WT Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Cruise Dinner Party – Tang Xu, Asia’s Rising Piano Star

As dusk approached, the cruise ship’s horn resounded throughout Meilun Wharf.

Boarding concluded, and the cruise ship gradually departed from the port. The setting sun cast a rose-gold hue across the sky, its warm light shimmering on the sea like a scattering of shattered jewels.

Inside the banquet hall on the upper deck of the cruise ship, a welcome banquet was about to begin.

The hall was extravagantly luxurious, emanating a soft, flattering light, with every detail of the decor impeccable.

As guests began to arrive, two figures gracefully entered from the entrance.

A refined Omega youth, arm in arm with an older gentleman, wore a white tuxedo. The subtly shimmering, crisp fabric accentuated his radiant appearance, and his hair was meticulously styled by a salon, with every strand perfectly in place.

“Is your health really up to attending an event like this?” Wen Shixi asked Jiang Yan beside him as they walked, “If you feel unwell, please tell me immediately.”

Jiang Yan was slightly shorter than Wen Shixi and had more delicate features, though the corners of his eyes bore traces of time. With melancholy in his eyes, his steps were noticeably frail.

“I’m fine. I have arranged to meet someone near the observation deck. Let’s head over there while it’s still less crowded,” Jiang Yan responded.

Hearing this, Wen Shixi supported Jiang Yan as they walked towards the high doors of the observation deck in the corner of the banquet hall.

Wen Shixi had received his father’s call shortly after the package was delivered yesterday.

Jiang Yan hoped he could accompany him on the ship to attend a cruise dinner party to meet an old friend.

For Wen Shixi, Jiang Yan calling to ask him to attend various events was the only work in his life.

His father, Wen Eryun, a legendary cellist of the twenty-first century, was still active in the classical music scene, often traveling around the world to perform.

Wen Shixi was Jiang Yan’s son in name. Whenever Wen Eryun was unable to attend and Jiang Yan had an unavoidable engagement, he would accompany Jiang Yan.

Wen Shixi and Jiang Yan walked to a less crowded area. Occasionally hearing snippets of conversation around them, Wen Shixi felt a growing sense of confusion.

He had just overheard a few people saying that the cruise dinner party seemed to be celebrating the launch of a new amusement park project.

The words “theme park” inexplicably made Wen Shixi feel a bit sensitive.

He couldn’t help but furrow his brow slightly, a hint of bewilderment on his face.

For a moment, Wen Shixi’s mind replayed the message page where Jiang Quanyu had not replied to a single message.

Wen Shixi regretted it a bit; he shouldn’t have sent Jiang Quanyu a message.

He should have gone straight out to find someone to marry, then brought them back to the old house with a marriage certificate.

Jiang Yan had taken his medication just before entering, and his spirits were still quite good. He spoke in a gentle voice to Wen Shixi, who was frowning, “Doesn’t Xiao Xi know? The person in charge of this theme park is Quanyu.”

Wen Shixi’s hand, which was holding Jiang Yan’s arm, stiffened for a moment. He looked around and feigned surprise, “A theme park? I thought this banquet was to welcome a symphony orchestra coming to the harbor to perform.”

“Indeed, many performers have come.” Jiang Yan also looked around and said, “The economic development of classical music is not doing well in many places outside of Europe. Many orchestra agents are trying to find performance models outside of indoor concert halls. I heard that when Quanyu was planning the theme park project, he envisioned an entire coastal landscape. The initial plan was to use it to hold holographic ocean symphony concerts. So many performers and orchestra managers are here today, probably wanting to talk about collaborations with Quanyu.”

Wen Shixi paused, “Holographic symphony concerts?”

“Sounds romantic, doesn’t it?” Jiang Yan smiled softly, “The tide matching the winding melody of the violin, the waves dancing on the piano keys, the flute and reed softly murmuring together, the timpani’s heavy beats striking the reef. I really want to hear such a symphony soon.”

Wen Shixi’s soft lips parted slightly as he listened to Jiang Yan’s words, his heart filled with ripples and music.

He whispered, “Yes, it sounds so beautiful.”

Jiang Yan: “Quanyu’s mother was the most legendary Asian soprano in the Golden Hall when she was young. Although he has never touched a musical instrument since he was a child, his understanding of classical music may be deeper than that of many performers.”

Wen Shixi asked, “Is the friend you mentioned also attending the banquet because of this?”

“Yes,” Jiang Yan replied. “He asked me many times, but Er’yun went to Germany to perform, so I could only call you.”

In the past, whenever Jiang Yan had an episode, he would become hysterical and completely unable to accept that Wen Shixi was his son, nor could he accept Wen Shixi’s performances.

But aside from the lack of self-control during his manic episodes, Jiang Yan was actually a very cultured person.

Compared to Wen Eryun’s years of indifferent distance, Jiang Yan felt a lot of guilt towards Wen Shixi.

Wen Shixi listened and said gently, “You can call me anytime if you need anything.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yan nodded slightly, raised one hand, and gently patted the back of Wen Shixi’s hand.

As the sun set, it gradually sank into the sea.

More and more guests arrived at the banquet hall, the sounds of voices never ceasing, and glasses occasionally clinked together, accompanied by friendly conversations.

Wen Shixi accompanied Jiang Yan in waiting for someone in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows when suddenly, he heard a loud crash not far away.

The sound of shattered glass broke the peaceful atmosphere of the banquet, and the sudden, ear-piercing sound made Jiang Yan tremble slightly.

Wen Shixi frowned instantly and looked in the direction of the sound.

The surroundings fell silent in an instant, and a somewhat harsh voice came from afar, “Who do we have here? It’s Mr. Tang.”

“Have you been working too hard lately, so you can’t even hold a wine glass?”

“I heard you’re going to hold a salon performance in the harbor. I’ll send you a congratulatory gift, but it seems Mr. Tang’s hands aren’t very nimble. Are you really a pianist?”

Unconcealed sarcasm and ridicule drifted into Wen Shixi and Jiang Yan’s ears.

Wen Shixi frowned as he looked at the man surrounded by several people.

Then, he paused slightly.

Because of repeated searches, Wen Shixi had seen a lot of news about this person in the past month.

That gentle figure besieged in the center was Jiang Quanyu’s rumored partner in Washington, according to various news pages.

Tang Xu, Asia’s rising piano star.