I Became an All-round Artist

Everyone has four different sides: the crazy side they show to friends, the perfect side seen by their lover, the vulnerable side they reveal when alone, and finally, the quiet side they display in a crowd of strangers.

Maybe it sounds a bit dramatic, but when Lin Yuan was on the phone with his mom, his demeanor was completely different from his usual reserved self. He initially thought he was imitating the original owner of this body, but after some thought, he realized it wasn’t just that—it was because those feelings genuinely came from within him.

After a moment’s hesitation, Lin Yuan decided to contact his sister next month. He didn’t have enough money left this month to buy her a new phone. Plus, communicating with family required courage. Lin Yuan had to build up his resolve before calling his mom, especially since he wasn’t the original owner.

So, what now? Lin Yuan decided to treat his friends to a meal. Xia Fan and Jian Yi, his close friends, had always taken good care of him. Now that he had earned some money, he naturally wanted to treat them to a nice dinner. He specifically chose a more upscale restaurant near the school, where the average cost per person was around 200 yuan.

At noon, the three of them arrived at the restaurant. Just as they were about to enter, Jian Yi and Xia Fan grabbed Lin Yuan, insisting that the place was too expensive and trying to stop him from spending so much. But it was to no avail; Lin Yuan convinced them by saying that he now had a proper position at the company and earned 10,000 yuan a month.

“Oh,” Jian Yi said, suddenly understanding. He teased, “No wonder you disappeared every weekend last month. Turns out you were working at Xingmang. You’re not secretly being kept by some company executive, are you? I mean, who else would pay a student that much?”

“Lin Yuan is really talented,” Xia Fan retorted, defending Lin Yuan. Even though he couldn’t sing, Lin Yuan had a good ear for sound. However, she didn’t dig deeper and just assumed he was working in a department that suited his abilities, like a recording studio.

Lin Yuan just smiled without responding.

Just then, Jian Yi nudged Lin Yuan, pointing at a girl who had just sat down. “Hey, isn’t that Gu Xi, the piano goddess from our school?”

Lin Yuan followed his gaze and realized that the girl Jian Yi was pointing at was the same one who had previously criticized his “clumsy piano skills.”

“Interested?” Xia Fan teased. “She’s the youngest pianist to have performed in the Golden Hall. Industry insiders say she’s a prodigy destined to become a piano master. The boys chasing after her could form a line from the school gate to this restaurant. You’re not in her league.”

Jian Yi, ever the smart aleck, added, “The distance from the school gate to this restaurant is 3.45 kilometers.”

Xia Fan rolled her eyes. “Nitpicker.”

Jian Yi shot back, “Weren’t you the one who dissed me first?”

“I’m going to get some ice cream,” Lin Yuan said, getting up to temporarily escape their banter.

Although the restaurant was pricey, the ice cream was self-serve, and it was pretty good. He had tried it earlier and really liked the flavor.

As he approached the ice cream counter, he noticed that the ice cream was nearly gone. Just as he was about to scoop some, another spoon appeared from the opposite side, clashing with his.

They both looked up at the same time.

Lin Yuan recognized the girl immediately. “Gu Xi?”

“You?” Gu Xi also recognized Lin Yuan as the guy who had used her piano without permission. Raising an eyebrow, she sarcastically remarked, “Not pretending anymore? Didn’t you say you didn’t know me last time?”

Lin Yuan ignored her and went back to scooping ice cream.

Gu Xi blocked his spoon. “I was here first.”

“But you didn’t start scooping,” Lin Yuan pointed out.

Gu Xi was annoyed. “I was about to.”

Lin Yuan thought for a moment. “How about we split it?”

Gu Xi stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. “You can have it.”

“Thanks,” Lin Yuan said nonchalantly, taking the rest of the ice cream for himself.

Watching Lin Yuan scoop all the remaining ice cream, Gu Xi was dumbfounded. She had said “You can have it” as a way to appear gracious, expecting the normal response of, “No, you go ahead.” But Lin Yuan didn’t play by the usual rules!

When Lin Yuan returned to the table, he noticed Jian Yi and Xia Fan staring at him with wide eyes.

“What’s up?” Lin Yuan asked.

Jian Yi gave him a thumbs up. “You’re full of surprises!”

Xia Fan nodded in agreement. “Man, you’ve definitely caught her attention.”

“Yep,” Jian Yi said, sneaking a glance over his shoulder. “Since you came back with that ice cream, she’s already looked your way several times.”

Lin Yuan ignored their antics.

Meanwhile, Gu Xi returned to her seat, clearly annoyed.

Her friend asked, “Where’s the ice cream?”

Gu Xi glanced at Lin Yuan and replied, “Some rude guy took it all.”

Her friend looked over at Lin Yuan’s table. “The guy in the white shirt? He’s pretty cute. Do you know him?”

Gu Xi narrowed her eyes, a hint of frustration in her voice. “He cheated on me.”

Her friend nearly spit out her drink in shock.

Seeing her friend’s reaction, Gu Xi quickly clarified, “He used Xiao Li.”

“Xiao Li” was the name Gu Xi had given her piano. It was her personal instrument, and the fact that Lin Yuan had played it without permission made her feel genuinely upset.

Her friend burst into laughter. “What kind of crazy things are you saying?”

“Forget it, let’s just eat. We’ve got an interview this afternoon,” Gu Xi said, shaking her head.

That afternoon, a group of reporters arrived on campus. They were there to interview a sophomore student—

Gu Xi.

Qinzhou had a rich musical tradition, and over the years, many musical prodigies had emerged from the city. Gu Xi was undoubtedly one of the brightest stars among them!

Her most legendary moment was at the age of fifteen when she performed a piano piece titled Wish in the Golden Hall, stunning the entire music world!

Even Abigail, the composer of Wish, praised Gu Xi’s performance.

A top piano master from Qinzhou publicly stated that Gu Xi’s piano skills were just one step away from mastery.

In Qinzhou, there were several prestigious musical stages, but the Golden Hall was considered a temple for musicians, one of the highest honors.

To perform on such a stage at the age of fifteen was already extraordinary, but to receive accolades from so many industry giants was truly exceptional!

So, the title of “Piano Goddess” was more than fitting for Gu Xi.

Here’s the translated and contextually adapted version of your text:

Gu Xi rarely accepts interviews, but today, the school persuaded her to do so to boost the influence of Qinzhou Academy of Arts.

The interview location was not far from the piano room, chosen for its convenience in capturing photos of Gu Xi with her piano.

"Rumor has it that you’ve been invited to perform at the Golden Hall for the second time next year. How do you feel about that?" the reporter asked, focusing on the elusive piano prodigy.

"I’m very grateful for the recognition from the Golden Hall," Gu Xi replied, sticking to the prepared script.

The reporter continued, "Last time, you performed 'Wish.' Have you decided on what piece you'll be playing next?"

"I haven’t made up my mind yet," Gu Xi admitted, this time honestly.

The reporter smiled, "Many composers in the industry have publicly expressed their admiration for you. Have you considered collaborating with any of them?"

"There are a few, but it’s not convenient to reveal that," Gu Xi responded diplomatically. The truth was, these top composers were notoriously difficult to please. Even a simple compliment from them was rare. Before she became a piano master, most of them wouldn’t even acknowledge her, despite her title as the "Piano Goddess."

That’s the reality.

Top composers are so highly sought after that even masters have to vie for their attention. There are far more skilled performers than there are elite composers. This is a fact dictated by the industry.

A composer’s talent is not just a result of effort; it’s a gift that others can only dream of possessing.

For piano masters, however, talent is important, but it’s the relentless, day-and-night practice that keeps their skills sharp. In this industry, if a master hasn’t practiced diligently before performing at a prestigious venue like the Golden Hall, even the best can stumble.

After all, the audience at the Golden Hall has a discerning ear; even the slightest mistake won’t go unnoticed.

That said, there are some extraordinary individuals who can dazzle an audience at any moment, but Gu Xi was still far from reaching that level.

"Could you share which master's works you’ve been listening to recently?" the reporter pressed on.

Just as Gu Xi was about to give another scripted answer, a familiar tune reached her ears—it was the same piece she’d heard before!

That person was back in the piano room!

Overcome with excitement, Gu Xi abandoned the interview and dashed towards the piano room, leaving everyone in shock.

"I’ve finally found you!" she thought.

The first time she heard that unfamiliar piece last month, Gu Xi’s ears were captivated. She couldn’t find any trace of the composition, so she searched high and low, scouring for any new work by top composers on Bluestar, but to no avail.

This didn’t surprise her. Whenever these composers released new work, Gu Xi was always among the first to listen and learn. There was never a piece she hadn’t heard. So, when she confirmed that this tune was an unreleased original, she began her daily vigil.

She was certain that the person who played it had to be at the level of a top composer.

Yes, every day since, Gu Xi had waited at the piano room, hoping to encounter the musician again. But despite her patience, she hadn’t been lucky.

And now, today, that mysterious composer had returned!

At this moment, there was no time to waste with the interview.

"Is it over? How could it end so quickly?"

Before she even reached the building, the tune had finished, and Gu Xi panicked, sprinting with all her might.

Suddenly, she collided with someone.

Rubbing his sore chest, Lin Yuan looked at Gu Xi, a bit exasperated. "It’s just some ice cream; was that really necessary?"

"Sorry, sorry…" Gu Xi quickly apologized, but when she saw Lin Yuan’s face, she froze, her steps faltering for a moment.

Him again?

She shot him a glare, then hurried towards the piano room. The composer was far more important!

Lin Yuan frowned. "Running away, are we?"

After encountering Gu Xi earlier and being reminded of the piano, he had come to the room on a whim this afternoon. But he didn’t expect Gu Xi to retaliate like this.

But considering the ice cream, he let it go and turned to leave.

Gu Xi, on the other hand, rushed into the piano room like a whirlwind.

One by one, she flung open the doors, but the place was too crowded. She couldn’t find the composer she was looking for. Even after asking around, no one had noticed the presence of such a person. Instead, several people eagerly tried to chat her up.

"Argh!"

She ruffled her hair in frustration, feeling utterly lost. "It’s all that guy’s fault for blocking my way!"

The composer’s visits to the piano room were so infrequent! Who knows how long it would take to find them again?

If it weren’t for him getting in the way, she might have met the composer by now!

At that moment, her teacher and the reporters finally caught up, panting, "What’s going on, Gu Xi? Why did you run off like that?"

Gu Xi immediately became wary.

Could these ordinary people possibly understand the significance of a top composer?

Ever heard of the advantage of being close at hand?

This must remain a secret.

That composer is mine, all mine!

No one else can have him!

Suppressing her frustration, Gu Xi forced a smile. "Sorry, I just remembered something I left in the piano room and came to get it."

"Oh," the reporter sighed with relief. "Can we take a look at your piano? I hear you’ve been using the same one for years…"

"You can take photos, but don’t touch it," Gu Xi warned sternly.