emma glanced at her coldly, then put down her goblet and stood. “Her playing was indeed poor, and even Darell has spoken up.” Her gaze was sharp, shining with coldness. “Only someone like you, who doesn’t truly understand piano, would think she plays well. Have you wasted all these years studying piano? You should spend more time learning instead of blindly echoing others’ opinions.”

“You…” The woman’s face turned red with anger. “Bitch, if you have the guts, go play! You think I don’t know how foolishly you act during every piano class? You don’t even dare to touch the keys. You’re a waste, a good-for-nothing!”

Emma laughed brightly. She didn’t play in piano class because she didn’t want to reveal herself, and she was particular about pianos; except for her own, she wouldn’t readily play others’.

“Well, let me enrich your experience today then, you poor thing.” With that, Emma walked toward the stage. She wore a voluminous dress, her black hair styled in loose waves. She looked grand, yet possessed an air of languid nobility. As she approached the stage, Darell saw her and stood abruptly. “It’s you?”

Emma remained calm, smiling at Darell. “Hi, Mr. Wallaker. My name is Emma, I’m a regular student at Vark College. The one who just played is a teacher at our school who is not very skilled. Please excuse the performance.”

Her words caused an uproar. Emma had openly criticized Kate’s skills, and everyone was startled by her arrogant tone. However, Darell frowned slightly. He understood her words as a hint to conceal her identity. Strange, he thought, with her genius-like talent, why would she be an ordinary student at Vark College? And why hide her true identity? But he quickly accepted it. She must have her reasons, and he should respect her choice.

Chapter 30 (Continued)

“Hello… After such a long time, I finally met you. You make my trip worthwhile,” said Darell, leaving the audience wondering if they had heard correctly.