Chapter 67: Réminiscences de Don Juan

Diana had no grades.

The column for her major course assessment was empty.

"Have you seen Diana? What's going on?"

"I can't believe it. Did she really not know how to play the piano and just leave after a token attempt, hence the lack of grades?"

"No way! Didn't she also not show up last year and still received a failing grade? This is strange..."

Diana was also puzzled.

She was about to go find the professor for an explanation when she suddenly received a call asking her to come to the dean's office.

Diana immediately went to the teaching building.

As soon as she walked into the office, she saw the dean of the music department sitting inside, along with several professors who had assessed her that day.

"Dean, why is there no grade for my major course?" Diana couldn't help but ask as soon as she walked in.

"Ms. Thompson, come and have a seat first."

The dean was a man in his fifties with silver hair combed back, giving him an especially artistic look. He had previously been a professor at a well-known music university and was specially hired here.

After Diana sat down, the dean smiled and said, "It's like this. After the assessment that day, several professors gave me feedback, saying that, given your current level of piano proficiency, the professors in the music department were not capable of being your supervisor. I was quite surprised..."

The dean was a bit tactful and continued, "Ms. Thompson, could you play another piece on the spot?"

At this, Diana rolled her eyes.

In the end, they still doubted her abilities and wanted a second assessment.

Diana smiled slightly, "Sure, but can you give me a grade after I finish playing this time?"

"Of course," the dean replied, looking somewhat embarrassed. It wasn't that he doubted Diana's abilities, but as a student with a poor reputation suddenly claiming to have reached a very high level in piano playing, he couldn't help but feel a bit skeptical.

He wanted to confirm this for himself, so he suggested they go to a nearby practice room.

Diana followed the dean and several professors into the room and sat down at the piano.

"Dean, please choose a piece," Diana said calmly.

The dean pondered for a moment, then said, "How about 'Réminiscences de Don Juan?'"

Upon hearing this, the several professors next to them were astonished.

The difficulty of Franz Liszt's piano piece, which was adapted from Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni," was widely recognized.

The original opera was over two and a half hours long, but Liszt condensed it into a short piano piece without deleting a single note, making it incredibly challenging to play.

Diana thought for a moment and replied, "As long as I play it completely, it doesn't have to be played perfectly."

The dean felt that he might have been too strict and added, "Well, that sounds fine. I've played it before, but it's just a little rusty now."

The professors looked at each other in surprise.

It was impressive that Diana had such confidence in her abilities, despite being relatively inexperienced.

Diana ignored the expressions of the few people and took a deep breath before lightly placing her hands on the piano keys. She tapped a few notes while being scrutinized by the group.

The opening was very solemn, surprising the dean.

Then the girl's ten fingers got faster and faster, like a dancing butterfly, leaping constantly between the notes.

It was dazzling to watch, but her rhythm was impeccable.

The group watched in awe as she led them into the scene, feeling the melancholy and confusion, then the passionate and optimistic vitality with the continuous changes in the music.

In front of them, the scene of the opera "Don Giovanni" seemed to be faintly emerging. Although it was only her solo performance, it made them feel as if they were in the midst of a grand opera, suddenly experiencing the charm and allure of 19th-century European musicals.

Finally, Diana's piece came to an end, with the last note slowly falling.

After she finished playing, several professors were still in a daze for a long time.

It seemed like she didn't even use her full potential during the last assessment.

Today's performance...they were all humbled by her!

Diana shook her hand and said, "I made a small mistake in the middle just now because I haven't..."

"Genius!" the dean suddenly exclaimed, interrupting Diana's words.

He suppressed his shock, walked a few steps forward, and looked at Diana excitedly, "Ms. Thompson, you are simply a genius!"

Few people in the country can play this piano piece as well as she did. The best pianist who ever played it was Sana Clark, a renowned pianist from twenty years ago, but she retired long ago. He had never seen anyone play so brilliantly since then.

The Dean was excited and thought: "Who is this genius student? I has been teaching for so many years and has never seen a student with such innate talent!"

"You absolutely cannot let this talent go to waste. Let me recommend you to the world's top music academy!" The Dean took his pen out of his suit pocket and said, "I will write a letter of recommendation for you. You can go to the Curtis Institute of Music, I..."

"Dean, I don't want to go."

What?

The Dean was stunned, as if someone had poured cold water over his head.

He looked at Diana incredulously, "You're not going?! Ms. Thompson, with your talent, it's such a waste not to go! Why don't you go back and think about it again?"

"I don't need to think about it anymore. I really don't want to go."

Diana scratched her head.

She knew not only how to play the piano, but also what she wanted to do in the future. She would figure it out later.

The Dean's eyes filled with sorrow. "Ms. Thompson, are you serious? You really don't need to think about it anymore?"

"Yes, I have made up my mind. I really don't need to think about it anymore."

The Dean was deeply grieved. "Then what do you want to do?"

Could it be that she had higher aspirations?

Diana looked at him seriously. "Dean, if you think I played well, please announce my assessment results. Thank you."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Diana looked at the dean incredulously and patted his arm, trying to comfort him. "I think Cloud City University is also great. It has a charm that other places don't have. I can grow here in a different way."

"Such as?"

"Such as... the food in the cafeteria is particularly delicious."

Dean: ...

Thank you, but he wasn't comforted.

"Don't worry, I will announce your assessment results immediately," the dean promised. "Also, Ms. Thompson, you must be the student representative for the Freshmen Welcome Ceremony!"

With such a good student, he must show her off!

This is their music department, and they must save face!

Diana thought for a moment. "Isn't it supposed to be decided by a vote? I'm not even the top candidate. Isn't that against the rules?"

"Who's blind enough not to vote for you? The students this year are becoming more and more short-sighted!"

The dean was angry all of a sudden.

Several professors next to him kept quiet.

Weren't you just saying that you didn't believe in Diana a moment ago?

He changed his mind so quickly...

"Just wait, I'll help you campaign later! Ms. Thompson, play one more time and I'll record a video for you!"

The dean took out his old phone and tapped it a few times, but then fell silent for a while. "Who can come help me, how do I record a video?"

Diana: ...

In the end, a professor next to him took out his phone and recorded Diana again.

After playing, Diana didn't know what the dean was going to do, so she just walked out.

As soon as she arrived in the classroom, she heard the constant exclamations of the crowd.

"Diana's grades are out! She got an A+!"

"What A+? I've never heard of anyone getting an A+ before!"

"Look, she's ahead of Maddie, which means she has taken the first place!"

The dean moved pretty quickly.

Diana was satisfied with herself.

Now, going to Class A was no problem, and on the other hand... she could make John fulfill their agreement.

They had agreed that if she went to Class A, he would agree to any conditions she had.

She took out her phone and was about to tell John the good news when suddenly she heard someone exclaim.

"Wait... the university's official website has a video at the top. You guys have to see it!"

"Oh my god, isn't that Diana?"

"What is she doing? Playing the piano? What piece is that... wait, why is she featured on the website?!"

People around her looked at her incredulously.

Diana was confused and took out her phone to check the official website.