I am a Big Player
Chapter 346 - 344, Set a small goal: Donate a library to go to school (First update)_1

Chapter 346: 344, Set a small goal: Donate a library to go to school (First update)_1

The little professor-like poet rose to fame, becoming blazing hot in the musical circles, truly in his prime.

In fact, this was also related to his mature, top-notch performance skills and his composition abilities that seemed like miracles. Take some of the leading young pianists, though they are also popular, the issue is that there is still a lot of room for refinement in their abilities. Hence, when the musical elders hear their performances, they praise them as future masters with great potential.

But Ren He was different. After listening to his performances, the elders would fall into a long silence, unable to comprehend how a 16-year-old boy could match them in skill.

They had to admit that he was a true genius.

No, some masters had even privately stated their opinions. When asked if the little professor had the potential to become a grandmaster, their answers were basically: you’re wrong.

What’s wrong? Some were puzzled. Was the little professor’s level not that impressive after all?

With a sigh, the elders would respond, "It’s not about potential; he is already a grandmaster."

Damn, such words once spread would be explosive— a 16-year-old grandmaster? That must be a joke!

This indirectly boosted Ren He’s reputation. A 16-year-old grandmaster, whose influence was still rising, with no one knowing where his limits lay.

Just like in the extreme sports world, where those elders now would never publicly express dissatisfaction with Knight Ren He, not because of his current achievements but because of his age!

That age was terrifying. The Chinese often say, "Do not slight the young for their poverty."

So what if this person was not only wealthy but also talented in everything while still young...

The elders in the extreme sports community thought, don’t freaking mess with Knight on a whim. Given his nature, after a period of rigorous training, he might just snatch away the honors you hold in your field.

Knight’s reputation in the domain of extreme sports was unparalleled because he was the true king of cross-disciplinary talents. No one else could claim as many "firsts" as he had, nor make other fields feel so threatened.

The most nervous now was the current number one in free solo climbing. Why? Because for his first try, Knight chose to free solo climb Mount Everest. This at least indicated that he damn well was practicing!

So the free solo climbing community was speculating when Knight would come to challenge them. In truth, they were well aware that climbing without gear at an altitude of 8,800 meters practically made him a superhuman. They wouldn’t dare to attempt such feats even at 6,000 meters.

Just like the downhill skiing world record holder, who set his record at an altitude of over two thousand meters, he wouldn’t even dare to dream of 8,800 meters...

However, while the outside world was busy discussing the little professor and Knight, Ren He was still in Yang Xi’s apartment, listening to her practice the piano while writing his application to Columbia University.

Things at the Juilliard School of Music were now on track, and he had a good understanding of what to teach. He would even intersperse some composition lessons because helping everyone understand the process of composing could also aid in their understanding of dynamics handling. All the students were already accustomed to his free-spirited teaching style.

Sometimes he’d discuss seemingly unrelated topics, yet somehow he would always circle back to music in a way that provoked deep reflection— it was an oddly delightful experience.

At this point, Ren He could apply to Columbia University, but there came the problem: admission required a high school transcript among other things, and Ren He had actually moved to the U.S. during his first year of high school. Were his grades from China useful? No...

Yet he wanted to suggest a library donation to Columbia but didn’t know whom to approach, so he could only send an email and wait to see how they would respond.

At that moment, Yang Xi, having finished playing, came over to see what he was busy with. She was stunned as she saw, "You’re applying to Columbia University?"

"Yeah, that’s right," Ren He nodded: "I think it’s better for me to continue with my studies, mainly because I need to have something to show my parents..."

"Yeah, I support you," Yang Xi nodded: "Let me see what your application says..."

"Don’t look, don’t look..." Ren He had just finished speaking when Yang Xi’s little head was already leaning over to peek at the email content, and she burst into laughter after reading the first sentence.

Ren He’s face darkened: "I told you not to look, stop laughing."

"I can’t even," Yang Xi laughed so hard her stomach hurt, the first line of Ren He’s application read: Hello, I’d like to donate a library!

Sputter, what the heck, who writes that in their application?

But Ren He really had no choice; he simply didn’t know any international big shots and couldn’t get a recommendation from Elder Zhou like he would for No.4 Middle School.

"That’s called being straightforward, understand? If I wrote it too long-winded and too politely I was afraid they wouldn’t understand!" Ren He explained.

"Okay, okay, you’re right; I just wonder how Columbia University is going to reply to you," Yang Xi nestled in the sofa with a brilliant smile. Ren He inadvertently glanced at her white, smooth, slender little feet and felt a flutter in his heart; he quickly averted his gaze.

Yang Xi noticed his look and panicked, quickly hiding her little feet under the sofa cushion: "Pah, you pervert."

"Ahem, ahem, ahem," Ren He awkwardly turned back to the computer: "Eh, they replied so quickly! I have an interview tomorrow morning!"

Yang Xi was bewildered. That worked?! Just like that, he had an interview?!

In fact, Ren He had learned a few things; actually, there’s a lot of murkiness in the US college rankings. Simple put, although Columbia University is ranked fourth, in terms of academics and other serious matters, it might very well be ranked far behind.

For instance, although Stanford University has always been ranked behind Harvard and Yale, its reputation sometimes even surpasses that of Harvard’s.

To put it simply, Columbia University isn’t as earnest as one might imagine...

In fact, what are the universities we encounter in China like? The general impression is that examinations are required for entry. To get in, one must pass exams, but there are also a number of people in China who enter university through irregular means.

This is even more common abroad, perhaps it can be understood as the capitalist world’s emphasis on capital... Ren He was just making a light-hearted jab at this; he really didn’t know how this atmosphere was formed, as he hadn’t delved deeply into it. The money given to the school might not actually be used to donate a library; it was just for show. How they spent the money wasn’t something Ren He could control.

But all he needed to know was that donating a library could become the key to his entry into Columbia University.

"I wonder what they’ll interview me about?" Yang Xi said worriedly. She really did want Ren He to continue his studies because Ren He had given up his education entirely for her, and she was very aware of Ren He’s yearning for campus life. Although she didn’t know why Ren He was so passionately attached to campus life, she supported him.

And because Ren He had given up his studies for her, carrying some guilt, Yang Xi also hoped that Ren He would be able to smoothly enter Columbia University.

"Who cares what they interview about, there’s nothing that donating a library can’t solve. If that’s not enough, then donate two," Ren He said cheerfully.

"Nouveau riche," Yang Xi rolled her eyes. Although it’s a derogatory term, Yang Xi dared to tease Ren He casually, because she knew Ren He’s background the best: which nouveau riche could boast Master Level skills in piano and violin, along with that divine inspiration for composing?

"I’m a nouveau riche, and I’m proud," Ren He didn’t mind the term ’nouveau riche’ at all and even felt a bit smug about it...