Chapter Seventeen: The Monster’s Lightning Speed

Liao Yuan did not notice anyone approaching.

He sat at the piano, raised his hands, and then slowly let them fall.

As his fingertips grazed the keys, he gently pressed the first black key.

...

In the quiet music store, it was as if a flash of lightning cut through the rainy gloom outside. The very first note struck the soul with its brilliance, making the few people present feel a shiver deep within.

The saleswoman was immediately astonished.

She had never heard this piece before, and it carried a unique charm.

As the performance continued, the astonishment in her eyes grew, her mouth falling open—staying that way for quite some time, unable to close.

The seductive streamer did not understand the music, but she found the piece beautiful. She glanced up at the streaming chat.

“It’s starting! It’s starting!”

“Let’s see how he wraps this up, haha!”

“Wait a minute…”

“Huh?”

“What the—?”

“Hmm? What’s happening? Am I seeing afterimages? Did I overdo it?”

“I… I think I’ve opened the door to a new world???”

At this moment, as Liao Yuan’s hands flew across the keys, the entire chat exploded!

“Holy—! This… a master! Absolute master!”

“I’ve got goosebumps all over!”

“Master, please accept my kneeling respects!”

“My scalp is tingling! That afterimage technique—what level are you on, maestro?”

“Even grade ten couldn’t play this; only someone single for twenty years could have such speed…”

“With that hand speed, you’re definitely one of us—driver, start the car!”

“Playing fast is one thing, but to play with rhythm and dynamics at this speed? That’s just too hard!”

“My scalp is numb; this must be grade twenty!”

Inside the music store.

The saleswoman had gone from indifference to rapt attention, and by now she could no longer contain her excitement!

This! This was absolutely the performance of a grand pianist!

Masters truly are humble, she thought.

She had no time for awe—in a flash she grabbed her phone, sent a quick message to the manager on WeChat, and secretly recorded a segment of the performance to send along.

And the music itself was like a fledgling eagle breaking free from its cage, growing rapidly as it soared into the boundless sky!

Liao Yuan’s expression was earnest and focused. This piece, “Unravel,” was the theme song from an anime.

He could not recall the lyrics, but the melody was etched into his mind—he had played it countless times in his previous life, improvising for his own enjoyment, so he remembered it perfectly.

He had adapted the piece for piano, and to his surprise, his hands seemed to be wrapped in holy light.

His slender fingers moved as if guided by an invisible breeze.

With only the structure of the piece in his mind, his hands brought every nuance of his inner vision to life on the keys without conscious effort.

Liao Yuan himself was amazed—how had his hands become so agile?

At that moment, the seductive streamer returned to her senses. Looking at the handsome young man, her eyes sparkled with admiration.

A man who’s serious is truly the most attractive!

Even without understanding music, she could tell this was extraordinary.

Moreover, many viewers in the chat recognized talent when they saw it.

Just then, Liao Yuan’s playing grew even more intense.

As the urgent piano passage rang out, the chat filled with a deluge of messages.

“What’s going on with his left hand???”

“Afterimages… actual afterimages…”

“Did the streamer put this on double speed?”

“God gave you hands for the piano, and you really used them!”

“How much for those hands? I want them!”

“Staring at my own hands in utter confusion…”

“This is so beautiful, I’m in tears!”

“Master, can I touch your trophy?”

“I give you 88 points, and the rest I’ll send as 666!”

And as “Unravel” reached its climax, the entire stream erupted with excitement.

“That control—my god, run! Tentacle monster!”

“He’s proving with his actions that if hard work actually worked, who would need talent!”

“Hugging my upright piano, crying now…”

“Ripping up my grade ten certificate in anger!”

“Ripping up my performer’s certificate in anger!”

“Ripping up my violin certificate!”

“Ripping up my art certificate!”

“Ripping up my literature textbook!”

“Ripping up my household register!”

“Smashing my guitar!”

“Smashing my excavator!”

“Wait for me, all you smashing your guitars—let’s do it together!”

Liao Yuan himself did not consider “Unravel,” the anime theme, to be particularly exceptional. Among true experts, it was notable for its emotional expressiveness and popularity, but not a piece for the ages.

Many grade ten pianists found it difficult because of its rapid arpeggios, octaves, and large chord jumps; without a strong sense of rhythm, it was hard to perform the whole piece.

But in the hands of a true performance-level pianist, as long as the score was complete, “Unravel” could be played smoothly.

Still, to the uninitiated, a piece that even grade ten pianists struggled with was naturally seen as the work of a virtuoso.

And live performances by true concert pianists were rare outside of exclusive recitals.

So, as the viewers witnessed Liao Yuan’s dazzling skill, they were left in awe.

“My mom asked why I’m kneeling in front of my phone…”

“I’ve studied piano for eight years… lost for words, my hands are useless!”

“I must have learned fake piano!”

“Why did I, a ukulele player, come here? To torture myself?”

“Why did I, a chef, come here?”

“Why did I, a forensic doctor, come here?”

“Why did I, a boys’ love author, come here?”

“Coach can’t teach this series!”

“Coach: I’d like to learn too!”

“I can’t help it—please, someone, give me all his information, I want him as my teacher!”

“Hope for those who never learned piano, despair for those who did!”

“The gap—this is the gap!”

The seductive streamer, watching the frantic chat and the soaring viewership, burst into tears of joy.

She crouched to the ground, tears in her eyes, watching rockets, yachts, and other gifts flash across the screen—mouth agape, speechless.

At this moment, when she looked again at the handsome young man, it was as if she gazed upon a vast starry sky, worthy only of her reverent admiration.

In this world, those with deep knowledge and great skill have always been revered.

And with such breathtaking mastery of the piano, the young man before her was undoubtedly a true grandmaster!

The remaining sales staff in the music store, including the receptionist, gathered around.

Watching Liao Yuan play, they were all moved beyond words.

The saleswoman’s phone vibrated constantly—a stream of WeChat messages—but she ignored them entirely.

She knew that any careless movement during this performance would be a desecration of this sacred moment.

The very air seemed to freeze.

Everyone held their breath; only the music sprite danced in the air.

Only when the piece ended did the whole store finally breathe out in relief.