Chapter 323: Chapter 323

The Huazhao Cup International Piano Competition is held once every two years, also known as the Huazhao Cup International Youth Piano Competition.

This competition is open to youths aged twelve to eighteen and aims to unearth rising stars in the world of music. In reality, it serves as a preliminary for one of the four major international piano competitions—the Chopin International Piano Competition—in the Qingzhou division of Hua Country.

The Chopin International Piano Competition is, without question, the most prestigious piano competition in the world.

It is the ultimate stage countless pianists and musicians around the globe dream about standing on.

This year’s Huazhao Cup Qingzhou division will select winners to compete in the Hua Country competition next March. Only by securing first place in the Hua Country division will one gain the qualification to pursue the highest honors on the world stage.

Qin Xiangge looked at herself in the mirror. Today, she was dressed in a Western-style court gown. The skirt was luxurious and elaborate, while her wavy curls added a hint of maturity. Her heavy makeup and vibrant appearance fully embodied an extravagant and glamorous princess vibe.

She smiled with satisfaction.

Mrs. Qin urged her from the doorway, and only then did Qin Xiangge finish packing her bag and head out.

"I’ve looked into it. There are three judges for this competition. You should be familiar with the first two, but this one..."

Mrs. Qin swiped across the tablet screen, and a photo of a young foreign face appeared before them.

Qin Xiangge’s eyes instantly lit up with excitement. "Pearl..."

This handsome young man was a piano prodigy unearthed by Ferna. It’s said that at the age of five, he stunned the music world by playing Liszt’s most difficult technical etudes fluently.

Since then, he has swept through numerous international awards, earning global fame at a very young age. Hosting concerts at the Vienna Music Hall—a venue coveted by all musicians—had already become routine for him.

It’s also said that he has a deep love for Hua Country’s culture, though Qin Xiangge had never seen him in person. She hadn’t expected him to become a judge for this competition.

For a moment, Qin Xiangge felt a bit nervous. She regretted not practicing a few more times last night before going to bed. She hurriedly fished out her compact powder from her bag and quickly dabbed it on her face.

Feeling flustered and irritable, no matter how she looked at it, today’s makeup didn’t satisfy her.

"Mom, why are you telling me this only now? At least give me some time to prepare!"

Qin Xiangge’s tone was filled with frustration.

Mrs. Qin replied helplessly, "I only got the judge list last night and wanted to tell you. Since you were already asleep, I figured it wouldn’t be too late to mention it this morning."

"Pearl! It’s Pearl, you know? Not only is he Master Ferna’s prized student, but he’s also the son of a duke and will inherit the title one day."

Mrs. Qin drew a sharp breath. "Really?"

Qin Xiangge nodded. "Not many people know this, so don’t casually mention it to others outside."

In truth, she had learned this from a piano forum online, where a fan had explained this in detail. Many didn’t believe it, but the fanatic provided convincing evidence, including some rare photos. However, the post was deleted not long afterward.

Had Qin Xiangge noticed the post a bit later, she might not have seen it at all.

These unusual occurrences made Qin Xiangge firmly believe the information. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on novelꞁire.net

Upon arriving at the competition venue, Qin Xiangge verified her identity. A staff member handed her a number tag, which she pinned to her chest. She then followed them to the waiting area.

Scanning the room briefly, Qin Xiangge noticed several familiar faces. The piano circle in Qingzhou was small, and participants frequently encountered each other at various competitions since childhood.

Among them was Xing Ye from Class B.

Xing Ye glanced at her before lowering his head indifferently.

A girl in a white dress with long hair cascading over her shoulders smiled and greeted her warmly: "Xiangge."

Qin Xiangge smiled back and nodded, "Lu Nan."

Lu Nan patted the empty seat beside her. After a moment’s hesitation, Qin Xiangge walked over.

Lu Nan helped adjust the extravagant hem of her gown and laughed. "Your outfit is stunning today. You’ll definitely dazzle the entire room when you appear on stage."

Who doesn’t love hearing kind words? Qin Xiangge’s lips curved into a smile. "You look beautiful too."

At that moment, the large electronic screen in front of them displayed footage from the competition stage. The contestants in the waiting area instinctively tensed up. Nobody spoke, their eyes fixed firmly on the television screen overhead.

For Qingzhou, the scale of this competition was considerable. The local TV station had sent reporters to cover the event, and the host on stage was Qingzhou TV Station’s leading anchor—a poised, intelligent beauty.

When the camera panned to the judges’ panel, a young, handsome Western face sparked a chorus of gasps from the crowd.

Lu Nan suddenly grabbed Qin Xiangge’s arm and blurted in disbelief, "Pearl?! Am I dreaming?"