Chapter 116 I Want to Enhance My Fifty Years of Piano Proficiency
'You probably don't know, but back in the day, I was a piano prodigy!' Mike sneered to himself.
He shot a glance at Charles, almost like it was an accident.
A kid from a regular family probably couldn't even afford a piano, let alone have the extra cash to nurture a kid's hobbies. Some people lost at the starting line from the get-go.
Today, Mike was going to show everyone he had both the money and the talent to crush Charles.
'Jessica should see who her best choice really is, he thought.
Mike closed his eyes, placed his hands on the piano keys, and started playing with skill.
He played a beautiful, warm piece called "Coffee Under the Stars."
Listening to it, you could almost picture sipping coffee under a starry sky. Romantic, graceful, sweet, with a gentle breeze...
Mike played with rich emotion, his fingers dancing over the keys.
He was intellectual, elegant, and talented!
This level of skill took at least ten years to master.
Even Jessica couldn't help but admire Mike; he played really well.
His performance was almost indistinguishable from the original.
Of course, the excellent quality of the piano helped too.
"It's so beautiful! I never knew Mike could play the piano so well!"
"I have to admit, Mike is truly talented. He stands out from the other rich kids I've met. While some just waste their money, Mike has already taken over the family business and excels at the piano. He's exceptional!"
"I'm so impressed with Mike; I'm becoming a fan today!"
"It's a pity this piece wasn't played for me. If it were, it would be so romantic!"
A group of girls watched with dreamy eyes. Even the boys genuinely impressed.
Mike's talent was undeniable.
Admitting someone else's excellence was also a quality.
As Mike finished playing, thunderous applause erupted!
"Thank you, Mike. Your piano playing is really good, even I feel inferior," Jessica said.
"Jessica, you're too modest. I'm just showing off in front of an expert. My playing is actually quite average, don't mind it!" Mike smiled slightly, like a gentleman who had talent but didn't flaunt it.
But Charles could see through his act.
His way of showing off was different from others. Others flaunted luxury cars and mansions; he flaunted his talent, and he also had luxury cars. This made him seem more elegant, more cultured, and more unique!
It was not intimidating when a rich kid had money alone; it was intimidating when a rich kid had both wealth and talent. It was an unbeatable combo.
"I don't know what Jessica is thinking. What's so good about Charles? How could he possibly compare to Mike? Yet, Jessica keeps her distance from Mike and gravitates towards Charles!"
"I also heard that Charles is a player. Besides his thing with Jessica, he's also got something going on with Lisa and Pamela. Even Emily supposedly broke up with Leo because of him!"
"That's disgusting. Why keep such a douchebag around?"
"I'm puzzled by recent events. It seems that some men become more promiscuous and distasteful as their financial situation worsens. Apart from his moderate good looks, Charles lacks any other redeeming qualities!"
The girls were chattering.
The comparison highlighted the shortcomings.
Charles was originally a pretty handsome and spirited guy who hadn't offended anyone.
But many people questioned, belittled, and looked down on him because of Jessica's different attitude towards him.
Mike was also a suitor of Jessica.
In comparison, Charles seemed to be good at nothing.
He wasn't even worthy of carrying Mike's shoes!
"Charles, why don't you show us what you got? I've heard you're quite talented, which is why Jessica holds you in such high regard. You should be able to play the piano, right?" Mike said casually, almost jokingly. But it was clear to everyone that he was deliberately targeting Charles.
'How could a simp like Charles possibly play the piano? Not just the piano, he probably can't play any instrument! The so-called talent is just sarcasm,' most of the guests thought.
"Sure, since you want me to play, I'll fulfill your wish!" Charles smirked.
Could he play the piano?
Of course not!
But he still had 35 enhancement points left, which could not only enhance physical attributes but also skills! One enhancement point could enhance a skill by five years of proficiency, so 10 points would be fifty years. With enough enhancement points, Charles could instantly become a world-class piano master!
Charles's words surprised many who couldn't believe he could actually play the piano.
But even if he could, it was probably at a beginner level!
Learning a piano piece wasn't hard; you could master one in a few months.
But to play well, you had to spend a lot of time practicing and have a teacher.
Regular public education didn't include piano lessons.
You had to hire a private tutor or enroll in piano classes.
Buying a piano cost money, and learning piano cost even more.
Even if you enrolled in piano classes, many people wouldn't stick with it.
It was usually just a spur-of-the-moment hobby, very few reaching a master level.
To reach that level, you needed at least ten to twenty years of practice.
There weren't many at Mike's level.
Under the skeptical gazes of the crowd, Charles sat on the piano bench. He gently placed his hands on the piano keys, randomly pressing a few notes.
A series of chaotic and jarring sounds emerged, very unpleasant to the ear.
'Such clumsy and terrible technique, he probably hasn't touched a piano for even a day! And he dares to say he can play the piano?' the guest thought.
"Don't rush, I'm just testing the sound quality of this piano!" Charles smiled slightly.
At this moment, a system interface appeared before him.
"System, I want to enhance my piano skills!"
"Reminder to the host, you currently have no piano skills in your skill set. Since you are starting from scratch, enhancing this skill will require an additional 10 enhancement points. Do you wish to proceed?"
"Proceed! I want to enhance fifty years of piano proficiency!"
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