I was born and listened to my neighbor's older sister talk about her family of origin.

Jiang Ye had no idea what had happened on the top floor.

Backstage at this moment, a faint scent mixed with sweat and perfume permeated the air, and the distant sound of a chorus could be faintly heard.

Jiang Ye walked through the crowd to the electric piano that Zhou Xiao had prepared for him. He briefly tested the sound, and a series of notes blossomed in his hands, sounding incredibly smooth.

Chen Lulu stood aside, watching his actions, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, gradually calmed down.

She was still a little uneasy. Although Jiang Ye spoke with great confidence, she had never seen or heard him play the piano before.

This guy is exceptionally good at studying, but when it comes to playing the piano... she's genuinely worried he might mess things up at the last minute, or just do a shoddy job.

But this display of force doesn't seem like a charade at all.

That composure alone is enough to impress laymen.

Even if there are any mistakes, most of the audience won't notice, so it's more than enough to keep the show going.

"You played quite well."

She patted Jiang Ye on the shoulder, her voice carrying a hint of relief.

"Time's almost up, hurry up and change your clothes. You don't look proper for a performance in this outfit."

Jiang Ye didn't say anything. Just as he was about to get up, he glanced at the crowd not far away.

People were coming and going in the backstage area. Several students hurriedly walked by carrying props, and occasionally a few whispers and the sound of equipment clashing could be heard.

A familiar figure was struggling to carry a large box, the hair on his forehead soaked with sweat and clinging tightly to his cheeks.

Ji Xiaoxiao was wearing a school uniform with a name tag hanging on her chest, and her short, ear-length hair swayed slightly with her movements.

The girl was short, and her cheeks were flushed from the effort. She should have looked cute and adorable, but at this moment she was carrying a box that was bigger than herself, which made her look a bit comical.

"Move this over here!"

Ji Xiaoxiao, panting, directed the students next to her.

She is the class's sports representative, and Shen Yue has been sending her backstage to help out from morning till night today, so she has hardly had a break.

She placed the huge prop box used for magic shows in the designated spot and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

As I turned around, I glanced up casually and saw Jiang Ye sitting in front of the piano.

"Ano?"

She paused for a moment, then jogged over.

After a brief greeting to Chen Lulu, Ji Xiaoxiao pulled Jiang Ye aside, her eyes filled with worry.

Her voice lowered slightly: "Little Fish... was she alright yesterday?"

Jiang Ye smiled and said, "It's alright, don't worry, it's almost all taken care of."

Ji Xiaoxiao opened her mouth, wanting to ask something else, but swallowed the words back.

She looked at Jiang Ye. Although he looked relaxed, she had known him for so long that she could tell there was seriousness in his tone.

Seeing that he didn't seem very willing to talk about it, Ji Xiaoxiao hesitated for a few seconds before deciding not to ask.

"Oh well."

Ji Xiaoxiao agreed verbally, but she couldn't truly let go of it in her heart.

Her father came home very late last night and specifically told her that something had happened at Xu Zhiyu's family and that she shouldn't bother them.

Jiang Ye's nonchalant and evasive manner further convinced her that the problems in Xu Zhiyu's family were far from minor.

She figured that after the party ended, she would still have to find an opportunity to ask Xu Zhiyu alone, to subtly probe her.

-

Inside the auditorium, the enthusiasm for the graduation party remained high.

The programs for students from first to fourth grade took turns on stage, and before we knew it, more than an hour had passed.

On stage, the actors' youthful yet earnest performances won rounds of applause from the audience.

After the fifth-grade performances came to an end, the gala gradually reached its climax, and the highlight was soon the sixth-grade special.

There are three classes in the sixth grade, and they have prepared three performances.

Xu Zhiyu's dance was scheduled as the second to last.

As the third-to-last skit came to a close, the applause from the audience gradually subsided, and it was Jiang Ye's turn to appear.

Zhou Xiao had already found a spot offstage, set up the camera, and adjusted the special equipment, ready to record Jiang Ye's entire performance.

Standing beside Jiang Ye, Ji Xiaoxiao's clear voice encouraged him: "Ah Ye, I'll teach you a secret: just imagine that everyone sitting below is sitting on watermelons, cantaloupes, and a bunch of fruit! That way you won't be nervous!"

Jiang Ye, completely unfazed: "..."

At this moment, a pretty female host walked onto the stage, glanced at the cue booklet in her hand, and cleared her throat: "Next, please welcome Jiang Ye from Class 1, Grade 4, to perform a piano solo for us—"

"Breaking out of the cocoon".

These words sparked murmurs from the audience.

"A fourth-grade program? How did it end up being shown to sixth graders?"

"Jiang Ye, that guy who's always at the top of the rankings? He can play the piano? Isn't his family just average? How come they can afford to learn piano?"

"Who knows?"

"However, being ranked so far down in the rankings means they might play really well."

"But... 'Breaking Out of the Cocoon'? Have you heard of this piano piece?"

"No, it's probably some kind of obscure piece of music..."

Xu Zhiyu sat in a seat near the front of the audience, with a thin coat covering her dance costume, making her look inconspicuous.

Upon hearing the host's words, her mouth involuntarily opened slightly, her eyes filled with surprise.

"Ah Ye, does he also have a show?"

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaoning grinned, her expression somewhat mysterious.

"Hehe, I'm sorry, Little Fish, I've been keeping it from you..."

"Actually, this is a surprise Jiang Ye specially prepared for you. After his performance, you can go straight up and dance. There's no transition in between. He said his piano performance will be your exclusive prelude, and also..."

Zhang Xiaoning leaned close to Xu Zhiyu's ear, lowered her voice, and said with a hint of surprise in her expression, "I heard that this piece of music was originally composed especially for you!"

Exclusive intro...

Original...

Breaking free from the cocoon...

Xu Zhiyu stood there, speechless for a moment.

A warm current surged through her heart, and her eyes shone brightly, as if reflecting the stage lights.

She saw the stage curtain slowly open, and the red velvet fabric receded to both sides like a tide.

The young man stood tall and straight under the spotlight, his black suit making him look handsome and refined, his hair perfectly styled.

He seemed to have done some minor grooming, which gave his already good features an added unique stage charm that made it impossible to look away.

Jiang Ye walked to the piano and took a deep breath.

The posture carried a calm strength, with fingertips lightly touching the piano keys without hesitation.

The next second, the flowing notes, like a gentle stream, instantly permeated every corner of the auditorium.

His melody carries a unique gentleness, yet contains a hidden grandeur, as if pouring all emotions into it, penetrating all noise, passing through Xu Zhiyu's eardrums, and reaching the depths of her heart.

This was a performance he gave just for her.

Xu Zhiyu silently recited in her heart.

At that moment, all the noise around her seemed to disappear, and all she could see was the boy shining brightly on the stage.

A hidden stirring within me gradually sprouted and emerged from its cocoon.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Under the spotlight, Jiang Ye turned his face to the side, his fingers dancing across the black and white keys.

The clear musical notes, like a mountain stream, flowed gently into everyone's ears.

The once noisy auditorium gradually quieted down, the chatter dissipated, and it was enveloped by an invisible force, silently watching the shining young man on the stage.

Zhou Xiao stood in the aisle below the stage, steadily recording this scene with her camera.

Her fingertips lightly tapped the machine, her heartbeat swayed by the music, and her breathing became erratic.

Jiang Ye in the video is in better shape than ever before, and every note he plays is full of emotion.

In her opinion, his rendition of "Breaking the Cocoon" had reached 150% of his usual level, and he performed it to the fullest, like a butterfly breaking free from its constraints, carrying a magnificent power that breaks through everything.

Zhou Xiao dared to assert that, with her professional ear for music, even if this piece didn't become a hit, it would still leave a mark on the music scene.

At that time, Jiang Ye will emerge as a "ten-year-old musical genius".

And she, as this genius's exclusive arrangement mentor, is rising to fame and achieving great success in the near future!

As she thought of this, a smile crept onto her lips. The vision of the future gradually became clear in her mind, so beautiful that she couldn't help but hum a few lines.

Meanwhile, the expressions of astonishment on the faces of several senior music teachers sitting in the audience grew increasingly pronounced.

They had been immersed in the music scene for many years and had listened to many famous songs from China and abroad, but this melody was something they had never heard before, unfamiliar yet captivating.

Someone took out their phone and secretly tried to use the "song recognition" function while listening to the piano music, but the screen repeatedly displayed: Sorry, no matching song found.

This happened several times in a row.

"This piece of music..."

A teacher lowered her voice, her tone tinged with disbelief: "Could it be... an original work?"

A word stirred up a thousand waves.

Teacher Lin, the person in charge of the gala planning team, sat in front of the backstage monitor with sharp eyes.

He keenly sensed the unusual atmosphere in the audience and saw the undisguised shock on the faces of his fellow musicians.

The graduation party is broadcast live on the school's official website every year, and the best video clips from the party are also posted on the website as a window for school promotion.

He could sense that Jiang Ye's original song, written in fourth grade this year, was bound to ignite a wave of attention!

Without the slightest hesitation, Teacher Lin immediately instructed the broadcast director through her headset.

"Except for shots of some audience seats, all other shots should be focused on Jiang Ye in the center of the stage! Close-ups, multiple angles, record his entire performance for me!"

The sound of the piano grew louder and louder.

The music, transmitted through the phone screen and the smell of hospital disinfectant, reached Cheng Jinglan's eardrums.

She sat in her hospital bed, watching Jiang Ye's live video stream on her phone, and unconsciously straightened her posture.

The movement aggravated the wound on her abdomen, causing her to let out a muffled groan, but she couldn't suppress the shock in her eyes.

Although she couldn't be there in person to review Xu Zhiyu's dance, she knew the whole thing would be live-streamed for a little while.

Therefore, ever since the elementary school graduation party began, she had been holding her phone in her hand, waiting for Xu Zhiyu to appear.

She wanted to witness with her own eyes Xu Zhiyu's only performance on the elementary school stage, which was also her farewell performance, and she couldn't allow her to make any mistakes or embarrass her.

Unexpectedly, it wasn't Xu Zhiyu who appeared first, but Jiang Ye.

Cheng Jinglan frowned slightly, a string of questions welling up in her mind.

She was well aware of the Jiang family's financial situation.

The couple had little education and ran a very ordinary barbershop with a meager income.

That little money was hardly enough to support Jiang Ye's piano lessons, let alone provide him with the leisure and elegance he desired.

Not to mention, she is a neighbor of the Jiang family, and since moving here, she has never seen Jiang Ye playing the piano, nor has she ever heard of him practicing in private.

If you really think about it carefully, the only time the other person can practice piano is at school.

How could someone achieve such a level of skill with just a little time squeezed out of the school's music room after school every day?

This doesn't make any sense.

But the notes flowing from the fingertips of that boy in the video were so real, so deafening, striking her heart.

Cheng Jinglan couldn't help but bring her fingertips to her lips and bite her thumb hard.

This is a habitual action she takes when she is anxious.

Looking back on Jiang Ye's performance over the years, and now at this moment, Cheng Jinglan has to admit that Jiang Ye is indeed a genius.

She had previously been reluctant to let Xu Zhiyu and Jiang Ye have too close a relationship.

But Xu Zhiyu liked it, and Cheng Jinglan thought that since it was just a brief contact in childhood, she sometimes let her have her way.

As a mother, she will carefully build a social circle for Xu Zhiyu in the future, and someone like Jiang Ye, who comes from an ordinary background, will not be worthy of entering it in the future.

Xu Zhiyu's future requires a good match in terms of social standing and complementary resources, rather than a "poverty alleviation" style of friendship.

However, it seems that it might not be impossible now.

Perhaps this child will achieve great things in the future and become a valuable "network" for my daughter.

Making friends with Jiang Ye might be somewhat beneficial for Xu Zhiyu.

Cheng Jinglan immediately made slight adjustments to her future plans for Xu Zhiyu.

Jiang Ye was added to the list.

But it only occupies a tiny portion.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Jiang Ye's fingertips lightly touched the last key, the lingering note like a wisp of smoke, never dissipating.

The butterfly depicted by the zither, after the arduous process of breaking out of its cocoon, finally spreads its wings and soars high in the air on the stage. In the end, like a weary bird returning to its forest, it gently lands on a branch, enjoying a moment of tranquility and peace.

Zhang Xiaoning, who was backstage, hurriedly urged Xu Zhiyu.

"Quick! Zhiyu! It's your turn!"

Xu Zhiyu listened to the lingering tone and focused her gaze on Jiang Ye's back.

At this moment, she had never felt so close to him.

Before the audience could recover from Jiang Ye's piano playing, and before they could even begin to applaud...

At that moment, the stage lights suddenly changed.

Soft, warm-toned lighting spread out, and her dance music began to play.

"The butterfly emerges from its cocoon and takes flight. Next up is Xu Zhiyu from Class 3, Grade 6, presenting her original dance, 'Startled Butterfly'."

Yes, she also created her own dances.

The sounds of silk and bamboo instruments flow like water, carrying a long and ancient charm.

Xu Zhiyu's figure appeared gracefully amidst the hazy mist.

She began to dance, her wide red skirt billowing as she spun, her flowing sleeves making her look like a giant, blooming flower petal in the center of the stage.

Xu Zhiyu, a sixth-grader, is already 1.6 meters tall with long arms and legs. With her youthful face hidden, the graceful classical dance moves she performs seem perfectly natural.

She moved with a light and graceful figure, her cool eyes carrying a firm resolve.

Every stretch and every retraction is perfectly executed, fully showcasing the dynamism and charm of oriental dance.

The spotlight shone on her without reservation, making her the most dazzling presence on the stage.

Jiang Ye disappeared into the darkness.

But she knew that Jiang Ye was watching her.

The butterflies took flight once again.

This time, however, she flew towards a vast sea of ​​flowers.