After BBC Philharmonic''s concert, Vienna seemedto usher in the lively season of performance.


    In just one week, Qi Mu watched four world-ss orchestras'' concertswith Akkad. From the Salt Lake City Symphony Orchestra and the Japanese NHKSymphony Orchestra to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Czech SymphonyOrchestra. The auditory feast left Qi Mu''s ears in an overwhelmed state, and hegained a lot of insight.


    He used to live in Vienna, but when the other world-ssorchestras were there to perform, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra also had theirtour. So he always yed elsewhere and missed their staggering concerts.


    Being able to enjoy so many excellent concerts at once wasnot only a pleasure for Qi Mu but also an opportunity for him to temper himselfand discover his shortings.


    Min Chen contacted him once and wanted to meet, but Akkadlooked Qi Mu dead in the eyes and almost left with him.


    One day, the poor Little Seven thought about it, and just ashe started to mention the name "Min Chen," the grumpy maestro immediately said,"Oh, Little Seven. I didn''t tell you this, but Auston is a bad one! Don''tcontact him anymore!"


    Qi Mu: ". . ."


    "Little Seven, although Auston has excellent music skills,he''s not necessarily a good person. That little fellow Daniel is always callinghim "The Devil." He must have an even worse temper than me!"


    Qi Mu: ". . ."


    <em>So you know you have a bad temper. . .</em>


    Akkad scowled and said disdainfully, "Besides, his violin isfar worse than yours! It''s not good! It really is terrible! I don''t think it''sany better than Dn''s."


    Qi Mu: ". . ."


    <em>To have an exclusive professor-level mentor, Dn was verygood, professor. . .</em>


    "So, as I was saying, Little Seven, you should only contactthat guy for professional guidance in the future. I’ve been around for manyyears, but I don''t know what he has hidden in his heart. That guy is bad, youshould. . ."


    "Teacher!" Qi Mu raised his hands in surrender andughed."I promise I will not secretly meet Min Chen again in the future."


    Professor Akkad was relieved with Qi Mu''s assurance. Hewhispered, "Good enough," before taking his lovely student off the subway tovisit another of his old friends.


    In his mind, although Auston seemed like a good guy. . . Hewas actually bad. If Little Seven was fooled by him, would he ever be able toescape?


    This wouldn''t do!


    In the clear blue sky above, the breeze dispersed the clouds.Only a fewrge ones still hung against the blue backdrop like white gemstones.


    Qi Mu followed his teacher. A smile shed in his pale eyes,and his lips curled up. If he couldn’t meet secretly. . .


    Then why not meet openly?


    <em>How could Teacher have such prejudice against Min Chen?</em>


    ——Qi Mu expressed his doubt for the 99th time.


    . . .


    The person Akkad brought Qi Mu to visit this time was anotherwell-known violinist. After so many years of being immersed in ssical music,people formed their own unique, mild temperament. Among the world-ssvirtuosos that he knew, apart from Professor Akkad and Mr. Evra. . .


    It seemed most people had good tempers.


    And what about Min Chen?


    He was a gentleman!


    Qi Mu really didn''t understand why Min Chen won with such anunbeatably high score on that Danube Forum ''Conductor with the worst temper''poll.


    Akkad told Qi Mu to bring his violin today precisely becausehe wanted Qi Mu to y some in front of his friend and get some advice.


    Every musician had their own style. Generally speaking, noneof the masters were better or worse than the other. Other than those who weretoo outstanding and regarded as gods, of course. In the violin world,Reed Akkad, Farrell Louis and the one they were visiting that day, Lance Trier,naturally fell into that category.


    After listening to Qi Mu''s 《E minor》 and 《Devil''s Trills》, the mild-mannered violinist pondered for awhile. "Since Reed told me to give you some pointers, Little Seven, I won''t bepolite."


    Qi Mu solemnly nodded. "Yes, Master Lance."


    When he saw Qi Mu''s modest and serious expression, Lancesmiled with admiration. He pushed his sses up the bridge of his nose andsaid, "Seven, your violin skills are already high. To tell you the truth, myhands have been shaking more over the years, and my ying may not be as goodas yours."


    Akkad said, "Lance, you''re almost 80. Now, it''s the youngmen''s world, haha!"


    Lance shook his head and objected, "No, Reed. I think, evenif it was thirty or forty years ago, my ability is probably worse than yourstudent''s. You know I was never able to practice 《Dance of the Goblins》 well, and I’ve never yed it in public."


    Akkad choked on his words and uttered, "I didn''t expect youto see that video. . ."


    During Qi Mu''s impromptu open-air performance, somebystanders took a video of him ying 《Dance of the Goblins》 and uploaded it on YouTube. Akkad didn’t pay much attentionto that kind of thing, but when Qi Mu performed the following two days, thecrowd increased in size. . .


    The maestro had an epiphany. His student seemed a bit famous?


    How could Akkad know it wasn’t just a little fame?!


    With such a handsome and delicate face, his performance ofsuch difficult pieces was impressive. Those videos gained millions of views onYouTube. It was like a fire, spreading across Europe!


    If not for the firewall blocking the Huaxian fans, the countmight have climbed even higher.


    At Akkad''s helpless expression, Lance smiled. "My skills havealways been worse than the dazzling things taught by that school of yours, but.. ." At this, Lance turned to Qi Mu and continued, "But Seven, if I were tojudge from only a musical point of view, your understanding of those twopieces. . . are different from mine."


    Such a response shocked Qi Mu. He remembered; over half amonth ago, the American violin queen said the same thing to him.


    Qi Mu''s expression turned earnest in a way he couldn''t stop."Your understanding of these two pieces. . . What do you mean, Master Lance?"


    Lance replied, "Little Seven, though you and Reed havea good teacher-student rtionship and your style is simr to his. . . Reedhas gone through many setbacks and hardships, and his music was polished aroundthose. So Reed''s 《E minor》 and 《Devil''s Trills》 are powerful and shocking. But. . ."


    After a pause, Lance continued, "Your performances amazed me.I''m probably too sensitive, but I noticed a sense of aggression in your music.Seven, have you experienced something unforgettably sad?"


    Qi Mu was stunned by this remark, and before he could speak,Lance said, "Not sad, it''s. . ." He sighed. "Well, this kind of aggressioncould also be called another word. It''s——"


    "Resentment."<hr ss="wp-block-separator">


    Trantor


    (s): Kuro


    Editor


    (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet