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    At the end of sses on their first day, Akkad gave Qi Mu atask: develop all the pictures they took over the past few days.


    In fact, this was strange from the start. Now with digital technology,it was rare to find a full-frame SLR camera like his professor''s that stillused tape.


    Although Qi Mu didn''t understand, he went and developed thehundreds of photos. Then he sat and looked through them all, the beautiful sceneryand rare shot of himselfughing, and his heart trembled. . . Now, heunderstood.


    Akkad mentioned he lived like the dead, refusing to lethimself go.


    So. . . his teacher dragged him around to y so he couldlet go a little?


    A vulnerable smile touched Qi Mu''s lips, warmth swelling inhis chest. His teacher might be old-fashioned, entric, and temperamental, but.. . he was cute.


    He carried the photo album to the music room and saw Akkad sittingon the sofa with a few scores in hand.


    Therge windows faced south, and the warm sunlightfiltered through the ss, giving the room a subtle glow. Qi Mu walked overand set the album on the table.


    Akkad hardly acknowledged him aside from opening the album torandom pages. He looked up at Qi Mu, "Well, Small Seven''s photography anddevelopment skills are good, we''ll go out and y some."


    Qi Mu, caught between tears andughter, suggested, "Teacher,I do not understand. . . how about you take a pictureter?"


    "Small Seven, I''ll let you take a picture of me, are youstill not happy?"


    The twoughed then Akkad set aside the album and looked athim. His expression was stern as he stared at the youth opposite him, "When youdeveloped them. . . what did you feel?"


    Qi Mu''s lips curled at the corners, and he replied, "Yes, Ifelt. . . I was forced to y so much to make teacher happy."


    ". . ."


    After repeating "Don''t care about the child" three times inhis heart, Akkad snorted. "Feel good about yourself. I have a song here. Youshould be familiar with it, but after a couple weeks, I hope to hear adifferent version."


    Qi Mu sighed in relief, "Teacher, what song is it?"


    Akkad handed him the score he had set side, and Qi Mu openedthe cover. When he saw the name, he stilled. He looked up at Akkad in amazementand saw his teacher wore a terrible smile as he spoke, "Paganini 24, the 24th Caprio."


    The pure white cover had a single white character——


    《i》


    When Farrell rmended Qi Mu to Akkad, he had emphasized, "Theboy''s skilled. His grasp for rhythm and tone is incredibly urate, especiallyon a Paganini song. His technique was beautiful and smooth, his perception isunique and creative."


    And for Qi Mu, when Farrell mentioned Akkad''s name, hisfirst reaction was: "the contemporary Paganini."


    Akkad recorded many albums in his life, an among them, hisrecording of the "24 Caprices" was the most outstanding. The Master often yedthe 24 songs at concerts, and the depth of his feelings toward Paganini''s rhapsodiesbrought him to the pinnacle of his career.


    But. . . Qi Mu didn''t understand one facet of Akkad''s words.


    "Teacher. . . A different version? You want me to adapt thissong?" Qi Mu could only ask this after thinking about it for a while.


    Akkad nodded. "Didn''t I say it at the end of Bai Ai''s concerst week that I wanted you to practice adapting a song? This is the first. Ihope to hear an innovative 24th Caprio, unlike anything I''ve heard before.Small Seven, you will have to integrate yourself with this song, and in twoweeks, show me what you pull out."


    This kind of task was difficult, but Qi Mu was not afraid.


    The sun''s golden light poured through the window onto theface of this young man. Qi Mu nodded, his tone brisk, "Alright, Teacher, I willwork hard."


    Qi Mu was excellent with Paganini''s songs——something manypeople knew.


    But, being good did not mean he was proficient at everysong. Unfortunately, he was only familiar with the 24th Caprio. If Akkad wantedhim to y it, he could immediately, but. . .


    Asking him to make an adaptation, that was a bit embarrassing.


    Especially because it was so familiar, if he closed his eyes,the melody of the song rang in his ear. It was a ferocious obstacle in his pathto adapt it. For a long time, he didn''t know what to do.


    The situation was so stagnant that he left the music for twodays, took it up every now and then to practice, but he still had no idea.


    He was most likely too immersed in the music and could not pullhimself away from it. The next evening, when he returned to his apartment, he rubbedhis hair dry as he walked out of the bathroom and heard his phone buzzing. QiMu picked up his phone and found six texts and a missed call.


    Qi Mu opened thest message and was surprised to see thesender.


    Min Chen: 【What happened? Reply quickly.】


    Qi Mu checked the time on the next message. It was sent threehours ago——


    Min Chen: 【How are you?】


    Another half an hourter——


    Min Chen: 【Are you busy?】


    After another half an hour——


    Min Chen: 【Qi Mu？】


    Thest two were almost at the same time.


    【？】


    【What happened？】


    Half an hourter, Min Chen directly called him, but Qi Muwas in the shower and didn''t hear it. Qi Mu didn''t know the man was patientenough to send so many messages.


    He smiled and texted back: 【Sorry, I was thinking about a song afternoon and didn''t even notice my phone vibrating. I''m not doing anything.】


    Not long after, there was a reply: 【Hmmm.】


    Another came a momentter: 【What song?】


    Qi Mu thought about Akkad''s original task and said: 【Paganini''s24th Caprio. Teacher wants me to innovate it.】


    Qi Mu canceled the vibration on his phone and continued toweldrying his hair. He looked in the mirror and thought: <em>. . . When did my hair get so long?</em>


    He didn''t get to linger on that thought for long, as hisphone suddenly rang. Qi Mu jerked a little in surprise and grabbed his phone. Hechecked the shing name and picked up the call. "Min Chen?"


    The man''s maic voice passed over the line all the wayfrom distant London, "Hmmm. Is the adaptation demanding?"


    Qi Mu wasn''t expecting the question andughed a little, "Teacherdidn''t have any requests other than giving him something new in two weeks. Ihaven''t a clue, and it''s been two days. I don''t know about demanding but. . . probablyhigh?"


    Min Chen was silent for a long time.


    Since the other didn''t intend to reply, Qi Mu added, "I''m abit lost on how to start. I''ve adapted songs before, but never a ssic track.. . I''m a little hopeless."


    After a moment of silence, Min Chen''s quiet voice asked, "Isit convenient for you now?"


    Qi Mu looked around and smiled in reply, "I''m at myapartment, it should be?"


    "Well, I happen to be in a music room."


    Qi Mu: ". . ."


    "I''m at the house in London, there''s a music room here."


    . . .


    Various rumors he had heard from members of the ViennaSymphony Orchestra shed through Qi Mu''s mind, specifically: there were overa dozen Steinway nine-foot grand pianos in the Bertram family. At first, he hadthought it was a joke, but. . .


    To have a music room with a piano in London as well. . .


    It''s possible to have over a dozen, ah. . .


    Not noticing the strange silence, there were a few crispsounds of a piano over the line then Min Chen said, without waiting for Qi Mu''sresponse, "The piano version of 24^th Caprio is famous. If it''sconvenient for you, listen to this version first."


    Qi Mu thought of declining but suddenly recalled what Akkadsaid. <em>"Min Chen has that point, the oneyou''re missing."</em> So he epted the other''s kindness and smiled, "Alright,I''m afraid I must trouble you."


    After a moment, the rapid notes of a piano spilled from thephone''s speaker. They leaped like the steps of a dance, twisting dramatically betweentension and confrontation.


    Qi Mu could envision the man on the other side of the phone,his fingers dancing over the ck and white keys.


    Because it was transmitted over the line, there were somedeviations in the sound, but even then, it couldn''t weaken the elegance of thispiece''s music.


    After Liszt adapted Paganini''s 24^th Caprio forthe piano, it became a favorite for many piano prodigies. Liszt was the crazymaster of illusion, and his skill on the piano spanned across the era, earningthe disdain of his peers.


    In fact. . . Min Chen could also be regarded as someone wholiked to show off his skill, right?


    He remembered 《The Night Tsunami》 theman had yed at Hong Kong Disnend. At the time, the man''s slender fingersfly over the piano''s keys as though they were born for it.


    There was a beautiful portamento, and it pulled Qi Mu from thememory. Shortly after, the short 24^th Caprio ended, and silenceremained.


    "The piano and violin are a bit different, but there arestill. . . some things inmon. If you have questions, call me any time."


    Qi Mu''s face broke into an uncontroble smile, "Alright."


    Teacher really was being yful, ah.


    Look at Min Chen, how zealous, how kind, ah!<hr ss="wp-block-separator">


    Trantor(s): Bet


    Editor(s): Bet