hisemotioncamequicklyandleftjustasquickly.
zeersuppressedthetangledthoughtsinhisheart.eliftedhisheadandrealizedthat,withoutnoticingit,theyhadalreadyarrivedneartheplaza.
hiscentralplazaconnectedmorethanadozennearbystreets.fonelookeddownfromabove,thosedensestreetsresembledtherootsofatree,windingandcrisscrossingacrossthegroundlikeatightnet.
Andtheironepointofconvergencewasthiscentralplaza.
twasalsothemostprosperousandbustlingplaceonBlueusterStar.hemeetingtobeheldtomorrowwouldalsotakeplaceinsidetheexhibitioncenterattheveryfrontoftheplaza.
hatareahadalreadybeencordonedoff,withthearmydispatchedbytheAllianceguardinginside.
Butoutsidethesecurityline,batchafterbatchoftouristsstoodtherelaughingandtakingphotos.
herewereraceswhohadrushedoverfromotherstarsectors,andresidentswhoalreadybelongedtotheFifthStarSector.Allkindsofracesgatheredhere.
heyhaddifferentappearances,differentlanguages,andcompletelydifferentculturalcustoms.heremightbehatredbetweenthem,andmisunderstandingstoo.
Butwiththeconferenceabouttobegin,everyone’sattentionwasfocusedontomorrow’smeeting.oonewouldchoosetocausetroubleatatimelikethis.
Duringthisperiod,BlueusterStarhadrarelypresentedsuchaprecioussceneofdifferentracespeacefullyinteractingtogether.
Ashestrolledthroughtheplaza,WenYuzhihadalreadyseenseveralraceshehadneverencounteredbefore.
Somewerealsowalkingaroundtheplaza.Somehadsimplysetupsmallstallsandbegunsellingspecialtiesfromtheirownraces.thersperformedopenlylikewanderingartists.
Butthemosteye-catchingplacewasstillthecenteroftheplaza.
herewasanextremelyspectacularmusicalfountainthere.
nfrontofthefountainstoodadreamlikecrystalpiano.
Someonewascurrentlysittingthereplaying,andthepiecehappenedtobeasongpraisingpeace.
hispiecehadbeencomposedbyanelvencomposer.Afterwitnessingbattlefieldslargeandsmall,thecomposerwrotethispieceinpraiseofpeace.
Aquiet,lowmelodyflowedfromtheperson’sfingertipsandfellintotheearsofeveryhurriedtouristpassingnearby.
hatgentlemovementwaslikealullabyfromnatureitself,asifitcouldplacepeopleinsideaforestatnight.herewerenoinsectcries,nobirdsong,onlytherustlingofleavesandthemurmuringofflowingwater.
Andtheysleptinsideflowerbudswithmoonlightastheirpillow.verythingwassobeautifulandpeaceful.
earingthepiano,passingtouristscouldnothelpslowingtheirstepsandstoppingtheretolisten.heirritationandanxietyintheirheartsseemedtobesoothedallatoncebythesoundofthemusic.
“hatisanelf’sability.”
Princessottiehadrunouttoplayagaintoday.womerfolkattendantsfollowedbehindher,constantlypayingattentiontotheprincess’severymovement.
Atthismoment,listeningtothepiano,sheinstantlyrecognizedthatthementalenergywithinthemusicbelongedtoanelf.
hinkingthis,shetuggedatthecornerofhermouth,andalookofdisgustappearedonhergorgeousface.
“hoseelveshavenoheart.omatterhowpleasantmusicwithoutemotionsounds,itisstillfalse.”
twaslikeabeautifullycraftedcastleintheair.omatterhowmagnificenttheoutsidelooked,thefoundationunderneathwasempty.
heirmerfolkweredifferent.hesongsofthemerfolkcamefrominnerresonancefoundafterexperiencingcountlessemotions.
heoceangoddesshadgrantedthemthepurestvoices,andalsograntedthemthecouragetoloveandhateboldly.
ruemusicshouldhaveemotion.ikethesealiftingragingwaves,itshouldcarryangerandimpassionedfeeling.
Unfortunately,elvescouldnotdothis.heyweretooaloofandtoopure,likeabreeze.heycouldfeelthebeautyofnature,buttheydidnotknowwhynaturewassobeautiful.
hatwaswhyottiefeltthatelvenmusicwasfalse.
Buttootherraces,thepianosoundedverypleasant.
Moreandmorepeoplegatherednearby.WenYuzhialsolistenedforawhile,buthisattentionwasmoreonthepianoitself.
Aslongassomeoneplayedthatpiano,thefountainbesideitwouldspraywatercolumnsofdifferentheightsaccordingtothenotesandrhythm.
hewatercolumnsrosehighbeforesplashingdownwithcountlessdroplets.tlookedveryinteresting.
“Doyouwanttogoupandtry?”
zeernoticedWenYuzhi’sgazeonthepiano.
“Alittle,butdon’tplayverywell.”
WenYuzhiwasnotbeingmodestthistime.ecouldplaythepiano,buttohim,playingpianowasonlyahobby.ehadnotspenttoomuchtimeorenergyonit.
Besides,hehadonlyplayedpianoinfrontofWenCheandMadamJilanya.Butnomatterwhathedid,DaddyandMommywouldpraisehimwithoutstintandsaythattheirZhizhiwasthebestlittleangel.
Andthelittleangelwasbothhappyandtroubledbythis.
ewashappybecausehisdaddyandmommylovedhimverymuchandneverdamagedhisconfidence.
ewastroubledbecausehehadnoideahowgoodhisactuallevelwas.
SoWenYuzhididnotdareexaggerate.
“wanttohearit.”
“m?”
WenYuzhiturnedtolookatzeerandsawthattheotherpersonwasalsolookingathim.isexpressionandgazewerebothveryserious,notlikehewasjoking.
“Mm...”zeernodded,thenadded,“wanttohearit.”
WhenWenYuzhihadchattedwithhimbefore,hehadoncesaidhecouldplaypianoandthat,ifhehadthechance,hecouldplayforhim.
heyoungmanwhosaidthishadnottakenittoheart.
Butzeerhadremembered.
Atthismoment,forsomereason,hesuddenlydugupthatmemoryandtooktheinitiativetotellhimthathewantedtohearit.
WenYuzhicouldhaverefusedzeer’srequest.
Butlookingintotheotherperson’seyes,thatfamiliarfeelingonceagainroseinhisheart.
WenYuzhipressedhislipstogether.ntheend,undertheotherperson’sgaze,hestillsaidsoftly,“henifdon’tplaywell,you’renotallowedtodislikeit.”
Ashewasspeaking,thepieceovertherehadalreadyended,andtheseatatthepianohadjusthappenedtobecomefree.
WenYuzhiwalkedup.
Seeingabeautifulyoungmansitonthepianobench,thepeoplegatherednearbywhohadoriginallybeenpreparingtoleavestoppedoneafteranother.
ButWenYuzhi,alreadyseatedonthebench,gentlyplacedhishandsonthekeys.
edidnotcareaboutthegazescastoverfromalldirections.
nstead,amidthesurroundingnoise,theyoungmanpressedthefirstkey.
heonlysourceofsoundwasthepianobeneathWenYuzhi’sfingers.
hatflowing,cascadingmelodywassocheerful,sorelaxed,solively.
AsWenYuzhiplayed,asceneflashedthroughhismind.
twasanafternoononBlueZitherStar.Aftertheyhadeaten,therewasnothingmuchtodointheafternoon,soheandMansendishadmadeicelanternsindoorsbesidetheburningfireplace.
Daddyhadbeensittingonachairthen.WenYuzhihaddislikedthechairforbeinguncomfortable,sohehadpulledAwuoverashisbackrestandkneltonthecarpetwithoutanyproperposture.
Mondstoodnotfarfromhim,speakingquietlywithKasha.
Meritawasplacingtheafternoonteamadebytheumuonthetable.
Seletleanedagainstthewindow.PerhapsbecauseofSelet’spersonality,Seletdidnotspeakmuchmostofthetime,butSelet’sgazewasalwayspayingattentiontotheirKingandlittlehighness.
heroomwasveryquiet.veryone’svoiceswerenotloud.
Buttheatmospherewasnotcoldatall.
nthecontrary,withtheworldoutsidefulloffreezingwindandsnow,theroomwiththefireplaceburningandthescentofbreaddriftingthroughitseemedespeciallywarm.
AslongasWenYuzhiliftedhishead,hecouldseeonefamiliarfaceafteranotherbesidehim.
henextmoment,awarmpalmfellontothetopofhishead.
elookedup.
Whatenteredhiseyeswasthesilver-hairedsovereign’sface.
twasDaddy.
Daddy’swarm,broadpalmstrokedhishair,andWenYuzhicomfortablynarrowedhiseyesslightly.
eleanedhisheadagainstDaddy’sknee,closedhiseyes,smelledthescentofburningpinewood,andsankdeeplyintosleep.
WenYuzhiwasthinkingoftheSaintClaninhisheart,andthroughthesoundofthepiano,everyoneseemedtobebroughttothatafternoonaswell.
heysatonasoft,comfortablecarpet,listeningtothehowlingwindandsnowoutside,yetdidnotfeelcoldatall.
ndoors,thewarmfireinthehearthburnedbright,andthebreadonthetablehadjustbeenbakedcrisp.
Andtheyweregatheredwithfamily,spendingthisleisurelyafternoontogether.
herewasnodoubtthatthesceneWenYuzhi’spianodescribedwasawarmandrelaxedfamilyday.
istechniquemightnotcomparetothosefamousmasters,butWenYuzhihadexpressedverywellthroughthepianoeverythinghehadfeltandunderstoodthatday.
Becauseofthis,thenumberofpeoplegatheredarounddidnotdecrease,butgrew.ManypeopleweredrawnoveronlyafterhearingWenYuzhi’spiano.
zeerstoodamongthem,lookingattheyoungmanonstageasifhewereglowing.
hesplashingwaterdropletsgatheredintoathinmist.Underthelight,thevaporspreadingaroundreflectedarainbowhalo.
heykissedWenYuzhigently.
heyoungman’shairandthecontoursofhischeeksseemedtoglowfaintly.
Atthismoment,zeercouldnotmovehisgazeawayfromhimatall.
Andtheemotionsinhisheartseemedtobelikethewatercolumnsinthefountain,risinghigherandhigherwiththesoundofthepiano,climbinglayerbylayertotheirpeak.
hewaterdropletssplasheddownagain.
WenYuzhiendedthefinalnote.
elookedinzeer’sdirection.
heyoungmanblinkedhesitantly,lookingasifhewereaskingzeerfromfaraway:owdidplay?
zeerdidnotspeak.
Buthebegantoclap.
Withhimtakingthelead,thesurroundingtouristsseemedtowakefromadreamandbeganapplaudingoneafteranother.
ottiewasalsoamongthoseclapping.
Shefeltthatwarmmentalenergyfallontoheralongwiththepianonotes.naninstant,herbodyseemedtobecomeslightlylighter,andtheexhaustionthathadaccumulatedovermanydaysgraduallybegantofade.
Butthisfeelingwasnotespeciallyobvious,soottiedidnotpaymuchattentiontoit.Becauseofthat,sheoverlookedthesmallchangeinhermentalsea.
WhatottiecaredaboutmostwasWenYuzhi’spiano.
ShecouldhearthatWenYuzhi’spianohademotion.Moreimportantly,itdidnotmerelyhaveemotion—thisfeelingcouldactuallyinfectsomanypeoplethroughthepiano.
nottie’sheart,WenYuzhi’spianowassimplyfarbetterthanthatfalseelffrombefore.
“h!Mysweetlittledarling,whatshoulddo?’mlikinghimmoreandmore!”
ottieclutchedherchestexcitedly.
Behindher,thetwomerfolkattendantsfeltsomewhattroubled.
Whatcouldtheydo?
heycouldonlysaythatiferighnesstrulywantedtosnatchhimback,theywouldknockherunconsciousanddragherbackdirectlylikethat.
WenYuzhistilldidnotknowthathehadalreadybeentargetedbyamerfolkprincess.
Afterfinishingonepiece,hestoodup,preparingtoleave.
ButjustasWenYuzhimoved,afigurewalkedoutfromthecrowdandcamestraighttohim.
WenYuzhirecognizedtheotherpersonastheonewhohadplayedtheearlierpiece.
o...
otright.
Perhapsheshouldnotsay“person.”
WenYuzhi’sgazecircledovertheotherperson’spointedearsandthatbeautifulface,exquisiteenoughtoblurgender.
fhehadguessedcorrectly,theonestandinginfrontofhimshouldbeanelf.
hiselfhadlongpale-goldenhair.iseyeswereararepurple,andhisfairskinandbeautiful,otherworldlyfacemadehimseemexactlyastherumorspraised—possessingaholyandelegantbeauty.
Atthismoment,hewaslookingatWenYuzhiwiththosecoolyetbeautifuleyes,andhislowvoicewasasgracefulandpleasantasacello.
“ello.Mayhavethehonorofgettingtoknowyou?”