MTLNOVEL Chapter 56:
Chapter 56:
On the third floor.
Inside the box where Xu Hao sat, a sense of astonishment filled the air.
Xu Hao’s daughters, stunned by Zheng Feifan’s piano performance, turned to look at their dad.
The man who appeared shabby and unremarkable had just outshone a world-renowned piano master.
Xu Hao’s earlier words echoed in their minds: Don’t be fooled by appearances. Sometimes, what you see isn’t the truth…
The profoundness of his statement began to sink in.
The sisters couldn’t help but wonder if there was a deeper reason behind Xu Hao’s earlier coldness toward them.
Had they misjudged him all along?
Xu Hongjiao, who had idolized the piano master Edward, felt a wave of discomfort. She had attended this concert with the hope of finding inspiration in Edward’s performance to help her break through her own musical bottlenecks.
Yet now, she watched as her idol knelt before Zheng Feifan, a scene that left her heart heavy. It felt like her entire belief system had crumbled.
As Xu Hao observed the reactions of those around him, he decided it was time to make his move.
Gently withdrawing his arms from his daughters’ embrace, he approached the piano, leaving the women in the room puzzled.
“Dad, what are you doing?” Xu Shiqing and Xu Huayi asked, surprise evident in their voices.
Could it be…?
The sisters recalled their dad’s expertise in painting and calligraphy.
Could he also possess musical talent?
Excitement flickered in their eyes as they watched him sit down at the piano, fingers poised to play.
Xu Hao mentally sifted through the iconic pieces of music from his previous life, finally selecting one of the most profound: the Symphony of Destiny.
The symphony, a reflection of the class struggles of its time, was slightly adapted for the piano. As his fingers danced across the keys, the elegance and nobility of his demeanor captivated all who were present.
In the hall, the sudden sound of the piano startled the audience.
Who was playing?
The stage was empty, yet the powerful, urgent, and passionate melody filled the room.
The host, privy to the situation, quickly informed the audience that a guest in the VIP box was treating them to a special performance.
The music pulled everyone into a vivid fantasy.
It spoke of lives mired in despair, yet never surrendering, always fighting for freedom and ideals. When the final note resonated through the hall, the silence that followed was deafening.
The performance had left the audience utterly speechless, their emotions shaken to the core.
And then, as if released from a spell, the hall erupted in thunderous applause.
The audience was astounded, unable to fathom that a piano could convey such depth and emotion. They marveled at the mysterious performer, eager to learn the identity of the musician capable of such a masterpiece.
On the stage, the international piano master, Edward, stood trembling, his eyes searching the VIP box on the third floor. He was desperate to meet the performer and become his student. Edward knew that he could never reach such a level of artistry in his lifetime.
In stark contrast, Zheng Feifan’s face twisted with frustration.
Moments ago, he had basked in the audience’s admiration, but now, all attention was focused elsewhere.
His gaze locked onto Xiao Wanling, who was staring intently in the direction of the box, her expression one of admiration. Zheng Feifan’s anger boiled over.
‘F*ck…who ruined my good deeds?’
[Ding! Zheng Feifan is extremely angry, +645 emotional points]
[Ding! Xiao Wanling is worshiped in her heart, +352 emotional points]
[Ding! Xu Hongjiao’s heart was shaken, +726 emotional points]
Meanwhile, Xu Hao was reaping the benefits.
The system in his mind notified him of the emotional points flooding into his system, boosting his power.
Xu Hao noticed two new characters in the system: Zheng Feifan and Xiao Wanling.
He recalled Zheng Feifan’s background and the fact that Xiao Wanling was his beautiful landlord, undoubtedly a key character in this unfolding plot.
People in the hall weren’t the only ones astonished by the events. His daughters, Su Wanqiu, Xu Shiqing, and Xu Huayi, were equally stunned.
The skill and mastery with which Xu Hao played the piano were beyond anything they had imagined.
Xu Huayi’s excitement was evident, “I knew it! Dad really can play the piano—and he’s incredible at it!”
Xu Shiqing murmured in awe, “Is there anything Dad can’t do?”
Su Wanqiu, who had already been impressed by Xu Hao’s talents in painting and calligraphy, now found herself overwhelmed by his musical prowess. She couldn’t believe the transformation in the man who had once been so distant and cold.
Xu Hongjiao, who had stayed home because of the changes in her dad, was now grappling with a new reality.
The man she thought she knew had always been hiding this immense talent. His aloofness, it seemed, had been a façade, concealing his true abilities.
But why had he kept it hidden?
Xu Hao’s earlier hints suggested there was more to his past behavior than met the eye.
As the concert ended, Xu Hao stood, signaling that it was time to leave.
“Dad, you’re amazing!” Xu Huayi exclaimed, hugging him tightly and beaming with pride.
Xu Shiqing’s eyes sparkled with admiration, and Xu Hao couldn’t help but smile at his daughters’ adoration.
“Let’s go home,” he said calmly.
But as Xu Hao and his family descended the stairs, they were met by a crowd, all eager to discover the identity of the mysterious performer. The host pushed through the throng, approaching Xu Hao with a look of reverence.
“Mr. Xu, please forgive the intrusion,” the host said, his voice filled with excitement. “Everyone is curious—who played that divine piece?”
As the crowd held its breath, waiting for his answer, Xu Hao simply smiled.
“The song you just heard was composed by my daughter, Xu Hongjiao, in a moment of inspiration,” Xu Hao announced, pointing to Xu Hongjiao, who stood there with a puzzled expression.
In this world, where he played the role of a villain, he knew he needed to keep a low profile to survive.
The more attention he attracted, the quicker his downfall would come.
Who knew when a protagonist might appear, uncover his actions, and seek justice?
It was safer to let his daughter take the credit.
Protagonists often had a weakness for beautiful women, after all.
Xu Hongjiao’s eyes were filled with confusion, “Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do?”
She knew the divine song her dad had just played would undoubtedly go viral online.
The composer would gain instant fame. So why had her dad passed up such a perfect opportunity to become famous and instead given the credit to her?
Xu Hongjiao was about to ask him, but then she noticed Xu Hao winking at her.
The question died on her lips.
Su Wanqiu, along with the other onlookers, seemed equally baffled, but soon, they understood. Xu Hao wasn’t just a master of the piano; he was also skilled in painting and calligraphy.
Even his own family hadn’t known until recently.
Clearly, Xu Hao didn’t want to be in the spotlight. That’s why he had given the recognition to his daughter.
No one in the room doubted the words of Xu Hao, the renowned CEO.
The crowd buzzed with excitement as they all turned to see the composer of the divine song.
To their surprise, it was a young woman in her twenties. A girl of her age, with far less experience than the international piano masters, had created such a masterpiece. If this news spread, the entire internet would explode.
“Is this what the world of geniuses looks like? She’s only in her twenties and has already surpassed international piano masters!”
“Who says women can’t be as good as men? In the world of piano, we finally have a female virtuoso who’s better than the rest.”
“Wait… She looks familiar. That’s Xu Hongjiao! She not only plays the piano but sings too.”
“I’ve heard of Xu Hongjiao before. Her previous piano pieces were beautiful, but they weren’t as explosive as this one.”
“It all makes sense now. No wonder Mr. Xu said it was born from inspiration.”
“She was only somewhat famous before, but now? I can’t imagine how much her fame will skyrocket after this divine song is released.”
Someone in the crowd recognized Xu Hongjiao and became ecstatic.
They quickly pulled out a pen and paper, hoping to get her autograph before it was too late.
The host of the event, barely able to contain his excitement, took a deep breath and asked eagerly, “Ms. Xu, can you tell us the name of the piece you just composed?”
“How should I know?” Xu Hongjiao’s eyes instinctively turned to Xu Hao. He mouthed a few words, and she quickly caught on. “Symphony of Destiny,” she announced.
The name sparked a new wave of discussion. It perfectly captured the essence of battling against fate that the audience had felt while listening to the piano.
Symphony of Destiny was the ideal title.
“Alright, please clear the area. We’re heading out.” Xu Hao said, cutting off the host before he could ask more questions.
The host, although still brimming with curiosity, knew he had to comply with Xu Hao’s request.
Just as the security guards were about to disperse the crowd, an elderly man rushed forward. It was Edward, the great pianist.
In his haste, he knelt before Xu Hongjiao with a loud “thud.”
“Dear Madam, please accept me as your apprentice. I want to learn the piano from you,” he pleaded.
The scene felt eerily familiar, but this time, the audience wasn’t shocked or disbelieving.
Before, they had thought Zheng Feifan, the so-called beggar, was unworthy.
But Xu Hongjiao was different. Her piano skills were genuinely superior to those of Edward, and it made sense that he would want to learn from her.
Xu Hongjiao was a little dazed.
Seeing the man she once idolized kneeling before her filled her with mixed emotions.
Suddenly, it all felt so meaningless.
This man, who she once thought of as a master, now seemed unworthy of the title.
Her real idol was someone else… For a brief moment, the image of Xu Hao flashed through her mind.
From a distance, Zheng Feifan watched the scene unfold.
A pang of discomfort tugged at his heart.
This moment of glory should have belonged to him, yet now everyone only remembered Xu Hongjiao.
He had become invisible.
But was he truly angry?
Not really. After all, Xu Hongjiao was a stunning beauty, even more captivating than the beautiful landlady, Xiao Wanling. He could accept losing to a woman.
Rejecting Edward’s request to become his disciple, Xu Hongjiao and her group began to leave. As they walked out, she caught sight of a familiar figure.
With a sigh, she approached.
“Wanling, what are you doing here?”
“I came specifically to watch you, the great pianist, perform, of course,” Xiao Wanling replied with exaggerated enthusiasm, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Xu Hongjiao was her classmate and best friend. They had kept in touch since graduation, and she knew Xu Hongjiao’s musical abilities well. She was certain that the divine song, Symphony of Destiny, wasn’t composed by her friend.
After closely observing the exchange of glances between Xu Hongjiao and her dad, Xiao Wanling quickly understood that Xu Hao was the true composer. He had simply passed the credit to his daughter. Xu Hongjiao’s slightly awkward expression only confirmed her suspicion.
Xiao Wanling’s curiosity was piqued. She wondered what experiences this man, who seemed so young despite having seven daughters, had gone through to create a song that defied fate.
As Xiao Wanling gazed at Xu Hao, he, too, looked at her. [Character: Xiao Wanling]
..
Identity: Landlady, Heroine of “Urban Flower Protector”
Charm: 93 (out of 100)
Strength: 10 (average for ordinary people)
Physique: 11 (average for ordinary people)
Spirit: 10 (average for ordinary people)
Favorability: 20
“Ah, another one for the taking,” Xu Hao mused to himself. The fact that she was his daughter’s best friend only made it all the more intriguing. Double the pleasure…