Chapter Ninety-Four: The Pianist

  On Christmas Eve, Professor Li Yingzhen returned from Europe and checked An Zhi's homework as usual.

  Li Yingzhen had been An Zhishui's home tutor for many years, and their relationship and feelings were very good. When she heard that An Zhishui had found a genius, she was naturally eager to meet him.

  An Zhishui may not be the most talented student of Li Yingzhen, but she is also excellent. Moreover, she is the richest student taught by Li Yingzhen. Due to this relationship, many titles and work matters in the Central Sea Music Academy are easily resolved for Li Yingzhen. After all, many large-scale concerts held by the Central Sea Music Academy also need sponsors. The Central Sea Music Academy cannot directly reach out to Andong Yang's level, so it can only be contacted through Li Yingzhen.

  Li Yingzhen arrived at An Zhishui's house in the evening, and Li Luyu helped Li Banyu ask for a night self-study leave, and they came to An Zhishui's villa together.

  Li Yingzhen was a woman in her forties, with short curly hair and gold-rimmed glasses, looking very serious. Her figure was slightly plump, but she dressed impeccably, which toned down the excessive fullness of her belly that women of this age often have, highlighting her mature charm instead.

  "Professor Li, hello, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule." Li Ruyu spoke to Li Yingzhen as a parent.

  "Teacher Li, I am Li Banxuan." Li Banxuan knew that his brother was very serious and was especially well-behaved.

  Li Yingzhen nodded, she had already heard An Zhi Shui talk about Li Luyu's brother and sister situation, especially taking a closer look at Li Luyu. She had taught An Zhi Shui piano for so many years and was very clear about his personality. He was helping Li Luyu like this, probably because the little girl had fallen in love.

  She has to help look, An Zhi Shui's simplicity is very clear, a little brother with his sister living like this, such a boy is great, but can take care of his sister without leaving her behind, and work hard for his sister's future, such a child even if there are some tricks in the mind, the heart will not be too bad.

  "If it's really like what Zhi Shui said, I should thank you for taking the time to see me. At this age, a child who can play Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto well, I've only seen one, and he just finished his concert at Lincoln Music Hall, with sponsorship fees and advertising fees totaling over $2 million." Li Yingzhen also heard Zhi Shui say that the girl didn't seem very interested in piano performance, which wasn't a problem for Li Yingzhen. A girl like this would have a lot of personality when playing the piano, so he wanted to try her out.

  Li Ruyu calculated the money, more than 20 million US dollars. This pianist doesn't know how much he can get, but it's definitely not a small number. Maybe even if he does private tutoring for his whole life, he won't be able to earn that much.

  It's really disheartening, actually planning to be a tutor for life, Li Luyu felt ashamed again.

  "If you can play Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto well, you'll get treated like this?" Li Banyan was also surprised. If so, she could help her brother achieve his dream.

  "That's not it, but if there really is such a degree of knowing water, this treatment is nothing. Just taking the endorsement fee for the piano every year is more than that number, let alone the money from releasing albums and concerts." Li Yingzhen was somewhat disappointed, this girl was too beautiful, and she paid extra attention to money. These problems were not a problem on their own, but for a girl who wanted to become a pianist, it was a fatal thing, too utilitarian, too commercialized piano masters may not be able to succeed, but that's not what Li Yingzhen appreciated, the kind of pianist who plays out lacks true soul.

  Moreover, such a beautiful girl, once becoming a famous pianist, would absolutely be the best performer of commercialized performances, able to attract countless eyeballs. But in doing so, her performances may become dull and unremarkable, merely showing off techniques. Many early spirited pianists eventually fell into this trap.

  "I'll play well and work hard to make money." Li Banzhuang made Li Yingzhen completely disappointed.

  "You play first." Li Yingzhen casually waved her hand, the most disappointing Chinese pianist to her was Lang Lang, a child who changed his life with piano, deliberately clinging to high society. She thought that such people's success was only commercial success, but not the success of Chinese pianists.

  It's not wrong to strive for change in life, but Li Yingzhen has always wanted to teach a student who can freely express her own style without regard for commercial needs. An Zhiwu was originally suitable, but as he grew older, his interest in the piano became more of a hobby than a deep passion.

  "Come on." Li Luyu could see that Li Yingzhen was not in high spirits.

  An Zhishui didn't know that Li Yingzhen had thought so much, and happily ran to give Li Banzhuan the score. In her heart, Li Yingzhen also didn't really fully believe that this girl who completely lacked the conditions to learn piano could play Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto well.

  Li Banxuan sat in front of the piano, and suddenly emitted a different temperament. Li Yingzhen was taken aback, how could such a small girl have this kind of temperament? That's what many old pianists have, spending their whole lives with their beloved piano, naturally exuding an aura that they can completely control the piano.

  For the vast majority of young pianists, the piano is still a partner that needs to be figured out and understood through practice. Only those veteran pianists who have immersed themselves in it for a lifetime will naturally regard the piano as part of their body, thoroughly understand it, merge with it, and fully control it.

  Li Banxian's temperament is revealed in this way, sitting there, without needing to adjust any state to adapt to the next collaboration with the piano.

  Only an expert like her could notice such subtleties, and it even startled her, probably just a hallucination.

  When the first piece of music flowed out, Li Yingzhen was shocked.

  She and the piano are one!

  The piano played out any precise note under her operation at will.

  She held her head high, closed her eyes, and had no expression, as if she had nothing to do with the music she was playing. However, her fingers below were more intense than a jumping spring, and several high-difficulty techniques flowed smoothly and naturally.

  Many pianists say that playing Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto is more physically demanding than shoveling ten tons of coal, but this girl played it with precise fingerwork, lightly and effortlessly. However, the flying fingertips that touched the keys were filled with intense passion, giving people the feeling that after finishing the piece, she could still play a rendition of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", just like the pianist in "The Piano Tuner of Earth", who would light up a cigarette on the keyboard after finishing his performance.

  Li Yingzhen was getting closer and closer, staring at her every move in disbelief. Li Yingzhen's forehead was covered with sweat, it was too shocking, she wiped her forehead, a handful of sweat, casually shook it off, and fell on the piano keys.

  The swirling water vapor rises, and the sweat evaporates instantly, leaving it clean and dry!

  The last note fell, An Zhi Shui and Li Lu Yu applauded, and Li Ying Zhen was definitely conquered.

  "You're not human. No normal person can play the piano like you do, Rachmaninoff would definitely say that no one else but Horowitz could play 'Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto' if he saw you." Li Yingzhen was getting incoherent, grabbing Li Banzhu's hand and staring at her.

  "Teacher Li, I'm Li Bàn Zhōu, Li Lù Yóu's sister Li Bàn Zhōu, a girl who can't be any more normal." Li Bàn Zhōu said cutely.

  Li Yingzhen was still shaking her head, staring at those white and tender hands without any calluses or blemishes. She had forgotten that she was just thinking about how the person who played the piano for money in the future would not have any spirit.

  "Professor Li, how are you? Does it still meet your expectations?" Li Luoyu, like all parents, became even more modest when he was particularly pleased, and smiled hypocritically.

  "A true genius...” Li Yingzhen shook her head, then nodded, and the look in her eyes as she gazed at Li Banzhuang was as if she had spotted a rare treasure. “A student like this, I don't dare to teach, nor does anyone else.”

  Li Yingzhen is telling the truth, who in the Zhonghai Conservatory of Music can play this piece like that? If Li Banxuan takes piano lessons, which teacher would dare to teach her?

  "I want to learn composition, I'm enrolled in the composition department." Li Banzuan was looked at by her with some embarrassment.

  "That's great, I can be your instructor." Li Yingzhen became excited instead, as she could still teach Li Banzhuan composition. Then, after thinking for a moment, she asked with some concern: "Have you composed any songs before?"

  Li Banzhuang shook her head, "Not at all."

  "Alright, focus on preparing for the cultural courses, there's no problem with the professional exam now. You can take a look at some books related to composition and get a basic understanding. During the interview, just talk about it casually, I'll make sure you pass." Not long until the professional exam, Li Yingzhen was already thinking of Li Banxuan as her own student.

  "Thank you, Teacher Li." Li Banzhen was especially happy.

  "What musical talent does Li Luyu have?" Li Yingzhen became interested in Li Luyu again, and her love for talent was stirred up. Perhaps this brother and sister were buried because of their family background, and the younger sister is so talented, maybe the older brother also has some astonishing skills.

  "I can just whistle." Li Luyu said with embarrassment, "I'm tone deaf and can't even read sheet music."

  "How can two siblings be so different?" Li Yingzhen was puzzled, looking at the two siblings, "You don't look alike at all. If people didn't know, they definitely wouldn't think you're siblings."

  The gap will be even bigger later, Li Yingzhen thought. This brother is probably just like ordinary people, graduating from a famous university and at most struggling to make a career, while Li Banzhuang is destined to be world-renowned.

  "What's impressive about Brother isn't these trivial matters." Li Banzhen said to Li Yingzhen, extremely dissatisfied with the great difference between the two siblings.

  "Anyway, Li Rouyou's athletic talent is not inferior to Li Banxian's musical talent. He can dunk and shatter the backboard, something that few people in the world can do." An Zhi Shui also defended Li Rouyou.

  Li Yingzhen smiled, realizing she had unintentionally belittled Li Luyu and offended two little girls.

  "I represent the Mediterranean Music Academy to welcome you." Li Yingzhen stood up and formally shook hands with Li Banzhuang.

  Li Rouyu gave Li Banzhuang a push, and only then did Li Banzhuang realize that this was Li Yingzhen's formal acknowledgement. She also shook hands with Li Yingzhen.

  "Thank you." Li Luyu grasped An Zhi Shui's hand sincerely and tightly, he was really excited, just like a father who received the admission letter from a prestigious university for his child.

  The third watch will be very late, all kinds of requests