Ch. 561..570

Chapter 561: 561 Bad Friends

 

 

A few days before the piano competition, Tao Yue invited many doctors to come back to treat her wounds. She even found a few very good cosmetic hospitals. Even if she couldn’t cure her wounds, she could at least cover them up.

On the day of the competition, Tao Yue got up early in the morning to put on her makeup. Her dress was specially custom-made. It was black with crystals on it. Under the sunlight, the crystals sparkled, making her look like a princess.

Tao Yue looked great. She had fair skin and a well-proportioned figure. In this black dress, she looked noble, elegant and mysterious. Moreover, she had put on the jewelry she had designed today. This necklace suited her outfit quite well.

“Mommy!” Tao Yue greeted Second Aunt Tao when she saw her coming in.

Second Aunt Tao saw Tao Yue and praised her with a smile, “My Yue Yue is so beautiful!”

Tao Yue was smiling so hard that her eyes couldn’t be seen. “Mom, I’m not that pretty.”

“You are!” Second Aunt Tao said, “Yue Yue, don’t be nervous. I believe that you will get good results.”

Tao Yue nodded. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll do well in the competition.”

For the past few days, she would spend four to five hours practicing the piano every day. During the holidays, she spent almost every day in the piano room. Now that her piano skills had improved a lot, she could play the piano music that she was going to play in the piano competition with her eyes closed.

As long as there were no accidents, Tao Yue would definitely get a good ranking. If she performed well, she could get first place.

“Yue Yue, don’t be nervous, and don’t care too much about your placings. As long as you go on stage and perform your song completely, 1 will be incredibly proud of you.” Second Aunt Tao didn’t want to put too much pressure on Tao Yue. Tao Yue had been practicing the piano very hard recently. She was worried that Tao Yue would be nervous when she went on stage and not get any results.

Although Second Aunt Tao didn’t care about the competition results, she knew that Tao Yue cared about the results. If Tao Yue didn’t care about getting a good results in the competition, Tao Yue wouldn’t have spent so much time practicing the piano.

“Yes, yes.” Tao Yue agreed.

“Yue Yue, you really don’t need me to come with you?” Second Aunt Tao asked again.

“Mom, I’ll be nervous if you go with me,” Tao Yue replied.

“Plus, my teacher will be by my side. You don’t have to worry about no one accompanying me. Besides, you didn’t accompany me in the previous competitions. I won’t be able to adapt if you go now.”

Second Aunt Tao was convinced by Tao Yue. Sometimes, it was just as Tao Yue said. It was easy for children to be nervous when their parents were present. Therefore, every time Tao Yue participated in a competition, Second Aunt Tao would not go to the venue. She would only pick Tao Yue up at the door after the competition.

After Tao Yue was ready, Second Aunt Tao sent her out. At the entrance, they met Tan Rou, who was also waiting for a car.

“Is Xiao Rou going out too? Why didn’t you arrange for a chauffeur to send you out?” Second Aunt Tao asked kindly.

Tan Rou had a good impression of Second Aunt Tao, so she smiled politely and replied, “There’s no need to trouble the driver. Someone is coming to pick me up.”

“Big Cousin, who’s here to pick you up?” Tao Yue asked subconsciously. “Your friend?”

Tan Rou didn’t plan to tell Tao Yue right now. “We can be considered friends.” The person who came to pick her up was Hang Wei. They were both friends and business partners.

Tao Yue said sarcastically, “Eldest Cousin, you’ve just returned to the Capital and you’ve already made friends. That’s not bad! However, there are all sorts of people in a huge city like this and they may not be all good people. You have to take a good look at whether your friends are good or bad. Don’t be friends with those who are bad.”

Tan Rou was notwilling to be outdone. Instead, she asked, “Is Second Cousin talking about Meng Xiao?”

Tao Yue’s smile disappeared immediately. “I’ve stopped talking to her,” Tao Yue emphasized.

Tan Rou nodded slightly. “Second Cousin, you’d better keep your word. Otherwise, you won’t be able to explain yourself if Meng Xiao appears with you again.”

Second Aunt Tao also agreed with Tan Ron’s words. “Yue Yue, you’re going to the competition today which is why 1 don’t want to distract you with anything else. Anyway, you should focus on the competition. Don’t think about other people or things.”

“Mom, 1 know.” Tao Yue replied. Then, she looked at Tan Rou. “Is the friend that Eldest Cousin is waiting for not here yet? Why don’t I give you a ride first? I’m going out too.” Actually, she wanted to see what kind of friends Tan Rou had made in just a few days. She wanted to see if they were from the big families in the Capital..

 

Chapter 562: 562 Busy With Work

 

 

“No need.” Tan Ron glanced at her phone. “They’ll be here soon. If you’re in a hurry to go to the competition, go ahead. I hope you can get a good result today.”

This was a blessing, but when it reached Tao Yue’s ears, it changed. She felt that Tan Rou was mocking her for her poor piano skills and her inability to get good grades.

“Thank you for your blessings, Xiao Rou.” Second Aunt Tao liked Tan Rou very much. After hearing Tan Rou give Tao Yue her blessings, she smiled and said, “Yue Yue will definitely not disappoint you.”

Tan Rou really wanted to put on a nonchalant expression, but Second Aunt Tao was here. She couldn’t afford to be too stiff with Tao Yue.

When Tao Yue heard Tan Rou rejected her offer, she became even more curious about who was picking Tan Rou up. She found an excuse and said, “Mom, I still have something I forget. I’m gonna head back to get it first.”

“What is it? Mom will help you get it. It’s not easy for you to walk in high heels,” Second Aunt Tao said anxiously.

Tao Yue stole a glance at Tan Rou. “Thank you, Mom. Then I’ll wait for you here and talk to my eldest cousin.”

Second Aunt Tao was very happy to see the two sisters getting along. It seemed that what happened a few days ago did not affect their relationship.

“Eldest cousin, who is it that is picking you up? Why isn’t he here yet?” Tao Yue asked impatiently after Second Aunt Tao left.

“Don’t be too curious about me.” Tan Rou warned coldly, “Otherwise, you’ll be very miserable.”

Tao Yue suddenly felt cold. She already wore a jacket over her dress, but she still felt the chill.

“What does First Cousin mean by this?” Tao Yue asked.

“Nothing.” Tan Rou walked forward. Hang Wei’s car had just arrived. “I’ll say it again. I hope you can get good results in today’s competition.”

After saying that, she walked quickly to the car.

Tao Yue stood there and thought about Tan Ron’s words. She didn’t believe that Tan Rou would be so kind as to wish her good results. Tan Rou must have some scheme against her.

Hang Wei’s wife, Qianqian, was a very cute girl. She was younger than Hang Wei but older than Tan Rou. Qianqian loved cooking, and her favorite thing was to cook for others. The fact that Hang Wei had not become fat after eating for so many years only showed how much he loved sports. Otherwise, if he had been fed the way Qianqian fed him, Hang Wei would have become fat like a ball long ago.

“Dear Rourou, long time no see!” Qianqian handed Tan Rou an exquisite box as soon as she saw her. “1 made this especially for you. Try it!”

Tan Rou didn’t like sweet things, but she accepted Qianqian’s cake and praised, “Sister Qianqian, you’re getting more and more beautiful.”

“I’m getting older and older,” Qianqian said shyly as she touched her face. “How can 1 get prettier?”

“Sister Qianqian is beautiful!” Tan Rou said sincerely, “And your cooking is delicious. Being able to marry you must have used up all of Hang Wei’s luck for his entire life.”

Qianqian looked at Hang Wei in the driver’s seat and said with a smile, “It’s my fortune to meet him.”

The few of them reminisced for a while, and then Tan Rou mentioned the robot. Recently, she had kept her eyes on Hang Wei and paid more attention to the cooperation of the smart capsule pen. She had no chance to care about the production of the new generation of robots.

“We’re almost done with the preparations.” Hang Wei was very capable. “This batch of robots can be put into production after the New Year.”

Tan Rou nodded in satisfaction. “Send the robot to me before mass production.

I still need to modify the program of the new robot to make it more suitable for work in today’s society.”

“Alright, 1 understand.” Hang Wei said.

Tan Rou added, “I still need some time to design the smart capsule pen. I just found out that this can add another function. I’m also modifying it now.”

Hang Wei could only nod continuously.

Qianqian sat in the front passenger seat and did not say a word. After they finished chatting, she said in admiration, “Rourou, you’re amazing!”

Tan Rou smiled. “I have no choice. These two matters are very important to me. I have to handle them personally.”

“You have to go to school, modify the program, and research new products. Now, you have to find time to be a judge. You’re too busy!” Qianqian said with heartache.

Tan Rou didn’t like to be so busy. However, she had been like this all those years and had already developed a habit. Once a habit was formed, it was very difficult to change it..

 

Chapter 563: 536 Like a Beggar

 

 

Tao Yue watched the white sports car go away. Although she didn’t see who was inside, she could tell how much the car was worth. Even Tao Yue’s brother, Tao Sheng, had never driven such an expensive car.

Who was the one who picked Tan Rou up? Where was Tan Rou going? These two questions deeply troubled Tao Yue.

However, when she got to the venue for the piano competition, Tao Yue’s two questions were solved.

“Eldest cousin, why are you here? Are you here for the competition too?” Tao Yue asked worriedly when she saw Tan Rou.” If Tan Rou participated in the competition, she would definitely not have the chance to get first place again.

“I’m not here to participate in the competition.” Tan Rou answered honestly.

Tao Yue let out a sigh of relief. “Is Big Cousin here to watch the competition? If 1 had known that Eldest Cousin would also be here, I would have brought you along.”

Tan Rou’s tone was cold. “We’re not on the same path. There’s no need for us to head to here together.”

Tao Yue was a person who attracted attention. On this day, Tao Yue’s every move would attract the attention of others.

“Who was that person talking to Tao Yue? Is she also a contestant?”

“You don’t look like a contestant! All of us had dressed up carefully before coming here. Only she was different. She was dressed so casually. She was definitely not a contestant.”

“Is there something wrong with your ears? Didn’t she hear Tao Yue calling her ‘Big Cousin?’ There must be only one person Tao Yue called Big Cousin.” “Heavens! Was she the eldest daughter of the Tao family? She’s really too beautiful!”

“But 1 feel that their relationship is not very good.”

Tao Yue couldn’t let others see that she and Tan Rou were not on good terms. Otherwise, others would think that Tan Rou’s arrival had affected her status.

“If you want to go in and watch the competition, come in with me.” Tao Yue said affectionately.

Tan Rou stood to the side in disgust. “No need. I can go in myself.”

“Tan Rou, what are you doing here?” An annoying voice sounded in Tan Rou’s ear, and the voice was getting closer and closer. “You’re not here to participate in the piano competition, are you?”

This person was none other than Meng Xiao, who was also participating in the piano competition.

Tan Rou looked at Meng Xiao. Meng Xiao was wearing a golden gown and had makeup on. She looked very noble and beautiful. As long as she didn’t speak, she was definitely a cultured beauty.

“Does this have anything to do with you?” Tan Rou’s attitude toward Meng Xiao was even worse. She didn’t need to explain to Meng Xiao why she was here. Moreover, from Meng Xiao’s appearance, he should also be a contestant. Since he was a contestant, they would definitely meet later. There was no need to waste time explaining.

“Of course it has something to do with me.” Meng Xiao said proudly. “I’m a contestant here. Someone like you probably won’t have the chance to participate in such a competition in your lifetime.”

Tan Rou nodded slightly. “What you said makes sense.”

Although this competition invited famous young pianists from all over the world, the contestants were too young, after all, and few of them actually composed their own. Tan Rou had no interest in participating in a competition like this. If she were to participate, she would definitely participate in an original piano competition.

Meng Xiao sized up Tan Rou and mocked, “It seems like the eldest daughter of the Tao family isn’t doing well in the Tao family. Look at your clothes today. You look like a beggar who came here to beg for food.”

Tan Rou was wearing a simple jacket, slim pants, and black Martin boots today. She looked very youthful. It was just that her outfit was not suitable for this venue. After all, the contestants were all dressed up very well and were afraid of losing to others in terms of appearance.

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Hang Wei couldn’t stand it anymore. “Who do you think looks like a beggar here?”

“And who are you?” Meng Xiao continued to taunt, “The beggar that came with Tan Rou?”

Some of them knew Hang Wei. After hearing Meng Xiao’s words, they couldn’t help but ask, “Isn’t that CEO Hang from TL Company? How could he be a beggar?”

Meng Xiao didn’t know Hang Wei, nor did she know about the TL company. “What kind of company is that? Is it bigger than our Meng family’s company?” “So you’re from the Meng family?” Hang Wei sneered, “Let’s not waste time on

people like her. Let’s go..”

 

Chapter 564: 564 Disgust

 

 

As Tan Rou and the others walked into the venue, Meng Xiao continued to follow behind them and talk nonsense.

“Who let you in? Do you have tickets? Are you here to watch the piano competition dressed like this?” Meng Xiao asked.

“You must know that great pianists from all over the world would be gathered here. It’s too cheap for you to dress like this.”

Meng Xiao followed Tan Rou all the way to the lounge. Hang Wei and Qianqian went to the audience seats halfway. Meng Xiao did not even look at them. She only had her eyes on Tan Rou.

Tan Rou ignored Meng Xiao, so Meng Xiao thought that Tan Rou was feeling guilty. Hence, she became even bolder and criticized her in front of Tan Rou.

“Unimportant people are not allowed to come to the lounge. The lounge here is for us contestants to rest.” Meng Xiao acted like a security guard. “Get out quickly, or I’ll call the staff to chase you out!”

Tan Rou suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at Meng Xiao. She was a little taller than Meng Xiao, so she felt very pressured.

“Meng Xiao, 1 don’t want to get into a conflict with you today. If you continue to talk nonsense, don’t even think about performing on stage today.” Tan Ron’s gaze was cold.

Meng Xiao was suddenly a little scared when Tan Rou looked at her like that. However, she thought about it. She was a contestant. What right did Tan Rou have to disqualify her?

“Don’t be so smug. Even if you’re the eldest daughter of the Tao family, you can’t disqualify me.” Meng Xiao said confidently, “Don’t think that you can do whatever you want just because you stole Yueyue’s place. Let me tell you, Yueyue is a genius pianist. Just wait for her performance!”

Tan Rou was really puzzled. She almost suspected that Tao Yue had installed a machine program in Meng Xiao’s brain, the kind that required Meng Xiao to listen to Tao Yue or die. Otherwise, why would Meng Xiao continue to speak up for Tao Yue after experiencing those things?

“Do you have something on Tao Yue? Why else would you speak up for Tao Yue when she tried to harm you?” Tan Rou asked curiously.

“Of course not!” Meng Xiao said guiltily, “1 just can’t stand you bullying Yue Yue!”

Tao Yue’s piano teacher, Yang Shi, was also in the lounge. She wanted to study the piano score quietly at this time, but a noisy contestant barged in. Not only that, but this contestant seemed to know her student. She found it strange. Tao Yue was such an obedient child. How did she get to know such a troublesome friend?

When Tao Yue came in, Yang Shi called Tao Yue to her side and whispered to her, “Yue Yue, is that noisy person your friend?””

Tao Yue looked at Tan Rou and Meng Xiao, and a smile appeared on her face. “Teacher,” she denied, “that’s not my friend. It’s just that we’re both contestants and have only met a few times.”

Yang Shi was relieved. She said to Tao Yue, “Yue Yue, you are my most outstanding disciple. 1 like you very much. I have seen what kind of child you are. So you must never be friends with that kind of person. She will only lead you astray.”

Tao Yue nodded obediently. “Teacher, I won’t be friends with her.” She only wanted to make use of Meng Xiao, that idiot.

Yang Shi looked at Meng Xiao again and shook her head.

“The moment I saw her, 1 felt disgusted. If she wasn’t a contestant, I would have asked the staff to ask her to leave.”

Tao Yueyue was thinking that she had to pay attention to the fact that she and Meng Xiao had known each other for a long time.

Tan Rou crossed her arms and sat on the chair, sending out a few messages from time to time. Meng Xiao was like a noisy sparrow that kept talking in her ear, as if he would not get tired.

“Miss Tan Rou, so you’re here!” A uniformed staff member rushed in. “Why are you in this lounge? We’ve arranged a special lounge for you. Do you want to go over?”

“What lounge?” Meng Xiao rolled her eyes. “It can’t be a service staff lounge, right?”

The staff frowned. “Are you a contestant? What’s your name?”

Meng Xiao snorted and said arrogantly, “I’m one of the contestant, Meng Xiao.”

The staff member smiled, “Well, you have definitely made a name for yourself.” The last place of the piano competition has finally arrived..

 

Chapter 565: 565 Contestant and Judge

 

 

Meng Xiao pointed at Tan Rou arrogantly, “How can anyone enter the lounge? What if she bumps into our contestants and affects our performance?”

The staff didn’t want to talk to her, but out of politeness, he said, “If you want a good atmosphere, find a place to stay. Don’t stay in this lounge.”

Meng Xiao did not dare to offend the staff too much. After all, she had entered through the back door. It was better to keep a low profile.

“Miss Tan Rou, please follow me to the lounge we have arranged for you.” The staff member glanced at Meng Xiao indifferently, then said to Tan Rou with a smile.

Tan Rou didn’t have any objections. Since she was going on stage later, where she went didn’t matter. Moreover, this time, it was Uncle Wu who called her over. Until now, she had not seen his figure. He was probably in another lounge.

Although Uncle Wu studied physics, he was also very accomplished in piano. He was one of the organizers of this competition, so he invited Tan Rou to be a judge this time.

Tan Rou left with the staff. Yang Shi and Tao Yue walked over. Yang Shi asked, “Isn’t that your cousin?”

Tao Yue was afraid Yang Shi would take a fancy to Tan Rou, so she hurriedly said, “Yes, she’s here today, but she’s not a contestant. I saw the service staff speaking to her earlier; she may be here to work.”

Yang Shi nodded. “That’s strange. With your cousin’s identity, she shouldn’t have to work here, right?”

Tao Yue said, “Maybe she’s here for a part-time job. Plus, this is a piano competition. She may want some exposure to classical music. After all, she has never had such exposure.”

Yang Shi said disdainfully, “She should have learned the piano earlier. It’s already too late for her to learn it now. Moreover, why didn’t she go to a professional teacher to learn the piano? What can you learn by working here?”

Tao Yueyue followed Yang Shi’s words. “Teacher, you’re right. I’ll tell my cousin to find a professional teacher instead.”

Yang Shi nodded. “Let’s go. Let’s go outside and familiarize ourselves with the environment. Otherwise, we won’t be able to warm up after this.”

“Alright.” Tao Yue followed behind Yang Shi.

As soon as they went out, they saw Tan Rou standing in the middle of a few people. They were familiar with those around her. There were a few very famous piano masters from home and abroad. One of the purposes of this competition was to select new disciples.

Grandmaster selected young contestants from all over the country after filtering through. Ultimately, the best contestants from all over the country have gathered here. As long as they could get into the top ten in the finals, they would have the chance to become Grandmaster’s disciples.

“Why is your cousin standing with those piano masters?” Yang Shi asked in confusion.

“My cousin should be helping the Grandmasters with some matters. After all, she’s a staff member.” Tao Yue said.

This reason made sense, so Yang Shi did not ask further.

Tao Yue was going to perform on stage in a while. The rules of this competition were different from the previous ones. During the finals, all the participants had to go on stage together. A random person would be chosen to perform. When this person performed, the remaining players would watch from the stage. After the competition, they could not leave the stage to avoid affecting those who had not performed.

Tao Yue didn’t dare to drink water before the competition because she feared she would need to go to the toilet on stage. Although there was no rule against going to the toilet, going to the toilet in the middle of the competition would definitely affect the judges ‘impression.

The contestants went on stage first, and Tao Yue was the third. They were all randomly assigned seats, so no one knew where they would be seated. After sitting down, Tao Yue looked at the audience below the stands. She didn’t see Tan Rou, so she was sure that Tan Rou was a staff member. Only the backstage staff did not show up at this time.

After the contestants sat down, it was the host’s opening speech. After the host finished speaking, the curtain of the judges ‘seats on the right was pulled open.

Among the group of old men and women, there was a young girl who was particularly eye-catching. This girl was none other than Tan Rou.

Tao Yue stood up from her seat in shock. The contestants and the audience were all looking at her. She blushed and apologized before returning to her seat.

How could it be Tan Rou? How could Tan Rou be the judge of the finals?

Tao Yue’s palms were sweaty. She panicked. If Tan Rou was the judge, things would be hard for her..

 

Chapter 566: 566 A Mistake in the Competition

 

 

Not only was Tao Yue shocked, but Meng Xiao was also in disbelief.

Meng Xiao was sitting behind Tao Yue. She leaned forward and whispered, “Yue Yue, why is Tan Rou sitting with the judges?”

She had heard about Tan Rou from Tao Yue. She felt that Tan Rou had always lived in the Tan family, and the Tan family did not value Tan Rou. How could they let her learn the piano? Even if it was piano, Tan Rou would definitely not be a judge given her age and standard.

But now, Tan Rou was sitting on the stage. Meng Xiao rubbed her eyes several times, but she still saw Tan Rou. This meant that she was not dreaming.

Tao Yue didn’t want to talk to Meng Xiao on stage. Firstly, she didn’t want to expose her relationship with Meng Xiao. Secondly, with so many people watching, she shouldn’t make any unnecessary moves.

Moreover, Tao Yue had seen Tan Rou play the piano before. Tan Ron’s piano skills were superb. When she met Tan Rou outside, Tao Yue’s first reaction was that Tan Rou would steal her place. However, she was relieved when she learned that Tan Rou wasn’t a contestant.

But now, Tao Yue was nervous again. Tan Rou was a judge, so she would definitely give her a low score on purpose. Tao Yue’s face turned ugly when she thought of this.

“Yue Yue, do you know Tan Rou is the judge of this competition?” Meng Xiao asked Tao Yue.

“I don’t know!” Tao Yue said impatiently.

Coincidentally, the host was introducing the judges. He asked everyone if they knew one of the judges. No one said anything, but Tao Yue said, ‘I don’t know’. She changed the focus of the audience again.

The pianist was a kind-looking old man. When he heard Tao Yue say, ’I don’t know’, he wasn’t angry. Instead, he said kindly, “It’s normal that you don’t know me. You’ll know me after this competition.”

Yang Shi was sitting below the stage. She saw Tao Yue make two mistakes in a row and her expression turned ugly. However, after hearing what the piano master said, she suddenly had a little hope. Perhaps the master knew about Tao Yue and wanted to make her his disciple.

Tao Yue, who was on the stage, was so nervous that her palms were sweating. She had already made two mistakes. The judges ‘impression of her must have been greatly reduced. Moreover, one of the judges was Tan Rou. Tan Rou would definitely give her a low score.

Tan Rou glanced at the contestants and smiled. “The first contestant can start now.”

The seat light of the girl on Tao Yue’s right lit up. The girl tidied up her clothes, walked to the piano stand confidently, and began to play.

This was a relatively soothing piece. It was not difficult, and the contestant’s ability was also very strong. She completed the performance excellently. Then, she stood up and bowed to the judges and audience.

Next was the time for the judges to give their comments. Each judge gave a few simple comments, either praising or pointing out their shortcomings.

Initially, everyone was disdainful of Tan Rou, this young judge. They thought that she must be the granddaughter of some grandmaster who came to put on an act. However, when Tan Rou spoke, they realized that Tan Rou was someone who actually knew music, most of the points she said were even more unique than those masters.

The judges’ scores would not be announced for the time being, but they would write the scores on the score sheet and place them into the sealed box. Finally, the scores would be read out.

Tao Yue was the fourth to go on stage. When she went on stage, Tan Rou’s eyes that were originally closed suddenly opened completely. She held the score sheet in her hand in advance and was ready to score Tao Yue.

After seeing Tan Rou’s actions, Tao Yue’s previous messy thoughts came out. She sat in front of the piano and began to panic. Once she panicked, her thoughts became chaotic, and her limbs became uncoordinated. In the end, the music she played was not connected in many places, and it was very unpleasant.

Yang Shi covered her ears when she heard this. She couldn’t believe that her most outstanding disciple could play such a terrible piano piece. Tao Yue’s performance today was about the same as a beginner’s.

Tao Yue also knew that she was finished. She would definitely be placed last today.

After the competition ended, the contestants would return to the lounge to rest. After the judges had tabulated the scores, they would announce them together. In this competition, there was basically a contestant from every city. Meng Xiao had won a spot from another province, so the staff member had a deep impression of the person who was last in the selection.

Tao Yue cried before she got off the stage. She knew that she had ruined her chance..

 

Chapter 567: 567 Poor Results

 

 

After listening to Tao Yue’s piano piece, Yang Shi didn’t listen to anyone else. She went to the lounge early to wait for Tao Yue. She wanted to ask Tao Yue what was going on. Why did she play so badly today?

The staff opened the door to the lounge. The contestants came in, talking and laughing. Even Meng Xiao was very happy. She felt that she would not be able to walk down this path.

“Yue Yue, what’s wrong with you? Were you nervous?” Meng Xiao asked deliberately. “Why do 1 feel that you didn’t perform as well as I did?”

Tao Yue glared at Meng Xiao with reddened eyes but didn’t speak to her.

Yang Shi walked over with a straight face and said in an unfriendly tone, “Yueyue, what’s wrong with you? Do you know what you just played?”

Tao Yue pursed her lips and said nothing. Her eyes were red, and her tears had soaked her carefully prepared makeup. Her face was indeed multicolored.

“Teacher, I’m sorry. I’ve disappointed you.” After a while, Tao Yue cried.

Seeing her crying like this, Yang Shi didn’t say anything else. “Forget it. We’ll wait for the results. 1 may have to use my connections to get you another chance.”

Although Yang Shi said so, Tao Yue knew that the possibility of another match was not high. If she did it again, the other contestants would feel that their results were not good and compete again. Then what was the meaning of this match?

Tao Yue was in a bad mood. She picked up her phone and put it down again. She should have told her mother about the results after the competition, but she was not in the mood to send a message to her mother.

After a while, the staff came over to let the contestants out. The results were about to be announced.

Tao Yue didn’t want to listen to the results at all. She knew that her performance was bad. If nothing unexpected happened, she would definitely be at the bottom.

Ten students would be selected according to their results in the finals, but the prizes for the competition were only gold, silver, and bronze, which corresponded to the first, second, and third place.

The judges were the guests who presented the award. They had a card in their hands, and on it was the contestant who was selected in the end.

“First, starting with the tenth place.” One of the judges began to read out the scores. After reading them, it was another judge who announced the ninth place.

After the top ten was announced, Tao Yue gave up completely. She didn’t make it into the top ten.

Meng Xiao was very angry that she did not hear her name in the top ten. She felt that she had performed very well. How could she not be ranked?

“Do the contestants have any objections to their results? If you do, you can raise them now and we will give you an explanation for it.”

“I have objections!” Meng Xiao raised her hand. “Why aren’t I included in the top ten?”

“Contestant, what’s your name?” the host asked.

“Meng Xiao.” Meng Xiao took a step forward. “Is there something shady going on with you guys, or are you guys just too careless? Why isn’t my result here?”

The host patiently said, “Contestant Meng Xiao, you may not understand the rules of the competition. Before the competition, 1 said that only the top ten results will be announced. If your results are not within the top ten, it will not be announced.”

Meng Xiao disagreed. “Then how do I know how many points I got?”

“If you want to see your results, you can contact our organizers privately. The organizers will send you your results.” The host said with a smile.

“I want to see it now.” Meng Xiao felt that something was wrong with her results. She had prepared for so long. How could she not make it into the top ten? Moreover, she felt that she played much better than the third place player. It was impossible for her not to enter the top ten.

The host turned to the judges for help.

Uncle Wu gestured for Tan Rou to speak. Tan Rou did not hesitate and reached out for the microphone. “Since she’s curious about the results, show her then. Anyway, the results have already been released. The entire process is monitored, so we won’t change the results.”

With Meng Xiao’s persistence, the other contestants who had failed the rankings also wanted to see the results. The organizers of the competition thought for a moment and decided to announce all the results. Since the contestants didn’t mind showing their results, so why should the organizers hide them

Tao Yue wanted to see the results too , but she was also afraid of them. When the results were announced on the big screen, she closed her eyes.

Meng Xiao was ranked twenty-fifth, while Tao Yue was one place behind..

 

Chapter 568: 568 Undeserving of the Name

 

 

“Why am I ranked 25th?” Meng Xiao was not satisfied with her results. She had thought that she could enter the top 20, but in the end, she was only ranked 25.

The reason why Meng Xiao put so much effort into participating in this competition was not to get first place, but to use this competition to increase her popularity. When she debuted in the entertainment industry, she could add a label of ‘beautiful pianist’. But now, he was only ranked 25th. This ranking was not good enough.

“Did you give me the wrong score?” Meng Xiao pointed the finger at Tan Ron. “Is this judge really that good? She’s about the same age as me. How can she be a judge? And does she really know how to play the piano?”

Uncle Wu said unhappily, “The people who can be judges have all been reviewed by us, so you don’t have to doubt the qualifications of these judges. Moreover, the judges were all fair, and there was no difference in the scores of the young judges.”

The pianist that Tao Yue offended earlier spoke up, “You’ve made a lot of mistakes when you played just now. Do you know that?”

“I know.” Meng Xiao’s expression changed.

The piano master continued, “Master Tan Rou pointed out the mistakes you made. If you don’t believe me, you can take a closer look at the score record and the video replay of your performance.”

Meng Xiao did not believe that Tan Rou had the ability to do so, so she requested to play the video and check the score sheet. Sure enough, Tan Rou had pointed out Meng Xiao’s mistakes on the score sheet. She even pointed out that Meng Xiao had not realized she was making a mistake.

Meng Xiao had nothing to say. She looked at Tan Rou angrily. “Fine, 1 guess you did a good job!”

After the contestants had no objections to their results, they would continue with presenting the awards. Those masters would also bring back the good seedlings they had taken a fancy to and nurture them.

Yang Shi and Tao Yue split up. Tao Yue had to go to the toilet, but Yang Shi still wanted to get close to the judges, hoping that they would give Tao Yue another chance.

Tao Yue looked at herself in the mirror and started crying again. She had lived for seventeen years and had never achieved such a bad result. It was a great humiliation for her.

When Qianqian came out of the bathroom, she happened to see Tao Yue crying. She had heard about Tao Yue before and thought that she was a very nice girl. But recently, she had heard from Hang Wei about the grudge between Tao Yue and Tan Rou. As Tan Ron’s friend, Qianqian did not want to have too much contact with Tao Yue.

However, Tao Yue recognized Qianqian at a glance. As the wife of the president of TL Company, Qianqian often attended large banquets with Hang Wei. Tao Yue had also seen Qianqian at banquets a few times, but they had never spoken. “Mrs. Hang, right?” Tao Yue rubbed her eyes and smiled. “Are you here to watch the competition?”

Qianqian pretended not to know Tao Yue. “Who are you?”

“Hello, my name is Tao Yue, one of the contestants here today.”

“Tao Yue?” Qianqian pretended to think about the name. “Oh, I remember who you are. You’re the contestant who said ‘I don’t know’ on stage today, right? Did you shout so loudly to attract attention or to ease the tense atmosphere?”

“I’m not in the best condition today. I’ve made a grave mistake.” Tao Yue said awkwardly.

“That wasn’t a mistake, was it? Aren’t you in last place?” Qianqian asked. “Even if you did make one, you shouldn’t have placed last, right?”

Double kill.

Every word Qianqian said was like a knife stabbing into Tao Yue’s heart. Tao Yue couldn’t refute her, so she could only explain weakly, “I’m not in a good state today.”

This was the first time Tao Yue was talking to Mrs. Hang, so she had to seize the opportunity. “Mrs. Hang, why don’t we exchange numbers?”

Qianqian deliberately changed the topic. “1 remember that the number one socialite in the Capital also shares the same name. So you’re the number one socialite from the Tao family?”

Hearing that Qianqian had heard of her, Tao Yue quickly smiled and said, “That’s me, but that’s just a false reputation. I’m not that great.”

“Indeed. 1 think they’re lying too. After all, you’re such a terrible pianist. How could you be the number one socialite in the Capital?” Qianqian nodded.

Triple kill.

Tao Yue was struck three times in a row. Her smile froze on her face and she couldn’t say a word for a long time. She didn’t even know when Qianqian left..

 

Chapter 569: 569 Long Waiting

 

 

As soon as Qianqian got into the car, she told Tan Ron about what had happened at the washroom sink.

“Rourou, I’m really going to die of laughter from your second cousin.” Qianqian laughed as she slapped her thigh. “She wanted to get close to me, so I’ll keep telling her things that hurt her. Originally, she was still smiling at me, but after listening to me say a few words, her face became uglier than a bitter gourd. It was really fun.”

Tan Rou smiled slightly. “She got such a bad result and you gave her such a blow just now. She probably can’t sleep anymore.”

Qianqian continued to laugh. “She wanted to get my contact information, but I ignored her.”

Tan Rou nodded. “That’s understandable.”

Hang Wei started the car. “Boss, where are you going now? We’ll send you home before leaving.”

Tan Rou gave him an address. After she finished speaking, Qianqian and Hang Wei revealed a subtle expression.

“Boss, are you going on a date with someone?” Hang Wei immediately realized who it was. “Could it be Zhuang Liu?”

Tan Rou did not answer directly. “How did you know I was going on a date? Can’t 1 go to the library to read?”

Qianqian smiled and said. “Rourou, the place you’re going to is a famous dating spot in the Capital. 90% of young men and women go there for dinner dates.”

Tan Rou didn’t know much about the Capital, and she didn’t have the time to search for a dating site. This was the first time she heard that it was a dating site. This reminded her of the couple’s restaurant that she had been to before. She wondered if the place where she ate was also a couple’s restaurant.

“Stop asking.” Tan Rou couldn’t bear to part with Qianqian, so she said to Hang Wei, “Don’t say anything else. Just send me there quickly.”

Hang Wei couldn’t disobey his boss’s orders. He could only be a dutiful driver and send his boss on a date.

Qianqian snickered in the passenger seat. “Rourou, you’re so imposing. I should learn that as well. Next time if Weiwei makes me unhappy again, I’ll scold him like this.”

Hang Wei felt wronged. “Honey, when have I ever made you mad?”

“Hmph, just because I’ve said so!” Qianqian chuckled.

Tan Rou listened to Qianqian and Hang Wei’s conversation and suddenly felt a little envious of their relationship. Then, she thought for a moment. She seemed to have someone like that waiting for her.

Hang Wei drove Tan Rou to her destination and left. He had to go shopping with his wife and enjoy their alone time without their children.

Tan Rou carried her bag and walked into the place where she had agreed to meet Zhuang Liu. She had not seen Zhuang Liu for a few days because both of them were very busy and really could not find the time.

“Third Brother, sorry for the long wait!” When Tan Rou saw Zhuang Liu, her mood became wonderful. “Don’t you have anything to eat?”

“I ordered something and it’ll be sent over immediately.” Zhuang Liu handed her a warm hand warmer. “Is it cold outside?”

“A little. How long have you been waiting here?” Tan Rou asked, covering her hands.

“I didn’t wait long.” Zhuang Liu replied, “If it’s you, I don’t mind waiting.”

Zhuang Liu had indeed been waiting for Tan Ron’s answer. Previously, Tan Rou was not an adult, so Zhuang Liu wanted to wait until she was an adult. Tan Rou was now an adult, but she still had to go to university, so Zhuang Liu had to wait for Tan Rou to finish her studies first. He was used to waiting, but he also wanted to get Tan Ron’s response as soon as possible.

Tan Rou really wanted to respond to Zhuang Liu now, but now was not the best time. If she was in a relationship, she would have to spend more time and effort on her partner. Then, it would be difficult for her plan to be completed perfectly.

Zhuang Liu could only change the topic after waiting for a long time for Tan Ron’s response. “How are you feeling today, Rourou?”

Tan Rou heaved a sigh of relief and replied, “The contestants weren’t too bad. They have a lot of potential. They are worthy of being trained by those masters.”

“I mean, how does Xiao Rou feel? Do you like the piano?” Zhuang Liu asked with a smile.

“Not really.” Tan Rou rested her chin on one hand and played with the cup on the table with the other. “I don’t have much affection for the piano. 1 used to learn it just by looking at it. I’ve never paid attention to this kind of skill that can be learned easily.”

Playing the piano could only be used to cultivate one’s character. For Tan Rou, playing the piano was a very useless skill which wouldn’t affect her at all..

 

Chapter 570: 570 Destroying the atmosphere

 

 

“Xiao Rou is really amazing. Is there anything that Xiao Ron doesn’t know?” Zhuang Liu also imitated Tan Rou and supported his chin. He was already good-looking and he now had a lazy look on his face. The warm yellow lights made him look handsome and gentle.

Tan Rou didn’t dare to look at Zhuang Liu like this. She was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to hold herself back. “Third Brother, don’t look at me like that. I don’t have any words on my face.”

Zhuang Liu smiled and said, “You look good and I like looking at you.”

Tan Ron’s heart thumped. She turned her head. “Don’t say that. It’s embarrassing.”

“I was just telling the truth.” Zhuang Liu slowly stood up. Although he came in a wheelchair, he put the wheelchair aside as soon as he entered the door and walked straight away. If one did not look carefully, one would not be able to tell that there was a problem with his legs. He gently walked to Tan Rou’s side and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Rourou, are you shy? Why don’t you dare to look me in the eyes?”

Tan Rou’s face was as red as a tomato. She gently patted her face and turned her head to look at Zhuang Liu. “Why wouldn’t I dare to look?”

However, Zhuang Liu was very close to her. When she turned around, Zhuang Liu’s handsome face was right in front of her, as if she could kiss him with a pout.

“Xiao Rou, I want to kiss you again. Can I?” Zhuang Liu looked at Tan Rou’s lips and asked in a low voice.

“I… That… Here…” Tan Rou stammered for a long time, unable to say a complete sentence.

“Just like last time?” Zhuang Liu was referring to the kiss with Tan Rou at Father Tao’s banquet.

Tan Rou secretly cheered herself on. Wasn’t it just a kiss? What was there to be afraid of?

Zhuang Liu waited for a while. Just as he was about to return to his seat in disappointment, Tan Rou’s finger hooked onto his finger.

“Only one.” Tan Rou’s voice was very soft. This was a sign of her shyness.

Zhuang Liu was overjoyed. He bent down and kissed Tan Rou. Although Tan Rou had only allowed a peck, Zhuang Liu did not give up. He hugged Tan Rou’s back and continued to deepen the kiss.

Tan Rou did not refuse. She did not dislike Zhuang Liu kissing her. Instead, she liked the feeling of it. Her heart felt numb and her body felt warm.

The atmosphere in the room was extremely ambiguous. The lights in the room already gave people a warm and sweet feeling. Now that there was a pair of people kissing, the entire room seemed to be filled with pink bubbles.

“Dong dong dong!” A short and hurried knock on the door interrupted their kiss.

Zhuang Liu went back to his seat, not satisfied. Tan Rou patted her red face, hoping that it would return to normal soon.

“Come in!” Zhuang Liu could roughly guess who it was. Although he had asked Xiao Mo to arrange the meal, he was still unhappy that the kiss was interrupted, so he could only blame it on Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo, who didn’t know what had happened, brought the waiter in to deliver the dishes. He happily served the dishes to the two of them, not noticing that there was something wrong with the atmosphere between Tan Rou and Zhuang Liu.

While they were serving the dishes, Tan Rou did not look in Zhuang Liu’s direction the entire time, so she did not notice that a waiter had been looking at her.

When all the dishes were served, the waiter followed the other waiters out. Zhuang Liu then gave Xiao Mo a look, signaling him to follow them.

When the waiter arrived at the stairs, he used the excuse of going to the bathroom to sneak into the stairs and then dialed a number.

She lowered her voice and said, “Third Master, I’ve kept you waiting. Third Young Master came out to eat with a girl today, but she kept covering her face, so 1 didn’t see what she looked like.”

After the other party finished speaking, she replied, “Okay, Third Master. Once they’re done with dinner, I’ll take a few photos of that girl for you.”

After she finished the call, she returned to the corridor. Seeing that there was no one around, she slipped back into the private room to eavesdrop on something. However, the soundproofing of this private room was too good, so she did not hear anything. Hence, she had no other choice but to leave.

Xiao Mo came out of his hiding place and sent the information he had just heard to Zhuang Liu..