Chapter 543: Cecilia Vaughn, You Are Not Worthy to Stand Here!

"Cecilia, I’m proud of you."

While everyone else was still lost in the grandeur of the ancient zither performance, Adrian Law was the first to come back to his senses.

The man’s applause brought everyone else back to reality, and even those who previously thought Cecilia Vaughn was disgracing the ancient zither began to clap.

The sparse applause quickly turned into a roaring tide, thundering like a storm.

A music student who once mocked Cecilia Vaughn hung his head in shame.

"I was so ignorant. Who says disorganized notes mean you don’t understand the ancient zither? I apologize to Classmate Vaughn for my ignorance."

"Exactly! If Cecilia Vaughn can’t be considered proficient in playing the ancient zither, who can?"

Even those who knew nothing about music were captivated by Cecilia Vaughn’s breathtaking performance, not daring to make random comments.

Some even realized that the chaotic notes at the beginning of the piece might have been meant to reflect the protagonist’s state of mind.

At the start, when the path ahead seemed boundless and the protagonist’s thoughts were in disarray, leading them to despair, the initial notes were as such.

...

Everyone looked at Cecilia Vaughn with admiration, and Cecilia gracefully stood up and bowed to the crowd. There were no fancy gestures or emotional speeches; what people wanted to know, they had already gained from the music.

No wonder Cecilia Vaughn said that when seeking a soulmate for the music, if you are a kindred spirit, you would naturally understand the thoughts of the performer.

"Before, I only thought Cecilia Vaughn was beautiful. From now on, I shall worship her as a goddess!"

"Me too!"

"Add my ID number! So beautiful, so graceful!"

The world is full of beautiful women, even excluding those with cosmetic surgery. There are plenty with naturally delicate features. At the very least, in terms of features, Fiona Vaughn and Rosalind White here today are in no way inferior to Cecilia Vaughn. In fact, their heavy makeup gives them a more striking and sophisticated look than Cecilia’s.

But as the ancient saying in Veridia goes, beauty is in the bone, not the skin. Cecilia Vaughn indeed embodies both form and spirit.

She may not be devastatingly beautiful, but even if you ignore her face and only see her playing under the lights, her faint and ethereal silhouette is enough to make hearts tremble.

...

The applause resounded for a long time without stopping.

Until Desmond Fletcher, in the VIP seating of Veridia’s judges, stood up in excitement.

"Is it you?!"

Holding the microphone, his voice was strong. Still, due to the applause around him, what Desmond Fletcher was saying wasn’t clear to the others.

Only Cecilia Vaughn and Adrian Law understood why Desmond Fletcher was so excited.

Cecilia nodded distantly at Desmond, revealing a humble yet slightly apologetic smile.

Her crescent-moon eyes seemed to say, I’m sorry to have kept you in the dark for so long.

At the beginning, Cecilia Vaughn didn’t want Desmond Fletcher to know her identity in the digital world.

Because back then, Arthur Chapman, the director of "There are branches on the mountain," kept pushing Cecilia Vaughn to meet Desmond Fletcher in real life. But Cecilia was unwilling, preferring to communicate online, with the two knowing each other by heart but never meeting in person.

At this grand recognition event, even at nearly fifty, Desmond Fletcher couldn’t help but shed excited beams from his eyes.

—This girl is really extraordinary; this live version is even more moving, more stunning than the studio version!

When he first learned that the composer of the ancient zither piece was also the author of "There are branches on the mountain," Desmond Fletcher was already quite impressed. Now that it’s revealed to be Cecilia Vaughn, the surprise and excitement are a hundredfold!

If the classical music scene in the Veridian-speaking world had more brilliant youngsters like Cecilia Vaughn, there’d be no worry about national music failing to step out of the country, becoming stagnant, or even despised at home compared to Western instruments.

...

Rosalind White and Fiona Vaughn were shocked by Cecilia Vaughn’s stage presence, which was even more poised and composed compared to when she was in high school.

Even though, as far as they knew, after Cecilia Vaughn had spent three years in prison, she never touched an ancient zither again, nor did she perform publicly!

But Cecilia played with such ease, the style utterly transformed from its previous pettiness; it was almost terrifying in its power!

Rosalind White’s face turned unsightly at once.

"Fiona, didn’t you say your sister was rusty at playing the zither? How come...?"

"How would I know... Maybe Mr. Law hired some amazing ancient zither master to guide her?"

Fiona Vaughn clenched her teeth, the anxiety and jealousy in her heart spreading endlessly.

Some overheard Fiona’s remark and immediately retorted with disdain.

"Come on, Cecilia Vaughn’s level isn’t something you can gain overnight with tutoring. Even if she did hire the best teacher for guidance, achieving this skill level also comes from her diligence!"

Can’t you see, no matter how many people learn to play, they can’t reach even a tenth of the energy in the just-performed piece!

...

Fiona Vaughn understood the truth, but she couldn’t suppress her jealousy.

There was even a certain apprehensive mood welling up inside her.

What to do?

Although this was supposed to be a friendship performance at the grand hall, everyone knew they were still electing the Youth Friendship Ambassador between Veridia and America. Seeing Cecilia Vaughn showcasing her talent like this, what if she takes Fiona’s spot?

Fiona Vaughn was almost as anxious as ants in a hot pot, when she saw the host presenting a large bouquet of roses from the fans to Cecilia.

"Cecilia Vaughn, everyone admires you now. Many in the audience have just become your fans. I would like to ask, is that piece your original work?"

Upon hearing this, Rosalind White immediately grabbed the microphone, seemingly concerned, joking with a hint of slyness.

"Sister-in-law, being so young, to compose such a soul-stirring piece would generally be the work of a master, right? Could it be a commissioned piece?"

The simple statement posed a trap. No matter how Cecilia answered, it would be easy to fall into a passive position.

Admitting it would make Cecilia seem like she had help from some genius, reducing her own impressiveness. Claiming originality, given Cecilia’s young age and limited experience, with Rosalind’s insinuation, people might suspect her of hiring a ghostwriter for the music.

Everyone looked at Cecilia Vaughn with eager curiosity, awaiting her answer.

...

"This piece..."

Cecilia Vaughn calmly scanned the faces around her, immediately seeing through Rosalind’s trap. She gently curled her lips.

"Is indeed my original composition."

Upon hearing this, Fiona Vaughn frowned. She felt the piece Cecilia played today seemed somewhat familiar but couldn’t recall where she had heard it before.

In a moment of inspiration, Fiona suddenly grabbed the microphone.

"You’re lying!"

With tears in her eyes, Fiona earnestly implored.

"Sister, although I understand your desire for everyone’s love and recognition, gaining instant gratification by plagiarizing others’ work is shameful!"