Now, all eyes were fixed on Yu Shuying. There were fifty contestants, seven distinguished guests, and a hundred thousand spectators who filled the stadium. Across the globe, the broadcast had already surpassed ten million concurrent views.
Educational institutions.
Scholars.
Literary critics.
Musicians.
Every single one of them was watching Yu Shuying.
She remained silent. When that man revealed poem after another, she had fallen into a whirlpool of emotions. A sense of crisis. Confusion. Admiration. Even a faint trace of being moved.
Yet what overwhelmed everything else was bewilderment. If he truly cared for her... Then why?
"Why did you burn all my piano books? Why did you take every cent I earned and never leave any for me?"
"When I participated in the Reader Competition, why wouldn't you even let me keep the royalties from a few books?"
"When I entered the Commentator Competition, you never encouraged me. You only asked me for money."
"When I designed characters for an anime, you mocked them during media interviews. You belittled my work and never gave me a single word of praise."
For the first time, genuine sorrow filled Yu Shuying's voice. The moment she witnessed the man who had once burned every piece of her work, she was utterly stunned. His literary talent... His mastery of poetry... His creativity was so overwhelming that even she, the acknowledged genius, felt an undeniable sense of pressure. But she could never understand... Why had he become that person afterward?
"Allow me to explain. Before Yu Shuying had even begun learning the piano, he underwent surgery, a partial pituitary resection, followed by FWWH chemotherapy." Former surgeon Alejandro, now a renowned professor specializing in brain cancer research, spoke with a solemn expression.
"Our medical assessment at the time was that he would suffer severe memory deterioration. Periodic Alzheimer's symptoms. Emotional instability. Extreme irritability... and several other neurological complications." His voice gradually became quieter.
Then, almost to himself, he murmured, "I haven't seen him in many years. I truly want to know... How did he survive those following years? ...Or is he even still alive?"
The atmosphere instantly became heavy, and an indescribable silence spread across the venue. At least now, several judges and guests finally understood the truth.
Yu Ye... He had never stopped being a father. Disease had simply dragged him into darkness. The illness had twisted his emotions until even the people closest to him could no longer recognize him.
"What heartbreaking fate... especially for poor Little Shuying." Nana, the female commentator, let out a quiet sigh.
"Yeah..." Tao, the male commentator, who had remained composed throughout the program, also sighed for the first time.
"Yu Ye... was actually a very remarkable man." After listening to instructions through her earpiece, Nana looked toward Shuying once more. "Ms. Yu Shuying, I apologize for interrupting, but your mother has already arrived, and she'll be here shortly."
The moment those words fell, everyone immediately thought of Little Shuying's mother.
Su Wen widened her eyes. "So after Yu Ye became too sick to care for Little Shuying, did everything that happened after she turned eight... have something to do with her mother?"
Jiang Yue also fell deep into thought. "That woman..."
A family of literary elites. An overseas wealthy household. Combined with the dramatic changes in Little Shuying's life after she turned seven... The timeline suddenly seemed to make sense.
Before the age of seven, Yu Ye had personally taught her everything. After seven, his illness rapidly worsened. Then the mysterious woman appeared, taking over every responsibility he could no longer bear. Or perhaps, Shuying had simply carved her own invincible path through sheer determination. Either way, from that point onward, it seemed as though Yu Ye had completely disappeared from her journey.
Discussion erupted everywhere, and the loudest debates came from hundreds of threads on the forum. One topic instantly exploded across the platform.
"Has anyone seriously considered... that Yu Ye might never have been inferior to his daughter?"
The question stunned countless readers.
Among those joining the discussion, Professor Zhang Cihai presented four sharp observations.
First, the two songs Yu Ye had demonstrated so far, "Insect Flying" and "Under the Sea." Both possessed extraordinary artistic quality.
Second, Yu Ye's stage presence carried astonishing emotional tension.
Third, even years ago, despite his humble educational background, his literary accomplishments displayed an almost terrifying poetic depth.
Fourth, judging from Yu Shuying's own words, her lifelong goal had always been to surpass her father. But... Had she truly defeated him?
The question struck like thunder. Immediately, countless Yu Shuying supporters exploded with anger.
"She started surpassing Yu Ye ever since she began learning piano at seven! Isn't that obvious?"
"Yu Ye may have sacrificed a lot, but all these years she's been supporting him with her own earnings!"
"Their father-daughter rivalry has existed since she was three years old! Everything afterward belonged to Little Shuying!"
"Her mother has already arrived! Just wait until the truth comes out!"
Onstage, Shuying had naturally seen the heated discussions flooding the forum. She remembered the kindness that man had once shown her. But what lingered even more vividly... Were the memories after she turned eight. Those memories had engraved themselves deeply into her heart. Whenever she thought of him... Only conflict remained.
Yes. He had been wonderful before. But after developing brain cancer, everything had changed.
Looking toward the audience, she finally spoke honestly. "He is the greatest rival of my life. He was incredibly talented before. Perhaps fate delayed him. But after that... I was never beneath him. Not even by half a step. Since I was seven years old, I have given him more than enough money."
Then, her eyes reddened, and she clenched her fists. "From the very beginning of learning the piano... I climbed upward by myself. By myself. BY MYSELF!"
She repeated those words. Not for sympathy, only to prove herself.
At that very moment, the production team displayed Little Shuying's complete list of achievements.
At seven years and eight months old, she began learning piano, and she had ranked dead last. Yet through relentless effort, she surpassed every opponent before her and eventually earned the opportunity to attend an elite piano symposium.
Later, inspired by the final confession of a terminal cancer patient, she composed "Flowers Bloomed in the Southern City."
Shortly after turning eight, she entered a prestigious Readers' Conference. Her literary debates astonished every judge present. That victory earned her a place in the Commentator Competition. There, she defeated even the talented successors of renowned scholarly families and claimed first place.
Near the end of her eighth year, she participated in designing characters for the anime Under One Person.
The characters she created shocked the entire industry.
One was Wangquan Fugui. [Note: Wang Quan Fugui is a character in the Chinese comic Fox Spirit Matchmaker and its derivative works, as well as the male protagonist of the Wang Quan Chapter within the comic.]
The other was Taoist Wang Ye. [Note: Wang Ye is a character in the Chinese manhua, The Outcast.]
Their unforgettable dialogue and personalities captivated countless fans.
Merely displaying this list of accomplishments was enough to leave everyone speechless. Any single one of those achievements would have been the crowning glory of an ordinary person's lifetime. Yet for Yu Shuying, they were merely tiny markings upon the endless growth rings of her extraordinary life.
Facing countless questioning gazes, Shuying slowly swept her eyes across the audience. One by one, people lowered their heads. Her presence was overwhelming. Her confidence was almost tangible.
Finally, she exhaled deeply. It felt as though she had finally reached the decisive moment that would define her entire life.
Then she declared, "After I began learning the piano... I truly believed I was a genius and I really became a light! I defeated you once, and even if your greatest glory is replayed before me... I will defeat you again! So... Let me see you. Show me your true abilities. You have to stay alive... Come out alive!"
Everyone knew exactly who those words were meant for. That man. The opponent she had spent nearly her entire life chasing. The father she had always believed she had already surpassed.
With countless supporters standing behind her, Shuying slowly turned toward the curtain backstage. At the far end of the audience seating... Beside an elderly man... A young fan excitedly waved Shuying's poster high above his head. His eyes were already red with emotion.
Then, almost by accident, he glanced toward the old man beside him. For the first time in what seemed like forever, the weary old man slowly opened his eyes, and the young man froze.
The instant those aged eyes opened, it felt as though winter winds swept across the heavens. Like moonlight stretching over the river, carrying a thousand years of history in a single glance. Like fading starlight returning to an ancient, weathered body. Not merely returning but rekindling. That light... Was the true light.
After a long silence, the old man spoke softly. "When I fall asleep... Remember to help me stand. I'm almost out of time. It's nearly over..."
The young man's entire body trembled as a terrifying thought flashed through his mind, and his eyes widened in disbelief. Even so... He instinctively nodded with absolute seriousness.
"May I ask... What should I call you?"
The old man smiled faintly. "Yu Ye."