This grand concert came to an end with 《First Symphony in E Minor》.
Because it was the final orchestral performance of the entire festival, the whole concertsted over two hours. The New Ai officials did not have to prepare anything else. All the members stood together and bowed to the audience, then scattered to either side of the stage.
Qi Mu returned from the stage and had yet to put his violin away, but many people approached to smile and congratte him. To receive praise and encouragement from the orchestra he yed with, it was the best support he could have. He also smiled and praised them in return, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
However, just as he ced the violin in its velvet case, he suddenly heard a voice from behind him, “You did a good job tonight.”
Qi Mu turned to look back. He didn’t know when but Min Chen had already gotten into the backstage and was standing there. This cool, indifferent man had concealed himself well again today. He obviously knew that much of the audience hade to get a look at him.
His eyes curled into crescents at his words, and he smiled in reply, “Thank you. I think. . .”
“Qi! Your performance was great!” A rough voice interrupted his words. This was New Ai’s concertmaster, Scott Hooke. He had a thick beard like Professor Karl, and now he patted Qi Mu’s shoulder with a thick palm. “I was worried that you couldn’t control the symphony for forty minutes, but I didn’t expect you’d do even better than in the rehearsals!”
Qi Mu almost passed out from the heavy blow. The original’s body was fragile. While it looked powerful, the bones were long hollowed out. He had been exercising for over two months, but he was still not strong enough to withstand the weight of his p.
He retreated two steps to the side without saying a word. After confirming that he had escaped the dangerous territory, he helplesslyughed, “Thank you for thepliments, Mr. Hooke. Your interpretation was also excellent.”
Hookeughed a few times, then only just seemed to notice that he was standing next to Min Chen. Hisughter came to an abrupt stop, and he said, shocked, “Mr. Bertram is also here? Ah, this master, your eyes are truly great! Qi’s a rare seed, worthy of your fancy!”
Min Chen nodded slowly, but only gave a, “Hmmm,” in reply.
Hooke was not dispirited by Min Chen’s iceberg demeanor. In fact, he patted his body all over and came away with a wrinkled piece of paper. He held it out with a smile, “Mr. Bertram, can you. . . give me an autograph? My little angel likes you a lot, and I want to take it back for her as a gift!”
Min Chen: “. . .”
After Min Chen signed the paper, Hooke left in a flurry of excitement.
He had just turned back to Qi Mu and opened his mouth to speak, when Boswell’s voice interrupted once again, “Qi! It was a pleasure to work with you today! Oh, Min, you’re here too? Your eyes are really too good. Qi’s performance was so stunning, I think his reputation will spread wide after today!”
There was almost no stop to the praise, and Qi Mu could only smile and reply with a “Thank you.” When the two finally exited the concert hall, Qi Mu discovered he had managed to. . .ugh himself stiff.
You should really never doubt American enthusiasm. Especially that of this New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Their passion was so great, Qi Mu could not afford it.
Perhaps the concert was just too good. When they left the concert hall, there were only a handful of passers-by on the roads of the quiet town. Looking back, it was evident that everyone was still in the small square around the concert hall, eager to talk about the concert’s grandeur.
Even in the tropics, Hong Kong was cooler in autumn once night fell. A handsome young man loosened the white tie around his neck and let the cold breeze blow over his face. However, the flush of excitement in his cheeks refused to fade.
The youth’s skin was a faint pink, and he held his violin case close as he said, “The concert this evening was great! Mr. Boswell is really skilled. I heard the second violin group move a beat fast in the second movement, but he handled it calmly.”
The lights along the road were dim. Even walking two meters apart, they couldn’t see other people around them. Min Chen took down the “device” that blocked his face and turned his Phoenix eyes to Qi Mu. “Are you happy?”
Qi Mu nodded with a smile. “New Ai’s highly skilled. I wanted to listen to their concert, though most music lovers were probably looking forward to it.” He paused and suddenly remembered something. He nced at Min Chen and said with guilt in his voice, “You had to reveal your identity because of me, and you couldn’t listen from the audience today. I’m sorry.”
No one ever wore a hat and sunsses after the concert had begun. And Min Chen was so covered, that he didn’t sit with the audience tonight. Instead, he had listened from backstage.
Many people hade to listen because they had heard the words “Min Chen.” If it was a formal concert, that was one thing. But the festival atmosphere would infect everyone’s spirit, and Min Chen didn’t want to cause mayhem.
While Qi Mu apologized, Min Chen watched him with dark eyes. After a long time, just when Qi Mu thought he wasn’t going to get a reply at all, Min Chen suddenly sighed, “You had nothing to do with it. I have heard New Ai’s concerts many times. But. . . they praised you tonight. You only need to listen to the things about you. Don’t think too much about other things.”
This made Qi Mu’s stepse to a halt. He turned to look at Min Chen in surprise, but thetter was looking up slightly at the dim lights. His eyes were profound, and Qi Mu couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.
For a long while, he couldn’t understand what those words. He was thinking about it for so long, that after another two street lights, he suddenly stopped. Min Chen went another two before noticing the youth wasn’t keeping up, and he turned to look at Qi Mu.
In the dim streetlights, the young man’s tie was colored pale yellow, and his ck hair was also illuminated in a soft golden color. Qi Mu looked at the man who had stopped in front of him, and Min Chen looked back at him. The two stared at each other for a moment, then Qi Mu quickly stepped forward and followed after him.
He finally understood what Min Chen meant.
After the concert, while everyone was offering their praise for him, there was a particr sentence that kepting up. Whether it was “Min Chen has a good eye,” or “Mr. Bertram’s vision is truly great,” whatever praise the youth received, it was continuously linked to the name “Min Chen.”
Even Boswell, he hadn’t noticed.
And what Min Chen just said was basically: <i>Your strength has nothing to do with me.</i>
In the bleak, chilly night, Qi Mu suddenly felt warm swell in his chest and flow through the rest of his body.
At a young age, his adoptive parents once taught him this truth. Some people looked kind and warm, but they will always try to promote themselves and let others praise them for offering help. Other people, while they appeared cold and distant, when they really wanted to help you, they would do it from the shadows and never show themselves.
In fact, this was also a tenderness.
Only someone that was careful enough to notice it would see this kindness.
Dark clouds filtered across the night sky, and the moon’s light scattered through to the earth. This night, which was exciting for so many fans, had officiallye to an end. A new day was about to begin.
There were fans of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra all over the world. The concert had only just ended the night before, and the next day, the entirety of Hong Kong, all of China, and even the world’s major magazines had reported on the concert. Some well-known papers that were not focused on music had also reported on it.
Qi Mu got up early the next morning and received several congrattions. Among them, Zheng Wei Qiao, Tan <b>Lao</b>, and Du Sheng had known he wanted to participate in New Ai’s concerts. They called him to offer congrattions for his performance, then asked for the album of the concert as their souvenirs from Qi Mu’s trip.
Once these old people got cheeky and thick-skinned, Qi Mu really couldn’t take it anymore. But when he went to the festival to buy an album, he was told, “New Ai’s concert album? I came out this morning and was robbed, ah! Hey, aren’t you that Qi Mu that performedst night? Can you. . . sign my album?”
Qi Mu: “. . .”
After signing his name, he quickly ran to the concert hall. Fortunately, the orchestra hadn’t left yet. After listening to his request, Hooke gave him a dozen albums. Qi Mu wanted to pay him for them.
The bearded chief took Qi Mu aside and whispered, “In fact, <b>Xiao</b> Qi, there’s an album here that was meant for you, the other ones. . . just let me give those to you.”
Qi Mu felt a bit strange and hesitated, “Mr. Hooke, for you to give me all this, it’s a bit. . .”
He hadn’t finished speaking when he saw Hooke’s beard quirk up a little. “You and . . . cough, you and Mr. Bertram are pretty familiar, right? I heard Mr. Boswell say he was very good to you. I also appreciate you, so after a while, let me walk through the back door too, alright? A few tickets and autographed albums from Mr. Bertram? I’ll definitely pay for them, don’t misunderstand!”
“. . .” Qi Mu was silent for a while, then he said, “Didn’t you say yesterday. . . that signature was for your daughter?”
Hooke’s face reddened. “Where can I get the nerve in front of Mr. Bertram? If I ask for a signature, ah, I can only say my baby. My baby’s only two years old. . . she’s always happy when she hears Mr. Bertram’s songs, but even if she wanted to say it, she’s a bit young. . .”
Qi Mu: “. . .”
After righteously refusing, Qi Mu spent well over a thousand dors to officially buy the dozen of albums at their original price.
Looking at Hooke’s weeping face, he felt he was too harsh and said, “Alright, Mr. Hooke. . . I’m not familiar with Min Chen, but you can rest assured. If I get the opportunity, I will definitely put in a few words for you.”
The bearded man immediately smiled and quickly gave him another album. He refused to take any more money. “You directly call Mr. Bertram by name. You must be very familiar! <b>Xiao</b> Qi, don’t be so humble!”
Qi Mu: “. . .”
He had refused Hooke because he didn’t feel that he had that big an influence on Min Chen. However, he made up his mind. If he had the change to help Hooke in the future, he would do his best!
At that time, he didn’t know that his determination. . . for the bearded Hooke, it was the realization of his life’s dream.
Idol is recording a new album?
First to buy it!
Idol is holding a new concert?
First to buy the ticket!
Hooke was quite the visionary. This was the first time he was investing. . . so he invested in the most rewarding thing in the world stock with the potential to——Increase. In. Value.
Trantor(s): Bet
Editor(s): Bet
<h4>Notes</h4>From your butterfly host:Woohoo! This chapter was a ball to trante. Lemme just say. Between thebination of shbacks to Min Chen getting repeatedly interrupted (LMAO) and Min Chen''s sugar sweetness and Hooke''s politicking, Ia say chapter forty is totally my favorite so far!
Also, can we pray that Kuro gets things worked out! I love tranting but only in short bursts TT^TT
Things are looking up right now! Hopefully I should have the entire website shifted over by the end of the weekend. Things are looking up! Thank you all for your well wishes.