At this point, Su Mo had already sung the second to last song, and Jiang Jianhuan took the sheet music and used the last few minutes to scan it.
Every note above is memorized perfectly; there's no need to memorize them. My fingers are already itching to do something.
Jiang Jianhuan unconsciously rubbed his fingertips on the paper a couple of times, and secretly took a deep breath.
The stage lights dimmed instantly, and all sounds ceased. Jiang Jianhuan was nudged by Li Sa, who whispered a reminder to her.
"It's your turn, hurry up and get on stage."
Standing here, I realized how vast the stage was. The blue glow sticks below shone brightly, like a galaxy or a blue ocean.
In the darkness, someone reached out a hand to her.
"Come with me."
With all the lights off, Jiang Jianhuan couldn't see the road clearly. After hesitating for a few seconds, she still put her hand on it.
Su Mo's palms were warm and slightly sweaty, and his breathing gradually became steady. He led her to a grand piano.
The lights suddenly turned on.
A single beam of light struck Jiang Jianhuan's head, revealing her figure on the otherwise dark stage.
With a click, the millions of spectators below saw the girl sitting in front of the piano.
She wore a white evening gown, her back straight and graceful, her skin glowing under the lights, and her long, black hair cascading down her back in curls.
The dress features a cutout design on the back and a delicate bow at the waist. The fabric is layered, with long tails trailing behind, and the white ribbons almost reach the ground.
Despite its sweet elements, it exudes a retro and glamorous vibe.
Everyone could only see her silhouette; perhaps due to the angle, her face was not visible on the huge electronic screen behind her.
However, when she suddenly appeared under the lights, everyone's eyes still flashed with amazement.
Whispers could be heard from all directions.
Who is this?
"Probably the pianist who provided the accompaniment."
"It doesn't seem like it..." How could a background musician appear in the center of the stage like the main character, and with such outstanding presence?
All the discussion fell silent with the sound of the first piano key being pressed. After a series of light and flowing notes, Su Mo's unique voice pierced the darkness.
This is a song that no one has ever heard before.
The simple and refreshing melody and lyrics evoke memories of white shirts and sunshine during school days, a girl sitting on the back of a bicycle, the hazy feelings of youth, and the innocent and beautiful love.
Su Mo remained in the darkness, and everyone's eyes were only on the girl sitting at the piano playing.
Unlike all previous performances, this song abandoned all other accompaniment except for the piano, and Su Mo sang almost a cappella.
His voice was light and gentle, more like a complement than an overabundance of piano notes. What truly captivated the listener was the piano music, with its highs and lows, its rich and full tones, sometimes mellow, sometimes melancholic.
This scene makes it seem more like Su Mo is playing a supporting role for her.
Jiang Jianhuan's mind was completely blank. From the moment she pressed the first key, her subsequent movements were almost unconscious and inertial. She had played it countless times.
The piece is short, only five minutes long, but she played it as if it had been hundreds of minutes.
Finally, the notes came to an end.
Su Mo's singing faded away after the last word, but the piano music continued. He slowly emerged from the darkness and reached the light of the beam.
No one shouted or screamed; everyone held their breath involuntarily.
Su Mo sat down at the piano, her fingers naturally resting on it, shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Jianhuan.
A different rhythm suddenly appeared in the piano music, yet it strangely blended with the original melody. The final few dozen seconds ended with the two pianists playing a smooth and harmonious four-hand duet.
It wasn't until the lights went out again and the stage returned to darkness that the screams from the audience belatedly began. They couldn't wait to see who the girl playing the piano was, that she could actually collaborate with Su Mo!
However, to everyone's dismay, the lights in the entire venue suddenly blazed on, the host appeared on stage, announced the end of the concert, thanked the staff and organizers, and reminded the audience to be careful when leaving the venue.
The cries of despair almost echoed through the sky.
"ah--"
"Oh my god!!—"
"Waaaaah, how could it be over so quickly? Did it really take two hours? It feels like only twenty minutes have passed!"
Despite the complaints and resentment, everyone knew that the last song wasn't actually included in the concert setlist; it was an extra song added to extend the concert's duration.
So, what exactly was the meaning of that performance just now?
*
After the lights went out again, Jiang Jianhuan finally relaxed. The shouts, screams, and applause from below were almost deafening.
She looked around blankly and saw a sea of blue glow sticks, as if she were surrounded by them.
Su Mo, who once seemed so far away from her, is now sitting right next to her.
A hand grasped hers.
Su Mo led her to her feet, and amidst the boundless shouts, his voice was so gentle it was almost ethereal.
"The world I see belongs to you as well."
Jiang Jianhuan was taken out of the backstage area by Su Mo.