I Just Want to be a Passerby!

Chapter 25 - Xian Yue

Getting the lead role in an elementary school play didn't seem like too much of an achievement for the Sheng parents, but for Sheng Yue, this gave him hope that he can still get much better.

Though the Sheng parents aren't very satisfied, they still put a bit more effort in teaching their second son and try to improve his skills. While Sheng Yue struggled with the new skills that were being taught, he was able to hide it by secretly practicing whenever possible, so his parents would think he is improving quickly and continues teaching him.

Lian Sheng also tried to improve, but his efforts weren't done in secret, so the Sheng parents thought there was a large gap between the two sons.

So over time, Sheng Yue overshadowed Lian Sheng also in acting. As some time passed, Sheng Yue tried to improve his skills even further by trying out other roles in the acting field. While his skills weren't much in front of some more famous child actors, he was still gradually on the rise.

The Sheng parents started viewing their adopted son highly, thinking that he would help them achieve the dreams they had to give up back when they were younger. When they compared their two sons together, they started hoping that Sheng Yue was their actual son...

But as that is not possible, they just decided to treat Sheng Yue differently, by pampering him more and treating him even better. The Sheng parents do not want any outsiders questioning Sheng Yue's origins, they want others to misunderstand that Sheng Yue is their blood related son.

They never abused Lian Sheng, but the effort they put in to hone him is incomparable to how they raised Sheng Yue. Despite how they never had any plans to disregard their actual son, the difference between the efforts they shed to raise each of their sons can be seen by anybody, including their two sons.

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"Mother, can't older brother learn piano with me?" Sheng Yue asked one day.

Mrs. Sheng hesitated a little, then decided that there wasn't anything wrong with letting Lian Sheng play, so she urged her son to sit next to Sheng Yue.

While Lian Sheng was never being taught anymore, he still plays the piano to hone his skills himself. He sat on the stool which Sheng Yue had gotten off of, then he started to play.

The 9 year old Lian Sheng is talented. With talent and hard work, his skills aren't meager, but Mrs. Sheng isn't satisfied.

"Why are you playing like a robot? add more mood to it!"

"It's supposed to be a joyous song, so why does it sound much more sorrowful than it is?"

"Did you forget what I had taught you!? And your speed falls too far behind!"

Mrs. Sheng's voice grew louder and more hysterical. The voice is so loud it overshadowed the music and echoed. Her words resounded heavily within Lian Sheng's mind and messed up his concentration.

The more Mrs. Sheng yelled, the worse the state of mind of Lian Sheng. Soon, the joyous spring song sounds like a desperate cry as Lian Sheng hits more keys off note.

Sheng Yue couldn't bear seeing this, so he placed one of his hands on Lian Sheng's.

"Brother....."

Lian Sheng stopped, his hands pausing on the keys.

His fearful and desperate eyes seemed to penetrate Sheng Yue's state of mind.

The hand Sheng Yue is covering felt cold and is constantly shivering.

Mrs. Sheng narrowed her eyes.

"Lian Sheng, move to let your brother play."

Sheng Yue's eyes widened, he isn't telling his older brother to get off, he wanted to comfort him...