Chapter 239：I Am There (Poem Included)

A variety of invitation styles were spread out on the table, and Zhou Yun Sheng and Xue Yan were carefully sorting through them. The sofa had a laptop, which was playing a piano song, it's unknown who was performing it, but the shambling sound was simply unbearable to the ears. Xue Lao Si listened for two minutes before losing his patience, shouting, "Xiao Yi, please turn off this crappy song, it's hideous! You're such an elegant person, able to play first class music, how can you love listening to such unsightly music in private? Who's playing like that ah! They dare post this online, how haven't they drowned in spit yet?!"

As he spoke, he handed the data on flower shops to the boss. Yesterday, he was just joking when he'd said he'd bring them invitation styles, but who would've thought, when he hadn't arrived by eight o'clock this morning, the boss called him and asked him where the invitations were, helpless, he had to hunt down invitations. These two deserved to be a couple, their 'whatever I say I'll do' characters were exactly the same.

"You've only listened for a minute, how can you have so much to say?" Zhou Yun Sheng glanced at him and grinned, then passed the antique style invitation to Xue Yan, "How's this?"

"Not bad." Xue Yan spread the flower shops' promotional materials on the table and smiled, "The wedding site only has multi-colored China rose, no Beach roses."

"Good, I like China roses." Zhou Yun Sheng firmly declared. They were not going to do anything big, just invite Xue Yan's close friends and important clan members to come eat a meal, then mark the family tree. China didn't recognize same-sex marriage, but Xue Clan had acknowledged that in ancient times, there were records of former patriarchs marrying a male wife, so although it took some twists and turns, they ultimately got their wish. From this, anyone could see how inclusive Xue Clan was.

"Oh, fuck me! The great immortal prankster turns out to be your sister Xue Jing Yi ah. Are you two really from the same mother? Why is she torturing that poor piano? Listening to her after hearing your music, I just want to shoot my brains out!" Xue Lao Si really couldn't stand the noise pollution, he'd stomped to the sofa to turn off the computer, his eyeballs almost popping out when he glanced at the screen.

"Some time ago Xue Rui hosted a birthday banquet at Fairview Garden, and he had his children perform a song. I remember feeling that the little girl was pretty talented. Her music was pleasant to listen to then, so why does it sound like she's playing with broken hands now?" Xue Lao Si forced himself to listen for a while, then asked, "This is 'My Empire'?"

"Oh, you noticed that?" Zhou Yun Sheng had switched on the surveillance cameras he'd planted in Xue house earlier in order to check up on Xue Jing Yi's situation.

"To tell the truth, I didn't hear it, I just noticed the score's name." Xue Lao Si glanced at Xue Jing Yi's awfully distorted expression, he couldn't help but shake his head, "Don't play if you can't play it, this is just self-torture." Because of Zhou Yun Sheng's influence, he'd gained a certain appreciation for classical music, so even he now knew what a significant and amazing composition 'My Empire' was, and he could also tell what level Xue Jing Yi was playing at. To put it bluntly, she was just barely above a beginner.

"She can't afford to not play. Since I've left Xue house, she has to replace me at the 10th National Summit."

"Pfft, they want to perform for the summit leaders at this level? Has Xue Rui lost his mind? He must be tired of living." Xue Lao Si burst into laughter.

"I'd like her to go, but Xue Li Dani and Xue Zi Xuan aren't idiots, they'll definitely stop her." Zhou Yun Sheng shook his head regretfully. He'd never intended to use the performance to destroy her, Xue Jing Yi might be crazy, but the rest of Xue family weren't, they'd never let her become such an international joke.

Xue Yan smiled, "Just wait for Xue Rui to come beg for you, when he comes, I'll tell him the good news that we're getting married."

"Remember, I'm a pure white lotus, I can grow in the mud unsullied, I don't know anything." Zhou Yun Sheng hooked his arms around the other man's neck, nibbling on his lover's lips between words, his eyes flashing a sly light.

"Yes yes, you don't know anything, you're a tiny daisy blooming in the best greenhouse, a baby chick hiding under my wings. You only obediently accepted my protection, you don't need to know about the world's cruelty." Xue Yan pried open his teeth with his tongue, indistinctly murmuring.

He didn't expect his grumpy boss could naturally say such greasy sweet-talk, Xue Lao Si really couldn't stand to watch. Also, what tiny daisy and baby chicks, could that really describe Huang Yi? He was clearly a wolf dressed in sheepskin, right? Just look at how he's playing around with Xue Rui's family and turning their lives upside down.

———–

Three days later, Xue house.

Xue Rui called his son into the piano room, "Your sister has been practicing hard these few days. She didn't sound so good at first, but it's much better now. Go help her find any flaws and correct her as soon as possible. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants me to take her to the rehearsal tomorrow."

Xue Zi Xuan had shut himself up in his room, in just a few days he lost a lot of weight, his face very haggard. He asked hoarsely, "Dad, when are you going to pick up Xiao Yi?"

"Where can he run? That man Xue Yan's temper turns violent at the drop of a hat, the boy might've bought some good will with him, but he'll grow tired of him in a few days and throw him out. I'll go pick him up and let him know the difference between good and evil. I give him food and clothing, and he still has the nerve to try and give me conditions, what a rude bastard."

"Why, are you opposed?" Xue Rui stared at his son with suspicious eyes.

"Yes, I'm opposed." Xue Zi Xuan frankly looked back.

"We're trying to save your sister!"

"Then find another heart. If you dare touch him, I'll go straight to the police and turn you all in."

Xue Rui was filled with rage, on the verge of exploding, but Xue Zi Xuan just calmly pushed opened the door and walked towards Xue Jing Yi seated at the piano. Xue Jing Yi was a very determined person, bravely advancing to her goals, otherwise in the last life, she wouldn't have insisted on finishing the stage performance during a heart attack. These three days, she practiced day and night, and was finally able to smoothly finish 'My Empire', something she originally thought she absolutely couldn't do. But as it turns out, just forcing herself a little could make her ascend to a new level, which made her feel matchless pleasure after being overwhelmingly suppressed for so long.

"Brother, please listen to my song." She looked up and smiled brightly.

Xue Zi Xuan glanced at her indifferently and walked over to pull open all the curtains.

Xue Rui promptly put away his furious expression and reluctantly smiled, "Jing Yi, play for your brother. Take the time today to practice as much as you can, tomorrow, Dad will accompany you to the Congress Hall for a rehearsal."

"Okay." Xue Jing Yi nodded. For the past couple months, she had been living in Zhou Yun Sheng's shadow, watching his performances in the day, dreaming of becoming him at night, performing on stage in a tailcoat. She had almost turned into Zhou Yun Sheng's shadow, fantasizing about possessing his talented body and glory, obsessing over reports of people experiencing personality changes after transplants, gradually losing her mind, becoming deeply paranoid. When Zhou Yun Sheng was here, she was vulnerable and faded like a shadow, but when Zhou Yun Sheng was gone, she would think that she could replace him.

She had already stepped into Zhou Yun Sheng's well laid trap, to become more and more insane and paranoid, making her unable to correctly judge herself and others. She lived in an illusion, and thought that the illusion was reality. In the past, she would never have arrogantly believed she could play 'My Empire' perfectly, and even perform it in front of so many other countries as China's representative.

Xue Zi Xuan shoved his hands into his pockets, staring at the confident father and daughter with mocking eyes. They were crazy.

Xue Li Dani pushed back work and rushed home. Her colleagues had told her that Xue Rui had accepted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' invitation, and would take Xue Jing Yi to the rehearsal tomorrow. Their orchestra was responsible for accompanying Xue Jing Yi, so they were going together. Xue Jing Yi wanted to play 'My Empire' in front of the leaders of various countries? What a joke! She'd almost fainted on the spot.

When she came home, Xue Jing Yi was already playing the third bar, she stared at the music score, her expression was very earnest, and no note was wrong, the melody was even very coherent. Xue Rui bobbed his head as he listened, quite pleased, in his view, as long as the song was coherent it was good enough to board the international stage.

But Xue Zi Xuan and Xue Li Dani's opinions were in short- 'how ridiculous'.

With no patience to endure till the end of a song, Xue Zi Xuan walked over and forcefully shut the piano cover. Her hands almost crushed, Xue Jing Yi let out a miserable howl, her eyes instantly filling with tears, looking at him with disbelief and fear. Xue Rui and Xue Li Dani recovered from their horror and quickly ran over to pull him back, shouting, "Why do you want to hurt your sister like this? Are you crazy?"

"I'm crazy? You're crazy! You want her to play for Congress Hall with this kind of level, did you think everybody else is deaf?" He slowly took off his gloves, and coldly said, "Move, I'll play it once."

Xue Jing Yi's frightened heart was pumping in the pain, she quickly clutched her inflamed fingers and leaned into Xue Li Dani's embrace, her eyes blinking uncontrollably, plop plop, distressed tears falling to the ground. Xue Li Dani was going to scold her for being willful, but seeing her mortified and pitiful appearance, her heart instantly softened.

Xue Rui had been slighted by his son twice, he was already impatient, but this performance was a major event, sloppiness was unacceptable. Since his son said it wouldn't do, he lost nothing by listening to him, even if he felt that his daughter's performance was already perfect.

Xue Zi Xuan took a deep breath, and firmly pressed the keys. He tried to move his mood back to the age of war, tried to understand the feelings of people in distress rising up to defend their homeland, but he still failed. This was the only song he couldn't interpret, even after studying it for five years, he still didn't dare play it out in public.

But even though his level was insufficient, it was countless times higher than Xue Jing Yi's level. His music was very firm, and it also contained an unyielding force, even people insensitive to music could easily discern the difference between him and Xue Jing Yi. His sound was like a boulder, it could be used to strike the listeners' souls, while Xue Jing Yi's sound was like gummi candy, full of sweetness, soft as a feather. But 'My Empire' was not a sweet, romantic waltz, it was a rousing roar and rallying cry.

In this way, Xue Jing Yi's previous performance was a joke.

Xue Li Dani felt her husband's ignorance, she searched for 'My Empire's history on her phone and handed it to him, silently shaking her head apologetically. She was tactfully telling her husband that their daughter would not work.

Xue Rui's disapproving expression slowly became grave, and when his son finished the song, his temple was twitching in pain. As it turns out, playing the piano was not as simple as pressing the right notes.

Xue Zi Xuan was silent for a moment, then he placed his phone on the music stand and dully said, "You heard the difference between me and Xue Jing Yi right? Now listen to Xiao Yi's version and the original composer's song. It's okay if you don't understand music, as long as you're not deaf, you should be able to hear the good and bad."

He smiled mockingly and clicked the play button. This was the short video edited by the Levin Empire netizens. They edited Ivanov's historical performance in the trenches with Zhou Yun Sheng's performance, both playing two alternating bars, 1-3,2-4, but when put together, there wasn't any feeling of wrongness. Heroic music shook the crystal lights overhead, if Xue Zi Xuan's performance was like a boulder, the two men's performance was blood and fire, iron and lava, a life and death symphony. That kind of destructive force could pierce eardrums, shake the soul, and ignite the blood.

Prior to this, Xue Rui had never seen Zhou Yun Sheng perform, he didn't know he adopted this state when he sat in front of the piano, as if he was indestructible, as if he was omnipotent. He walked to the sofa and sat down, his expression slowly distorting into something hideous.

He finally knew the reason why the head of the Levine Empire designated Zhou Yun Sheng to perform. Fortunately, his son had stopped him, otherwise, if he'd rashly taken his daughter to the Congress Hall rehearsal, would he still have any face left to continue living in the capital? Even someone like him who knew nothing about music could hear the difference between the three, no, strictly speaking, the four player's sound, not to mention others.

~~~

I Am There

James Dillet Freeman

Do you need Me ?

I am there.

You cannot see Me, yet I am the light you see by.

You cannot hear Me, yet I speak through your voice.

You cannot feel Me, yet I am the power at work in your hands.

I am at work, though you do not understand My ways.

I am at work, though you do not understand My works.

I am not strange visions. I am not mysteries.

Only in absolute stillness, beyond self, can you know Me

as I AM, and then but as a feeling and a faith.

Yet I am here. Yet I hear. Yet I answer.

When you need ME, I am there.

Even if you deny Me, I am there.

Even when you feel most alone, I am there.

Even in your fears, I am there.

Even in your pain, I am there.

I am there when you pray and when you do not pray.

I am in you, and you are in Me.

Only in your mind can you feel separate from Me, for

only in your mind are the mists of "yours" and "mine".

Yet only with your mind can you know Me and experience Me.

Empty your heart of empty fears.

When you get yourself out of the way, I am there.

You can of yourself do nothing, but I can do all.

And I AM in all.

Though you may not see the good, good is there, for

I am there. I am there because I have to be, because I AM.

Only in Me does the world have meaning; only out of Me does the world take form; only because of ME does the world go forward.

I am the law on which the movement of the stars

and the growth of living cells are founded.

I am the love that is the law's fulfilling. I am assurance.

I am peace. I am oneness. I am the law that you can live by.

I am the love that you can cling to. I am your assurance.

I am your peace. I am ONE with you. I am.

Though you fail to find ME, I do not fail you.

Though your faith in Me is unsure, My faith in you never

wavers, because I know you, because I love you.

Beloved, I am there.