Chapter 122 Malleable Talent
Just then, a staff member rushed over.
"Ember, intermission is over!"
Ember didn't hesitate anymore. "Isabella, get up there and hold down the fort!"
Every minute they could buy was worth it.
Lawrence's concert was both online and offline - the venue held fifty thousand people, while the online viewership had already reached over a million.
The host walked onto the stage.
"Our intermission is now over. Next, we'll bring you a piano solo of 'Fragments of Tomorrow.'"
As the lights dimmed and then brightened again, Isabella was already seated at the piano.
A beam of pale yellow light shone down on her.
The entire venue fell silent.
Isabella lowered her head, her fingers slowly gliding across the keys.
This was a love song with a pure piano version that Lawrence had performed live at fans' requests before.
Only this time, it was Isabella playing instead.
Most of the audience hadn't yet realized why Lawrence hadn't come on stage - only the pianist had appeared.
As the rhythm and melody of the piano began, the audience was gradually drawn in. Even without lyrics, they were captivated by the sweet romance, bitter heartbreak, and finally the deep reminiscence expressed through the piano music, slowly becoming immersed in the performance.
The entire venue was silent, with only the flowing piano music filling the hall.
The piece ended.
Thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue.
Everyone's attention had shifted to this mysterious masked pianist.
"This pianist is amazing!"
"I feel like this instrumental version might be even better than the song with lyrics. I wish they'd record it as a sleep aid."
Amateurs watch for excitement, experts watch for technique.
In the VIP section of the audience, several young men and women sat alongside a few elderly gentlemen.
One of the elderly men stroked his beard. "This pianist's performance of this love song even made me think of my first love!"
Another elderly man glanced at him. "You old fool, at your age, aren't you embarrassed to say such things?"
This made the nearby young people laugh.
One of the men turned his head. "Mr. Garcia, this is the first time I've heard you praise another pianist."
Alexander Garcia, eighty years old, a legendary figure in the piano world.
Alexander had studied music in Novaria in his earlier years before returning to Lumaria. Novaria's musical history was a hundred years ahead of Lumaria's, and Alexander had deeply felt Lumaria's artistic backwardness there. After returning, his sole focus had been developing Lumaria's music scene, striving to reach Novaria's level as soon as possible.
As a pioneer of Lumarian piano, Alexander naturally had high standards.
Over the years, very few pianists had earned his praise. Some self-important piano masters were, in his eyes, merely at a beginner's level.
Alexander's gaze fell on the young woman on stage, filled with satisfaction and appreciation. "A talent worth nurturing, truly worth nurturing. I wonder who this girl is, if she's someone I know."
He basically knew all the pianists in the industry, but this masked pianist on stage - he couldn't see her face.
That made things difficult.
"Mr. Garcia, I heard that the piano accompanist originally scheduled for this concert was Phoenix, but they changed performers later."
Alexander snorted coldly at this. "No wonder Phoenix was replaced - she really wasn't up to par."
Although Phoenix held the title of Emerald City's number one piano socialite, he had never thought highly of her. Her skill level really wasn't worth mentioning, not even as good as this masked young woman.
After the first piano solo ended, the second piece of music began.
It was a pop song.
After listening to the first piano solo, the fans had gradually gotten used to it and even started enjoying it.
Even though Lawrence still hadn't appeared, the order in the music hall remained surprisingly good.
This outcome surprised Ember. Lawrence's fans were known to be fanatics - the fact that they hadn't gone crazy after not seeing Lawrence for so long was already quite remarkable.
But this definitely couldn't continue forever. Ember called Dash, and fortunately got the reply that the doctor had prescribed medication for relief, Lawrence's voice had mostly recovered, and he could return soon.
——
Meanwhile, Phoenix was watching the live stream of Lawrence's concert, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"What is Lawrence doing? Not even coming on stage, letting a pianist hold down the entire show? What is he thinking?"
She had to admit, Isabella's performance today was quite surprising.
She didn't seem at all like someone who had never learned piano.
Though she was still far behind her own level...
"Ms. Knight." Ondine leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I heard that Lawrence's rivals made a move. Lawrence should be at the hospital now, so..."
Phoenix understood. "No wonder."
Lawrence couldn't get on stage, so they had a pianist fill in.
Did they think the audience were fools?
"Ondine, have our people spread this news immediately, saying that..."
Ondine's expression changed slightly. "Ms. Knight, Lawrence's side is already in chaos. Should we really do this? If Infinity Entertainment Inc. investigates later..."
"It's precisely because they're in chaos that we can stir up more trouble." Phoenix examined her nails nonchalantly. "It's all Lawrence's rivals' doing anyway - what does it have to do with us?"
——
"What? Lawrence isn't coming back?"
As a post about #Lawrence Concert Incident, Concert Cancelled# hit the trending topics, people at the concert venue exploded.
"What's going on? The concert is cancelled?"
The live audience only belatedly realized that Lawrence hadn't been on stage for over twenty minutes, and suspicions began to arise.
"Where's Lawrence? Why hasn't Lawrence come yet?"
"Is the next song going to be another piano piece? When will Lawrence appear?"
"We came to see Lawrence - what's the point of making us listen to piano music?"
The originally quiet music hall gradually became restless, fans could no longer contain themselves, their desire to see Lawrence becoming urgent.
"Facebook says Lawrence had an accident. Does anyone know what happened?"
"Could it be a voice problem? I felt earlier that Lawrence's voice wasn't quite the same as usual."
The discussions grew more intense.
No one was in the mood to listen to piano music anymore, and people started standing up from their seats.
"Bring out Lawrence!"
"We want to see Lawrence!"
Some fans were even angry.
"Get the pianist off the stage! If Lawrence isn't here, shouldn't you give us an explanation?"
"We came to hear Lawrence's concert, not to listen to piano music!"
Isabella was still playing, surrounded by chaotic noise.
Clearly the situation was beyond her control.
When the current piece ended, she signaled the host to announce an intermission and left the stage.
After she left, the audience became even more agitated, everyone talking at once, all complaining that the concert had deceived them as consumers!
"These people really don't know how to appreciate art."
Alexander listened to the noisy sounds around him and sighed.
Finally hearing such beautiful piano music, only for the pianist to be driven off the stage.
Phoenix watched Isabella's awkward exit from the livestream and smiled.
Her own concert didn't start until the afternoon anyway - she had plenty of time to watch the show unfold.