On the day of the first round, it was rare to see rain in Los Angeles.

It was a violent storm, and the rain was constantly pouring in front of the car glass, so big that the wipers didn't have time to clear a clear view. Jiang Chao turned on his double flashing lights and drove forward at a slow speed. Fortunately, on such a rainy day, most Los Angeles people would rather hide in one place than go out to drive, so there are few cars on the streets. Jiang Chao arrived at the competition site all the way without danger.

The Los Angeles Concert Hall, located in the East Wood District of Los Angeles, is a very famous concert hall in the entire beautiful country. As the venue for the Derby Prize, the configuration here is basically close to the top.

The first two rounds of the competition were solo pieces, and without the participation of world-renowned conductors and orchestras, there would not have been such a high level of attention, but because of the large audience attracted by Merceline, there were already people waiting around the concert hall for the opening two hours before the competition.

Jiang Chao, as a contestant, gave priority to entering the concert hall after submitting his identity certificate. And Jordan and Guo Decheng, who came with him, found a coffee shop nearby to sit in.

Affected by the heavy rain, the contestants who stayed in the hotel designated by the organizing committee have not yet arrived. Jiang Chao is currently the only contestant in the concert hall.

The interference of the physical state on the performance is very direct, to ensure a good rest, the best guarantee before the competition is to rest in addition to practice, the night before, Jiang Chao slept very early, his sleep quality has always been very good, the more important the moment, but Jiang Chao can fall asleep quickly. This is undoubtedly an enviable talent - playing is very demanding on the state of the body.

At this time, Jiang Chao walked from the audience to the stage step by step, and listened to the echo effect of the stage by clapping his hands or snapping his fingers. Walking on the stage, Jiang Chao got the permission of the organizing committee of the competition to play and audition on this Steinway piano, constantly looking for that precise sound quality.

Soon, Jiang Chao adjusted his condition to the best. Then, he stopped thinking about the piano, he sat down in the contestant's seat, closed his eyes slightly, and his mind flowed over and over again the pieces he was going to compete in today.

Jiang Chao wore an expensive shirt, a small dress, and shiny leather shoes. Unlike many elegant gentlemen who tend to have a melancholy temperament, Jiang Chao is just as elegant, but as elegant as a snowflake on the summit of Mount Everest, clean and restrained.

Minutes and seconds passed. Gradually, there were more people.

Surrounded by several people, the most talked-about woman of the day also entered the concert hall. She already has an agent, a serious-looking middle-aged woman who stands beside Maitherine without a single glance, intentionally or unintentionally separating the others from Maitherine.

Maitherine walked to the bench and her agent put on a coat for her. She didn't want the cold air in the concert hall to affect Maitherine's fingers. After doing this, the agent said to Messerine, "Come on, take it easy." ”

Messherine nodded, "Okay aunt." ”

The female agent who was called "aunt" by Matherine was relieved. Only Jiang Chao and Messerine are sitting in the player bench at the moment.

Jiang Chao still closed his eyes, this time he imagined the music in his mind, Jiang Chao had a new feeling, and the music was in a hearty fragment.

Of course, Maitherine noticed Jiang Chao early. She just pretended to glance at Jiang Chao casually, and then looked ahead very seriously, sketching Jiang Chao's appearance in her mind.

He looked gentle and calm.

Maitherine glanced at Jiang Chao again, and found that the other party completely ignored what was happening around her, so she boldly looked at it twice. Thinking about it, Mercelyn pretended to make some noise inadvertently—she deliberately shook the hem of her skirt to make a sound like a bird flapping its wings.

Sure enough, Jiang Chao opened his eyes, and then saw Messerine sitting beside him.

"Hello!" Merceline's eyes were as blue as jewels, and she was a little excited to see Jiang Chao's gaze.

Jiang Chao blinked, and it took half a second to remember that this girl seemed to be called Messerine, and she was a genius who had high hopes from many people in this competition. Jiang Chao nodded: "Hello." ”

"Your name is Jiang Chao, right?"

Jiang Chao was a little surprised, because he was unknown, he would be known by a foreigner, and said with some doubts: "I am." ”

"My name is Messerine. Although Mercelyn felt that Jiang Chao should know herself, the strict polite education she received told her that she should introduce her name at this time. "It's a pleasure to play with you. ”

Jiang Chao was a little strange, it sounded as if the other party had heard him play. "You know me?"

"Yes, your interpretation of Concerto 11 is very moving!"

In contrast, Jiang Chao didn't know much about Maitherine, and he hadn't heard Maitherine play. In fact, Jiang Chao rarely listens to other people's performances. For him, listening to someone else's performance is better than looking at the score and listening to the voice in his head. Lang Lang once said that the pianist is the medium between the audience and the composer. Therefore, Jiang Chao feels that it makes sense, and even extremely, that often listening to how other pianists express their music will affect his ability to establish a connection between the audience and the composer.

After the two said hello, Jiang Chao didn't plan to communicate too much. Despite the fact that Merceline is very good-looking - she looks like the heroine of Twilight.

Maitherine really wanted to say a few more words to Jiang Chao, but the other party obviously didn't mean it, which made Maitherine a little disappointed. Of course, she understands that her charm doesn't necessarily appeal to people who look good at first glance, but it doesn't feel good when she meets the first man who has no interest in her.

Inherited from the Hungarian passion, Merceline was eager to talk to Jiang Chao and tell him that she longed for it—the tremor of the instrument when she played it and the heartfelt desire of the listener to become one, which was her life's pursuit. And your "Concerto 11" is such a wonderful state.

It's a pity that Jiang Chao has closed his eyes.

Soon, the audience and other contestants entered the arena one after another.

The first round of the competition is only an appetizer for a major competition like the German Prize. There were not many celebrities present, and they were mainly ordinary people.

After Wu Bufan sat down, his eyes circled around, and when he saw Jiang Chao, he was slightly stunned, and said to his cousin's assistant beside him: "My eyes are good, it is indeed him." ”

"What's his name?"

"Jiang Chao. I remember that Lang Lang mentioned Jiang Chao on a variety show and said that he was very optimistic about Jiang Chao. ”

Wu Bufan's cousin was a little surprised: "Is it? Which episode? I don't have any impression at all." ”

Wu Bufan said: "At that time, Lang Lang didn't name him, he just said that he won the first place in the German Prize Competition, I was in China at that time, and I was a little curious and searched for it, and I knew Jiang Chao. ”

The people in the audience chatted quietly, and the game was finally about to begin.