Chapter 57: How Can a Fool Deserve to Inherit Wealth!
Seeing him staring straight at Shen Yuan, Su Huaiyao felt a strong surge of crisis in his heart.
He shook the man’s arm hard, his face filled with jealousy and dissatisfaction. He no longer looked like the understanding person he usually pretended to be, and he said anxiously:
“Xiuqing Gege! This… this is definitely not something Shen Yuan created himself! How could he possibly arrange a score! And itās Grandma Yuās music! This is just too much!”
Yu Xiuqing was inexplicably annoyed by his tugging. He coldly pulled his hand back and didn’t even spare him a glance, instead focusing on buttoning his suit jacket. He said frostily:
“He did indeed arrange the remaining half of the score.”
After all, Shen Yuan had composed the music right under his nose last night; there was no possibility of him stepping out to collude with anyone.
Even his secret attempts to slip away had been under surveillance.
But the level of the youth’s arrangement was something he found hard to believe. In these past two years, he had only heard Shen Yuan play the piano; he never knew the other had a talent for composition.
Hearing the man personally admit that Shen Yuan hadn’t stolen from anyone, Su Huaiyao panicked instantly.
Still unwilling to give up, he continued to fuel the fire: “But isn’t Shen Yuan born with low intelligence? For him to suddenly be able to compose… itās simply too hard to believe!”
“Be quiet.”
Yu Xiuqing finally snapped, his head aching from the incessant questioning. He barked a reprimand, his tone clearly carrying a trace of anger.
Su Huaiyao immediately shut his mouth, not daring to say another word, but he still felt uncomfortable in his heart.
Why? Why didn’t everything go as he had planned? He was supposed to be the one to successfully arrange Old Madam Yuās legacy, take the hundred million and the Yu subsidiary, and then be adored by everyone.
Instead, that fool Shen Yuan had gotten the benefit!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and he began to plot.
But this was the Yu family old residence, filled with bodyguards and surveillance; it would be hard for him to do anything under so many eyes.
On stage, Shen Yuanās face was still visibly pale. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his lips were trembling. Yet, his eyes beneath the black cloth were exceptionally firm.
The melody of the second half of the piece flickered slightly, perhaps because he was too nervous.
Gu Lanxiao watched his nervous appearance and couldn’t help but break into a sweat for him, silently praying that this little thing wouldn’t fail his personal guarantee…
Shen Yuan closed his eyes to feel the rhythm of his own fingers, and his mood slowly began to settle.
Although the tension hadn’t completely vanished, he was able to immerse himself fully in the music.
The piano music grew more and more passionate, sounding like a song or a tragic story.
Two lines of tears slowly slid from his cheeks, soaking the silk and then dripping onto the keys.
Painful memories flashed through his mind like a lantern slide, one scene after another. Shen Yuan tried hard to remember, but he only felt a splitting headache.
The crowd below began to fall silent. They no longer looked at Shen Yuan with mockery; they focused entirely on the music, as if afraid of disturbing the youth.
Shen Yuanās fingers danced faster and faster until they reached a limit, and then the music came to a sudden halt.
He had finally completed a perfect work.
There wasn’t a single flaw or a single dissonant note, let alone anything for even the most critical person to complain about.
“Good!”
Suddenly, someone began to clap.
What followed was thunderous applause and cheers. Those composers and pianists had been conquered by this music from a nameless youth.
The sudden applause snapped Shen Yuan out of his musical trance, and his entire body jolted.
He hurriedly pulled the black scarf from his eyes and saw a crowd of audience members who had all stood up. Their expressions were full of doubt, jealousy, and mostly admiration.
So… I finished it?
He had completed a piece that was unprecedentedāa surviving masterpiece of a great pianist.
The little fool found it hard to believe. He looked down at his reddened, stiff fingers. An indescribable wave of excitement boiled in his chest, refusing to settle.
He then snapped his head up to look at Gu Lanxiao below the stage, his eyes filled with gratitude, as if telling the other he had truly done it and hadn’t failed him.
Gu Lanxiao understood the emotion in his eyes and offered a nod in response, a calm smile touching his lips.
Beside him, Old Master Yu was supported by his assistant as he walked over shiveringly, saying with emotion:
“Yes, that’s the melody… that’s it. Yuheās compositional style was just like thisāthe melody was gentle, yet it carried an unparalleled nobility.”
He grew so excited his eyes grew moist, and he kept murmuring that the two of them had such similar melodies.
Seeing the Old Master approach him with a cane, Shen Yuan assumed the man was coming to hit him. He was so frightened he jumped from his chair, his knee striking the piano with a heavy thud.
He hissed in pain but ignored the sting in his leg, instead retreating with a stutter:
“Yu-Grandpa Yu… Yuanyuan could only play to this level. Iām sorry, d-don’t hit me…”
The Old Masterās sharp gaze was fixed on him, as if he found it incredible that a fool could compose music.
“Did you arrange this music yourself?”
The Old Master asked. His tone was no longer as cold as before, but instead had a trace of gentleness.
Shen Yuan was shocked by this change in attitude. He stared blankly at him before nodding after a delay.
Old Master Yu frowned with a bit of embarrassment.
Even if the music were plagiarized, the poise and mannerisms while playing couldn’t be faked. On the contrary, Shen Yuanās expression on this stage had been entirely genuine.
He was like a lily in full bloom, quietly waiting for the arrival of spring.
Though this youth had fulfilled a wish he had sought for so many yearsāleaving him shocked and satisfiedāhis current mood was hard to describe.
But the thought of giving a hundred million and a subsidiary to the muddled fool before him made the Old Master hesitate, and he felt a pang of heartache.
This was the business he had spent his life building! To have it change hands so easily, and into the hands of a little idiot… he felt an immense amount of pain.
Xiao Chen had been by the Old Master’s side for years and clearly saw his internal struggle. He leaned in and whispered:
“Chairman, do you… truly intend to hand over such a massive amount of wealth and shares to Shen Yuan?”
Old Master Yu gripped his cane tightly and didn’t answer.
He had always been a man of his word, but if he publicly went back on it now, he feared it would damage his reputation for honesty.
People would also secretly speculate on his intentions, causing damage to the Yu Groupās name.
He could only steel himself and say helplessly:
“Then let it be.”
Xiao Chen nodded and retreated respectfully.
The business the Old Master had built his whole life was actually being handed over to some youth of unknown origin! He found it very hard to accept! But there was no other way; the Chairman had already decided, and he was powerless.
Countless eyes below the stage were fixed on the Old Master and Shen Yuan. Everyone was wondering if the Yu Group Chairman would truly hand over such a massive fortune to a fool.
Jiang Tianming was the most anxious of all. He sat on pins and needles, praying that the Old Master hadn’t been that muddled!
Su Huaiyao was faring no better. Not only had he lost in the composition, making his teeth itch with rage, but he couldn’t stand the sight of Shen Yuan successfully taking the Yu family shares!
“Xiuqing Gege… is Grandpa Yu really going to give so much property to Shen Yuan? Won’t that give people an opportunity to take advantage? Why don’t you go and talk to Grandpa…”
He knew the man had already contradicted the Old Master for his sake once, and going up to talk now would be like adding fuel to the fire, but for the sake of his arrogant vanity and shameful jealousy, he still spoke up.
Yu Xiuqing was direct: “He cares about his face and has a stubborn personality. Who would dare to question his decision? Besides, that subsidiary is under his name; what does it have to do with me?”
“Fine then…”
Su Huaiyao pouted aggrievedly. In this moment, he truly hated himself for being so useless and being played by that fool Shen Yuan!
And why?
Clearly, the score he had that night was stolen from Yu Xiuqingās room and was one hundred percent Shen Yuanās work, yet the effect of the performance was entirely different!
How could the other man have seen it coming?
Something must have gone wrong!
Suddenly, a flash of realization crossed his mind, and he thought of that cat stepping on the phone.
He never expected that after all his planning and caution, he would be defeated by a mere animal!
On the other side, the Old Master was about to announce the final winner of the piece when a resonant, magnetic baritone suddenly rang from the hall entrance: “It truly is lively.”
Hearing that familiar voice, Old Master Yuās hand holding the microphone shook, nearly dropping it. He hurried to lift his head and look toward the source.
He saw the crowd that had been gathered in the center of the hall suddenly split into two rows, leaving a clear path.
Under the gaze of everyone present, a handsome man in a black suit slowly stepped forward.
His facial features were cold and firm, his deep, hawk-like eyes fixed on the Old Master on the stage.
The manās aura was incredibly powerful. Anyone who saw him felt their heart stop, as if an invisible pressure were enveloping everyone.
As the footsteps approached, Yu Xiuqing had already guessed something. He turned slightly, peering at the approaching figure. His dark gaze was even colder than the dead of winter.
Finally, heās here.
Just then, someone in the crowd shouted in panic: “It-Itās Yu Peishang!!”
“The second son of the Yu family, Yu Peishang!”
“Didn’t he sever ties with the Chairman? Why would he suddenly appear here?”
The discussion among the crowd grew more intense. Yu Peishangās name was like a plague, spreading quickly.
Gu Lanxiao had already hidden in the crowd the moment he heard that voice, quickly putting on his mask.
As Yu Peishang passed him, separated by less than a meter, Gu Lanxiaoās heart began to race.
He did his best to control his emotions, keeping his head low, yet he couldn’t help but steal a glance at the man.
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