Chapter 174
Saturday marked the start of the holidays. Rosemont University’s Independence Day and New Students’ Welcome Party would begin at 7 pm. Under normal circumstances, most students would go home or travel during the vacation, and not many would attend the gala. However, after learning that Joy and Avery were going to perform on the same stage, the entire school was in an uproar. Moreover, both would be playing the piano. Everyone wanted to know who would come out on top in the first confrontation between the two school belles. As a result, the auditorium, which could accommodate more than 2,000 people, was filled to capacity. Even the aisles upstairs and downstairs were packed with people eager to witness the match between the two campus stars.
When the host announced the official start of the gala, two guys in white shirts, black pants, and masks squeezed through the crowd in the aisle and stopped at the seats on the far right in the third row on the first floor. They took out tickets and politely asked the two students occupying the seats to give them up. Being reasonable and respectful, the students stood up and relinquished their seats without protest. The two masked individuals sat down. Noticing that everyone’s attention was focused on the stage and that the lighting at the side was dim, they finally felt at ease enough to remove their masks.
The student in charge of organizing the gala had cleverly scheduled Joy and Avery’s performances for the end. Although the audience had some complaints about this, it was fitting for the two school belles to appear as the finale. Besides, the preceding programs were not bad, and the audience watched with relish, finding the wait far from boring.
Finally, at around nine o’clock, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. The audience fell silent, waiting eagerly for the show to begin. Even the host’s voice betrayed a hint of excitement. "Now, let’s welcome the history major freshman, Joy Lambert. She will be performing Franz Liszt’s ’Harmonies du Soir’ (Harmony of the Night)."
The audience erupted into enthusiastic applause. Those familiar with classical piano music knew this piece well. It was notoriously difficult to play but breathtakingly beautiful when executed well. A music major student remarked, "Since Joy dares to play this piece on such an occasion, she must be very confident in her skills."
Someone else disagreed. "She’s a history major. How good can she be at playing the piano? Even if she was once capable, she’s probably out of practice now."
Most students, however, were captivated by Joy’s beauty. "Joy, the goddess, is so stunning. When she steps on stage, no one can look away. It doesn’t matter how well she plays."
Under the eager gazes of the audience, Joy walked onto the stage in a white off-shoulder dress. After bowing gracefully, she made her way to the piano and sat down. Her impeccable taste in fashion, combined with her charming figure, elegant bearing, and unhurried demeanor, won her widespread admiration.
Whispers filled the auditorium. "Wow. If this weren’t the school’s auditorium, I’d think she was a princess or a noble lady attending a high-society salon."