Validate Your Existence

"Professor Zhang, hello!"　　

Zheng Mei led Cheng Yingfan to Professor Zhang Ming and greeted him with a warm smile.　　

Zhang Ming was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Hello, you are?"

Zheng Mei faked a smile and said, "I am Zheng Mei, the head-teacher of Class 3 from the English Department's freshman class. This is my student Cheng Yingfan. He participated in a piano competition that you judged and won second place. We saw you walking in and thought that we should come say hi."

Cheng Yingfan walked over to him after Zheng Mei's introduction and respectfully said, "Hello Professor Zhang, I participated in the youth piano competition that you hosted last year. I was second at the time. You even gave me some comments which really helped me."

Zhang Ming looked at Cheng Yingfan and had a surprised look on his face. "Oh, I remember, you were playing the..."

Zhang Ming's face was deep in thought and Cheng Yingfan quickly said, "Minuet."

"Oh, yes, that's right. I was really impressed with your performance back then. At the time, I remembered asking which university you were going to apply to and you said you were going to apply to a music school. I even recommended Zhonghai Music University… How did you end up as a freshman in the English Department?

Cheng Yingfan felt a little embarrassed. "Well, my parents had different opinions from me, but I'm still practicing; I haven't given up on playing the piano."　　

Zhang Ming didn't ask too much, smiled, and said, "You are a gifted pianist. If you persevere and practice diligently, you will definitely achieve higher achievements in the future."　　

 Cheng Yingfan respectfully replied, "Thank you so much Professor Zhang, I will not give up!"　　

Zheng Mei said with a smile, "Professor Zhang, Cheng Yingfan will be having a piano solo performance today. It'll be nice if you could give him some advice after that."　

Zhang Ming was slightly surprised, and there was a hint of expectation on his face. "That's nice, what are you going to play this time?"　　

Cheng Yingfan reverently replied, "My repertoire today is the 'Shepherd Piccolo'."　　

Zhang Ming gave a loud laugh and said with a loud voice, "Good choice. 'Shepherd Piccolo' is a very creative piece of modern piano music in our country. It is a piano piece with a Chinese touch, and I'm looking forward to your performance."　　

When Zheng Mei noticed that Professor Zhang had a good impression of Cheng Yingfan, she respectfully said goodbye, and then led Cheng Yingfan back to their seats.

A man in his fifties that was sitting next to Zhang Ming, turned around, and said with a smile, "Professor Zhang's students truly are located all over the world, I can even meet them in our English department." This was Feng Yuanshan, the vice president of Zhonghai University.

"I was just invited as a judge back then and met this little guy once. I'm not his tutor, but he is actually quite talented. I don't know why he entered into your English Department of Zhonghai University instead."

Feng Yuanshan said with a smile, "If he can receive Professor Zhang's compliments, he must be pretty good."　　

Zhang Ming nodded. "Although his repertoire has some shortcomings, he is a gifted pianist. However, I'm afraid that his future in music will be limited since he's in the English Department now."

Feng Yunshan definitely understood what Zhang Ming meant. When it came to music, of course, it requires talent, but the more important factor is actually perseverance and diligence. Your hands will turn stiff if you stop practicing for three days. If you don't immerse yourself in music every day and only practice out of interest, the height that you will be able to reach will definitely be limited.　

"That's not necessarily true. Our university has a very unique style of educating our students. If he has the perseverance to insist on the road of music, he might still be successful."　　

Zhang Ming smiled and said, "Hmmm... the unique education system of Zhonghai University, the one that's famous all over China."　　

Feng Yunshan and Zhang Ming were old acquaintances. Zhang Ming had only attended this event as a guest because it was Feng Yunshan who had invited him. Since he was free anyways, he thought of it as a chance to meet an old friend. 　

"By the way, I hear that you're looking for a disciple to teach. Have you found the one?"

Zhang Ming sighed. "I have taught a number of students, and some of them are true gems, but always because of certain reasons, I haven't been able to find the right one.

Feng Yunshan smiled and said, "A disciple is different from other students. You better be careful while looking for the one suitable. Besides, Professor Zhang, you're still young - you still have time."　　

Zhang Ming said with a wry smile, "I'm already getting old, and I'm not as energetic as I used to be. It's getting harder for me to play certain songs. I'm afraid that I might not be able to play them any more in a few years. How can I teach anyone by then?"　

Feng Yunshan nodded. "It's not easy to find disciples with good qualities who are talented and able to endure hardships. Sometimes, even if there are, they might still be forced to give up due to various external conditions..."　　

Zhang Ming nodded in agreement and immediately sighed again. "Hey, just let it go with the flow. You can't force these things."　　

...　　

Zheng Mei led Cheng Yingfan back to their seats and softly whispered, "Cheng Yingfan, Professor Zhang is going to be here for your show, so make sure you put on a good performance."　　

Cheng Yingfan nodded his head in agreement, and there was a glow in his eyes. He obviously knew who Professor Zhang Ming was. He was not only a professor at the Conservatory of Music, but also a famous person in the music industry.　　　　

Cheng Yingfan was hoping to impress Professor Zhang Ming with today's performance, because this may be an opportunity for him to continue learning the piano with Professor Zhang Ming. He knew that Professor Zhang Ming has always wanted to find a disciple, but he hadn't found the right one yet.　　

Cheng Yingfan knew that his abilities were still very far away from Professor Zhang Ming's requirements, but today would be an opportunity. No matter how minor that hope is, it's still a hope isn't it?

If Cheng Yifan became Professor Zhang Ming's disciple, he would be able to have a great future as Professor Zhang Ming was famous in the music industry and had a great reputation.　　

Zheng Mei looked at Xue Wantong in front, and Han Qingqing, who was sitting quietly, and there were subtle flashes of jealousy in her eyes.　　

These beautiful faces were the looks of a mistress!

As the event was about to start, students swarmed into the auditorium. With He TianFeng's arrangements, most of the students of Class 2 sat together, and everyone was happily chatting while discussing the event.　

All the school leaders, department leaders, and guests who were attending the event were already seated. Both the host, one male and one female, stepped onto the platform and started inviting the leaders on stage for their speeches - a compulsory procedure during any event.

In the audience seats, He Tianfeng wasn't listening to the leaders' speeches. Instead, he took out the program list which he had gotten from the organizer, and was looking through it for their class' program.　　

"The folk dance performance is fifth, third bro's Taekwondo is seventh, the chorus is twelfth, the skit is thirteenth, Han Qingqing's piano solo is fifteenth..."

He Tianfeng's eyes suddenly paused. Then, his face was filled with rage. "F**k! What the actual f**k?! The fourteenth program is the piano solo by the guy from Class 3. His solo is right before Han Qingqing's??"