Beta Chapter 125: Extra 24

Chapter 125: Extra 24

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

The music hall was suddenly shattered by a completely off-key note, breaking the silence.

Duan Yizhou in the audience clasped his hands together, his gaze fixed on the stage. Seeing Luo Songran standing motionless, his brows furrowed with worry. Could it be that his tinnitus was acting up again? But he had already taken medication before leaving.

“Look at RanRan, trust RanRan.”

When Duan Yizhou heard Uncle Zuo’s words beside him, just as he was about to ask further, he saw Luo Songran on the stage once again lowering his bow.

Under the spotlight, a young man in a white suit closed his eyes. His bow swiftly danced over the strings, his fingers pressing and releasing almost as fast as the bow, dazzling the eyes. Vibratos echoed in the hall, sending shivers down the spines of the listeners.

At this moment, the confidence exuding from him seemed to overshadow the lights on the ceiling. The earlier mistakes seemed like mere interludes; now was the real beginning.

All in one breath.

Paganini’s 24 Caprices belonged to the category of highly difficult technical pieces, almost entirely a showcase of skill. The exceedingly high difficulty required seamless transitions in the blink of an eye, akin to a musical alter ego, demanding instantaneous shifts in persona.

As a performer, one must conquer such demons, interpreting the emotions conveyed within the notes.

Luo Songran struggled to contain the impact of his tinnitus. He thought to himself, in truth, the ranking didn’t matter to him. What mattered was his determination to step back onto the stage.

As long as he stood there, he would strive to do better next time.

He was only proving it to himself.

So what if he played wrong notes? Embarrassing, perhaps, but with thick skin, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that he stood there, not what place he secured.

As one piece ended, he paused briefly, then continued with the Violin Concerto No. 3 in D minor.

The ringing in his ears persisted as he played, but he managed to suppress its influence, fully immersing himself in the music he was performing.

Until all pieces were played.

Until all participants had performed.

Until the judges awarded the prizes.

He received second place.

Only then did he slightly regain his spirits from his dazed state.

As the competition concluded, people began to leave the music hall.

The three of them walked out together.

Duan Yizhou glanced at Luo Songran beside him. Seeing him holding the award in silence, he worried if his mood was low due to the ranking. He reached out to feel his forehead with the back of his hand and found it wasn’t as hot as before.

Just as he was about to say something to comfort him, he suddenly felt Luo Songran patting his arm.

Duan Yizhou asked, “?”

“Why aren’t you praising me?” Luo Songran looked at Duan Yizhou, finally unable to contain his inner pride, deciding to praise himself, waving the certificate in front of him. “Second place, aren’t I amazing? So amazing.”

Duan Yizhou was a bit puzzled. He turned to Uncle Zuo and said, “Right, Uncle Zuo? Despite the embarrassing mistake at the beginning, he still managed to get second place. That proves how amazing I am, right?”

Uncle Zuo chuckled, lowered his head, and patted Luo Songran’s shoulder, nodding with a smile. “Yes, indeed. If it weren’t for the mistake at the beginning, you might have gotten first place. But it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that I see your determination to stand on the stage. Uncle hopes you can join the orchestra and become the principal, becoming an even more dazzling version of yourself.”

Initially, Duan Yizhou thought the kid was upset over not getting first place. Unexpectedly, he was waiting for Duan Yizhou to praise him. “I thought you were upset because you didn’t get first place.”

“Not at all. How could I be upset? I didn’t come here for the ranking. I just wanted to tell myself that I want to officially start with this opportunity, at least to clarify what I want to do. It’s not for the ranking, but because I truly love it.”

With his hands in his pockets, Luo Songran stood on the steps outside the music hall, squatting down, looking up at the foreign sunset. The horizon was painted with shades of orange, resembling an oil painting.

His ears still faintly buzzed, probably due to the lingering fever.

But he felt it was nothing, truly nothing.

As if remembering something, he suddenly smiled, filled with confidence and certainty. “I’ve decided, I’m going to study abroad in Country M.”

From now on, his little ones wouldn’t call him a silly daddy, but a super awesome one.

It took him almost a year to adjust himself to the best state before submitting the portfolio required for the application. Because he had studied abroad in high school, language scores were hardly a concern for him. With the recommendation letters from Uncle Zuo and his teachers, the preceding materials made his application process very smooth.

Now, it was up to this institution to judge his portfolio.

Before he even received the offer, Duan Yizhou had already begun preparing for their home in Country M, and had even started looking for a kindergarten for their little ones.

But this matter made Pipsqueak very sad.

Over the past year, Pipsqueak and his best buddy, Lu Xinghe, had become die-hard fans of Ultraman. Every time they met, it was either transforming or feeling uncomfortable if they didn’t, and Pipsqueak knew his brother wouldn’t join him in transforming.

Only Lu Xinghe would transform with him.

So every day he prayed, even before going to bed at night, kneeling on the bed with extremely devout hands clasped together, he said in a childish voice, “Bodhisattva, please bless my daddy not to study abroad, and bless me to transform with Lu Xinghe every day.”

Duan Yulou, his brother, who was reading next to him, looked at his little brother acting so strangely every day. Flipping through his book, he said, “If Dad knew you thought like this every day, he’d probably spank you.”

“But you didn’t say, so Dad wouldn’t know,” the little one heard his brother speak and quickly got off his own bed, running to his brother’s bed and pouncing down, “Bro, aren’t you afraid that after we go abroad, we won’t be able to speak the language of Country M? What if they laugh at us? What should we do then?”

Duan Yulou, caught off guard by his brother’s pounce, dropped the book in his hand before he could place a bookmark on the page he was reading. He impatiently grabbed his brother’s collar, “Duan Yuluo!”

“Why so fierce?” Pipsqueak stuck out his tongue guiltily, quickly picked up his brother’s book, randomly flipped a page, and put it back in his hand, “Here you go, don’t be angry, it’ll make you ugly.”

“If you’re going to lie down, lie down properly. Jumping like that will get you hurt.” Luo Yuduan reluctantly let go of his brother’s collar, “You’ll be the one crying if you get hurt later.”

“Then I’ll lie down properly next time.” Pipsqueak crawled next to his brother and lay down, his little head approaching to see what he was reading, “Didn’t we already solve this derivative problem?”

“I want to see if there are any other ways.”

“Can I see too?”

“Aren’t you praying to the Bodhisattva anymore?”

“If Dad suddenly comes over after practicing the piano and hears that, he’ll definitely come to spank me. It’s better for me to study here and look more obedient.”

Seeing his brother lying half on his leg, as if he had thought of something, Duan Yulou asked, “Little Bro, why do you like Lu Xinghe so much? Just because he knows how to transform into Ultraman?”

“No.” The little one shook his head.

“Then why?”

“Because he plays Ultraman with me, that’s why I like him.”

“How much do you like him?”

“Just very very much.”

“More than you like your brother?”

After asking this question, Duan Yulou saw his brother staring at him without speaking, feeling a bit downcast for a moment. Just as he picked up his pencil to study, his brother suddenly hugged him.

“It’s different, liking Brother and liking Lu Xinghe is different.”

Duan Yulou suddenly felt touched. Indeed, his brother was his brother, and it was only right that he liked him more.

But the next moment—

“Because Brother is my family, and Lu Xinghe is my man.”

Luo Yuduan, “…” Silent for two seconds, he said, “Let’s go abroad, going abroad is good. I hope Dad gets accepted tomorrow.”

If they didn’t go abroad soon, his brother would be taken away by that Lu Xinghe. He’s just able to recite Ultraman and play transformations. Really, annoying.

“Ah~” Duan Yuluo heard his brother say this and immediately wrinkled his little face, then knelt up and looked up at the ceiling, clasping his hands together devoutly, “Bodhisattva, please don’t let Dad pass~~”

Luo Yuduan, “.”

Dad, look at your silly son. He’s really losing out for a guy who knows how to recite Ultraman.

Just then, the door to their room was suddenly pushed open, and then they saw Dad rushing in.

“Sons! Your dad, I, got accepted!!!” Luo Songran excitedly pounced onto the bed of his son, directly bouncing his brother off the bed. He swiftly caught him and then hugged his brother, rubbing against him frantically, “Piggy, Dad got accepted!”

Luo Yuduan almost cried. Wasn’t he just bounced off the bed?

And Duan Yuluo, lying next to his brother, also wanted to cry, “Ah, Dad, how did you get accepted?” Didn’t Lu Xinghe say the Bodhisattva is very powerful, as long as you ask, you’ll get it? Why did it all turn out the other way around?

Seeing his little son’s eyes turn red and he looked like he was about to cry, Luo Songran lowered his head and smiled, “What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy that Dad got accepted?”

“But what about Lu Xinghe?” Duan Yulou’s little face drooped, choking up, “I can’t just stuff him in the suitcase and take him with us.”

Luo Songran, curious and gossipy, hugged his little son over and smiled, “Then how about I leave you here, you can go to his house and stay, be his wife?”

When Duan Yulou heard the word ‘wife’, he thought for a moment, “Being a wife can be with Lu Xinghe?”

“Yep.” Luo Songran smiled and didn’t answer.

Duan Yulou, thinking for a moment when he heard ‘wife’, “Can I?”

“If you want to go to his house, you’ll have to leave Dad, big Dad, and Brother. Are you willing?”

Luo Songran originally wanted to scare the little guy, but then he heard Duan Yulou nod without hesitation, “Okay!”

He, “…” 

Forget it, let’s just take this little guy with us. Otherwise, he really would be lost.

 

 

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