Chapter 667
Ashlyn Berry! Madeline Saunders! That's her in the flesh! Oh, my goodness!
Olivia's lips began to tremble. For some reason, she didn't want Ashlyn to look down on her.
Seconds later, Olivia regained her composure and sat down at the piano.
With both her hands on the keys, a rich and smooth melody soon followed.
As soon as the piece ended, Olivia couldn't help but stare nervously at the judges.
Ashlyn was the first to give a score of seven point five.
The other judges, too, gave Olivia a score of either seven or eight.
That might not be anything to boast about, but her score wasn't low either.
If Ashlyn had given a low score, Olivia's initial plan was to file a complaint against her for abusing her power to
avenge personal grudges.
To her surprise, Ashlyn's scoring was fair and sensible.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtOlivia was still trying to make sense of the situation when Ashlyn's crisp, cold voice rang out.
“Your performance style is pretty good and expressive. My only wish is that you had picked a song that suited you
more. If you don't think you can showcase your skills through a difficult song, pick something easier that gives you a
chance to shine. You can also remind yourself to slow down when you're playing. It's normal to feel nervous when
you're on stage, and your playing speed inadvertently increases along with your heartbeat. Therefore, if you don't
make a conscious effort to slow yourself down, you'd only become more prone to making mistakes. Don't fall into
that vicious cycle.”
Olivia's eyes widened as she listened intently.
Ashlyn's advice was professional and pertinent, and she had carefully dissected Olivia's strengths and weaknesses.
After hearing all that, Olivia felt a moment of clarity and enlightenment.
Madeline Saunders, huh? She truly has lived up to her reputation.
“Thank you,” Olivia said before taking a bow and going offstage.
Hera, who had gone to sit with her family in the auditorium, glared at Olivia in annoyance.
When her performance ended earlier, Ashlyn neither commented nor paid much attention to her.
It was awful enough that Hera had to be judged by Ashlyn, but the latter only made a short comment that Hera had
done fairly well.
That was the last straw for Hera.
Skilled pianists often find themselves trapped in a vicious circle when they try to perfect their techniques. And more
often than not, all they needed was for someone to point out their mistakes and enlighten them.
Olivia was the best example of that.
In any case, Hera and Olivia had successfully advanced to the semi-finals, much to the delight of the Chapmans and
Warhols.
After all, given the reputation of their families, it'd be a total embarrassment if the ladies had gotten kicked out in
the first round.
Even if they didn't win the competition, they could still take comfort in knowing that they were good enough to be
sent to the semi-finals.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmJust then, the host announced, “All right. Let's welcome our next contestant!”
The next moment, the audience saw a thin girl walking onto the stage.
She wore a princess dress that perfectly accentuated her figure while bringing out her young, feminine charm.
Naturally, everyone was eager to see her face and find out how beautiful she was.
Alas, when the girl finally lifted her head and let the spotlight shine on her, the audience felt their breath hitch in
their throats.
The girl's face was wrapped tightly with bandages, and no one could deny that it was a terrifying sight.
Most of her face was hidden, revealing only her forehead and a pair of bright, sparkling eyes.
Even though they were the eyes of a young girl, they told stories of the cruel world and the vicissitudes of life.
Beneath all that, however, remained a trace of warmth and hope.
The more they scrutinized her, the more the audience felt an uneasiness in their chest.
Ryan, on the contrary, clenched his fists tightly.
As soon as he laid eyes on the girl, the sense of familiarity he had when he saw Ashlyn washed over him once
again. It didn't even matter that he couldn't see the girl's face—he felt it all the same.
That was such a strange feeling, yet he had already experienced it twice in one day.