Otaku Translation: My Girlfriend Is a Cello Player C69

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Chapter 69: A Breakthrough in Piano Skill

The piano sang out.

The violin wailed.

Urgent, pulsing music surged forward once again.

This piece wasn’t one for subtlety—it started with a bang, full of tension and conflict from the very first note.

This time, Lin Tian was unusually cautious.

As he played, he kept glancing over at Gan Yanyu, checking her expression. The young woman seemed to be cooperating well. At several prearranged crescendos, she’d lift her head toward him as planned. Their eyes would meet, and they’d exchange a quick smile before diving back into their instruments.

This interactive style of performance was having an effect—Gan Yanyu wasn’t losing herself in the music as deeply as before. Everything felt stable, controlled. Lin Tian let out a quiet breath of relief. If they could just keep this up, the recording would go off without a hitch.

But of course, trouble has a way of finding you when you least expect it—and most need it not to.

When the climax of the piece arrived, Lin Tian turned his head, ready to lock eyes with Gan Yanyu once more—but she didn’t look up.

Instead, Gan Yanyu had become utterly absorbed in her cello. Her bow moved faster, the intensity of her playing spiking in an instant. Lin Tian’s heart clenched. The video was still rolling; there was no way to nudge her shoulder or whisper a reminder.

Thankfully, he’d prepared for this. He steeled himself, turning back to the keys with resolve.

Deep breath.

Eyes closed.

His fingers flew across the keyboard, each one moving with precision. Years of intense practice coalesced into this moment, every ounce of discipline pouring through his fingertips.

If Gan Yanyu wanted to play like a madwoman, then fine—he’d match her step for step.

As the music reached its zenith, the clash between cello and piano hit its peak. It was a battle of wills, a duel of sound.

“Don’t think being a genius gives you free rein,” Lin Tian thought bitterly. “You won’t pick up the lantern? Fine—I’ll use my grappling hook to drag you over.”

This wasn’t just Gan Yanyu’s fight. It was also a monumental test for Lin Tian’s piano skills. Fueled by frustration—not just with the piece but with his own perceived inadequacies—his playing grew angrier, more impassioned.

While Gan Yanyu channeled Mozart’s raw emotion, Lin Tian’s fury stemmed from something else entirely: the frustration of feeling like he wasn’t good enough.

All that energy pooled into his fingertips.

"Skill breakthrough imminent. Progress: 38%."

"57%."

"79%."

"94%."

"99%."

With one final high note struck—

"100%. Breakthrough complete."

"Piano Skill (Silver) → (Emerald)"

In that moment, Lin Tian felt a surge of energy course through him, as if some unseen force had infused his veins. The piano beneath his hands suddenly felt lighter, easier to command. The pressure that had weighed so heavily on him moments ago lifted noticeably.

Under the shadow of Gan Yanyu’s devilish cello, his piano had broken through a critical barrier.

There was no time to celebrate. Lin Tian immediately turned his attention back to Gan Yanyu. She sat there, brows furrowed, head bowed, still wrestling with whatever inner voice haunted her.

Without hesitation, Lin Tian reached out and gently tilted her chin upward.

Gan Yanyu opened her eyes, startled to find Lin Tian smiling at her. His gaze, warm and reassuring, pierced through her haze like sunlight breaking through clouds. Realization dawned on her face—she was supposed to be interacting with him.

She started to rise, but Lin Tian caught hold of the hair tie binding one of her ponytails. With a tug, he pulled it free, letting her jet-black hair cascade down around her shoulders. As she stood, the opposing forces sent her second ponytail tumbling loose as well. Her hair spilled forth, flowing like ink against the backdrop of her cello.

Gan Yanyu froze, cheeks flushing, though her bow never stopped moving. Bathed in the glow of classical music, she looked breathtakingly beautiful.

And then, as if mirroring their emotions, the piece shifted. The furious clash softened, giving way to gentler, more introspective tones.

The tenderest section of Symphony No. 40 had arrived. The storm of anger and passion gave way to calm reflection. Together, they navigated the transition seamlessly. The hardest part was behind them now, and the rest flowed naturally.

They both settled back into their seats, playing in perfect harmony. This time, there were no surprises.

Finally, with the last note ringing out, "Symphony in G Minor: Pathétique" was complete.

Lin Tian and Gan Yanyu collapsed onto the couch, utterly spent. It had been the toughest piece they’d ever tackled together—a true test of endurance and skill. Objectively speaking, its technical difficulty might not have surpassed something like Can-Can, but emotionally, it had hit Gan Yanyu hard. Her intensity had pushed Lin Tian to break new ground with his piano abilities just to keep up.

After exporting the video, they reviewed the footage. When the camera captured Lin Tian lifting Gan Yanyu’s chin mid-performance, her face flushed slightly.

“Isn’t this scene… a little inappropriate?” she murmured, covering her face with her hands.

“I’ve got worse stuff saved on my computer,” Lin Tian replied dryly. “Want to see?”

“No, no!” Gan Yanyu waved her hands frantically, clearly mortified.

Despite her embarrassment, Lin Tian couldn’t deny that the idea had worked brilliantly. Adding small interactions to the video enhanced its appeal without detracting from the music. Each eye contact during a crescendo added layers of intimacy and connection.

But when the playback reached the part where Lin Tian untied her hair, both fell silent. Gan Yanyu seemed lost in thought, while Lin Tian simply smirked.

“This video’s going viral,” he thought confidently.

After watching it twice, Gan Yanyu frowned. “I don’t know… I feel like I didn’t play it well.”

“It sounded amazing,” Lin Tian countered. “What more do you want?”

“It could’ve been better,” she insisted, twisting her hands nervously. Deep down, she blamed herself for getting distracted by their staged interactions, which she believed dulled the emotional impact of the performance. Still, she knew Lin Tian had only done it to help her stay grounded.

“It’s fine,” he reassured her. “We can redo it another day when you’re in top form. For now, let’s post this version.”

Privately, however, Lin Tian worried about how Gan Yanyu would fare during live performances. Could he really pull off such distractions on stage under high-pressure conditions?

One step at a time, he told himself. Editing the video, he titled it "Original Music: Symphony in G Minor: Pathétique (Cello & Piano Duet)". After posting it online, he made sure to include an advertisement for "Lucky Music Shop" in the comments section. Every view meant potential earnings, and Lin Tian couldn’t help but feel a flicker of excitement.

Glancing outside, he realized dusk had fallen. Tomorrow was Monday, and there would be mock exams. However, he hadn’t studied yet.

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