My Girlfriend Is a Cello Player-Chapter 70: Lin Tian Chooses the Path of Music

Chapter 70: Lin Tian Chooses the Path of Music
Monday morning at No. 7 Qingzhou High School.
The first Zhonghua language exam of the day had just ended, and teachers were gathering in the staff office to grade papers when a sudden commotion broke out. Zhang Juan, homeroom teacher for Class A, stood up abruptly, her face etched with disbelief as she stared at Lin Tian, one of her star students.
"What? You want to switch to an arts track—music?"
"Yes, Ms. Zhang," Lin Tian replied calmly.
"I'm planning to apply to Zhonghua Music Academy."
His words rippled through the room like a stone tossed into still water. Heads turned, whispers erupted, and pencils paused mid-marking.
"Isn't that Lin Tian from Class A? The kid who's always ranked top five in the grade?"
"With only a few months left until the college entrance exam, why is he switching now? That's unheard of!"
"A student guaranteed admission to a prestigious university throwing it all away for music? Poor Ms. Zhang must be tearing her hair out."
"Maybe some pretty girl studying music got to him. These straight-A types are easy targets—they don't know how to resist charm."
"It's such a shame. We're losing one of our best bets for boosting the school's admission stats."
Though there was grading to do, the drama unfolding before them proved too intriguing to ignore. Teachers slowed their work, leaning over desks or whispering conspiratorially.
"Lin Tian," Ms. Zhang began, her voice heavy with concern, "do you realize there are barely two months left before the art exams begin? Switching to this path now feels like gambling with your future. Do you really think two months is enough time to prepare for something so competitive?"
"And what about the final stretch of high school? Every single day counts. If you take two months off for the arts exam, how will you ever catch up on everything else?" She pressed her fingers against her temples, lines of worry creasing her forehead.
In her eyes, Lin Tian had been the ideal student—diligent, respectful, and utterly reliable. He was the kind of pupil every teacher dreamed of having. So why, now of all times, would he make such a drastic decision?
It wasn't that pursuing music was inherently inferior. Zhonghua Music Academy and its counterpart in Shanghai were among the finest institutions in the country. Though technically ranked lower than the most prestigious universities, these institutions boasted international acclaim and commanded widespread respect. If Lin Tian managed to secure a spot, it wouldn't be a setback—in fact, it could become an inspiring story worth celebrating.
But Ms. Zhang couldn't shake the feeling that success was impossible within such a short timeframe. What if he failed the audition? Not only would he waste precious study time, but the stress could shatter his confidence—or worse.
"Lin Tian, have you considered the risks?" she asked, her tone softening yet firm. "Music majors face immense pressure. If you fail the audition, it could crush your spirit. I've seen it happen too many times before."
She paused, gesturing animatedly with her hands. "Take Gan Yanyu, for example—a music major from Class B. She's currently at home battling depression because of her struggles. Her weight dropped to just eighty pounds! Eighty pounds!" She gasped, mimicking the frailty with trembling fingers. "Can you imagine how painful that must be?"
Her voice cracked slightly, emotion welling up. "As a parent myself, if that were my daughter…" She trailed off, blinking back tears.
Lin Tian fell silent. He hadn't expected this reaction—not from Ms. Zhang, who was usually so composed and nurturing. But he understood where she was coming from; she cared deeply about her students' futures. And truthfully, he appreciated her concern.
"Ms. Zhang," he said gently, "I can pass the audition."
"You can?" She snapped upright again, her earlier exhaustion forgotten. "With what, exactly? Two months isn't enough time to master years of training! I know that a video of you playing the piano went viral on TikTok recently—I saw it too. I'll admit, you're very talented. But you can't let one moment of online fame lead you to make such a hasty decision. The art exam isn't as simple as you might think."
Before Ms. Zhang could continue, a knock sounded at the door. Xu Yong, another student from Lin Tian's class, stepped inside.
"Ms. Zhang, you wanted to see me?"
"Ah, yes, come in." She gestured for him to join them. Turning to Xu Yong, she explained, "Lin Tian wants to switch to the music track. Did you know about this?"
Xu Yong's jaw dropped. "You're switching to music? Since when?"
"Last weekend," Lin Tian answered simply.
Xu Yong opened his mouth to unleash a barrage of curses but caught himself, remembering they were in the teacher's office. Instead, he muttered gruffly, "What's going on in your head?"
Ms. Zhang nodded approvingly. "Exactly! Even Xu Yong thinks this is reckless."
As a homeroom teacher, she knew Lin Tian didn't have many close friends. Xu Yong was perhaps the only person he confided in regularly. Summoning him here was strategic—if anyone could talk sense into Lin Tian, it was his best friend.
"Do you realize there are only two months until the art exam?" Xu Yong asked, his tone dead serious.
"Yes," Lin Tian replied without hesitation.
"And you think you can pass the audition in just two months?"
"I can."
"Alright then."
Xu Yong turned to Ms. Zhang and said matter-of-factly, "I don't see any problem here."
"Huh?!" Ms. Zhang's eyes widened in disbelief, her head practically spinning with confusion.
She had called Xu Yong in to help talk Lin Tian out of this decision, not to side with him after two sentences!
"Two months? How is that even possible?" she exclaimed.
"It's possible for me," Lin Tian said firmly.
"He said it is possible for him," Xu Yong echoed.
Ms. Zhang stared at the two students before her, utterly at a loss. Dealing with one stubborn student was already challenging enough—now she had two of them on her hands.
With a deep sigh, she realized there was no winning this battle.
Since Lin Tian had made up his mind, there was little choice but to support him. After all, Ms. Zhang knew this boy well—when he set his mind to something, he pursued it with unwavering determination. Who was to say he wouldn't succeed?
Though she had already resolved in her heart to give Lin Tian her blessing, as a homeroom teacher, she bore responsibilities not only to him but also to the school administration. Certain things needed to be said, certain conditions laid out.
With as gentle a tone as she could muster, Ms. Zhang spoke: "Alright, Lin Tian, if that's what you want to pursue I won't stop you. But I have two conditions."
"Go ahead," Lin Tian prompted.
"First, for the rest of this month, you'll continue attending classes normally. Your grades cannot drop—not even a little. Second, starting next month, you can take a leave of absence to focus on preparing for the audition. I'll assist however I can, whether it's finding tutors or arranging practice sessions."
Lin Tian nodded. "Understood."
Ms. Zhang sighed again, though this time with resignation. Perhaps Lin Tian truly believed in himself—and given his track record, maybe she should too. Still, the road ahead worried her.
But sometimes, all a teacher could do was support their students—even when the path they chose seemed fraught with uncertainty.