Su Ran lowered her head, remaining silent.
Lin Mo knew her emotions were unstable right now, so he continued, “Mrs. Su, Su Ran isn’t your work of art. She’s not an instrument you’ve spent 18 years polishing.”
“She has her own thoughts, her own feelings, and a future she wants for herself. Perhaps that future includes the piano, but it certainly isn’t limited to it.”
Su Qingwan’s expression grew increasingly grim. “What do you know? How long have you even known her? I have been cultivating her for 18 years!”
“That’s exactly why you should listen to her voice first, instead of being in such a hurry to make every decision for her!”
Lin Mo stood up without backing down. Just as Su Ran had walked toward Zhang Wei for him that day, he now stepped toward Su Qingwan for her sake, even if it was only a single, symbolic step forward.
The air in the piano room felt like it was about to explode.
Su Ran suddenly stood up and walked to the piano, lifting the lid.
“Mom, I want to play a piece for you.”
Her voice was soft but firm.
Su Qingwan immediately knitted her brows, clearly displeased.
“Just one song. I wrote it.”
As Su Ran spoke, she sat down on her own, placing her long, slender, pale hands on the keys.
Su Qingwan wanted to say something, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to speak. She stood by the window with her arms crossed, her expression cold and hard.
The music began.
It was the “Etude for Lin Mo.”
But today was different. Su Ran played slower, deeper, and with more weight. The dancing notes seemed to be telling a very long story.
Lin Mo sat back in his chair and closed his eyes to be her listener.
In truth, he didn’t have much of an artistic bone in his body. What he did have was the result of cramming for the sake of his career in his past life. That kind of learning could never reach a professional level, nor could it grasp the true essence of the craft, but it did allow him to connect with the language of art to some extent.
At this moment, he could hear the loneliness and longing within Su Ran’s keystrokes.
Perhaps it was just his own imagination, but appreciating art was a form of self-consolation. Moreover, he wasn’t imagining things out of thin air; he had Su Ran, the protagonist, right there.
She had spent countless lonely days and nights in that piano room.
She longed to be understood, to be seen, and to one day be able to express her emotions. She longed for a future that wasn’t just Su Ran the piano player.
As the final note settled, the piano room remained silent for a long time.
Su Qingwan still stood by the window with her back to them, her shoulders trembling slightly.
“Mom.”
Su Ran stroked the keys, gathering her courage. “This piece is called ‘Light’.”
“Why that name?” Su Qingwan’s voice was a bit hoarse.
“Because…”
Su Ran stole a quick glance at Lin Mo, then lowered her head, her ears turning red rapidly.
“When I was in my darkest moment, someone gave me light. That light let me see, and it let me know that my life can have things other than the piano. I… want… to… and…”
Su Qingwan whipped her head around and saw her daughter’s face filled with the pain of trying to say something.
Lin Mo also looked at Su Ran in shock.
This was the first time he had truly seen her look as if she were physically unable to speak.
Emotional Cognitive Disorder wasn’t just an issue with perception; the accumulation of time and environmental factors could also lead to physical symptoms.
Unfortunately, Su Ran couldn’t take that final step.
She tried several times but eventually closed her mouth in silence, lowering her head to hide.
For some reason, Lin Mo felt a sense of relief instead. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that nearly scared him to death.
The woman who had looked ready to kill with her eyes just a moment ago actually had red rims around her own eyes.
Su Qingwan the “Piano Key” had vanished, and in that moment, Su Qingwan the mother clearly couldn’t keep her composure.
Sensing Lin Mo’s gaze, Su Qingwan naturally looked back out the window and said softly, “Do you know how much I’ve sacrificed for you, Su Ran?”
Su Ran’s face was somewhat pale, though it was unclear if it was from pain or other symptoms.
She nodded. “I know. You gave up performances and your career for me, spending all your time cultivating me. I know you love me, but I want… to… be… with… Lin…”
Suddenly, like a final surge of effort, Su Ran tried to express her feelings again. It felt like a sneak attack on herself, and she successfully managed to utter one more word.
Sitting across from her, Lin Mo’s eyes widened in tension.
‘Lin what?’
‘Lin what?’
Unconsciously, his own mouth mimicked the shape of the sound for “Mo.”
Su Qingwan also walked quickly to the side of the piano. She supported herself against it and stared at her daughter for a very long time, until Su Ran gripped her own arms and stopped, trembling.
She had failed again. But before this, she had never truly failed.
Because she had never tried.
Su Ran’s attempt represented that she had realized something. She was actively trying to break out of her mental cage, which was undoubtedly a sign that her condition was improving.
Su Qingwan’s voice couldn’t help but tremble. “Do you… really not want to transfer schools?”
“I don’t want to.”
Su Ran reached up to wipe away her tears.
The frustration of being unable to speak had taken a heavy toll on her. Twice in a row, she felt a splitting headache, and her heart felt like it was suffocating from the pain. Especially knowing Lin Mo was sitting right there watching her, she felt an intense urge to run away.
“And what about the piano?”
“I will… keep practicing. I’ll keep… competing. The piano is still my major.”
Su Qingwan fell silent.
She looked at Su Ran, then at Lin Mo. Her gaze was as complicated as a tangled mess of thread.
Finally, she sighed, as if a weight of 1,000 pounds had been lifted from her shoulders.
“Fine.”
As soon as Su Qingwan spoke, Su Ran looked up, her face pale and her eyes red. Her eyes were filled with disbelief. “Mom?”
Su Qingwan gave her a slightly annoyed side-glance. “You can stay. You don’t have to transfer. But I have conditions.”
When she mentioned the conditions, she was looking directly at Lin Mo.
Lin Mo instantly sat up straight. “Please, tell me.”
Su Qingwan slowly crossed her arms, then pulled one hand out to hold up a finger. “First, you can only be friends. Until Su Ran graduates from university, you cannot date.”
“Mom!” A hint of pink instantly appeared on Su Ran’s pale face.
“This is the bottom line.”
Su Qingwan ignored her daughter and spoke to Lin Mo in a stern tone. “Su Ran’s life cannot have any distractions, especially now. Lin Mo, can you do that?”
Lin Mo hesitated. The word “dating” had caught him off guard as well, but now was not the time to consider such things.
He met Su Qingwan’s gaze and said solemnly, “Mrs. Su, I promise you. During high school, I will support Su Ran as a friend. I won’t do anything that affects her studies or her development.”
It was a clever answer — he didn’t promise not to date her, only that he wouldn’t interfere with her progress.
Su Qingwan clearly heard the nuance, but surprisingly, she nodded. “Fine, I accept that.”
“Second, Su Ran’s practice time cannot be reduced. 6 hours every day. You are not allowed to take up her practice time.”
“I guarantee it.”
Lin Mo continued to nod seriously, but then his tone shifted. “Furthermore, I’ll help you supervise her. If she slacks off, I’ll be the first to tell you.”
This statement made Su Qingwan pause, and then she actually smiled. Unlike before, although it was just a slight upward curve of the lips, this time it carried warmth.
“Good. That’s settled then.”
“Third.”
Su Qingwan’s expression turned serious again. “If Su Ran’s piano competition results are affected by anything — including you — I will take her away immediately. There will be no room for negotiation.”
Lin Mo looked at Su Ran. She was nodding vigorously, over and over again.
Only then did he nod in agreement. “Alright. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure she performs at her best in the competitions.”
Su Qingwan gave a cold scoff. “How can you guarantee that? Do you even understand the piano?”
“I don’t understand the piano,” Lin Mo said matter-of-factly. “But I know she gets nervous during competitions. I know her mind wanders. I have a general idea of what kind of support she needs. And… I promised to go watch her compete.”
The implication was clear — if he went to watch her, she likely wouldn’t be nervous.
Su Qingwan looked at Lin Mo, the scrutiny in her eyes gradually turning into a complex emotion.
“You’re very much like someone,” she said suddenly.
“Who?”
“Su Ran’s father,” Su Qingwan said, her voice dropping lower.
Su Ran’s eyes widened, once again showing that look of disbelief.
Lin Mo saw her reaction but didn’t pry. Now wasn’t the time to cause unnecessary complications; it was best to quit while he was ahead.
Realizing she might have said too much, Su Qingwan waved her hand. “Alright, that’s all. Remember your promises.”
“I’ll remember them,” Lin Mo said solemnly.
Su Qingwan nodded and turned toward her daughter. “Su Ran, come outside with me for a moment.”
Mother and daughter walked out of the piano room.
As the door closed, the invisible pressure completely dissipated. Lin Mo let out a long breath, only then realizing his back was drenched in sweat. His shirt was soaked.
This “interrogation” had been harder than he expected, but it was also more hopeful. At least Su Qingwan had relented. Su Ran could stay.
5 minutes later, Su Ran returned.
Her eyes were still red, but a faint smile hung on her lips. It was as if an exquisite doll had finally come to life, looking impossibly beautiful.
“How did it go?” Lin Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.
“She agreed.”
Su Ran’s voice was a bit raspy. After glancing at Lin Mo, she began to fidget with her fingers. “I’m staying and not transferring, but she’s moving back in.”
“Moving back?”
“Yeah. She wants to rent an apartment near the school so she can keep an eye on me every day.”
“Can you accept that?”
“I can. This is the first time she’s been willing to listen to me.”
Su Ran looked at the piano and hesitated for a moment before walking over to Lin Mo’s side and gently pinching his sleeve. “Thank you. It’s so good to have you.”
Lin Mo smiled and said somewhat smugly, “What does it have to do with me? You were the brave one. I just lent you a tiny bit of courage.”
Su Ran stole a quick look at him, her cheeks turning red as fast as a sunset. Then, she leaned down and whispered into his ear, “You are my light.”
The words were very light yet very heavy, but the warmth brushing against his ear was what truly got to him.
Lin Mo felt his left ear go numb instantly. Then came the scent of her hair and the faint, ticklish sensation of her tresses brushing against his neck as she pulled away.
He wanted to say, ‘You are my light, too.’
In his past life, Su Ran truly had been his light — the light he only saw after he had died. But right now, he simply couldn’t get the words out.
Su Ran quickly pulled back and turned away, looking around as if she felt guilty or shy.
Lin Mo took a moment to compose himself. Just as Su Ran was starting to get nervous, she finally heard him speak.
“We will light up each other’s lives. I promise.”
Su Ran froze, her eyes shining brilliantly.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the piano room. Su Qingwan was back.
“Lin Mo, it’s getting late. You should head back. Su Ran and I still have some things to discuss.”
“Alright, Mrs. Su.”
Lin Mo stood up immediately. “Goodbye, Mrs. Su. See you Monday, Su Ran.”
“See you Monday.”
The moment her mother entered the piano room, Su Ran’s face instantly went back to its usual expressionless state. However, she found an angle where Su Qingwan couldn’t see and waved to Lin Mo.
Lin Mo gave her a quick wink and walked out of the room.
The hallway was quiet, and the sunlight slanted through the windows, dyeing everything gold.
Feeling a natural sense of relief, Lin Mo pulled out his phone and checked the text message from Chen Yu.
[How’s the battle going? Are you still alive? Need me to come save you?]
[Alive. I pulled off a clutch win with 1 HP left.]
[As expected of my godfather. Don’t forget the milk tea on Monday!]
Lin Mo smiled. The joy of being a student was truly simple.
He put his phone away and walked down the stairs. Standing on the playground, he looked back at the second-floor window.
He had originally thought Su Ran’s illness was largely influenced by her mother. Based on today’s encounter, there was definitely an influence, but it might not be the key factor. Su Qingwan was certainly overbearing and domineering, but in the end, she truly cared for her daughter.
On the other hand, Su Ran’s expression had been quite strange when her father was mentioned.
Lin Mo thought about it for a moment but decided to set it aside for now.
Su Ran’s state was relatively stable, and there were signs of improvement. Whether she stayed or not would also depend on her upcoming competition results. No matter what, he couldn’t afford to cause any new complications at this stage.
As he walked out of the school gates and looked at the empty street, Lin Mo suddenly felt a bit dazed.
Since his rebirth, his mind had been entirely focused on Su Ran. Now that her situation had reached a temporary resolution, he felt like a soldier who had suddenly lost his target before emptying his magazine.
Lin Mo pulled out his phone to check his bank balance. It was still a five-figure sum.
For a student, it was a lot, but to help Su Ran with her treatment, a few tens of thousands of yuan were far from enough.
It was time he put his own plans on the schedule.