DAEYTT **Chapter 023: A Musical Showdown, You Got Me Stumped...**

"Wait for me!" Qin Xuerong quickly got into her car and shouted at Wang Qian's retreating figure before speeding off in pursuit. She soon saw Wang Qian get into a taxi.

Vroom...

She stepped on the gas.

Her sports car easily caught up.

Qin Xuerong pouted, gripping the steering wheel tightly, "I don't know what you're up to!"

Her phone rang.

The ringtone was Wang Qian's song, "I once dreamed of wandering the world with my sword..."

Seeing the caller ID, Qin Xuerong picked up the phone: "Jiang Yu, have you arrived?"

"Yeah, at the airport."

Beep, beep, beep—the call ended.

Qin Xuerong didn’t mind. She called her company to send a driver to the airport and then continued to follow the taxi to Zhou Xuehua's record company.

Zhou Xuehua personally came to the company entrance to greet Wang Qian. Seeing Wang Qian and Qin Xuerong arriving in separate cars, he chuckled, "Wang Qian, got a new song?"

Wang Qian nodded slightly, "It's not really a new song. It's one I wrote before but haven't released. I want to perform it on a show."

Zhou Xuehua's eyes lit up. "Is it 'The Voice'?"

Wang Qian smiled but didn’t answer.

The contract stipulated that he couldn't reveal the show before his debut to keep the audience's anticipation high.

Although there was no one from the show here, he would still adhere to the contract.

Qin Xuerong, having caught up and parked her car, heard the mention of "The Voice" and excitedly said, "Wang Qian, are you joining 'The Voice'? With your talent, you'll definitely become famous!"

She hoped Wang Qian could achieve what she aspired to do.

Wang Qian ignored her and looked at Zhou Xuehua, "Brother Hua, did you arrange the musicians for me? Price is no issue. We might need to collaborate for a while."

Zhou Xuehua nodded, glancing at Qin Xuerong, "I contacted a few skilled musicians. But then Xuerong replaced two of them. They should arrive soon. They’re top-notch in the industry; you can discuss the price with them."

Wang Qian: "No problem."

The three walked into the company.

It was still quiet as usual.

Wang Qian tested his voice in the recording studio.

Soon, the musicians arrived.

Two men and two women!

Keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums.

The two men were older, arranged by Zhou Xuehua: guitarist He Fulin and bassist Zhao Wei.

The two women were younger, about the same age as Qin Xuerong, and could pass for high school students. They played keyboard and drums, contrasting sharply with their youthful appearances.

Qin Xuerong pulled the two girls close, one on each side, and introduced them to Wang Qian and Zhou Xuehua, "These are my childhood friends, Jiang Yu and Murong Yue. Jiang Yu graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music, top-level in piano. Murong Yue graduated from Berklee, and though she didn’t major in drums, she’s been playing since she was little and has a rock heart. They're pros! What do you think?"

Jiang Yu, taller than Qin Xuerong and nearly as tall as Wang Qian even in flat shoes, wore casual clothes—T-shirt and jeans—and had a ponytail. Her features were sharp and refined, giving off a strong presence. She stood there expressionlessly, allowing Qin Xuerong to hold her, nodding at Zhou Xuehua and Wang Qian without speaking.

Murong Yue was shorter, just over 1.6 meters tall, dressed in a long white dress that covered her feet, looking ethereal. Her face was delicate and gentle as she bowed slightly and softly said, "Please take care of me."

Wang Qian noticed Murong Yue’s hands were calloused, showing clear signs of practice, while Jiang Yu’s fingers were long and delicate, like works of art.

He was skeptical of Qin Xuerong’s claims.

Honestly, he didn’t want to use these two.

For professional reasons, they seemed too young and inexperienced.

But then, remembering her bringing him breakfast that morning, his heart softened.

How long had it been since anyone did that for him?

Six or seven years, perhaps.

He Fulin and Zhao Wei shook hands with Wang Qian.

He Fulin smiled, "I love 'The Former You' and 'Ordinary Road.' 'Alive' is also great and genuine. When Zhou said we’d be working together, I came right away. Looking forward to it!"

Wang Qian: "Looking forward to it."

Zhao Wei, less talkative, simply said, "Your music is excellent."

Both were seasoned professionals who had been in bands before rock became niche and now took various gigs to get by. Their skills kept them in demand.

They saw Wang Qian as a client, one they admired for his genuine talent.

Wang Qian looked at Jiang Yu and Murong Yue by Qin Xuerong, "Are they really up to it?"

Jiang Yu glanced at him, then turned and walked toward the door.

Qin Xuerong hurriedly grabbed her shoulder, "Xiaoyu, why are you in such a rush? He doesn’t know how skilled you are; what's wrong with asking?"

Jiang Yu looked at Wang Qian coldly, "Have you studied music?"

Wang Qian nodded, "I took a few vocal lessons."

Jiang Yu: "Can you play the piano?"

Wang Qian nodded again, "Yes."

Jiang Yu: "Have you performed live?"

Wang Qian shook his head expressionlessly, "No."

Murong Yue nervously grabbed Qin Xuerong’s hand and whispered, "Do you think they'll fight?"

Qin Xuerong was also a bit anxious.

The atmosphere between Jiang Yu and Wang Qian was tense.

Jiang Yu looked at Zhou Xuehua, "Is there a piano?"

Zhou Xuehua pointed to a room ahead, "Yes, this way!"

The group moved to another room filled with various instruments.

Being a professional record company, they had everything necessary, all well-maintained and clean, clearly taken care of regularly.

Jiang Yu walked straight to the piano and sat down, testing a few notes. She then opened the lid and made some adjustments, looking disappointed: "Barely usable. Your name is Wang Qian? Are you Xiaoxue's boyfriend?"

Qin Xuerong's expression changed, and she looked at Wang Qian in fear.

Wang Qian shook his head, "My name is Wang Qian, but I'm not Qin Xuerong's boyfriend. We're just ordinary friends."

Jiang Yu nodded, indifferent: "I'm going to play a piece now. After I finish, I'll ask you a few questions. If you can answer them, you qualify to work with me. If not, even if you were Xiaoxue's boyfriend, this ends today. I don't have time to waste!"

The atmosphere was tense.

Zhou Xuehua, He Fulin, and Zhao Wei remained silent, watching with anticipation. According to Qin Xuerong, Jiang Yu was a top graduate of the Central Conservatory of Music's piano department, highly skilled in her field. Her standards for Wang Qian would undoubtedly be high. This piece was sure to have some intricacies.

Such musical showdowns were rare and exciting.

In today's popular music industry, most young singers had embarrassingly low professional standards. If it weren't for the need to make a living, He Fulin and Zhao Wei wouldn't want to collaborate with those idol singers, feeling it lowered their own standards.

Qin Xuerong pulled Murong Yue to Jiang Yu's side and whispered, "Xiaoyu..."

Wang Qian looked at Jiang Yu appreciatively and smiled, "Okay, I don’t have much time either. Let's start. If your performance doesn't satisfy me..."

Jiang Yu sat down, saying coolly, "If you’re not satisfied, I'll walk away!"

With that, Jiang Yu sat quietly at the piano for a full minute, not speaking or moving, her back straight like a tree.

Then, her fingers began to dance over the keys.

A melody flowed out.

With just the opening notes, Wang Qian, He Fulin, Zhao Wei, and Zhou Xuehua's eyes all lit up.

A master.

Experts could tell immediately.

He Fulin couldn't help but give Zhou Xuehua a thumbs-up, indicating his admiration for Jiang Yu's piano skills.

No one spoke. They all quietly watched Jiang Yu’s back, listening intently to the piano's fluid sound. Wang Qian stood to the side, admiring the elf-like fingers dancing on the keys.

Jiang Yu had closed her eyes, her face showing pure enjoyment.

The piece lasted nearly half an hour, with no one in the room saying a word, all listening silently.

Ding ding ding...

The final three notes fell.

Jiang Yu slowly withdrew her hands, like an elder finishing a tai chi routine. She sat there for another minute before speaking, "Three questions."

Wang Qian nodded, remaining silent.

Jiang Yu: "The simplest, first, the name of this piece, its composer, and the era it was composed."

"Second, I deliberately played a few wrong notes in this piece. Tell me how many and which ones they were."

"Third, I want to see you play this piece again!"

Everyone looked at Wang Qian, eager to see how he would respond.

As professionals, He Fulin and Zhao Wei, being rock musicians, couldn't name this piece. The realm of piano was vast, and many pieces had no specific names, often titled by their number in a series of studies, unknown to non-specialists.

As for the wrong notes? He Fulin and Zhao Wei exchanged a guilty glance. They couldn’t tell where the mistakes were, only feeling the performance was excellent. Their unfamiliarity with the piece contributed to this.

Qin Xuerong glared at Jiang Yu, thinking she was bullying Wang Qian, then looked at Wang Qian with worry.

Murong Yue eagerly raised her right hand, her face full of excitement, tapping her foot as if to say, "Pick me, pick me, I know the answer."

Jiang Yu glared at Murong Yue, trying to maintain seriousness while testing Wang Qian.

Wang Qian, his face serious, frowned as if in deep thought, then said, "Honestly..."

Everyone watched Wang Qian expectantly.

Wang Qian, somewhat embarrassed, continued, "Honestly, I can’t answer any of your questions. I’ve never heard this piece before."

Jiang Yu sighed, ready to leave.

Wang Qian: "However, I acknowledge that your piano skills meet my standards. Now, will you listen to me play a piece? You can leave afterward if you want."

Jiang Yu thought for a moment, then gestured for him to proceed.

Wang Qian nodded to the others and walked to the piano, making a surprising statement that left everyone stunned.

"Actually, you don’t need to play obscure pieces to test me. Any piano piece would stump me because I’m not interested in other people's music."

"I’m only interested in my own music."

"I only sing my own songs."

"I only play my own pieces."

"This piano piece is something I composed on a whim when I was bored. Listen and give me some feedback."

In the room, several pairs of eyes widened in shock.


NEXT