《King of Classical Music》 Chapter prologue [quick TL note, but I put a glossary page up for a few music terms that¡¯ll hopefully help with reading this.] unbeta¡¯d. prologue Musikvereinstz 1, 1010, Vienna [1]. [1] ¨C It''s a famous concert hall in Vienna. This is a three-story Renaissance-styled Italian building, standing in the middle of a street of a bustling city. Several ionic-styled pirs are held up in a triangr arch and with its milky-white marble buildings, one can feel its stunning atmosphere at just a nce. This is where the Golden Hall of the world famous Viennese Music Association is located [2]. [2] Golden Hall Music Association and Musikvereinstz are the same building. Viennese Music Association Building Alreadyte in the evening, cars begin to stop one after the other as gentlemen in suits step out. Ladies are smiling from the red carpet as they walk towards the building, their figures gradually being engulfed in its magnificent lighting. Tonight, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will showcase a spectacr performance in the Golden Hall. The conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the four prominent conductors in the world, Mr. Albrecht Burenza. The concert is always packed as long as it is under themand of Albrecht Burenza. Not to mention his strong synergy with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra makes the performance even more exciting to see. Apelling conductor and outstanding orchestra skill; the only thing that leaves people in wonder is that in the finale of ¡°The Blue Danube¡±, the concertmaster has a Chinese name- Ziwen, Lu. In Chinese order: Lu Ziwen. Most of the guests have heard of the name, apparently he was concertmaster of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, another famous orchestra in Vienna. The audience thought about it again, and remembered that it was a dark-haired, ck-eyed, handsome looking Asian. However, being the concertmaster of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra does not mean that he has the skill to lead the Philharmonic Orchestra''s performance of ¡°The Blue Danube¡± in the Golden Hall. "The Blue Danube", also known as Austria¡¯s second national anthem, is the repertoire in Vienna''s annual New Year Concert, and isn''t just a simple waltz that can be easily yed. Therefore, although the audience is entering with some doubt in their hearts, they are also quite curious- That Chinese, can he really y a perfect interpretation of "The Blue Danube¡±? At this point, there are only two more hours before the concert officially begins. ¡ª In the backstage preparation room of the Golden Hall, a handsome dark-haired man is gingerly rubbing his bow with rosin. His movements are very careful and very meticulous, so that the white haired bow was evenly coated in white powder. This is not the first time Lu Ziwen hase to the Golden Hall to perform, but¡­ This is the first time he has his own lounge. If there aren''t any guest performers, the orchestra can have only two people in the lounge: the conductor and concertmaster. Concertmaster refers to the 1st violins'' lead violinist. Since this identity is both the lead violinist of the stringed instruments and the concertmaster of the orchestra, it can be said that they are first person inmand. Although Lu Ziwen is only the 1st violinist for "The Blue Danube¡± today, he somehow has his own lounge. Lu Ziwen did not understand why the Philharmonic Orchestra invited him to be the concertmaster for "The Blue Danube." There have also been cases of concerts having different concertmasters, but this case is still very rare, especially since the original concertmaster hasn''t had any idents, and with the Philharmonic Orchestra''s prestigious reputation, they actually invited an "obscure" man such as Lu Ziwen¡­? Compared with other people, Lu Ziwen is probably considered a talented violinist, but he also has to admit thatpared to the Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s concertmaster, he''s a little bit worse. Some people in the world are born with extraordinary talent. It can be said that Mozart began topose music at the age of 4, and Min Chen, acimed to be the King of Modern-day ssical music, became world famous as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra''s concert pianist. [3] [3] I''m not sure if they want to imply that Min Chen was their concertmaster, or if he''s a famous pianist of theirs. Pianists are notmon in orchestras, unless they''re performing a piano concerto. Lu Ziwen knew he did not have these people¡¯s talent, so he had to work twice as hard, for more than thirty years, and finally became the concertmaster of such a grand stage in the Golden Hall. This night for Lu Ziwen is the greatest opportunity in his life. If he does not seed, he will be a martyr. Either gaining fame or notoriety. Lu Ziwen narrowed his eyes slightly, still carefully rubbing rosin. ¡­ Five minutester, the lounge door suddenly sounded lightly. As soon as Lu Ziwen said "please enter," a handsome man opened the door, smiled and said, "Ziwen, congrattions." Lu Ziwen was surprised for a moment, then delightedly put the bow back into the violin case carefully, and greeted the man: ¡°Yu Sen, how did you get here?" As he walked over, Lu Ziwen smiled and said: ¡°I thought you would be waiting for the opening with the audience, how did you get backstage?" Luo Yu Sen forcefully embraced the pleasantly surprised Lu Ziwen and exined: ¡°I''ve also followed the orchestra to perform here once or twice, the staff already know me. I said your name and they turned a blind eye to let me in.¡± Pausing, Luo Yu Sen added: ¡°Ziwen, are you prepared?¡± After the hug, two fingers are still holding together tightly. Li Ziwen nodded with a smile and said: ¡°Almost ready. Anyways there''s only one song, ¡°The Blue Danube." Stress wise¡­ I''m not that stressed, but I must firmly grasp onto the greatest chance of my life to perform well. Yu Sen, after the concert, I''ve booked a 92-year-old Europeon ode to your home to celebrate. Hearing this, Luo Yu Sen eyes shed, his handsome face revealing an obscure expression. He smiled then said: ¡°Right, I just saw someone who was calling the 1st violinist outside, is that not you? Do you want to go out and see?¡± Hearing this, Lu Ziwen was a bit surprised, and then let Luo Yu Sen wait in his lounge, while he went to ask about the staff outside. Just as the door, ¡°clicked¡± shut, the smile on Luo Yu Sen''s face suddenly disappeared. He turned his head and looked at Li Ziwen¡¯s ss of water ced beside his violin case with slight hesitation in his eyes, but soon he was filled with monstrous ambition. ¡°Ziwen¡­ you cannot me me, it was you¡­ it was your luck that ended up getting in the way of others. If there is any me¡­ me yourself. This evening you can have in the future, you cane back here again some other day¡­ when it won''t impede on my chances." As he spoke, Luo Yu Sen took out a small capsule from his pocket, rotated it a few times then poured the white powder into the ss. When the powder in the capsule was gone, it seemed as though there was not enough. He pulled out a second capsule and began to pour. ¡°Yu Sen, did you get it wrong, what did you¡­ what are you doing?!¡± However, in a short span of a minute, Lu Ziwen came back. The guilt made Luo Yu Sen''s hand shake, causing the capsule to fall on the carpet. He swallowed nervously and hastily exined: ¡°Ziwen, you listen to me exin¡­ this¡­ this is Vitamin C, I was worried that after you stepped on stage, you would be too nervous and ufortable, so ¡­¡± ¡°You can give me Vitamin C directly, why would you sneak it into my cup while I was away?¡± Lu Ziwen¡¯s brain shed through various scenarios quickly, he suddenly remembered previously hearing some seniors saying that in some orchestras, there would be some severe measures deliberately taken because of jealousy, incapacitating people from performing on stage. Lu Zi Wan widened his eyes, shocked: ¡°Luo Yu Sen?! What the hell do you mean? What the hell is in that capsule?¡± Luo Yu Sen never imagined that this second capsule would actually be found out by Lu Ziwen, or that Lu Ziwen would coincidentally find staff passing by a few steps from the door, causing things to go awry. If not for these two things, Lu Ziwen would have never have found out of his ns. But that''s how it happened. Luo Yu Sen nched, and babbled: ¡°This¡­ This is really just Vitamin C, Ziwen. I was just worried about you¡­" ¡°Since you said that Vitamin C, then I give this to the doctor in the orchestra and see what it is!¡± Lu Ziwen angrily picked up the capsule that fell on the carpet and walked to the door, but Luo Yu Sen panicked and pulled him back. The two struggled, Luo Yu Sen forcing Lu Ziwen into the side of a table, making the capsule fall onto the floor once more. Luo Yu Sen hurriedly snatched the capsule up in fright. Lu Ziwen face grew dark. Since things came to this point, he no longer believed in the man in front of him, but also understood that whatever is in this capsule is definitely not good. Whether it isxatives or sedatives, the end result must be to prevent him from participating in this concert! ¡°Luo Yu Sen, do you know what you''re doing?¡± Lu Ziwen narrowed his eyes dangerously, stared coldly and said: ¡°Last month, we just got together, but now you''re¡­ This is how you''re treating me? ¡± Luo Yu Sen was pale-faced and silent. Lu Ziwen already was angry, and did not want a word from this man. He sneered and grunted: ¡°I really did not think that I would actually encounter such a dirty method in my lifetime, and¡­ by my lover drugging me! Luo Yu Sen, let''s go, I will tell the conductor about today, he will decide your fate.¡± ¡°Ziwen! You cannot tell the conductor, if he knows I¡¯m doing something like this, he¡¯ll surely drive me out of the band!¡± Both Lu Ziwen and Luo Yu Sen are violinists of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. The difference however, is that at the age of 33, Luo Yu Sen is still only the lead violinist of the 2nd violins. In recent rehearsals, he had been continuously reprimanded for his performances. If themander knew that he had actually done such a thing, he would certainly be mercilessly removed from the band. Lu Ziwen had long lost any trace of affection and sympathy for Luo Ye Sen. Luo Yu Sen chased him for three years, untilst month when he promised to be with this person. Before tonight, he had said many times to Luo Yu Sen that he attached great importance to this night¡¯s ¡°The Blue Danube,¡± and he worked hard for more than 20 years in order to be able to y a song on the stage of the Golden Hall as concertmaster. But! Luo Yu Sen unexpectedly did such a shameless thing! Lu Ziwen¡¯s heart had thoroughly turned cold. ¡°Luo Yu Sen, you''re on your own. You¡¯re not the first person in Vienna to do this, and you know it''s the most shameful thing you could do in this industry. You¡¯re going to be a music teacher in the future, and the resume from working at Vienna Symphony will help you." ¡°Ziwen! You cannot do this to me!¡± ¡°Why can''t I treat you like this?¡± Lu Ziwen said angrily, ¡°Now, please let me out!¡± Lu Ziwen scolding the voice echoed throughout the lounge, but the soundproof walls kept the world from hearing them, letting Luo Yu Sen save face. However, could Luo Yu Sen really go out like this? As Lu Ziwen walked to the door, Luo Yu Sen suddenly rushed over, hugged Lu Ziwen, tears streaming down his face: ¡°Zi, you are my lover, I did not cause any serious consequences, forgive me this once. I love you, Zi¡­¡± ¡°You fucking love me so much?¡± Lu Ziwen kicked Luo Yu Sen in the chest. Enduring until now, Lu Ziwen could no longer stand it. He is not a good-natured man in himself, only putting up with some humility in order to get down in Vienna, but now he actually has to put up with this stupid viin?! That is absolutely impossible! ¡°Your love is ridiculously pathetic, Luo Yu Sen. I thought I had understood you in these three years. Since there aren''t many Chinese people in Vienna, I thought our love could be a mutualfort, but to think you were this kind of person! To do this for your own personal gain¡­" ¡°I did not do this for my own self-interest!!!¡± Luo Yu Sen''s furious voice interrupts him. The pain of Lu Ziwen''s kick still remains, so with teeth clenched and a furious face Luo Yu Sen said: ¡°Lu. Zi. Wen. You still don''t understand?!" "It''s your fault! It''s you who''s getting in the way of others!" ¡°You of no background, you''re already pushing your limit bing the Vienna Symphony Orchestra¡¯s concertmaster, who do you think you are, also bing Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s?¡± ¡°Watching you be so sessful really makes people want to see you suffer, and make sure you never reach stardom. Yes, I really like you, you have a nice face, and you''re Chinese, but the most important thing is that you''re the concertmaster; you might have been my way to fame." ¡°But what have you done in all these years?!¡± ¡°You actually had to be lead violinist of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra? But what about me? Yesterday the conductor told me that he was considering whether or not he should renew his contract with me! You yourself know you climbed beds to get such a good opportunity! Why couldn''t I?!¡± ¡°If you cannot help me, then of course I have to find someone else. Man seeks his way up just as water seeks its way down [4], Lu Ziwen, the world is like this. Today I could not deceive you, but tomorrow¡­ urgh, gah¡­¡± [4] Idiom for "one should constantly strive to make progress." Lu Ziwen ruthlessly sent a vicious kick to the lower body of the Luo Yu Sen. His sneer seems like it crawled out from the depths of Hell itself, so much so that Luo Yu Sen cannot help but tremble: ¡°Luo Yu Sen¡­ you said¡­ whose bed did I climb to get the chance to y "The Blue Danube?¡± Luo Yu Sen covered his painful lower body, still struggling: ¡°Yes, whose bed did you climb! You filthy whore!¡± Lu Ziwen gave a cold smile, approached him step by step, his voice cold: ¡°Luo Yu Sen, it''s such a regret that I was so blind before. You asked me whose bed it was? Fine, I''ll tell you, I climbed into Min Chen''s bed! You want to climb beds? You want to climb?! You''re going to have to crawl to one!" ¡°Hah, you say I have no background, no family, that''s true, I have nothing, but at least I don''t think so awfully of others! Even if I told you, I did not sleep with anyone and just got this chance, would you believe it? No, you would not believe me! So remember instead, that I climbed the bed of Min Chen! ¡± Luo Yu Sen¡¯s eyes were red, but Lu Ziwen merely sneered at him and said: ¡°When was it when I slept with him again¡­ Ah yes, it was the day after I promised to be with you. Your skill really pales by leaps and bounds inparison to Min Chen. You''re really uselesspared to others, you know?" ¡°Lu Ziwen¡­ ¡°I have no background, no family, but you''re saying you have such things? Luo Yu Sen, in Huaxia there is an old saying, the one who has retreated 50 stepsughs at the one who has retreated 100 steps [5]. You''re nothing but a pathetic fool, self-righteously standing proud¡­ cough cough..!" [5] Idiom for calling "the pot calling the kettle ck." Luo Yu Sen suddenly leapt up, and punched Lu Ziwen¡¯s chest. ¡°Lu Ziwen!!! You dare made me into some cuckold! I chased you for three years and really thought of you as a treasure! You shameless slut, I pale inparison to Min Chen? I''m uselesspared to him?!" As he spoke, Luo Yu Sen sent more blows to Lu Wen¡¯s chest. Luo Yu Sen, blinded with fury, punched him once more. Lu Wen, unprepared to be punched, fell to the ground, clutching his chest, blood falling from his mouth, and face beginning to grow blue. Luo Yu Sen, not noticing anything wrong, continued to berate Lu Ziwen: ¡°Lu Ziwen, do not think you are a nice person, everyone knows what kind of means you''ve used to gain this opportunity. You should know, every time you told me how damned important this concert was to you, I knew you were showing off how easily you casted me aside!" ¡°Medicine¡­¡± Lu Ziwen''s fingers shook, as he struggled to breathe. Luo Yu Sen was still cursing him: ¡°Hah, did you think that once you slept with Min Chen, your luck would change? You should know¡­" ¡°Medicine¡­ medicine¡­¡± Lu Ziwen wed at the carpet unable to breathe, his throat constricted, leaving him with no strength to move, only to weakly struggle on the floor, desperately whispering: ¡°medicine¡­ medicine.¡± ¡°¡­ that if you dare tell the conductor about today, I will tell everyone in the industry tomorrow that you used Min Chen¡­ cough, slept with someone, to have this chance!¡± Luo Yu Sen, who did not dare provoke that man, could only change his words. ¡°Then you''ll be known as a whore and nothing else¡­¡± ¡°Medicine¡­¡­¡± Lu Ziwen shamefully clutched at Luo Yu Sen''s shoes, struggling to lift his face to look at this foul-mouthed man. Thetter seemed to notice that something was wrong with this is a dark haired man, and looked at Lu Ziwen in surprise. Lu Ziwen¡¯s face was in a shade of blue and ck, as he grabbed at Luo Yu Sen''s trousers, a hand struggling to point at his violin case, gasped: ¡°Give me¡­¡­ medicine¡­¡­¡± Lu Ziwen''s expression frightened Luo Yu Sen, causing him to step back. It was a long while before he realized what had happened. Lu Ziwen has asthma, but he seldom had attacks. Luo Yu Sen could not figure it out. So suddenly¡­ ¡­how could he have such an extreme attack? What caused this? Luo Yu Sen suddenly remembered the punches that were sent to Lu Ziwen''s chest! Could it be that¡­ Luo Yu Sen fell back in horror. Lu Ziwen had long since lost his strength due tock of oxygen, only his fingers were still clinging to the carpet, his nails digging into the fibers: ¡°Medicine¡­¡± After a brief panic, Luo Yu Sen suddenly calmed down. His mind shed rapidly to Lu Ziwen threats, and momentter he calmly went to the violin case, casually finding Lu Ziwen''s medicine. Because today is the day of the show, there was no pocket on Lu Ziwen''s tailor-made suit, so he left the medicine in the violin case. In the past, his asthma was not particrly serious, he could even rush from the stage to the lounge if needed. However, after receiving those punches from Luo Yu Sen, for a moment, Lu Ziwen felt his chest tingling with pain, leaving him weak. And now, he could only rely on the only other person in the room- Luo Yu Sen. However, Luo Yu Sen took his inhaler, and merely stood indifferently in front of Lu Ziwen. Under that merciless gaze, Lu Ziwen felt cold, instantly understanding the other¡¯s intentions. ¡°Lu Ziwen, this is your life. It''s not my fault if you die from an asthma attack, you know?¡± As Lu Ziwen continued to crawl to Luo Yu Sen, not yet reaching him, he dodged his grasp. Luo Yu Sen said with an expressionless face: ¡°Lu Ziwen, didn''t you say you prepared some old European odes to celebrate? Since it''s my favorite, I¡¯ll wait for you, you cane.¡± Lu Ziwen was grounded to the floor, without any strength at all. Luo Yu Sen had a glimmer of hesitation in his eyes, but in the end did not hesitate to turn around go, no longer looking at the dying Lu Ziwen, lying on the ground. As he left, he took the medicine. As he simply ced it in his pocket and "cked" the door shut, Lu Ziwen''sst hope had truly disappeared. Lu Ziwen, stuck on the floor, seems to want to struggle to the door, but only after moving twice, his existence faded away. An hourter, a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra was wondering how the time hade for the ¡°Blue Danube,¡± but the concertmaster had not yet left the lounge. There was no response after gently knocking, and when he opened the door¡­ he saw the man on the carpet, motionless. ¡°Ah ah ah! Something''s wrong with Lu! Doctor, doctor!!!¡± That night, for the first time at a concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, ¡°Blue Danube¡± did not sound. The chief conductor, Mr. Borenza and all the members of the orchestra, regretfully bowed to the audience. Some of the spectators who heard the news of Lu Ziwen''s wept sympathetically. By the time everyone had left, Mr. Borenza reached the center front row of the auditorium and sighed at thest listener, who had not yet left: ¡°The Lu you rmended, indeed¡­ was an aspiring talent. Min, unfortunately, because of his asthma attack, he could not board this stage¡­¡­¡± The man''s handsome and elegant face against the light in the Golden Hall makes him look as deep and profound as a statue. Mr. Borenza, with a trace of regret, said: ¡°I heard he was dead for some time when he was found. Lu''s fingernails were full of carpet fibers, even some of his fingernails were broken¡­¡­ Oh, it must have been very painful when he died.¡± Only silence was Borenza''s response. ¡°Min, if Lu was your friend, you go and see him. He''s probably still in the hospital ¡­ if his body hasn''t been shipped away yet. He was an Asian that could y the violin with emotion, I really regret that there won''t be any more chances to y with him. I should go, you should also go see him. See¡­ your friend. Borenza left the golden hall behind, leaving only man with a straightened back. After who knows how long, the man''s fierce and narrow phoenix eyes slowly closed, a drop of tear from the corner of his eye slowly being shed. ¡ª The author has something to say: [Fuwa''s Mini Lessons] [6] [6] Fuwa are the official 2008 Olympic mascots? Idk what this is [¸£ÍÞС¿ÎÌÿª½²À²] Today¡¯s topic: Symphony Orchestra''s Violin Groups. Generally, orchestras will have the 1st and 2nd violin groups. The 1st violin group lead violinist is also the lead of the band, the most skilled, while the 2nd violin group''s lead violinist is responsible for the people in the bass sections. [7] [7] The 2nd violin thing is wrong, but idk if the way they do things is different in other countries. So in short, our ShouShou is the lead violinist for the 1st violin group, and the g is the lead violinist of the 2nd violin group XD

TL Notes:
  1. Vienna''s a pretty famous ce, music wise. A lot of greatposers came from here, and it also has a lot of concert halls and such. Also the Vienna stuff, including the Blue Danube, is actually all fact.
  2. They used the word "Huaxia" a few times, and I''m not really sure what it is? I looked it up and still wasn''t sure so I''ve just tranted it as "Chinese". Edit: It refers to Huaxia as a ce in future chapters. I¡¯m going to use Chinese to refer to people from there, and keep Huaxia when describes it as a ce.
  3. Right before the show, I think there''s usually a list of who''s in the band and their performance pieces being handed out to audience members, which is why they see LZW''s name.
  4. The official terms for lead violinist weren''t tranted so I took some liberties. I was confused on what "chief deputy" (and other variations) in the MTL meant, but I think I got it right? It switches between calling LZW 1st violinist, lead violinist, and concertmaster a few times, but it''s all the same thing lol.
  5. Having a stranger be your concertmaster is a little weird I guess, even if it''s for one song. If it was a soloist that''d be less weird, but he''s basically gna be in charge of a leading a group of strangers (though they most likely have been in practice together for a few months, so they''re notplete strangers).
  6. At one point Luo Yu Sen is called a foul-mouthed man, but I think Lu Ziwen more foul-mouthed¡­
  7. "¡­ You want to climb beds? You want to climb?! You''re going to have to crawl to one!" This line was actually gibberish, I''m not really sure if this is what he wants to say.
¡ª I took a bit of music before, so I took this up o/. It''s been a few years though, so I might get things wrong here and there, aha. I know some music theory, as well as how to y a few instruments, so I think (hope?) that MTL''ing will go smoothly. This is my first time MTL''ing anything at all, so I might be releasing this a bit slowly. It¡¯s also my first time on wordpress, so I¡¯m sorry if things look a bit weird right now. I¡¯ll probably change the format so it¡¯s more presentable in the future. I¡¯m also not really sure how to do footnotes, but I sort of want to keep it how it is. If you''re interested in what being a musician is like, I rmend the anime "Nodame Cantabile". You don¡¯t have to be a musician to watch it! It''s been a while since I''ve seen it, but I believe it''s a RomCom featuring an aspiring conductor and entric pianist. It actually shows off quite a bit of what it''s like to be a conductor, the roles of the band, etc etc. It''s a suuuuuuuuuper cute show, with some really good arrangements of some orchestra pieces~ Lastly, please tell me if I make any mistakes~ Tqtq. Chapter 1 unbeta¡¯d. Lu Ziwen got up reluctantly, leaning against the wall as he stumbled out of a bar. He felt a st of emptiness inside his body. His heart was in extreme pain, like it was going to burst from over-exertion. His head was dizzy; he did not know where he was exactly or what had happened. The bar was full of noise, and when a door opened, a teasing tone suddenly interrupted Lu Ziwen¡¯s thoughts: ¡°Hey Qi Mu; you''re not dying are you, kid? It''s only 8 o'' clock.¡± Lu Ziwen abruptly turned to stare at him, horrified to see group of punks behind him. Punks with red hair, blond youths that seemed to be sneering; they went back to the bar together, leaving a pale Lu Ziwen behind with wide eyes. What they''re saying was- In Chinese. Horrified for a long time, Lu Ziwen slowly raised his hand to look at his own fingers. The body part most familiar to a musician was not their face, but their hand. Not all musicians have beautiful hands but no matter the quality, they are the most valuable part of the body, more so than the ears. Even without ears, you can stillpose and y, just like the master musician Beethoven. But if you do not have hands, you can only leave your instrument behind and say goodbye to music forever. Lu Ziwen had a pair of beautiful slender hands, distinct joints, and slender knuckles; the contrast between these hands and his dark brown violin was particrly striking. They looked good, but they cannotpare to his current hands- Full rounded pale-pink fingernails on slender looking fingers, pale like they were a white jade hidden away from the sun. A centimeter from the base of the left index finger was a small red cinnabar mole, burning as brightly as the city''s luminous neon lights. Lu Ziwen subconsciously turned his left hand over, looking at the pads his four fingers, seeing a very thinyer of calluses. These calluses belong to a violinist! [1] [1] Calluses are hardened patches of skin that most musicians get. If you look this up on Google images, you''ll only scare yourself so don''t. You can get reallyrge calluses, but the one''s he''s describing look more like tiny patches of dry skin. Lu Ziwen sobered up quickly; he was slow for a moment, but then quickly ran toward a nearby window. When he saw the blurred figure reflected in the ss, he froze. The ss disyed a pale dark-haired youth, beautiful and elegant looking. Lu Ziwen had been in Europe for many years and had seen many model-like beauties. This youth was also quite pretty, but not in a feminine sort of way. Lu Ziwen searched his memory for a long time, and then suddenly remembered a name. ¡°Qi ¡­ Mu?¡± While thinking of the name, Lu Ziwen slowly frowned and began to recall. Qi Mu, these two words in the current Europe may not cause a stir, perhaps only a few people could possibly be able to recall him. However, if he was named eight years ago, this ck-haired dark-eyed boy would have set off a Chinese fever [2], leaving Vienna in amotion for a long time. [2] Fever, as in like a fad. Qi Mu was a genius. He had an excellent family background; his father is the chief conductor of the famous Chinese Symphony Orchestra S, his mother the concertmaster of the S City Symphony Orchestra. Under the influence of such a family, Qi Mu began to learn the violin at the age of 3, and was famous by the age of 6 in the Chinese music industry. At 13, he won the International Junior Violin Championship. For the rest of the year, the name Qi Mu was famous throughout Europe. He traveled all over the world with his parents, and at the age of 14, had even coborated with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. During that time, even Lu Ziwen had been in contact with Qi Mu. Under the influence of such fame and family, this young man had suddenly be quite conceited. He became the sort of person who would look down upon others, who could not see the bigger picture, who arrived at practice like they were a godsend, who would leave immediately once it ended, and someone who even had their violin case be carried by others. Honestly, Lu Ziwen does not like Qi Mu, it could be said that no one in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra likes this kid. Unfortunately, Qi Mu''s talent was hatefully amazing, at such a superior level that Lu Ziwen was convinced of his skill time and time again. Qi Mu''s sudden change happened when he was 14. Qi Mu''s parents were in a car ident, and died on the spot. Although they both went so quickly, they also left arge amount of inheritance to Qi Mu; so even though the Qi Family had no rtives, Qi Mu could live well. Qi Mu''s parents were prestigious in the Chinese music industry, and also quite popr, so many people were willing to take care of Qi Mu. However, if Qi Mu really ended up being taken in¡­ What happened after that? As soon as his parents passed away, this teen immediately became the epitome of arrogance. No one forced him to practice the violin, no one asked him to participate inpetitions; Qi Mu had no qualms about tramping his own talents into the ground. Seeing him with a violin became rarer and rarer every day. Although the Qi parents left a lot of money behind, it could not stand up to Qi Mu''s appalling expenses. By the time Qi Mu was 18 years old, he had no other choice but to pick up the violin again, using music to "sell himself". There were old friends and rtives that wanted to help, but Qi Mu drowned in those good intentions, swindling money every time, his real self unchanged. Lu Ziwen heard rumors of Qi Mu saying something once: ¡°Fortunately, those two old geezers died early, otherwise I would have killed them sooner orter! Forcing me to learn the violin all day, what do you mean I''m talented? Fuck talent! You''d have to beg me not to destroy that instrument!" Of course, Qi Mu had not been reduced to poverty, but his former morous life to his current ordinary one has dealt a huge blow to him, leaving him depressed. Lu Ziwen remembered that Qi Mu seemed to have left Europe at the age of 19 and returned to Huaxia. From then, he did not know became of Qi Mu. But¡­ ¡°He''s doing¡­ drugs¡­?" Lu Ziwen leaning against the roadside window, gradually straightened as his pain slowly disappeared, until it was almost gone. Lu Ziwen remembered when he opened his eyes, there was a heap of white powder on a small table and an empty bong. The people in the bar seemed to be inhaling that thing, crazed expressions full of obsession. He seemed to have been lying on the ground for ages, and even when he helped himself against the wall, no one paid him any attention. Standing on a cold b of bricks, Lu Ziwen''s face was livid. His mind was stuck in that scene in the lounge, where the rug''s fibers buried his face, his whole being stopped by his throat, him struggling to move with great difficulty. The feeling of trying to breathe without airing into his lungs. His windpipe waspletely blocked, he could only feel less and less oxygen in his chest, the pain all over making it hard for him to try and save himself. In his dying moments, Lu Ziwen had been hellishly desperate. He hates! He hates Luo Yu Sen''s heartlessness, who watched him impassively to the end as he died! He hates! He hates himself for being ignorant, actually believing in such an animal! Most cases of asthma were caused by allergies, but Lu Ziwen never found out what he was allergic to in the end. He didn''t think he died merely because Luo Yu Sen sent two blows to his chest. Maybe there was a speck of dust on Luo Yu Sen''s hands, or some pollen on his arm. Thebination of violence and an allergic reaction gave Lu Ziwen no possibility of resisting death. Lu Ziwen stretched out his hand to cover his face, as he lingered at the window. asionally, passers-by looked curiously at the fair young man, while Lu Ziwen had a face of contemtion. Suddenly, he mmed his hand against a wall, suddenly bing alert. ¡°Luo Yu Sen¡­ ¡­¡± ¡°Luo Yu Sen!!!¡± Thinking of Sen''s cold smile, Lu Ziwen, gnashed his teeth [3] and spat out the name of that g man. [3] "Gnashing one''s teeth" is an idiom meaning disying extreme anger or fuming with rage with gritted teeth. I changed the grammar a little though. This moment was absolutely absurd. Lu Ziwen understood what happened in the end; he wasn''t sure if he was really dead or not, but the realistic feeling of breathing, made him think- Lu Ziwen should have died. But now he was reborn in the body of Qi Mu. ¡°Luo Yu Sen, you said ¡­ you''d wait for me?¡± ¡°Then¡­ be sure to wait.¡± As if to see that shameless scum''s face, Lu Ziwen dangerously narrowed his eyes and looked up, taking in his first sight of the city''s wide red sky. His ears clearly heard all sorts of sounds, from car whistles, to pedestrian conversations, even the sound of walking¡­ Suddenly, Lu Ziwen slowly smiled: ¡°So it turns out¡­ you had such a skill. This is¡­ perfect pitch?" As if to respond to Lu Ziwen''s words, the road''s busy traffic seemed topose a beautiful harmonic melody, the whole city thrumming with sound. All the sound seemed to break down neatly, organizing itself into Lu Ziwen''s ears. From different directions, with different pitches, Lu Ziwen could hear its exact pitch, even if the sound was metal pounding. Lu Ziwen was shocked for a long time, feeling like his soul had left his body and thene back: ¡°This is beyond just perfect pitch¡­ ¡­ Qi Mu, you were really this talented?" Like Lu Ziwen said, if he hadn''t just experienced it, he would have never believed such a talent existed. All of the noise seemed to possess a mind of its own, automatically ssifying themselves, striving to be the first and fearing to be thest [4] to let him know the pitch and frequency. [4] "Striving to be first and fearing to best" is an idiom for outdoing one another. Perfect pitch is already very rare; even in history there are very few people, such as the music prodigy Mozart. Although Lu Ziwen did not know the level of skill these masters had, he believed that Qi Mu''s perfect pitch certainly be at the same level¡­ possibly being even higher. The ability to distinguish all the sounds in the world so clearly is something Lu Ziwen dare not imagine being able to do. He finally understood why Qi Mu''s parents had such strict demands on him, making sure he did not waste his talent. ¡°If you hadn''t wasted time in these years¡­ Perhaps instead of dying in that bar you would have be one of the few people on top in Vienna.¡± Lu Ziwen did not know what caused Qi Mu''s death. In fact, after Qi Mu left Europe his life had a bit of turbulence, so he began to take advantage of the good intentions from his parent''s friends. But Qi Mu could only live life the way he wanted. He took money from his elders, picked up girls, even started drag racing, and did drugs. This made those elders'' hearts turn cold, no longer wanting to look after that rebellious musical prodigy. Qi Mu hadn''t touched marijuana in several days, drinking more instead. He was easily dizzy after smoking a bit too much marijuana, feeling like he slipped into a dream of his former glorious years. However, the fiercely pounding heart, the feverish blood of that once in a century genius died in a dark dingy bar, his buddies still smoking marijuana, not one noticing his death. And Lu Ziwen woke up when Qi Mu''s body was about to go into rigor mortis. ¡°Beep-¡± A loud whistle suddenly sounded in the side of Lu Ziwen head, making him shake all over, fragmented memories suddenly poured into his brain. Only a few secondster, Lu Ziwen awakened from the sudden state, hastily browsing through Qi Mu''s life. ¡°So¡­ you wanted to go back to that ce too?¡± Qi Mu had already fallen. He did not have the determination to give up marijuana, nor did he have the confidence work hard enough to return to the limelight of the music world. He wanted to be the focus of attention in the world, but did not put in effort, as a result now lingers around the bars instead, bing Qi Mu of the underground streets. In the end, he was a flower that grew up in the greenhouse. Although Qi Mu had been frustrated for eight years, he had never suffered. Therefore, he did not have the courage to climb up from the bottom. Lu Ziwen sighed. ¡°So¡­we¡¯ll go back to that ce together, Qi Mu.¡± As soon as his voice fell, Lu Ziwen felt lighter, as if the obsessions of Qi Mu hadpletely disappeared. These eight years of such a miserable life left Qi Mu tired. His money was already running out. His parents¡¯ friends were unwilling to help him anymore. Qi Mu had been depressed for a long time, hopeless for any chance of changing his future. ¡°From now on, I will be you, Qi Mu. I want to make Huaxia hear the ringing sound of Qi Mu''s violin. I want everyone in Europe to know who Qi Mu is. I want to let the two words of Qi Mu spread all over the world! Yourst wish¡­¡± "Will be my dream!¡± ¡°Qi Mu, we will go back to that ce together!¡± "Lu Ziwen has died and but now this era belongs to Qi Mu¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s about to begin!¡± ¡­¡­ Vienna, 2 p.m. Half a globe away in music''s capital, B City, a grand funeral was taking ce. Most of the people who came to mourn were members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, who, with their white bouquets, lined up to express their sadness for the wreath-surrounded man. At the end of everything, when the group was about to pass another, they heard asional whispers from a departing guest group. "I heard that¡­ Luo was taken away by the police?¡± ¡°Well, it seems that before Lu died, he had a fight with him, so the police are investigating." ¡°Ai, it''s a pity that Lu died because of the asthma attack!¡± ¡°My God, yes, Lu was an excellent violinist. What a shame!¡± ¡°Ah, how could Lu not bring medicine? God really makes such cruel jokes¡­¡± The guests continued to leave more or less, and as thest person left the mourning hall, a ck Bentley slowly stopped at the door of the venue. A pair of bright leather shoes appeared on the cement floor, followed by a handsome man''s pale face. He stepped into the mourning hall, holding arge bouquet of white lilies, and did not speak. He only looked at the man in the ck-and-white photograph for a long time, as if he were a statue. No one knew how long it took him to ce the white lilies in front the photo before he finally turned away. Without a word, the man who has been hailed as the modern era''s king of ssical music simply disappeared from the mourning hall, as if he had nevere. Only the white lilies swaying in the mourning hall would know the truth. ¡°Min, I didn¡¯t think that you''d just¡­ find him like that.¡± A blond-haired man waited for a long time at the door of the conference room to get out of the sentence. Then he followed Min Chen back to the car and sat down. Again, he could not help but turn and say: ¡°This ident is really regrettable. In the words of the Huaxia¡­ Min, it''s important that you mourn.¡± Looking at the trees that shed past the window, his eyes were deep with unknown emotions. After a while, he whispered: ¡°Was it really¡­ an ident?¡± The blond man inquired: ¡°Min, did you just say anything?¡± The cool and elegant man shook his head gently, lowering his eyes to conceal his mood. The blonde man nced at him with a puzzled look but turned away without asking any more. Min Chen''s expression was t, as he hung his eyes down. His beautiful face showed a trace of sadness, but it was very well hidden. Was it an ident¡­? Sooner orter, there will be a way to know.

TL notes:
  1. This chapter started pretty abruptly lmao.
  2. Uh, I looked for it, but I don''t think there''s a title for the prologue & chapter 1? (i.e., Chapter 1 - Rebirth. Stuff like that.)
  3. I''ll be using the term "perfect pitch" instead of absolute pitch.
  4. There''s probably a few sentences I changed from the original to make it sound a bit smoother, but it should still hold its original meaning. I''m trying to keep all the idioms tho, cus they''re cute to learn.
¡ª I remember uploading the prologue and seeing it on the front page of novelupdates after a few minutes¡­ It made me feel a bit shy haha¡­ I powered through this chapter because I thought it¡¯d be boring to just leave it at the prologue. Chapter 2 won¡¯te as quickly tho (^?¦Ø?^ ), maybe in another week. This chapter¡¯s a teeeeensy bit rushed, so I might change some things over the next few days. Mostly just grammar and sentence structure, so it won¡¯t really affect much. why was the prologue so much easier than this hot mess tho. The chapters are split up kinda weird. The link to the prologue had a bit of chapter 1 in it, and the link to chapter 1 had a bit of chapter 2. I''m going to split it chapter by chapter, instead of the way they did it on danme. Thank you to everyone whomented! I was surprised to see readers so soon. I¡¯ll keep doing my best o7 o7 Chapter 1 (2) Lu Zi Wen climbed to his feet with difficulty and staggered out of the bar. His body felt weak with exertion as if his heart had been ripped apart. The pain was intense, and his brain swam with dizziness. He could not understand where he was, neither did he know what happened. His ears caught the sound of voices by the bar. When the door opened, a group''s loudughter interrupted Lu Zi Wen''s thoughts, "Hey Qi Mu, you''re not dying out here, are you? It''s only eight o''clock?" Lu Zi Wen abruptly turned and stared at the group of punks who spoke with horrified eyes. They had dyed hair in shades of red and yellow, and they sneered a few words in his direction before turning back to the bar. They left the pale-faced Lu Zi Wen standing by himself, his eyes wide. What they were saying, it was¡ª¡ª Chinese! Shocked for quite a while, Lu Zi Wen slowly raised his hands and looked at his fingers. As a musician, the most familiar part of his body to him was not his face, but his hands. Even among musicians, not everyone could have beautiful hands but, no matter what they looked like, the hands were the most valuable to them, even more so than their ears. Even without ears, it was still possible topose and y music, such as the master Beethoven. But, without hands, it was aplete farewell to the music industry and to their instrument. Lu Zi Wen had a pair of slender, nice-looking hands with distinct joints and slim knuckles. This pair of hands were especially best when holding a brown violin. They looked good, but could notpare to the pair he currently had¡ª¡ª The nails were smooth and round, and the fingers slender and pale, a white jade that people would seldom want to let out of their sight. At the root of the left index finger, about a centimeter from the knuckle, a red cinnabar mole was shone shining brightly in the light of the city''s streetmps. Lu Zi Wen subconsciously turned the left hand to look at the tips of the fingers, a thinyer of hardened skin adorning each. These calluses belonged to a violinist! Lu Zi Wen became suddenly clear-headed. Though his reactions were initially sluggish, he swiftly moved over to a curbside disy window and peered at into it. When he saw the blurred reflection, he promptly froze. The youth reflected in the ss was pale and had dark but could still be described as elegant and beautiful. Lu Zi Wen had spent enough time in Europe to see many beautiful people, including models, over the years. However, this youth was still exceptionally pretty, though not in the sense of feminine beauty. Lu Zi Wen searched his brain for quite some time, then suddenly thought of a name. "Qi. . . Mi?" Lu Zi Wen frowned as the remembrance of this name also brought back other memories. Qi Mu, these two words would probably not rock the boat too much in Europe right now, though perhaps a few would recall him. However, eight years ago, this dark-haired, dark-eyed Chinese teenager would have set off a Chinese fever, casting Vienna into a sensational hype for a long time. He was a genius. He had an excellent family. His father was the chief conductor of the famous Chinese S-symphony orchestra, and his mother was the chief of the S-symphony orchestra. Under the influence of such a family, he learned to y the violin at the age of 3 and was famous in the Chinese music industry by the age of 6. At the age of 13, he won the junior group championship of the Chopin International Violin Competition. His name became incredibly renowned throughout Europe the following year. He traveled the world with his parents. Even at the age of 14, he gave a performance with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and achieved great sess. Lu Zi Wen also came into contact with him at the time. With his family¡¯s reputation, this boy was arrogant and difficult toward ordinary people. He looked down on everyone and never liked anyone. Every time he practiced in the orchestra, his nose would go up to the sky, and when the practice was over, he would leave directly, and even have others carry his case. To be honest, Lu Zi Wen did not like Qi Mu, and he could even say that no one in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra liked this kid. But Qi Mu¡¯s talent was truly amazing, and Lu Zi Wen, who had high standards, was convinced on that. Qi Mu¡¯s change urred at the age of 14. His parents were in a car ident, and the two died on the spot. Although the two died unexpectedly, they still left a substantial legacy to Qi Mu. So, although there were no rtives in the family, he could live well. Moreover, his parents were famous in the Chinese music industry, and their poprity was good. Many people were willing to take care of him. However, if he was taught really well. . . Would he have still suffered such aplete copse afterward? When his parents died, the boy with a talent higher than everyone was already arrogant. No one forced him to practice the violin. No one asked him to participate inpetitions. He did not hesitate to trample his talents into dust. It was rare for him to even see a violin. Although his parents left him with many properties, it couldn¡¯t sustain his lifestyle ofvish spending. By the time he was 18, he had to pick up his violin and rely on ¡°selling art.¡± Although there are people who could not look on and wanted to help, he had no intention to do anything about it. He was always cheated out of money, but he still refused to change. Lu Zi Wen heard people say that he once said such a sentence: "The two old fogies are fortunate enough to die early, or else I would have killed them sooner orter! I am forced to learn the violin all day, and they say I¡¯m fucking gifted? Fuck the talent! Even if this Laozi* has to beg for food, I won¡¯t touch the damn violin!" (*An ancient Chinese philosopher. In this context, was used like saying ¡°ore-sama¡±) Of course, he hadn¡¯t fallen to the point of begging for food. He was just stricken by the transition from his previousvishness to his current lifestyle, and it left him depressed. Lu Zi Wen remembered that he seemed to have left Europe and returned to China at the age of 19. He never knew what happened to him afterward. However. . . ¡°He. . . was using drugs. . .?¡± Lu Zi Wen sat on the side of the road with his back against the window. The pain in his chest gradually weakened and almost disappeared entirely. Lu Zi Wen remembered that when he woke up, his eyes shed to the scene in front of him, a pile of white powder and a few discarded stic straws on the small table. The other people in the bar were holding the same thing, their expressions full of obsessive madness. He fell to the ground for a long time, but even if he walked out along the wall himself, no one paid any attention. Sitting on the ice-cold brick floor, Lu Zi Wenplexion paled. His memory stayed in the backstage lounge of the Golden Hall, his face buried in the fiber of the carpet, how hard he struggled, and feeling as though his whole body was constricted by his throat, even moving a bit was difficult. That feeling, that no matter how much he struggled to breathe there would be no air entering his lungs. His trachea waspletely blocked, he could only feel the oxygen in his chest growing less and less. His body was so painful that he was unable to extricate himself from it. At the moment before death, Lu Zi Wen felt desperate beyond hell. He hated it! He hated the fact that Luo Yu Sen was so unfeeling and just watched him die! He hated it! He hated that he was ignorant and believed in such an animal! Most of the causes of asthma were caused by allergies. Lu Zi Wen had not found out what his allergens were. But, he never thought that he would eventually die under the hands of Luo Yu Sen. Perhaps it was the little dust on Luo Yu Sen¡¯s hands, maybe it was pollen on his arm, but when the violent and sudden asthma attack struck, Lu Zi Wen had no path of resistance. Lu Zi Wen reached out and grabbed his face, leaning back against the cold ss. The passers-by looked curiously at this handsome youth, but Lu Zi Wen was unaware of it as he contemted. Suddenly, he jerked his hand away and mmed it to the wall. He instantly sobered. ¡°Luo Yu Sen. . .¡± ¡°Luo. Yu. Sen!!!¡± Smiling a dark and cold smile, Lu Zi Wen whispered the name of that scumbag between gritted teeth. At this time, even though it was absurd, Lu Zi Wen understood what happened. He didn''t know if he really died, but thinking of that feeling, being so out of breath, he thought that he¡ª¡ªLu Zi Wen must have died. And now, he was reborn in Qi Mu¡¯s body. ¡°Luo Yu Sen, you said. . . you have to wait 92 years for me?¡± ¡°Then. . . you must wait for it.¡± As if he could see the cold and shameless face of that scum, Lu Zi Wen narrowed his eyes into a dangerous stare and looked up at the city''s reddish night sky. His ears were moring with every type of noise, the sound of a car¡¯s horn, pedestrians talking, the hum of footsteps. . . Suddenly, Lu Zi Wen drew his mouth into a slow smile: "It turns out... this original, you, really did have a gift. Is this... absolute pitch?¡± In response to Lu Zi Wen''s words, the stream of vehicles on the busy traffic formed a harmonious melody, and the whole city pounded with sound. And all the sounds split into pieces, one by one in Lu Zi Wen''s ears. From different directions, with different pitches, and even just the sound of metallic impact, Lu Zi Wen could hear its urate rhythm. Lu Zi Wen gawked for a long time, then he recovered: ¡°Not only absolute pitch. . . Hey, aren¡¯t you very talented?¡± As Lu Zi Wen said, if it was never encountered, this kind of talent could not be believed. All those sounds were as if they had thoughts, and they automatically went to their own position, rushing to tell him their direction, pitch and even the frequency of their tremors. The absolute pitch was already very rare, and there were very few people in history to have it, such as the musical genius Mozart. Although Lu Zi Wen did not know what kind of talent these masters had, he believed that the Qi Mu¡¯s absolute pitch could not be inferior to them, and it. . . might even be higher. The sound of all things in this world was discerned and recognized, and it was something that Lu Zi Wen could not have imagined. He finally understood why his parents would demand that Qi Mu not waste his talent. ¡°If you haven¡¯t wasted all these years. . . I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t die in that pub, but instead, you would¡¯ve be one of the few people standing at the top of Vienna.¡± Lu Zi Wen did not know the cause of Qi Mu¡¯s death. After leaving Europe, Qi Mu tended to loiter about and make a mess. So even if he began to ept the kindness from his parents¡¯ friends, how could he live as he wished? He took the money from the elders to go clubbing, pick up girls, andter even raced cars and took drugs. This made the elders cold, and they no longer wanted to see this rebellious music prodigy. He did not touch marijuana for a few days, and this time drank too much wine, so he fainted then ate too much marijuana. The feeling of dreaming while drunk gave him the illusion of returning to the past years of brilliance. However, after his heart became vigorous and his blood went frantic, the genius, known as a rare genius, died in a dirty and dark bar. His peers and friends were still smoking drugs, no one even noticed his death. And Lu Zi Wen woke up in his body when his corpse was about to stiffen. ¡°Di¡ª¡ª¡± A loud whistle sounded suddenly at Lu Zi Wen¡¯s side, shaking his body, and fragments of memories poured into his brain. Only a few secondster, Lu Zi Wen returned from that awkward state and hurriedly looked through Qi Mu¡¯s life. ¡°So it turns out. . . you also wanted to go back to that ce?¡± He had already fallen, and he did not have the determination to quit the drugs. Nor did he have the confidence to work hard enough to return to the music hall¡¯s stage. He just wanted to be the focus of the world''s attention, but he did not make an effort, so he now wandered bars and the underground streets. After all, he was a flower that grew up in a greenhouse. Although he had been frustrated for eight years, he never suffered, so he had no courage to climb up from the bottom. Lu Zi Wen sighed: "Then. . . let''s go back to that ce together, Qi Mu.¡± When his voice fell quiet, Lu Zi Wen felt that this body became light, as if the obsession that belonged to Qi Mu had finally disappeared. The eight-year-old lifestyle had long been exhausted, his money was about to bepletely spent, and his parents¡¯ friends were not willing to help him again. It was a hopeless future for him, so he gave up. ¡°From now on, I am you, Qi Mu. I will make you the sound of Huaxia, I want everyone in Europe to know who you are, I want to let these two words spread all over the world! This is yourst wish. . .¡± ¡°This is also my dream!¡± ¡°Qi Mu, we will go back to that ce together!¡± ¡°Lu Zi Wen has died, now it¡¯s the era of Qi Mu. . .¡± ¡°And it is about to begin!¡± - Vienna, 2 p.m. A city of music that is half the world away down from B City was holding a not too fanciful funeral. Most of the members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra came to offer their condolences. They held white bouquets and walked to a man surrounded by wreaths to express their sorrow. At the end of the day, when the guests were almost gone, there was only a whisper amongst the crowd of departing guests. ¡°I heard. . . that Luo was taken away by the police?¡± ¡°Well, it seems that before Lu¡¯s death, he had a fight with Lu Zi Wen, and the police are investigating it.¡± ¡°Oh, but Lu died because of asthma, this truly is regrettable!¡± ¡°Yeah, Lu was an excellent violinist. It¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°Hey, how could Lu not bring his medicine? This is truly a joke by God. . .¡± The guests left in session. After thest left the hall, a ck Bentley slowly stopped at the entrance of the venue. Then, a pair of bright leather shoes appeared on the te, then a handsome indifferent man got out of the car. He walked into the mourning hall step by step, holding arge bouquet of white lilies in his arms, and did not speak. He just stared at the man in the ck and white photo for a long time, as if to be a statue. No one knew how long he took, but he put the white lilies in his hands before the photograph and finally turned away. It was just a simple action, and he did not even say a word. This man who had been hailed as the king of modern ssicality disappeared into the mourning hall as if he has never been there. Only the white lilies swaying in the wind in the mourning hall he left behind told the truth. ¡°Min, I didn''t expect that when you just found him. . . this would happen," said a blond-haired man who waited at the entrance of the venue. Then he walked back to the car and sat down with him. He couldn''t help but turn and said: "This ident ismentable. As to your Chinese culture, my condolences to you, Min.¡± Min Chen turned to look at the trees that shed by the window, his eyes deep and unclear, like a deep pool. After a long time, he whispered, "Was it really. . . an ident?¡± The blond man asked in surprise: ¡°Min, did you say something?¡± The solemn and elegant man shook his head. He lowered his eyes and covered the emotions in his gaze. The blond looked at him puzzled, then finally turned around and stopped asking. Min¡¯s face was dull but handsome, and this beautiful face that was like a carving finally showed a trace of sadness, but it was well hidden within him. Was it an ident. . . Sooner orter, that much would be understood. | | Chapter tranted by Kuroshinji and edited by Betwixted Chapter 2 Huaxia B City, early morning. ¡°Ding-dong¡ª Ding-dong¡ª¡± The doorbell rang uninterrupted for 3 minutes, resounding awkwardly in the quiet corridor. The man at the door was obviously very patient. Even if there was no reaction from the house, he still tirelessly pressed the doorbell. The young man inside struggled along the wall, staggering to the door. He opened it, surprising the handsome man at the door. The man then lifted the silver sses on the bridge of his nose, looking at the youth with surprise. ¡°Qi Mu. . . why do you look like this?!!!¡± The youth turned aside, allowing him to enter the house, then Qi Mu walked slowly to the sofa and sat down, his whole body seemed to have no strength. ¡°How many days has it been since youst slept? Why do you look so pale?¡± The man frowned, and then said: ¡°If teacher saw you like this now, she would be very sad. You are her only son, I hope you can live well.¡± Qi Mu looked up at the man, his tired eyes staring at him for a while, then he gently shook his head, and said: ¡°I¡¯m detoxing.¡± He then added : ¡°Yes. . . It¡¯s rehab for marijuana. Why are you here, Zheng Wei Qiao?¡± Qi Mu quickly searched for the man¡¯s name in his memory¡ª¡ª Zheng Wei Qiao. Zheng Wei Qiao was the apprentice of Qi Mu¡¯s mother, and he studied violin with her for over a decade. He had an ident a few years ago which fractured the bones in his fingers, and he could no longer y the violin. Ever since he had be a music critic and was quite famous in the industry. In recent years, many of Qi Mu¡¯s parents¡¯ friends and rtive reached out to help him, but because Qi Mu¡¯s behavior disappointed them, they never asked about him anymore. All except Zheng Wei Qiao. His family was poor, so it¡¯s only because of Qi Mu¡¯s mother that he had an opportunity to learn violin. Maybe out of gratitude, but no matter how decadent Qi Mu was, he would tolerate it. Zheng Wei Qiao listened then frowned in disgust, ¡°Marijuana?! When did you start doing that kind of thing? Didn¡¯t I tell you before to not hang out with those friends of yours? Why didn¡¯t you listen? They just want your money, they don¡¯t think of you as a friend at all.¡± Qi Mu rubbed his temples, not answering him. Zheng Wei Qiao saw this and sighed: ¡°You¡¯re young, and your parents died early so you don¡¯t know that this is normal. But, Qi Mu, I don¡¯t want you to go on like this, wasting your talent. Teacher once said you could achieve what she had in 40 years in just 20 years. But how about you now?¡± The most obvious symptom of marijuana withdrawal was insomnia. For three days, he barely slept. He was in a bad mood, and he felt there was something stifling his heart but he couldn¡¯t tell what it was. He couldn¡¯t sleep at night, often felt hungry, and even if he ate, nausea would kick in and he would throw up everything. It was really killing him. Fortunately, the effects of marijuana didn¡¯t take long to purge, so by the third day he already felt somewhat better and was a little sleepy. But just as he wanted to sleep, he heard the doorbell. He went to the door with his weak body, saw Zheng Wei Qiao, and now had to listen to his long lecture. ¡°If you really don¡¯t like ying the violin, I won¡¯t force you. I recently found a good job for you, as an assistant at ¡¶Sound of Music¡·. If you want, there¡¯s a chance to climb up in the future.¡± Hearing this, Qi Mu raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you arrange a job as a music teacher for me before?¡± In the original¡¯s memories, Zheng Wei Qiao arranged a lot of things for him in the past few years, finding dozens of different jobs for him. In the end, the original was overwhelmed by everything and refused all those jobs. Zheng Wei Qiao was surprised by Qi Mu¡¯s words, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t even want to touch the violin? Even though this job is just as an assistant if you really don¡¯t want to y the violin, it¡¯s fine.¡± When he said this, Zheng Wei Qiao helplessly shook his head. He believed his teacher, and he also knew what kind of talent this young man in front of him had. But maybe his teacher pushed Qi Mu too hard when he was a kid, no one expected it would lead to such a serious psychological scar. Now, he didn''t even want to touch the violin. Actually, Zheng Wei Qiao was wrong about that. Qi Mu knew that the original owner didn¡¯t really hate the violin, he was actually afraid. He¡¯s afraid that even if he worked hard, he wouldn¡¯t be as brilliant as he used to be. He¡¯s afraid that even if he picked up the violin again, he would only be an ordinary violinist. Because he used to beuded as a musical prodigy, he would beughed at. That was what the original feared the most. So, he might as well stop ying, and in this way, he could maintain the past glory. ¡°Qi Mu, it¡¯s time for you to do something different. Even though it¡¯s just an assistant job now, you can be an editorter. Even bing the chief editor is possible. If you¡¯re willing to work hard, I¡¯m sure you can do it. . .¡± ¡°Are there any events going on right now?¡± ¡°You just have to go to¡¶Sound of Music¡·. . . Ah, what did you say?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao asked in surprise. He saw the youth smile and looked at him. Although his delicate face looked haggard and exhausted, it was still unable to hide his brilliance. Qi Mu said, ¡°You know, recently. . . are there any events? Small concerts, even aq family concert is okay too. Hmm. . . Or, if there¡¯s arge orchestra recruiting, that¡¯s even better.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao didn¡¯t respond for a while, then he asked awkwardly, ¡°Do you want to go to a concert?¡± Qi Mu chuckled and shook his head, ¡°I was thinking about applying there.¡± ¡°If you want to go to a concert, the B City Orchestra. . . You said you want to apply?!!!¡± Zheng Wei Qiao stared at his eyes which were filled with confidence and asked in amazement, ¡°Do you really want to apply? What do you want to apply for?¡± Qi Mu slightly frowned, then asked a rhetorical question, ¡°Is it. . . Shouldn¡¯t it be a violinist position?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao was silent for a long time, in the end, he just nodded, ¡°It should be. . .¡± The next second, he immediately reacted. ¡°Qi Mu, why do you suddenly want to apply? Have you had some financial difficultiestely? Or do you actually really want to pick up the violin again? If you have any problems, you can just tell me. I¡¯ll try my best to help you.¡± In the original¡¯s memory, Zheng Wei Qiao had always been a calm person. So seeing the man¡¯s disbelieving expression, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but feel funny, then he said, ¡°I really want to go back to ying the violin again. Zheng-Ge, you don¡¯t have to worry. Do you know anywhere that¡¯scking personneltely? Can you get me in touch with them?¡± ¡°If you have an issue, you can just tell me. I can. . .¡± ¡°I really, really don¡¯t have any financial problems!¡± He immediately interrupted Zheng Wei Qiao. While saying this, he also reached out to Zheng Wei Qiao who was taking out his wallet with an expression that showed he did not know whether tough or cry. ¡°Just trust me for once, Zheng-Ge. I really want to go back.¡± Hearing this, Zheng Wei Qiao paused in taking out his money. He looked the youth up and down with suspicion for a while to make sure he wasn¡¯t lying to him. Then he said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay more attention to this when I go back. You. . . Your decision to go back into the circle is not because you think the position as an assistant is too low for you, right?¡± The man had been suspicious of him since he entered the house. Thinking this, Qi Mu shook his head solemnly and seriously, earnestly, said, ¡°Even if I can be the Chief Editor for ¡¶Sound of Music¡· today, I will still tell you the same thing, Zheng-Ge. So if you know anywhere that wants to recruit, please don¡¯t hesitate to contact me.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao looked at Qi Mu with aplex expression for a long time. Although heplied with this request, he still didn¡¯t believe that Qi Mu wanted to go back to ying violin until he was about to leave. Just before he left, he hesitated and, in the end, he said, ¡°If you really are short on money. . . just call me, Qi Mu. . .¡± This made the beautiful youth want to cry without tears. He couldn¡¯t help but say the same thing again: ¡°OK, OK, OK, if I¡¯m short on money, I will definitely call you.¡± This is the first time he saw someone begging for people to borrow money from them, Qi Mu felt like he had added a lot of new experiences to his life. After Zheng Wei Qiao left, he remembered that he hadn¡¯t eaten for a day. Wanting to fill his belly, he had not even left the table yet when he received a call from Zheng Wei Qiao. Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s efficiency was unexpectedly high. He was also quite famous in the ssical music circle in B City, so he quickly had some inside information. ¡°This is recent news. The B City Orchestra is looking for new people. In two months, they will be performing a New Year¡¯s concert at B City Hall, only two months. . . But Qi Mu, you haven¡¯t touched the violin for several years?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s concerns could be heard through the phone, he sighed and then asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait till I found something else?¡± ¡°Two months?¡± On the other side of the line, Qi Mu pleasant voice was heard, Zheng Wei Qiao froze, and he confirmed, ¡°Yes, only two months. The deputy chief violinist of B City Orchestra is ill and still recuperating. It is said that the candidate violinist in the orchestra is not always in line with the conductor, so they are recruiting.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao then added: ¡°You can¡¯t audition unless you¡¯re rmended. Although I have a rmendation from a friend, Qi Mu, I think you should practice for a few months before youe back. It¡¯s better that way.¡± Under the warm sunlight, Qi Mu looked up to the boundless sky. Seeing the clear blue sky, cloudless, B City beautiful weather seemed to indicate a bright future. He smiled and said into the phone, ¡° Zheng-Ge, I remember three years ago. . . I seem to have left my violin at your house?¡± Hearing this, Zheng Wei Qiao suddenly said: ¡°Left. . . at my house?!¡± How could he not remember things from three years ago? Obviously, it was Qi Mu who didn¡¯t want to even look at his violin anymore, so he gave him that precious violin, and suddenly this. . . ¡°Yes, I identally left it at your house.¡± Qi Mu was adamant. ¡°. . .¡± ¡°Zheng-Ge?¡± On the other side of the phone, Zheng Wei Qiao was in a good mood. The violin was an expensive one, and now that Qi Mu wanted it back, Zheng Wei Qiao didn¡¯t feel reluctant in the least. Instead, he felt happy and even the depressing feelings in his heart that had lingered for the past few years had cleared up. ¡°I¡¯ll send it to you tomorrow, Qi Mu. No, wait. . . I¡¯ll send it to you tonight! Forget it, forget it, I¡¯ll go back right now and send it to you!!!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Just what was Zheng Wei Qiao thinking about? Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s was thinking: This can¡¯t be dyed at all! Who knows if Qi Mu would suddenly have a change of heart and no longer want to y? Zheng Wei Qiao still remembered. Last year, Qi Mu sold a family property and bought a Ferrari that he had been dreaming about for a while. But after he just got it, it only took two days before he went and sold the car. What did he say at that time? ¡ª¡ª ¡°Well, I felt passionate for it at the time, but I¡¯m bored of it already.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao didn¡¯t dare to risk it. If tomorrow Qi Mu suddenly said ¡°Um, I have a change of heart for the violin as well and I¡¯m already bored. So I will give this violin to you again.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao would cry like a dog. Having not hung up the phone yet, Zheng Wei Qiao asked curiously, ¡°Hey. . . why do you suddenly want to go back into the circle?¡± On the other side of the line, the young man who was starving because of the drugs picked up his 20th piece of toast with no expression and directly ate it. After he chewed and swallowed the bread, he thought about it for a while then said, ¡°Why? Hmm, probably I¡¯ve quit my rebellious period and am now returning to normal.¡± After hearing this, Zheng Wei Qiao paced. ¡°You. . . Did you eat something weirdtely?¡± Qi Mu ate another piece of toast, thought a bit then said rhetorically: ¡°Marijuana?¡± ¡°. . .¡± Well, he really did eat something weird. But this thing. . . It was a good bad thing to eat! Zheng Wei Qiao thought nkly. Today, the sky in B City was clear. Zheng Wei Qiao, who had always been calm, was rushing back and forth today. His clothes are covered with sweat, and he finally delivered the precious violin to Qi Mu. The youth happened to be about to have instant noodles and whileughing, he asked Zheng Wei Qiao to eat together. Well, for Qi Mu, it was his second instant noodles for today and he was also in a mood to change his taste¡ª¡ª Changing from braised beef vor to mushroom stewed chicken, that is. So the two of them enjoyed a hot meal together. . . After eating the instant noodles, the sky had already be dark. Zheng Wei Qiao lingered on the doorstep for a while and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Qi Mu, I am really d you said that today. I haven¡¯t seen you for half a month and you¡¯ve changed a lot. But I want you to know that once you really get into the orchestra, there are a lot of things you can¡¯t do as you wish. You really. . . Have you really made up your mind?¡± Under the bright lights, the youth slowly smiled and seriously said: ¡°Zheng-Ge, you think my change is a bit too big. . . Are you worried that it¡¯s just a whim of mine and I¡¯m just ying around?¡± As a matter of fact, Zheng Wei Qiao and Qi Mu weren¡¯t in contact much. Only recently had it became frequent. In the past few years, life had been difficult for Qi Mu. He was no longer as ignorant as before and the way he treated people had also changed. However, no matter how much he may have changed, it was not as big as the surprise he gave Zheng Wei Qiao today. Zheng Wei Qiao nced at the soft hand of the youth that was leaning against the door. He was sure no one else in the world would have such a beautiful pair of hands, so even though Zheng Wei Qiao doubted that someone had reced him, it was kind of suspicious. With a sigh in his heart, Zheng Wei Qiao shook his head. ¡°Perhaps something happened to you in the past half-month that haspletely changed you. Qi Mu, you still have a lot of room for improvement, so I¡¯m d of your changes today. I¡¯m not worried that this is just a whim of yours, this is your own choices. I just hope. . . you¡¯ll be serious about this.¡± Qi Mu was slightly surprised, and he looked at Zheng Wei Qiao seriously for the first time. Zheng Wei Qiao finally smiled for the first time, he turned his silver sses up and said, ¡°This is unlike the past. Your parents both passed away, so there is no way for them to help you. I will do my best to help but everything still depends on you. For your own future, only you can make the decision. So you have to take each step seriously. I¡¯ll try to keep youpany, but really, everything depends on yourself.¡± He waited until Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s figure disappeared and only then closed the door. He then leaned back against the cold metal for a while and suddenlyughed. ¡°Why are the differences between people. . . so big?¡± ¡°God is blind. Why did you make someone so bright as Zheng Wei Qiao hurt his fingers?¡± ¡°Luo Yu Sen. . . You have to protect your fingers.¡± As if he suddenly thought of something funny, Qi Muughed softly: ¡°Yes, remember to protect your fingers, Luo Yu Sen. . .¡± Chapter 2 (2) Chapter 2- Returning to orchestra? Huaxia B City, early morning. "Ding Dong¡ª ding dong¡ª" The unending doorbell has been ringing for 3 minutes, the sound feeling very abrupt in the quiet corridor. The knocker was obviously very patient; even if there was no reaction from the house, he continued on tirelessly. A youth in the room struggled against the wall and staggered to open the door, startling the handsome man outside the door. The handsome man adjusted the silver sses on his face as he looked at the youth in surprise. "Qi Mu¡­ Why do you look like that?!!!" While saying that, the man entered the room while Qi Mu slowly walked to the sofa and sat down weakly. "How many days have you not slept? Why are you so haggard?" The man frowned and said, "If teacher knew that you''ve be like this, she would be very sad. You are her only son, so I hope you can live well." Qi Mu looked up and nced at the man. His tired eyes looked at the other person for a moment, then gently shook his head and said, "I''m in rehab." He paused, and added: "Er¡­ I''m rehabilitating from marijuana. What are you doing here, Zheng Weiqiao?" Qi Mu quickly searched for his memory for this man''s name¨C Zheng Weiqiao. Zheng Weiqiao was the apprentice of Qi Mu''s mother. He studied under her for more than 10 years but had an ident a few years ago, resulting in a bone fracture and him being unable to pick up the violin. Since then, he had switched to being a music critic and was famous in the industry. Over the years, many old friends of his father and mother gave Qi Mu help, but they had been indifferent about him and didn''t get involved with raising him; however, Zheng Weiqiao was an exception. His family was poor, but because Qi Mu''s mother gave him a chance to learn violin, he tolerated Qi Mu''s attitude and past. Zheng Weiqiao listened to Qi Mu''s words and frowned at him in disgust: "Marijuana?! When did you do drugs? Didn''t I say that you shouldn''t associate with those foolish friends again? How could you not listen? They want you as their wallet, not their friend." Qi Mu stretched his hand to rub his temple without answering. Zheng Weiqiao understood the situation and sighed: "You are still young, and your parents left early. It is normal for you to not know this. But Qi Mu, I do not want you to continue this way. You are wasting your talent. Once you said you could reach your mother''s 40 year old achievement at the age of 20, but what about the you now?" In response to withdrawal symptoms, the most obvious thing that Qi Mu felt was insomnia. For three days, he hardly slept. His mood was awful, he felt like he was restless and suffocating, but he could not say from what. Once it was night, he could not sleep and often felt hunger, but could only vomit after each meal. He really wasted himself away to nothing. Fortunately, the original owner seemed like he had not been smoking marijuana for a a while, so on the third day, Qi Mu felt a lot morefortable and also a bit sleepy. When he was about to sleep, he heard a loud doorbell. He got up despite his weak body and saw Zheng Weiqiao. He even listened to his lengthy reprimand. "Qi Mu, if you really don''t like the violin that much, then I won''t force you. I recently found a good job for you. It''s to be an assistant stage manager in "The Sound of Music." [1], if you''re willing to have a chance to climb up again." [1] It''s a musical. Assistant stage manager seems to do a lot of misc. tasks ording to wiki. Hearing this, Qi Mu raised an eyebrow and asked: "Haven''t you arranged for me to work as a music teacher before?" In the original owner''s memory, Zheng Weiqiao had been constantly working to help Qi Mu earn money. He found a ton of different kinds of work to introduce to him. In the end, he was rejected by the original Qi Mu, who was too tired or hated it too much to go work. Last month, Zheng Weiqiao also introduced a good job- violin tutoring students at a university; he didn''t expect to change jobs again after half a month. After listening to Qi Mu''s words, Zheng Weiqiao was surprised: "I thought you didn''t want to y the violin? This job is only an assistant, so it''s perfectly fine if you don''t y." As he said this, Zheng Weiqiao shook his head helplessly. He believed in his teacher''s words and understood what kind of talent this youth has. However, his teacher was probably too strict with Qi Mu when he was a child. None of them thought it would backfire and he would actually be so rebellious. Nowadays, he was not willing to y the violin again. However, Zheng Weiqiao assumed wrong. Qi Mu knew that the original owner was not really repulsed by the violin, but instead worried. He was worried that even if he tried hard, he would not be able to achieve his former glory. He worried that even if he picks up the violin again, he could only be an ordinary violinist, and would be ridiculed as a just former music child prodigy. This was what the original owner was most afraid of. Therefore, it may have been better to simply never y again, maintaining the glory of his past. "Qi Mu, you should also do something different. Although you are only an assistant now, you can still be a stage managerter. You could even be the production stage manager, if you are willing to work hard. I believe you can certainly¡­" "Has there been any news in the music industry,tely?" "¡­do well in "The Sound of Music"¡­¡­Wh, what did you just say?" asked Zheng Weiqiao in amazement. The handsome youth smiled as he looked at him. Although the delicate face was exhausted, it was hard to hide its brilliance. Qi Muughed and said, "Do you know what''s been going on recently? Small concerts, even family concerts are fine [2]. Well¡­ It would be better if there was news of arge orchestra recruiting people." [2] I''m guessing small concerts are like ones that are in a small concert hall, while family concerts would be ones in public areas like civic centers, performed to an even smaller audience. Zheng Weiqiao did not react for a moment, but then asked nkly: "You want to go to a concert?" Qi Muughed as he shook his head and said:"I want to audition for a position." "If you want to go to a concert, recently the B City Movie Orchestra¡­ you said you want to audition?!!!" Zheng Weiqiao eyes bulged unbelieving, as he asked horrified: "You actually want to audition? What are you auditioning as?" Qi Mu frowned slightly and answered with a question: "Aren''t I¡­ a violinist?" Zheng Weiqiao was expressionless for a long time before he nodded: "Aren''t you¡­" In the next second, he immediately responded: "Qi Mu, why do you suddenly want to apply? Have you had any financial difficulties recently that you would actually pick up the violin? If you have anything you want to tell me, I will try to solve it for you." In the original owner''s memory, Zheng Weiqiao has always been a calm and clearheaded person. Therefore, seeing the unbelieving appearance of the person now, Qi Mu feels both ridiculous and helpless. He said, "I really want to go back, Brother Zheng, you don''t have to worry. If you know of any recent openings, can you contact me?" "If you have anything you want to tell me, I can¡­" "I really do not have financial difficulties!" Qi Mu immediately interrupted Zheng Weiqiao''s words, pping away Zheng Weiqiao''s hand as he reached into his wallet. He could not help but cry out: "You can trust in me this once, brother Zheng. I really want to go back." Hearing that said, Zheng Weiqiao''s hand faltered. He stared suspiciously at the youth in front of him for a long time before confirming that the person was not deceiving him, and said: "I will look more into this matter when I go back. You¡­ really didn''t think that the assistant''s position was too much for you, that it was too disgraceful that you wanted to return to music?" The other person had been suspicious of Qi Mu''s behaviour since he had entered the door. Qi Mu merely shook his head earnestly and determinedly stated: "Even if you wanted me to be the stage manager of "The Sound of Music", Brother Zheng, I would have told you the same thing. If you know somewhere that''s recently started hiring, please be sure to contact me." Zheng Weiqiao looked at him with aplicated expression for a long time. Although he agreed to it, he still did not fully believe him in the end, that Qi Mu really wanted to go back. Before he left, he hesitated over and over, before finally saying: "If it really is because youck money¡­ you can call me, Qi Mu¡­" These words made the beautiful young man want to cry, as he repeated himself once more: "Yesyesyes, if I reallyck money, I will certainly contact you." It was the first time in Qi Mu''s long life that someone asked him to borrow money from them. After Zheng Weiqiao left, Qi Mu remembered that he hadn''t eaten yet. When he finished filling his stomach, he had not left the table when he received a phone call from Zheng Weiqiao. Zheng Weiqiao''s efficiency was surprisingly high. He was also a bit of a celebrity in the ssical music circle of B City, so he quickly found some inside news. "Recently, the B City Orchestra has been hiring people. In two months they will have a New Year concert at B City''s city hall. You''ll only have two months¡­ Qi Mu, you haven''t touched the violin in years right?" Zheng Weiqiao''s worries could be heard over the phone. He sighed and said. "Would you like me to look for other jobs?" "Two months?" As Qi Mu''s low and pleasant voice came through on the other end of the phone, briefly distracting Zheng Weiqiao. Then he said, "Yes, there''s only two months. A violinist of the 2nd violins [3] is currently recovering from an illness; they had a member in mind for substitution but they can''t seem to agree with the conductor so they will be recruiting people to audition instead." Zheng Weiqiao paused and added: "I can only get you an audition through a rmendation. I got a referral from my friend, but Qi Mu, I think it''s better if youe back after a few more months of practice¡­ it''s for the best." [3] It said something like the 2nd violinist of the 2nd violins, but there''s not really a specific role for that. The part didn''t seem that important, so I just took out that. Bathed in bright and warm sunshine, Qi Mu looked out the window at the endless sky. Seeing such a blue sky with cotton clouds rolling by, this sort of rare weather in B City seemed like it was a sign of a bright future. He smiled and spoke into the phone: "Brother Zheng, I remembered three years ago¡­ I left a violin at your house, didn''t I?" Zheng Weiqiao was stunned: "Left¡­ at my home?!" How did he remember three years ago, Qi Mu undoubtedly bid his career farewell, giving him his precious violin, how was it left¡­ "I. A-C-C-I-D-E-N-T-A-L-L-Y L-E-F-T I-T. At your house." Qi Mu said firmly. "¡­¡­" "Brother Zheng?" At the end of the call, Zheng Weiqiao was in a good mood. Although it was an expensive violin, and Qi Mu was now asking him to give it back, Zheng Weiqiao did not feel reluctant, butfortable instead. It was like the frustrations of the past few years had just cleared away. "I''ll send it to you tomorrow, Qi Mu. Wait no¡­ I''ll send it to you tonight! Forget it forget it, I''ll go back and get it now!!!" Qi Mu: "¡­¡­" What was Zheng Weiqiao thinking about? He was thinking that this matter could not be dyed at all. What if Qi Mu had a fever and suddenly did not want it? Zheng Weiqiao rememberedst year, when Qi Mu was bankrupt he still bought a long desired Ferrari. However, after getting his hands on it, this young man quickly sold it in just two days. What did he say then? ¨D ¨D"Well, I had a bit of fun, but I''m already tired of this thing." Zheng Weiqiao would not dare take this risk, but if Qi Mu told him the next day "Well, I had my fun, I''ll give this violin to you again." Zheng Weiqiao would really cry like a dog. The call had not yet ended; Zheng Weiqiao asked with curiosity: "Qi Mu¡­ why did you suddenly want to rejoin the music industry?" On the other side of the phone, the young man whose hunger had been affected by marijuana expressionlessly picked up today''s 20th piece of toast and shoved it straight into his mouth. Swallowing up the bread, Qi Mu thought wistfully and said, "Why do I want to go back? Well after a period of rebellion, it should be time to go back to normal." Listening to his munching, Zheng Weiqiao asked: "Have you¡­ been eating something recently?" Qi Mu stuffed another piece of toast into his stomach and thought for moment, and pondered: "Marijuana?" "¡­¡­" It was a mistake to eat that. This bad thing¡­¡­ Was it that good to eat! Zheng Weiqiao''s face was nk as his heart cried with sorrow. Today, B City''s clear skies were really blue. Zheng Weiqiao, who has always been calm and clearheaded, was rushing back and forth, sweat soaking his clothes. Finally, the precious violin had been sent to Qi Mu. Qi Mu, who had just poured hot water into some instant noodles, simply invited Zheng Weiqiao to dinner while smiling. Well, for Qi Mu, it was his second serving of instant noodles, though he did change the vor¨D¨D From braised beef to mushroom stew chicken. It became dark while the two enjoyed the hot, fragrant taste of instant noodles. Zheng Weiqiao was lingering at the door, as he could not help but say: "Qi Mu, I''m really d you said such a thing today. I haven''t seen you in more than half a month, but you''ve changed a bit. However, I want you to know that once you''ve enter the orchestra there might be a lot of things that might make you change your mind. Have you¡­ really resolved yourself into doing this?" Under the bright entrance lights, the young man slowly stretched his face into a smile, and seriously said to him: "Brother Zheng, are you worried that I''ve changed too much today¡­ that I simply thought of this pretense just for fun?" Actually, Zheng Weiqiao and Qi Mu weren''t in contact much, only meeting more frequently in recent years. In the past few years, Qi Mu had been tormented by life; he may not be as renowned now, but people were not as ignorant of him as before. But even if Qi Mu''s previous temperament had vanished, what was said today had been very surprising to Zheng Weiqiao. Zheng Weiqiao quietly nced at the hand gently ced against the door. It''s a wonder how such a pair of beautiful hands could possibly exist in this world; if Zheng Weiqiao didn''t know Qi Mu, he would''ve thought he had stic surgery for them. With a sigh in his heart, Zheng Weiqiao shook his head: "Maybe it was something you had encountered in the past month thatpletely changed you. Qi Mu, you also have a lot of sticity; for you to bounce back into such a person today makes me very happy. I''m not worried you''re just ying around. These are your own choices. I only hope¡­ that you can take this seriously." Hearing Zheng Weiqiao earnestly looking after him made Qi Mu a bit stunned, Zheng Weiqiao finally revealed a smile for the first time today. He raised his hand to adjust his silver sses and said: "This is not the same as the past. Your parents have been dead for many years and have no way of helping you. I will try to help you, but Qi Mu, everything still depends on you. Only you can decide your future, and you must take each decision very seriously. I will try to help you along but¡­ the final decision is all up to you in the end." It was not until Zheng Weiqiao disappeared around the corner that Qi Mu closed the door. He leaned against the cold, metallic anti-theft door for a long time, and then suddenlyughed. "Why¡­ are you so different from others?" "The heavens are really too blind, devouring up your potential like this. Zheng Weiqiao suffered an ident and hurt his fingers?" "Luo Yu Sen-ah¡­ Make sure you protect your fingers." As if he thought of something funny, Qi Mu gave a lowugh and said: "Yes, you must remember to protect your fingers well, Luo Yu Sen."

TL Notes:
  1. I believe that Lu Ziwen is now called Qi Mu; so instead of Qi Mu referring the original, it actually means Lu Ziwen.
  2. I looked up stage management on wiki and used the US terms. The levels from most to least important are: Production Stage Manager, Stage Manager, and Assistant Stage Manager. I don''t think this wille up again though.
  3. I''m pretty sure Min Chen is the ML btw, not Zheng Weiqiao. After seeing all those scenes between ZWQ and QM, I thought I should rify lmao..
  4. Here is the first draft of them enjoying instant noodles: "The two enjoyed a hot, steamy moment¡­ of instant noodles." And: "Only you can decide your future, and as you decide on each step you take, try to make it into a nice stroll as well. I will try to walk with you but¡­ everything really is all up to you in the end." Google made this so romantic¡­ Sadly, when I looked into it more this wasn''t what it actually said, so I had to change it.
  5. Auditioning is how you apply for positions in orchestra.
¡ª ¡­Zheng Weiqiao is¡­ really cute¡­ if he ends up betraying Qi Mu in the future or smth I''ll be so mad LOL. People on the KoCM forums have pointed some stuff out for me! There are actually 312 chapters. I''ve also found out the titles of each chapter so that has been updated as well! See you next week~ Chapter 3 B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra was one of the most famous orchestras in Huaxia. Generally speaking, for arge orchestra like this, they usually have their own fixed team and rarely recruit new members. However, there¡¯s still situations like today, where the position that¡¯s empty is important, so they have to recruit outsiders. So, when Qi Mu arrived at the audition¡¯s location, there were already many people in the room, waiting in line. Zheng Wei Qiao informed him, ¡°Most people who came here today are violinists from other orchestras in B City. You stayed in Europe for a long time, and you haven¡¯t yed here in Huaxia a lot. So teacher probably didn¡¯t tell you, Huaxia¡¯s symphony have ate start, and there are not too many personnel, so things like recruiting new members or swapping members happens a lot.¡± Huaxia¡¯s symphony history only began in thest century, and the internal management is a bit loose. In this aspect, it was quite simr to the North American orchestra. In Europe, where orchestras had developed and were already matured, personnel changes of such a big orchestra was a rare urrence. For example, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra which had the reputation of ¡°The Best in the World¡±, their leaders followed the rule of ¡°no changes till death¡±. Thinking of this, Qi Mu narrowed his eyes. He remembered that six years ago, the conductor of this orchestra quit when he was at the peak of his career. At this time, he handed the baton to the current conductor and created the myth of a modern king of ssical music. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, the selection of B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra is still methodical, and they use a random ballot. I believe in your strength.¡± Qi Mu nodded gently and said with augh, ¡°Yes, I will do my best.¡± Pointing at a middle-aged man who was talking, Zheng Wei Qiao said, ¡°That¡¯s the deputy chief violinist of B City Symphony Orchestra, he¡¯s pretty good so he¡¯s your biggestpetitor.¡± Having said this, it seems like he¡¯s worried about the youth¡¯s self-esteem, Zheng Wei Qiao hurriedly added, ¡°Of course, he never yed in the Golden Hall. If you hadn¡¯t abandoned the violin for the past few years, you would¡¯ve surpassed him.¡± Qi Mu, who knew nothing of his thoughts, nodded and showed a calm smile, ¡°Yes, Zheng-Ge. I won¡¯t underestimate my opponent, don¡¯t worry.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao smiled and, after a few more encouraging words, he went over to an old friend to catch up. Qi Mu ced the violin case on the table and took out a delicate and beautiful violin. He began to tune it. The violin¡¯s curves were smooth and graceful, the spruce lines on the panel were clear as if it was carefully crafted by God. When Qi Mu took it out of the green velvet case, it caught the attention of the violinists near him. All of them gasped in amazement. ¡°What a nice curve, this violin is beautiful!¡± ¡°The design is a bit like a lyre, small on the head, wide downward and the middle line is beautiful.¡± ¡°It''s not a real Stradivarius violin, right? How much is that worth?¡± . . . The violin was one of the collector violins made by Master Stradivari more than 200 years ago. It didn¡¯t have the shape of a standard violin. Whether it was the carving on its head, the panel curvature or board thickness, it was all at the peak of the craft. Ten years ago, Europe had auctioned one of the violins in this collection, and it sold for 3.5 million. Qi Mu didn¡¯t pay attention to the voices. He picked up the slender bow and wiped it with rosin for a while then started tuning. He naturally knew that this was not a real one, each violin of that collection was a priceless one, even the nouveau riche couldn¡¯t just casually buy one. The one in his hands was an imitation or a replica of one, made personally by Master Zhao Shi Cheng, a master in Huaxia. Even if it was an imitation, it still sold at six figures. But. . . wasn¡¯t there a real one in the possession of his family? Qi Mu knew that his parents had an exquisite and expensive violin, and it could sell for at least seven digits on the market. That violin was currently in a Swiss Bank safe, originally prepared for the original owner once he turned 18, but now. . . The group of people in his parents¡¯ circle of friends worried about his seeminglyck of a bottom line since he even wanted to sell the ¡°Xiao Gongzhu*¡±. So they decided that he couldn¡¯t take it until he performed in the Golden Hall again, and only then he could have the violin. *Little Princess Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He knew that the original had lost the right for the violin. ¡°Is this. . . Master Zhao¡¯s replication?¡± A surprised male voice came from behind him, and he turned to look at the person. He then saw a young violinist looking at him, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Master Zhao¡¯s works before. He always bends the curve on the head of the violin in all of his works.¡± A little distracted, Qi Mu smiled, ¡°Yes, it is Master Zhao¡¯s work.¡± ¡°Really! It¡¯s actually Master Zhao¡¯s replication, that¡¯s so rare!¡± The young man looked at the violin in his hands several times and, after hesitating for a while, he finally asked, ¡°Excuse me, um. . . Are you Qi Mu?¡± The young man¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, and it was drowned out by the crowd quickly afterward. Practicing his violin, only the middle-aged man near them heard it. He then nced over at them in surprise. Actually, Qi Mu was also surprised. The original didn¡¯t show himself in public since he was 14 years old, his appearance had also changed a little. It was reasonable to say that not many people could recognize him. But it looked like this young man who was in his 20¡¯s was able to recognize him at a nce, it really surprised him. ¡°Yes, I am. Do I know you?¡± Qi Mu¡¯s eyebrow rose slightly and he wore an awkward smile. The young man whispered, ¡°It¡¯s really you! I grew up watching your performance! I really love the one you performed ¡¶Bat Overture of Die Fledermaus¡· with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, especially thest allegro. Your skills are really amazing!¡± The youth at his side couldn¡¯t help but hum quietly, and Qi Mu didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. This young man looked like he was a little bit older than the original, and yet he said he grew up watching him perform. . . Although it was not intentional, if a person who was quite astute heard someone say this, they can¡¯t help but think that he¡¯s being sarcastic. Qi Mu slightly lowered his eyes and smiled, ¡°Thank you for thepliment. I heard you practicing ¡¶Mazas Op. 36¡· over there, your vibrato is good.¡± The young man heard this and excitedly carried a conversation with Qi Mu, but it wasn¡¯t long before it was his turn to audition. Qi Mu smiled and, after giving the young man a few encouraging words, he stayed where he was and continued rubbing his bow with rosin. He never liked to practice before his performance unlike most people, so he would just rub his bow with rosin. He never seemed to be bored with watching the white powder on his bow. ¡°Are you really. . . Qi Mu?¡± Qi Mu turned around, and he saw the middle-aged man from earliere over to him with a frown. Seeing the disgust in the man¡¯s eyes, Qi Mu gradually smiled and lifted his face, saying, ¡°Yes, I am. How can I help you?¡± The man was the person Zheng Wei Qiao pointed out to him earlier. Seeing this, the middle-aged man said impatiently, ¡°I know what you¡¯ve been doing for these past few years, Qi Mu. I thought you said you wouldn¡¯t ever touch the violin again? And now apparently you¡¯re ying again? Don¡¯t think the achievements in your childhood can help you now, I heard your y earlier. Your skill level is way behind, you should just go back and y with little kids.¡± This man deliberately said this aloud, so the people could hear his words. All of them turned and looked at Qi Mu. ¡°Who is Qi Mu?¡± could be heard from the people from time to time. And someone answered, ¡°He¡¯s a child prodigy and I heard he¡¯d fallen.¡± This man clearly knew how many ridiculous things the original had done these past few years, like, him selling a cherished music score of his father¡¯s rtives. Therefore, his rtionship with that rtive had been bad since. Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but find it funny. Among the people here, he¡¯s the only one with a tuner. The rest are tuning ording to their own hearing, this contrast made people think his skill wasn¡¯t good. But. . . He can hear the pitch differences, contrary to what people think, just that he was hearing too many sounds. It was difficult for him to tune his violin, which was why he used the tuner. This body had a good sense of hearing, he could even hear the sounds of nature around. The pitch, the tremor, and everything else. ¡°Mr. Lu, thank you for your concern.¡± Qi Mu remembered Zheng Wei Qiao told him that this man¡¯s surname was Lu. He smiled politely and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing these days, and I am serious about this audition.¡± Qi Mu restrained his temper, he was just a neer after all. If he showed off his talents too much, he wouldn¡¯t be able to go far. Unexpectedly, the middle-aged man was unfazed by this, ¡°Qi Mu, I¡¯m also kind of your senior. Your parents were very brilliant in the past, you also gained a lot of prestige. But I also heard about how you wasted your talent, we all know what you did these past years. Don¡¯t embarrass your parents, just go home.¡± Saying this, the man still did his best to convince Qi Mu, ¡°B City Symphony Orchestra is not a ce where anyone can enter, don¡¯t let your parents lose face. I¡¯m saying this for your own good, you know your talent was only amazing because you were only a child at that time. Now you¡¯re old enough to get married and have kids of your own.¡± The corner of Qi Mu¡¯s lips curved further and further down. This man actually dared to say such self-righteous words, finally, the man looked at the youth with a nk expression, ¡°This kid, are you taking this recruitment as a game? You just said you practiced hard these past days, do you really think you can pass. . .¡± ¡°Mr. Lu,¡± the young man helplessly sighed through his nose, interrupting the man¡¯s words. The youth flicked the hair that was covering his forehead back, revealing a pair of beautiful eyes. ¡°May I ask, did you install any camera at my house?¡± The man gawked and instinctively answered, ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Ah, then how do you know whether or not I practiced hard?¡± ¡°You. . .!!!¡± Seeing the other party¡¯s dumbfounded look, Qi Mu raised the corner of his lips andughed softly. Then he stopped looking at the man. Lu wanted to say something, but his number was being called so he prepared to audition. Before leaving, he went over to Qi Mu and said in a threatening manner, ¡°Wait until the results are out, only then you will know how many years you¡¯ve fallen behind everyone else! Brat, don¡¯t think just because you have talent you can mess around. I will show you real strength, hard work is far more important than talent!¡± Qi Mu smiled and asked him, ¡°Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% hard work?¡± Lu, the middle-aged man, immediately nodded, ¡°Correct!¡± Then he saw Qi Mu¡¯s lips slowly curved up, revealing his white teeth, ¡°Oh, I forgot to say just now. That 1% insight is far more important than the 99%.¡± ¡°You. . .!!!¡± His eyes followed the man who walked angrily forward, and the smile that he deliberately put on also subsided. Naturally, he knew that there are a lot of hard-working people in this world. But even if they worked hard all their life, they wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up with those who were naturally talented, even if they came from a good family or good fortune. Like himself. If he wasn¡¯t talented, he wouldn¡¯t have be the deputy chief violinist of Vienna Symphony Orchestra with just his background of an orphan. But in this world, people who worked hard without getting frustrated might also be masters. For example, Mahler who was an orphan without a family. Same went for Schubert. But they would never hate a talented person or be envious of other people¡¯s family background. People who do things like that would probably remain a deputy chief of some regr orchestra all their life. Qi Mu sighed softly, the hands that were working on rubbing the rosin on the bow also slowed a little. What he didn¡¯t know was that there were two old men who watched this scene through the nearby window. The one with dark hair said to hispanion with a smile, ¡°Lao Tan, we haven¡¯t seen him for a few years. . . This kid, I can¡¯t even recognize him now? I¡¯m old, my memory is not good either. Is this the same kid you told me who wanted to sell the violin?¡± The old man called Lao Tan grunted disdainfully and said, ¡°Who allowed this ck sheep to enter B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra? Find someone to throw him out!¡± ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t! If Xaoi Ru Yue knew you threw her son out, don¡¯t you think she¡¯d be mad at you?¡± At the mention of this name, Lao Tan¡¯s face shed with a trace of sadness. He shook his head, saying, ¡°That. . . Then for Ru Yue¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll give this loser another chance.¡± Hearing this, the old man smiled and nodded gently. When Lao Tan went into the room, the old man looked at the young man who was still rubbing his bow with rosin. He suddenly sighed: ¡°Oh, you. . . Please don¡¯t waste your talent anymore.¡± Chapter tranted by Kuroshinji and edited by Betwixted Chapter 3 (2) Chapter 3 - Qi Mu: Are you my security camera? The B City''s Symphony Orchestra was one of the most famous symphony orchestras of Huaxia. Generally speaking, theserge orchestras usually had a fixed team and rarely recruited members. But when a situation urred, since they didn''t have member substitutions within the same orchestra, they had to exchange members with people from the outside. Therefore, when Qi Mu arrived at the B City''s Symphony Orchestra''s recruitment site, there were already a lot of people in the room waiting in line for their audition. Qi Mu didn''t know most of the people here; maybe one or two people seemed familiar. Zheng Weiqiao presented the people before him: "Most of the recruits who areing today are violinists from other orchestras in B City. You spent a lot of time in Europe and you haven''t yed much in Huaxia. Teacher probably didn''t tell you that Huaxia''s music industry startedte since musicians are rtively scarce. Therefore, there''s always an exchange of members in themunity." Huaxia''s musical history only beganst century. The administration of the orchestra''s internal affairs was rtivelyx [1], simr to North American orchestras. [1] It''s referring to what they mentioned in thest paragraph, meaning that exchanging members a lot was normal. In European countries where symphonies were moremon, and the music industry more developed, personnel changes inrge orchestras was rare. For example, the "first in the country" Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra follow the "undying, unchanging" philosophy. With this in mind, Qi Mu slowly narrowed his eyes. He remembered that six years ago, the chief conductor, at the prime of his career, withdrew and selflessly gave up his career and his baton to the current conductor, Min Chen, consequently bringing about the legendary modern King of ssical Music. "But you can be assured that the rest of the selection is very formal. I''m sure that with your talent, you can surely win the judges over." Qi Mu nodded lightly, and smiled: "Mm, I''ll try." Zheng Weiqiao pointed to a middle aged man in the middle of the noisy room: "That is the concertmaster of the B City Symphony Orchestra. He is quite skilled, you could even say he''s your biggestpetitor." Feeling like his words would hurt the youth''s self esteem, he quickly tried reason: "Of course, he hasn''t even yed in the Golden Hall yet. If you did not waste yourst few years you would have already surpassed him." Qi Mu wasn''t aware of Zheng Weiqiao''s worries; he nodded and calmly smiled: "Brother Zheng, I will not feel bitter toward my fellowpetitor, you can rest assured." Zheng Weiqiao smiled with relief. After a few more words, he went to catch up with an old friend. Qi Mu ced his violin case on a table, and removed his beautiful and delicate violin, looking over it. The body of the instrument was smooth and curvy, the spruce wood used on the peg-box was distinct. It was like an instrument meticulously crafted by God. When Qi Mu took the violin out of his dark-green velvet violin case, many violinists were immediately attracted by the sight of it. "What beautifully crafted curves, this violin is so beautiful!" "The design of the fingerboard is a bit like a guqin [2], with its small head and wide bottom. It''s like a beautiful stream." [2] A traditional Chinese instrument. "It''s not a real Stradivarius [3] is it¡­? How much does that cost?" [3] It''s a real set of string instruments made by the Stradivari family (most of them are violins, and most being made by Antonio Stradivari). The series itself and each instrument are titled Stradivarius. ¡­¡­ Stradivarius was the name for the violin designs made over 200 years ago by Master Antonio Stradivari. These new designs broke the shackles of the original design. Regardless of which part of the violin was carved, the peg box, the body, the soundboard-, it was a masterpiece. Ten years ago, there was an auction for such an instrument in Europe. It sold for a sky high price of over 3.5 million dors. Qi Mu did not care about other people''sments. He picked up the slender bow and simply wiped rosin for a while. Then he began to tune. He naturally knew this violin was not a real Stradivarius. Each Stradivarius was worth quite a price. Even a nouveau riche wouldn''t bring such a treasure out just for an asion like an audition. The one in his hands is an imitation Stradivarius, handcrafted by Zhao Shicheng, Master Zhao of Chinese craftsmanship. Even his imitations could still sell six digit prices on the auction floor. However¡­ did the Qi Family not have a genuine Stradivarius? Qi Mu knew that the Qi parents had a really expensive and delicate Stradivarius, which can be sold on the market for at least a 7 digit number. This instrument was currently ced in the safety of the Swiss bank. It was originally prepared for the original''sing of age ceremony, but now¡­ A group of old seniors were worried that the original, at the lowest of lows, would sell off the "little princess". Thus, they made the decision that the violin could only be taken out of the bank if the original could perform at the Golden Hall as a concertmaster. At the thought of this, Qi Mu couldn''t help but sigh and shake his head. He knew that the original host hadpletely given up on ying that violin¡­ "Is this¡­ Master Zhao''s craftsmanship?" Surprised that a male voice suddenly rang from behind him, Qi Mu turned to see a young violinist looking at him, saying: "I''ve seen this Master Zhao''s works before, he likes to curve the scroll more." A little distractedly, Qi Mu gave him a slight smile: "Yes, it is Master Zhao''s craftsmanship." "Ah! It''s really one of Master Zhao''s works, how rare!" The young man looked at the violin in Qi Mu''s hands several times, and then hesitated for a long time. Finally, he could not help but ask: "Excuse me¡­ Are you Qi Mu?" The young man''s voice was not loud, so it was quickly drowned out by sound of tuning from the otherpetitors. Only a middle-aged man not far away heard him, and giving him a surprised nce. In fact, Qi Mu was also very surprised. The original host had not appeared in public since he was 14, and his appearance has changed a bit since then. It was reasonable for most people to not recognize him. But this young man, who appeared to be in his twenties, recognized him at just a nce. "Well, I am. However, you are¡­?" Qi Mu''s pretty brow was faintly creased, his pale face had an embarrassed smile. The young man eximed in a low voice: "It is you! I grew up watching you in my youth! I loved the first "Die Fledermaus Overture" you yed with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra 9 years ago, especially thest allegro. Your skill was amazing!" The young man couldn''t help but exim, making Qi Mu not know whether tough or cry [4]. [4] An idiom for betweenughter and tears or (finding a situation) both funny and extremely embarrassing. The young man actually looked a bit older, for him to say he watched him growing up¡­ Although it was unintentional, hearing someone say that sounded like they were being sarcastic. Feeling a bit humbled, Qi Mu smiled: "Thank you for your praise; I heard you practicing Mazas "Etudes Op. 36" over there, your vibrato is very good. Hearing that, the young man immediately started to excitedly discuss it with Qi Mu. However, it was not long before he was called in. Qi Mu smiled as he wished him luck, then he started to pick up his bow again, silently rubbing in rosin. Before a performance, he didn''t like to practice over and over again like other people, merely rubbing rosin in his bow. He never gets bored of looking at the white powder gently covering the hairs of his bow. (His spotlessly white bow hair?) "Are you really¡­ Qi Mu?" When Qi Mu turned around, he saw a middle aged man walk to him with a frown on his face. Seeing the other expression of disgust, the smile on the young man''s face slowly disappeared. He lifted up his bow, looked at him, and said: "Yes, I am. May I ask what you want?" It was the man that Zheng Weiqiao mentioned earlier. The middle aged man replied impatiently: "I know what you have been up to these past few years Qi Mu. Didn''t you say you''d never touch the violin again? Why are you picking it back up? Don''t think your past achievements will help you. I saw the way you tuned just now. Your skill level is too low, it''s better if you go back and y with those punks." The middle aged man deliberately did not lower his voice. The others heard him, and turned to listen in. From time to time, people were whispering "Who''s Qi Mu?" and someone would reply "that child prodigy from a few years ago. It seems he''s be corrupted in the recent years." This middle aged man obviously was aware of the many absurd things the original owner had done in the past few years. For instance, he had sold his father''s most cherished scores [5], therefore it is not a good face for the current Qi Mu. [5] Scores are basically musical sheets, but aption of every part for every instrument in the orchestra, for a song. Since his father was a conductor, he needs the score to read to make sure the orchestra is ying properly. Upon seeing this, Qi Mu couldn''t help but feel both ridiculous and helpless. Just now, when everyone was tuning, he was the only one he took a tuner. Others rely directly on training to fine tune, but he still needs a tuner. But¡­ Unlike what other people thought, being able to hear pitch was different from needing a tuner. In fact, Qi Mu hears too much. Since there isn''t a way to be able to hear carefully, he has to use a tuner. This body''s sense of sound was too strong; it was like every breath of sound in the world could be distinguished by his perfect pitch. upying this body for only 10 days, Qi Mu has still not fully adapted. In order to prevent mistakes, he deliberately took a tuner; he never thought this would be evidence of his ck of skill." "Mister Lu, thank you for your concern." Qi Mu remembered that Zheng Weiqiao said this man''sst name was Lu. He stered on a polite smile and said "I have been practicing hard in these recent times, and I am treating this audition very seriously." Qi Mu tried his best to restrain his temper. After all, he is currently is just a neer to the music industry. If he is too short-tempered, he will definitely be demolished. Unexpectedly, the obstinate middle-aged man was unwilling to let this go: "Qi Mu, I can be regarded as one of your elders. Your parents were back then were brilliant, and you have also gotten a lot of reputation. But I''ve heard a lot of stories of how you''ve exhausted your talents. Save your parents from embarrassment and go home." While saying that, this middle aged man felt as if he was bestowing well meaning advice: "The B City Symphony Orchestra is not a ce where everyone can enter. You will end up regretting it if you lose face for your parents. I am saying this for your own good. You are young and smart, you can use up your life in this industry or you can get a job and start a family." Listening to these words, Qi Mu''s smile dimmed more and more. Finally, he could only be expressionless at the other man as he talked arrogantly: "You children take this audition as a joke. You say that you''ve been practicing seriously these days? How could that be possible¡­" "Mister Lu," sneered the young man, interrupting the other''s spiel. He saw Qi Mu''s bend his head slightly, revealing a sliver of a beautiful forehead from a ck curtain of hair. "Excuse me, but did you install a camera in my house?" The middle-aged man gave a nk look and answered reflexively: "No." "Huh, then how would you know that I haven''t been practicing hard these days?" "You¡­!!!" Seeing the other''s dumbfounded appearance, Qi Mu lifted his lips and smirked without saying anything else. He no longer bothered looking at this person. The middle aged man named Lu seemed to have something else he wanted to say, but then his number was called to y. His face was livid as he prepared to y. Before leaving, he aggressively stood in front of Qi Mu and fiercely spat out: "Just wait until the resultse out. Then you will finally know how much you have fallen behind! Boy, don''t think because you have talent, you can cause trouble. I will show you that hard work is more important than talent!" Hearing this, Qi Mu asked with a smile: "Talent is 1% inspiration, and 99% hard work?" The man named Lu immediately nodded: "Correct!" He saw Qi Mu suddenly curling his lips to reveal a row of white teeth: "Oh, I forgot to finish my sentence. That 1% inspiration is far more important than 99% hard work." "You¡­!!!" Qi Mu watched the middle aged man angrily walking toward the performance room. The deliberate smirk on his face gradually disappeared. He naturally knew that there are many hard-working people in this world. Even if they worked hard for a lifetime, they would still be inferior to those who have innate talent or even those who are well-off. Himself for example; if he was a talentless person, he could not be an orphan and still be the concertmaster of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. But if he hadn''t worked hard, he fears would have just another mediocre musician with just a little bit of talent. But in this world, there are people who struggle through life but still be masters, such as Mahler [6]. Or people who have been born into poor families but are still remembered through the ages, such as Schubert [7]. [6] A Romanianposer. [7] Aposer who died at the age of 31. He had a lot of works, but wasn''t famous until he died. However, they never hated other people''s talents or other people''s family background. For people who can only be blinded by jealously over such things¡­ can only be the concertmaster of a mediocre orchestra forever. Qi Mu sighed gently, his hand that was rubbing in rosin stopped. What he did not know was that at a window not far away, there were two energetic elders who watched the scene. Among one of them, peppered haired man who had a grin on his face as he said to hispanion: "Old Tan-ah, it''s been a few years since we''ve seen this Qi boy¡­ Surprisingly, I couldn''t even recognize him like this. This old man''s must be memory''s no good. Didn''t you say this was the one who wanted to sell the Stradivarius? The old man called Old Tan snorted with disdain and said: "Who let this good-for-nothing enter the gates of B Symphony Orchestra? Find someone to kick him out!" "Hey, don''t! That Yue will definitely know if you do something to her son. As if she''ll let you get away with it." At the mention of her name, sadness shed on Old Tan''s face. He shook his head slightly, and said: "For¡­ for Yue''s sake I should give that trash a chance?" The smiling elder gave a light nod. When Old Tan went to perform, the elder looked at the ck-haired youth who was still wiping rosin, and suddenly sighed: "You¡­ don''t fail to live up to your talents again." The author has something to say: [Mini Lesson!] Today''s topic: What is "Op."? "Op." is an abbreviation of opus, which means "work". From aposer''s list of works, a system was made to keep track of how many songs have been created. For example, ¡°Mazas Op. 36¡± refers to his 36th work, aption of 75 etudes (divided into 3 parts).

TL notes: -I''m going to change "Fuwa''s Mini Lessons" to just "Mini Lesson". I also uh, took over the mini lesson and gave my own definition. -Stradivarius, very basically summarized, is some of the best built violins in the world. The guy basically went through a shit-ton of test work/different kinds of wood (mixed and matched together) to create a bunch of really good violins. When it mentioned earlier that it was sold for over 3.5 million, it wasn''t an exaggeration. Some of these violins have sold for millions. You can also look up how violins are made on Youtube. I''ve also changed some of the dialogue to better match the description of the Stradivarius and the body parts of a violin. -Zhao Shicheng is either "Zhao Shicheng," "Shicheng Zhao" or "Zhao Shicheng Zhao". The way they wrote this sentence confused me lol: "ÓÉ»ªÏÄÖÆÇÙ´óʦÕÔÊÀ³ÉÕÔ´óʦÇ×ÊÖ·Â×ö." I looked it up but I don''t think he''s an actual person. -"Die Fledermaus Overture" has actually been yed by the real life Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The part the story is talking about is probably the part at around the 7min mark of this video. -I looked up the Mazas thing too, but it never specified which one the other guy was practicing. There''s quite a few of them, but they seem to be¡­ standard violin pieces I guess? -I wanted to look into Mahler and Schubert more but I''m already a bitte so ('': ¨CALSO! I''ve been getting a word wrong. The author uses " ¸±Ê×ϯ" to refer to people as the lead violinist and I''ve been reading it wrong. I''ve corrected a sentence in the previous chapter: they are auditioning to be the lead violinist for the 2nd violins, not some unimed role.Thank you for your attention, and sorry about the mishap. That middle aged man is kinda rtable, but I still want to 1v1 him. There are always a lot of footnotes oops. I kept deleting some and re-adding some¡­ in the end, more information is better right¡­? There was a bit of research put into this so I might as well keep what I can. I took out some of the notes on my beloved idioms tho, because some were rly obvious in their meaning ): I¡¯ll check grammar once more and probably add a little bit more detail on Mahler and Schubertter. It¡¯ll probably not be important. ¡­ 5 secs after I posted this I already found grammar mistakes lmao¡­ See you next week! Chapter 4 It was as Zheng Wei Qiao said. The man who was the deputy chief violinist of B City Symphony Orchestra did have his own strengths. He yed Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶6th Symphony in D Major¡· second movement with a gentle and soft adagio*. *Adagio: a music piece done leisurely The sound was light and refreshing, like a gentle hand that fluttered at a person¡¯s heartstrings. Even Qi Mu had a good appreciation for this sound. The only pity is that on the final piece, he was obviously impatient, and he didn¡¯t end it with the tranquility it should have. Qi Mu heard this and frowned. If this was to be yed at a European concert, he might get a warning or his name may even get removed. But for the current orchestra¡¯s audition, he had performed well enough, at least, to let others wait and see. ¡°Qi Jia* brat, even if someone has no talent, they can still do anything. Your parents died early, so I will teach you for them. You should watch what you say, and mind your step.¡± After he finished with his audition, Lu deliberately went to Qi Mu and said this with a sneer. *Jia: family, this is like saying ¡°The Qi family boy¡± Qi Mu heard this and smiled suddenly. Evidently, this guy. . . really thought he was a soft persimmon he could pinch without caution? ¡°Mr. Lu, do you know who else has said this before you?¡± The middle-aged man asked, ¡°Who?¡± Qi Mu¡¯s delicate eyebrows raised slightly, pretending to ponder on this for a while, he then said, ¡°Mr. Tan, the chief conductor of B City Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Xu, the chairman of Huaxia Music Association, the musical director of S City Symphony Orchestra. . . also Mr. Verona, the principal violinist of Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, and Mr. Derek, the musical director of Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Yes, those are the ones that I can remember for now.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s tone was t and calm, but the people around who heard his voice stared with astonished eyes. There was an awkward silence for a while. The more he listened to the names he listed, the darker Lu¡¯s face was. Forget the music director of Vienna Symphony Orchestra, even the chief conductor of B City Symphony Orchestra who was the closest to him was still far beyond his reach. The man originally thought that because Qi Mu was an orphan and no longer had the backing of his family, he could taunt and ridicule this young prodigy and get him out of his way. He didn¡¯t expect to end up lifting a stone only to drop it on his own foot, even making himself look bad. One must know that even dead, a camel was still bigger than a horse. Those seniors, for the sake of Qi Mu¡¯ste parents, would make it impossible for anyone to humiliate him. Well, nobody told this old man to bully him, so it was his own fault. In the hearts of old predecessors, there were always scales hanging. The middle-aged man¡¯s face was pale and he said awkwardly ¡°You can say that after you get this job. If you can, that is.¡± After speaking, he walked away hastily. A person who was blinded by hatred and envy wouldn¡¯t get far on this road. Qi Mu camete so his number was among thest few. When it was his turn, there were only 3-4 people left. But the middle-aged man was still there, looking at him as if he was expecting to see a joke. ¡°Heh, a kid who hasn¡¯t even touched the violin for a few years really thinks he¡¯s on par with us?¡± Qi Mu didn¡¯t pay attention to this obvious provocation. After his number was called, he put down the rosin in his hand and stood to walk to the forefront. The stage for this audition was a small theater, and several big names of B City Symphony Orchestra were sitting on the front row. Qi Mu walked over calmly step by step. ¡°Qi Mu. . .?¡± The chief violinist of B City Symphony Orchestra who was sitting in the front row said his name in surprise. He then turned to look at the old man next to him and asked tentatively, ¡°Mr. Tan, is this. . . really that Qi Mu?¡± The old man grunted and coldly said, ¡°Just listen to his performance.¡± The chief violinist smiled and didn¡¯t ask any more questions. ¡°Number 36, Qi Mu, ying Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶6th Symphony in D Major¡· second movement, please ask for guidance.¡± As soon as he heard this, Lu¡¯s face immediately ckened. The other contestants also smirked and snickered, pointing at him. The judges also saw this. Du She Xiang, the chief violinist of B City Orchestra asked curiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you originally chose to y the fourth movement?¡± Dvorak was a legendary existence in the history of music, he hadposed nine great symphonies in his life. The nine symphonies were spread all over the world and was known as ¡¶New World Symphony¡·, and this ¡¶Symphony in D Major¡· was the sixth of the nine. The main track that B City Symphony Orchestra would perform was Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶Golden Spinning Wheel¡· along with ¡¶D Major¡·. Therefore, all 40 contestants who came here today auditioned with one of these two pieces. Qi Mu smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Du, I thought the final partcks the triple movement that the front part has, so I wanted to change to the second movement.¡± Saying this, Qi Mu nced at the middle-aged man who was already gritting his teeth, and the mirth in his eyes deepened. Du She Xiang saw this little movement of his and nodded with a smile, ¡°Alright, then you can begin.¡± Qi Mu politely bowed, lifting his violin, and he rested it gently on his left shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he then lifted the slender bow. The next second, a soft, feathery, and graceful sound flowed from the violin. From the start, the people there were already entranced, their minds brought to a beautiful fairnd. The fluttering vibrato, the way the chords were handled, making the violin to let out a delicate and exquisite sound. They felt as if they were in warm water, or peacefully walking on clouds. To a lot of people, the second movement in ¡¶D Major¡· was the most ordinary part of the song. It didn¡¯t have the vitality of the first movement, nor the wit of the third movement, nor was it as exciting as the fourth movement. Yet, Qi Mu hands could bring this piece to life. The seemingly ordinary and unassuming piece could make people feel calm and soothe their soul. If Lu¡¯s performance before could reach the standard of Huaxia¡¯s National Grand Theatre, Qi Mu¡¯s performance now far surpassed it. Even if it was Europe, his level was second to none. Especially the final piece, with a lingering sound, it had a longsting charm. The judges were unable to recover from the music, let alone the other violinists who were listening. ¡°My performance is over, thank you for listening.¡± The youth¡¯s soft and pleasant voice brought everyone back from their wandering thoughts. Du She Xiang put away his rxed expression and solemnly looked at Qi Mu on the stage. Under the bright spotlight, the youth¡¯s handsome face and his straight posture seemed topete with the sun. Especially when he closed his eyes. It was as if there was an invisible light shining from behind him, making it impossible to look directly at him. He secretly thought to himself: If this was the ck sheep that Old Tao always talked about. . . then his whole family was a waste! At the side of the stage, the middle-aged man¡¯s face was already red with indignation and anger. There was no need forments from the judges, the difference between him and Qi Mu was obvious to everyone. He only yed the second movement in ¡¶D Major¡·, but it already felt like he was ying the whole piece. The liveliness of the prelude, the humor near the final part, this made the people who listened to it want to hear the entire thing. At this thought, the middle-aged man could no longer stand being there. He flicked his sleeve and left, the view of his back giving the impression of him running away. Qi Mu naturally noticed the man¡¯s departure. He smiled a bit but didn¡¯t say anything. Mr. Tan Zheng Hui, the principal conductor of B City Symphony Orchestra, who was sitting in the middle of the judges¡¯ panel looked at Qi Mu for a long time with aplicated expression. Finally, he let out a deep sigh and slowly loosened his clenched fist. Old Tan said, ¡°That was an excellent performance, you can go down and wait for the results.¡± Hearing this, the people present were shocked. Qi Mu was also slightly surprised but he quickly smiled, bowed politely then exited the stage. Du She Xiang looked at Qi Mu¡¯s retreating back, frowning in doubt. He then whispered, ¡°Old Tan, why did you let him leave without saying anything? Isn¡¯t this. . . not in line with regtion?¡± Unexpectedly, Tan Zheng Hui raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°Regtion made by whom?¡± Du She Xiang paused for a moment and replied, ¡°By you.¡± ¡°Oh well, now the rules are changed, I guess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Alright, alright. You¡¯re the conductor, you can do whatever you want! Zheng Wei Qiao had been waiting outside of the theater for a while. When he saw Qi Mu, he immediately went over to him and offered words offort, ¡°You haven¡¯t touched the violin for a few years and you¡¯ve only begun to practice for the past few days so this failure is understandable. Don¡¯t worry about it. The B City Wind and String Instruments is recruiting next month, you can try then.¡± Qi Mu widened his eyes at this and looked at Zheng Wei Qiao funnily. Zheng Wei Qiao took his silence as a confirmation and hurriedly continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, we can also go to S City. A lot of your parents¡¯ friends are there, their students and colleagues. If you try again and work hard, I¡¯m sure you can join their first violin group.¡± The sunshine gave a golden tinge to Qi Mu¡¯s hair. He smiled and asked confidently, ¡°Zheng-Ge, are you worried. . . that I won¡¯t be selected?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao was a bit surprised and asked subconsciously, ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± After a moment, he remembered he couldn¡¯t outright talk about this so he said discreetly, ¡°My friend told me that Mr. Tan didn¡¯tment on your performance and just let you leave after that. . . But don¡¯t take it to heart, Mr. Tan watched your mother grow up so he must have his own reasons for doing that. Even if you didn¡¯t get selected this time, there are plenty of other orchestras that are recruiting.¡± As he listened to Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s words, Qi Mu¡¯s smile grew brighter and brighter. He looked up to the sky and the sun¡¯s golden rays. He asked abruptly, ¡°Zheng-Ge, B City Symphony Orchestra. . . what kind of orchestra is it?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao absent-mindedly replied, ¡°They¡¯re the top orchestra in Huaxia, second to none.¡± ¡°Then. . . what are you worried about?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao frowned, unable to understand his words, and Qi Mu continued, ¡°If they don¡¯t pick me, then. . . B City Symphony Orchestra is only at this level, that¡¯s all there is to it.¡± There was a smile in the youth¡¯s calm voice, but Zheng Wei Qiao was stunned at his words. He stared nkly at Qi Mu who was walking away carrying his violin case. Noticing that the man was falling behind, Qi Mu just smiled and waited for him to catch up. Alongside his nk mind, Zheng Wei Qiao thought that he might have seen an illusion. He never saw such a confident Qi Mu, one with the fortitude of a king. As if he¡¯s did not belong in Huaxia, the undevelopednd for ssical music, but in Europe where the giants were. There was a thought, surging suddenly in his mind¡ª¡ª The man who should be standing in the Golden Hall with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, showing the world the infinite charm of music! But in this world, there was no such existence. . . No! There was one! At the beginning, he only apanied the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, but he became a sensation and was nicknamed the king of the piano. Thinking of this, Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s blood boiled. He never experienced this kind of excitement in his 30 years of living. He was eager to stand by this youth¡¯s side, to see how far he could go. The streets of B City were crowded in the evening. The vast expanse of the sky was full with the reddish glow of the sunset. As if the clouds were burning, it swept the city making the passer-bys unable to help but stop and admire it. The Eastern Sun was beginning to burn brightly. And the West waspletely ignorant of this. Chapter tranted by Kuroshinji and edited by Betwixted Chapter 4 (2) Chapter 4 - The Eastern Sun had begun to burn. Indeed, it was as Zheng Weiqiao said; the middle aged man B City Orchestra really did have a bit of skill. He was able to y the second movement of Dvorak''s ¡°Symphony No.6 in D Major" in such a gentle manner. The music softly unfolded, as if a gentle hand was plucking directly at your heartstrings. Even Qi Mu had a good evaluation of the performance. It was a pity during the closing, the middle-aged man was obviously too impatient to end it calmly. Qi Mu frowned. If this was a concert in Europe, such a major mistake would gain a warning or even result in being dismissed from an orchestra. However, it was only an audition, and the man performed well enough to make others watch. "Qi family''s kid, there is no talent that can immediately make you sessful. If your parents died earlier, I would have disciplined you in their ce, so that you would know what to say and what not to say, where to go and where not to go." This middle aged man deliberately walked over to Qi Mu''s side after he yed his songs, sneering as he spoke. Qi Mu suddenly gave augh at what was said¡­ This man truly thought he push him around as he wished? "Mr. Lu, do you know¡­ what kind of people offered before you?" The middle aged man gave a quick look and asked subconsciously: "What kind?" The eyebrows of the handsome man were slightly furrowed. Qi Mu pretended to think about it for a long time, then finally told him: "The conductor of the B City Symphony Orchestra Mister Old [1] Tan, Chairman Xu of Huaxia''s Music association, S City Symphony Orchestra''s director¡­Munich [2] Philharmonic Orchestra''s lead violinist Mister Verona, and Vienna Symphony Orchestra''s director Mister Derek. Well, that''s all I can remember for the time being." [1] Lao Xiansheng Tan. The "Lao" is to show that he''s a very experienced person and has been for a long time (the Xiansheng is the Mister part). Tranting it to English is awkward though, since I didn''t think "Lao" would end up being used like this. [2] Capital of Bavaria, Germany. Qi Mu''s spoke calmly, but the people listening in to his cheerful voice stared at him in surprise, stunned voices ringing out. And the more names the middle aged person heard, the darker his face grew. The only name he knew about was the conductor from the B City Symphony Orchestra. He was not involved with such gossip about the music director of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, it was too far away from his world. This man originally wanted to taunt Qi Mu and his deceased family, and hit the prodigy while he was down. He didn''t expect to be hit back and thoroughly lose face. Even a fool knew not to be too aggressive [3]; if these seniors were on the Qi parents'' side, it was impossible for him to humiliate Qi Mu. [3] The original line wasÒªÖªµÀ, ÊÝËÀµÄÂæÍÕ±ÈÂí´ó, which wasparing (?) a camel (a blockhead) to the biblical figure Martha (who was known to be aggressive). It was his fault that Qi Mu humiliated him when he himself was trying to bully him. In the hearts of the older generation, there was always a steelyard suspended [4]. [4] Sorry, I''m unsure what this really means ÀÏÇ°±²µÄÐÄÀ¿ÉÒ»Ö±Óи˳ÓÐü×ÅÄØ¡£I tranted it literally but I don''t know what it''s trying to imply. The middle aged man had a dark expression and spat out "Speak again when you have the talent to pass this audition," and aggressively left. Qi Mu watched his back as it grew distant, eyes full of pity. Those who are blinded by jealousy will not go far on this road. Qi Mu didn''te early today, so his serial number is ranked in thest few. When it was his turn, there were only three of four people around. The middle aged man was also there, his cold face watching Qi Mu, ready tough. "Oh, does this kid think that even though he hasn''t yed in a few years, he canpete with us?" Qi Mu did not give any attention to the provocations. After hearing his number he put down his rosin, which had been constantly used, and walked towards to the stage. The stage of the audition was a small theatre. Several judges from the B City Symphony Orchestra sat in the front row. A bright spotlight illuminated the center of the stage, leaving the performer in a standing position. Qi Mu calmly walked into ce. "Qi Mu¡­?" The lead violinist of B City''s Symphony Orchestra read the name in surprise then turned to the white haired old man on his side, tentatively asking, "Old Tan is he¡­ that Qi Mu?" The white-haired old man grunted coldly and said: "Listen to the song." The lead violinist smiled a bit and did not ask any further. "Number 36, Qi Mu. Please listen to my performance of the 2nd movement in Dvorak''s "Symphony No. 6 in D Major."" As soon as the words were said, Lu''s face made a dark expression. The other yers around himughed into their hands as they pointed their fingers at Qi Mu. As for the people seated in the judging panel, they weren''t expecting what was said. Du Sheng, the lead violinist of the B City Symphony Orchestra, was the first to ask him curiously: "Qi Mu, didn''t you originally choose to y the fourth movement?" Dvorak''s [5] name was a legendary existence in the history of music, with 9 outstanding symphonies made during his lifetime. The 9th symphony that was the most famous across the world was named "New World Symphony". The Symphony in D Major however, was the 6th out of 9. [5] Dvorak was a Czechposer. He''s famous for his 9 Symphonies, the 9th especially. The 9th Symphony is known as the "From the New World" or "New World Symphony" and I would rmend looking it up on Youtube, along with the 6th Symphony. The 40 people who auditioned were selected by the repertoire the B City Symphony Orchestra chose: Dvorak''s "Symphony No. 6 in D Major" and "The Golden Spinning Wheel." Originally, Zheng Weiqiao told Qi Mu to y the 4th movement, thest part of the song, for its exciting sound. Qi Mu curved his eyes up in a smile: "Teacher Du, if I don''ty out the foundation, it wouldn''t set the right tone for the rest of song. Therefore I want to start at the second movement instead." He gave a seemingly casual nce at to middle aged man, who was gnashing his teeth in anger. The smile on Qi Mu''s face grew wider. Du Sheng eyed Qi Mu''s actions, and then nodded with a smile: "Okay, then start ying." Qi Mu politely bowed, and gently ced his violin under his chin. He took a deep breath then lifted his long beautiful bow, sounding out a gentle note. The start of the song had already begun to rx people, their minds slipping away into a distant fairnd. The fluttering vibrato and the delicate ringing of the violin made them almost forget themselves. It was like they were resting in lukewarm water, peacefully floating along. The second movement of "Symphony No.6 in D Major" was the part mostmonly known by people. It was not as fast as the first movement, nor as lively as the third movement, and not as passionate as the fourth movement. But this gentle section that seemed mild and ordinary felt like it was brought to life by Qi Mu, leaving people in a tranquil state. If the middle aged man named Lu''s performance was gentle and pleasant on a national level, then it was nothingpared to Qi Mu''s performance, which greatly surpassed the other party''s. Even if waspared to European performances, it was second to none. Especially the closing, with a lingering sound that made the judges feel like they would never recover from hearing the song, not to mention the other yers who listened. "I''ve finished ying, thank you for listening." The young person''s low and sweet voice dragged the absentminded people back from his ying. Du Sheng rxed expression was gone as he looked solemnly at Qi Mu on the stage. In the bright spotlight, he could see the young man''s handsome face and tall figure. When he had just ended his performance; it seemed like there was an invisible radiance shining behind the youth, not allowing people to look at him directly. Du Sheng secretly thought: if this was the trash Old Tan often talked about¡­ well, he''s afraid that his skill might be even worse than this trash! On the other side of the stage, the middle-aged man had an angry flush to his face. There was no need forments from the judges, the gap between him and youth was clear. He only yed the second movement from "Symphony in D Major" and Qi Mu yed the entire piece, including a quick prelude. Just from hearing Qi Mu y, people would definitely want to hear the entire song. At the thought of this, the middle aged man was too ashamed to stay, and immediately threw himself from the room. His back seemed panicked, as if he was rushing to escape. Qi Mu naturally spotted the middle aged man''s departure. He gave a faint smile, but did not speak. In the judges'' row, Mister Old Tan, the conductor of the B City Symphony Orchestra, sat in the center as he stared Qi Mu for a long time with aplex expression. He eventually heaved a long sigh, and his fingers that had been sped, slowly released. Old Tan said: "Your performance was excellent. You cane down and wait for the result." All the people who heard this were stunned. Even Qi Mu was slightly surprised as he bowed politely and left. Du Sheng stared at the back of Qi Mu''s figure as he gave a puzzled frown, whispering: "Old Tan, why did you not give Qi Mu anymentary and just let him leave? Isn''t this¡­ breaking the rules?¡± Unexpectedly, Old Tan raised an eyebrow and asked: "Who set the rules?" Du Sheng was dumbfounded as he replied: "You did." "Well, now I say that the rules have changed." "¡­¡­" Finefinefine, youmand the orchestra, you can do whatever you want! ¡ª¡ª Outside the small theatre, Zheng Weiqiao had been waiting for a while. As soon as he saw Qi Mu, he immediately tried tofort him. "You haven''t touched the violin for years and only had a few days to practice. Failing is understandable, there''s no need to take it to heart. I heard that the B City Orchestra will start recruiting next month, you can try that instead." Qi Mu gave Zheng Weiqiao a funny look as he listened to him. Zheng Weiqiao took Qi Mu''s silence as his cue to continue and quickly said: "If that won''t do, there are still many of teacher''s friends in S City and we can go train there. The S City Symphony Orchestra has many teachers who have taught before, and colleagues. At your level, if you try once more you''ll definitely get into the 1st violins." In the bright sunshine, the youth''s ck hair was illuminated with a golden glow. The corner of Qi Mu''s lips curled up on his beautiful face as he asked confidently: "Brother Zheng, are you worried¡­ that I failed the audition?" Zheng Weiqiao unintentionally replied: "Didn''t you?" He paused and thought that he shouldn''t be too direct about this. He gently said: "I just heard a friend say that Old Tan didn''tment on you at all and made you step down¡­ Don''t be too upset, Old Tan always used to watch over your mother, I''m sure he has his reasons for doing this. Even if you fail the audition, you still have a lot of orchestras to apply to." Listening to Zheng Weiqiao''s words, Qi Mu''s smile grew even brighter. He looked up and squinted into the blue sky, where the sun was shining through the clouds of Phnom Penh [6]. Then he suddenly asked: "Brother Zheng. The B City Symphony Orchestra¡­ What kind of orchestra is it?" [6] The capital of Cambodia, which is between Thand and Vietnam. Zheng Weiqiao nkly replied: "In Huaxia, it can already be considered one of the top orchestras." "So¡­ What are you so worried about?" Zheng Weiqiao frowned without understanding, only to hear Qi Mu state: "If they hadn''t picked me¡­ then B City Orchestra wouldn''t have either." The youth calm and serene voice had a hint ofughter in it, but Zheng Weiqiao could only be stupefied. He could only watch with a foolish expression as Qi Mu walked along with his violin box, only to stop and tell him to hurry up when he realized Zheng Weiqiao fell behind. In the back of his mind, Zheng Weiqiao suddenly felt like he might have seen an illusion. He had never seen such confidence in Qi Mu, standing as resolutely as a king. As if he weren''t a novice from the bottoms of Huaxia''s music industry, but a giant [7] in Europe. [7] Like he was a prominent figure. Not celebrity, but someone who is skilled and well known. There was a strange thought in his head¨C This man should be standing on the stage of the Golden Hall, with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as his apaniment as he showed the world his endless charisma! But there was no chance of such a thing happening in the world¡­ No! There was one! Back then, Min Chen made the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra his apaniment, causing a stir in the world as he took on the title of King of the Piano. At the thought of this, Zheng Weiqiao felt a sudden itch in his heart. There was a fire in his blood he hadn''t felt since he was 30. Something was telling him to believe in the youth''s growth. Telling him to apany him¡­ and see how far he could go. In the evening of B City, the streets were congested. The vast sky was dyed red in its sunset, as if a burning cloud swept across the city. Many people couldn''t help but stop in admiration. The Eastern Sun had begun to burn. But the West waspletely ignorant.

TL Notes:
  • Music sheets actually dictate how you should be ying (ex: softly, faster, etc), which is why Qi Mu mentions it was quite a mistake for Lu to make. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re ying with music in front of them though, but it should be memorized. It should also be mentioned that generally, once you''ve been ying music for a while, you start to know whichposers are which, what songs are what, and how this and that are yed, etc etc.
  • I thought the performers would be tuning in one room, and performing in another. It doesn''t really specify though, so that could be the case and performers are just sitting in to listen to whoever''s turn it is. I don''t have this sort of experience though, so who knowsss.
  • I''ve set the link to the second movement, but the violins don''te in until around 13:04. There''s ament that marks where each movement starts.
  • ¡°The Golden Spinning Wheel¡± was mentioned as a part of the repertoire and is alsoposed by Dvorak.
  • The West refers to "Western Countries."
gg, get rekt''d lu my dude. as always I¡¯ll uh, edit thister (;?¦Ø?) take a shot every time it said "middle aged." this chapter was me constantly screaming at the MTL oboy. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 - Dong Yong''s Xiao Qi In the early morning of Vienna, the sun had just begun to rise. Under the blue sky, people were leisurely bustling along. Both sides of the road were nked by beautiful tall Chinese parasol trees [1]. The autumn season covered the ground withrge leaves, making it look like a golden nket from afar. [1] Also known as Wutong (ÎàÍ©Ê÷ľ) ording to Wiki. Interestingly enough, Wiki also notes that its wood is used for making several types of Chinese instruments. As Luo Yu Sen came out of the taxi, he was ovee with a wave of people trying to speed across the traffic lights. He cursed to himself as he stood with his violin case on the side of the road, waiting for the light to change. It had been a week since Luo Yu Sen was released from the police station. Lu Ziwen''s cause of death had been determined to be an acute asthma attack. Luo Yu Sen had a fight with him before, even causing him injury, but in the current medical field there had never been an asthma attack due to fighting [2]. [2] It''s implying that even though Luo had a fight with Lu, they can''t say his fight and the attack co-rte because such a thing has never happened before. Moreover, Luo Yu Sen had been in tears as he wailed to himself, "Why did I leave the room so soon?" and "Why didn''t I see Lu Ziwen''s condition worsening?" He cried so hard that the police could only release him. There was no evidence that he was the directly rted to this ident. ording to Luo Yu Sen''s testimony and the time of death issued by the forensic, shortly after Luo Yu Sen left the lounge Lu Ziwen had an acute asthma attack. Without his medication, his asthma attack became too fierce and he had no way of calling for help. Eventually, he lost consciousness and it led to his death. "Beep beep¡ª" The sound wasing from a speeding taxi in front of Luo Yu Sen. He took a step back in fright, almost falling to the ground when suddenly he felt like he was being held. Feeling like his soul left his body, Luo Yu Sen turned his head and saw a blond-haired blue-eyed man staring back at him with a smile as he asked, "Young man, are you okay?" Luo Yu Sen nodded but he did not thank him. He took advantage of the light and quickly walked across the road, opening and entering the doors of a red European building belonging to the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Behind him, he did not see the blond man slowly smiling as he gave a thoughtful look at the closed doors. After a long time, the blond man turned around and left. He walked across the road towards the base of arge Chinese parasol tree. With augh he said: "This Luo Yu Sen seems to be¡­ very ordinary. Min, aren''t you thinking about it too much? The police also said he just happened to be in Lu''s lounge and left before his attack." Under the golden tree, a man with a striking appearance raised his head slightly as he calmly looked towards the trees full of falling leaves. He wore a ck outfit whose brand could not be seen, but its excellent craftsmanship concealed his noble aura. He just stood by the side of the road looking at the tree''s leaves as cars passed by behind him. Realizing he was being ignored the blond man was crying andughing as he said: "Min, you said you wereing here to check him out. Now you''ve met Luo Yu Sen¡­ Damn it, why do you Huaxia people have such hard to read names¡­ Why haven''t you spoken since meeting him?" As a single dried up yellow leaf floated slowly to the ground, Min Chen subconsciously reached out to grasp it. He looked at the leaf that was no longer full of life for a long time. Suddenly, he said: "Daniel. Huaxia has an old saying known as - a curious coincidence [3]." [3] ÎÞÇɲ»³ÉÊé ¨C A metaphor for a lucky asion. For example, "What a curious coincidence, speak of the devil and he will appear." Something along the lines of that. Daniel looked at the Min Chen surprised, somewhat puzzled. "But this¡­ is it really a coincidence?" The cold and chilly autumn windpletely drowned out the sigh of the man. After a long time, a ck Bentley slowly pulled out of the block. The people of the streets still bustled along; only the swaying leaves of the Chinese parasol trees would know what kind of conversation transpired. At the same time in Huaxia, half a world away, it had just turned noon. When Zheng Weiqiao learned from his friend that Qi Mu actually got the chance to join the B City Symphony Orchestra, he was somewhat surprised but somehow he also feels this was as expected. Although he knows that Qi Mu was the only one who had not been evaluated by the jury, he somehow knew¡­ Qi Mu would seed. Zheng Weiqiao had not heard Qi Mu y his violin in a long time. He also understands that he has not yed in a long time either. The level of Qi Mu ws no longer the same, but he was still confident. He believed in the young man that confidently stated "if B City Symphony Orchestra did not choose him, then it would be nothing out of the ordinary," was definitely not lying. That being said, but when Zheng Weiqiao drove down to Qi Mu''s house he knocked on the door for a long time he never got a response. He waited for a while before finally calling, only to hear Qi Mu''s surprised voice from the phone: "What? What is Brother Zheng doing at my house? I''ve already at the orchestra." "¡­¡­" How is it that¡­ This big child won''t listen to his mother figure?! [4] [4] The original line was " º¢×Ó´óÁË£¬²»ÌýÄï»°µÄ´í¾õÁË£¿£¡" I kept getting"Äï»°" corrected to "Äﻯ" when I was looking it up, so I assume that''s the right term? It''s¡­ some sort of anime ng I can''t make heads or tails of. I think ZWQ is implying he¡¯s QM¡¯s mother figure¡­? When Zheng Weiqiao arrived at the B City Symphony Orchestra, he had just entered the practice room when he saw a well known "stubborn old man" handing a cup of his home-brewed coffee to Qi Mu. As the good-looking young man tactfully rejected him, the people around himughed as a group. This atmosphere¡­ Was annoyingly harmonious. Hold on, shouldn''t it be that everyone rejects the sudden intrusion from the "genius prodigy"? Then make his life difficult and deliberately exclude him, making him so ufortable that he was filled with undying resentment?! Why was this so different from what he imagined?! Zheng Weiqiao did not feel good at all. Qi Mu looked up and saw Zheng Weiqiao standing at the entrance, only to watch Zheng Weiqiao''splexion turn green. Finally, he heaved a sigh and looked at the "aged old man." Qi Mu could not help but wave with a smile, and raised his voice to call out: "Brother Zheng, I''m over here." Zheng Weiqiao passed by and said a few words to senior members of the orchestra instead. He sat down beside Qi Mu and asked: "Qi Mu¡­ Why didn''t you wait for me today and left straight for the orchestra?" Hearing this, Qi Mu lifted his pretty eyes to look at Zheng Weiqiao and asked surprised, "Brother Zheng, didn''t you say you were writing the manuscript for "Music Hall [5]" today? I didn''t want to bother you. It''s also very convenient for me toe here by bus. There''s a station in my neighborhood, so you don''t have to worry about me traveling." [5] I looked up "ÒôÀÖµîÌÃ" and"×ß½øÒôÀÖµîÌãºÒôÀָ߿¼Ö¸ÄÏ"came up. I think it''s basically a guide for entering music programs and such? I''m not sure. "¡­" Who is worried about you traveling! He''s afraid you''ll be eaten alive by this skulk of old foxes! Seeing Zheng Weiqiao''s face with a hesitant expression, Qi Mu searched his face for a moment before he understood what the other person was thinking. Qi Mu was born in Europe, and has only been to Huaxia a few times during the orchestra''s global tour. Therefore, he naturally was not familiar with the people in Huaxia''s music industry. He was an orphan, and nobody knew who his parents were. It could have been two Chinese people who sneaked over to Europe just to throw him away on the side of the road. If it wasn''t for someone getting up early and finding him, he would have frozen to death from the cold winter air. Growing up in an orphanage, the most important thing to know was how to read faces, how to endure, and how to threaten people a little. At the age of 7, Qi Mu lived in an orphanage peacefully because he was good at reading people''s faces. Later, when he was adopted by an elderly couple who hadn''t had any children for many years, he gained the opportunity to learn the violin and enter the European music scene. He concealed his talent, and even kept a low profile. The words Luo Yu Sen spoke were not wrong; he did not have any family background or anyone backing him, only relying on himself to survive in Vienna. It was engraved deeply into his nature to give people the best impression of himself so he could have good rtionships with others. However,pared with the arrogant and difficult old foxes in Vienna, these Chinese seniors were really amiable. Qi Mu silently thought this in his heart. "Brother Zheng, you don''t have to worry. I''ll handle this myself," Qi Mu said with a smile. "Right, don''t you have to submit the manuscript today? How is it?" Zheng Weiqiao looked at Qi Mu oddly for a long time, before finally sighing and said, "You are still young. The teacher entrusted you to us. You don''t have to worry about other things, just practice the violin and work hard. This is what teacher would have wanted." Hearing this, Qi Mu didn''t know whether tough or cry. Zheng Weiqiao really tried to be kind in Qi Mu''s mother''s ce. He really had the courage to be his teacher for the day, but be his father forever [6]¡­ Cough, or maybe more like his mother. People as kind as Zheng Weiqiao were really rare. Compared to Luo Yu Sen, the difference was like heaven and earth. [6] Ò»ÈÕΪʦÖÕÉíΪ¸¸ - An idiom. It has to do with China''s respect for their teachers; it means that even if this person was your teacher for only a day, you should regard them like your father for the rest of your life. Qi Mu and Zheng Weiqiao exchanged a few more words. Their words were drowned out when Du Sheng, the lead violinist of B City Symphony Orchestra, entered the practice room. Du Sheng was Huaxia''s most outstanding violinist, and even had a reputation worldwide. Qi Mu once heard his performance in the Golden Hall. Du Sheng was known for skills and rich performance; his rendition of Mendelssohn''s "Violin Concerto in E Minor," really made Qi Mu open his mouth in praise. When the conductor is not here, the concertmaster was the one inmand of the orchestra. Du Sheng stood on a podium in front of the orchestra and tuned the 1st violins, then turned to tune the 2nd violins. Currently sitting in the 2nd violin''s vice''s seat was a handsome young man. Du Sheng''s gaze stopped at Qi Mu briefly, before he began tuning. After the tuning the entire orchestra, Du Sheng did not move to pick up his violin. Instead, he smiled and looked at Qi Mu: "Today, we have a new member in our orchestra - Qi Mu. He will take over for Lao Zhang as the vice-violinist for the 2nd violins. Don''t think because of his age that you can bully him. I''ll have you know that Old Tan values Xiao Qi; if Old Tan catches you bullying him, don''t count on me for help!" When everyone heard Du Sheng¡¯s joke, they allughed. The vice-violinist of the 1st violins said smiling, "Teacher Du, you don''t need to tell us that. How could we dare bully Xiao Qi? Xiao Qi is too clever and sensible, it''s toote for us to hurt him. When I first saw him, it was like I was seeing my dear son who just graduated from college." The vice-violinist was a woman over the age of 40. Hearing these words, Zheng Weiqiao¡¯s eyes widened: Clever and sensible¡­ Do we know the same Qi Mu? A tuba yer from the orchestraughed and teased, "That''s right; Xiao Qi is so handsome, how could we bully him? Hey Xiao Qi, my daughter''s almost 28 this year, when are you going to move into my house?" "Hey Old Wang, you''re so shameless! My daughter''s turning 20 this year, she''s a better match for Xiao Qi! Go away!" ¡­¡­ Teasing voices echoed in the practice room, right up until Tan Zhenghui entered. Hearing "Xiao Qi" "Xiao Qi" sound incessantly in his ears, the old man wrinkled his brow and gave a cold snort that silenced the whole room. Du Sheng stepped down from the podium, allowing Old Tan to take his ce. Old Tan had just stepped up when he frowned, and asked: "What Xiao Qi Xiao Qi? Where is Xiao Qi? Is Dong Yong here [7]?" [7] Dong Yong (¶­ÓÀ) is a TV show character from Tian Xian Pei (ÌìÏÉÅä), or Fairy Couple. Very basically, the youngest of seven fairies travels to the mortal world and falls in love with a man named Dong Yong. Instead of using the Qi in Qi Mu''s name (ÆÝ) like the orchestra does, Old Tan uses the Qi for seven (Æß). After a moment of silence, there was a sudden burst ofughter. Qi Mu shook his head, not knowing whether tough or cry. But little did he know¡­ Xiao Qi-ah, Xiao Qi. From now on, you''ll be resigned to let this name will follow you through life.

TL Notes:
  1. I can''t believe I had to look up types of trees for this chapter. I¡­ don''t know anything about trees apparently lmao. The "ntae" kingdom that the Chinese parasol tree falls under is amon tree type for like¡­ trees you see on the streets and in neighborhoods, I think.
  2. The blond man (Daniel) has previously appeared before: he was the man who apanied Min Chen to the funeral.
  3. Crying andughing seems to be used a lot¡­ I''m not going to bother adding notes after the idiom is used.
  4. Just to be clear, when it talks about Qi Mu''s past in an orphanage, it''s actually Lu Ziwen''s past.
  5. When tuning, the orchestra usually tunes to the oboe. The oboe ys a starting "A" note, then the group tuning ys their note. Rather than being told to, the musicians themselves make adjustments. From my (very mediocre) high school experience, adjustments can be made in various ways such as turning the tuning pegs in a string instrument, or adjusting the mouthpiece/barrel of a woodwind instrument by pulling it out a bit. I believe brass instruments have a sliding tube they can adjust too. There''s moreplicated stuff like "concert keys" and stuff, but I''ll just leave that out.
  6. Both the title and the nickname part both use the Qi for seven.
  7. Also apparently I''m still getting"¸±Ê×ϯ" wrong omgggg. It''s "vice-violinist" but that''s not really a role. I thought it was just some weird trantion and overshot Lu Ziwen''s importance oops. Anyways, I went back and fixed stuff so previous chapters should be fine. It''s not a huge deal really, Lu Ziwen is just important than I thought LOL (not in my heart tho). I''ve also made this note in previous chapters that although vice-violinist is not a role, the term going to start being used. It''s basically just one step down from "lead violinist". Sorry for the error, but this is the only one that''s been consistently popping up. Now that it¡¯s been addressed it ??? should be smoother sailing from here on out??? Probably?
  8. please no more modern media terms my mtl skills are too poor
me, in the intro: vienna!!! where is min-, luo what are you doing here. me, as the blond was talking to someone under the tree: !!!!!!!! aaaaaaaa min chennnnnnnn it''s been roughly 4 weeks since I''ve seen him (since I tl this weekly). min chen¡­ is like my future son-inw¡­ I can''t help but be happy seeing him¡­ Also a note that in two weeks (the week of April 22nd to April 28th) there won''t be any updates. I''m busy with something, but I''ll also be taking time that week to reread my trantions. There will be an update next week though!! See you then!!! unedited bcus we regret our mistakes a weekter like men. it¡¯s 2am where i live so that means it''s time to get off the pain train and sleep. Chapter 5 (2) It was early morning in Vienna, the streets were not busy, and people were leisurely walking by. There were tall sycamore trees on both sides of the road. Because it was early autumn, the ground was covered in ayer of golden leaves, making it appear enchanting from afar. When Luo Yu Sen exited his taxi, there was a group of people rushing through traffic. Carrying his violin case, he cursed inwardly and waiting at the side for these people to pass. It had been a week since Luo Yu Sen was released from the police station. Lu Zi Wen¡¯s death was determined to be an ident due to an acute asthma attack. It was because, in current medical history, there were no deaths by asthma attack caused by a fight that resulted in little to no injury. Moreover, Luo Yu Sen also med himself, crying heavily when he was detained. Saying things like ¡°Why didn¡¯t I stay longer?¡± and ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see his illness?¡±, Etcetera. The detectives who observed this just looked at each other and shrugged. They released him because there was no proof that he was directly involved in the ident anyway. ording to Luo Yu Sen¡¯s testimony and the time of death inferred by the coroner, it should be that after Luo Yu Sen left the lounge, Lu Zi Wen suddenly had an asthma attack. Without medication, the asthma attack was too violent, and he couldn¡¯t call for help. Soon after, he lost consciousness and eventually died. Honk¡ª¡ª The honk came from a fast moving taxi, passing Luo Yu Sen. He took a step back in shock and almost fell to the ground, but someone held him up. Returning to his senses, he turned around and saw a blond man with blue eyes. The man asked him, ¡°Hey mister, are you alright?¡± Luo Yu Sen nodded but didn¡¯t say thank you. He hurriedly walked over to the other side of the street, chasing the green light. When he opened the door of the red-brick, European styled building belonging to the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, he didn¡¯t notice that the blue-eyed blond behind him slowly smiled and looked thoughtfully at the door he disappeared through. After a while, the blond turned and left. Walking across the street, he stopped under a huge sycamore tree. Laughing, he said, ¡°This Luo Yu Sen guy looks. . . normal. Hey, aren¡¯t you thinking too much, Min? The detective also said that he just happened to be in the lounge and left before the asthma attack.¡± Under the grand, golden sycamore, a handsome man lifted his head slightly and calmly looked at the swaying leaves. He wore a long ck coat. Although the brand was unknown, the excellent workmanship on it showed its elegantvishness. He stood on the side of the road, looking up at the tree with passing vehicles behind him. The other man found himself being ignored and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one who wanted toe here and meet him. Now that you¡¯ve met Luo Yu Sen. . . Damn, why are Chinese names so difficult to pronounce? Now that you have seen him, why didn¡¯t you talk to him?¡± A yellow leaf slowly descended along with the autumn wind, and he subconsciously reached out to catch it. He stared at the leaf, no longer full of life, for a while and suddenly said, ¡°Daniel, in Huaxia, there¡¯s an old saying¡ª¡ªCoincidence doesn¡¯t exist.¡± Daniel looked at him in surprise, appearing somewhat puzzled. ¡°But this matter, really. . . Is he truly that skillful?¡± The autumn wind drowned the man¡¯s soft sigh, and not long after, a ck Bentley slowly drove away from the block. The pedestrians rushed up and down the street. Only the huge sycamore tree bore witness to what happened there. Meanwhile, halfway across the globe, it was already afternoon in Huaxia. When Zheng Wei Qiao learned from his friend that Qi Mu was selected for the B City Symphony Orchestra, though it was unexpected, somehow he was not surprised by it. Despite knowing that Qi Mu was the only applicant whose performance the judges didn¡¯tment on, he inexplicably felt that. . . Qi Mu, he could be sessful. Zheng Wei Qiao had not heard him y the violin for a long time, and he also knew that Qi Mu hadn¡¯t touched the violin for 8 years. Naturally, his skill wouldn¡¯t be the same as before, but Qi Mu was confident. Because he remembered that, yesterday, the young man who confidently said ¡°If B City Symphony Orchestra doesn¡¯t pick me, then they¡¯re only at that level.¡± was definitely not lying. That being said, when Zheng Wei Qiao drove his car to Qi Mu¡¯s house, he knocked on the door for a while but didn¡¯t get a reply. When he dialed his number, he only heard Qi Mu¡¯s surprised voice from the other side of the line, ¡°Hmm? Zheng-Ge, what are you doing at my house? I¡¯m already at the orchestra.¡± ¡°. . .¡± How dare you. . . Was this child too old to listen to his elders?! By the time Zheng Wei Qiao rushed to the orchestra, he just entered the practice room to see an old man, well-known in the industry for being stubborn, offering Qi Mu a handmade maca wine to taste but being rejected humorously by the young man. All the people around them wereughing. The atmosphere. . . Was so blinding and harmonious. Wait a minute, shouldn¡¯t all these people reject the sudden addition to the orchestra? And Qi Mu, being called ¡®the genius prodigy,¡¯ when they deliberately iste him, shouldn¡¯t that make him angry and have him kicking up a fuss?! Why was thispletely different from what he imagined?! Zheng Wei Qiao felt like a bad person. As soon as Qi Mu looked up, he saw Zheng Wei Qiao standing near the door. He could see Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s face was pale and sighed, looking exhausted and exasperated. He couldn¡¯t help but smile, then he waved, ¡°Zheng-Ge, I¡¯m here.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao didn¡¯t immediately walk over to him. He went to the old members of the orchestra and said a few words to them, and only then did he go over and sit in the seat next to him, asking, ¡°Qi Mu. . . why did you go straight to the orchestra and not wait for me?¡± Qi Mu lifted his eyes to look at Zheng Wei Qiao and asked in surprise, ¡°Zheng-Ge, didn¡¯t you say today you would be working on the article for ¡¶Music Hall¡·? I didn¡¯t want to bother you, so I went by myself. I took a bus here. There was a bus station at the entrance of themunity, and it¡¯s really convenient for me to take public transport, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°. . . ¡± I¡¯m not worried about your journey here! I¡¯m worried about you being swallowed up by this group of slippery old people! Seeing Zheng Wei Qiao hesitating expression, Qi Mu shifted his gaze and understand what the man meant. Qi Mu was born in Europe and only came to perform a few times in Huaxia when the orchestra had their global tours. Needless to say, he was not familiar with the symphony orchestra here. Growing up in an orphanage since childhood, one needed to know how to observe people, to be patient but have a little force, that was the best way to go. By the time he was seven, he¡¯d already been able to live peacefully without other kids bothering him, thanks to his ability in reading people. Later when he was adopted by an old couple with no children, he had the opportunity to learn how to y the violin. He then entered the European ssical music scene full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons, so he had to be low-key. There was one thing Luo Yu Sen said that was correct. He didn¡¯t have any family background so he could only rely on himself to survive in Vienna. Things like how to get along with people, how to make a good first impression, that was already ingrained deep in his bones. But. . .pared to the arrogant and old-fashioned old fritters in Vienna, these seniors here were much nicer. Qi Mu thought secretly. ¡°Zheng-Ge, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. I can handle it myself,¡± Qi Mu said with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right, don¡¯t you have to hand in an article today? How¡¯s the drafting?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao looked at him strangely for a while, then he sighed, ¡°You¡¯re still young, and teacher left you in our care, so you don¡¯t have to worry about other things. As long as you work hard and keep practicing, that¡¯s all teacher would want.¡± Qi Mu didn¡¯t know whether to cry orugh. Zheng Wei Qiao really put Qi Mu¡¯s mother kindness to heart, quite like the saying: one day a teacher, lifelong a father. . . .cough mother. They talked for a bit after that but didn¡¯t get to talk for too long because the concertmaster of B City Symphony Orchestra, Du She Xiang entered the practice room. Du She Xiang was the top violinist in Huaxia, and he had a great reputation globally as well. He was known for his skill, rich experience, and knowledge. Qi Mu once heard him at the Golden Hall, ying Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡¶Violin Concerto in E Minor¡· and even he had to praise it. The conductor was not here today, so the concertmaster would lead the orchestra. Du She Xiang went to the podium and helped the first violin group set up. He then turned and looked at the second violin group, and in the position of the deputy concertmaster, sat a beautiful young man. His gaze stayed on Qi Mu for a while then he began the sound process. When the orchestra had finished setting up, Du She Xiang didn¡¯t tell the first violin to pick up the ensemble. Instead, he smiled and looked at Qi Mu, saying, ¡°Today, we have a new member, taking over Lao Zhang¡¯s position as the deputy concertmaster¡ª¡ªQi Mu. Even though he¡¯s young, don¡¯t even think of bullying him. Let me tell you, Old Tan views him with high regard, so if you bully him, don¡¯te to me when Old Tanes for you!¡± Several peopleughed at Du She Xiang¡¯s joke. The deputy chief of the first violin group then said, ¡°Mr. Du, you don¡¯t have to say it. Who would dare to bully Xiao Qi? Xiao Qi is so clever and sensible. If we hurt him, then we are being mean. When I first saw him, I felt like I was seeing my son who recently graduated from college. It felt familiar.¡± The deputy chief of the first violin group was a woman in her 40¡¯s. Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s eyelids twitched. Clever and sensible. . . are we talking about the same person? Arger member of the groupughed, ¡°Yeah, Xiao Qi is so handsome, who would bully him? Hey, Xiao Qi. My good daughter is turning 28 this year, when are you going to visit my family?¡± ¡°Lao Wang, you shameless old man. My daughter is turning 20 this year, so her age matches Xiao Qi. You can go away!¡± . . . The sound ofughter echoed in the practice room. When Tan Zheng Hui arrived, all he heard was ¡°Xiao Qi¡±* and ¡°Xiao Qi¡± that. He frowned then grunted, and the entire room went quiet. *Referencing a folktale, see more about it Du She Xiang stepped down from the podium to give way for Tan Zheng Hui. The old man had just gotten on the stage and asked, ¡°What is Xiao Qi? Where is the seven? Is Dong Yong here?¡±* *Referencing the same folktale above After a moment of dead silence, they all suddenly burst intoughter. Qi Muughed until his eyes teared up, but he didn¡¯t know. . . Xiao Qi, this nickname would follow him forever, and he was stuck with it his whole life. He had better ept his fate. Chapter tranted by Kuroshinji and edited by Betwixted Chapter 6 Since the chief conductor has arrived, today''s orchestra training is officially started. Tan Zhenghui as the chief conductor of the B City Symphony Orchestra, in the orchestra, and even the whole of China, are quite famous. Since he took over as chief conductor of the B City Symphony Orchestra 10 years ago, he has led the orchestra to perform many performances in the country and overseas, especially his interpretation of Dvo?¨¢k, so that the West is amazed, unexpectedly that the East have such understanding of Dvo?¨¢k''s conductor. Tan Lao is 56 years old this year, but his hair is already white. Although his appearance is look good, but it can''t hide the signs of aging. Since Mother Qi died eight years ago, Tan Lao looks like he''s getting old all of a sudden. Mother Qi grew up in B City before she was married to the S City. She doesn''t have a good family environment. Her parents died of illness when she is in college. Her talent is extraordinary, she has been taken care of by Tan Lao. Tan Lao was the chief violinist before moving to the S City Symphony Orchestra. Such a bright woman suddenly died because of an ident. No doubt that the white hair delivers the ck hair[1]. In particr Qi My was so stupid, Tan Lao is heartbroken and angry. "Second violin group, vibrato dropped to MP[2]!" "What about my third horn? Slow down!" "Second violin group, entering too fast!" "Stop!!! Trombone in the wrong tone, Li Cheng you y it again." The first ensemble of each orchestra is the hardest part. There are few kinds of instruments and more than a dozen people. It is extremely difficult for them to y the same instrument and control own rhythm, not to mention the perfectbination of more than a dozen instruments on this basis. Even if the B City Symphony Orchestra yed Dvorak''s music many times in the past few years, there would inevitably be some minor mistakes will ur. And that''s when it''s time to test themand. In the past, Qi Mu was the deputy chief of the first violin group of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Some mistakes can be heard, such as the pitch of the same instrument, the speed of the rhythm, and the strength of the vibrato. Sometimes he can hear small mistakes in string instruments, or big mistakes in wind instruments. But most of the time, when the conductor suddenly stops and yells, Qi Mu is slightly surprised. After all, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra is the world''s top established orchestra. There are very few mistakes that can ur. When the ensemble reaches thete stage, you don''t want to hear any mistake. At this time, only themander who leads everything can hear subtle errors hidden in the half-tone or even a little bit of strength. "Li Cheng! Did you go out as a thiefst night? Eat yet, already blow a mess[3]! Give me another one!" The highmand tform, Tan Lao was already angry and his face was red, the second trombone he scolded was so ashamed that he hurried to y it again. "Xiao Qi... You said old Li Zhen y was bad?" The young man sitting next to Qi Mu whispered in a strange voice. Tan Lao had already been so angry that he went straight to the trombone group, so their whispering conversations in front are not easy to hear. "I think Old Li didn''t seem to make much difference before. Why was he scolded today?" After hearing this, Qi Mu smiled and exined, "There is no problem with the rhythm and pitch of the second trombone, but when the song was inserted, he starts a little louder than the first trombone. And at the end of the paragraph, as a second trombone he was too fast to hold down the horn." The young man was shocked and asked, "Is that true?" "Is Chen Ge not think so?" Qi Mu raised his eyes and looked at each other. A faint smile appeared in his pale eyes, and he was calm. "I think if this y is not sessful, Tan Lao should be..." "Wrong! Don''t you y "The Sixth" for months? Li Cheng you tell me about yourself, when will you make such a big mistake?! Hurry up, don''t make the other anxious!" Qi Mu''s words have not finished yet, Tan Lao''s angry voice sounded in the entire rehearsal hall. Puzzled for a moment, he smiled and closed his mouth atst, but the young man did not agree. "No, it''s really a small problem?! Xiao Qi, you can even hear that? Your note sense is too strong!" Qi Mu smiled modestly and his beautiful eyes turned around. He thought of a saying, "My parents used to like Dvorak''s Sixth very much, so they often told me something about it. Although Tan Lao''s style ofmand is not the same as my father, but still the same in this aspect." The young man nodded and asked no more questions. And Qi Mu smiled meaningfully. These days, he has been able to slowly grasp the notes that are constantly emerging in his brain. Because there were too many sounds, he couldn¡¯t control it all at once, but he also using a tuner topare the sounds, although Qi Mu dare not say that he has surpassed Tan Lao''s sound sense, butpared with it, there is not much difference. The most important thing for a conductor is the ear. Even the music master Beethoven, he could make music when he was deaf. However, when he wanted to conduct his own music, he was opposed by almost all the orchestras in the world,and even some musicians would tremble to hear that Beethoven was conducting the orchestra. Want to conduct an orchestra without hearing? That is a mission impossible! Qi Mu knows that with this body''s talent, there is no difficulty in the development of ssical music. And the most suitable for him is not the violin, it''s the conductor. But...... Is it possible to be a conductor simply by having an absolute sense of tone? Every world-renowned conductor has ears with absolute tone sense under the training, and their achievements may be beyond the imagination of an ordinary absolute tone senser. Qi Mu heard such a thing when he was in Vienna before, and it was also because of this that he really bowed down to the man who became the king of modern ssical literature. From then on, he was willing to worship Min Chen. It is said that Min Chen, when conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, he once heard a violin changed a string after an ensemble! What kind of hearing is this? Even with Qi Mu current talent, It''s hard to imagine "Well, this is barely okay. You will y it again in the evening. You''ll be allowed to go home for dinner only if you''re qualified, you know!" Tan Lao snorted and then walked back to his podium. Before he picked up the baton, his eyes would nce at Qi Mu beneath the stage, stare nkly at Qi Mu then chuckle¡ª¡ª Just now... is he was heard? "Qi Mu, you... Come with me." When the ensemble ended today at noon break, Qi Mu had not yet risen from his chair when he heard an old man¡¯s voiceing from the high podium. Qi Mu just took a moment and put down the violin in his hand and went up. He passed through all the people in the orchestra, and everyone said to him that "Xiao Qi, 18 yearster is still a hero", "Xiao Qi, you worked hard, the revolution needs you", which made himugh and cry. When Qi Mu caught up with Tan Zhenghui, Tan Lao stood in the corridor outside the rehearsal hall, his hands pinned behind him, and did not look at him, but looked down at the window. Qi Mu walked softly forward, followed Tan Lao''s eyes. Through the small buildings mottled with historical traces of wooden windows, is a scene of the autumn wind in the quiet garden. Most of the flowers have begun to wither, and only the golden yellow of the ginkgo tree is like ayer of thin nkets on the ground. It looks as dazzling as the sunshine in full bloom from a distance. "Tan Lao." Qi Mu said respectfully. "En." Tan Zhenghui murmured softly, and after a long time, he said, "How many years I have not see you ah...... Qi Mu." Qi Mu thought for a moment and said, "Three years." Tan Zhenghui shook his head when he heard the words, and there was a trace of sadness in his old face. "It''s three years and two months. Last time you still want toe up with the ''Edith''[4] when you are an adult, did we old people get together and meet you?" His firm eyebrows frown slightly for a while, Qi Mu sighed and nodded, "Yes." "Edith" is the name of the violin that his parents deposited in the Swiss Bank Corp. The original body was eager to take out the little princess[5] from the bank after he became an adult to sell it for money. Therefore, the old friends of his parents immediately got together and changed the condition of taking out the violin by using their rtionship, so that Qi Mus can''t sell the violin. "Thismunity is not for you if you just want to y." Tan Zhenghui said with no feelings, "It is absolutely impossible for you to get mixed up with the old ones in my orchestra." Qi Mu naturally understood Tan Lao meaning, he is worried that he still does not know how to repent. Qi Mu looks down at the reflection of the halo on the floor. As he moves, the hair on his forehead falls naturally, covering his eyes. "Tan Lao, I really want to start my life again. In the past I was young and ignorant, in the future... Please rest assured." Tan Lao heard the words, turn to look at Qi Mu in surprise. The sunset on the horizon renders the clouds of the whole sky, and the brilliant purple makes the brilliant sunshine softer. The light projected from the small window on the young man''s handsome white face made his meaningful eyebrows more refined. That looks was like his mother which more than twenty years ago! After a long time, Tan Lao sighed deeply, "This weekend... There is an international violinpetition. You can take part in it." Suddenly heard this Qi Mu was stunned. He looked up at Tan Lao for a long time. Looking at the old man''s helplessness expression, he slowly opened his mouth and smiled, he nodded his head and said solemnly, "All right." Chapter 6 (2) Now that the conductor was present, the rehearsal officially began. Tan Zheng Hui was the conductor of this orchestra. He had a great reputation within the orchestra and Huaxia as a whole. Since he took over as conductor ten years ago, he led the orchestra to perform both at home and abroad. His interpretation of Dvorak¡¯s, in particr, amazed people in the West who couldn¡¯t quite believe that a conductor from the East who understood the work of Dvorak existed. Tan Zheng Hui turned 56 this year but his hair was already white. Although he appeared very spirited and lively, it couldn¡¯t hide the signs of aging. After the death of Qi Mu¡¯s mother 8 years ago, he suddenly began aging quickly. Qi Mu¡¯s mother grew up in B City before she got married and relocated to S City. She didn¡¯t have a good family environment, as a child. While at university, her parents died of illness at the same time. She was a very talented young woman who was also very caring towards Tan Zheng Hui. She was his concertmaster before she went to the S City Symphony Orchestra. Such a great and talented person in the younger generation suddenly died in an ident, of course, Tan Zheng Hui was heartbroken by it. And with Qi Mu being the way he was, he was even more distraught. ¡°Second violin group, drop the vibrato to mp!¡± ¡°Third french horn? Slower!¡± ¡°Second violin group, you entered too fast!¡± ¡°Stop! The trombone is one tone off, Li Cheng, start again.¡± . . . The first rehearsal was always the most difficult. Each type of instrument consisted of more than a dozen people. To y with consistency and controlling your own rhythm was already difficult. Not to mention they had to y inbination with other instruments. Even though B City Orchestra had yed Dvorak¡¯s songs many times over the past years, it was inevitable that minor mistakes would ur. This was also a test for the conductor. In the past, he was the deputy concertmaster of Vienna Symphony Orchestra. So he too could hear the mistakes such as the pitch of the instrument, the rhythm, vibrato, tremolo, etc. Sometimes he could also hear the smaller mistakes in the string section or the bigger ones from the wind* section. *Literally woodwind, which is a section of wind instruments other than the brass including flutes, oboes, rs, and bassoons. However, after a while, the conductor suddenly stopped and yelled, and even Qi Mu was a bit surprised. After all, Vienna Symphony Orchestra was one of the world¡¯s top orchestras. The mistakes that urred were few and far between. When the ensemble reached thete stage, even a single mistake couldn¡¯t be heard. By then, only the conductor could hear the subtle mistakes that were hidden in the strong sound. ¡°Li Cheng! Did you stay outtest night? Have you eaten? Your y is a mess! Do it again!¡± On the towering podium, Tan Zheng Hui¡¯s face was already flushed red with anger. The second trombone he reproached was also embarrassed and hastened to y it again. Seeing this, Qi Mu shook his head and smiled. He sympathized with the man a little. ¡°Xiao* Qi, do you think he yed as badly as Lao* Tan said?¡± the young man beside him asked in a low voice. Tan Zheng Hui was already angry enough to go straight for the trombone group. So it was hard for him to hear their whispered conversation at the front. ¡°I think Lao Li didn¡¯t y any differently from before, so how can he be so bad today?¡± *Xiao means ¡°little¡± and is an affectionate form of address for others that are the same age, or younger. Lao means ¡°old¡± is a form of respect (and admiration) for those that are older. Hearing this, Qi Mu chuckled and exined, ¡°There is no problem with the intonation and the pitch of the second trombone. But when he entered, it sounded louder than the first trombone, overwhelming it. By the end of the paragraph, he exited too fast and didn¡¯t hold the horn.¡± The young man was shocked and asked in confusion, ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°Chen-Ge, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Looking up to the other party, Qi Mu¡¯s light-colored eyes seemed to reflect a smile. He then calmly said, ¡°If he still doesn¡¯t get it right this time, Lao Tan would. . .¡± ¡°Disproportionate! It¡¯s too heavy at the top! Did you not y the ¡¶Sixth¡· for the past few months? Or did you forgot how to y trombone entirely? Tell me, Li, when did you start making such a mistake? You¡¯re in too much of a hurry, you shouldn¡¯t rush the Horn!¡± Qi Mu hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Tan Zheng Hui¡¯s angry voice rang throughout the practice room. Qi Mu froze slightly, but then he smiled and closed his mouth, and he didn¡¯t say anything else. But the young man didn¡¯t let him go. ¡°No way! That was such a subtle mistake! Xiao Qi, you could hear it? Your ears are really sharp!¡± Qi Mu smiled modestly, his beautiful eyes moved a bit, thinking of what to say, ¡°My parents really liked listening to Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶Sixth¡·, so they often talked to me about it, exining it. Even though Lao Tan¡¯s style is not the same as my father, in this aspect, it is identical.¡± The young man nodded and didn¡¯t ask anything more, but Qi Mu smiled meaningfully. He had been able to slowly grasp the notes that were constantly emerging in his mind, courtesy of his hearing. Because there were too many sounds, he couldn¡¯t control it all at once. And he also had to trouble himself with the need to use a tuner. But now, although he wouldn¡¯t dare to say that his hearing was better than Lao Tan, it should be almost the same, if they were topare it. For a conductor, the most important thing was their ears. Even Beethoven, the music maestro himself who had written his own symphonies despite being deaf, was faced with opposition from orchestras when he wanted to be the conductor of his own songs. And the musicians who heard the news all shivered. He can¡¯t hear and yet he wanted to lead an orchestra? That was an impossible mission! Qi Mu knew, with the gift that this body had, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for him to climb up in the industry. This talent was suited best for being a conductor, not a violinist. But. . . Was perfect pitch the only thing needed to be a conductor? Every world-renowned conductor had an ear that, through training alone, was no less than having perfect pitch. The achievements they had earned could not be imagined by someone without absolute sound. Qi Mu had heard about something simr in Vienna. It was also because of this that he met the modern king of ssical. Since then, he could only concede defeat to Min Chen. It was said, that when he was conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, he once heard a violin change strings after an ensemble. What kind of hearing was that? Either way, even in terms of Qi Mu¡¯s current talent, he still couldn¡¯t imagine it. ¡°Ah, this is barely okay. You will y it againter. If you are passable, you can go home for dinner!¡± Lao Tan snorted then walked back to his podium. Before he picked up his baton, his gaze swept across the auditorium to meet Qi Mu¡¯s. The young man was surprised but he quickly smiled¡ª¡ª Just now. . . was he heard? When the rehearsal ended, Qi Mu had not stood from his chair when he suddenly heard an old man¡¯s voiceing from the podium, ¡°Qi Mu. . . with me. Come.¡± Qi Mu startled, then set down his violin, and followed. He passed the others and everyone gave him looks that said ¡°Xiao Qi, you¡¯ll still be a hero eighteen yearster¡± or ¡°Xiao Qi, you worked hard. The revolution needs you!¡± It made him want to bothugh and cry. When he caught up with Tan Zheng Hui, the old man was standing in the corridor outside the hall and his hands were tucked behind him. He did not turn to look at him, instead, he stared out the window. Qi Mu walked up to him quietly and followed his gaze down. The wooden window sill was touched by age and beyond it was a garden blessed by the autumn wind. Most of the flowers had begun to sumb to the cold, and only the golden shade of the ginkgo tree¡¯s leaves scattered across the ground like a thin nket. It resembled the sun in full bloom from a distant, ringly bright. ¡°Lao Tan,¡± Qi Mu said respectfully. ¡°Ah,¡± Tan Zheng Hui sighed. After a long time, he said, ¡°How many years has it been since I¡¯ve seen you. . .¡± Qi Mu thought for a moment then said, ¡°Three years.¡± Tan Zheng Hui shook his head. His old, upright face showed a trace of grief as he said, ¡°Three years and two months. Last time, you had yet to grow into adulthood and still wanted to grasp hold of that ¡®Edith.¡¯ Those of us old guys got together to meet you, and yet you only saw one side of it?¡± His eyebrows rose slightly, then after a while, Qi Mu sighed, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Edith¡¯ was the name of the violin his paternal grandmother had in a Swiss bank. The original was eager to take Xiao Gongzhu from the back to sell it for cash. Therefore, the old friends of his parents gathered together to change the conditions for taking out the violin. So far, Qi Mu was not interested in selling the violin. ¡°If you just want to y, this circle is not for you,¡± Tan Zheng Hui said without feeling. ¡°In my orchestra, if you¡¯re going to rely on your background to climb, it¡¯s impossible.¡± Qi Mu naturally understood Lao Tan¡¯s meaning. He was worried that he was still unrepentant. He looked down at the halo reflected on the floor, and this movement had the hair on his forehead falling naturally to obscure his eyes. He said, ¡°Lao Tan, I am very serious about wanting to start over. In the past, I was ignorant and young. In the future. . . please rest assured.¡± Lao Tan was surprised, and he turned to look at Qi Mu in amazement. The setting sun on the horizon rendered the clouds in the sky a gorgeous purple and it made everything look softer. It poured in through the window and cast across the young man¡¯s white face, refining the appearance of his handsome features. This made him resemble his mother twenty years ago! After a long while, Lao Tan sighed, ¡°This weekend. . . there is an international violinpetition. Go participate.¡± Qi Mu heard this and was shocked. He stared up at Lao Tan for a long time. Looking at this old man¡¯s helplesspromise, Qi Mu¡¯s mouth slowly curled into a smile. Then he solemnly nodded and said: ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter tranted by Kuroshinji and Betwixted, edited by Betwixted Chapter 7
King of ssical Music Chapter 7: Did You Suck Your Brains Out?


B City Symphony Orchestra is the first-ss orchestra in China, just three days after break period, the ensemble of the whole orchestra has undergone a qualitative sublimation and began to enter the tacit phase. In the meantime, Qi Mu also has a lot of understanding of Tan Zhenghui. Tan Lao is a dedicated old artist, his talent as conductor is naturally unquestionable, and his attitude towards excellence in music make Qi Mu more admirable. Each conductor has different styles in processing music, such as Mr. Alberck Dorenza[1] the chief conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, his music is very romantic, passionate gentleness of a music. On the contrary, Tan Lao''s music is more closely rted to the reality. With its earthy gentle fragrance, It gives the audience a feel of pure and natural atmosphere which is a natural match with Dvorak''s music. As a result, Dvorak''s performance often appears in the the B City Symphony Orchestra. For example, the orchestra is now rehearsing the twelfth of the ¡¶Symphony no.8 in G Major¡· is one of Dvorak''s famous works. The whole song is soothing and calm, as if bring people to the beautiful Czech Republic in 19th century and feel the infinite nature scenery. "Insert the r a little bit!" "The r is a little lighter!"
Even if it was corrected a hundred times, Tan Lao refined attitude also allowed him to pick out eggs from the stone[2] and ask for better. Whenever it''s time for rehearsal, the conductor is like having obsessivepulsive disorder and demanding in every detail. Although Qi Mu can hear the rhythm and pitch of each instrument, he is not the conductor and did not know what kind of Symphony Tan Lao wanted. Today rehearsal was over, when he was about to go back in the evening, Qi Mu has not yet walked out B City Symphony Orchestra front door, suddenly he was called and he turned to see that Tan Lao with serious face was sitting in a ck car and looked at him. "Get in." Qi Mu was slightly surprised and then got on. In the quiet and narrow car, Qi Mu just put the violin case and heard a low pressure sound, "Tomorrow''spetition... How is the preparation?" Understand what the other side said, Qi Mu turned to look at Tan Lao and said with a serious look, "I''ve been preparing for these days. You should rest assured Tan Lao, I will work hard." Since Tan Lao himself said about violinpetition, Qi Mu has entered a busy preparation period. Originally, he also nned to register himself, but he did not expect Tan Lao to help him handle all the things, and only need to perform on stage. Tan Zhenghui looked at the Qi Mun serious look and nodded in satisfaction. Just as the car turned to the corner and drove up to the highway, he asked: "Which songs have you prepared?" Qi Mu answered, "I intend to use the first song Paganini''s ¡¶The Scene of Love¡·, I''ve practiced on this piece a lot in thest few days. The second n is to use Mozart''s ¡¶Serenade¡·." After a pause, Qi Mu added, "It''s "Serenade in G Major", which I used to know very well, so I used this one. Thest one... It''s Mendelssohn''s ¡¶Concerto in E Minor¡·." Listen to what Qi Mu said, Tan Lao kept his head. When he finished speaking, Tan Lao frowned and ponder for a while, then asked, "I remember that you used to be the best of Tartini''s songs. Why didn''t you pick him this time?" Hearing this, Qi Mu was slightly stunned then smiled, "Tan Lao, this is already a thing of the past." After listening to this, Tan Lao looked at Qi Mu deeply, and did not speak any more. Inside the car has returned to a dead silence. When the car arrived at his neighborhood, Qi Mu stood by the car with his violin box and saying goodbye to Tan Zhenghui. Tan Lao sighed and said: "I haven''t seen you for more than three years. You have changed a lot... Qi Mu." The dazzling sunset shines on the young man ck hair, and Tan Zhenghui slowly squints his eyes. Finally, he reveals a rare smile, "Qi Mu you must keep this way, I will wait for your result tomorrow." After a while, the ck car slowly drove out of the distrcit gate and disappearing from Qi Mu sight. The young man with a straight figure did not immediately turn to go upstairs. He held the violin case in his hand and watched Tan Lao car drift away. He smiled dryly, ¡°Qi Mu ah, there are so many elders who care about you... How did you fall like that? You''re actually really happy." His tone is bitter and helpless, with a hint of envy. Not for long, the figure of the young man disappeared on the neighborhood roadway, and the sighing words were also drowned by the autumn wind.
The violinpetition that Tan Zhenghui is interested, is certainly not an ordinarypetition. That is a national violinpetition organized by Huaxia government and Munich Conservatory of Music in Germany, which is divided into two parts, junior group and youth group. ording to Qi Mu current age, he is in the middle of the 18 to 25 years old youth group. When he arrived at the B City Grand Theatre where thepetition was held, many yers were already preparing in the backstage. Qi Mu rarely see so many young violinists, he looks at it a few more times. Then he hears the man who follows him say, "QI Mu, you''re not too old for that, are you regretful that you haven''t taken advantage of the past eight years of your prime time?" After hearing this, he turned around and asked: "Zheng Ge, do you think I regret it?" The person who came to the theater with Qi Mu was Zheng Weiqiao. Originally, he did not intend to tell Zheng Weiqiao about his participation in thepetition. After all, many magazines needed him to submit their stories by the end of the year, and it was still quite busy. But Zheng Weiqiao did not know where he got the news of his participation in thepetition. He went to his home early in the morning to "tie" him. Zheng Weiqiao pushed the sses on the bridge of his nose, and the clean lens reflected a silvery light: "Isn''t it?" Qi Mu shook his head, squinting his eyes and then look at the vibrant young contestants there. He said with a smile: "Even if I regret it, there will be no change, so I will only do something to change the future." After listening to Qi Mu words, Zheng Weiqiao lingered for a long time, and he waited until Qi Mu opened the violin case and began to y. He looked at this handsome young man with aplicated look for a long time before he finally showed a smile. Zheng Weiqiao was really busy recently, so he only apanied Qi Mu for a day when he went to the B City Symphony Orchestra on the first day. Originally, he was worried that Qi Mu being excluded and bullied by his predecessors. But after seeing that he was able to handle the rtionship between colleagues so well, Zheng Weiqiao was relieved and did visit Qi Mu again in the next few days. He learned from his friends in the orchestra that Qi Mu was very popr in the orchestra and seemed to have another title called "Little Seven"[3]. Although Chief Tan is always criticize Qi Mu, he still takes great care of him most of the time. This made Zheng Weiqiao very relieved. He really grown up overnight, ah! Not bad, just... Is the transformation a bit too big? Thinking of this, Zheng Weiqiao became worried again, he asked: "Qi Mu ah, the result of your previous abstaining from marijuana... How''s it going?" Qi Mu haven¡¯t touched the word ¡°marijuana¡± for a long time. When he heard Zheng Weiqiao¡¯s words, froze a bit it and said: "It''s almost done, Zheng Ge, you don¡¯t have to worry." The tone is calm and look normal. But that''s the case, Zheng Weiqiao is little worried: "Would you have any abnormalities reaction while in the withdrawal... You now change so much, ah?" "......" "Won''t that be a problem? For example, if you wake up, and you want to go back to your old life?" "......" "Maybe we should see a doctor in a few days." "......I really don''t need it, Zheng Ge." "Let''s see a doctor." The more Zheng Weiqiao thought, the more he felt his concern was very reasonable, and he nodded. Qi Mu felt a bit dumbfounding: "Zheng Ge, I really don''t have a problem! It''s not being ruined by marijuana." Even if it was, it was killed by smoking marijuana. Zheng Weiqiao was still hesitant, until Qi Mu promised that he would be able to put the matter down and said no more. Looking at the appearance of Zheng Weiqiao like the olddy, Qi Mu heart is warm, and his delicate face is full of smiles. What they did not know, not far away, a young violinist was looking at them with a frown. After looking at them for a while, the man whispered to himself: "Qi... Mu?"
*Un-beta-ed *All credit goes to the original author *Feel free to pinpoint me if there any grammar error *I''m using Chinese suffix here *Please don''t share this outside ''s blog msvijaya(dot)blogspot(dot
TN: Chinese idioms is the source of migraine//Lol Zheng Weiqiao the mother hen [1] Alberck Dorenza: the original is °¬²®¿Ë¡¤¶àÂ×Èø tell me if you have better suggestion. [2] Tan Lao refined attitude also allowed him to pick out eggs from the stone: the original is "Ì·ÀϾ«ÒæÇ󾫵Ä̬¶ÈÒ²ÈÃËûÄÜ´ÓʯͷÖÐÌô³ö¼¦µ°" HELP!! although I kinda understand the meaning of the "egg" and the "stone". [3] Little Seven: СÆß (xi¨£o q¨©), seven is "q¨©" in Chinese. Qi Mu name is ÆÝĺ. But I will use "Xiao Qi".
Chapter 7 (2) B City Symphony Orchestra was worthy of being the number one orchestra in Huaxia. After only three days of rehearsal, the entire orchestra was great and had a tacit understanding of each other. During this time, Qi Mu also learned a lot about Tan Zheng Hui. Old Tan was a senior artist who worked really hard and was doing his best at everything. His ability as a conductor was undeniable, and Qi Mu admired his attitude toward musical excellence. Each conductor had their own style in interpreting music scores. Mr. Albert Dorenza, the conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, for example, had a style that was romantic and filled with passion and a gentleness one might expect from a gentleman. In contrast, Lao Tan¡¯s style was much more realistic and down to earth. With the gentle and simple sense of nature, it made the audience experience a pure atmosphere. His style matched Dvorak¡¯s naturally. Which was why there was always a shadow of Dvorak¡¯s influence in the B City Symphony Orchestra¡¯s performances. For example, the orchestra was currently rehearsing the ¡¶Symphony No 8 in G Major¡·for the twelfth time, it was one of Dvorak¡¯s most famous works. The whole song was soothing and calm. It brought people to the 19th century, to experience the beauty of the ins in the Czech Republic and the infinite allure of nature. ¡°The r should enter a bit more naturally!¡± ¡°Recorder, a little higher!¡± . . . Even if he had corrected them 100 times, Tan¡¯s attitude and strive for perfection allowed him to pick out an egg from stone and would demand them to be better, better and even better. Whenever they had a rehearsal, the said conductor was akin to someone with an obsessivepulsive disorder, demanding about every single little detail. Among them, even though Qi Mu could hear the rhythm and pitch of each instrument, he was not a conductor, and he didn¡¯t know what kind of symphony Lao Tan wanted. Today¡¯s rehearsal ended in the evening and they went home. Qi Mu had not left the gate yet when he was stopped by someone calling his name. He turned around and saw Lao Tan¡¯s serious face, the older gentleman sitting in a ck car. ¡°Get in.¡± Qi Mu froze slightly, then he got into the car. In the quiet and cramped space, just as Qi Mu put away his violin case, he heard a low-pitched voice, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯spetition. . . how¡¯s your preparation?¡± He suddenly understood. Qi Mu turned to look at Lao Tan and said with an earnest expression, ¡°I have been preparing for it these past few days and you can rest assured, Lao Tan. I have worked hard.¡± Ever since Lao Tan told him about the violinpetition, he had entered a busy flurry of preparation. Originally, he nned to contact the referee himself to register, but Lao Tan already arranged everything for him. All he needed to do was get on stage and y. Tan Zheng Hui looked at Qi Mu¡¯s solemn expression and nodded, satisfied. The car turned and drove up a hill. He then asked, ¡°What songs did you prepare?¡± Qi Mu replied, ¡°I n to y Paganini¡¯s ¡¶Love Scene¡· first. I practiced this song a lot these past few days. The second is Mozart¡¯s ¡¶Serenade¡·.¡± At Old Tan¡¯s nod, he added, ¡°It¡¯s ¡¶Serenade in G Major¡·, which I am most familiar, which is why I chose it. And thest song is Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡¶Violin Concerto in E Minor¡·.¡± Lao Tan kept nodding as he listened to Qi Mu. Then, Lao Tan frowned and thought for a while. He asked, ¡°If I remember correctly, Tartini¡¯s works were the ones you¡¯re the best at so why you didn¡¯t choose his songs this time?¡± Qi Mu startled a little. He then said with a smile, ¡°Tan Lao, that is a thing of the past.¡± Hearing this, Tan Lao looked at Qi Mu deeply. He didn¡¯t say anything else and the car fell to a dead silence. When the car arrived at his house, Qi Mu went to bid Tan Zheng Hui goodbye. He stood beside the car, holding his violin case, but Tan Lao heaved a long sigh and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in 3 years and you¡¯ve already changed a lot. . . Qi Mu.¡± The brilliant setting sun shone on the youth¡¯s ck hair, and he saw Tan Lao slowly narrowing his eyes. Finally, he revealed a rare smile and said, ¡°You have to keep this up. Ah, I will wait for your results tomorrow, Qi Mu.¡± Before long, the ck car drove out of the neighborhood and disappeared from Qi Mu¡¯s sight. But the young man did not immediately turn around and go upstairs. Holding the box, he looked into the distance and watched Lao Tan¡¯s car drove away. He smiled and said dryly, ¡°Qi Mu, ah, there are so many elders who care about you, yet how did you let yourself fall into such a state? You are quite a lucky person.¡± His voice was bitter and helpless with a touch of envy. After a while, the youth disappeared down the path to his house. The words which were like a sigh was drowned out by the autumn wind. If even Tan Lao was watching this violinpetition, naturally it was not a normal one. This was a national violinpetition organized by Huaxia¡¯s official and Munich Conservatory of Music in Germany. It was divided into two categories, the juvenile and youth sections. ording to Qi Mu¡¯s age, he was in the youth category of 18-25, in which he was just in the middle. When he arrived at the B City Theatre where thepetition was held, there were already many violinists there preparing. It was not every day that he could see so many young violinists, so inevitably, he took a look around. He heard a young man beside him say, ¡°Qi Mu, you¡¯re not young. You wasted 8 years and didn¡¯t take advantage of it. Do you not regret it even a bit?¡± Qi Mu turned and looked at him. He then asked, ¡°Zheng-Ge, do you think I regret it?¡± The person who apanied Qi Mu to the theatre was Zheng Wei Qiao. Originally, Qi Mu had no intention of telling Zheng Wei Qiao about his participation in thispetition. After all, the man was quite busy with all the articles he had to send to various magazines. But somehow, Zheng Wei Qiao got the news anyway, though Qi Mu didn¡¯t know from whom. He had gone to Qi Mu¡¯s house early this morning to ¡°kidnap¡± him. Zheng Wei Qiao pushed the frame of his sses up the bridge of his nose, the clear lenses reflecting a silver light, ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± Qi Mu shook his head and squinted his eyes to look at the energetic group of young yers, he then said with a smile, ¡°Even if I regret it, it won¡¯t change anything so I don¡¯t regret it. I can only change the future, after all.¡± Hearing Qi Mu¡¯s words, Zheng Wei Qiao was stunned for a long time. He only returned to his senses when Qi Mu took out his violin and began to tune it. He looked at the handsome youth with aplex expression then, after a while, his lips curled into a smile. Zheng Wei Qiao was busy recently, so he only apanied Qi Mu to B City Symphony Orchestra¡¯s rehearsal once. At first, he was worried that Qi Mu would be isted and bullied by the seniors, but seeing that Qi Mu knew how to handle it and even managed to have a good rtionship with his colleagues, he was relieved. So he didn¡¯t apany him further. He learned from a friend who was also in the orchestra that Qi Mu was very well liked there, he even had the nickname ¡°Xiao Qi¡±. Although Lao Tan was always nitpicking, most of the time he was very protective of Qi Mu. Zheng Wei Qiao was greatly relieved knowing this. Wow, he really grew up overnight! Not bad, not bad. . . Yeah, but isn¡¯t this change too big? Zheng Wei Qiao was somewhat worried, and he asked, ¡°Qi Mu, how are you doing after your rehab from marijuana?¡± Not being in contact with Zheng Wei Qiao for a while, when he heard the word ¡°marijuana¡± from him, Qi Mu was at first stunned. He then said with a calm voice, appearing quite normal, ¡°It¡¯s almost over, Zheng-Ge. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± But still, Zheng Wei Qiao was worried. ¡°Are there any abnormalities with the withdrawal? Is that why you¡¯ve changed so much?¡± ¡°. . .¡± ¡°This is not going to be a problem, right? Like, you waking up one morning and your brain suddenly gives you the idea that you want to go back to your previous lifestyle?¡± ¡°. . .¡± ¡°We can go to a doctor in a few days.¡± ¡°. . .There¡¯s really no need for that, Zheng-Ge.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find a doctor to have a look at you.¡± The more he thought about it, the more he felt that his concern was very reasonable, and he nodded. Qi Mu didn¡¯t know whether to cry orugh. ¡°Zheng-Ge, I really, really don¡¯t have any issues! This is not a side effect of marijuana.¡± Even if it was, well, he already smoked himself to death anyway. Zheng Wei Qiao still hesitated, and it wasn¡¯t until Qi Mu promised him three times that he put the matter to rest and didn¡¯t say anything more on it. Looking at Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s expression that resembled an olddy, Qi Mu¡¯s heart felt warm. His fine face was full of smiles. What they didn¡¯t notice was that, not far from them, a young violinist was looking at them and frowning. After staring at them for a while, the young man whispered to himself: ¡°Qi. . . Mu?¡± Chapter tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 8 After all, this was a nationalpetition organized by Huaxia officials and the Munich Conservatory of Music, so thepetition was well regted. Except for how Qi Mu entered through the ¡°back door¡± with his rmendation by Tan Lao and others who''re the same, the rest of the participants already went through two rounds of audition. Those who passed the screening were naturally very talented. This was the first time Qi Mu had gone to the B City Theatre. As a participant in the youth group, he was temporarily moved up. His number was on his back, and it was among thest of the participants. Therefore, when the juvenile group started their round, he could leisurely watch them while Zheng Wei Qiao was anxious. ¡°Qi Mu, ah, are you. . . not nervous at all?¡± A 12 years old girl was on stage ying ¡¶Roxanne¡¯s Veil¡·, and Qi Mu listened intently, smiling from time to time. Hearing Zheng Wei Qiao, he turned and answered, ¡°Nervous? Maybe a little.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao calmed down a bit. He was actually a normal person that knew how to feel nervous! ¡°So why don¡¯t you get ready and practice a bit? This is not a simplepetition, Tan Lao also attaches great importance to thispetition.¡± Saying this, Zheng Wei Qiao reached out his hand out and pointed at an area under the stage that was dense with people, saying, ¡°I just went and checked, Tan Lao is sitting on the third row.¡± Qi Mu looked in the direction his finger was pointed. He saw the crimson curtain and the brilliant light that shone onto the stage and the girl. Under the stage, the light was so bright that it made people in the denser area feel their scalps tingle. Don¡¯t even mention the third row, the first row was hard enough to see. Qi Mu stared for a long time but he didn¡¯t say anything. Zheng Wei Qiao continued, ¡°I inquired about this earlier. This time, the main judge is Professor Karl of the German Munich Conservatory of Music, and it is rare for him toe to Huaxia. If you work hard, some say that Professor Carl will take a student back to German with him which is a once in a lifetime opportunity!¡± The more Zheng Wei Qiao talked, the more excited he became, with sweat on his forehead and eyes shining behind his sses. He went on to say, ¡°If you go to the Munich Conservatory and became Professor Karl¡¯s disciple, it¡¯s equivalent to having a letter of rmendation in Europe. Wasn¡¯t the current concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra his student?¡± Qi Mu just say ¡°Un¡± with a carefree attitude, yet Zheng Wei Qiao didn¡¯t notice this at all and continued, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Tan Lao¡¯s rmendation, I¡¯m afraid we wouldn''t get such a great opportunity.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao viewed him as his own family so he always said ¡°we¡±, and Qi Mu carefully analyzed this. ¡°If you perform well this time, maybe. . .¡± Qi Mu didn¡¯t pay much attention to Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s words. His eyes were focused on the center of the judges¡¯ panel, on a bearded foreigner. Unlike the rigidity and solemnness of most Germans, Robert Karl seemed to be born with the literary ir of the French. He had long hair and it was tied in a small braid with a rope. His beard was also long and just as strong and mighty as Hagrid¡¯s from Harry Potter.* *What a powerful reference. Was honestly expecting more of a Lucius Malfoy vibe. . . However, this kind of valiant and robust man, Qi Mu knew, was one of the best music professors in Europe. Professor Karl had taught many world-ss violinists, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s concertmaster, and his students could achieve almost anything. He still couldn¡¯t believe it that Robert Karl hade to Huaxia. Hearing Zheng Wei Qiao say the professor wanted to select a student from thispetition, it shocked even him. Regardless of their current level, bing Robert Karl¡¯s student would be the equivalent of having the red carpet rolled out for their future, eliminating almost all bumps along the way. Following this train of thought, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but seek out the old man¡¯s face in the brightness he couldn¡¯t see through. He finally understood why Tan Lao asked him to participate in thispetition, and why he expressed concern before it. It turned out that. . . He wanted to help him go to Europe? True, for every violinist, the twenty-two year old was supposed to be in university. However, that was not Qi Mu. He had wanted to try out the Munich Conservatory in his previous life, but his adoptive parents had died by then, leaving only a small house as legacy. That house of memories, he refused to sell, so hecked the money for the high tuition. It just so happened that the Geneva Conservatory began its policy for impoverished students and increased the number of schrships, so Qi Mu went to Geneva toplete his studies. That was. . . already more than a decade ago. Qi Mu¡¯s beautiful phoenix eyes lowered, and he sighed softly. ¡°Ah, Xiao Qi, don¡¯t feel too much pressure. Being Professor Karl¡¯s student is definitely glorious, but even without this opportunity, I believe you can return to the stage again.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao had been talking for quite a long time and found Qi Mu¡¯s expression to be quite bleak all of a sudden. He mistakenly thought the younger man was feeling ack of confidence, so heforted. ¡°I believe that your strength in gaining experience and knowledge is very good.¡± However, Qi Mu suddenly lifted his head, feeling a bit embarrassed, ¡°. . . Xiao Qi?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao was surprised for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Ah, yeah, isn¡¯t it Xiao Qi? Several people in the orchestra have been calling you so.¡± He pushed his sses up the bridge of his nose and said seriously, ¡°Well. . . Teacher used to call you Xiao Mu, but I cannot beat Teacher. Xiao Qi is also quite good.¡± ¡°. . .¡± While Zheng Wei Qiao and Qi Mu were speaking with a cordial atmosphere about them, a young man was watching them from afar. He was only about twenty years old and had a delicate, yellow violin in his hand. He watched the two from a distance and whispered, ¡°Really. . . Qi Mu, ah. . .¡± His voice was so low that it could not be heard. A trace of nostalgia shed in his eyes, then he quickly concealed it, his fighting spirit rising. He whispered confidently, ¡°I lost to you ten years ago, but this time. . . not going to happen!¡± Suddenly, he felt as though there was something crawling up his spine. Responding quickly, he looked up and saw Qi Mu smiling at him. With his bow in hand, he waved a little. Qi Mu was a bit surprised, then he politely smiled and turned to whisper, ¡°Zheng-Ge. . . that person, do you know him?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao thought for a bit then said, ¡°He is the champion of the youth group¡¯s semi-finals, Sheng Yan Hui. He¡¯s also a prodigy. How do you know him?¡± Qi Mu carefully searched his memories then shook his head without fruition, ¡°Seems like there is no impression.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao said, ¡°Oh.¡± Then he added, ¡°Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s character is good and his talent is also not bad. He¡¯s one of the biggest candidates for Professor Karl this time. However, he¡¯s a bit old, and that is a draw-back.¡± ¡°How old?¡± ¡°Twenty-four. Seems he became known a bitte.¡± Qi Mu nodded then raised no further questions. Although he felt that this Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s gaze was a bit provocative, his feelings were not always urate so Qi Mu paid it no attention. Nothing would be blocked. When water covered the earth, a ship would cross the bridge. Not long after, the neenth was called and Sheng Yan Hui took his renowned violin to walk onto the stage. Qi Mu happened to be sitting near the stage, and on his way up, Sheng Yan Hui suddenly stopped in front of him. Zheng Wei Qiao was also surprised and about to ask. However, he saw Sheng Yan Hui smile. The young man then solemnly said, ¡°Qi Mu, I haven¡¯t seen you in ten years. This time. . . I worked hard, and I hope you like it. The championship will not always be yours, I will beat you.¡± Having made his ¡°deration of war¡±, Sheng Yan Hui turned to continue up onto the stage and left behind both Zheng Wei Qiao and Qi Mu who was still smiling in confusion. Zheng Wei Qiao asked, ¡°Xiao Qi. . . you know Sheng Yan Hui?¡± He saw the young man smile and turned, his delicate face wearing a gentle and bright smile, so beautiful people could not remove their gazes. However, when he opened his mouth, it was cold as the autumn wind swept away the leaves, ruthless. Qi Mu merely asked, ¡°Zheng-Gi, I. . . know him?¡± ¡°. . .¡± Better to not let Sheng Yan Hui hear this. Otherwise not only would he spit three liters of blood, but it might just kill him too. Chapter tranted by Kuroshinji and Betwixted, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 9 | | To be recognized by Zheng Wei Qiao as a seed yer, Sheng Yan Hui was truly outstanding. His first song was op.18 in Mozart¡¯s violin sonata. This was a tricky piece, yet he yed it brilliantly. After hepleted his performance, he purposefully went over to Qi Mu and said general things like, ¡°I¡¯m honoured to meet you again,¡± or, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your performance,¡± and so on. Zheng Wei Qiao was embarrassed hearing this, but Qi Mu was like a cloud carried by the spring breeze. He smiled and answered him. It was as if he was very familiar with Sheng Yan Hui, and he didn¡¯t put on any airs. By the time Qi Mu went to the stage, several yers already had their turn. Qi Mu¡¯s first song was ¡¶Love Scene¡·by the great violinist Paganini. It was perhaps not his most outstanding work, but this piece was one of the most important songs by this master violinist. Paganini was the most outstanding violinist in medieval Europe, and it could even be said that he deserved the title of violin king. This master left dozens of musical pieces behind, and almost every piece was said to be written by God¡¯s hand. There was a story behind this ¡¶Love Scene¡· : a rumor that ady named Elisa fell in love with Paganini and asked him topose this song to express these feelings, for it could only be yed with two-strings. For other people, this might be too difficult. But this was Paganini, simple as that. This stunning violin master had a nickname¡ª¡ª Single string maniac. Among the ssical pieces in his repertoire, there were a few songs which were shockingly yed with one string. The ¡¶Love Scene¡· was a double stringed song. With the E string to represent the women and G string to represent the men, the two echoed each other at a distance and finally, with a passionate duet, it deeply touched thedy. If Mozart¡¯s Sonata yed by Sheng Yan Hui was at municipal level, then this ¡¶Love Scene¡· was at the national level. When the judges saw this song was performed, they were also taken aback. Qian Zhen Hua, an honorary member of Huaxia Musicians Association, said, ¡°This song is a test of skill, I didn¡¯t expect anyone to choose this piece for their first song.¡± For the three songs used for this performance, most selected a piece that required skill as the first song, an emotional piece as the second, and, for the third, a piece they excelled at. ¡°I rarely see people chose Paganini¡¯s song to disy their skill!¡± Qian said with emotion, ¡°What¡¯s the name of this kid. . . Qi Mu? That name is a little familiar, isn¡¯t that. . . is it. . .¡± ¡°It seems to be Qi Jun¡¯s son?¡± the judge sitting next to him said. Suddenly hearing a familiar name, Professor Karl turned in surprise and asked in stuttering Chinese, ¡°Qi. . . Qi Jun? Is that Qi Jun of the S City Symphony Orchestra?¡± Qian Lao sighed, ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s him. He and his wife died in a car ident a few years ago. I heard only their son is left.¡± Professor Karl nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else. The others also did the same. But no one heard the bearded foreigner sitting in the middle suddenly whisper in German, ¡°Is it that. . . gifted child?¡± All of this was unknown to Qi Mu. Qi Mu¡¯s choice of¡¶Love Scene¡· was a long-established n. It was absolutely impossible to choose a simple song to both win thepetition and leave a great impression on people. But Paganini¡¯s 24 Caprices was too difficult and the original owner also hadn¡¯t yed for a long time. It was impossible to practice it in such a short amount of time so Qi Mu chose ¡¶Love Scene¡·. However, this song that was ¡°difficult in the middle¡± and Qi Mu¡¯s ¡°dazzling skills¡± left arge impact on the people present. The G string was on the far left of the four strings on a violin. It had the thickest string and produced the toughest sound. The E string was located on the far right, being the thinnest, and it produced the lightest sound. This great distance required arge swing of the bow from side to side, not only to strike the two strings urately but to also ensure that the passionate feeling, like that of fire, could be expressed. On the stage, the audience only saw the youth¡¯s beautiful fingers, like white jade, moving swiftly across the strings, and they only heard the melodious sound that poured from the small violin. Qi Mu was born with an eye-catching pair of hands. Under the high wattage spotlight, this pair of slender hands seemed to reflect the light, and people couldn¡¯t retract their gazes. Despite the appearance that was akin to an embroidered pillow, these hands could y such a fierce song. It felt as though there was a small hammer tapping at the hearts of everyone present. Even Sheng Yan Hui, who was listening in the background, was stunned. When the song ended, the entire audience was silent. At the end of this skillful performance, Qi Mu¡¯s fingers were also slightly numb. He gasped softly and even his handsome face was a bit pale from the long period of concentration and nervous tension. The silencested for half a minute. One minute. . . Two minutes. . . Three. . . ¡°Bravo!¡± Someone suddenly shouted, then thunderous apuse broke out. During the fierce apuse, Qi Mu suddenly felt a quiet tremor in the deepest part of his heart. Ever since his rebirth, he had kept calm and finally there was a moment of joy. But he quickly concealed it and bowed politely then exited the stage. Zheng Wei Qiao was already flushed with excitement. ¡°Qi Mu! You did great!!!¡± He directly hugged Qi Mu but, because Qi Mu was still holding his violin, the hug was brief and he quickly released the youth. ¡°That song definitely showed your skill, you deserve the highest score!¡± Qi Mu was still immersed in that emotion from earlier and hadn¡¯t returned to his senses. So he didn¡¯t catch Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s words. It had been more than ten years. . . Since hest felt that kind of emotion? Most people who joined an orchestra bid farewell to their music career. No matter who introduced them, they would always add the name of the orchestra before their name. Only a handful of people like the conductor or the concertmaster could make their reputation surpass the orchestra. Before joining the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. . . No, before he joined his first orchestra, he had always struggled with the goal of ¡°entering the orchestra¡± where everyone cheered for him and not for the orchestra. But after joining the orchestra, the audience did indeed apud more and more, but that apuse was for the orchestra, the conductor, or the concertmaster. Where would an ordinary violinist sitting in the back row receive it? ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Qi Mu? It¡¯s your turn now, what are you thinking about?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao asked. Qi Mu froze slightly, then he shook his head and said, ¡°Nothing, Zheng-Ge. I¡¯m ready to go.¡± Before long, Qi Mu took his violin and went back to the stage. Under the brightly focused light, he felt as if he was seeing the Golden Hall. He blinked and everything returned to normal. This feeling¡ª¡ª It was toxic! Only by standing in the glorious position of the conductor and concertmaster could it be understood what it felt like being at the top of an orchestra. . . . His second song was Mozart¡¯s No. 6 Serenade, which was also called ¡¶Serenata Notturna¡·. Among the contestants, this song was decent but Qi Mu¡¯s wonderful interpretation also made the audience apud. So far the audience had called out a total of three bravo¡¯s, one was for Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s excellent performance, and the other two for Qi Mu, the ck horse. When thest song of the second round yed, Zheng Wei Qiao made a point of walking over to understand the scores. He walked back with a smile, ¡°Now you¡¯re in first, your score is higher than even Sheng Yan Hui.¡± Qi Mu was surprised, and he asked, ¡°Do you know the whole score, Zheng-Ge?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao shook his head and said, ¡°How could I possibly know so much? Just knowing that you are first is enough. Xiao Qi, ah, if you get first you might be able to go to the Munich Conservatory! Although a friend of Teacher¡¯s rmended you as well, this is based on your own strength. It is not the same, ah.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao sighed with emotion, ¡°If you really can enter, how good, ah. . .¡± In the quiet backstage, one by one, the other contestants took their violin to the front and yed. Zheng Wei Qiao did not notice that Qi Mu had frowned, his eyes dropped low in deep thought. When Sheng Yan Hui was to back on stage, he stopped before Qi Mu again and he appeared hesitant. Then, right before he left, he choked out this sentence: ¡°Qi Mu. . . you are still very good, but I will not concede. Myst song is Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡¶E Minor¡·. I will show my strength and show you the work I¡¯ve put in this past decade!¡± Suddenly hearing a familiar name, Qi Mu jerked a little and he asked subconsciously, ¡°Your selection is Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡¶E Minor¡·?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After a pause, Sheng Yan Hui suddenly thought, ¡°Is that. . . you too?!¡± Sighing, Qi Mu licked his lip and nodded. Afterward, Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s face instantly paled, his eyes dulled, and he turned to walk away without another word. In the samepetition, the same section, and to choose the same song, and. . . their performances were so close to each other. It was bound topare the two more drastically. The previous two songs had already long surpassed Sheng Yan Hui, and this third, it may just entirely beat his face. How could this not astonish Sheng Yan Hui? But, that was how it was. Sheng Yan Hui walked to the center stage with an uneven mood. But, before he had even left the background, he suddenly heard a low-pitched voice call out, ¡°Wait a minute, Sheng. . . Sheng Yan Hui.¡± He turned and looked only to see Qi Mu hurrying over. Sheng Yan Hui did not ask. Qi Mu¡¯s mouth suddenly curled up in the corner to reveal a sneer. He looked Sheng Yan Hui up and down, then said, ¡°It really is bad luck for you to pick my song. It seems you will always fall at my wayside, ah.¡± Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s face suddenly turned red and he angrily replied, ¡°Qi Mu! You are so arrogant!¡± Qi Mu¡¯s gaze swept up to Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s eyes and, in their light-colored depths, he could see both contempt and disdain. He spoke coldly, ¡°Oh yeah? But I have the capital to be arrogant. y your ¡¶E Minor¡·well, ah. . . I¡¯ll give you some time?¡± Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s fury grew, ¡°Qi Mu! You have gone too far!!!¡± Upon seeing this, the youth¡¯s handsome face broke into a cold smile and left. Sheng Yan Hui suddenly felt as his heart was ignited. He clenched his bow in hand and confidently walked onto the stage. A momentter, the clear melody of a violin sounded out. ¡°Xaio Qi, what did you say after chasing him?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao asked curiously. He noticed that the brow that had been furrowed on Qi Mu¡¯s forehead ttened out, and his condescending appearance had faded away. Qi Mu smiled pleasantly and said, ¡°That, ah. . . I won¡¯t tell Zheng-Ge.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao looked at him with confusion but did not ask further. When Sheng Yan Hui returned from the stage and red at him with scorn, Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s heart stilled and he tried to think of it, but it disappeared without a trace. Two performances of Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡¶E Minor Concerto¡·. One performance was wonderful and garnered a full house apuse. Although the interpretation was excellent, it was still eclipsed inparison. When it came time for the final results to be announced, all the participants sat below the stage. Qi Mu looked up at the spotlight and his thin lips curled into an unnoticeable smile. ¡°Third ce, Zhao Zheng Wen.¡± A dark-skinned youth burst into tears and went on stage to receive the award. After the audience¡¯s apuse, everyone quietly waited for Professor Karl to announce second ce. ¡°Second ce. . .¡± Qi Mu saw the bearded professor suddenly stop speaking and his gaze fell in the direction of Qi Mu. Zheng Wei Qiao immediately held his breath and, as if to chant, whispered, ¡°Not you, not you. . . Sheng Yan Hui is sitting in front, it¡¯s definitely him. . .¡± Qi Mu listened, dumbfounded. Professor Karl stared in his direction for a long time, then removed his gaze and said, ¡°The second ce is an excellent violinist, and I¡¯m sorry for his ranking. In my heart, he should be first ce. Therefore, I wish to report the first ce, then second.¡± This German just stammered when he spoke, but when he spoke in anger, it was as if he had practiced it countless times! Everyone was shocked. Was this unfortunate first ce. . . Going to be said by thisrge bearded man? | | Chapter tranted by Kuroshinji and Betwixted, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 10 | | In the face of this sudden situation, Zheng Wei Qiao was also perplexed. He looked at Qi Mu and whispered, ¡°If you ce first. . . I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good or bad thing.¡± The scores of thispetition were selected by a number of judges, and it did not favor Professor Karl though he was the main judge. Now that Professor Karl had said this, it was obvious that his score for the second ce was higher than the first. However, afterbining with the other judge¡¯s scores, the result dissatisfied him. In fact, Qi Mu was also deeply surprised by this. He looked at Professor Karl with aplicated gaze. After a while, he sighed, ¡°Professor Karl has always been entric. . .¡± Zheng Wei Qiao unconsciously wanted to blurt out the question, ¡°How do you know he¡¯s entric?¡± but when he saw Qi Mu slight frown, he was a little stunned and swallowed his question. On the stage, Professor Karl started to announce the first ce: ¡°The first ce is a very down-to-earth and deeply-rooted child. His ¡¶E Minor¡· amazed me. He is¡ª¡ª¡± Zheng Wei Qiao unconsciously held his breath. Qi Mu, however, looked down slightly, because he already knew the result. ¡°He is Sheng Yan Hui!¡± Sheng Yan Hui who was sitting in front of Qi Mu, did not understand what had happened until the people around him congratted him. As soon as he got up and ready to go up on stage, he seemed to have realized something and turned to look at Qi Mu with aplicated expression. Under the dazzling lights, half of Qi Mu¡¯s face was illuminated. He curled his lips into a smile and said, ¡°Congrattions, Sheng Yan Hui.¡± Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s mouth opened and closed but he went to the stage without saying anything. After giving the first prize to Sheng Yan Hui, Professor Karl said into the microphone, ¡°The second ce has excellent skills and can y Paganini to such a degree. This is rare even at the Munich Conservatory of Music. He is¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Qi Mu.¡± In the apuse of the whole hall, Qi Mu calmly walked toward the stage. At this time, Sheng Yan Hui and Zhao Zheng Wen, the third ce winner, were standing beside Professor Karl, as if to wee him as the second ce winner. He reached out to take the crystal cup handed over by Professor Karl. He hadn¡¯t yet said thank you, when he heard the bearded man whisper, ¡°Long time no see, Qi Mu. Do you wish to study with me in Munich?¡± ¡°. . .¡± Qi Mu¡¯s epting the crystal cup still for a moment, then he asked, ¡°Professor, wasn¡¯t it the first ce who would have this opportunity?¡± In order to be considerate towards the man¡¯s poor grasp on Chinese, he especially spoke in English. ¡°You see, I¡¯m only second.¡± As he spoke, he shook the crystal cup in his hand. Professor Karl wrinkled his thick eyebrows and said: ¡°Who says only one person is allowed?¡± ¡°. . .¡± At this time, the lead speech had already begun. On and off the stage, other than Qi Mu and Professor Karl who were whispering to each other, the other people listened attentively to the speech. Qi Mu casually looked at Sheng Yan Hui under the lights, then whispered, ¡°Professor Karl, Sheng Yan Hui will be a good student. At his age, his level is very high and I think even in Europe, it is first ss. If you ept him as an apprentice, it will not be a mistake.¡± Who expected that the bearded man to eat an iron scale and refuse to let go, ¡°However, your skill level is higher than his. Yourst song was low in level but I know that wasn¡¯t your true skill. Munich Conservatory has resources you couldn¡¯t believe, child. You can¡¯t develop in China, you must go abroad to study.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Professor Karl. But my age has not yet reached the point where I have to rush into a college but Sheng Yan Hui. . . he can¡¯t wait.¡± Qi Mu looked up at the big and burly man, and with a firm look, he asked, ¡°I want to ask you. If I were in first ce, would you ept the second ce?¡± Professor Karl froze, then shook his head and said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, this is really a joke by God, Professor Karl. I happen to be the second ce so why would you break the rule?¡± Qi Mu spread his hands and smiled, saying, ¡°Professor, I would like to be your student but I don¡¯t want you to make an exception this way. To tell you the truth, your style doesn¡¯t suit me, and you know it.¡± Professor Karl nodded in embarrassment. ¡°Believe me, if your student is Sheng Yan Hui, then you will be like Romeo and Juliet¡ª¡ª ¡®love at first sight¡¯.¡± For a long time, Professor Karl seemed to be thinking about this. And finally, a simple and honest smile appeared on his face which was obscured by his thick beard. He nodded approvingly and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to chat with you, Qi Mu. Ah, it¡¯s a pity you don¡¯t want to be my student. Your style. . . it¡¯s a bit simr to him.¡± Qi Mu was frozen, then he asked reflexively, ¡°Who?¡± Obscure German flowed from Professor Karl¡¯s mouth, leaving Qi Mu stunned. It wasn¡¯t until thepetition was over and Zheng Wei Qiao was driving him to the B City Symphony Orchestra that Qi Mu recovered. He turned to look out of the window. Through the clear ss, he saw the blue sky that was actually a rare urrence in B City. It was as if it was just as blue anywhere in the world. ¡°Auston Bertram. . .¡± ¡°Xiao Qi, what did you just say?¡±, Zheng Wei Qiao asked. ¡°Even though you got second ce, that¡¯s already great. After all, you haven¡¯t touched the violin for so many years. Having restored your skill to this level is already very good!¡± Qi Mu withdrew his gaze from the window. He nodded with a smile and said, ¡°Zheng-Ge, you don¡¯t need tofort me. I¡¯m already very happy.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao observed Qi Mu for a while, confirming that he really was not disappointed before turning around and continued driving. On the other hand, Qi Mu slowly wrinkled his eyebrows and, after a while, his lips suddenly curved. Bertram was the name of a German aristocratic family and one of the four Dukes. The person with this name owned numerous assets which were umted over hundreds of years. But, unfortunately, after World War Two, the family was no longer as glorious. It was said that their assets had shrunk by more than half. But even so, it was still a giant in Germany¡¯s upper-ss society. And this generation¡¯s Duke of Bertram, the poor man had no heirs to take his title. For some reason, the new Duke was no longer of Germany nationality. Aside from the name of ¡°Auston Bertram,¡± the man had a more widely known name¡ª¡ª Min Chen. Thinking of this name, Qi Mu¡¯s smile became even more helpless. This was the first time the name Min Chen was mentioned to him after his rebirth. If it wasn¡¯t for this, he would almost forget the scene in the Golden Hall¡¯s lounge. Before he closed his eyes for thest time, the scumbag Luo Yu Sen deliberately said this name to provoke him. ¡°My style. . . is simr to him?¡± These whispered words spoken to himself were drowned out by the sound of music in the car. Qi Mu thought for a while, thenughed and shook his head, ¡°His music style and mine. . . how could it be simr?¡± At this moment, in Berlin, which was half the world away. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra enjoyed the reputation of ¡°The best in the world¡± because of its members. From the world-ss orchestra to the world-renowned concertmaster, and even the enviably excellent conductor, no one could ever pick out a single mistake when it came to this orchestra. This orchestra inherited the rigorous and solemn characteristics of the Germans. They performed every piece perfectly to make people feel like it was God¡¯s work. The same orchestra, with different conductors, would have different styles. If someone asked what Min Chen¡¯s style was? The Vienna royal-level music newspaper ¡¶The Voice of Vienna¡· once evaluated this in just two words¡ª¡ª Perfect.* *Perfect is two characters. It was like bringing both the harsh and delicate German characteristics into full y. In their concerts, under Min Chen¡¯smand, everyone could only feel that this song could only be yed this way. With this kind of emotional rendition, this kind of instrumental match, this kind of rhythm control. Now, the rehearsal of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra was ringing with the roar of the soul. When the song was over, the man at the podium showed a slightly satisfied expression. He looked around the orchestra and everyone present before saying, ¡°Tomorrow is thest rehearsal, you guys. . . Are you ready?¡± The man¡¯s low, maic voice spread out from the podium. It was certainly German but his voice made the people find it simr to the sound of a mellow cello. Everyone nodded and said, ¡°Ready.¡± After years of cooperation, Min Chen was also very confident in these members. He nodded satisfactorily and turned to the concertmaster. Thetter immediately stood up and said, ¡°Then the day after tomorrow we will start our global tour of the year and these two days will be used for preparations. Our first stop is London, then we will go to Paris, New York, Tokyo, Singapore, and Berlin. Finally, we will go to the capital city B in Huaxia. Everyone got that?¡± Everyone said ¡°Hmm¡± in unison. The concertmaster heard this, then turned to the man standing on the conductor¡¯s podium and said with a smile, ¡°Min, do we need to continue today?¡± The handsome, indifferent man shook his head gently and after a while, the people packed up and left the rehearsal room. At this point, the blond man who had been watching for a long time came forward. He smiled and patted the other man on the shoulder. ¡°Min, thest tour of this year is about to start. What do you think of B City as ourst stop?¡± The lights gathered on the stage illuminated the man, enhancing the depth of his features. He nced at the blond and asked, ¡°Daniel, how¡¯s the preview for tomorrow¡¯s rehearsal?¡± ¡°. . . Do you want even me to do this?!¡± ¡°Are you not my agent?¡± ¡°. . . Yes.¡± ¡°So, how is it?¡± ¡°. . .¡± Seeing Daniel scratch his head and look away. Min Chen¡¯s dark eyes slowly closed. How did they end up going to B City. . . In fact, he didn¡¯t know. He just felt that it is time to go back. | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 11 | | The violinpetition was organized by Huaxia¡¯s officials and Germany Munich Conservatory of Music, so naturally, it held quite a lot of weight, not only in Huaxia but also globally. As soon as thepetition was over, the media reported on it and for a while, the Huaxia music circle was shaken. Everyone knew that Armstrong was the first person on the moon but few knew that the second person tond on the moon was Aldrin. At the end of thepetition, Sheng Yan Hui, who won thepetition, was in the limelight and soon followed Professor Karl to study at the Munich Conservatory of Music. Of course, even though there was less media coverage on Qi Mu, Professor Karl had mentioned him quite a few times, giving him a bit of fame. But this was not enough so Zheng Wei Qiao contacted several media outlets that he had a good rtionship with to write an article on Qi Mu. The cannonball fell, and Qi Mu¡¯s name resounded in Huaxia. S City. ¡°Qi Mu, this kid. . . has he changed so much?¡± A grey-haired old man pushed his reading sses up his nose and said strangely. H City. ¡°Do they have the same surname? No, the one who wrote this article is Zheng Wei Qiao. Wasn¡¯t he Ru Yue¡¯s student? It¡¯s really him?!¡± a middle aged man looked at the magazine ¡¶Music Hall¡· in his hands with surprise and couldn¡¯t return to his senses for a while. N City. ¡°It¡¯s already good to get second ce. After fooling around for so many years, this kid is finally getting a little better now. Should I go and take a look if it¡¯s long term. . .¡± an elegantdy thought and put down the ¡¶Sound of Music¡· magazine in her hand. . . . Such a scene was happening everywhere in Huaxia. Paying attention to the current affairs was something anyone in the music industry would do. And the magazines Zheng Wei Qiao selected were indeed Huxia¡¯s heavyweights. His ten years of working in the industry was not in vain, and he could now openly ask people for a favor. At first, when Qi Mu found out about this, he was ufortable. But Zheng Wei Qiao said, ¡°Xiao Qi, don¡¯t feel ufortable with me. Isn¡¯t it right that I help you? I don¡¯t have family and when the ident happened, teacher helped me a lot. So I should pay that kindness back. This is also because of your own effort. To tell you the truth, I almost gave up on you before. I no longer had the patience and confidence to change you after so many years. Now, you have to work hard and live up to my expectations.¡± Qi Mu was surprised when he heard this, ¡°Gave up. . . on me?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao nodded, he recalled, ¡°You know, on the day you said you wanted the violin back, I went to your house intending to confront you. Xiao Qi, this is embarrassing, but the job I prepared for you that day would have been thest one I ever gave. After so many years. . . I couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.¡± The original had fooled around for many years. It was rare for him to hold a job for even a month, normally he would only stand it for a week. Zheng Wei Qiao, who learned of his attitude that didn¡¯t know gratitude, was disheartened. If he knew that the original had fallen to the point of using marijuana, he would probably have blown up. Qi Mu naturally knew Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s personality, so heforted the man and let him rx a little. The two quickly arrived at the B City Symphony Orchestra. The sunshine in the early morning was warm and bright. Although it was autumn, today was a rare day where it wasn¡¯t cold. ¡°Hey, Xiao Qi, you¡¯re early today.¡± ¡°Xiao Qi, I heard you took second ce in the Munichpetition yesterday right? Congrattions!¡± ¡°Xiao Qi, you¡¯re here. Let¡¯s practice the harmony for the third part, it¡¯s going to be rehearsed soon so I¡¯m nervous.¡± . . . Qi Mu greeted the members of the orchestra who had already arrived one by one, then took out his violin to practice the harmony. Zheng Wei Qiao saw that he was already focused on practice and left after saying a few words to his friends. Today was thest practice rehearsal, and tomorrow is the final runthrough. It was a big event for everyone. The B City Symphony Orchestra had performed many times in Huaxia and they also performed in Europe and the United States, but that did not mean they could take this matter lightly. No one would apud an orchestra forever. It only took one mistake for everyone to look at the orchestra differently. When Tan Zheng Hui entered the rehearsal room, he saw¡ª¡ª Everyone was concentrated on tuning their instruments and practicing. The most eye-catching of all was the second violin group. Several people were gathered around and practicing together. Especially the handsome youth in the middle, he stood out even from a nce. It¡¯s not that the others were ordinary, it¡¯s just. . . The boy should be in the entertainment industry yet here he was in the ssical music industry, ying violin! Tan Lao gently coughed, and the members quickly went to their seats. He winked to Du Sheng, who was in the first chair. Thetter immediately understood and stood up, announcing the things that they should pay attention to in today¡¯s rehearsal. And then, there was the matter that this was thest practice. From the first Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶Sixth¡· to thest Brahm¡¯s ¡¶Symphony No. 4¡·, everyone concentrated and yed carefully. All in all, Tan Lao only said a few words at the end, which was a sharp contrast to the wrath he disyed on their first rehearsal. Their more than a month of practice was effective. By the evening of thest rehearsal, Tan Lao set down his baton and sighed. The old man, who have been the conductor of the B City Symphony Orchestra for more than a decade and had always been respected, instantly seemed to be a lot younger. He looked around and said, ¡°This is ourst national tour this year. Are you guys ready?¡± Du Sheng replied instead of the orchestra: ¡°Tan Lao, please rest assured. Everyone can¡¯t wait to get on stage.¡± Tan Zheng Hui gently nodded and said, ¡°This year¡¯s tour is almost the same as usual. The first stop is S City, then H City, N City, C City, W City then finally back here in B City. Six shows in a month is pretty tight, but you know therge orchestras in Europe are much busier than us.¡± Du Sheng on his side responded, ¡°Ah, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra will end theirst tour tomorrow. They have performed four shows in half a month.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°And it was a global tour.¡± Tan Zheng Hui said, ¡°Yes. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is even worse. They have five shows in two weeks and all the shows were highly praised. We may be a little worse than these orchestras that have stood for hundreds of years, but I don¡¯t think that your strength is any worse than theirs.¡± As he said this, Tan Zheng Hui suddenly focused on Qi Mu. His sharp gaze turned gentle instantly and he said with a soft tone, ¡°The other day I went to the violinpetition jointly held with Munich Conservatory. Qi Mu, you did great.¡± Suddenly being the focus of attention, Qi Mu immediately stood up. His beautiful and handsome face revealed a nice smile as he said, ¡°Thank you for the praise, Mr. Tan. I will continue to work hard.¡± Who would have expected Tan Lao to wear a stern expression and say rigidly. ¡°But orchestra is not a solo performance. Qi Mu, we don¡¯t have any opponents, we don¡¯t have any opportunities to humiliate people. If you¡¯re going to do it, you have to be the best, do you understand?!¡± Qi Mu was a bit stunned at these words, but he understood instantly. Unexpectedly. . . even Tan Lao had noticed something was wrong. Qi Mu smiled bitterly and nodded, he then hurriedly raised his hands as a gesture of surrender, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I will definitely do my best.¡± Seeing this, Tan Lao nodded satisfactorily then began to speak about the others. After sitting down, Qi Mu felt like bothughing and crying. Anyone who heard his ¡¶E Minor¡· that day would know he deliberately yed that way because he wanted to let Sheng Yan Hui go to Munich Conservatory of Music, so he lost. Because only he knew that in his current state, going to Munich was equivalent of giving up everything in Huaxia. It was a case of nine disadvantages and only one advantage. Robert Karl would be a good teacher but he didn¡¯t need a mentor right now. Instead, he needed a stage to give himself more opportunities. Going to Munich Conservatory of Music meant he would focus on learning for the next few years. Only he knew that he already learned those things, and he didn¡¯t need to learn them again. So he deliberately cked off during thest song, not only for Sheng Yan Hui but also for himself. It was the best of both worlds, so why not? However. . . Qi Mu looked toward Tan Lao who was standing at the podium, his eyes narrowed slightly. When Tan Lao told him to participate in thispetition, did that mean he wanted to send Qi Mu to Munich? At that thought, Qi Mu shook his head and put the matter aside. . . . The next day, the orchestra¡¯s rehearsal was aplete sess, and with this, the orchestra tour also began. When Qi Mu followed the orchestra off the ne and finally step on the ground of S City, he had no idea just how many people were waiting for the orchestra¡¯s concert on the second night. In S City, there was a group of old but strong seniors. Xiao Qi, ah, was he really ready? | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 12 | | In autumn, S City was different from B City as it did not enter a cold season quite as early. The S City Concert Hall stood in the bustling city¡¯s center and had nearly a hundred years of history. Sixteen ochre-colored marble pirs surrounded the concert hall, giving the architecture an elegant and solemn look. In the evening, there were more and more cars crowding the front of the hall. One by one, people got out of the cars and stepped onto the red carpet, then entered the arch into the building. Among them, there was an old man who appeared calm and respectable, and he was escorted to a room on the second floor. The front seat was already warming up to the point of boiling while backstage, everyone was busy making final checks before going on stage. Du Sheng, the concertmaster, was carefully examining his violin. After confirming that there were no problems, he went to examine the first violin group. B City Symphony Orchestra¡¯s performance uniform was a light ck, form-fitting suit with a slim crimson tie carefully wrapped around the neck. Qi Mu pinned a sapphire tie clip to his tie. The bright lights shone down on him from top to bottom, making the blue sapphire look even more enchanting. Qi Mu was already handsome and, when carefully dressed, even Tan Lao, who had just entered the backstage, couldn¡¯t help but look at him. How to say it? It was not that other people were too ordinary. It was he that was just. Too. much! Tan Lao finally gave some words of encouragement to everyone and, after thunderous apuse, the orchestra members entered the stage one by one starting from the wind instruments to sit in their positions. When Du Sheng finally sat, the red curtain that separated the stage and the audience slowly opened. Tan Lao rearranged his clothing, took a deep breath, and finally stepped onto the stage. Another round of enthusiastic apuse roared to life. Unlike some conductors, Tan Lao didn¡¯t like doing an introduction or demonstration. He gave a direct bow and stood at his podium. At this moment, he made eye contact with the orchestra members and, without any verbal confirmation, he grasped his baton. Then, Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶Symphony No. 6¡· began. Dvorak was the most famous music maestro from the Czech Republic, and he wrote numerous musical pieces throughout his life. With orthodox direction dominating his musical style, he also incorporated the sweet and fresh scenery of the countryside in his home country to make people feel at ease. ¡¶Symphony No. 6¡· was one of Dvorak¡¯s nine symphonies. Although it did notpare to ¡¶Symphony No. 8¡· nor was it as world-famous as ¡¶Symphony No. 9¡·, it had a solemn opening that revealed the musical influence that precipitated the maestro¡¯s life. ¡°Allegro non tanto¡± was the rhythm rate of the first movement in Symphony No. 6. When the whole song entered a good pace, Qi Mu looked up at Tan Lao on the conductor¡¯s podium. With just eye contact, Qi Mu inserted his violin into the music and, like that, the second violin group apanied the ensemble. Someone once said that the second violin group was the shadowpanion of the first violin group. This also implied that inparison to the first violin group, the second violin group was far less important. But, in fact, for musicians who really understood music, the second violin group was as important as the first. Although they do not stand out to the audience as the first violin group did, a song could never be perfectly yed without them. In the box at the easternmost side of the second floor, a white-haired old man closed his eyes and listened carefully. He listened to the whole song from the second movement¡¯s adagio to the third movement¡¯s scherzo. When the whole orchestra was about to y the final movement, and the whole piece was sublimated, the old man suddenly opened his eyes and sighed. ¡°Wu Lao. . . what is it?¡± asked a young man beside him. Wu Lao was sitting on the soft sofa, and his eyes seemed to be casually looking at the orchestra on the stage. But only he knew that he was focused on the young man sitting at the right side of the orchestra. He then asked, ¡°Xiao Chen, can you hear. . . Qi Mu¡¯s violin?¡± The young man startled a bit, but then he listened carefully. After a while, he shook his head with shame and said, ¡°I can hear the second violin group, but I can¡¯t distinguish. . . which one is his.¡± ¡°His violin is calm and restrained. The tremolo which had a turning point in the third movement was also smoothed out. Unexpectedly, in the many years I haven¡¯t seen him. . . Qi Mu¡¯s skills not only didn¡¯t decrease but actually increased. It truly. . . amazes me.¡± Old Wu said while looking at the handsome and beautiful youth on the stage from afar then narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of experience he had that polished him. This youngster used to be a show off, so it was impossible for him to y in an orchestra. What a surprise. . . what a surprise indeed. . .¡± Xiao Chen was astonished hearing Wu Lao¡¯s words, but he also felt it was incredible. Because he also knew, for Wu Lao it was unnecessary to tell such a lie. What he couldn¡¯t hear, naturally the old man could. And a simr conversation also happened in the middle box. An elegant woman looked at the handsome youth in surprise, her beautiful eyes wide. After a while, she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and asked the dignified, middle-aged man beside her, ¡°Wen Jun, how did Qi Mu. . . change so much? He wasn¡¯t like this before.¡± The man thought about it and replied, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen him for many years, and he¡¯s still young. It¡¯s normal for him to change.¡± The woman listened a bit more and, after the second performance finished, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°The change in Qi Mu is too great. Although I can¡¯t hear itpletely, I can still hear a little of his violin. But, from what I can hear, his level exceeds the chief¡¯s.¡± After a pause, the woman nced at her husband and said, ¡°Wen Jun, when I wanted to take Qi Mu into S City Symphony Orchestra, what did you say back then? You said that he was rebellious and needed some time to grow up. Do you regret it now?¡± The man smiled helplessly, and his wife didn¡¯t say anything else. The two were the current conductor of the S City Symphony Orchestra, Zhu Wen Jun, and his wife, Cheng Ting Wen, the music director of the same orchestra. . . . At the end of the first half of the show, the roaring apuse drowned out the stage. The second half started with Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡¶Violin Concerto in E Minor¡· led by Du Sheng. Although this piece only had the difficulty level of 10 in examination, it firmly upied the title of world¡¯s Top Ten Violin Piece. With Du Sheng leading the orchestra on this masterpiece, it was truly both seamless and wless. After their good start, a louder ¡°Bravo¡± constantly sounded in the concert hall. When thest song, Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶Symphony No. 8¡· ended, Tan Lao waved his baton and sweat dripped down his forehead. The music boiled to an apex then abruptly stopped, and only the echoes of it remained. Some people in the hall were unable to regain their wits. The old man in a box on the left side of the second floor suddenly stood up and shouted loudly¡ª¡ª ¡°Bravo!¡± At that, the audience gave a thunderous apuse. All the members of the orchestra rose up in session and bowed to the audience under the leadership of the conductor and concertmaster. Among them, a youth was bowing alongside the orchestra members, but when he stood up, he couldn¡¯t help but look toward the old man on the second floor who was the first to apud. ¡°Wu. . . Sheng Tao?¡± Qi Mu¡¯s whispered words were overwhelmed by the warm apuse from the audience. When all of the orchestra¡¯s members gathered behind the stage, the grey-haired old man suddenly appeared beside Tan Lao. After saying a few words andughing, Tan Lao found Qi Mu. With a stern expression, Tan Lao said, ¡°Qi Mu,e here!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Why did he feel like he was being called by a teacher and about to get a scolding? Hmm. . . It must be an illusion. | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 13 | | Qi Mu had noticed Wu Lao when the old man shouted ¡°Bravo¡±. In addition to the wealthy, the second-floor boxes were also filled with professionals of the music industry, and Wu Lao was one of the best. Wu Sheng Tao was an honorary professor of the S City Symphony Orchestra. He had written many symphonies and several of his masterpieces were also well-known overseas. Such a respectable person stood in front of him, and even Qi Mu was surprised. Tan Zheng Hui called him over, so Qi Mu went over and greeted the two elders then stood at the side silently. ¡°Wu Lao, we haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time.¡± After Tan Zheng Hui called him over, he seemed to forget about Qi Mu and didn¡¯t say anything else to him. But, as if he had just remembered Qi Mu, he said to Wu Lao, ¡°You also haven¡¯t seen Xiao Qi for a long time, haven¡¯t you?¡± Wu Sheng Tao actually saw Qi Mu the moment he arrived backstage, but he had silently watched him. Now he looked Qi Mu up and down with no particr expression and said in a light tone, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time since Ist saw him.¡± Yet again, Qi Mu didn¡¯t know whether tough or to cry. Naturally, he knew why Wu Lao acted this way toward him. Wu Sheng Tao became famous when he was young so where would you find a rebellious young child who would dare to scold him in public? When the original wanted to sell the violin, among the seniors, Wu Lao was the one who most strongly opposed to it. At the time, the original cursed Wu Lao for a long time and even made scathing and sarcastic remarks whenever they met face-to-face. If the original hadn¡¯t offended so many people in S City, he wouldn¡¯t have left behind the vast familywork there and moved to B city. Qi Mu thought for a moment then respectfully said, ¡°Wu Lao, long time no see. Are you doing well?¡± His tone was not overbearingly humble but instead calm and courteous. Wu Lao gave a quiet ¡°Hmm,¡± but didn¡¯t answer. Qi Mu tried to think of words to say, but, just when he thought he was going to leave, Wu Lao suddenly snorted, ¡°Tan Lao and I are going to meet a few old friends tonight. . . Youe too.¡± Qi Mu was just about to step forward, and suddenly hearing this, he stopped to look at Wu Lao in surprise. He saw the old man was still smiling coldly but the frost in his eyes had melted tremendously. Wu Lao then sighed, ¡°I saw your performance today. If you continue at your current pace, sooner orter. . . ¡¯Edith¡¯ will be yours. But Qi Mu, if you ever try to sell it again, even with these old bones, I will stop you.¡± Qi Mu solemnly promised. Before long, Wu Lao left the area with a young man¡¯s help. Qi Mu watched his figure fade away and he heard a sigh, ¡°I see your mother as my own daughter. But Wu Lao. . . he treated your father like his own. His son died young so there¡¯s no following generation in his family. You really made him sad that year.¡± Qi Mu immediately turned to look at Tan Lao. Under the bright lights, he could see strands of white hair in Tan Lao¡¯s ck hair. It reflected the silver light, stinging his eyes. ¡°Wu Lao doesn¡¯t have much time left. If you hadn¡¯t grown out of that phase and stayed the way you were, I¡¯m afraid Wu Lao would enter his coffin with remorse and regret.¡± Listening to the heart-wrenching words made his heart ache. But he knew, the original did not care about these old people, ording to his memory. Or rather. . . the original¡¯s impression of Wu Lao was as the one who kept blocking him from selling the violin. He wanted to get back to the top, but he never wanted anything to do with these elders. Qi Mu eyes dropped to the floor, and his long eyshes cast a pale shadow on his cheeks. He then whispered, ¡°I know, Tan Lao.¡± Hearing Qi Mu¡¯s words, Tan Lao turned to look at him and said, ¡°You did well today and was even praised by Wu Lao. You could go solo in Huaxia, but you didn¡¯t want to go to Munich the other day. What¡¯s the matter?¡± He didn¡¯t expect Tan Lao to suddenly throw this question out, so he froze slightly. He said, ¡°Tan Lao, my age hasn¡¯t reached that point yet and. . . I still have a lot of room for growth in Huaxia.¡± Tan Lao never expected to hear the real answer from Qi Mu, so he didn¡¯t ask anything else. He said something like ¡°Remember the dinner tonight¡± and left Qi Mu to celebrate the sess of the show with the other members of the orchestra. When he went to the so-called ¡°gathering of old friends¡± that evening, Qi Mu looked at the smiling seniors and realized why his eyelid had been twitching since this morning. ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, why don¡¯t you give a toast? Do I need to teach you how?¡± As the conductor of the orchestra, Tan Zheng Hui stood up like the elder he was to guide Qi Mu on how to prepare a toast. On the other side, a woman covered the smile on her lips and said, ¡°Xiao Qi has not seen us for a long time so I¡¯m very happy today. There¡¯s no need for wine, but tell us about the transition in the second movement of Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶Symphony No. 6¡· today. It was handled well.¡± Another tough-looking manid down his cup and looked at the woman, ¡°Cheng Ting Wen, how did a woman like youe to like Dvorak? Isn¡¯t Mendelssohn your preference? Xiao Qi, tell me what do you think of Du Sheng¡¯s ¡¶E Minor¡·?¡± Another person on the table was not happy at first, ¡°Hey, Zhu Guang, look at people before you speak. I¡¯m still here and you want Xiao Qi to evaluate me?¡± This man was Du Sheng, the concertmaster of B City Symphony Orchestra. He then smiled with feigned anger, ¡°It seems like your S City Symphony Orchestra wants to y?¡± . . . As previously stated, Qi Mu had experienced all kinds of human behavior since he was a child. And he knew that if he wanted to survive in Europe with his family background, he had to be smooth and know how to make decisions. But that didn¡¯t mean he could face such a troop of old fritters! Over the course of the night, Qi Mu felt like he had drained away half his lifetime and now knew deeply¡ª¡ª The drinking manner in Huaxia! On the third day, when the ne was ready to go to H City for a performance, Qi Mu rushed to the airport without looking back. He was afraid of the so-called ¡°chanced encounter¡± with those seniors. During these short three days, they examined him within an inch of his life. The better tempered and tactful elders used the excuse of exchange in guidance to test his skill level and to see if he was really ¡°turning over a new leaf.¡± While the worse tempered, straightforward and blunt ones directly pulled him, to see if he had really changed or was just pretending, and they finally left him with one or two ambitious goals. For example. . . ¡°Oh, Xiao Qi, when you stand on the stage in Vienna, your uncle will send a truck full of flowers.¡± Zhu Guang, the concertmaster of S City Symphony Orchestra, said this with a grin that revealed his white teeth. He didn¡¯t know, that in a year or two, he would be held responsible for saying it. Escaping from the wolf nest of S City, Qi Mu was finallyfortable. He stepped from the ne andnded in H City, finally feeling the warmth of a loved one; there were no terrible elders, everything was okay! Even the air felt fresh! However. . . Xiao Qi, ah, was it really that simple? The shadows of his seniors could be found from north to south, over the great mountains, and all the great rivers of our mothend! Meanwhile, it was a sunny afternoon in Berlin. The Mediterranean climate kept Europe humid in thete autumn and the temperature was a little cooler than in Huaxia. When the members of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra flew in from Singapore to Berlin, they were all excited and not even a bit tired. Some of them carried a violin case, some of them were empty-handed. They created a beautiful scenery from afar. Someone once said that whenever the Olympics and the World Championships were held, watching the German athletes was a certain appreciation of beauty. The men were blond and handsome while the women were beautiful and distinguished with cold temperaments. Even if they were old, they had a unique gentleman¡¯s demeanor, making people feel pleasant. So, as they walked together at the airport, many tourists cast their gaze at this group of people. Some who recognized them happily asked for autographs. At the end of the group, a tall and handsome, ck-haired individual walked alone. Putting his hands in the pockets of his trench coat, he walked leisurely along the floor-to-ceiling windows. He appeared calm and indifferent, and no one knew what he was thinking. But after a moment, a blond man carrying two suitcases came running and panted, ¡°Min, where¡¯s your assistant? Is that Mary woman gone again?! She agreed to pick up the luggage, but I didn¡¯t even see her when I went to pick up the bags!¡± Min Chen looked at Daniel, ¡°You¡¯re walking too fast, she¡¯s chasing after you.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Daniel, dragging two 32-inch suitcases, felt like a dog. Suddenly being told that he was walking so fast the assistant couldn¡¯t catch up with him, he wanted to see God. When everyone got the cars together, the man with a cold expression leaned back against the back seat¡¯s soft cushion and closed his eyes. The car started moving slowly, and Daniel flipped open his tablet, ¡°Min, after tomorrow night¡¯s show, we¡¯ll be flying to B City the day after. Isn¡¯t this schedule too packed? Although the members are in good shape, we only have three weeks to do six shows.¡± Min Chen was toozy to open his eyes and just slightly opened his mouth, ¡°You can ask if they want to have a holiday together after the show or if they want a rest now.¡± ¡°Holiday together!¡± Mary, who was driving, immediately answered. Daniel said strangely, ¡°This. . . it¡¯s hard to say. I think holidays are important, but rest is also important, Min.¡± Hearing Daniel¡¯s hesitation, he opened his eyes and looked Daniel up and down. He suddenly asked, ¡°Well, you can rest while we¡¯re working and take overtime when we¡¯re on holiday?¡± ¡°I want the holiday!!!¡± Min Chen had to purse his lips to hide hisughter. In the passenger¡¯s seat, the golden-haired manager turned around and whispered, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to get to B City? It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve never been there. Why do you want to go back to Huaxia all of a sudden?¡± Even as a whisper, the sound still echoed in the quiet car. The faint smile on Min Chen¡¯s lips slowly disappeared. After a moment, he sighed and turned to look at the ever-changing scenery outside the window. When someone was weary, they want to go home and find something or someone to lean on. Even if he didn¡¯t grew up there. . . Huaxia was his home, after all. | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 14 | | As Huaxia¡¯s capital city, there wasn¡¯t much to say about B City, except for its shoring of constant traffic jams. Here, there were often concerts, theater performances, ballets, and even the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra chose B City for their tour every year. Fans across the country were heartbroken by that. Many people all over Huaxia rushed to B City to attend this music festival, which was held only once a year. The entire B City music hall was full, making the already packed street even more crowded. By seven o¡¯clock, there were fewer people at the entrance¡ª¡ªeveryone was already seated. ¡°Well, this is my first time attending the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s concert. I always watched them on TV so I don¡¯t know what to expect. . .¡± A middle-aged man sitting in the back row on the first floor excitingly said to his friend beside him, ¡°I heard they will y Strauss¡¯s song for the first performance, it¡¯s really fascinating.¡± ¡°You know, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is of course very high level. It¡¯s one of the few top orchestras in the world. But what I like the most is their style, particrly the ssical orthodox style. Their former conductor had this style, but the new conductor seems even better.¡± ¡°You mean Min Chen?¡± ¡°Un, of course, him. He¡¯s Chinese, so he really gives us Chinese people a lot of face!¡± . . . There are a lot of people in the audience whispering, but when the red curtain on the stage slowly opened, the whole hall fell quiet. A handsome, tall man entered the stage slowly, wearing a form-fitting ck dress suit. He bowed quietly and began a grand performance. ¡¶Annen Polka¡·, ¡¶Song of the Swans¡·, ¡¶Brandenburg Concertos¡·. . .¡¶The Musical Offering¡·, until the veryst song ¡¶The Destiny Symphony¡·. When thest solemn and mournful sound faded, the entire hall was engulfed in silence. No one was able to recover from the heavy and tragic music. No one knew how long it was, but when the apuse began, it was loud enough to almost copse the roof. This night was destined to belong to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The silence in B City¡¯s nighttime hid the beautiful music and it retained the liveliness of the past. Later, the members of the B City Symphony Orchestra had boarded the ne back to B City, and they arrived early the next morning. It happened that Du Sheng drove his car to the airport and parked it there before, so he left his car there for the duration of the trip. When he arrived home, Qi Mu fell asleep in the dark. His mobile phone suddenly rang, and he reached out to answer it without energy, giving a weak, ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, didn¡¯t you say that you woulde backst night?!¡± Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s helplessly anxious voice rang out from the other side of the line. He then sighed, ¡°I couldn¡¯t get through to youst night and wasted an arrangement in vain!¡± Qi Mu was startled hearing this but his mind was still dizzy so he was unable to respond right away, ¡°Zheng Ge, what arrangement? What are you talking about?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao immediately replied, ¡°Tickets of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra! Didn¡¯t you ask me to find you a ticket? I worked hard to get you two tickets! But I couldn''t get through to you! Only your seat was emptyst night, and I especially found you a front row seat for you to see them clearly. Ugh, it caused an uproar. . .¡± Qi Mu¡¯s mind awoke at once, and he suddenly sat up. His windbreaker crumpled with his movement but he didn¡¯t pay any attention to such trifles right now, he was shocked, ¡°What?! It was actuallyst night? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be today, Zheng Ge?!¡± ¡°. . .Didn¡¯t I keep reminding you that it was yesterday?¡± ¡°. . .¡± Qi Mu put his hand over his cheek and sighed weakly. He could imagine the situationst night. Zheng Wei Qiao sitting alone in the front row with a vacant seat beside him. Hmm. . . it could be said that some sharp people would notice that there was an empty seat! You know, tickets for such concerts were usually hard to get and even Zheng Wei Qiao spent a lot of time getting them. But Qi Mu thought about it a little and felt relieved. He then said, ¡°Actually, Zheng Ge, even if I knew it wasst night, I would still be unable to rush back and attend the concert. It rained heavily in W City yesterday and all flights were dyed. I only arrived home early this morning.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao only felt that it was a pity and said, ¡°Forget it, there will be opportunities in the future. But this time, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra really did chose ¡¶Symphony of Destiny¡· as the closing song, which really surprised me. Usually, such a solemn song wouldn¡¯t be chosen as the closing performance.¡± Qi Mu was surprised, ¡°¡¶Symphony of Destiny¡·?¡± ¡°Yup, it was Symphony of Destiny. This is the first time I heard Bai Ai (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) y this song. And, to be honest, this orchestra is indeed first ss. The conductor and concertmaster are both world-ss, and they performed very well. I think if you heard it live, you would understand my feelings.¡± ¡°I really want to hear it. . .¡± Qi Mu got up, pulled at his necktie and began to change his clothes. When he got homest night, he was so tired and rushed to the sofa as soon as he entered the door. He ended up being bound by his tie all night. Over the phone, Zheng Wei Qiao seemed to have heard the rustle of his clothes and said, ¡°You have a performance tomorrow so you have to restore your strength well.¡± Then he promptly hung up. In fact, while Zheng Wei Qiao felt that it was a pity, Qi Mu was aggrieved! ording to his n for the future, it would take him a year to develop in Huaxia if nothing unexpected happened. A world-ss symphony like Bai Ai usually only came to Huaxia once a year. It would probably take another year for him to hear them perform. And he couldn¡¯t leave Huaxia for quite some time. This really made him cry without tears! At that time, he didn¡¯t know¡ª¡ªin what universe would it take a year? A seemingly indifferent conductor would have to be eagerly sent to the door to perform for others, but for him, not only y the piano, but he also wouldn¡¯t leave! It was really a n that couldn¡¯t keep up with change. It would be his first time discovering that even though he was a world-ss performer, after hearing it again and again for a hundred dozen times, he really wouldn¡¯t want to hear it again! On the other hand, after their performance, the members of Bai Ai got a holiday whichsted for ten days after Christmas. At the beginning of this long vacation, all members cheered for the first tour of B City. Daniel watched their excited figures and helplessly said, ¡°Min, have you decided when you will return to Berlin yet? It¡¯s Christmas holiday now. If we don¡¯t book tickets soon, I¡¯m afraid there will be no first-ss ones left.¡± Daniel said so while flipping through articles in a music magazine. On top of his temporary work desk, there were stacks of music magazines, newspapers and non-music magazines. The onlymon feature of these newspapers and magazines was that they reported Bai Ai¡¯s performancest night. In contrast to Daniel who was sitting at his desk and chatting away while still busy, the man sitting on the sofa holding a thick document appeared to be at leisure. His eyes were focused on a page filled with Latin words. Hearing Daniel, he replied without taking his eyes off the document, ¡°I¡¯ll go back early next year.¡± Daniel was so shocked that the newspaper in his hand fell to the ground! ¡°Next year?! You don¡¯t even want to go back for Christmas?! Will Mrs. Bertram agree?¡± Min Chen just said ¡°Uh-huh¡± lightly and turned to a new page. ¡°. . .You are still? Okay, your parents are looking for you and not me anyway, but I¡¯m going back! My sweetheart is going to spend Christmas with me.¡± Min Chen just replied with another ¡°Uh-huh,¡± as if he was toozy to spare the other person even a minute. Daniel, ¡°. . .¡± After a long time, the blond man finally lost his temper. He felt that if things went on like this, he would go bald sooner orter¡ª¡ªthough he didn¡¯t know how his anger was rted to baldness. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you, you evil child*. Since you¡¯re going to stay in B City, there will be a concert tomorrow. Are you going?¡± *The word used here was autistic, but that was a bit ufortable for our trantor. The autistic editor agrees wholeheartedly! Min Chen actually lifted his head and asked with some interest, ¡°What concert?¡± Daniel thought for a moment, ¡°It¡¯s B City Orchestra, they¡¯re rather good. They sent us a few tickets yesterday so you can take them if you want to go.¡± Then Daniel took the tickets out of his drawer and set them on the coffee table. He then said, ¡°If you want to go, then you can take them for yourself. I still have something to do.¡± Who expected that Min Chen would just nce at them and say, ¡°Not going.¡± ¡°. . .¡± After a moment, Daniel shouted, ¡°Why not?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sleepy so I want to sleep.¡± ¡°. . .¡± What sleepy? You¡¯re still here reading books! The afternoon passed and Daniel was toozy to say a word to this entric and self-serving man. But when it was getting dark and he was about to leave, he passed the coffee table and was surprised to find that¡ª¡ª The tickets were gone!!! ¡°Okay, who said that he wouldn¡¯t go? Who said ¡®I¡¯m sleepy so I want to sleep¡¯? You just don¡¯t want to admit you want to go!¡± | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 15 | | Daniel waited at the Grand Theater¡¯s entrance for over 30 minutes but a certain bloke was quitete. Crossing his arms over his chest, he looked at the other party and smiled. His tone was somewhat humored when he asked, ¡°Sleepy? Were you sleeping?¡± Min Chen calmly lifted his gaze and walked into the theatre without a nce at the other man. He lightly replied, ¡°I woke up,¡± and didn¡¯t bother saying anything else to Daniel. ¡°Well! This is awesome! God, why did I stay this asshole¡¯s agent for more than ten years!¡± Daniel stomped his foot angrily and quickly followed when the concert was just about to begin. The seats that the B City Symphony Orchestra gave to Daniel were located in the left side of the third row. It was close to the first violin group, and almost all of the string section. For a theatre hall with good acoustics, it was a good position. The guests took their seats one after the other. There were a handful of people in the music circle who were surprised by Min Chen and Daniel¡¯s presence and went up to talk to them. Min Chen calmly and courteously responded, but fortunately, the concert soon started and the hall fell silent. The audience quietly waited while the backstage was a flurry of preparation. After all, this was theirst performance of the year and it was in their base¡ª¡ªthe B City where they worked the hardest. Everyone fine-tuned their skills and their instruments for thisst rehearsal. When they heard the standby signal, the percussion group in the back row entered the stage one by one, and they were followed by the other members. Lastly, Du Sheng also took his seat. The red curtain slowly opened on both sides, and Tan Lao stepped up to the stage from the side. After leading the orchestra in a bow to the audience, he turned to his position. ¡°This old Mr. Tan Zheng Hui is a very famous conductor in Huaxia. The man who¡¯s shaking hands with him is the concertmaster.¡± Daniel whispered into Min Chen¡¯s ear, ¡°His name is Du Sheng and he¡¯s very skilled. His ¡¶E-Minor¡· is especially good.¡± Min Chen looked at the two men shaking hands and gently hummed. ¡°This conductor Tan has a different style than yours but it¡¯s somewhat simr to Mr. Dorenza¡¯s. I think it could be useful for you to listen to it. If you couldbine your style with Mr. Dorenza¡¯s. . .¡± ¡°Daniel.¡± Suddenly interrupted, Daniel turned in surprise. The man who was usually cold and indifferent was looking at him with eyelids drooped to half-mast. There was a little blue in those dark pupils, and his heart subconsciously jumped¡ª¡ªhe thought to himself, what was the Chinese saying again?¡ª¡ªDog mouth something. . . ¡°Why do you think you know more about the orchestra than me?¡± Daniel: ¡°. . .¡± Ah, he remembered! It was: a dog¡¯s mouth cannot produce ivory!!!* *A Chinese proverb that states: no ivoryes from the mouth of dogs, and it means nothing good can be expected from the mouths of scoundrels. Daniel was so angry that he refused to say a word to this awful and arrogant man. What he didn¡¯t see was Min Chen¡¯s eyes swept across the orchestra¡¯s members and didn¡¯t stop even when he saw a familiar face. Even though the people on the stage looked calm, the audience didn¡¯t know that some of them were very surprised. Tan Lao and Du Sheng were the first to discover Min Chen and Daniel¡¯s presence. The tickets were sent by them so naturally, they would know where the seats were and they only needed to nce toward them. Apart for them, probably only Qi Mu noticed these two people. . . who were supposed to be in Europe by now. Qi Mu only saw Duke Daniel once in his previous life. He was a well-known music agent in Europe and had wide connections in the circle. He served as an assistant agent at the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra before bing an exclusive agent more than a decade ago. Qi Mu heard that he had goodmunication skills and was particrly powerful when negotiating. There was no need to say anything about the man next to him. That man just sat silently, his whole person exuding elegance and a noble temperament that was impossible to ignore. Qi Mu could even count the several concerts that he had listened to lead by that man. Whether he was the conductor or for his piano solos, it was really hard to get this man¡¯s concert tickets in Europe. But these two people. . . were currently sitting in the hall waiting for their performance. His breathing choked, but soon Qi Mu rxed again. It happened that Tan Lao also took his baton and prepared to start the performance. Qi Mu picked up his violin and watched Tan Lao¡¯s movement carefully. All of them were waiting for Tan Lao¡¯smand. Tan Lao turned his head to look at Du Sheng, and thetter immediately understood. The next second, the soft sound of a violin like a cascading spring was heard. The music was like the blooming of flowers in spring and they fell gently on the audience, making them feel as though they¡¯re witnessing the renewing vitality and vigor of life. The first song was Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡¶Concerto in E Minor¡·. This was a worldly acimed violin concerto and also Du Sheng¡¯s specialty. It began with a violin solo and when the melody was finished, the whole orchestra would join in. Qi Mu gently pulled his bow, and the whole orchestra¡¯s sound echoed in his ears. The lightness of the wind section, the melodiousness of the stringed section, altogether formed theplete and bright ¡¶Concerto in E Minor¡·. Currently, on the stage, apart from Tan Zheng Hui who was standing on the podium, only Qi Mu couldpletely hear the whole orchestra. Off the stage, however, there was a man who had been said to have the best hearing in the world. He listened with a calm face and quietly cast his gaze to the side of the stage. The second violin group was separated from the audience by the conductor¡¯s podium so Min Chen¡¯s view was blocked. He could hear the seemingly inconspicuous sound, but he couldn¡¯t see the person who made it. The second violin group in the orchestra yed the role of harmony. So for the general audience, they were definitely not important enough. However. . . this was just the case for an ordinary audience. Suddenly the ensemble was entering a high tide, and Min Chen listened. His furrowed eyebrows growing tighter and tighter. He took another deep look in the same direction, and when he confirmed that he couldn¡¯t see the owner of that sound, he sighed softly and withdrew his gaze. What he didn¡¯t see was that just as he withdrew his gaze, Tan Zheng Hui leaned back in his excitement andpletely exposed the second violin group. There, a beautiful young man was looking intently at the conductor¡¯s movement and adjusting his y ordingly to help the second violin group and the wind section be in moreplete harmony. In N City, a senior once jokingly asked Tan Lao if he was still biased against Qi Mu and, because of that, he put Qi Mu in the second violin group. Knowing Qi Mu¡¯s current level, that was simply a waste, ah. But what did Tan Lao say at that time? ¡ª¡ª¡±I ced him there because, at this moment, that position suits him the best.¡± Yes, except for the position of concertmaster which belonged to Du Sheng, the next best position for Qi Mu was the deputy chief of the second violin group. This position was not the same as the chief, who had to follow themand strictly. The position that Qi Mu held took the conductor¡¯s advice but they could also integrate their own sound to lead the other members in the second violin group. From their days of rehearsals, Tan Lao found that currently, only Qi Mu could do such a great job¡ª¡ªeven Du Sheng would not be as good. And it was precisely for this reason that Min Chen paid special attention to this person¡ª¡ªthey led the orchestra to the right part and it was at the absolute limit from a position that wasn¡¯t the conductor. This could only make clear one thing: this person had the talent to be a conductor. The high tide in ¡¶Concerto in E Minor¡· was at the ending of the piece, causing everyone to experience the fullness of the beautiful, moving song alongside its fierce sound. This piece was really one of B City Symphony Orchestra¡¯s best work. One second after the sudden silence, Daniel took the lead and shouted ¡°Bravo,¡± leading the whole hall to give warm apuse. Tan Lao turned and solemnly bowed to the audience. Following his movement, the second violin group was once again exposed to the people on the left side of the auditorium. Min Chen looked up and saw a beautiful but also handsome young man. The moment seemed to have been stretched into a hundred years. Min Chen¡¯s cold, Phoenix''s eyes slightly widened. But before he could react, Tan Zheng Hui straightened his body, blocking his view yet again. Under the stage, the handsome man who was sitting elegantly in his seat still hadn¡¯t recovered. And on the stage, Qi Mu was surprised then stunned for a while. He was a little confused, because just now. . . Was Min Chen looking at him? | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Betwixted: I wanted to make a shoutout to Kuroshinji and let everyone know just how much I appreciate the work she''s put into this! I also wanted to thank you, readers, for all yourments and for supporting us this far! Chapter 16 | | The melodious sound of the violin and wind instruments resounded in the hall. The First Grand Theater¡¯s music hall was carefully designed by world-renowned architects for a great auditory experience. With elegant and solemn marble sculptures decorating its halls, the First Grand Theatre was the number one auditorium in Huaxia known for its acoustics. In such a top-notch concert hall, the B City Symphony Orchestra had lived up to this magnificent concert hall¡¯s structure. Whether the song was solemn and majestic, or light and pleasant, the audience felt as if they were experiencing a baptism from the temple of music. This was B City Symphony Orchestra. They might not be as famous as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which performed in the B City Concert Hall the day before, and perhaps they stillcked some skill, but even Daniel couldn¡¯t help but softly sigh from the magnificent disy of music¡ª¡ª ¡°The Huaxia Symphony is really starting to rise, ah!¡± At least half of the people here were in the ssical music industry, and even if they weren¡¯t a professional, they could still hum to the songs from start to finish without a mistake. But their hearing will always be focused on the concertmaster and even if it wasn¡¯t, at most they would pay attention to the cello, flute, r or other instruments. Even if the second violin group was important, they wouldn¡¯t pay much attention to them let alone the deputy chief of said group. They would rather pay attention to the man sitting on the left side of the third row who was also known as one of the top four major conductors in the world rather than an unknown deputy chief of B City Symphony Orchestra¡¯s second violin group. What they didn¡¯t think was that, for this man who received the attention of countless people, it was that very same young man that he was focused on. The ssical music industry had no high demand for appearance. The concertmaster of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra was famous for being dark* and ugly but still capable of ying beautiful music. Of course, if one had a beautiful face, it would not be a disadvantage. *I feel it prudent that I share this bout of Kuroshinji¡¯s wisdom: Asian standards yo. Michael B Jordan is dark yet so fine, Idris Elba too. So the audience, at most, took a few nces at this youth who was the deputy chief and was obviously ¡°standing out from a flock of chickens¡±, but they certainly didn¡¯t pay deep attention to him. Of course, they didn¡¯t know that some people could hear what they couldn¡¯t. Even for a person who can y so well. . . It was a strange curiosity. The second half of the show was full of Dvorak¡¯s works. From ¡¶Symphony No. 6¡· to ¡¶Symphony No. 8¡· and finally, the ¡¶New World Symphony¡·, these were famous songs and were well known by people all over the world. The concert hall seemed to shake from the ferocity of the music. Min Chen lifted his gaze and looked in the direction of that spot blocked by Tan Lao. A faint smile shed in his cold, dark eyes, but it was soon hidden again. Hmm, the skill level was good and, although he could only hear them ying the harmony and not their actual music style, in Europe. . . This person might even be able to serve as Bai Ai¡¯s deputy chief. You know, this was just a concert! It was just a concert that hadn¡¯t even finished yet, and Min Chen was already giving such high praise to this deputy chief. If someone found out, it would shake the world! But this was all unknown to Qi Mu. Although he was surprised when his eyes seemingly met Min Chen¡¯s just now, it was only an instant and he quickly put the matter behind him. There were so many members in the orchestra and Min Chen was probably looking at the conductor. Yes, it must be so. ¡ª¡ªQi Mu nodded affirmatively and continued to y. Under the brilliant focus light of the concert hall, he saw the young man squinting then focus in on ying his violin. The entire second violin group seemed to be condensed at that moment and very few people could hear the subtle difference. Most would only feel that the apaniment got more and more intense to grasp their hearts. With a fierce trombone, the end of ¡¶New World Symphony¡·¡¯s fourth movement came to a close and the concert¡¯s sound finally connected into a state of tranquility while also bringing the audience to a slow and peaceful atmosphere. ¡°Bravo.¡± A low and maic voice dered quietly. This voice was so low that even Daniel who sat beside him turned and looked at him to ask, ¡°Min, did you say something just now?¡± Under the brilliant light of the concert hall, the man¡¯s deep face and sharp features were like a knife¡¯s cut that gave a cold but elegant vibe. After he heard Daniel¡¯s words, Min Chen opened his mouth slightly. But before he could speak, he heard a loud voice ringing from the back row seats¡ª¡ª ¡°Bravo!!!¡± Daniel instinctively looked back and saw a refined man wearing sses standing up. His face was flushed and even from a nce, he knew this man was excited. Daniel was stunned for a bit and then apuded along with the other audience. He turned around as he pped and said, ¡°Hey, Min, who was that? It seems like he¡¯s even more excited than the B City Symphony Orchestra. . . Plus. . .¡± Min Chen looked down on the ground with no expression and apuded a few times symbolically. Daniel suddenly thought, ¡°Are you angry?!¡± ¡°No.¡± But he didn¡¯t look up. Amongst the warm apuse, the two men¡¯s whispered dialogue was so quiet that it would never be heard. Daniel deliberately made an exaggerated expression: ¡°You¡¯re really angry, Min!¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really, really angry, Min. What made you angry?¡± ¡°. . .I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re really angry.¡± ¡°. . .No. . .¡± ¡°What the hell are you angry at!¡± ¡°. . .¡± On stage, Qi Mu began to thank the audience and bowed with the orchestra members. The bright lights struck his hair, making it appear as though coated in ayer of gold. At this moment, Qi Mu had already forgotten the man he seemingly ¡°misread¡± a moment ago and was simply immersed in the perfect curtain call. What he naturally didn¡¯t know was that off the stage, a handsome, upright man was growing annoyed with his agent¡¯s ¡°You¡¯re really angry.¡±, ¡°What are you mad at?¡±, ¡°This is interesting, so just tell me, Min.¡± and ¡°I swear by God I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± series of words and finally straightened up and left. Angry because of what? Of course, because he couldn¡¯t get to say ¡°Bravo!¡±. That sentence should belong to him! A certain person left the hall indignantly, while on the stage, the orchestra had also begun to withdraw. When Qi Mu went to the backstage, he saw Zheng Wei Qiao holding a bouquet of flowers and he was looking at Qi Mu with excitement*. *Kuroshinji: I love him, he¡¯s one of my favorite characters in this. What a sweet cinnamon roll. *Betwixted concurs. As they say, the male lead belongs to the main character and vice versa, but the supporting lead is for us to drool over. He unconsciously took a step back. Zheng Wei Qiao ced the lily in his arms and said happily, ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, when I listened to this performance, I felt like it was the best concert of the year. . . Furthermore. . . it was a Huaxia Concert! The first ¡¶E Minor¡· was really great and thest ¡¶New World Symphony¡· was truly shocking. I have already figured out what kind of article I want to hand in tomorrow!¡± When he finished, Zheng Wei Qiao looked over at Qi Mu and saw he was looking at the lilies in his arms with a conflicted expression. He then said, ¡°This is what your sister-inw picked for you. After all, you¡¯re a man who doesn¡¯t suit jasmines, roses or whatever. So she selected lilies.¡± Hearing this, Qi Mu felt a bit helpless. He nodded heavily and said, ¡°Thank you, Zheng-Ge and sister-inw. I really like lilies.¡± Seeing that Zheng Wei Qiao seemed to want to further pry into the topic, he turned his gaze and hurriedly asked, ¡°Zheng-Ge, when you were outside, did you see. . . Min Chen?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao was shocked, ¡°Min Chen?!¡± Qi Mu nodded, ¡°Yes, I saw him in the audience.¡± ¡°. . . I didn¡¯t notice. I paid most of my attention to the performance. I tell you, except for the first ¡¶E Minor¡· when I was too excited to pay attention, I shouted all the other ¡®Bravo!¡¯ And the most important one, thatst ¡®Bravo!¡¯ was also me. That ¡¶New World Symphony¡· was too amazing!¡± Qi Mu didn¡¯t think too much about it, he thought he was perhaps mistaken. He softly nodded and said, ¡°Perhaps I was wrong, Min Chen should be back in Berlin. I don¡¯t think he woulde to our concert.¡± As he spoke, Qi Mu gently ced his violin into the case. The dark green velvet case was feather-like, wrapping around the delicate and exquisite violin. ¡°Right, Xiao Qi, I have been paying more attention to your performance this time. You seem to handle some individual ces differently than you did in the rehearsal.¡± Qi Mu zipped up the violin case. After thinking for a while, he replied, ¡°Some arrangements are temporary so I can make some adjustments. By the way, Zheng-Ge, you¡¯re not saying that today. . .¡± ¡°Qi Mu! Come over here!¡± A loud voice suddenly interrupted his words, causing Qi Mu and Zheng Wei Qiao to look in the direction it came from in surprise. Du Sheng was standing in front of the backstage door, leaving it half-open and waving at them. He appeared to be very careful as if he afraid of being seen by others. Qi Mu was slightly startled, then he replied with a, ¡°Yes,¡± and after he said goodbye to Zheng Wei Qiao, he went towards him. While walking forward, he pondered with confusion: Behind the door was the conductor¡¯s lounge. Even if Tan Lao wanted to tell him something, he would not be so secretive. Moreover, from Du Sheng¡¯s expression that seemed to say ¡°You have to be careful to not let others know¡±, the suspicion in Qi Mu¡¯s heart was growing stronger and stronger. When he arrived at the door, Du Sheng smiled mysteriously and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised when you see this person, okay. . . Be careful to control the volume of your voice. The number of people who can see him in Huaxia is pitiful but Xiao Qi, ah, you are a member of B City Symphony Orchestra so you must be calm, be very calm!¡± When he said this, Du Sheng was flushed with excitement. Qi Mu : ¡°. . .¡± Why does it feel like you¡¯re the one that wasn¡¯t calm at all? Probably aware that his expression is too obvious, Du Sheng gently coughed and said again, ¡°Okay, Okay, when you meet some people, you¡¯re also carrying our name. So don¡¯t be like those brainless fans, you must not let our B City Symphony Orchestra lose face!¡± ¡°. . .¡± By then, Qi Mu could no longer help it, ¡°Du-Ge, who are you talking about?¡± Du Sheng raised an eyebrow and deliberately sold a pass*, ¡°Won¡¯t you know when you go in?¡± *The literal trantion to this goes along the idea of ¡°not selling the climax (of a story)¡± so to spoil the surprise. With a squeak, the mahogany door slowly opened, and a dazzling light came from the other side like the entrance to another world, making Qi Mu reflexively narrow his eyes. Du Sheng smiled deeply and said, ¡°That person is¡ª¡ª¡± | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 17 | | The conductor¡¯s lounge was simply but elegantly decorated. Although the style was undeniably European, there were Chinese elements in the details. And although these two styles mixed, they did not contradict each other but instead appeared quite harmonious. Someone once said this about Min Chen¡ª¡ª The Bertram family¡¯s nobility was deeply engraved in his bones, but his foundation with Min Jia* had never disappeared. And this background had shaped the unique and first-ss style of this world-renowned conductor. *Jia means family. The man currently stood in the middle of the conductor¡¯s lounge. Qi Mu was violently impacted by this scene, and it made him feel dizzy. It took a while to recover his thoughts. He never had the opportunity to meet Min Chen even once in the many years he spent in Europe. Who would have thought. . . he would so easily meet him in Huaxia?! Du Sheng looked at Qi Mu¡¯s shocked expression and silently thought, Xiao Qi is still rtively calm. His face filled with a smile, ¡°Why, are you surprised to see the conductor of Bai Ai?¡± With that, Du Sheng lowered his voice and whispered, ¡°This is a special opportunity Tan Lao created for you. Although Min Chen is an expert with the piano, he also studied the violin for more than a decade. Music is flexible, haven¡¯t you also done so?¡± After the surprise akin to an earthquake passed, Qi Mu calmed down. He listened to Du Sheng, gently nodded, then walked over. Actually, Min Chen had already noticed Du Sheng when he opened the door. He continued his conversation with Tan Lao while observing him at the same time. When the door opened a little wider, he frowned slightly and, the next moment, he saw a handsome young man standing in the doorway. It was him. That voice suddenly shed in his mind. Before he could think more on it, Min Chen heard Tan Zheng Hui¡¯s voice say, ¡°Min Chen, this is a junior whom I care very much for. He¡¯s the deputy chief of the second violin group. Maybe you¡¯ve seen him before, he has performed with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in the Golden Hall before.¡± Seeing that Tan Lao personally introduced him, Qi Mu smiled politely, reached out his hand and said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Min, I am Qi Mu.¡± Qi Mu now knew that he hadn¡¯t been mistaken earlier so he said, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have you attend our concert.¡± The youth¡¯s words were light as water, and he didn¡¯t conceal his delight while remaining polite. Min Chen was slightly startled for a moment, then he reached out his hand and shook Qi Mu¡¯s, ¡°Hello, there.¡± Their handshakested for only a moment, Min Chen grasped his hand and quickly let go. Even if Qi Mu appeared calm, he can¡¯t help but feel a bit excited. But, he also knew that this was an opportunity Tan Lao had created for him to get to know Min Chen, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t forget his ce and speak out of turn. He didn¡¯t speak, but Min Chen inquired quietly, ¡°Did you y with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra before? Were you a special guest? What song did you y?¡± Three questions were suddenly asked at once, and Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but reflexively look at the other party. His gaze fell on a pair of deep, dark eyes, and he was stunned. Then, he smiled and answered, ¡°It was eight or nine years ago, as a cooperation with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. I mainly yed Tartini¡¯s songs.¡± While answering these questions, Qi Mu looked very calm, but only he knew that if he (Lu Zi Wen) wasn¡¯t the deputy chief for the orchestra at the time and yed alongside him (the original Qi Mu), he wouldn¡¯t be able to answer them. But he also remembered that Bai Ai had a concert in London at the time, so Min Chen wasn¡¯t able to attend. Sure enough, when he said this, Min Chen nodded his head, indicating that he knew. Then, Qi Mu no longer had the chance to speak. Talent in ssical music had never been rted to age. Although Tan Zheng Hui was almost twice as old as Min Chen, he knew that this cold, though courteous, man in front of him was better than he in music. So Qi Mu found that Min Chen was in total control of their conversation¡¯s flow. But he didn¡¯t insult Tan Lao or mock him. Min Chen was not a person who liked tough, and he maintained a gentleman¡¯s demeanor, answering Tan Lao¡¯s questions seriously, and he even provided some guidance. Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but think, No wonder someone once said that talking to Min Chen was a pleasure. He gave off a spring breeze-like vibe, making you feel valued. Of course, after getting acquainted with each otherter, he told Daniel about his first impression of Min Chen. And how did Daniel answer? Daniel: ¡°Nonsense! That¡¯s aplete joke! Min Chen is a real jerk, you know. He will squeeze you to death, he will exploit you, everything he says isw, and he is thew of the world. He¡¯s like a Sith Lord!¡± Unfortunately, the Sith Lord Min Chen never put his family¡¯s Xiao Qi on his target list, and even if Daniel broke his throat trying to shout the facts, it would never change. Min Chen and Tan Zheng Hui didn¡¯t talk long. Min Chen and his agent, who was waiting for him, were ready to leave soon. Tan Zheng Hui, Du Sheng, and Qi Mu personally escorted them to another exit. Standing in B City¡¯s glorious and mottled night scene, all of them felt it was surreal. In the busy streets, although neon lights shed endlessly, it was still dark and the night had be the best cover. Daniel went to pick up the car first, and Min Chen said a few words to Tan Zheng Hui and Du Sheng. Then, finally, he turned to Qi Mu. In front of this person, one didn¡¯t need to mention Qi Mu. Even if he was Lu Zi Wen, he was nothing but aplete junior. So Qi Mu didn¡¯t let the other party speak first. He smiled politely and said, ¡°Mr. Min, I have been to your concert in Europe before, and I was very impressed by your Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶Waldstein¡· at the time. As the piano-conductor, you were able to handle both of them seamlessly. It was shocking for me!¡± In the darkness of night, Min Chen looked at this youth in front of him. Because Tan Zheng Hui and Du Sheng were present, he couldn¡¯t jump over them to talk directly with Qi Mu, but he remembered that this youth¡¯s ability surprised him a bit just now. Well, the entire orchestra gave a good performance, and if anything could give him a surprise, it was only this youth. Min Chen said: ¡°Thank you for yourpliment, and appreciation. Your violin is also very good.¡± Min Chen¡¯s voice was low and cold, but his tone was very gentle. Qi Mu thought the man had already ended the conversation with him, but he heard Min Chen suddenly ask, ¡°That car just now, what was its tone?¡± ¡°E sharp*. . .¡± Qi Mu answered spontaneously, but in the next moment, he was stunned. *Best estimate on the original. Qi Mu lifted his gaze to look at him, only to realized that Min Chen¡¯s profound face was only 10 cm* away from his own! He quickly took a step back but was stepping onto empty air. He immediately lost his bnce and fell backward. *Betwixted: Four inches for us of the American persuasion. Min Chen reached out and grabbed his waist, pulling his upward body with great force*. *Kuroshinji: Lol. Sounds like a K-drama. With their sudden close proximity, Qi Mu was astonished and looked up at the man who held him. Min Chen was also a bit startled. He hadn¡¯t expected the youth¡¯s reaction to be so drastic that he almost fell into the stream of traffic. Min Chen hurriedly pulled the youth back, but in the next second, he happened toe face-to-face with Qi Mu¡¯s beautiful, clear eyes. It was like being back at the beginning of the concert. Just a moment, but both felt as if it were a century. They could even feel each other¡¯s warm breath. Min Chen quickly released his hands that were wrapped around the youth¡¯s waist. ¡°Xiao Qi! What wrong? That was nearly an ident just now!¡± ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, what¡¯s the matter? Were you frightened?¡± Tan Zheng Hui and Du Sheng hurried stepped forward, asking anxiously. On the other side, Daniel was pressing the horn, indicating for Min Chen to leave. Just before he left, Min Chen had a rare moment of hesitation. Finally, he walked over to Qi Mu, leaned down, and whispered into his ear. Qi Mu only returned to his senses when the ck car hadpletely disappeared. What did Min Chen just said. . . ? He didn¡¯t want to believe it, but his good hearing made him unable to not hear those words. He said¡ª¡ª ¡ºI really want to hear your solo.¡»* *Betwixted: I squealed. I''m so shameless. In the quiet car, Daniel drove leisurely and said, ¡°The B City Symphony Orchestra is still very good. Du Sheng¡¯s skill has also reached a high level. It¡¯s a pity that he¡¯s a little old. If not, the orchestra might consider signing him.¡± Daniel was talking to himself while the man in the passenger¡¯s seat turned around to look out the window without saying anything. ¡°By the way, who was that young man who came today? Tan Zheng Hui even personally introduced him to you. He clearly values the young man very much.¡± As he said this, Daniel touched his chin and said, ¡°Hmm. . . He seems familiar, and he¡¯s good-looking.¡± The car¡¯s good instionpletely isted the city noise from inside the car. Along the way, although Daniel was talking to himself, he didn¡¯t feel bored. When the car turned a corner and drove down a hill, Daniel wasughing and nning to listen to some music. Suddenly, a low and maic voice rang out in the interior. ¡°Qi Mu. . . he¡¯s very talented and his skill level is also high. Go check him out, he should¡¯ve done something in Vienna before.¡± Daniel was shocked, and asked spontaneously, ¡°Okay, what?¡± The city¡¯s bright lights illuminated the car through the dark window,ying a shadow across the man¡¯s handsome face. After a long while, Min Chen sighed, ¡°Go find the album he recorded with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. I want to hear. . .¡± ¡°His solo.¡± | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Chapter 18 | | Vienna, 3 p.m. The number of pedestrians on the red brick roads were decreasing. Each of them carried a rich coffee or milk tea, ready to spend a leisurely afternoon drinking tea. The members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra were no exception. They walked down a few steps to a cafe across the street in groups of two or three. Generally speaking, these people had good rtionships with each other. Of course, there was also one person who walked alone but nobody cared about them, this was Luo Yu Sen. ¡°These snobbish people. . .¡± Luo Yu Sen muttered, a fierce look on his handsome face. Since Lu Zi Wen¡¯s death, the other orchestra members, intentionally or unintentionally, began to alienate him. Although the autopsy report stated that Lu Zi Wen died from an idental asthma attack and that it was impossible for a fight to cause it, everyone still had doubts in their heart. Some even discussed it in ces Luo Yu Sen couldn¡¯t hear, ¡°Lu. . . did the asthma attack really happen after Luo left?¡± Such a thing was ultimately unknown. It was impossible to install a camera in the chief¡¯s lounge, and Lu Zi Wen¡¯s time of death was inurate enough. Before he left, Luo Yu Sen had poured the drugged water into the sewer and the cup was taken away so there was no evidence at all. But, evidence was one thing. People¡¯s minds were another matter. This caused the situation Luo Yu Sen faced today. ¡°Hey, Luo. Why are you alone?¡± Luo Yu Sen turned around and saw a short and fat ck man walking down the steps. A trace of disgust shed in his eyes but soon heughed and said, ¡°Mr. Thomas, why are you walking slowly today? I wanted to go for a walk so I didn¡¯t follow everyone.¡± Liar! No one wanted to go with him. The stocky man named Thomas shot him a meaningful look. When there was no one around, he suddenly said, ¡°Luo, many days have passed and it truly is as if nothing happened to you. . .¡± Luo Yu Sen¡¯s footsteps suddenly stopped. The manughed and added, ¡°Gee, didn¡¯t you say that he had an asthma attack after you left? Haha, I¡¯m just teasing. Don¡¯t mind it, Luo.¡± He then lowered his voice, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it a secret for you, Luo. Haha!¡± After that, Thomas snorted and threw a disgusted look at Luo Yu Sen. He quickly left and followed the other members, leaving Yu Sen standing alone in the same spot. Luo Yu Sen watched the twisting, obese form of his, and the nausea in his eyes was ready to spew out. ¡°Damn you, Thomas. You actually dare to threaten me. . . If it wasn¡¯t for you. If it wasn¡¯t for you. . .!!!¡± Luo Yu Sen¡¯s eyes were red, but he won¡¯t say thest few words. After a while, there wasn¡¯t anyone on the street. Only red maple leaves, drifting and swirling in the air. Halfway across the globe, the night cover was already very dark and Huaxia¡¯s B City was approaching midnight. Zheng Wei Qiao was on the road, driving his car. The two people inside were separated from all the noise outside. ¡°Zheng-Ge, I am sorry to keep you waiting for such a long time today.¡± Sitting in the passenger¡¯s seat, Qi Mu smiled apologetically and added, ¡°I was surprised when I found you were still waiting for me. Actually, you could have left first.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao shook his head, held the steering with one hand and said: ¡°I waited for less than an hour. And Xiao Qi, you need to listened to Tan Lao¡¯s guidance more. He is a seasoned musician and there are some aspects that he indeed very aplished at. His advice and guidance will be very helpful for your future development.¡± It was obvious that Tan Lao was giving Qi Mu advice during that one hour. Hearing this, Qi Mu didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. He then exined, ¡°I went there not to see Tan Lao, but. . .¡± At this, he paused and he slightly corrected his expression. Then, a serious look appeared on his beautiful face, ¡°But to see Min Chen.¡± ¡°. . .!!!¡± Qi Mu distinctively felt the tires slipping! Fortunately, Wei Qiao¡¯s driving skills were still very good and he immediately stabilized the car. Just when Qi Mu thought he was calm, Wei Qiao shouted, ¡°Min Chen? That Min Chen? How was it? Didn¡¯t he returned to Berlin?¡± The series of questions amused Qi Mu. He nodded and replied one by one: ¡°Yes, Min Chen. That Min Chen. It was good. He didn¡¯t return to Berlin. Zheng-Ge, what you said was true. It was Tan Lao who introduced me to him. Tan Lao really does take care of me. Only him, Du-Ge and I know about this.¡± This was also big news for Zheng Wei Qiao, ¡°Let me process this. . .¡± After a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Xiao Qi. . . you didn¡¯t got the wrong person?¡± Qi Mu¡¯s face was nk, ¡°I really, really didn¡¯t get the wrong person, Zheng-Ge.¡± ¡°. . .Oh, really. . .¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± In fact, to be honest, Qi Mu still felt a bit giddy and thought it was not real. Because of the warmth lingering at his waist, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t convince himself that the man hadn¡¯t appeared. Because. . . It really was Min Chen. In fact, Tan Zheng Hui just wanted to create a chance for Min Chen and Qi Mu to get to know each other, to pave the way for his future in Europe. But, Tan Lao did not know that Qi Mu already knew a lot of people in Europe. Whether it was London, Berlin, Munich, or Vienna, but Min Chen. . . that was really someone he did not know. Qi Mu knew. Not to mention Min Chen, but Duke Daniel was also a catch to know. When it came to the ssical music industry, having good rtionships with others would allow his future to go more smoothly. For this, he was truly grateful to Tan Lao. But, the most worrying thing was thatst question Min Chen asked, about the car¡¯s sound. Qi Mu has subconsciously answered with the pitch, but he remembered that there was no hidden awe in Min¡¯s eyes. Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to look at the night scene that flew past the window, and his sharp eyebrows slowly wrinkled. He sighed and thought to himself: should he say this was truly worthy of being Min Chen? It was the first time they met, and he did not know how Min Chen knew that he had absolute pitch. . . ¡°Ah, how embarrassing. Min Chen came to listen to the concert and I didn¡¯t notice him.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao did not show his distraught and eventually asked, ¡°Right, Xiao Qi, did you really just go to exchange a few words with Min Chen? I thought Tan Lao wanted to discuss the issue of renewal with you.¡± Qi Mu hadn¡¯t signed a long-term contract with the B City Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra had been forced to recruit because the deputy chief was temporarily ill. During this time, the deputy chief had almost recovered. Naturally, he would return to the orchestra, and Qi Mu¡¯s position would have to be given away. A few days ago Zheng Wei Qiao had asked him about what Tan Lao wanted. However, Qi Mu, himself, was unclear about it because the matter had never been mentioned and his temporary contract was indeed about to expire. Zheng Wei Qiao thought about it and said, ¡°If you want to go back to S City, I contacted some friends a few days ago. It¡¯s said the S City Symphony Orchestra is recruiting again. It¡¯s Teacher¡¯s original orchestra, and the members there watched you grow up. So, they. . .¡± ¡°Zheng-Ge, Tan Lao hopes to hire me as assistant chief.¡± ¡°They will take care of you, and you won¡¯t. . . Assistant chief!!!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± He felt the car slipping on the road again. Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but grasp his seatbelt tightly and he shifted back a bit. ¡°Ah, Du-Ge said that is not too young anymore and he wants to leave the orchestra to y solo for a bit. Of course, there¡¯s no conflict in being a solo violinist and being the chief, but Du-Ge said he doesn¡¯t have that much energy.¡± ¡°. . .¡± There was silence for a while as Zheng Wei Qiao determined that he was mentally prepared for whatever else Qi Mu was about to say. Even if it was ¡°Zheng-Ge, Min Chen hired me to be Bai Ai¡¯s chief.¡± he would not be surprised. So he said, ¡°For Mr. Du to have this intention, it¡¯s entirely possible. But, Xiao Qi, ah, do you really. . . want to develop first in an orchestra? You might like being a violin soloist like Sheng Yan Hui.¡± This question was not answered for a long time. It happened to be a red light. After Zheng Wei Qiao stopped the car, he turned to look at him but just when he was nning to ask again, he saw the expression on Qi Mu¡¯s face and the words evaded him. In B City¡¯s chaotic night, the young man¡¯s handsome face was cast in light and shadow, making it impossible to catch. But a kind of unspeakable loneliness and helplessness was clearly revealed there, and Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s heart tightened. After a long time, he listened to Qi Mu¡¯s whisper. ¡°Zheng-Ge, my current goal is just the orchestra. Some think the solo road is more glorious, and that they could freely enter an orchestra and turn it into their apaniment. But, in my heard, I always think that it is only by being able to cooperate with others that you can truly reach your peak. If you take your own path, then. . . what you be will be the worth of only one, rather than growing by other¡¯s influence.¡± ¡°I think, Du-Ge has been the orchestra¡¯s chief for so many years. Today, he wants to go solo, but I am afraid of the idea.¡± ¡°If given the opportunity to go solo, I will my best, but my business will always be with an orchestra.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like Min Chen. . . why do all people mention that is an excellent conductor first, and then say is a good pianist?¡± ¡°Because he can cooperate well with others, he is able to guide and direct people. That is truly a talent of its own.¡± . . . Zheng Wei Qiao stared at him nkly and could not think for some time. Then the car behind them honked their horn and he quickly stepped on the gas and started the car. He didn¡¯t know how to give encouragement, so he only said, ¡°Xiao Qi, I support you.¡± Later, when he thought of that scene again, Zheng Wei Qiao felt that he been brought down a path that he could no longer turn back from. From deputy chief of the second violin group to assistant chief, to chief. From B City to Paris to Vienna and, finally, to Berlin. He walked alongside that child all the way and witnessed him standing at the top of the world. There was not only one path to sess, but as long as it was Qi Mu¡¯s choice, he was duty-bound¡ª¡ª To support him all the way¡£ | | Tranted by Kuroshinji and Betwixted, edited by Betwixted. Betwixted: Can I justment on how absolutely in awe I am with Zheng Wei Qiao? He has to be one of the sweetest supporting male characters I have ever seen in my many years of reading. Honestly, he makes me want to cry a little with how unconditionally supportive he is towards this wayward child of ours. If everyone had a Zheng Wei Qiao in their lives, just how beautiful would the world be? (On a side note, Lu Yu Sen, no one is ever going to feel sorry for you so stop trying to cultivate pity!) Merry bted Christmas, everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Chapter 19 | | Although he became B City Symphony Orchestra¡¯s assistant chief, Tan Lao didn¡¯t sign a long-term contract with Qi Mu. This surprised him a little, but he knew Tan Lao didn¡¯t want to tie him up. In Tan Lao¡¯s heart, he hoped that Qi Mu would further his studies. This was normal for traditional elders. They always thought that the young should study before working. Although his idea was different from Qi Mu¡¯s ambition, he still went along with it. B City Symphony¡¯s contracts usually stood for 3 years, and that was too long. Having decided to stay in the orchestra officially, Qi Mu nned to move first. The original¡¯s house was too far, and it usually took him half an hour to get there by Zheng-Ge¡¯s car. And if he took the subway. . . He didn¡¯t want to experience B City¡¯s subway ever again! That experience. . . to put it delicately, was too outstanding and refreshing! On the fourth day of him bing the assistant chief, Zheng Wei Qiao came early in the morning to help him move. The original Qi Mu¡¯s house was located in a residential area toward the east side of B City¡¯s fourth ring. It was a rtively high-ss district and also thest real estate that Qi Mu owned. Yesterday, he contacted his rtives to rent it out. ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, you don¡¯t have to rent it out. After this. . . if you want toe back, what would you do?¡± They didn¡¯t have much to move. Zheng Wei Qiao held a small box and set it on the back of the borrowed pick-up truck. He continued, ¡°The new apartment you rented is a little too small. Do you want me to find you a bigger one? Will you befortable living there?¡± Qi Mu gently ced a heavy box onto the truck. Hearing Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s words, he smiled. Shaking his head, he said, ¡°Zheng-Ge, thank you very much. I think the single apartment is good, and I don¡¯t want to bother you to look for another one.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao frowned, struggling with a dilemma. He seemed to want to say something but, in the end, decided not to. Zheng Wei Qiao was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to livefortably in that ce. He barely survived even in this rtively upscale neighborhood that he abandoned before he lived here. This, Qi Mu naturally understood. While sitting in the car, he quietly turned his gaze toward Wei Qiao who was driving seriously at his side. There was a trace of gratitude in his eyes. In fact, Zheng Wei Qiao couldn¡¯t have known that he once lived under a bridge when he was poor at the very beginning. Vienna was really cold in autumn. Although it was quite humid because of the temperate marine climate, once it was nighttime, it was really, really cold. He spent all his savings to attend school, and he worked hard to earn money. When he finally finished his studies and graduated, apart from the small house owned by his foster parents, he only had a few hundred euros in cash left. It was impossible for him to sell the house and, although he rented it out, the rent was not high. So in thest ten days before he got his pay from the orchestra, he could only huddle alone under a bridge and most nights, he couldn¡¯t sleep. This simple apartment, to Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s eyes, was a paradisepared to that ice-cold bridge in Vienna. ¡°The traffic jam seems a bit serious today. We¡¯ll arrive soon. Do you want to eat lunch first, Xiao Qi?¡± Qi Mu had already seen the seriousness of B City¡¯s traffic jams a few days after his rebirth. Originally, they felt lucky to get on the highway, but after leaving the highway, even if they could see the apartment building, they couldn¡¯t reach it as quickly as they thought. He looked at the traffic jam that seemed to barely move at all. Heughed helplessly and nodded, ¡°Ok, it¡¯s already noon anyway. Let¡¯s have lunch first, Zheng-Ge.¡± They parked the car on the side of the road, found a restaurant at random and went in. There were not many people in the restaurant, and suddenly a beautiful young man entered. They all stared at him in amazement then quietly shifted their eyes away. This overly good-looking face brought some trouble for Qi Mu but it was not a big deal. When they finished their lunch, Qi Mu hurriedly paid the bill. Zheng Wei Qiao went to use the restaurant¡¯s restroom, so Qi Mu stood at the door of the restaurant to wait for him. Maybe because it was about to enter winter, but there were no clouds in the sky. There was also no signs of spring¡¯s dust, and the blue sky was like a shallowke, glowing with a clear light. Qi Mu was in a good mood when he saw this. Waiting for Zheng Wei Qiao, he turned to look around the surrounding area. He found a small Ouzan supermarket, a good looking gym, a bustling smallmercial district, as well as. . . Qi Mu¡¯s eyes widened. His eyes were wide in surprise, and he stared in that direction for a long time. Feeling incredulous, he wiped his eyes and looked again. With a sigh of relief, heughed lowly, ¡°I saw it wrong. How could that man be here. . .¡± ¡°Who? Xiao Qi, ah, did you see an acquaintance?¡± Zheng Wei Qiao came over and looked curiously in the direction he was staring at. He could only see a passenger truck blocking the entrance and exit of the street while making a turn, almost blocking the entire path. Hearing the man¡¯s words, Qi Mu looked over again briefly. Then he smiled and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Zheng-Ge. I got it wrong. It¡¯s already quitete, let¡¯s go quickly. It wouldn¡¯t be good if we got stuck in another traffic jam.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao nodded. The two checked their things and got in the truck. What he didn¡¯t see is that just after he left, the huge truck finally moved and turned the corner with difficulty. The space that it blocked before waspletely exposed. This was an old street and there were many vendors selling various kinds of snacks along the roadside. They spoke in the purest Beijing ent and most of them sold old-fashioned snacks that had been circting thend for hundreds of years. The whole street contained the most authentic Chinese cuisine of B City so a lot of tourists came over to visit. Of course, the most popr ones were and . On the trolley, there were countless scorpions, pupae and other strange things stuck on skewers. In the hot pan, various other things were being fried and this attracted a lot of tourists. Few people dared to try it though. A blond man bent down halfway and looked at the scorpions that were strung together. His eyes focused on the one at the top, swallowing his saliva, he carefully said, ¡°Cough, cough. . . Min, the Chinese really are daring, they can even eat this thing. Can this really be eaten? Will it not. . . isn¡¯t it poisonous?¡± Standing beside Daniel was a tall and handsome man. Min Chen was wearing a high-cored trench coat*, he looked down at the fried scorpions in the oil pan. He didn¡¯t seem to hear Daniel, but his thin lips was growing tighter and tighter. *Kuroshinji: It says windbreaker but that doesn¡¯t seem like his style. I changed it to trench coat. He¡¯s a haute couture kinda guy, windbreaker must be pleb like to him lol After a long while, a low and maic voice rang out, ¡°I want to eat.¡± Daniel was curiously looking at the bunch of scorpions nearest to him, not daring to touch them, looking back and forth. Hearing Min Chen¡¯s sudden words, he was so scared he almost touched the tong full of scorpions. Daniel stared at Min Chen in horror, ¡°You actually want to eat this ghost!!! Oh my god, Auston! You¡¯re terrible!!!¡± Daniel rarely said the name ¡°Auston Bertram¡± but, at this moment, he was horrified enough to blurt out a fluent string of English words,pletely forgetting where he was. Min Chen nced at Daniel and gently said, ¡°You eat.¡± ¡°My god, you actually eat this terrible thing. . . Why would I eat it? Clearly, you¡¯re the one who wanted to!¡± Daniel shrieked in horror. Min Chen opened his mouth and lightly said, ¡°I do not dare to eat it.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Not daring to eat, yet you still want me to eat!!! Daniel face turned blue, ¡°I don¡¯t dare to eat it! Then what are you going to eat, ah? We¡¯re not eating this ghost!¡± Who would expect that Min Chen would raise his gaze and, with a seemingly in tone, say with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re British*, right. . . Eat it and tell me what it tastes like.¡± *Kuroshinji: I knew it! There¡¯s always a jab at British cuisine whenever food is involved lmao Daniel: ¡°. . .¡± I grew up in Germany! I have never eaten any dark dishes from the Dark Empire, okay!!! That evening, Qi Mu and Wei Qiao were so busy that they sweat heavily but finally, managed to sort everything out. And, at sunset that day, after making his will, Daniel, with the appearance of a ¡°righteous and generous man¡± finally opened his mouth to taste the horrible fried scorpions. After the first bite, Daniel opened his eyes and chewed it again twice. ¡°Huh?! It¡¯s delicious!!!¡± Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± The man voluntarily and spontaneously took two steps to the side, leaving this creature of the Dark Cuisine Empire one meter from him. But after a moment, Daniel moved to carry a bunch of fried scorpions and cicadas skewers in his hand. While chewing, he looked at Min Chen and said, ¡°Min, it¡¯s very good of you to live so close by! These are all very delicious, we have toe to eat often!*¡± *Kuroshinji: Serves you right, Min. Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Betwixted: This chapter makes me pity and adore Daniel. He''s so funny, but he''s destined to be bullied by the male lead. Of course, Min Chen looks like he''s going to stick his foot in his own mouth on asion, like today, but this is still hrious! I wonder how Min''s going to get out of trying those scorpions? (Also, who else noticed that Qi Mu is moving into the same neighborhood as Min Chen? Or, at least, rtively close by considering they stopped for lunch not too far from his new apartment and Daniel says Min Chen lives near to that area too. . .) Chapter 20 | | The apartment Qi Mu rented was in a rtively high-end neighborhood, so he wasn¡¯t nervous about security nor was he being too harsh on himself. Zheng Wei Qiao thought he was too economical and that apartment might be too small because the rent was so cheap. One could not me Xiao Qi for this. The owner of the apartment was a young woman in her 20¡¯s. She couldn¡¯t look away from Qi Mu once she saw him. So the rent that was agreed upon with the broker dropped from 5000 to 3500 yuan*. *Betwixted: The currency type is not stated, but the Chinese currency can be called ¡°yuan.¡± There were a lot of high-end rentals in this area and quite a few were 50 m2 apartments like Qi Mu¡¯s. They had a green environment, and the surrounding area was also excellent. The most important thing was themute. The apartment was located only 1km away from B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra, so it was convenient for him. He could just walk there in the morning. Assistant concertmaster and deputy chief* were not the same position. Generally speaking, the assistant could rece the concertmaster as needed while the deputy could only remain as the deputy. *Betwixted: There might be a bit of confusion here because in Chinese ¡°Concertmaster¡± and ¡°Chief¡± can be used interchangeably. See notes below for more. At first, Qi Mu was worried that his qualifications were too shallow, and someone would be dissatisfied. But, surprisingly, after they learned of his ¡°promotion,¡± they decided to hold a small celebration party for him. ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, this is great. You must treat us to a meal!¡± ¡°Yeah, Xiao Qi, assistant chief. You really have to invite us to arge feast, haha!¡± ¡°Hey, Xiao Qi. How about I bring my daughter tonight? She¡¯s 20 years old this year, and she¡¯s pretty good-looking!¡± ¡°Stop that now, Zhao Lao. . .¡± . . . Most of the orchestra members were over 30 years old. There were a few still in their 20¡¯s, but all of them were older than Qi Mu, so they treated him like a little brother. He had to say, under the leadership of Tan Lao and Du Sheng, the B City Symphony Orchestra had the atmosphere of arge family. It was full of warmth. On the night of the celebration, although Tan Lao didn¡¯te, Du Sheng was there. Everyone drank until they were buzzed, but Qi Mu used his age as an excuse to drink less. Afterward, Du Sheng wrapped his arm around Qi Mu¡¯s shoulder and said, smiling, ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, you have to do well. Tan Lao has high expectations of you, and your Du-Ge does too.¡± Qi Mu saw his drunken flushed face and helplesslyughed, ¡°I will try my best to live up to Tan Lao and Du-Ge¡¯s expectations.¡± With that, Qi Mu helped Du Sheng walk down the side of the street and hail a taxi. Du Sheng stumbled and said, ¡°Well, you need to put in more effort. Haha. . . Right, the indoor concert will be in a few days. . . How¡¯re your preparations? Du Sheng¡¯s words were somewhat inconsistent, but Qi Mu understood them. Seeing that there were no taxis in the endless stream of traffic, Qi Mu brought down his hand that was waving and said, ¡°I¡¯ve practiced more than one song, but Du-Ge. . . Do I really need to y on stage? I have no experience in chamber music.¡± Being osted by the night wind, Du Sheng¡¯s mind had sobered a little. He slowly straightened up and said, ¡°Un, you should prepare more. This concert is still significant as there are many people from all kind of circles who will attend. It¡¯s hard to get a chance to perform.¡± This, he naturally knew. This indoor concert was co-organized by Tan Lao and Du Sheng. Both had quiterge names in B City, so they invited a lot of people to participate. It could be considered a small event for the end of the year. There were no tickets, one could only enter with an invitation. Indoor concerts were naturally different fromrge orchestral symphony concerts. Generally, it was a small group of people ying, and there could also be solo performances. This time, Tan Lao gave him an extra opportunity to perform. This served as his official debut and introduction to the Huaxia music industry. This was different from his orchestral performances thus far. It was entirely Qi Mu¡¯s and had nothing to do with the B City Symphony Orchestra. ¡°You have to be prepared, ah. Don¡¯t let me down. . .¡± Du Sheng drunkenlyughed and, soon after, Qi Mu stopped a taxi. He put Du Sheng in the car and could, atst, walk home after finishing this final task of sending off Du Sheng. Autumn in B City was quite cold, unlike Vienna. Although they were almost at the sametitude, autumn in Vienna was not as dry as it was in B City. Now, the cold and bleak autumn wind blew across Qi Mu¡¯s face, forcing him to wrap up his scarf. When in the north during October, it wasmon sense to wear a thin overcoat and a scarf. The celebration party was held in a hotel near the orchestra to make it easier for them to eat and drink as much as they liked. It was only 2km away from Qi Mu''s new home and walking would help him digest. As he walked freely, he thought about his dilemma. Tan Lao¡¯s concert was. . . organized especially for him. The old man was always doing something special for him. He was touched, but the pressure was intense at the same time. He had never performed in an indoor concert before, whether in his past life or in this one. It was different from an orchestra concert, and the environment was also different. Fortunately, he was performing solo this time. Otherwise, it would take too much time to prepare if he had to work with others because that would mean they needed to have rehearsals. ¡°Chamber music. . . chamber music. . . ¡¶Sicily¡·* or ¡¶Tzigane¡·. . .¡± *We do not know which, if any, music score is being referenced here, but it trantes literally to Sicily. Qi Mu kept his gaze on the ground, murmuring quietly, as he walked. Although there were lights on both sides of the street, the foliage of the Chinese parasol trees blocked most of it, making the area dim. If one did not look carefully, they can¡¯t even see the faces of the people walking around them. Qi Mu¡¯s eyes drooped a little, his long eyshes casting a faint shadow. He walked with his hands in his coat pockets, and the scarf covered half of his face, leaving only his pair of beautiful eyes visible. ¡°Well, ¡¶Tzigane¡· is more appropriate. . .¡± Qi Mu walked up the path, unconcerned with his surroundings. Naturally, he didn¡¯t notice that the moment he walked by, a man suddenly stopped and turned around, looking after him nkly. The moment they passed each other, Qi Mu was still looking down and was in deep thought. While, behind him, another man stood rooted in ce. His narrow eyes suddenly widened, staring at Qi Mu¡¯s figure as he slowly walked away. In his left hand was his mobile phone, a voice chattering away in his ear, ¡°Min, why did you suddenly stop speaking? Hey, dude, say something! I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m going back to Berlin next week. Don¡¯t try to stop me! My sweetheart calls me every day saying they* miss me!¡± *Asiannguages do not gender-distinguish in pronouns, so we are going with a gender-neutral until confirmed. Fluent German was heard over the phone, but what surprised Min Chen wasn¡¯t the foreignnguage over the phone. But. . . Thenguage that rang in his ear as the youth passed by. It was not Chinese. . . But German instead. In that moment of surprise, he saw the young man who was looking at the ground and talking to himself. ck hair fell over his white forehead, his eyes were a light amber, hisshes were long, and his scarf was pulled up so high it covered most his face. A name came to mind immediately¡ª¡ª ¡°Qi. . . Mu?¡± On the other end of the phone, Daniel heard Min Chen¡¯s whisper to himself and asked in surprise, ¡°Qi Mu? That Qi Mu? Isn¡¯t that the beautiful person we met at the concert before? Why are you still thinking about him? I brought you his albums and videos from Europe the other day.¡± In the cold darkness, Min Chen slowly narrowed his eyes. He studied the person who was steadily walking farther away from him and didn¡¯t move. In his ear, Daniel¡¯s loud voice continued, ¡°You did want to listen to his solo, right? Okay, a few days ago someone sent us an invitation letter. I saw his name on the performers¡¯ list. I¡¯ll give the invitation to you tomorrow if you want to go. It¡¯s a small indoor concert. . .¡± Daniel talked for a long while and didn¡¯t wait for the other party to answer. Just as he thought Min Chen was not going to pay any attention to him, he heard a low reply, ¡°Okay, give it to me tomorrow.¡± The autumn wind that evening gradually drowned Min Chen¡¯s voice. And Qi Mu remained ignorant of who he just passed by. Nor did he know that his casual utterance was heard by others. Although he was Chinese in his past life, he was born in Austria, so his Chinese was rather bad. After being reborn, because the original was born Chinese, he had be fluent overnight. Even so, anguage that had been spoken for over 20 years would not be quickly forgotten. When alone, he would speak German from time to time instead of Chinese. Austria¡¯s officialnguage was German. And his German was very fluent and smooth, unlike someone who had studied for only a day or two. ¡°Uhm. . . Then ¡¶Tzigane¡· it is. I¡¯ll talk to Tan Lao tomorrow. It¡¯ll be this one!¡± After making his final decision, Qi Mu smiled and looked up at the sky lit by the city lights as he finally reached home. | | Tranted by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted. Kuroshinji: Some readers might be familiar with Your Lie In April, and I would like to rmend Nodame Cantabile. It¡¯s about two geniuses, a pianist and a conductor. Although it¡¯sedic, it also covers many important topics like anxiety. It¡¯s one of the most rxing anime I¡¯ve seen. Your Lie In April is great, but Nodame Cantabile was one of the first Josei anime I watched, and it has stayed with me since. If anyone has rmendations for anime that are simr or just as rxing, please let me know. :) Betwixted: This is thest update of 2018, guys! Happy New Year! As a final celebration, I would also like to wee AyN as our new editor and proofreader! She has done fantastic work with prologue and I hope to see more along those lines as 2019 rolls around! (Also, Min Chen and Qi Mu live close enough to pass each other by on the street! Talk about a predictione true!) Notes: Deputy Chief and Assistant Concertmaster: Chief and Concertmaster use the same character in this instance. However, the deputy chief is in charge of the second violin group and is not directly rted to the concertmaster position otherwise. (At least to our current understanding, if someone is more versed in orchestral positioning, please let me know!) We will use Concertmaster for the assistant position because they can fill in for the concertmaster. Chapter 21 The full title of ¡¶Tzigane¡· was ¡¶Tzigane Rhapsody¡·, and it was created by famous Frenchposer Maurice Ravel. This piano maestro of thest century wrote several musical pieces in his lifetime, and most of them were piano pieces. ¡¶Tzigane¡· was one of his rare violin concertos. The first half of this piece was dominated by a slow beat, while thetter half was primarily in rich . The differing halves of this piece formed a sharp contrast with each other, and that brought a lot of praise. When he told Tan Lao he was going to y this piece, Tan Lao thought for a while but agreed to it in the end. This work required a skill level equal to that of Paganini''s, which was quite tricky. But there were also Gypsy influences, and it had an unrestrained passion. It was suitable for an indoor concert''s solo performance. Tan Lao¡¯s only worry was: ¡°You¡¯re sure. . . you can y well tomorrow?¡± ording to what he knew of Qi Mu, the youth had never touched Ravel¡¯s works, but Tan Lao was also worried because the indoor concert would be held tomorrow. For a better effect, it was better to choose one of Paganini¡¯s songs. After thinking about it for a bit, Tan Lao said, ¡°Or you can y Paganini¡¯s Caprice No. 13. You are most familiar with Paganini so I can be at ease.¡± An elder¡¯s thoughts were always based on stability. They wouldn¡¯t take too much risk, and as long as it was stable, it was enough. Paganini¡¯s Caprice No. 13 was the thirteenth piece from his 24 Caprices for the solo violinist. It also had a very distinctive other name¡ª¡ª¡¶Devil¡¯s Laughter¡·. Paganini¡¯s works had always been highlighted by its high difficulty level. It was good enough if one could perform it well. But Qi Mu shook his head. With a smile, he said, ¡°Tan Lao, ying ¡¶Devil¡¯s Laughter¡· in such an indoor concert is a bit too much, plus, I¡¯m not the closing performer. I think ¡¶Tzigane¡· is good and don¡¯t worry, I am familiar with this piece. There won¡¯t be any problems.¡± For the finale, Du Sheng would perform with several of his colleagues. They formed an ensemble of four people and would deliver a few songs, making it one of the most anticipated performances. Tan Lao still hesitated but, after Qi Mu coaxed a bit more, he finally agreed. The original might not be familiar with ¡¶Tzigane¡·, but he had yed this song many times. When he just started to learn how to y the violin, he yed this song for his graduation. At that time, he wasn¡¯t skilled enough. He could only say he yed it, but he can never say that he yed it well. Later, when he entered college, he slowly familiarized himself with this song. And when he went to the audition for the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, this song was included in his ylist. Even though he didn¡¯t perform a solo performance after that, this song was still one of his best. After Tan Lao agreed, he listened to Qi Mu y it through once. He could hardly find anything to point out, so he nodded with admiration. The two exchanged pointers for a while, and Tan Lao remembered something. ¡°Right, this time, other than a few B City insiders, Professor Karl, who was the judge of thatpetitionst time will also be there. You have to be prepared.¡± The image of arge foreigner with a thick beard and a big belly appeared in his mind, and Qi Mu nodded helplessly. Soon after, the lunch break ended and all the members of the orchestra were practicing over and over again with Du Sheng leading them because Tan Lao went out. When he had just stepped out the door, Tan Lao seemed to have remembered another thing: ¡°Oh right, didn¡¯t Du Sheng send a few invitations to Bai Ai¡¯s Daniel?¡± After thinking a bit, Tan Lao didn¡¯t go back in to tell Qi Mu about this. He smiled and shook his head, ¡°They must have returned to Berlin anyway.¡± After thinking such, he got into his car. In the rehearsal room, Qi Mu, as assistant concertmaster, was sitting in Du Sheng¡¯s seat and leading the orchestra. Returned to Berlin? Tan Lao, ah, you still think too much! In November, the cold wind from Siberia swept across B City, making the temperature drop sharply, so several people started to wear thicker coats. But tonight, many beautifuldies were wearing slender dresses as they walked down the red carpet from their warm cars, as if they weren¡¯t afraid of the cold at all. The goosebumps that emerged after they entered the warm hall were visible to the naked eye. These people were lovely but frozen. Such an indoor concert wouldn¡¯t have many invitations sent out. Although the invitations were few, the people here tonight were either famous music masters or renowned music professors. Even the worst of them were the chief editors of a national music magazine or newspaper. Like Zheng Wei Qiao, who received an invitation through the ¡°backdoor.¡± The stage was arranged to be at the center of the hall. It was a small round stage with soft sofa chairs ced at every angle. These seats surrounded the stage, forming a ring. After the audience greeted each other, they took their seats, ready to listen to this special concert. Qi Mu sat in the second row, facing the east. Unlike symphony concerts, the performers of an indoor concert could sit down and watch the others when they were not performing. So Qi Mu sat beside Tan Lao and Du Sheng, and he carefully listened to the other performances. These performers were all well-known ssical musicians in Huaxia, and the first was a cellist. The melodious and peaceful music resounded throughout the entire hall. Everyone in the audience wore a smile as they felt the mellow, heartfelt sound. The musicians on the stage were performing slowly under the dazzling lights and, off the stage, a beautiful youth closed his eyes and listened carefully. Perhaps he heard something beautiful, for the young man couldn¡¯t help but smile and apud quietly in his heart. This handsome young man was the most noticeable presence in the auditorium. Especially with the two elders by his side, many people couldn¡¯t help but look at them a few more times. They felt as if their eyes were washed clean. ¡ª¡ªWell, Tan Lao was a dignified and majestic old man, and Du Sheng could be called a handsome uncle. But,pared to Xiao Qi, they were quite not so. . . worth looking at? At the end of the song, everyone gave warm apuse. They didn¡¯t know why but the next performer waited for quite a while before he went up to the stage. He held a r and soon, another melodious song was heard. Seeing this, Tan Lao raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Wasn¡¯t this one supposed to be a violinist? Du Sheng, go check what happened.¡± Du Sheng nodded and quietly left in the direction of the preparation room. Because everyone was sitting together, Du Sheng¡¯s movement was quickly discovered by the others. Especially since. . . he was sitting next to Qi Mu. Naturally, it garnered a lot of attention. In the auditorium, two positions were the most interesting. One was Qi Mu. There were still many people who recognized him and, even if they didn¡¯t, someone with such a good appearance would always make people want to look even more. The other was on the opposite end¡ª¡ªtwo empty seats in the west side. Naturally, this indoor concert gave invitations to important people in the industry. How could there be people who werete or absent? So this was really surprising. Qi Mu also looked at the two vacant seats for a while. He then whispered in Tan¡¯s ear, ¡°Tan Lao, those two seats. . .¡± Tan Lao raised his head and looked across the stage at the two seats. He frowned and thought about it for a moment. He then shook his head and said, ¡°The seats were arranged by Du Sheng, so I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s probably someone from a magazine. They often travel, looking for news or interviews, so them being absent is normal.¡± Qi Mu nodded in response. He looked in that direction again. Those two seats were very eye-catching. He only looked for a while then looked away and continued to listen carefully to the performances. Perhaps. . . It really was only someone from a music magazine. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Notes

From your editor:Happy 2019, everyone! Do you have your new year''s resolutions ready? Mine is to nab another machine trantor and pick up another project! In the meantime, to roll in the new year with style, Betwixted Butterfly has gone through a massive overhaul. We have added a glossary to King of ssical Music and removed other extraneous notes. This should help reduce the interruptions during your reading experience! Adding AyN to our team has also spurred on my motivation for editing, so I have gone through and done a re-edit for all twenty-two chapters (remember that prologue way at the beginning?). If you get the chance, do give things a try and reread things! Not much has changed, but I am embarrassed to say the reading experience will be much better now. Once again, thank you all for your continued support! (Is anyone else worried that our ML is going to miss Qi Mu''s performance?! I don''t read ahead, so I don''t know. . . but I''m going to go with author''s intuition and say he''ll show up fashionablyte!) Chapter 22 Just when the rist finished his performance, Du Sheng returned from the preparation under cover of the loud apuse. He leaned down and whispered to Tan Lao, ¡°The second was Professor Karl¡¯s student. He wanted to dy his performance.¡± The loud apuse almost drowned out Du Sheng¡¯s voice, but Tan Lao frowned, ¡°Dy his performance? Professor Karl didn¡¯t mention this to me when he rmended them. His student? Which one?¡± Du Sheng thought about it for a moment and said, ¡°It seems to be. . . Sheng Yan Hui?¡± Qi Mu, who sat beside them, was surprised. Tan Zheng Hui¡¯s eyes also widened in surprise. He automatically turned to look at Qi Mu. He frowned and, after a while, said, ¡°He is Xiao Qi¡¯s acquaintance too. Why don¡¯t you go see what¡¯s going on?¡± Naturally, Qi Mu didn¡¯t refuse. He nodded, stood up, and went in the direction of the preparation room. Tonight, he wore a light ck suit. By then, the bright light was focused on the stage, so it was difficult to see his figure. While walking, Qi Mu frowned slightly. Somehow, there was an unusual feeling in his heart. Qi Mu looked back at the hall. There was a solemn atmosphere as everyone listened attentively. There was nothing strange. Afterughing at, and scolding, himself, Qi Mu turned and entered the preparation room. He didn¡¯t know that as he entered, a blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigner appeared where he had just studied. The man entered the hall under the guidance of a hostess and, after a while, he seemed to have remembered something. He quickly turned around and stretched his hand out behind the door. A momentter, an unhappy gentleman was pulled into the hall. The hostess nodded with a smile then turned and left them. Daniel approached him quietly and whispered, ¡°Min, aren¡¯t wete? We set off an hour early, who knew that the road here is always packed? s, there are too many people in Huaxia!¡± Min Chen paid no attention to Daniel as he said this. He looked around the hall instead. There were not many people there. Including the person on stage, and the courteousdies standing around the hall wearing polite smiles, there were only a few dozen people. Min Chen quickly noticed that the person he was looking for wasn¡¯t in the hall. He frowned and asked, ¡°Where is he? Did he perform already?¡± ¡°He? You¡¯re talking about. . . Qi Mu?¡± Daniel looked at the list in his hand and said, ¡°The third soloist is ying now, so there should be another performance yet. Qi Mu is the fifth.¡± Pausing, he then grinned, revealing his white teeth, ¡°We weren¡¯t toote, Min.¡± The walls were white marble and covered in artwork. Some of the most outstanding pieces were engraved with various exquisite carvings. The pirs were enveloped in red wallpaper with golden trim. The pale gold vines provided a ssical aesthetic, and this touch made everything shine with splendor. The people who attended this type of event wore formal dress. Even Daniel, who had such arge personality, wore a white suit. Naturally, Min Chen wore dark formalwear. His outfit was very low-key, with only silver threading at the chest to indicate it was a high-end brand. Hearing Daniel speak, Min Chen abruptly raised his right hand to look at his watch, and the blue sapphire on his cufflink glittered in the light. ¡°This is not consideredte?¡± Min Chen asked inly. Daniel nodded with certainty, ¡°Yeah. . . this is only the third performance?¡± As soon as he said it, his eyes met Min Chen¡¯s, and he shivered all over. Raising his hands in surrender, he said, ¡°I was wrong. Auston, I won¡¯t dally anymore. Let¡¯s take advantage of the moment to go sit down, okay. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡± With that, Daniel hurriedly found the two empty seats and didn¡¯t dare look back. The audience was just apuding the performance of a trumpet yer, and the one or two who saw Daniel were speechless in their surprise. They couldn¡¯t help but do a double take. Before they could recover their gazes, they saw a man walking over and were so surprised that they could not close their mouths. Unexpectedly, thete one. . . Was Min Chen?! Just then, Qi Mu, who was in the prep room, had no idea that a minor uproar was happening in the hall. Everyone who was performing tonight went to the prep room to prepare their instruments and to do some ¡°warm up¡± exercises. There weren¡¯t many people there, so Qi Mu quickly found Sheng Yan Hui in a corner, adjusting the strings of his violin. Qi Mu walked forward and asked with a smile, ¡°Sheng Yan Hui? Long time no see. It¡¯s been two months, right? I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. What a coincidence.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s words were very skillful and polite, with no mistakes. But just as his voice fell, Sheng Yan Hui raised his head and stared at him thoughtfully. When he could no longer hold the expression on his face, the man suddenly said, ¡°Unfortunately, I came here for you specifically.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Bad boy! Absolutely a ! Looking at Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s expression that seems to be saying ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m looking for you,¡± Qi Mu somehow thought of that term. Although he felt helpless in his heart, he still smiled, ¡°Me?¡± Sheng Yan Hui nodded, ¡°I came to find you, and topete again openly and honestly! Thestpetition. . . doesn¡¯t count. This time, I hope you can go all out. Rest assured. I have made a lot of progress under Professor Karl¡¯s guidance. I am not the same as I was.¡± The smile on Qi Mu¡¯s face faded away. His bright and handsome face showed a heavy expression. He looked at this stubborn bear child for awhile then suddenly bowed and said solemnly. ¡°I apologize. Due to certain circumstances. . . I can¡¯t go to Munich. Last time was my fault, please forgive me.¡± Sheng Yan Hui was stunned and took a step back. His face turned red and white. After a while, he stammered, ¡°You. . . You don¡¯t have to do this. Teacher identally mentioned it, and I heard about it. Only then did I know that you intentionally let me win. Everyone has their own difficulties, I know. But actually, Qi Mu. . . after hearing Teacher¡¯s words, I felt lucky.¡± Qi Mu raised his head in surprise. There was a trace of confusion in his pale eyes. ¡°If you didn¡¯t deliberately lose thatpetition, then I. . . probably wouldn¡¯t get to go to Munich in this lifetime. I¡¯m not that young, and I don¡¯t know when I would get another chance if I lost this opportunity. But even if I feel lucky, I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve won against you. So today, I deliberately dyed my performance, to perform before you and let the audience be the judge!¡± By the end of his speech, Sheng Yan Hui had be more confident and no longer appeared to be shrinking back. Qi Mu was utterly shocked, and he stared at him incredulously. After a long while, he asked, ¡°Are you. . . sure?¡± A lot of well-known people were attending this small concert, and their hearing was excellent. The organizer would almost always deliberately arrange the performances so the same instruments wouldn¡¯t be yed in a row. This was so the audience wouldn¡¯tpare the two with each other. Sheng Yan Hui solemnly nodded, ¡°I know that this is a little threatening to you but, Qi Mu, I¡¯m going to Munich with Teacher soon. I hope. . . we canpete straightforwardly! It¡¯s a little risky but if you really don¡¯t want to, I can perform now, and I will never mention anything aboutpeting with you again.¡± Sheng Yan Hui spoke gravely, and Qi Mu also understood what he meant. Once someone lost, it was hard to outperform the otherter unless they improved drastically. Otherwise, even many yearster, someone might mention the two and someone else will remember this concert and say: ¡°Oh, so-and-so. Well, he was worse than so-and-so.¡± That was why Sheng Yan Hui said that even if Qi Mu refused, he wouldn¡¯tin. Seeing such an earnest expression on his face, Qi Mu¡¯s lips curled into a smile: ¡°Alright, I agree.¡± Sheng Yan Hui was surprised. ¡°Really?¡± After thinking for a while, he quickly added, ¡°There are a lot of important people here today. Are you really sure you want topete with me? Once you lose, you. . .¡± ¡°You are so sure I will lose?¡± Qi Mu raised an eyebrow, and his beautiful face was like a sunset on the earth¡¯s horizon. His smiling face stunned Sheng Yan Hui into silence, then he heard Qi Muugh. ¡°Last time is still bothering you, and that was my fault. If we don¡¯t do this, I think you will still be tangled up over the matter even if you go to Munich. Professor Karl perhaps suggested this solution?¡± Startled, Sheng Yan Hui asked, ¡°How did you know. . .¡± Knowing his guess was right, Qi Mu¡¯s smile deepened then he sighed, ¡°Whatever the result is this time, Sheng Yan Hui, I hope you will leave this to rest. Real music is not about contending to see who is better. You are really good, and your future self should not be tied down by such trifle matters.¡± As he spoke, Qi Mu suddenly stretched out his hand, and the corner of his eyes turned upward as he smiled, ¡°Simply put, I¡¯m d to have the chance to formallypete with you. Let me introduce myself again.¡± ¡°Hello, Sheng Yan Hui. I am your opponent tonight¡ª¡ªQi Mu.¡± Under the background¡¯s warm light, this youth¡¯s handsome face wore a dazzling smile. With his eyes tilted in a smile and his lips curved so beautifully, those that saw it could hardly look away. Sheng Yan Hui had yed the violin for over twenty years, and this was the first time he felt that his right hand refused to listen to him. It took a long time for him to shake Qi Mu¡¯s hand, to his dismay. It wasn¡¯t until he left the preparation room with his violin that he returned to his senses. He reflexively turned to look back. As if inspired, he took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Then, a gentle, spring-like melody filled the hall with the idyllic atmosphere of the countryside. This was Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· which was like a spring breeze blowing away the autumn wind, it swept through the hearts of everyone present. Even Daniel couldn¡¯t help but smile. At the end of the song, he leaned closer to Min Chen and whispered in his ear, ¡°Huaxia a lot of talented people, Min. This Sheng guy too. . . Damn, what¡¯s his name. . . Oh well, his ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· is very good. Hey Min, where are you looking?¡± He followed the direction of Min Chen¡¯s gaze but could only see Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s figure in the background. He couldn¡¯t see anything else. Daniel touched his head and frowned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Min. What are you doing. . .¡± ¡°He was blushing.¡± Daniel asked, shocked, ¡°Blushing? Who?¡± His phoenix¡¯s eyes slowly narrowed, then Min Chen said with a light tone, ¡°Sheng Yan Hui.¡± Daniel was utterly at a loss. He didn¡¯t understand why Min Chen would pay that much attention to this young man. Of course, he didn¡¯t know that just before Sheng Yan Hui entered the backstage, Min Chen saw another young man standing behind the curtain. Before Sheng Yan Hui went up to the stage, he was talking. . . with Qi Mu? Then what was this blushing about? Having lived for nearly 30 years, Min Chen felt confused for the first time. But, he didn¡¯t have the time to think about it. A figure exited the backstage holding a violin, and he startled. Suddenly things were bing clear in his mind. Daniel eximed, ¡°How could it be Qi Mu?! Thest one was a violinist, and now him?!¡± Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet Chapter 23 An intense spotlight illuminated the small stage, and a tall, slender youth walked to it with a yellow spruce violin in his hands. This violin was a replica, with very smooth lines, but it was truly amazing in its own right. And her master, he was also so amazing that the audience couldn¡¯t help but want to see more. The young man was both handsome and beautiful. Even if his appearance wasn¡¯t the best they had ever seen, it was indeed not bad, and this was especially notable in the entertainment circle where beauties were as numerous as the clouds. Many of the people here today already knew Qi Mu. Especially the editors of certain magazines and newspapers. They frequently gave reports on B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra over the past few months, and there was, asionally, some news about this young man. Wang Zheng, the editor of ¡¶Music Hall¡·, thought this over. Thest time his staff had reported about this youth, it seemed that. . . he had be the assistant concertmaster?! That¡¯s right. At just twenty years old, this youth was already assistant concertmaster! Qi Mu walked gracefully. Although it appeared slow, his speed was quite fast. In just a short while, he already stood at the center of the stage. Such a small concert didn¡¯t need a host, and generally speaking, the performers wouldn¡¯t even give an introduction. They simply performed. Qi Mu leaned forward and bowed politely. Then, he straightened up and nced around the hall. Just as he was about to raise his bow and begin to y, a familiar figure entered his sight, and he was stunned to stillness. A pair of ck eyes were also staring back at him. This feeling was familiar, and it reminded him of this very pair of eyes¡¯ owner who had sat to the left atst month¡¯s performance. He had nced up and happened to meet the other party¡¯s gaze. At that time, Qi Mu thought that the other man wasn¡¯t looking at him, but today. . . He really was looking at him. Standing on the stage, Qi Mu suddenly felt amused, and he couldn¡¯t help the curl of his lips. Then, he put that thought aside and raised his bow. Settling it atop his violin strings, the fingers of his left hand bore down opposite it on the fingerboard. A tactful melody suddenly erupted. It sounded like the warmest wind in winter, and this sweetest sound of the violin made everyone smile. Several of them, as if suddenly remembering something, took out the performance list and looked at it. In the end, they stared at the words ¡°Each song is entirely up to the individual,¡± and they could onlyugh without saying a word. This song was not ¡¶Tzigane Rhapsody¡·. It was Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡¶E Minor¡·. This song was known by many, even people that didn¡¯t study ssical music. Born in the early 19th century, Mendelssohn had a good family. His father was a well-known banker and his mother a famous pianist. This Germanposer was born with a golden spoon, and he wrote several concertos in his life, for both the violin and the piano. Yet none of his works were ever mncholic. For his most famous masterpiece ¡¶E Minor¡·, Mendelssohn depicted a beautiful scene in three movements, and the whole song was lively. Many violinists yed this song each year, and Du Sheng was one of the best. But everyone noticed clearly that Du Sheng¡¯s ¡¶E Minor¡· was utterly different from this youth¡¯s! Of its three movements, the first was an allegro. It had the most innovative cadenza, and Du Sheng¡¯s interpretation had an atmosphere of jow. The mostmonmentary to be heard about it was that it resembled a family gathering, one that was happy and harmonious. But Qi Mu¡¯s resembled the liveliness that took one over the mountains, past rivers, and down streams. Every pull of his boy was bend of a stream against a stone. It was crisp and sweet, bright and cheerful. The young man tilted his head slightly as he yed with such care. Notes danced from his violin, enrapturing his audience with his musical feast. Before, when Sheng Yan Hui and the others performed, Daniel felt that their level was good, but not to the point where he couldn¡¯t think of anything else. This time, his mind could only turn to that familiar melody, ying it repeatedly in his head. Daniel couldn¡¯t help butpare Qi Mu and Du Sheng¡¯s ¡¶E Minor¡·. But the only conclusion he coulde to was that each had their merits and neither was below the other! At the gap before the second movement, Daniel racked his brain for every performance of the song that he had heard. He couldn¡¯t help but remember the concertmaster of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra¡ª¡ªthat short, ck man had performed this song brilliantly. Somehow, Daniel had the feeling that this youth was no worse than that person! ¡°What a sight. . .¡± His voice trailed off, and the elegant andante of the second movement began. This movement wasn¡¯t as striking as the first, but Daniel could only think: Who said that Huaxia was the rising star of symphony? He had only been here a few days, but who had he met that wasn¡¯t outstanding?! These people are all talented!!! A certain ace agent took the chance to secretly observe the young man on stage. Hmm, he had good looks. Really good. . . Qi Mu had no idea that several people were observing him. Although ¡¶E Minor¡·¡¯s difficulty wasn¡¯t too high, it was still hard to y it well. Skill was only oneponent of music, but it was not everything. A thousand different people could produce a thousand versions of Hamlet. Naturally, everyone also had their own ¡¶E Minor¡·. Du Sheng¡¯s family had a superior background, and his version was always harmonious and happy. Qi Mu¡¯s was of the joyful pursuit of life, of the aspect that ¡°he wandered alone to every corner of the world.¡± That seeing all the mountains and looking over the clouds was what provided him the greatest happiness. By the end of the song, several people were still spellbound. The first apuse came from behind the stage. Then, apuse like raging fire roared to life. Qi Mu¡¯s forehead glistened with sweat from paying such close attention to his performance, and he bowed and swiftly left. But the apuse never seemed to end. Even though he had turned and walked several steps away, it continued on and on. After walking a dozen steps away, Qi Mu finally turned around with a smile and returned to the stage. There was a proper noun ¡°encore¡± (originally in English) in ssical music that was derived from French. Tranted to Chinese, it meant ¡°encore.¡± During a concert, when the audience¡¯s apuse was long enough, the performers returned to the stage to perform an encore. This was the first encore to appear in this concert! Once he had returned to the stage, Qi Mu bent into another earnest 90¡ã bow. The apuse ended at once. After smiling to express his gratitude, he bowed once more and began ying his second song. This time, he did not y any more tricks and directly performed the ¡¶Tzigane Rhapsody¡· he had initially nned to y. When Ravelposed this piece, he took inspiration from Paganini¡¯s 24th Rhapsody, so the technical difficulty of ¡¶Tzigane¡·was already high. Under the spotlight, the youth¡¯s beautiful fingers danced across the violin with a life of their own. As previously stated, Qi Mu had an excellent pair of hands. The length of one¡¯s hands was not directly rted to their aplishments with music, this could be seen by the Vienna¡¯s concertmaster. He had thick hands, but he still performed wonderfully. However, when one was good looking, who wouldn¡¯t appreciate something with their eyes that they could also appreciate with their ears? Especially during the second half of the song. The passionate music baptized the audience with sound, and some couldn¡¯t help but beat out the melody against the chair with their fingers. To give Qi Mu an apaniment in his ¡°performance.¡± The end of this music was both gorgeous and dazzling. Qi Mu¡¯s fingers of white jade danced across the strings, and the audience¡¯s eyes could hardly keep up with their afterimage. The atmosphere heated up and when thatst note belted free, it was followed by the thunder of apuse. Qi Mu¡¯s sweat had stered his hair to his forehead. The ¡¶E Minor¡· solo hadsted for ten minutes, and ¡¶Tzigane¡· was of simr length. Thetter was also filled with tricky parts, and the fingers of his left hand felt a little numb. Well¡ª¡ªthe original had not touched the violin for many years and only those who had trained for more than a year could y those two songs continuously. But the apuse was not stopping. Qi Mu reluctantly gave a bitter smile. This smile was seen by some women in the audience, but they couldn¡¯t help but p even harder. Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± He really didn¡¯t have the stamina to do another song! ¡°Bravo!¡± Just when he felt helpless, a man¡¯s maic voice suddenly echoed over the unified apuse. Turning in that direction, he saw a cold, tall man standing up and staring back at him calmly, still pping. He didn¡¯t smile, but his dark gaze was focused on Qi Mu. His gaze was so prating that Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but shift his eyes away and refuse to meet his gaze again. . . .Since Min Chen had stood up, the others couldn¡¯t remain sitting. Few people would call out a ¡°Bravo¡± in a small concert like this, especially in the face of a personal solo. But since it was Min Chen who said it, what could they say? They could only stand up along with this rogue that didn¡¯t follow the rules. Min Chen¡¯s voice had interrupted the ¡°encore apuse¡± that had been condensed together, and Qi Mu took the opportunity to escape. He walked away from the stage and quickly entered the backstage so fast, he may as well have flown. God only knew that he didn¡¯t have the strength to y a song that was even harder than ¡¶Tzigane¡·. This wasn¡¯t an orchestra¡¯s performance, and each club was only responsible for a part of the performance, so it was possible to take a break. This was his solo, so. . . it absolutely could not go wrong. What Qi Mu didn¡¯t know was that behind him, the handsome man watched him flee silently and remained standing. He didn¡¯t sit down. . . so others didn¡¯t want to sit down. So the atmosphere became awkward as the entire audience remained upright since no one wanted to sit first. Daniel was the first to notice that something wasn¡¯t right. He reached out to pull this ¡°only going to make trouble¡± man down and whispered, ¡°Min, what medicine did you take today? I want to hear the y a bit more. How could you let him get away?¡± ¡°Xiao Tian Shi?¡± Min Chen raised an eyebrow. Daniel took it for granted and nodded, ¡°Yeah, is he not an angel? It is so hard to find a Chinese that¡¯s marked so clearly and with such skill. Thest one was Lu Zi Wen, he. . . well, I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± In the blink of an eye, Min Chen¡¯s smile was still, and he remained silent for a while. Then he gently shook his head and changed topics, ¡°Qi Mu¡¯s left hand was trembling a little, he needed the rest.¡± His tone seemed t, but it was unconsciously a few degrees lower. Daniel scolded himself in his heart for a long time, then looked at Min Chen and asked carefully, ¡°Min, how did you know that Xiao Tian Shi needed to rest? I think he still looked pretty good. Even if he wasn¡¯t, he could still y a gentle piece to calm the atmosphere.¡± Unexpectedly, Min Chen shook his head, and his dark eyes shed with a strange light. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t choose a dull song, he would. . . select something even more intense, something like Paganini¡¯s ¡¶D Major¡·.¡± Daniel looked at him: ¡°How do you know?¡± Min Chen turned his head and nced at him: ¡°Intuition.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Trantor(s): Kuro, Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 24 Once Qi Mu entered the backstage, he saw Sheng Yan Hui who had waited there for a while. In just a nce, he noticed that the fire in his eyes had faded. Despite the audience in the hall behind him having ended long ago, Sheng Yan Hui was still pping. Qi Mu didn¡¯t know whether to cry orugh, ¡°I don¡¯t want to y another Encore. You don¡¯t have to keep apuding.¡± Who would expect that just as he finished speaking, the other man¡¯s apuse warmed, touched with a quality of ¡°I just don¡¯t want to stop.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Sheng Yan Hui was sincere with his apuse. The moment he heard¡¶E Minor¡· instead of ¡¶Tzigane¡·, he understood Qi Mu¡¯s intention¡ª¡ª Qi Mu was trying to ease the tangle in his heart. Sheng Yan Hui was supposed to depart for Munich with Professor Karl a few days ago, but the day before their departure, the professor went to him and said, ¡°Victor, you shouldn¡¯t go with me now. Ever since I told you that Qi Mu deliberately let you win, your violin has been timid and weak. You need to be confident!¡± Professor Karl¡¯s words had given him the stupid idea to ¡°wreck the event.¡± Truthfully, Sheng Yan Hui still held rejection in his heart. After all, Qi Mu did not have toply. If he had refused topete with him, it was inexcusable and there was nothing he could say about it. But, Qi Mu had actually agreed, and. . . he especially yed ¡¶E Minor¡·. He was untying the knot in Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s heart for him! Before, the worst possible situation Sheng Yan Hui coulde up with was that everyone would think that Qi Mu was better than him, and he would thoroughly lose to Qi Mu. But, to his great surprise, the repeated Encore apuse left him feeling as though there was nothing topare to this youth. He was no longer an opponent, so it was useless to mention who won or lost. Sheng Yan Hui wasn¡¯t sure if this was a good thing or not. Although Qi Mu felt that Sheng Yan Hui was somewhat silly and cute, the matter in his heart was still important. He slowly smiled and looked at the other seriously. Obviously, Sheng Yan Hui was a few years older than Qi Mu, but when he spoke, Sheng Yan Hui inexplicably felt as if he was ¡°being educated by an elder.¡± ¡°Sheng Yan Hui, now. . . do you think you can put the matter to rest?¡± The next musician exited the backstage, and Sheng Yan Hui lowered his hands that had kept pping for some time. He solemnly nodded, ¡°I was not convinced before. Why on earth did you let me win? It made me feel that I was not strong enough. The one who should go to Munich is you, not me, and that kept me from working hard enough. I only managed to find Professor Karl to ept me at 24 years old, and this is my, Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s, road. And you, Qi Mu, I don¡¯t know what kind of mentor you will find, or what kind of future you will have. But that is your choice, and that is also where our paths differ.¡± Qi Mu nodded, wearing a smile, and signaled for him to continue. ¡°Regardless of how it will go now, I will not abandon my goal or my dream. I want to be the best violinist in the world. I want to be the only king of ssical music. I will never lose my way again. And for that. . . I really want to thank you.¡± Qi Mu felt that his words were a bit wrong. He frowned and pointed sideways at a man sitting in the middle of the audience, then whispered, ¡°You mean. . . you want to beat him?¡± Originally, Qi Mu thought Sheng Yan Hui was joking. Who would expect that this would nod seriously, ¡°Yes, I want to beat him. Even if I can¡¯t defeat him now, I will defeat him in the future!¡± ¡°. . .¡± Qi Mu was silent for a long while then he asked, ¡°Are you looking to switch to the piano or to conducting? Ah, right,posing too. Do you intend to focus on songposition in the future?¡± Sheng Yan Hui, who was holding a violin case: ¡°. . .¡± Qi Mu burst intoughter. He looked at this bear child whose eyes had swirled into mosquito coils and smiled, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore. I heard that Min Chen studied the violin for several years as a child. If you want to beat him on the violin. . . well, I think it won¡¯t take too long. Maybe you could even go to battle now.¡± Youths were always getting angry and never letting it go. Sheng Yan Hui: ¡°. . .¡± Seeing that Sheng Yan Hui was depressed and not responding, Qi Mu no longer teased him. He gently set his violin in its case and ced it in a temporary safe. Qi Mu swung the key around his finger and looked at Sheng Yan Hui, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hall together?¡± Sheng Yan Hui nodded slightly. In front of this younger man, he didn¡¯t even have the advantage of being older. They walked toward the hall side by side. Qi Mu¡¯s seat was on the east side while Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s in the south. When they were about to separate, Qi Mu hadn¡¯t turned away yet when he heard Sheng Yan Hui whisper, ¡°Then Qi Mu. . . my goal will be to beat you.¡± ¡°. . .¡± After a while, Qi Mu wore a helpless smile. He didn¡¯t even say anything and suddenly became someone¡¯s target for defeat. But, after thinking about it for a while, Qi Mu suddenly realized that Sheng Yan Hui actually put him and Min Chen on the same level, and he couldn¡¯t help but have a bit of fun. He thought a little and asked, ¡°How do you want to beat me?¡± Sheng Yan Hui did not think that he would be asked about this. He was a bit stunned. It took him a while, but he tentatively answered, ¡°Let¡¯spete to see. . . who will have their global tour first?¡± Qi Mu helplessly said, ¡°This is going to disappoint you, but I don¡¯t want to be a solo violinist in the foreseeable future. I want to concentrate on being an orchestra¡¯s. . . violinist.¡± Qi Mu swapped the word ¡°concertmaster¡± to ¡°violinist.¡± He didn¡¯t want to tantly disy his ambition. Qi Mu¡¯s answer made Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s hair turn grey. After a while, he said, ¡°Then we canpete to see who will enter the world stage first? Either Vienna Concert Hall or Mn¡¯s Teatro A Sc Opera House. . . or something like that.¡± Watching Sheng Yan Hui¡¯s serious expression, Qi Mu looked around and said, ¡°I think I can do all that, but. . . why should Ipete with you?¡± Having said that, he grinned, revealing his white teeth. Sheng Yan Hui: ¡°. . .¡± This was probably a case of being disillusioned from the ideal goal he had just established for himself. Of course, now Qi Mu had absolutely no idea that when he met Sheng Yan Hui in Europe many yearster, he had left him with a ¡°psychological shadow.¡± How deep was this shadow? Even the Pacific Ocean was not deep enough! At the moment, Qi Mu didn¡¯t think much about it. He quickly went to his seat after saying goodbye. The harpist on stage was just ending their performance as he sat down, so he pped gently. He hadn¡¯t even taken a proper seat yet when Du Sheng whispered to him, ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, if you told me you wanted topete with Sheng Yan Hui, I would have publicized it for you.¡± Qi Mu was a bit startled, ¡°What did you say, Du-ge?¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s nothing. That Sheng Yan Hui kid, too, didn¡¯t say anything about this until thest minute. It¡¯s really not good. We Chinese musicians are all simple children. Where can there be such dirty tricks? Must be that big beard from Munish teaching him!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± I guess you¡¯re right. Qi Mu didn¡¯t say anything more. This episode in the middle of the concert seemed to be a catalyst that made the atmosphere harmonious. When Du Sheng and his friends performed, the warm apuse they received almost copsed the roof. The four performers were famous musicians in B City. They often formed a band for indoor concerts and, this time, they performed well enough that the audience had them give three Encores before the end. One reason for that is truly due to the great performance of these elders. Another was the audience giving them face and deliberately putting them at ease. But, in all, the concert had ended and it came to a sessful conclusion. For a city-level indoor concert, even if they did invite several musicians from all over the country, the effect was beyond everyone¡¯s imagination. The audience experienced two high-tides and each was unforgettable. One was Qi Mu¡¯s ¡¶E Minor¡· and ¡¶Tzigane Rhapsody¡·. This young man was only in his early 20¡¯s so the professional musicians, the public figure and the music critics couldn¡¯t help but apud and ask for an Encore¡ª¡ªhe truly deserved it. The other one was Du Sheng and his friends¡¯ performance. Years of performing and practicing together made their music harmonious. Even Min Chen, who was a strong critic on sound, apuded earnestly in the end and gave his praise. This was a grand concert! It couldn¡¯t be looked down upon just because of its small venue. At the end of the event, many people stillughed with each other, sharing their thoughts with those around them. Dressed formally in suits and dresses, the audience filed out the door in harmony. Probably due to Chinese etiquette, but this was the first time Qi Mu had to stand at the doorway and talk to the guests before sending them off. In Europe, when they were finished, everyone would directly leave. This time, as the organizer, Tan Lao and Du Sheng used Qi Mu asbor¡ª¡ª Even just standing at the door, letting the wind blow his hair, he could make a debut and show that this B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra didn¡¯t have a low face! ¡°You are our face!¡± ¡ª¡ªDu Sheng, who had just learned new words from his daughter, teased him. The mascot Xiao Qi: ¡°. . .¡± Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Notes

From your editor:Victor is Sheng Yan Hui''s English name. Chapter 25 ¡°Tan Lao, the concert you organized this time was really good! Really, really good!¡± ¡°Du Lao yourst ¡¶Canon¡· with Wang Lao and Li Lao was great! It has improved!¡± ¡°Is this your B City Symphony Orchestra¡¯s Xiao Qi? Well, Chen Lao said his skills were good. Listening to him today, he¡¯s indeed worthy of his reputation, ah!¡± . . . Some musicians would chat andugh with Tan Lao before leaving. There were also some people who would pretend to look at Qi Mu and carelesslyugh as they said, ¡°B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra has a handsome mascot. No wonder my daughter has been talking about your concertstely.¡± The face and mascot Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Sending off such arge number of people tired him out even if he was young. Furthermore, the guests loved to tease him and make fun of him, which only made Qi Mu raise his focus to 120,000 points to answer politely. The temperature in B City would drop below 10¡ã C (50¡ã F) at night in November. The streetlights cast over the ground like ayer of frost and the cold air was white. A crescent moon hung in the sky, and the city¡¯s brilliant light shone into the sky, dyeing it a magnificent rose red. There were no stars in sight. In the beginning, Qi Mu only wore his performance suit, but when he was sending off thest few people, he had no choice but to wear his coat to protect himself from the overwhelming cold. The jacket was unlike his usual style and temperament, and he felt that the color was too bright and noticeable. However, he was helpless as it was the thickest in his wardrobe. Style before practicality, that was the original¡¯s motto. When he saw that bright red figure, Min Chen¡¯s steps faltered. After a while, he started walking again, and he raised his Phoenix¡¯s eyes to look at him. The red coat offset the youth¡¯s bright face, and under the lighting, even the smallest hairs on his face were visible. Artistically speaking, red was the most eye-catching color. When looking around in a crowd, red was the rarest color to find. It was too mboyant, and few people could control it. As luck would have it, Qi Mu was one of those few. His skin was white, and Min Chen didn¡¯t know whether it was from cold or if it had always been that way. He soon realized it was thetter. His gaze passed over the young man¡¯s delicate face and finally paused on the youth¡¯s fingers that were half-hidden in his sleeves. Then he looked up at Qi Mu. Qi Mu slowly opened his mouth and said, ¡°I. . .¡± ¡°Oh god, Oh my god! , you look so beautiful in red. How?¡± Daniel dered enthusiastically, ¡°I have never seen anyone who could wear red so well. You really do surprise people, Engelchen!¡± The interrupted Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± The face/mascot/Xiao Tian Shi/Xiao Qi: ¡°. . .¡± Befitting the reputation of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s ace agent, Daniel¡¯s sighing in admirationsted for only a moment. He turned to Tan Zheng Hui and Du Sheng and said in awkward Chinese, ¡°This concert. . . Really sessful. . . Me, I¡¯m d to havee again!¡± Min Chen expressionlessly cast a sidelong nce at Daniel and said, ¡°It¡¯s note again, it¡¯se.¡± Daniel: ¡°. . .¡± I don¡¯t understand whatever you say anyway! Knowing that in thend of Huaxia, Daniel may as well be considered ¡°illiterate,¡± Min Chen didn¡¯t bother responding to him again and instead turned to the others. He nodded gently and said, ¡°The concert was excellent, and so were the performances. Thank you for your invitation.¡± While praising Qi Mu, Daniel was speaking in German, and Tan Lao was too old to start learning even English. Although Du Sheng was proficient in English, he couldn''t understand German. So neither of them knew that Xiao Qi, their family¡¯s mascot had a new nickname: Engelchen/Xiao Tian Shi. But, both of them listened carefully to Min Chen¡¯s words. Tan Lao smiled, nodded, and said, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have you. Thank you, Min Chen.¡± Min Chen had always been a goodmunicator, even with people he wasn¡¯t familiar with. He nodded politely and each minute detail of the movement was like a gentleman in medieval Europe. Even though there was no expression on his face, Tan Lao didn¡¯t feel ufortable. ¡°In the finale, Tchaikovsky¡¯s op. 48 ¡¶String Seranade¡· was excellent. The termination part of the third movement was a bit fast on the second violin. I think it will be even more exceptional if you could improve that.¡± Min Chen made it sound like a casualment, but Du Sheng cast aside his rxed smile and listened attentively. Although he was older than Min Chen, he had to admit that this man would always notice the things they overlooked. Min Chen¡¯s order of conversation could be seen with a nce. After talking to Du Sheng, he turned to Qi Mu, and Qi Mu could not help but go quiet, involuntarily swallowing a mouthful of saliva. In his previous life, the highest form of praise hade from Mr. Erberk Dorenza, the conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and also one of the world¡¯s four grand conductors. Qi Mu had exchanged many pointers with the man during his rehearsals with the orchestra and gained frequent inspiration. But the man in front of him. . . was the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. And he also had the honor of being one of the four grand world conductors at such a young age. The most important thing was, he had been acknowledged by everyone as the king of ssical music. After writing his first sonata at the age of sixteen, he proceeded to create dozens of songs in just a decade. Most of those songs were symphonic pieces and were yed by orchestras all around the world. In the past few years, he personally directed a ¡°Bertham Night¡± where all the songs heposed were performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. And now, Qi Mu was waiting for this legendary figure¡¯sment. Qi Mu suddenly realized he could hear his heartbeat thumping as if it would jump from his throat the next second. This was different from his previous contact with the man, this time. . . it was a real review. He no longer had an orchestra to rely on. This was his solo, and this review was entirely his own, where no other factors were to be considered. The bleak night wind blew in from the other side of the road, sweeping over the man-madeke in front of the concert hall. The moon¡¯s reflection on its surface was suddenly distorted by a series of ripples. It seemed to mirror Qi Mu¡¯s mood of not being able to remain calm. ¡°Your ¡¶Tzigane¡·was very good. I think you would y Paganini¡¯s songs very well. ¡¶E Minor¡·had no outstanding issues, but you were too quick on the third part of the second movement. If you were ying in an orchestra, your deputy chief would be troubled.¡± The slightly hoarse but maic voice rang out on the evening brize, and Qi Mu subconsciously lifted his head. He looked up toward the right. He obviously didn¡¯t expect to meet Min Chen¡¯s gaze head-on. The hall¡¯s splendid chandelier shone through the tall doors onto the young man¡¯s face, and Min Chen had a sense of deja vu. Qi Mu¡¯s eyes were wet as if a pitiful kitten was staring at him, and Min Chen¡¯s heart trembled as his throat tightened. Then, with his tone a bit stiff: ¡°Overall, you yed well.¡± The word ¡°well¡± was almost the highest evaluation he had ever given and it made Daniel nce at him again. When Daniel looked at him, he saw Min Chen was so focused on Xiao Tian Shi, and he suddenly thought: Do you want to scoop up Engelchen?! What great potential! Without dy, Daniel said to Qi Mu, ¡°Do you wish to study in Europe? I know several colleges. Whether it¡¯s Paris, or the UK, or even Cologne, Germany, there are no problems. I can rmend you. I really like the sound of your violin. I was impressed!¡± Daniel spoke in English as his Chinese was not good. When he was researching Qi Mu for Min Chen, he found out that Qi Mu¡¯s English was excellent and he could carry a normal conversation. After Daniel had spoken, Qi Mu didn¡¯t even have to think about it as he replied with a smile, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Daniel, but I have no ns to further my studies at this time.¡± Daniel sighed and said a few more words to persuade him, but Qi Mu politely refused them all one by one. In the end, Daniel could only give up on this ¡°rmendation¡± n that had made him suffer and turned to chat with Du Sheng and Tan Zheng Hui. Qi Mu actually knew that he had no rtionship with Duke Daniel, and the other party wouldn¡¯t rmend him to a college for no reason. Daniel may look approachable on the surface, but Qi Mu wasn¡¯t simple enough to believe in words like ¡°I like your violin¡± or ¡°I am impressed.¡± Daniel wanted to use this opportunity to bind his future with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He wanted to rmend him in the name of ¡°cultivating future members,¡± and although Qi Mu had decided to walk the path of struggling in the orchestra, he did not think it was time to tie himself to a specific orchestra forever. Even if it was the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. After switching to exchanging in English, Daniel and Tan Zheng Hui carried a pleasant conversation. After everyone had spoken some, Daniel seemed ready to leave. However, who would expect for Min Chen to suddenly lift his head and look at Qi Mu. Qi Mu¡¯s mind went nk, but he obediently listened as Min Chen opened his mouth to speak, ¡°You. . .¡± ¡°Hey, Auston, Daniel! Long time no see!¡± Professor Karl, who had been speaking to some students at the side, suddenly shouted with a wave of his hand. Having been interrupted for the second time that night, Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± Having breathed a sigh of relief, the face/mascot/Xiao Tian Shi/Xiao Qi: ¡°. . .¡± Trantor(s): Kuro, Bet Editor(s): Bet

Note

From your trantor:Are people back in medieval Europe extra posh? Or is it just us Asians'' misconception? Chapter 26 The Berlin Philharmonic concertmaster was a proud student of Professor Karl, and the professor was one of the European Academy¡¯s important representatives. He was also a long time friend of Min Chen and Daniel. Robert Karl was not wearing formal dress, even at such an important event, and he came over with hisrge belly and a wave of his hand. Greeting the others warmly, he then turned to Daniel and said, ¡°Hey, Daniel. Long time no see.¡± Daniel bumped Professor Karl¡¯s chest with his elbow andughed, ¡°Hey Big Beard, why are you in Huaxia?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for apetition. Oh right, you haven¡¯t met my new student yet.¡± Professor Karl then turned around but found that no one was behind him. He touched his beard and smiled, ¡°Chinese people are shy. I¡¯ll introduce Victor to you when we return to Germany. He¡¯s a lovely young man.¡± Almost all the guests were already gone. Professor Karl was among thest few there. He turned to the man with a cold face and passionately said, ¡°Auston, we haven¡¯t seen each other for such a long time, why don¡¯t you give me a hug? My little baby said she could die for you. She said when she listened to your Berlin tour this year, your charming back almost made her faint!¡± As he spoke, Professor Karl, who had enthusiasm akin to the French, stretched out his arms and stepped forward, wanting to give him a hug. However, Min Chen¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and he calmly stepped aside, leaving Professor Karl to hug empty air. The handsome and indifferent man lowered his gaze and pointed at Professor Karl¡¯s belly which was sorge it could raise a whale and said inly: ¡°No hugging, I¡¯ll panic.¡± Qi Mu who was resisting the urge tough: ¡°. . .¡± Daniel who was in the same situation: ¡°. . .¡± Professor Karl whose heart was hurt: ¡°Auston, you¡¯re getting less and less cute!¡± ¡°Not cute.¡± Min Chen lifted his Phoenix¡¯s eyes and raised an eyebrow. ¡°When have I ever been cute?¡± Professor Karl: ¡°. . .¡± What did he say before? Who said Min Chen was easy to get along with, and that he was like a gentleman? Once he¡¯s with people he¡¯s familiar with, he would unleash his naturally poisonous tongue! Professor Karl, who was the target of his attack, suffered -10 000 damage and died of blood loss. In fact, Professor Karl had long gotten used to Min Chen¡¯s poisonous tongue, but what he didn¡¯t understand was why Min Chen seemed a little fierier today. Which made him wonder who angered this stingy fellow. Even after he thought about it, he wasn¡¯t able toe up with anything. He put the matter aside and chatted with Tan Lao and Du Sheng. When he saw Qi Mu, his eyes suddenly lit up and he gave Qi Mu a big hug. The panicking Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Professor Karl said with augh, ¡°Qi Mu, your performance today was amazing. It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t bring you to Munich. I remember telling you before that your style is simr to Auston¡¯s. I¡¯m surprised you both had the chance to meet so soon.¡± Once the words were registered, everyone except Qi Mu was stunned. Especially Min Chen. He reflexively turned to look at the youth standing in front of him, his surprise evident. There was an old Huaxia saying that went: ¡°¡±. In fact, when they listened to Qi Mu¡¯s performance tonight, Min Chen never said a word. He had an inexplicable sense of familiarity when he heard Qi Mu¡¯s solo as if he knew the way his performance echoed in his ears. It was very familiar. At times, things are too familiar to say what about it was familiar. Min Chen removed his gaze and concealed the look in his eyes. At first, he thought that Qi Mu¡¯s style was simr to a certain person he knew. But after hearing Karl¡¯s words, it seemed to be himself. Min Chen looked at Qi Mu meaningfully after making a judgment in his mind. For the first time, he met someone with ¡°a style simr to his.¡± Especially. . . this person yed the violin, which was different from his own preference. This was very interesting. Min Chen didn¡¯t know that his sense of familiarity was not the same as Professor Karl¡¯s. Ever since he could remember, Min Chen had heard countless sounds. The chaotic noise of nature, the melodies of musical instruments, and the sound of strings being plucked. He had even heard Lu Zi Wen¡¯s solo in private, but he had never listened to his ¡¶E Minor¡· or¡¶Tzigane¡·. Music was interlinked. When someone yed a song, unconsciously, they would incorporate their own style. In fact, Min Chen actually heard Lu Zi Wen¡¯s style this time but his mind couldn¡¯t lead him down that absurd direction. So he missed this opportunity to discover the truth. The others present had yet more ideas that were different from Min Chen¡¯s. They were surprised to hear that Professor Karl¡¯s evaluation of Qi Mu was actually that high. Simr to Min Chen? What kind of evaluation was that? Could it be. . . that he could be the next Min Chen?! Daniel couldn¡¯t help but pay more attention to Qi Mu. The sky waspletely dark by this time, but the city never slept, even at night. The bright light from the gate shone on the youth¡¯s white face, contrasting with his red coat and making his smile appear even more beautiful. He nodded politely and smiled, ¡°Thank you for thepliment. I am honored.¡± Professor Karl nodded and said: ¡°Actually. . . I want to thank you for today. You let my silly student let go of that matter so he can finallye with me to Munich without worries. I owe you a favor this time. Qi Mu, if there¡¯s anything, you cane to me in the future.¡± Now, the people present were even more perplexed. Except for Min Chen whose eyes narrowed slightly as he seemed to havee to an understanding. Qi Mu was surprised for a moment but then heughed, ¡°Thank you, Professor Karl.¡± Karl was nning to leave but just before he left, he suddenly remembered something and hurriedly returned to ask, ¡°Daniel, when are you going back to Germany? Let¡¯s take the flight together so we can apany each other.¡± Daniel said, ¡°My flight is the day after tomorrow. I¡¯ve already booked a ticket.¡± Professor Karl was shocked then overjoyed, ¡°As it happens, my flight is also on the day after tomorrow. Auston, is that yours too? Then the three of us, oh, plus my silly student, that makes the four of us, can go together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back this year.¡± ¡°Going back together. . . What? You¡¯re not going?!¡± Professor Karl¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Min Chen just answered with a gentle, ¡°Un.¡± Professor Karl: ¡°. . .You¡¯re not going back for Christmas?¡± Min Chen nodded slightly, with no expression on his cold face, ¡°Not going.¡± Professor Karl walked away with doubts in his heart. He didn¡¯t understand why would Min Chen spend his Christmas alone in this ce without his family. After Karl left, Daniel continued to talk with Tan Lao and Du Sheng. This time, Qi Mu could finally look at the handsome, upright man before him. Growing up in Europe, naturally, he knew that Christmas was the equivalent of a Chinese Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) in Huaxia. Even though Min Chen¡¯s mother was Chinese, their family lived in Berlin, not Huaxia. Qi Mu also didn¡¯t understand what it was that made Min Chen decide not to return to Germany. The good looking youth frowned, looking down as if he was thinking hard about something. Min Chen watched Qi Mu silently for a while. It happened that Daniel was having a good time talking to Tan Lao, and he didn¡¯t notice whatever was happening over here. Min Chen went forward and softly whispered in Qi Mu¡¯s ear: ¡°Do you have time to go to a concert together?¡± Qi Mu, who was thinking, suddenly heard this and immediately looked up in surprise. He raised his head and his gaze met Min Chen¡¯s directly. Qi Mu¡¯s brain was spinning so fast because he couldn¡¯t understand. Why did he suddenly ask such a thing? Min Chen didn¡¯t allow him to be stumped for too long. Min Chen¡¯s thin lips curled slightly, and he said with a lowugh, ¡°You really do understand German.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Just now, Qi Mu was so surprised by the words that he didn¡¯t even notice that it was in German. The words were so unbelievable that he didn¡¯t think too much about it. From Qi Mu¡¯s impression, the original didn¡¯t seem to speak German, so he turned his eyes away slightly and said: ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve started to learn othernguages by myself. I can somewhat understand German, but I still can¡¯t speak it.¡± A glint of light shed through Min Chen¡¯s eyes, but he didn¡¯t expose the young man¡¯s lies. He thought for a moment and said, ¡°Do you have absolute pitch?¡± By this point, Qi Mu already knew that he was exposed, so he didn¡¯t hide much and directly admitted, ¡°Yes.¡± Daniel was ending his conversation with Tan Lao and Du Sheng, and he heard Qi Mu admit to having absolute pitch. His eyes immediately shed. He looked at Qi Mu for a long time with eyes that screamed of: ¡°I¡¯m looking at a beautiful woman¡± and ¡°I¡¯m an addict¡± and, finally, he couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°Xiao Tian Shi, do you really not want to study?¡± After Qi Mu refused politely once again, Daniel let out a sigh. When he left the concert hall with Min Chen, Daniel said sadly: ¡°Hey, Min Chen, that Qi Mu is truly a good seedling. Why is he so smart but unwilling to ept my kindness?¡± Daniel held the steering wheel and said helpless, ¡°Just in his twenties and his skill with the violin is already high. Even that old beard said his style was simr to yours. He even has absolute pitch. . . Why didn¡¯t I find out about this talent earlier?¡± Danielined a lot and, when he finally felt morefortable and less depressed, suddenly heard a low chuckle from the other man: ¡°You¡¯ll see him sooner orter. His ambition. . .¡± ¡°Is greater than you think.¡± Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet Chapter 27 The concert ended at 9pm, but by the time Tan Lao and Du Sheng finished sending off the guests, it was already 10 o¡¯clock. Since it waste autumn, B City was bleak and chilly. Tan Lao didn¡¯t linger to celebrate further, and Du Sheng went to send them home. During the car ride, Du Sheng continued to praise Qi Mu on his performance. He also inquired about why he refused Daniel¡¯s offer to pursue an education in Europe. As aforementioned, Conservatoire de Paris and The Royal Conservatory of Music were among the top world¡¯s conservatories. Those whocked even a bit of strength couldn¡¯t touch their threshold. Qi Mu had to make clear that he wanted to practice more in Huaxia, and that he had no intention of furthering his studies yet. Du Sheng felt it was a pity but didn¡¯t say anything else. It was Tan Lao who, after staring at Qi Mu for a long time, suddenly asked, ¡°Xiao Qi, are you. . . familiar with Min Chen?¡± Qi Mu was stunned when he heard the question. He automatically shook his head, ¡°Tan Lao, I had never met Mr. Min until you introduced him to me the other day. How could I be?¡± Tan Lao hummed lightly and didn¡¯t speak another word on the matter. He said instead, ¡°You¡¯re not too young, and if you don¡¯t want to continue your education, you must have your own reasons. This year¡¯s tour is over. Before the Spring Festival concert, you only need toe to rehearsals a few times a week. Xiao Qi, do you have ns?¡± In fact, even before Tan Lao mentioned it, Qi Mu already knew that he would spend the next month or so idle. As assistant concertmaster, he only needed to rece Du Sheng in some songs, so his rehearsals were rtively few. Other than that, he had nothing to do. After thinking on it, Qi Mu eyes curved with his smile and he nodded, ¡°Thank you, Tan Lao, for your concern. I do have ns already.¡± A month ago, Qi Mu knew that Tan Lao would probably have said something like: ¡°What are your ns?¡± or ¡°You must seize this time. You cannot rx.¡± But Qi Mu¡¯s recent growth was obvious, and Tan Lao had seen it with his own eyes. His previous hesitation and concern toward Qi Mu had vanished. Tan Lao just nodded to indicate that he understood and questioned no further. Qi Mu¡¯s home was the closest, so Du Sheng dropped him off first, then Tan Lao. In the cold and windy night, the youth wearing a crimson coat watched the ck car leave. The red of his coat was like a fire searing into the night, one that could not be ignored. When Du Sheng¡¯s car disappeared down the road, Qi Mu raised his head slightly and turned to head upstairs. There was a hint of a helpless smile in his amber eyes. Qi Mu took the elevator and pressed the ¡°26¡± button. He then watched as the golden number at the top changed rapidly. The evening¡¯s events were above and beyond what he anticipated, but. . . It was still mostly in line with his expectations. Tan Lao had already nned for this indoor concert before Qi Mu joined B City Symphony Orchestra. Later, he deliberately left a ce for him as one of the performers. This was Tan Lao¡¯s goodwill for him. Before Zheng Wei Qiao left, he pulled Qi Mu aside and excitedly told him that he would write a manuscript immediately after he got back on Qi Mu¡¯s performance. Zheng Wei Qiao still had quite the reputation in Huaxia¡¯s music circle. Qi Mu¡¯s mother was his teacher so his violin skill was not low and he also had some writing skills. Qi Mu knew that as long as this article was published, it would cause quite a hype. Therefore, the effect that Tan Lao desired would be achieved. Qi Mu had no idea that half the city away, a man with a kind face was staring at hisputer screen while scratching his ears and cheeks. The screen was filled with dense square characters, and Zheng Wei Qiao was engrossed in typing. About half an hourter, Zheng Wei Qiao suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and excitedly sent the manuscript to several newspapers and magazines that he was familiar with and waited to receive a reply. But, Zheng Wei Qiao didn¡¯t expect that just as he stood to walk away, not even two steps from theputer, he heard one notification after the other. He turned quickly and looked¡ª¡ª ¡¾Music Hall - Xiao Wang: Zheng-ge, we don¡¯t need this manuscript. The boss decided to personally write one with the same topic.¡¿ ¡¾Sound of Music - Lie : Xiao Zheng, unfortunately, we have also written a paper on the same topic. The boss hasn¡¯t written anything personally for months so we can¡¯t ept yours this time.¡¿ ¡¾ssical Music - Ah Chen: Zheng-ge, you are so unlucky. Lu Jie said she¡¯s nning to write a manuscript on your topic herself! We can¡¯t ept your manuscript, s. . .¡¿ . . . There were another three or four messages just like these, all from the various ssical musical media that Zheng Wei Qiao was familiar with. These were all well-known media outlets in B City. Not only were there weekly magazines but also semi-monthly and monthly ones as well. Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s articles were also popr with them. When the market was poor, they would even rush to publish them. Zheng Wei Qiao never thought that this time. . . He would unexpectedly encounter ?!!! Zheng Wei Qiao was stunned for a long while. Then he quickly sat back down in his chair and carefully read the draft he wrote from beginning to end three times. He then finally went to Xiao Wang, the editor of Music Hall and typed: ¡¾Xiao Wang, were you mistaken? My topic is Qi Mu, the new Assistant Concertmaster of B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra, and not the actual concert organized by Tan Lao tonight. Zhang¡¯s article could be used as the main article and mine as a supplement.¡¿ Zheng Wei Qiao then opened the chat of Lie Jie, the editor for Sound of Music. He hadn¡¯t even typed out his message yet when Xiao Wang replied: ¡¾No, Zheng-ge. The chief editor meant that he would write an article on Qi Mu himself.¡¿ Zheng Wei Qiao was shocked when he read the words. He then asked several others like Sound of Music and ssical Music and got a unified response¡ª¡ª The bosses who hadn¡¯t personally written anything for several months had actually decided to write an article on Qi Mu themselves?! This was tantamount to a small earthquake! Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s expression was that of joy. The first thing he thought of was to call Qi Mu and tell him this fantastic news. But as soon as he picked up his phone, he remembered that it was already past midnight so Qi Mu might have fallen asleep already. So he only sent a text. The moment you have good news but can¡¯t share it with others really makes you feel bad! The more Zheng Wei Qiao thought about it, the more he felt as if there was a fire blocking in his heart. He couldn¡¯t get over it. The more he held back, the more excited he got. Not even a few minutester, he couldn¡¯t help but send another message to Qi Mu, informing him that ¡¶Friend of Music¡· also rejected his manuscript. Three minutester, it was ¡¶Audio¡· with a simr rejection. Then five minutester, it was. . . So when Qi Mu woke up the next morning, he turned on his mobile phone to find Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s 13 consecutive messages. After the first one at 1am, he kept sending one after another until 3 in the morning. Qi Mu drank hot milk that he had warmed using the microwave while reading Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s emotional messages. He was so excited he didn¡¯t even use the correct punctuation in them. His eyes lingered on Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯sst message for a long time. His slender fingers seemed to move on their own and were tapping the ss table, producing a rhythmic beat. After a long time, he finally gave Zheng Wei Qiao a call, preparing a lot of words tofort the other man. His delicate eyebrows were slightly knitted, just as the call connected, he let out a low sigh and said: ¡°Zheng-ge, you don¡¯t have to be upset. I know. . .¡± It¡¯s sad to be rejected. ¡°Qi Mu, you woke up?! I am so happy!¡± Qi Mu hadn¡¯t even finished talking, when Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s unusually excited voice burst through the small phone speaker, ¡°I¡¯m so happy today. I¡¯ll pick you upter. Your sister-inw is also excited, and she cooked several dishes especially for you. Come and eat.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Why was he happy being rejected? Shouldn¡¯t he be sad and depressed? Qi Mu¡¯s eyes turned hard, and he hastened to say, ¡°Zheng-ge, don¡¯t force yourself to appear cheerful. Your manuscript was rejected 12 times in a row. I believe there will be magazines that will ept your manuscript. If there isn¡¯t, I can talk to Tan Lao, and see if there¡¯s any that he¡¯s familiar with. . .¡± ¡°Huh? Forcing myself? Xiao Qi, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°He¡¯s familiar with some outlets. . .¡± Qi Mu suddenly stopped and thought of something. He then frowned, a bit puzzled, and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it. . . you sent me 13 messagesst night telling me you got rejected, weren¡¯t you were sad about it?¡± ¡°. . .¡± After an extended silence, a burst ofughter carried down the phone. Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s rareughter carried in his voice, ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, I forgot to tell you! My topic for the manuscript was on your performancest night. And my manuscript was rejected. . . because all the magazines had a chief editor or another major writer that wanted to personally write about you!¡± ¡°. . .?!¡± ¡°Xiao Qi, ah, this is really great! Don¡¯t say anything more. Let¡¯s meet and talk, okay. I¡¯ll pick you up now! Haha!¡± Listening to the beep and dial tone of his phone, Qi Mu was so shocked that he couldn¡¯t respond. He then walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and couldn¡¯t help but squint his eyes in confusion at the rising sun over the horizon. The sunshine was so brilliant that it shone through the denseyer of clouds that covered the sky, falling to the earth that was deeply asleep. The golden light fell on the youth¡¯s hair, making it look as though iid with gold. After a while, Qi Mu burst intoughter and murmured helplessly, ¡°It turned out to be such a small matter. I thought Zheng-ge was worried that there would be no in the future.¡± The view of the twenty-sixth floor was grand, and the young man¡¯s tall, handsome figure reflected on the ss in a blurred shadow. What Qi Mu didn¡¯t know was on that very same ss, there was another reflection of an even taller man¡¯s silent back. This single, high-end apartment was separated from Qi Mu¡¯s by just a while. The lower floors had about 200 square meters whereas the upper ones had around 300. The whole room was styled in post-modern, dominated by ck and white. Like its owner, it seemed silent. Min Chen stood with his back to the window and lowered his head, seriously lifting a sugar cube to gently drop it into his coffee. When the white cube was gradually stained brown by the coffee, he picked up the cup and took a sip. ¡°. . .¡± Two more cubes were added, only then was Min Chen satisfied with the taste. Outside, the sun was bright, and the sky was blue. The crisp autumn breeze blew through the clouds above, looking like willow catkins scattering in all directions. It really was. . . good weather. ¡ª¡ªThe two neighbors separated by a wall sighed ruefully. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet Chapter 28 Huaxia was a rising star in the ssical music world. In recent years, this art form that originated in the west was growing popr, but it was nowhere as big as it was in Europe. Magazines and newspapers like ¡¶Music Hall¡· and ¡¶Sound of Music¡· were generally only circted with the people already involved with the circle. Li Yue Yue¡¯s favorite pastime was to watch movies. She felt happy watching a good one every day, and every Friday before work, she would stop by the newsstand to purchase a copy of that week¡¯s ¡¶Entertainment Frontier¡· to lick* the face of her favorite idol. *For more details, read But today, just as she was about to pick up¡¶Entertainment Frontier¡·from the stand, her sight was not immediately drawn to the picture of her idol on the cover. Instead, her eyes involuntarily fell on a small image on the cover of a different magazine. It wasn''t big enough. The main focus of the cover was a violin, and the picture was ced at the lower right corner. This square photo that was only 10 cm in size made Li Yue Yue unable to move her eyes away. She stared at it for a long time and suddenly pointed at the magazine and said, ¡°Boss! Boss! Which star is this? How can he look so good?! I want this magazine!¡± The owner picked up the magazine and looked at it for a while then handed it over to Li Yue Yue. Heughed and said, ¡°This is ¡¶Sound of Music¡·, it¡¯s a ssical music magazine. No stars here, young miss.¡± When she heard this, Li Yue Yue eyes widened, ¡°He¡¯s not a star?! How is that possible, he¡¯s so beautiful he must be a star!¡± With that, Li Yue Yue ran away excited with the magazine clutched in her arms, leaving the puzzled booth owner to pick up a copy of ¡¶Sound of Music¡· and stare at it for a long time. The more he looked at it, the more he felt, ¡°He really does look like a star. Don¡¯t say. . . did ¡¶Sound of Music¡· really invite a star this time?¡± Entertainment magazines were generally the best-selling ones in the newsstand. The owner thought of Li Yue Yue¡¯s reaction just now and made a decision he himself could not believe: Put ¡¶Sound of Music¡· in the most eye-catching spot! So, in one day, before it was even evening, ¡¶Sound of Music¡· that usually only had okay sales was unexpectedly sold out. The owner who had earned money narrowed his eyes, and from then on, he made the decision to purchase more ssical music magazines. That was something to talk aboutter. Around this time, Qi Mu¡¯s period of leisure had begun. He only needed to report to the orchestra two or three days a week. He didn¡¯t know all that many people in B City, and that reacquainted him with the long-lost feeling of loneliness and idleness. Every morning, he got up early and ran a fewps around themunity, bought some dishes to cook some simple meals for lunch and dinner, and practiced the violin. He practiced in the morning and afternoon, wanting to get himself familiar with this body and ying the violin with it. For the past two months, Qi Mu practiced without rest. Qi Mu hadn¡¯t done this type of ten-hour-long practice in years. Back when he first learned how to y, this was how he began. It was the most bitter period for him, but it was also crucial for his foundation. Once he got into the Conservatory, he systematically learned professional skills, so he no longer had to keep up with his foundation as much. The violin he had taken back from Zheng Wei Qiao had terrific lines, and it produced a charming sound. Qi Mu was reluctant to let it go, it was such a good violin. Sometimes, he would think: if this imitation was already so good, how much better would the real thing in that bank be? If he could get that Edith, he wouldn¡¯t dare even think about selling it like the original had. Instead, he wanted to hold it while standing in the ce light gathered and perform with it. ¡°Back to Golden Hall. . .¡± Qi Mu muttered and thenughed softly, ¡°This is truly a great challenge.¡± Want to get Xiao Gongzhu back? You can, but first, you have to go back to Europe and show your strength. This was the test given by the elders to the original, and now, it had fallen to him. With that pressure motivating him, Qi Mu focused more on his practice for the next few days. He wanted to be able to y the songs he was most familiar with in the past. Perhaps the apartment¡¯s instion was that good, or Qi Mu¡¯s decorations for the specially renovated violin room were too good. But, he had yed the violin for ten hours a day every day, yet the beautiful sound never left the room. Not even a single note! Simr to how Qi Mu never heard the sound of the piano from next door. Qi Mu spent most of his time in the violin room. At the time, he was unaware that while he practiced his violin, just a wall over, a man yed a nine-foot Steinway grand piano in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his fingers dancing across the keys. The elegant Steinway could produce the most beautiful sound. It was proficient at expressing both sad and happy songs, and even solemn ones. Compared to Qi Mu¡¯s diligence, this man was simplyzy beyond saving. More often than not, he wouldy on the sofa flipping through scores. His scores were different from Qi Mu¡¯s. Generally, conductors printed their scores on sheets of A3 paper. The details for the string instruments, the brass, the woodpipe, and the percussion, everything would then be written out in great detail. Every conductor had their own style and, simrly, they had their unique way of seeing music. For example, the chief conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr. Erberk Dorenza. His music scores were always packed with notes, so they were often used as a reference by instructors in various academies. And when those same conducting instructors heard the name ¡°Min Chen¡± or ¡°Auston Bertram,¡± they would share a difficult expression. Because. . . This man¡¯s music scores were always pristine¡ª¡ªthey were nk¡ª¡ªTotally! nk! Whether it was a short sonata, or a long symphony, a two-to-three page score, or even a dozen, or twenty to thirty pages, Min Chen¡¯s music scores were always clean. Maintaining their white and smooth surface, they looked as if they had just been printed. Daniel once asked Min Chen curiously, he had never written anything on his music scores, could he remember the orchestra¡¯s mistakes? The answer was of course, yes. Bai Ai was excellent. But even they, when rehearsing new songs, would have ces where there was friction and asionally experience a few bumps along the way. Mr. Dorenza would take note of it on his score so they could go over it again. But Min Chen, it became, ¡°You don¡¯t remember them?¡± In this regard, Min Chen had never wanted to fall behind others. Maybe because one neighbor was toozy while the other one was too diligent. Even though they practiced every day, they never heard each other¡¯s music. Min Chen, even if he had absolute pitch and a good sense of sound, he naturally couldn''t hear things that weren¡¯t transmitted. Likewise, Qi Mu who had absolute pitch could not hear the piano his neighbor yed only ten minutes everyday¡ª¡ªwho told him to be in practice room at that time? Themunication between people in modern society was getting less and less! Don¡¯t be separated by a wall. Go over to the door and have a chat. It would be great. These two people who had been ¡°living together¡± for a month were still unaware that they had a neighbor! . . . As the night grew darker, the dim moonlight was blocked by the city¡¯s glittering lights, and gradually the mood hid behind thick clouds. The tall 26-floor building with excellent instionpletely isted them from the bustling city¡¯s noise. None of it entered the apartments. Qi Mu wiped down his wet hair with a towel, drying it as he walked over to hisputer to type in a URL. In the second, a ck and white page appeared on the screen. Qi Mu stared at the handsome man in the page¡¯s background for a long time. In the end, he smiled helplessly and said to himself, ¡°This month¡¯s theme. . . is him?¡± The site, ¡°Blue Danube¡± was based in Austria and it was one of the most formal of ssical music forums in Europe where many professionals gathered. It was said that even Mr. Erberk Dorenza had an ount there. Every month, the forum would change its theme and use an element from the theme as the background and in theyout. Qi Mu remembered that when hest logged in, the theme seemed to be ¡¶A Night on Bald Mountain¡· by Mussorgsky. Unexpectedly, when he logged in this time, it had changed to Min Chen. It was not like there had never been people chosen as the forum¡¯s theme, but in the past ten years, Qi Mi could remember that it had happened less than five times. But Min Chen. . . after ¡°Bertram Night,¡± this was now his second time on the list. Qi Mu smiled and didn¡¯t think too much more on the matter. He directly logged into his ount and start browsing. Most of the content on the website was just information on where some world-ss orchestra would be performing, or where some solo musician was going to hold their own concert. Other than that, there appeared to be little news. He thought a bit, then typed in ¡°Luo Yu Sen¡± in the search box. There weren¡¯t many links that appeared, but the first one surprised him a little. He clicked to have a look. The handsome youth¡¯s eyebrow furrowed a little. He looked at a reply on the post, a little doubt shed in his pale eyes, and he whispered, ¡°Luo Yu Sen is. . . not faring well?¡± Qi Mu remembered that when hest closed his eyes in that lounge, Luo Yu Sen bluntly said ¡°You¡¯re in someone¡¯s way¡± and since this ¡°someone¡± was able to hire Luo Yu Sen to teach him a lesson, they were naturally not simple. But surprisingly, Luo Yu Sen seemed to have not benefited. This is quite unbelievable. Looking at the dense English words on the screen, his frown gradually eased. With a sigh, he turned to look at the sky that was dyed red by the city lights. ¡°Although you are now miserable, do you think. . . this will be enough?¡± Hatred caused by death wouldn¡¯t be influenced by anything. Qi Mu would always remember thest moments before his death. His whole body felt as if he was on fire, and he had despaired. He wanted to climb up, to reach for that door, but there was no strength left in his body, his fingernails were broken, and his heart was in agony. That pain was worse than death. That bright sheen in Luo Yu Sen¡¯s eyes when he left him there will never be forgotten. What he wanted was not for this scum to be just miserable and looked down upon in Vienna, but really¡ª¡ª He wanted to drive this scum directly out of Vienna! Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet Chapter 29 More than two weeks had passed since Tan Lao¡¯s concert was reported on by several of the magazines in the ssical music circle like ¡¶Music Hall¡· and ¡¶Sound of Music¡·, but the buzz still hasn¡¯t dissipated. Most of the professionals had a high opinion of the concert. The performers invited were famous musicians in Huaxia, and there were no idents, and all the performances were sessful. Therefore, from an appreciative perspective, this concert was one of the most outstanding performances all year. On the other hand, a young ¡°unknown¡± had appeared and attracted the attention of a lot of people. While Qi Mu¡¯s name could be found in their distant memory, he hadn¡¯t appeared in public for nearly ten years, and hiseback was with such brilliance, they would only emotionally dere, ¡°Young talent, ah!¡± For non-professionals and those not in the circle, ssical music generally sounded lofty. While others were listening to the Spoon Brothers¡¯ Little Pear, and they answered, ¡°What are you listening to?¡± with, ¡°I¡¯m listening to Bkirev¡¯s ¡¶Imey: Oriental Fantasy¡·.¡± See, wasn¡¯t it just pretentious? But, that person who yed such beautiful music on the violin. . . what¡ªa¡ªhandsome¡ªbrother! The superimposed effect would startle the world, and that would just be tragic. Especially for those with a superficial understanding of ssical music, they would fall for the enemy and only shout: what a male god. So, of those that did not know Qi Mu, there were many in and outside the industry that liked his sound. . . and his face. At the time, Qi Mu had no idea, but many girls bought the B City Symphony Orchestra¡¯s tour album because of him. And, after listening to the majestic music, they shouted: ¡°Coach, I want to learn how to y the violin!¡± Beauty is not strength¡ª¡ªthat was the evaluation of his many fans. It was also the opinion of ¡¶Voice of Music¡·¡¯s editor, Li Mei. When she saw the young man that followed Zheng Wei Qiao in, Li Mei suddenly felt as if she had be the editor of a fashion magazine and a T-model had walked into the room. ¡°Li-, this is Xiao Qi. It¡¯s been difficult on you today!¡± While he spoke, Zheng Wei Qiao handed over the boxed cake in his hands, ¡°I heard today¡¯s exclusive interview was with Li-jie, ah. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± ¡¶Voice of Music¡· was one of the leading magazines that covered ssical music in Huaxia. Although it wasn¡¯t on the same level as ¡¶Music Hall¡·, it was still a professional magazine that was not to be taken lightly. In general, their interview candidates were only the seniors of the industry, like Tan Lao or Du Sheng, and other musicians who had won awards. After all, it was a ssical music magazine. Although ¡¶Voice of Music¡· was a leader in the industry,pared to other newspapers, it had t sales. But to their surprise, half a month ago, their magazine actually doubled their sales! After a meeting of the higher-ups, the sharp increase in sales was generally believed to be rted to Tan¡¯s concert. Specifically. . . rted to the young man¡¯s face on the cover. So, they set forth with this scene: ¡¶Voice of Music¡·An exclusive interview with Qi Mu by Zheng Wei Qiao. Li Mei was thirty years old this year, and she had long passed the age of infatuation, but even she couldn¡¯t help but nce a few times at the beautiful youth. She certainly understood why this young man could double the sales of their magazine. ¡°Xiao Zheng, don¡¯t be polite! I wanted you toe so I could thank you! Xiao Chen, take him up for makeup and photos!¡± Qi Mu followed the young man called Xiao Chen, then he was busy with the interview and filming. When he was in Paris to participate in the Thibaud Violin Competition, although he only got second ce, he had a lot of interview opportunities. The process was the same, so Qi Mu paid meticulous attention to detail, and Zheng Wei Qiao didn¡¯t have to worry about it. After over an hour of interviewing, Qi Mu politely said goodbye to everyone in the room, and the editors who had always been cold and high-up could not recover their senses. Holding out his phone to take a picture, one said to himself, ¡°. . . He¡¯s gone?! I haven¡¯t taken photos yet! I¡¯m gloating to an old ssmate in an entertainment magazine that we also have handsome guys in the ssical music world! The photos haven¡¯t been sent yet, how can he leave?!!!¡± The entire editorial room mourned. Having such keen hearing, Qi Mu heard every word. With a helpless smile, he turned to listen as Zheng Wei Qiao spoke, ¡°Xiao Qi, I didn¡¯t expect you to do so well today, it only took an hour, and we¡¯re done. I thought you weren¡¯t familiar with this kind of thing. I even especially bought a ck swan cake to build a good rtionship with everyone. . .¡± Zheng Wei Qiao said nothing else and Qi Mu turned to look at him. He saw Zheng shaking his head with regret. Pushing the silver frame of his sses up his nose, the other man sighed, ¡°If I knew you could get along with everyone so well. . . I wouldn¡¯t have wasted the money!¡± Qi Mu: ". . ." Qi Mu truly didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, but he was still very grateful to Zheng Wei Qiao for the opportunity. Although it was ¡¶Voice of Music¡· that took the initiative to invite him, it was still Zheng Wei Qiao who had taken the time and energy to build the rtionship and arrange everything properly. ¡°Zheng-ge, I really appreciate you helping me so much this time.¡± As soon as Qi Mu¡¯s words registered, Zheng nearly slipped, and he turned to stare at him in surprise. In the dim light of the parking lot, the young man was smiling at him, and his handsome face was slightly obscured. Qi Mu smiled, ¡°You¡¯ve been very busy. If you and sister-inwe over to visit next month, I¡¯ll order some food.¡± Qi Mu wasn¡¯t a hypocritical person, and he naturally knew that Zheng Wei Qiao would not reject his offer. Along with his direct thanks, he also changed the way he expressed his gratitude. As expected, the tight expression on Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s face eased a lot and he opened the car with his key fob. After the two got in, he fixed his seatbelt and said, ¡°You have grown up Xiao Qi. When I first heard your thanks, I thought were going to send me something.¡± Qi Mu was dumbfounded. He did not know that Zheng Wei Qiao was referring to before. When he had first introduced jobs to the original, the original Qi Mu had on a whim tossed the imitation violin at him in honorarium and said, ¡°As thanks for introducing me to work, the rest isn¡¯t needed.¡± Qi Mu had to think that Zheng Wei Qiao must have been angry at the time. His kindness and good intentions had to be measured with money in the eyes of the original. Anyone would feel chilled by it. Zheng Wei Qiao started and looked up to say, ¡°Please, your sister-inw and I can eat, but Xiao Qi, you¡¯ll have to change the time. You might not have time next month. You cane over to our ce to eat once the New Year is done. Your sister-inw will personally cook for you.¡± Qi Mu bowed his head and buckled himself in, then turned to look at Zheng Wei Qiao. ¡°I won¡¯t have time next month? Zheng-ge, how do you know how much time I¡¯ll have before I do?¡± He said so, but there was a smile in his voice and his eyes. Zheng Wei Qiao said affirmatively, ¡°Of course I know you won¡¯t have time, because soon. . . Hong Kong will have a festival next month. Over the course of two weeks, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Montreal and Salt Lake City¡¯s Symphony Orchestras, and many other world-famous ones will be there.¡± Qi Mu was stunned into silence, and he could only listen as Zheng continued, ¡°In addition, the famous Ukrainian pianist, Sweet Sheri, and the American violin master ude Porter, and other outstanding professionals will be there. I have to apany your sister-inw here, so I have to pass, but you can go for a trip.¡± These names only made Qi Mu¡¯s surprise grow even stronger. In the end, he reached such a state of shock he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°There is such a music festival? I¡¯ve never heard of it before!¡± Zheng Wei Qiao said with a smile, ¡°There seems to be a problem with the propaganda so it will take a few days for it to reach hitrge-scale publicity. I have a friend in Hong Kong, so I know about it. Although I can¡¯t apany you, are you going, Xiao Qi?¡± Qi Mu naturally couldn¡¯t not go! Since his rebirth, he had yet to participate in such a grand-scale event. New York, Montreal. . . These were all world-ss orchestras that were no less acimed than Vienna¡¯s. And Sweet Sheri, ude Porter, these were masters in the industry! Along the way back, Zheng Wei Qiao told him about the festival. Once Qi Mu had entered the apartment building, he intended to drive away. He bowed his head and twisted the ignition, but in the peripheral vision, he seemed to see a familiar shadow. But, when he looked up, the path was empty. He froze for a bit, then smiled and said to himself, ¡°That¡¯s weird. Did I just see Min Chen? Dazzling, ah.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao then drove away from themunity. What he didn¡¯t know was that just three meters from his car, a handsome, expressionless man was staring down at a fat cat. Whether it was arge or small eye, neither was willing to concede. Min Chen stared down at the cat that was blocking the way. It was toozy to stretch its legs and go even a step further. Sprawled in the five or six meter wide road, it refused to yield. At the time, Qi Mu was entering the building¡¯s elevator. His excitement due to the festival had yet to abate, and there were traces of joy on his face. Just as the doors were closing in from either side, he seemed to see a familiar figure in the narrow gap. He remained in a daze as the elevator went up several floors, then he smiled helplessly, ¡°Must have been the wrong person. . . how could it be. . . Min Chen?¡± To mistake this kind of face, it always happened quickly. However, a weekter, during which Qi Mu had buried himself in packing up his bags to head for Hong Kong, the shrill of the doorbell took him by surprise. He quickly stood up and struggled through the mess of his luggage to the front door. With a creak, it opened. The moment the two gazes met, both people froze. Qi Mu¡¯s eyes slowly widened, and he stared at the indifferent man outside. He did not try to hide his gaze. Up and down, from one side to the other, he studied this uninvited guest. Finally, he seemed to believe his eyes¡ª¡ª It was Min Chen!!! Outside the door, this indifferent man¡¯s ears, which no one could see, had turned red. But, on the surface, he remained a cold expression on his handsome face, and he asked in a in whisper, ¡°Are you afraid. . . of bugs?¡± This voice was still maic and low, and he still looked calm andposed, but what he said¡ª¡ª It was like an entire dimension of dissonance! Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Trantor(s): Bet, Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Notes

From your editor:Two things. First, I''m sorry if the quality''s a bit wonky on this one. It''s the first time I''ve had to do the majority of the chapter myself in quite some time. Kuro''s been swamped with work, and I''m happy to do what I have to, but guys, tranting isn''t easy! I appreciate all she does even more on days like this. And secondly, our ML is just awesome. He''s so freaking cute! I think this is a rare asion where I can honestly say he''s a romantic interest I''m not disenchanted with. Qi Mu is dignified and beautiful, and Min Chen is sophisticated and handsome (and cute, because fear of bugs? I rte). How spoiled am I on this pair?! Chapter 30 Qi Mu had to fully prepare himself before he entered the apartment next door. Taking a deep breath, he slowly exhaled and stepped inside. He couldn¡¯t help but be astonished at the difference between his apartment and this one. It was decorated in postmodern minimalism. Everywhere in sight, it was mostly ck and white contrast. The warm sunlight shone in through therge windows and gave the room a sense of cleanliness andfort. But most importantly. . . Wasn¡¯t it at least four or five times bigger than his own? The idea shed through his mind, but he shook his head and drove away the thought. Looking around, he couldn¡¯t find the evil, but so he turned to helplessly look at Min Chen but froze the minute he saw him. Qi Mu: ". . ." What are you doing standing so far away? It¡¯s a bug, not a lion!!! Min Chen¡¯s eyes were hidden, and the man stood just outside the door, refusing toe inside. Looking at Qi Mu, he immediately pointed in the direction of the sofa and said in a low voice, ¡°There. ck. Bug.¡± Qi Mu nodded and walked toward the sofa. He searched for quite some time and finally found something near the foot. . . it was only as big as his fingernail. It was such. A. Small. One. It Wasn¡¯t. Even. Big!!! Qi Mu expressionlessly took a tissue paper from a side table and caught the bug. He instinctively wanted to toss it into the rubbish but suddenly had the realization that he¡¯d better throw this ¡°biochemical weapon¡± away in his own apartment. Qi Mu, with the crumbled tissue in hand, walked calmly to the door. He saw the taller man was still standing behind the door refusing to take even a step forward. When he saw Qi Muing out, Min Chen¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and he asked, ¡°There¡¯s. . . no others?¡± His tone was calm but definitely relieved. Qi Mu had been surprised to see him at the beginning. But, after battling with his ¡°biochemical weapon,¡± the respect and regard he held for the man hadpletely vanished, at least for the moment. Xiao Qi nodded slowly and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just this one. It isn¡¯t dead yet, so I¡¯ll take it to mine and throw it out.¡± As he spoke, Qi Mu suddenly thrust his hand forward, pushing the crumpled tissue right in front of Min Chen. Min Chen took half a step back instantly, and his Phoenix¡¯s eyes widened. His face was unnaturally nk, ¡°Yes. . . throw it away.¡± Qi Mu: ". . ." It wasn¡¯t easy for Qi Mu to hold back hisughter. He sealed his mouth shut to prevent it from bursting out, but he couldn¡¯tpletely hide his shaking shoulders. He sped up and hurried into his apartment. Min Chen: ". . ." Min Chen let out a sigh, and his tense muscles eased when he saw the crumpled paper balled up and tossed into the trash can. By that time, he noticed the youth was all packed up. He frowned. After thinking for a while, Min Chen asked seemingly casually, ¡°You¡¯re packing? Going somewhere?¡± He had just found out who his neighbor was, but after that. . . funny incident, even Qi Mu couldn¡¯t maintain his usual alienation from the man. This turned out to be the key that opened up the door formunication. Qi Mu lowered his head and packed up a few other things with a nod. ¡°Yes, I have a flight to Hong Kong this evening.¡± Qi Mu suddenly seemed to think of something the moment he finished speaking. He set down the things he was organizing in his suitcase, having remembered the man was currently a guest. ¡°There¡¯s a music festival next week, but I¡¯m going early because I want to participate in it.¡± Qi Mu quickly stopped packing and stood to pour a ss of water. He set it on the coffee table with a smile, ¡°Mr. Min, I never thought I would see you here. It surprised me.¡± Xiao Qi couldn¡¯t be med for his negligence. If you suddenly had your idol knocking on your door to get rid of a bug the size of your nail for him, you would also be blinded in an instant and not understand what was going on too. Min Chen nodded and took a sip. After finding out it was lemonade, he nodded once more in praise for the young man¡¯s taste for quality. Well, there was only in water in his house. Min Chen looked up and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were my neighbor. When did you move in?¡± There was a guest present, so Qi Mu didn¡¯t continue to pack. Instead, he sat up on the sofa opposite Min Chen, holding a ss of lemonade, and answered politely, ¡°Just over a month ago. The environment here is good, and it¡¯s close to the orchestra. I movedst month.¡± A dim light shed in his narrow eyes. Min Chen just replied with a, ¡°Hmm,¡± but thought in his head: When I saw him on the streetst time, he already lived here? Although Qi Mu¡¯s apartment wasn¡¯t veryrge, everything was well-organized and nicely arranged. The few essories added a little character to the space. Compared to his neighbor (the great god Min Chen), his apartment looked more lived in, and everything was neat. Min Chen pretended to casually look around then asked, ¡°Next month. . . there¡¯s a music festival in Hong Kong?¡± Qi Mu nodded with a smile, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a grand music festival. I heard the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Salt Lake City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra, and masters like Sweet Sherri and ude Porter will also be there.¡± Min Chen¡¯s eyebrow suddenly raised and he looked somewhat interested, ¡°New York is going too?¡± ¡°The promotion went out a few days ago. If I remember right, New York has a performance at the beginning of the second week.¡± The youth¡¯s slender fingers tapped on the ss table. He thought for a moment then looked up, ¡°The music festival willst for two weeks, but I want to familiarize myself with the area, so I booked a flight for this evening.¡± In the quiet apartment, the chatter of the two talking continued on. It was the first time Qi Mu discovered that this man was quite talkative and didn¡¯t put up any airs at all. Talking with him was like talking to a familiar friend, someone you¡¯d neverck a topic to talk about with. After they talked for a while, Min Chen stood and nned to leave. Qi Mu immediately stood to send him off, but Min Chen¡¯s steps abruptly stopped when he passed the table. He looked at the different dishes on it. There was still no expression on his elegant face, but he turned to Qi Mu and asked, ¡°Did you cook this yourself?¡± QI Mu took a look at the dishes on the table and smiled at MIn Chen, ¡°I did. . . um. . .¡± The man¡¯s dark eyes were profound as if the endless sea was staring out of them. His expression seemed indifferent, but the message in his eyes made Qi Mu want to bothugh and cry. After a bit, Qi Mu tentatively asked, ¡°Since we¡¯ve been talking for a while, would you like to. . . stay for a meal?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He agreed so quickly, it didn¡¯t even give a chance for Qi Mu to take back the invitation. Qi Mu: ". . ." After the big god was ¡°satisfied with the food and wine,¡± Qi Mu closed his door and helplesslyughed out loud. ¡°Min Chen is afraid of bugs, bugs the size of a thumbnail.¡± ¡°Min Chen can unexpectedly cadge a meal.¡± Such a thing, even if he said it, who would believe him? Yeah. . . even he still found it somewhat unbelievable. Thinking about it, Qi Mu walked over to hisputer and opened a familiar website. He saw that the handsome man was still the site¡¯s background. A man who wouldn¡¯t even enter his own because he was afraid of bugs. . . what a huge gap! Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help hisugh. His lips curled as he typed out a post¡ª¡ª ¡¾How do you think it would be if someday you could have dinner with your idol? You really have to brace yourself to eat together.¡¿ After posting it, he turned off hisputer and didn¡¯t pay attention to it. He continued packing up his suitcase and was soon finished. While the sky was still bright, Qi Mu called over a taxi and was driven to the airport. While waiting to board the ne, he remembered that he had written a post on the Danube forum and logged into his phone. There were dozens of replies! ¡¾The great god Mozart has long passed away, so let¡¯s not talk about that. The existing maestro that I want to have dinner with. . . Mr. Dorenza? Haha, I would faint!¡¿ ¡¾Oh my god, a meal with my goddess? When I eat, I always y her piano as the background music!¡¿ . . . The replies were quite diverse, but there were several that mentioned a name Qi Mu was familiar with. ¡¾Dinner with great god Min Chen. . . isn¡¯t that too cool? God must be ying a joke on me. I¡¯d have to n a week in advance. . . no! a month in advance, to train my table manners!¡¿ ¡¾Mr. Bertram has a very aristocratic atmosphere. I guess if I was having dinner with him, I would eat nothing, haha!¡¿ Qi Mu stared at the messages for a while and pondered. The way he remembered it. . . the man ate his dishes until he was satisfied, he even looked as if he hadn¡¯t had enough. Really, one¡¯s imagination could kill. Who would have imagined that the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the same man with such great momentum on stage, was actually very afraid of bugs! Qi Mu felt that he could count on this gossip to survive a lifetime. What Qi Mu didn¡¯t know was that halfway across the city, on the top floor of a high-ss apartment building, a handsome man with a cold face and a fear of bugs was standing in front of his floor-to-ceiling window. He was staring down at Huaxia¡¯s bustling nightlife. With its bright neon lights, sleepless city¡¯s night had just begun. Min Chen held his phone, looking down at the bustling street below. ¡°You suddenly ask me to book a ticket for a flight about to take off in an hour, how could I do it! Huaxia isn¡¯t Germany. We don¡¯t have that kind of rtionship here. There¡¯s only a flight tomorrow, Min.¡± Daniel¡¯s dejected and infuriated voice echoed over the phone. The man frowned slightly then finally said, ¡°Hmm, okay.¡± Daniel thought for a moment and asked, ¡°What do you want to do in Hong Kong? Oh, by the way, there¡¯s a music festival there soon. Do you want to check it out? Nah, you¡¯re too antisocial. You¡¯ve never liked going to such crowded ces before. . .¡± Who knew that the moment Daniel spoke, Min Chen¡¯s expression turned dangerous and his voice darkened, ¡°You knew there was going to be a festival?¡± Daniel instinctively answered, ¡°Of course I know. Kedori received several invitations. Of course, nobody invited you, haha.¡± Kedori Mensa was their concertmaster, and he had a good reputation throughout the world. Several festivals and events invited masters to perform, so it was normal for Kedori to receive an invitation. Daniel¡¯sughter continued, ¡°You¡¯re not easy going like Kedori, so of course people won¡¯t want to invite you. Besides, it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be willing to y the piano at a festival. Didn¡¯t you say it yourself in your performancest year?¡± Min Chen ignored Daniel¡¯s deliberate teasing. He lowered his gaze and asked, ¡°Is Kedori going?¡± Daniel said, ¡°No, you¡¯re not at the orchestra right now, so he¡¯s in charge. How can he go?¡± Halfway through, Daniel seemed to have realized something, and he suddenly asked, ¡°Min, why did you ask whether Kedori was going or not? It can¡¯t be. . . you want to go?!!!¡± Min Chen nodded without expression: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°. . . If you have time to go to a music festival, then you should go back to the orchestra!!! You¡¯re making people live difficult days!!! Let me tell you, you. . .¡± Min Chen wisely and decisively ended the call before the person on the other end of the line could blow a fuse, and his apartment returned to its usual calmness. Min Chen looked at the gorgeous city. The lights were bright, but they were cold as they shone onto his solemn face. ¡°Hong Kong. . .¡± Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Notes

From your editor:Does anyone else remember when Min Chen made Daniel sample those fried scorpion skewers in ? It''s funnier if you go reread that scene again after this chapter. Haha! Chapter 31 The city of Hong Kong was quite small, and surrounded by the sea on three sides. The tropical wind blew in from the South China Sea and dispersed the winter chill that came from the north. There were dark clouds in the night sky, and there were thousands of boats, bothrge and small, moored by the Victoria Harbor of this charming oriental city. When Qi Mu arrived at this pocket-sized city, he found his overcoat too cumbersome. By the time he exited the airport¡¯s restroom, he had switched to a thin white shirt. The hotel he booked was on Lantau Ind, a short distance from Hong Kong¡¯s city center. He took a taxi from the airport and arrived at the hotel where he set down his luggage and tidied up. After refreshing himself, he spent his first night in the city quietly. Qi Mu once visited Hong Kong on a global tour with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. The city left a deep impression on him, but his frantic schedule left him no opportunity to see the sites. Which was why Qi Mu woke early the next morning. After he had cleaned up, he decided to explore. The handsome youth wore a thin shirt, and a jacket was tied casually around his waist. This style was suited to someone in their twenties, so when he stepped out of his room, the guest entering the room next to his pulled down his sunsses and stared at him silently. Qi Mu put his card in his pocket and turned toe face-to-face with the man that had been staring at him for who knows how long. Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± Qi Mu immediately turned to look at his room¡¯s door, making sure it was not his apartment in B City. Then he finally epted reality¡ª¡ªfor some reason, Min Chen was his next door neighbor yet again! A ck and white baseball cap hid half his face, effectively masking his awkwardness, and Qi Mu considered things for a while then finally asked, ¡°Mr. Min. . . you¡¯re also in Hong Kong? Leisure trip?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m participating in the music festival.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± What a straightforward answer! Seemingly aware of Qi Mu¡¯s embarrassment, Min Chen burrowed the hint of amusement in his deep gaze and said as if nothing had happened, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to book the same hotel as you. What a coincidence.¡± Min Chen really wasn¡¯t lying. He hadn¡¯t told Daniel to do anything specific. He only wanted to not be in the center of the bustling city and had no other concerns. So, without Min Chen knowing about it, Daniel had booked a room at this hotel on Lantau. And. . . his room was next to Qi Mu¡¯s. Min Chen was surprised when he saw Qi Mu, but Qi Mu. . . didn¡¯t think so. The person you ate lunch with yesterday suddenly appeared in the room next to yours, thousands of kilometers away, the next morning. Anyone would think they were. . . what was the word? Stalker? It shed in Qi Mu¡¯s mind, but he shook his head, throwing away the inexplicable idea. How could Min Chen be a stalker? Well, he had to be overthinking it. He had to be. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d also be staying here. The festival will officially begin next week, Mr. Min. . . are you nning to go sightseeing?¡± After thinking about it some, Qi Mu politely smiled, ¡°I¡¯m about to go and explore as well. Shall we go together?¡± While he spoke, Qi Mu nced down at the small suitcase in Min Chen¡¯s grasp. Min Chen raised an eyebrow in surprise, then he gently nodded, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go together.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Shouldn¡¯t your answer be ¡°I have to sort out my luggage first, we¡¯ll go togetherter?!¡± Regardless of how it turned out that way, from that first day of exploring together, Qi Mu ended up going out with his neighbor every day. Sometimes they would meet identally, and other times, they would n the next day before returning to their rooms the night before. In other words, Qi Mu had utterly epted that fact that he was to be ¡°inseparable¡± with this man for his trip to Hong Kong. Although he was a little nervous, he found his understanding of the man to be a bit biased after getting along with Min Chen. Qi Mu had been to see the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra several times before. In a magnificent concert hall, this man would use his iparable charisma to suppress the entire audience, holding each note under hismand. Like Zheng Wei Qiao once said, this man was the only one in the whole world who could end a concert on ¡¶Fate''s Symphony¡·. But, it was precisely this same man, who should be elegant and noble above all, that would follow him through the crowded Causeway Bay, who would take off his shoes and dip his feet in the shallow water of Repulse Bay and bask in the sea breeze against his face. If he had still thought Min Chen was indifferent when doing those things, then what happened while the two were ying at Disnendpletely shattered Qi Mu¡¯s original view of him. Disney was a childhood dream that no one could destroy. Qi Mu had once thought about going to this paradise mentioned on TV, but his adoptive parents were ordinary people, and it was too expensive to go there to y. So when he came to Hong Kong, the ce he wanted to visit the most was Disnend. In Qi Mu¡¯s mind, Min Chen might be opposed to going to such a ce. But, to his amazement, when he suggested it for theirst free day, the handsome man had looked at him with surprise then nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go tomorrow.¡± ¡°. . .¡± In a ce like this, aside from the girls who couldn¡¯t let go of their fairy tales, most were parents with children. So when two tall men walked side by side down the diamond patterned walkway, several people stared at them in amazement. Qi Mu¡¯s skin was fair, so he wore his baseball cap to cover his face, revealing only his mouth. While Min Chen didn¡¯t seem afraid of the sun, the man wore sunsses and an aura that screamed: ¡°no one is allowed near me.¡± It surely made people think they were strange. Although Min Chen didn¡¯t show difort the entire way, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but ask while they were having lunch, ¡°Min Chen. . . are you sure you want to continue walking around this afternoon?¡± The past few days, Qi Mu thought the most significant progress between them was that they could now call each other by name. Min Chen set down the cup in his hands and frowned slightly, ¡°You don¡¯t want to continue exploring?¡± Qi Mu shook his head, ¡°I still want to walk around some, but I think. . . you don¡¯t seem to like walking around much?¡± Who would expect that Min Chen would raise his Phoenix eyes to his and calmly refute, ¡°No, I like it very much.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Therefore, that afternoon, this man who had said ¡°I like it very much¡± was still walking indifferently and looked at everything with a casual nce,cking any hint of joy or excitement. Qi Mu didn¡¯t know whether to cry orugh. Later that evening, they had just entered the area by Peter Pan and, only a few steps in, they heard a voice over the speakers, ¡°Tomorrow is the annual Sea Music Festival of Hong Kong. All of today¡¯s guests can y a song on stage and a gift from Peter Pan!¡± Qi Mu nced int he direction of the stage. Before his gaze could cross the entire distance, he heard the sound of a stuttering piano and unconsciously whispered, ¡°Tchaikovsky¡¯s Etude No. 7?¡± A maic voice rang in his ear, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s that one.¡± Min Chen¡¯s voice was calm, but when they finally saw the person ying, both were stunned. After a slight pause, Min Chen said helplessly, ¡°No wonder it¡¯s shaking. From the looks of it, he¡¯s less than five years old.¡± On stage, a boy with blond hair and blue eyes worked hard at ying the piano. His fingers were small, but for him to y the song from start to finish, it was already excellent. At the end of the performance, someone in a Peter Pan costume brought over a box of cookies for the child. Seeing that there was a gift, the other children were eager to give it a try, and after a while, a few different children had cookies. The children were all under the age of ten and the adults who noticed thisughed and apuded them all. The firth who went up was a boy who looked to be in his teens. The ck-haired little Chinese boy sat shyly in front of the piano and began to y. By the second note, Qi Mu¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked at the man beside him in surprise. Min Chen¡¯s dark eyes seemed to reflect the sunshine of the evening sunset. He watched the boy ying so seriously on stage with a meaningful gaze. He spoke inly, ¡°¡¶D Minor Sonata¡·.¡± Min Chen then retracted his gaze and turned to Qi Mu, his lips curling. ¡°You actually recognized it on the second note. Are you familiar with it?¡± Qi Muughed helplessly and nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve heard all of your songs. You first performed this in London when you were seventeen.¡± Min Chen lowered his eyes then he pretended to identallynd his gaze on Qi Mu. He hummed quietly but said nothing more. On stage, the boy was still working hard and yed earnestly. He was only about fourteen or fifteen years old. Although Min Chen had written ¡¶D Minor Sonata¡· when he was only seventeen, the difficulty of the piece wasn¡¯t low. Just as the song was about to end, the child missed a handful of notes. Qi Mu watched as the boy epted the cookies with red eyes. He sighed. ¡°The song is quite difficult. He probably practiced for quite some time. I don¡¯t know much about the piano, but I think. . . he must have made a pretty big mistake. He seems to be crying over it.¡± Qi Mu appreciated people there were dedicated the most. They may be a little less talented, but they truly adored their instruments so they would always work hard to y it well. Qi Mu nced at the boy¡¯smon clothing and his old shoes. He sighed again, ¡°Unfortunately, I doubt he can afford a decent teacher. . .¡± His words were low, barely a murmur, but the man beside him had absolute pitch and heard him clearly. Min Chen looked at Qi Mu¡¯s helpless face, and he whispered, ¡°Do you think he¡¯s pretty good?¡± Qi Mu nodded. ¡°Yes, and he looks to be working hard. Even if he¡¯s less talented, he¡¯s much better than a lot of people. Unfortunately, even with his skill. . . I¡¯m afraid his family couldn¡¯t afford a good teacher or to send him to a good school.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s voice gradually faded as if he hade to remember something. Seeing that Qi Mu seemed to have deep feelings about the topic, Min Chen smiled and reached out to take Qi Mu¡¯s hat. Qi Mu looked up in surprise and started, ¡°You. . .¡± His voice died when he saw the other man had put on his cap. Coupled with the sunsses, it covered up most of his face. Qi Mu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, unsure of what the other man was nning to do. Min Chen lifted his index finger to his lips and shushed him quietly. Then, before Qi Mu¡¯s astonished eyes, he stepped forward¡ª¡ª And actually onto the stage! Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet Chapter 32 The humid wind from the sea blew into every corner of Disnend. There were wooden dolls and fake mountains around the Peter Pan Dream Stage, resembling the animation and embellishing the fairytale. In the middle of the stage, there was a dark, seven-foot B?sendorfer with a smooth, shiny surface and bright ck and white keys. The piano stood alone but seemed as though it were under a spotlight. Qi Mu didn¡¯t know much about the piano because he didn¡¯t study it too deeply. The instrument was expensive, especially those of higher quality. In those days (his era), only people with a good family would dare learn the piano. He was just a child when he first saw someone y the piano. But, even though he didn¡¯t study the piano in depth, music was always intertwined with each other. Qi Mu had heard several piano songs including the works of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi and other symphonies and etudes. Disnend really had a lot of money, they could even let guests y a B?sendorfer. However, while such a piano was regarded as a high-quality by ordinary people, Qi Mu would guess from childhood to adulthood, Min Chen had probably. . . never yed a piano less than nine feet. B?sendorfer was a world-ss brand but Qi Mu once heard in the Vienna Symphony¡¯s gossip circle that there were over a dozen 9 ft Steinway pianos in the Bertram house. And currely, that man was getting ready to y in front of arge crowd. Qi Mu squinted to look at the man seated on the piano bench. In the red sunset, his back was straight. The cap and sunsses covered most of his face, making it difficult for people to see what he looked like. But everyone present was shocked. Because. . . on the piano keys, there was a beautiful pair of hands. His fingers were long and slender with knuckles clearly visible. There were thin calluses on each fingertip, obvious from years of practice. This kind of beauty was different from Qi Mu¡¯s hands. Much like their owner, Min Chen¡¯s hands were overbearing. When he pressed the keys, the loud and noble B?sendorfer suddenly quieted and turned docile, obediently waiting for him to y. As if the previous people that came up to the stage were just ying around, and now a solemn concert was about to begin. It was an aura that controlled the entire arena, making everyone forget the actual issue of ¡°Isn¡¯t that a man? Why is hepeting against children?¡± Instead, they waited with expectation to see what kind of performance this man would give them. Qi Mu looked at Min Chen and startled. Through the sunsses, he could feel Min Chen¡¯s eyes lingering on him for a moment before he turned to look at the red-eyed boy. Min Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly and he whispered to the boy, ¡°Have you listened to the original ¡¶D Minor¡·?¡± The boy first shook his head then nodded, ¡°Ye. . . yes. My teacher had my buy the album. I¡¯ve heard it.¡± Min Chen nodded and sighed, ¡°Some things cannot be fully understood just by listening. ¡¶D Minor¡·was not recorded well and there are no videos of it. An ordinary teacher isn¡¯t very clear on the cement technique. You won¡¯t need to study this song in the future.¡± The boy blinked, but didn¡¯t really understand. Under the stage, Qi Mu suddenly understood what this man was going to do¡ª¡ª! He actually wanted to. . . personally guide the boy?!!! Qi Mu¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment and his beautiful face was marred with a disbelieving expression. Without giving him time to think about it anymore, the piano suddenly rank out like a wave crashing against the shore. The piano trembled. Each key was like another wave hitting the beach, sweeping away everything on it. Qi Mu clenched his fist tight, eyes fixated on the man ying the piano. WIth his better hearing, Qi Mu was destined to hear more than others. Min Chen¡¯s ¡¶Sonata in D Minor¡· had another name, ¡¶The Night Tsunami¡·. The whole song was a fast allegro. Although its difficulty wasn¡¯t the highest amongst Min Chen¡¯s works, it was abundant with emotion. A majestic force that fought against a tsunami alone in the dead of night. Someone once jokingly said before ying ¡¶D Minor¡·: Clearly, this song is not that difficult, but every time I y it, my fingers are always sore afterwards. It was Qi Mu¡¯s first time listening to the creator of ¡¶D Minor¡· personally ying the song. It was so exciting each note made him feel as though he were suffocating. As the melody grew stronger and stronger, the strength that the tsunami had besieged was once more regained at thest moment and they had stood up again. It was frightening. The boy¡¯s earlier ¡¶D Minor¡· and this one, they were like two different songs! If the former was a child ying in a pond, thetter was facing a terrible tsunami of the sea¡¯s greatest depths. Min Chen¡¯s fingers were fast, fast enough to create afterimages. But his posture was just as calm and elegant as it was when he had first begun. The nobility carved into his bones remained unaffected by the melody at his fingertips. Only the asional twitch of his body indicated that he was fully immersed in the music, unable to pull himself free of it. But. . . was he really unable to extricate himself? Of course not! When the song was at itsst allegro, Qi Mu suddenly heard the melody take a certain tone. He was surprised and stared at Min Chen, but he only saw the man calmly continuing to y. The change in melody made Qi Mu frown with confusion. That change in melody meant this song was no longer the same ¡¶D Minor¡·. While Min Chen was ying, he seemed to be repeating a certain part. And. . . it was getting slower and slower, so that everyone could follow the movement of his fingers. Qi Mu suddenly understood! He was ying like this to let the boy see exactly how he yed it! Min Chen repeated the movement three or four times then moved on suddenly, bringing it back to the original melody in one graceful motion. For the audience, it seemed that Min Chen had yed something gentle and not difficult at all. But Qi Mu knew, to adapt a song in such a short time and do it smoothly, only a true master could do it! Qi Mu felt his heart beating along with the piano¡¯s sound as it turned fierce once more. When thest note echoed magnificently, QI Mu pped and couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°Bravo!¡± The rest of the audience apuded as if they had just woken from a dream. ¡°They were ying differently. But it was pleasant and good to listen to.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess the kid in my family can y as good as this man when he¡¯s grown up.¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m going to y better than him!¡± ¡°Okay, my baby must y better than him!¡± . . . Well, this was really a case of ¡°showing off one¡¯s mediocre skills in front of an expert.¡± If this father and son pair knew who the man on stage actually was, Qi Mu was sure they would regret it. There were countless piano geniuses in the world, but there was only one Min Chen. There were many masters who couldpose songs in the world. But only a few were able to change a song so wlessly in such a short time. Min Chen was long ustomed to such warm apuse. He turned to the boy still stunned in his ce and asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Did you catch that?¡± The boy who had just woken up himself kept nodding. Min Chen nodded then whispered something to the boy. He stood up and walked off the stage. Peter Pan, who was holding the cookies, remained dull and motionless. Min Chen didn¡¯t give him time to react and just dragged Qi Mu away by the hand. By the time Peter Pan finally remembered he was supposed to give Min Chen cookies, their figures had long disappeared into the crowd without a trace. If not for the majestic ¡¶The Night Tsunami¡· still ringing in their ears, the audience would doubt whether such a pianist existed or if it was just a product of their imagination. Min Chen had walked off stage and took Qi Mu away without saying anything. His movements were so quick that Qi Mu still hadn¡¯t recovered. When they left the Dream Stage, Qi Mu gradually returned to his senses and he looked at the man¡¯s hand holding his wrist and calmly loosened his grip. Min Chen was a little stunned but didn¡¯t say anything. By then, they had arrived at a small bridge. It was simple but lovely, matching the overall dream-like aesthetic. Tired of walking, Qi Mu rested against the railing. Suddenly, he felt that it was a bit dark. A cap had been ced on his head. He looked up and saw the cold man push the sunsses up his nose. Min Chen asked, ¡°Are you tired?¡± Qi Mu corrected his cap, looked up at the other man again, and felt a bit weird. Min Chen was born into a well off family and he received a first-ss education since he was a child. Qi Mu thought that such a person would have arrogance carved into his bones, just like Jacques, the concertmaster of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Jacques was dark, fat, and ugly. But he liked to look at people with his nose in the air. He seemed polite when talking to him, but he was toozy to even look at people from the corner of his eyes. But, after getting along with Min Chen these days, especially after today, Qi Mu understood. A true gentleman would never look down on people. They were elegant and noble, full of grace and helpfulness. The conclusion was¡ª¡ª ¡°You¡¯re a good person, Min Chen!¡± Min Chen who suddenly received a good man card: ¡°. . .¡± Unaware of the man¡¯s strange expression, Qi Mu nodded to himself and turned to look at a brook in the distance. There were bushes and branches covering the area, making it impossible to see beyond it. Qi Mu sighed, ¡°When I was in Vienna, I met people who thought that. . . people without background or talent would never go far with just hard work.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s words were half truth. The original had gone to Vienna once, but these feelings and thoughts were all his own. He continued, ¡°At the time, I admit, I did think talent was important. But family. . . background is not everything.¡± The youth¡¯s voice was mncholic and distant, as if reliving bad memories. Min Chen couldn¡¯t help but look at him closely. He could only see Qi Mu¡¯s lost expression, not even a hint of a smile. Qi Mu suddenly regained his bearings. Heughed quietly, ¡°Why am I telling you this? Today, I was a little surprised. I never expected you to help that boy.¡± Min Chen lowered his eyes, his gaze profound and deep. ¡°He reminded me of someone.¡± Qi Mu was surprised and automatically asked, ¡°Someone?¡± Min Chen nodded and answered, ¡°He¡¯s deceased.¡± Having not expected such an answer, Qi Mu felt guilty and ignorant. ¡°Sorry. I did not know.¡± Min Chen shook his head and also looked at the stream. His maic voice whispered, ¡°That man had no family background either. His talent was better than that boy¡¯s, but I absolutely believe he was even more hard working. He was great too. Unfortunately, he suddenly passed away before hisst performance.¡± Qi Mu suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity. But he couldn¡¯t quite figure it out, so he just listened as Min Chen continued, ¡°In my opinion, he was an excellent musician. He had the potential to go even higher.¡± The autumn sunset faded beyond the horizon. After the fireworks at nine pm, Qi Mu returned to his room. He wanted to know. . . Did such a person exist in the music world right now? Hard working, no family background, but was talented enough for his skill to gain Min Chen¡¯s praise? Such a person. . . did he really exist? Qi Mu pondered this for a long while but still couldn¡¯t figure it out. By the time the moon rose high in the sky, the light in his room had been extinguished. Next door, in theplete darkness, a tall man stood in front of his bed watching the charming view of Victoria Harbor. ¡°Before, you told me to check on Luo Yu Sen, and I did. It looks like someone is deliberately making him miserable. I haven¡¯t found out who exactly, but if you¡¯re interested, Jacques Brown is hosting a violin concert and you¡¯re invited. Ah, Jacques is the Vienna Symphony Orchestra¡¯s concertmaster.¡± Over the phone, Daniel kept passing over information while Min Chen remained frozen on the other end. He finally whispered, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry, you can slowly check it out.¡± Daniel just replied with a ¡°Hmm.¡± At the end of the call, he remembered something and said, ¡°Oh eyes. It doesn¡¯t matter if you go to whatever festival. But don¡¯t be extra. I don¡¯t want to wipe your ass.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± In the dark of night, the man¡¯s voice was blocked by the soundproof ss and it was impossible for anyone to hear it. Min Chen looked up at the night sky illuminated by the city¡¯s neon lights. He suddenly remembered the curious but thoughtful expression on the youth next door on their way back earlier. A deceased man. . . A very talented man. . . ¡°Actually, you are also very talented. . .¡± Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Notes

From your editor:1) Qi Mu, have you already forgotten who you used to be?! Gain some self-awareness! 2) Daniel, my friend, your boss has already gone "extra." Or what else do you call ying the piano at Disnend for everyone to see? Chapter 33 The 3-4 days of exploration ended with the trip to Disnend yesterday. Qi Mu¡¯s first thought the next morning was¡ª¡ª Finally, Hong Kong¡¯s Sea Music Festival begins. This festival was unique to Hong Kong. Simr to the Edinburgh Festival in the UK, it was open to the public. However, open to the public didn¡¯t mean they had concerts under the wide open sky at all times. There were several professional halls forrge orchestral performances. But, as long a ce could be found, whether it be a cafe, a candy store, the square, or a restaurant, one could perform as much as they liked. Therefore, there were often non-professional musicians that brought their own instruments and yed their ownpositions to gain public approval. Qi Mu also. . . brought his own instrument. Unlike the Chinese who were shy and quite restrained, he had grown up in Europe, and he had an open personality. It was normal for him to bring his instrument and perform in public. But today, he hesitated. Not because he was shy, but because. . . The thought of ying in front of that guy was really. . . When they got back to the hotelst night, Qi Mu was still pondering whether such a talented and hardworking individual existed in the industry. He was preupied and his attention elsewhere, so when Min Chen said he would go to the festival the next day, he had just nodded automatically and didn¡¯t say a word to dissuade him. Participating in the music festival meant. . . when he performed in public, that man would stand at the side and watch. Him setting his violin case on the street and enthusiastically ying while Min Chen. . . stood by and listened. ¡ª¡ªThis kind of imagery made him feel strange. Gritting his teeth, Qi Mu decided against bringing his violin along. But before long, the doorbell rang. Qi Mu took somethings and went to open the door. He saw his neighbor standing in the door and looked up at him in surprise. Min Chen raised his eyebrow, ¡°You didn¡¯t bring your violin?¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . . It¡¯s inconvenient, so I won¡¯t bring it.¡± With that said, Qi Mu closed the door. He thought a bit and politely asked, ¡°Are you not going to perform?¡± Before he had even finished asking, Qi Mu already regretted it. Sure enough, Min Chen¡¯s steps faltered and, after a while, he calmly said, ¡°I can¡¯t carry it.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Can¡¯t carry it? Even 10 people can¡¯t move a 9 ft grand piano let alone just one. Today, Min Chen wore a stiff ck velvet suit and a cap with a wide brim to cover the upper half of his face. That of his eyes which could be seen was also covered with big sunsses. His entire body was covered up, giving the impression that he was about to whip out a mask and don it. Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help looking over at his clothes several times, and Min Chen noticed. He exined, ¡°There will be many insiders at the festival. Daniel didn¡¯t want me to go because he¡¯s afraid it¡¯ll cause unnecessary trouble.¡± Qi Mu nodded in understanding and didn¡¯t ask. When the two arrived at the venue, the lively atmosphere had Qi Mu rxing and let him finally feel the long-lost ambiance of ssical music. Although this wasn¡¯t the location of the official event, theyout of a venue was of great concern. The site selected was a retro European tourist town. As long as you took even a step into the ce, the ssical aesthetic was unmistakable. Perhaps because the festival had only just begun, there weren¡¯t many musicians performing on the street. QI Mu looked around and saw a trumpeter ying a rather passionate song, and a guitarist further down, tuning his guitar. Along the main road of this red-brick town, there were pictures of various celebrities illuminated by spotlights. This idea had been carefully implemented by the event¡¯s organizer. They had the life story of each master written in numerousnguages at each of these points. And there was a small station at the side where their music could be listened to at one¡¯s leisure. Qi Mu had just taken a few steps when he saw a familiar figure. He smiled and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see Mr. Dorenza¡¯s column here.¡± About 500 meters down the main street, between Verdi and Wagner, there was a celebrity column of the current conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr. Eberk Dorenza. Qi Mu was full of admiration for this master. Although he hadn¡¯t spent much time with him in his previous life, they still rehearsed together for some time. Mr. Dorenza¡¯s ability as a conductor was truly outstanding, and the guidance he provided was useful. Especially since this master was the one to give him the opportunity to perform ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· in the Golden Hall. Qi Mu was notably grateful to him. ¡°Eberk¡¯s music style leans toward the orthodox and belongs to the romantic style of pure ssical music. His audition tracks should be Mozart¡¯s ¡¶Symphony No. 40¡· and Haydn¡¯s ¡¶Surprise¡·.¡± Min Chen¡¯s voice was casual and matter-of-fact. Qi Mu was somewhat surprised. He knew those two were Dorenza¡¯s specialties, but he had more than just those two songs. Was Min Chen saying those two were the most outstanding ones Dorenza could conduct? He went to the empty listening station and picked up the headphones. After listening for a while, he turned back to look at Min Chen with surprise. He nodded and said with a smile, ¡°It really was those two. I didn¡¯t think. . . did you really guess it?¡± Min Chen tucked his hands into his pockets, appearing very casual. As the two walked side by side, Min Chen said, ¡°His booth is between Verdi and Wagner so they wouldn¡¯t pick a soft song. Moreover, Eberk himself preferred those two.¡± ¡°I forgot, you and Mr. Dorenza know each other.¡± ¡°But his favorite is ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·. It was the most important one to him. He would focus on rehearsing this song before every New Year¡¯s concert.¡± Min Chen said it very nonchntly, but Qi Mu suddenly remembered and his steps faltered. The youth¡¯s light eyes widened, and his pupils trembled. Only now did he understand what ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· meant to Mr. Dorenza. To let him handle such an important song, it was clear that Mr. Dorenza valued him a lot. Qi Mu only felt even more gratitude. Over the next few hours, more and more musicians started to perform int he street. Most had simple portable instruments like the saxophone, r, flute, or the violin. Some borrowed the pianos in the nearby cafes to perform. Most of these performers were amateurs, but there were also excellent ones. Like a flutist who yed¡¶Melody in F Major¡·, and passersby couldn¡¯t help but stop to admire. ¡°It¡¯s the same level as the Vienna Symphony, I think they* could be a professional!¡± *Gender wasn¡¯t specified. Min Chen looked at him in surprise at this evaluation, and he asked, ¡°Why the Vienna Symphony Orchestra?¡± Qi Mu startled and almost screamed. He only just realized he had carelesslypared the flutist against the orchestra he was most familiar with. Something obscure shed in his eyes, and he looked up,ughing, ¡°I worked with them when I was a child, so I¡¯m a little familiar with them.¡± Min Chen nced at him with a meaningful gaze but nodded and didn¡¯t ask anything else. Qi Mu let out a relieved sigh: I almost outed myself. Thank God the original really had worked with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. ¡°He¡¯s a little old, so Evra won¡¯t let him join.¡± Min Chen looked at the flutist and added, ¡°Evra has strange tastes. He wants fresh blood in the orchestra so even if they¡¯re up to par for the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, it¡¯s impossible to get epted.¡± Evra was the conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and Qi Mu¡¯s impression of him was that of a stern old man who denied that he was wearing a wig even though it was obvious he was bald. Min Chen¡¯s words let QI Mu finally figure it out: There was no one older than 40 years old in that orchestra! How had he never found out that Mr. Evra had such. . . weird taste? ¡°He likes fresh blood? I¡¯ve worked with him before. . . when we cooperated, I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Min Chen looked down, and the hint of a smile shed in his eyes. ¡°When you¡¯re old, you hope you can be young again. Seeing young people probably makes him happy.¡± After a slight pause, he looked straight at Qi Mu and said, ¡°If you ever get the chance to meet Evra in the future, don¡¯t tell him I said that.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Why did he feel like this man, who said this kind of thing, seemed to be unexpectedly childish? On their walk, Qi Mu held back his smile and didn¡¯tugh. His eyes opened wide in surprise when he suddenly saw a familiar figure on a celebrity column. He turned to look at the handsome man beside him and said with a softugh: ¡°Did you know. . . that they would put your column in such a ce? Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Notes

From your editor:There may have been a trantion error in the past. Eberk Dorenza is the conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which is different from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Sorry for any confusion! Chapter 34 The festival used ten small squares of this European styled tourist town. They were styled like a medieval za in a circr town square. The streets were red brick, and it was not arge area. In fact, it was quite simple, but there were several performers in such a za. Of course, it was impossible to perform in the center of the squares, as that was where each celebrity column was ced. As they walked, Qi Mu passed six or seven squares and spotted the columns for different maestros like Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, and Strauss. When they reached the seventh, he saw the familiar figure from afar. A picture of the tall man was illuminated by a spotlight and hung in the center of the square. On the left side was information of his achievements while the right was filled with the dozens of sonata concertos he had written, including his piano etudes. Qi Mu read the dense text and turned to look at the picture in the middle. The man in it was beautiful and elegant, wearing a ck tuxedo and holding a baton. It was most likely captured during one of his concerts. Seeing the noble character in the photograph, Qi Mu turned to look at Min Chen¡¯s calm expression and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see yours here. What a surprise. . .¡± If this was a week ago, he would never dare say such a thing to Min Chen. After getting along for the past week, he hade to regard the other man as a friend so it was easy to say something yful. While he was being teased by the youth, Min Chen¡¯s face remained indifferent and his expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest. He nced at the picture of himself with disinterest and pointed at the listening booth. ¡°It should be the ¡¶Dawn Concerto¡· and ¡¶Violin Sonata in A Minor¡·.¡± Qi Mu was a little surprised to hear him speak but went over to pick up the headphones. He put it on and started to listen. During their walk, Min Chen would asionally point out the songs being yed at the celebrity columns. He didn¡¯t do it for all of them, but he had made almost no mistakes. Qi Mu listened to all twenty songs on the way there and Min Chen had only been wrong once. The headphones had good sound instion and were probably specially prepared for this, so they could showcase a variety of instruments. Qi Mu closed his eyes and focused on the songs ying. After a moment, he chuckled and set down them down. He turned to Min Chen. He just smiled without saying anything. Under the bright sunshine, the young man¡¯s hair was dyed golden. He stared at the man opposite him with a silent smile long enough that even Min Chen couldn¡¯t help but frown and ask in a low voice, ¡°What is it?¡± Qi Mu shook his head. Then he pointed at the headphones and said, ¡°You wrote ¡¶Dawn Concerto¡·three years ago and the track selected should be from the type you performed in the Carnegie Hall two years ago in New York. As for the second one. . .¡± After a pause, Qi Muughed a little and said, ¡°The second one is ¡¶Veronica¡·, and it should be a recent performance. I haven¡¯t heard it before.¡± Even if the same orchestra yed the same piece, there were subtle deviations to the performance. To be able to pick out the differences while they yed, however, proved that the listener had a good ear and was an extraordinary musician. . . It also proved that he was familiar with the song, or at least had heard it several times. The words Qi Mu let slip surprised Min Chen enough that, even through the sunsses, Qi Mu could see the man freeze up. To guess someone else¡¯s song wrong, it was excusable. . . but to get his own song wrong, that was really. . . Min Chen reached for the headphones and put them on. After listening for a while, he set them back down. His slender fingers removed the sunsses from the bridge of his nose and revealed a pair of deep, unfathomable eyes. Min Chen turned to look at the youth who was watching intently butughing without a sound and said solemnly, ¡°¡¶Veronica¡· was chosen for this years tour in Berlin, and it hasn¡¯t been recorded for long.¡± After a while, when there was no change in Qi Mu¡¯sughing expression, his mouth soured and his tone was not good, ¡°The number of people who would select this song is limited, you have to understand.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Seeing that the youth still seemed to beughing, he coughed a little and switched topics, ¡°I remember there¡¯s supposed to be a concert from Montreal tonight, should we go now?¡± Since the other had gone so far as to change the topic already, Qi Mu had no choice but to whisper augh twice more and reluctantly stop. He nodded, and the two walked together to the concert hall further south. The Montreal Symphony Orchestra was from Canada, and also one of the world¡¯s leading orchestras. The current conductor was Japanese and also famous, Mr. Nagano. Although he was Asian, his style was Europeanized and simr to Mr. Dorenza but had its own unique charm. Everyone was listening intently and no one noticed Min Chen and Qi Mu. Once the concert was over, Min Chen quickly reced his sunsses and hat and hid from view again. Watching this, Qi Mu felt dumbfounded. He was beginning to feel like he was walking next to a. . . ¡°spy.¡± This sneaky trip to Hong Kongsted about three days. On the afternoon of the fourth day, Min Chen and Qi Mu were appreciating the melodious saxophone of a street performer when they suddenly heard clear, fluent English amidst the festival. ¡°The Sea Music Festival wees the arrival of several distinguished tourists. At 8 o¡¯clock this evening, Master Allen Boswell from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra will lead a grand performance at the Gemont Theater.¡± ¡°Now, Master Boswell is recruiting a violin concertmaster to lead the orchestra in ying Sibelius¡¯ op.39 ¡¶First Symphony¡·. Recruitment will be from 9 am to 3 pm tomorrow. All music lovers are wee to join!¡± The broadcast was repeated three times, in Chinese, German, and Japanese. When it waspletely over, everywhere the radio could be heard had fallen silent. After a moment, a burst of sound overtook the silence. ¡°That New York Philharmonic¡¯s Master Boswell?¡± ¡°ÌìÄÄÎÒµÄÉϵۣ¬ÄÇÊÇŦ°®°¡¿ÉÒÔºÍŦ°®Í¬Ì¨ÑÝ×àÇú×Ó¡± ¡°My God! That¡¯s New York love, you can y on the same stage as New York love!¡± ¡°Ah, why do you only need a violinist? My cello is pretty good, ah.¡± . . . This unexpected event had shocked everyone at the festival. Many violinists were so excited they couldn¡¯t speak clearly, and could only grab theirpanions¡¯ hands and cheer. The musicians that weren¡¯t violinists sighed helplessly but looked forward to this special performance by New York love. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra was another of the world¡¯s leading orchestras. Although it had been founded for less than a hundred years, it had a record that no one could break. On December 18, 2004, they gave a total of 14,000 performances. Such an orchestra was the best of ssical music in the United States, and Mr. Allen Boswell, the music director and principal conductor, was also outstanding. His solemn but elegant style was well supported by fans. It could be said that this orchestra was one of the leading attractions for tourists to attend this festival. And now, New York love had officially announced that they wanted to coborate with a violinist to y Sibelius¡¯ op.39 ¡¶First Symphony¡·. For many violinists, this was a great glory. Even the professionals wanted to have this opportunity. Qi Mu felt his heart beating vigorously in his chest. But he hadn¡¯t even returned to himself yet when he heard a maic voice ringing in his ear, ¡°Go participate in that recruitment pitch.¡± He slipped a bit and subconsciously turned to look at the man. He didn¡¯t know when but Min Chen had taken off his sunsses and only therge hat was covering the upper half of his face. The sun shone down onto the ck velvet and cast a shadow onto his face. Perhaps it was his mixed blood, but Min Chen¡¯s eyes were especially profound and sharper than a knife. Min Chen looked at him seriously and repeated, ¡°The New York¡¯s recruitment drive, go participate.¡± Qi Mu stared for a moment then broke into a smile and nodded, ¡°I will definitely go.¡± Qi Mu wasn¡¯t shy or timid. Since New York had put out this opportunity, he more than had the qualifications to fight for it. Min Chen hadn¡¯t expected him to be so direct, but after a moment of hesitation, his lips curled into a smile. There were some Chinese who were too humble and weren¡¯t interested in seizing opportunities in public. Min Chen mistakenly thought that Qi Mu was also hesitant and spoke deliberately to motivate him. After thinking for a while, he asked, ¡°You came with a violin, right?¡± Qi Muughed, ¡°Of course I brought it. I n to go back and practice a little to prepare for tomorrow.¡± Since the announcement, several violinists packed up their instruments and left. They wanted to hurry and practice to better their chances. Qi Mu was no exception. Once he had decided to return to the hotel, Min Chen casually decided to apany him. The taxi traveled over Hong Kong¡¯s famous Tsing Ma bridge, and the distant horizon was onlyyers of blue where sea met the sky. Qi Mu couldn¡¯t endure the excitement in his heart and turned to look out the window. ¡°Allen is better at Mahler¡¯s symphonies. Atst year¡¯s new year concert in Vienna, he mentioned that out of Mahler¡¯s repertoire, he preferred ¡¶The Boy¡¯s Miraculous Horn¡·.¡± Qi Mu turned his head to look at Min Chen with surprise. But, he only saw the indifferent man looking at his phone. It seemed to be a casual statement. What he didn¡¯t know was that Min Chen was telling him. . . to choose ¡¶The Boy¡¯s Miraculous Horn¡· for tomorrow. In fact, Qi Mu had met Allen Boswell while in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. He was good friends with Evra, so he asionally went to see him in Vienna. So Qi Mu knew that he preferred Mahler¡¯s work, but he didn¡¯t know. . . that he preferred ¡¶The Boy¡¯s Miraculous Horn¡·. Min Chen had suddenly said something like this with such a cold demeanor. Qi Mu couldn¡¯t exin the sudden warmth in his chest, but he nodded and said, ¡°Thank you, Min Chen. . .¡± The handsome man only said ¡°hmm,¡± as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything at all. When he looked out the window again, the taxi had passed the Tsing Ma bridge and the scenery outside had switched from the bustling port city to the slightly deserted Lantau Ind. Looking at the clear sky, Qi Mu¡¯s mood was much better and he felt less stressed. What he didn¡¯t know is that, at his side, Min Chen looked the texts on his phone and finally rxed a little. Daniel: You asked why New York¡¯s suddenly attracting people. I heard it was to deliberately create some activities for the festival. I heard there were some problems with publicity early on, so the organizers are using this to help spread the word. Min Chen stared at the fluorescent screen and tapped at it, quickly sending a message. After a while, Daniel¡¯s response came back: God, hey, why are you asking so carefully? My God, you don¡¯t want to go to the recruitment drive, right? Your violin is worse than Kedori¡¯s. While it¡¯s expected to be an amateur this time, don¡¯t make me lose so much face! Min Chen hadn¡¯t even read the first message and another one came in: No, no, no. If you¡¯re going to be this ugly, I¡¯ll call Boswell and ask him to give you a piano. Can you see it? Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± Daniel, who was in Berlin, received a brief message. ¡ºShut up, don¡¯t intervene.¡» Without giving him time to react, another came in. ¡ºMy violin is good.¡» Daniel: ¡°. . .¡± Oh, God! Even if you do beat those amateurs, it¡¯s nothing to be proud of, ah! Trantor(s): Kuro, Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 35 The fact that the New York Philharmonic Orchestra was going to perform had already reached the ears of numerous fans when it was originally announced by the festival. Now that they were going to recruit a temporary concertmaster, the fans were truly going crazy. Many amateur violinists in the vicinity had not attended the festival because of other business. However, once this news got out, many were absent from work and even took to skipping sses. They flooded the festival inrge numbers, and the next morning, Qi Mu was shocked by the sea of people when he arrived at the venue. The small square was packed with people. Most of them were young and carried light-weight boxes with them. Some were even children apanied by their parents, all registering. Among these, a particrly handsome youth carrying a violin case seemed to catch more attention than the others. But soon, they were all drawn into the tense atmosphere that came with the registration process and no longer paid attention to anything else. He hadn¡¯t expected there would be so many people there to sign up. The registration would continue until nine am, and Qi Mu had arrived just after seven. How could have known some people hade at four or five in the morning? His registration number was in thest few dozen. This was not a good thing. This meant that the judges would have heard hundreds of violinists before his turn. No matter how beautiful a song was, after listening to them all day, it would make anyone frustrated. Unless all of them had reached a state of excellence. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have listened to every single song.¡± As if knowing exactly what Qi Mu was thinking, Min Chen pulled down his sunsses and cast a nce around then calmly said, ¡°There are many amateurs. Their skill is rtively low. The judges should only need to have listened to a bit before making a decision.¡± What Min Chen said wasn¡¯t wrong. After all, this was only a music festival, so most of the people were hobbyists. The announcement of New Ai¡¯s recruitment was made yesterday. Even if professional musicians wanted toe, they had to book tickets from halfway across the globe, and that was impossible. More than 90% of the people here today were amateur musicians. 9 out of 10 had never worked with an orchestra. The youth¡¯s light eyes lingered on a crying little girl for a while, then he nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Yeah, I know. However, there are over 200 participants. . . I don¡¯t know how long the audition willst.¡± As it so happened, things went beyond Qi Mu¡¯s expectations. The screening had only begun three hours ago, yet over half the participants were eliminated. New Ai¡¯s screening was quite cruel. The judging panel would give the musicians one of two judgments on the spot. It was either ¡°Go¡± or ¡°Stay.¡± If their result was ¡°Stay,¡± they had made it to the final screening, but if it was ¡°Go,¡± they had been directly eliminated. As a result, out of the hundred or so people who went to audition, only two or three had received a ¡°Stay.¡± The rest were eliminated. Two out of the three were blond Europeans, and the third was Asian. Qi Mu had never heard them y, but judging from the thick calluses on their fingers, even if they were amateurs, these three¡¯s skill should be good. When it was someone¡¯s turn, they went into the audition hall, and no one knew what kind of people were waiting for them. However, some would return with red eyes, looking as if they had suffered an injustice. ¡°Mr. Boswell. . . doesn¡¯t seem like such a severe person?¡± Qi Mu said as he looked at another girl with red eyes. His delicate eyebrows raised slightly and he sighed, ¡°That seems to be the 187th person.¡± While waiting for his turn, Qi Mu and Min Chen walked around for a bit. They were surprised to find that most of the visitors were in the square where the recruitment was taking ce. The rest was sparsely popted. By the time they returned, over a hundred people had already auditioned. Min Chen looked over at the crying girl. She sniffled with a red nose and rushed into her mother¡¯s arms, both crying andughing at the same time. It was quite strange. Min Chen opened his thin lips and whispered, ¡°You know Allen Boswell?¡± Qi Mu felt his heart tighten and he shook his head. ¡°I. . . saw him conducting once. His style is gentle, so he didn¡¯t seem to be the type that would be so severe with people.¡± Music was the bridge between human nature and the outer world. Qi Mu always believed that a person who could y beautiful music couldn¡¯t be a malicious person. When he had rmended Luo Yu Sen to Mr. Evra once, the older man had said to him, ¡°I don¡¯t like Luo¡¯s style. It¡¯s too narrow. You should be able to hear it, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t until he saw Luo Yu Sen¡¯s real face that he understood what Mr. Evra meant. Luo Yu Sen was not open-minded, and his mental view was too narrow. He naturally couldn¡¯t y real music. Min Chen frowned a bit at Qi Mu¡¯s exnation but didn¡¯t ask further. He looked at the youths talking with theirpanions, and a dark light shed in his eyes. After a while, he said, ¡°Allen¡¯s temper is good whenpared with others. At least, if the rehearsal goes wrong, he won¡¯t be angry enough to scold a musician to tears.¡± Qi Mu startled, then subconsciously asked, ¡°. . . do you do that?¡± Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± His handsome face immediately nked to a serious expression. He shook his head and said solemnly, ¡°I am very kind.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Why do I get the feeling that your expression means the exact opposite of what you say? Daniel, who was far away in Berlin, suddenly sneezed very loudly. It was so loud it stunned Bai Ai¡¯s concertmaster who was leading the orchestra in a rehearsal. The man smiled and said, ¡°Daniel, you will sneeze when the conductor isn¡¯t around? If I let Auston know you dare make a sound while the orchestra is ying, then you. . .¡± The chestnut haired concertmaster paused, and his expression revealed a gentle smile, ¡°To quote Auston himself, ¡®Please roll out of my rehearsal hall and take the bad voice that God bestowed unto you as a joke from the world.¡¯¡± The minute Kedori spoke, the usually stoic musicians on stage burst intoughter. It seemed that he was in a good mood. Kedori immediately added, ¡°Still dare tough?¡± He deliberately made his face look cold, imitating their conductor¡¯s usual expression. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t entirely mimic the three points of the iceberg temperament Min Chen usually carried, and this only made everyoneugh even harder. The deputy concertmasterughed then raised his hand, ¡°Kedori, if we can¡¯tugh, then can we cry instead?¡± Kedori was even more cheerful at this. He shook his head solemnly and said, ¡°Did you forget what Auston said when he scolded Mary until she cried? ¡®Swallow your tears and make sure your runny nose doesn¡¯t drip on your cello.¡¯¡± . . . Like so, the conductor¡¯s words were technically correct. He never made anyone cry. He just scared them to the point they didn¡¯t dare even breathe. As a certified gentleman, Min Chen never did anything that was detrimental to his demeanor. Even if he had trained his poisonous tongue to the highest level, he could speak eloquently and such that even if you couldn¡¯t find the insult in his words, it would still sting. All this, Qi Mu was told by other peopleter. But, he never saw that serious, terrible conductor, only a somewhat childish and awkward man. It was currentlyte autumn, after all, and even if Hong Kong was tropical, the sun wouldn¡¯t be bright by 4 pm. The setting sun colored the sky in radiant light, and that was when Qi Mu finally heard his number being called. When he entered the hall, he barely reached the stage and could already see Allen Boswell sitting at the center of the five judges. This conductor had a good temper. There was once a poll in the Danube forum which rated the world-ss conductors on best tempers. Allen Boswell was first ce in that poll. Almost half the votes were for him, and the other for Mr. Dorenza. As for the bottom three? Well, that was a risky thing to mention, so it¡¯s better left unsaid. It was rare to see an Asian young man, so Boswell studied Qi Mu. Finally, he smiled, ¡°You are somewhat familiar. Number 216. . . your name is Qi Mu, right?¡± He looked down at the form in his hand then back up at him. ¡°I remember you. Eight years ago, you worked with Evra¡¯s orchestra in Vienna.¡± Qi Mu blinked, and his fine eyes widened, finding the man¡¯s words somewhat hard to believe. Before he could recover, the other judgesughed, and one said in English, ¡°Allen, you justforted a girl to the point she went to her mother in tears. Do you want this boy to cry too?¡± ¡°Yeah, Allen. Put away that sinful smile of yours, lest people have to say you¡¯re a good man again and run away crying.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± He finally understood why all those musicians wereughing and crying, creating such a weird scene. This man was gentle enough to make people want to cry. . . it was kind of extreme. Boswell smiled helplessly and waved his hand. He looked at Qi Mu and said, ¡°You understand English, right Qi Mu? I¡¯m d I am able to hear you y again. What will you y today?¡± Qi Mu bowed and smiled politely, ¡°Hello, Mr. Boswell. Yes, I cooperated with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra eight years ago. The song I will y today is Mahler¡¯s ¡¶The Boy¡¯s Miraculous Horn¡·.¡± Just as Qi Mu¡¯s voice quieted, the judges gawked. Everyone knew that New Ai was looking for a concertmaster to y Sibelius¡¯ Symphony No. 1 so most people chose his works as their audition track. While it wasn¡¯t like there was no one else selecting other songs, Qi Mu was the first to choose one of Mahler¡¯s songs. A female judge leaned over to Boswell and whispered, ¡°Allen, are you looking after this boy and opening a back door for him?¡± Boswell: ¡°. . .¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Trantor(s): Kuro, Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 36 Although the judge was joking, it had Qi Mu between tears andughter. When he began his audition, Qi Mu himself did not notice that he had be serious. Although Boswell had never spoken to Qi Mu before, Qi Mu still took the judge¡¯s joke to heart because only he knew that he had gone through a ¡°back door.¡± Having found out Boswell¡¯s favorite song through Min Chen, was that not a back door? ¡¶The Boy¡¯s Miraculous Horn¡·was one of Gustav Mahler¡¯s masterpieces. He was a famous Germanposer in the 19th century, and the song wasposed for a poem with the same name by a German poet named Clemens Bretano. Generally speaking, few violinists would choose this song for a recital. Since Qi Mu had selected this song, naturally he was prepared. A musician knew, that no matter how talented someone was, it was impossible to master every single song. Qi Mu had practiced this song for a few weeks after he entered Geneva College but never had the chance to y it. The handsome youthid the bow on the strings and let out a gentle exhale. The next moment, a soft sound emerged from the violin. It was as though the melody came from the distant horizon, passed over the rippling Rhine River, and echoed from afar. This song was a short piece called ¡¶Rheinlegenchen (Little Rhine Legend)¡· which was fourth in the ¡¶Des Knaben Wunderhorn¡· collection. In the original arrangement, the song was sung by a sweet but loud soprano, and for this section, Qi Mu used the violin to y the role of harmony, depicting the legend of Rhine River in all its touching aesthetic. The whole thing was only three minutes long, and the difficulty wasn¡¯t high. However, for this seemingly simple piece, it had different effects when yed by different people. Among Mahler¡¯s works, Allen Boswell preferred ¡¶The Boy¡¯s Miraculous Horn¡·and several other well-known songs. As a world-ss conductor, Boswell thought that he had heard every rendition of this piece, but very few people could y ¡¶Little Rhine Legend¡·. ¡°Few¡± did not mean that he had never heard of it. The Berlin Philharmonic concertmaster once yed this song. Boswell had to admit, regarding technical aspect alone, Christi¡¯s* performance, coupled with a world-ss soprano singer, was better than the current performance. *Previously tranted directly as Kedori However, for some reason, Boswell thought that the young man currently performing. . . was no inferior. If Christi¡¯s ¡¶Little Rhine Legend¡· was atmospheric, then this youth¡¯s was melodious and intimate. This was understandable, as Qi Mu did not have an orchestra to cooperate with, and without arge stage, it was impossible for him to showcase his rendition thoroughly. While practicingst night, Qi Mu did, in fact, think of a way to y this song in the absence of apaniment. He had thought about it for a long time and eventually came to a solution that could barely be called as such, and it left him very unsatisfied. But this morning, on the way to the venue while he was still contemting this matter, he heard that low, aristocratic voice at his side. ¡°Do you like listening to opera?¡± Qi Mu was in a daze, so he turned to look at the man beside him in surprise. Min Chen was holding a magazine, and he casually flipped a page. There was no particr expression on his face, and it looked like he had asked the question in passing. Thinking it over for a bit, Qi Mu replied, ¡°The opera is good, but. . . I don¡¯t listen to them much.¡± Qi Mu wasn¡¯t lying. Although his adoptive parents were not poor, they were not exactly well off either. After he started learning to y the violin, he did some odd jobs to earn money for concert tickets, so he did not listen to opera much. After they passed away and Qi Mu entered Geneva College, he had to squeeze out time to even see an orchestra, let along finding the time for opera. So, while he was not averse to opera, he also had no particr feelings for it either. Min Chen nodded when he heard him. He then closed the music magazine and turned to look at Qi Mu. The sun shone in through the taxi¡¯s window, and Qi Mu saw a small reflection on Min Chen¡¯s left index finger but did not think much of it. ¡°There are a few differences between opera and symphony. Opera is mostlyposed of singing while the orchestra serves as an apaniment. In that way, opera and symphonic poetry intersect.¡± Min Chen suddenly paused and gazed deeply at Qi Mu, then asked, ¡°What do you think those differences are?¡± Qi Mu frowned, startled a bit, then thought about it. He tentatively asked, ¡°The main arrangement?¡± ¡°What about their simrities?¡± As soon as the words were spoken, it was as if the clouds parted and Qi Mu immediately understood, ¡°The narrative.¡± His three-minute performance had just ended, but the sound seemed to linger in the spacious concert hall. Allen Boswell sat in the middle of the judging panel with a rare, unsmiling expression, and it was unknown what he thought. Qi Mu was not in a rush and stood patiently, watching the conductor with a smile. After a long while, Boswell sighed and said, ¡°I listened closely, and I think your intonation is good. Your grasp on the melody and rhythm, I can say with a somewhat thick face. . . that you have a mastery over them. However, the changes you made were subtle but created a big difference.¡± Boswell¡¯s blue eyes held a smile. ¡°I just realized. While ying this song. . . did you modify it to better suit a symphonic poem?¡± Naturally, Qi Mu knew that the small changes he made could not escape Allen Boswell¡¯s ears. Although this maestro was not one of the four great conductors of the world, he was infinitely close to that level. Qi Mu nodded gently and said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Boswell.¡± After this affirmative answer, Boswell nodded and smiled, ¡°These changes make this song more suitable to y, it¡¯s a wonderful idea. Did you think of it yourself?¡± Qi Mu answered, ¡°The specific changes were made by me while waiting for my turn. As for the idea, it was. . . a friend of mine who mentioned it to me.¡± Qi Mu automatically concealed Min Chen¡¯s identity. He remembered that Min Chen had said before that he wanted to remain lowkey. Hearing his exnation, Boswell continued to smile. ¡°Your friend is very talented. Okay, your result has been decided. That is, you¡¯re staying. Please wait until all the participants have auditioned, the final results will be announced by the staff then.¡± Qi Mu bowed politely and left the stage. What he didn¡¯t know was that behind him, Boswell¡¯s smile gradually faded away. He watched the youth¡¯s tall, handsome figure walking away with a profound gaze. Then he whispered to himself, ¡°Changing an opera to a symphonic poem. . . this idea. . . why does it feel familiar. . .¡± Qi Mu stepped out of the square and saw a figure standing in the midst of the crowd. Min Chen was reading the text on a celebrity column. Wearing a custom made tuxedo and the wide brim of his hat obscuring half of his face. He was so focused that he did not notice Qi Mu approaching. Qi Mu turned to look at the celebrity column, but when he saw the words on it, he suddenly froze. Qi Mu: ". . ." It turns out the thing you¡¯re looking at so intently is your own achievements. . . Every square looked simr, and he was not in the mood to look around while he was waiting for his audition. He was, thus, unaware that this was the square they visited on the first day of the festival. The one with the celebrity column for one Mr. Auston Bertram, the conductor of Bai Ai. In fact, Min Chen had noticed Qi Mu walking over earlier but refused to turn his gaze away and was still reading each word carefully. After a while, Min Chen suddenly lifted his head and said solemnly, ¡°The person who selected this song wasn¡¯t careful enough. My performance at the Sydney Opera House was on October 30thst year, not the 29th.¡± ¡°. . .¡± After a long silence, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but pose the question, ¡°Perhaps the person who selected this song and the person who wrote the column text. . . are not the same person?¡± Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± The atmosphere dropped several degrees, and Qi Mu walked to the edge of the square with Min Chen in tears. But, before long, almost all the participants finished their auditions, and there were no more than ten musicians to get a ¡°stay,¡± but the number of people in the square hadn¡¯t decreased in the slightest. Because all of them wanted to know who would win the first ce and have the opportunity to work with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Qi Mu lifted his violin case and stood up to wait for the results to be announced. This time, it was not the judges who came out of the concert hall but, instead, it was the festival¡¯s official that returned with a microphone. The good looking staff stood beside the celebrity column in the center of the square and cleared their throat. ¡°The Hong Kong Sea Music Festival wees all guests! Today, the recruitment for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s interim concertmaster has been finalized. There were many strong participants, and the judges had a lot to say, but I will now announce the final results.¡± The beautiful woman knew that leaving people hanging was bad, so without preamble, she said in fluent English, ¡°Today, the person who will have the opportunity to work with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra is Mr. Qi Mu who performed ¡¶Little Rhine Legend¡·.¡± ¡°Qi Mu. . .? That sounds Chinese.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of him. Is he a dark horse?¡± . . . The people searched the square for the lucky person. Meanwhile, Qi Mu let out a sigh of relief, and the tension in his body rxed. Qi Mu could easily have guessed the results. There were a pitiful number of professionals here, and most were amateurs. Even if there were professional musicians here, Qi Mu didn¡¯t see any familiar faces, so they weren¡¯t of any challenge. Qi Mu¡¯s only concern was on how to do his best. ¡°Mr. Qi Mu, if you are still present, please register your contact information with us. The orchestra will contact youter.¡± Without any fluctuation in his expression, Qi Mu took his case and walked straight toward the staff member, wanting to submit his information. When the people saw Qi Mu walking forward, they pinned their eyes on him, but Qi mu continued to walk forward calmly. Just as he was about to hand over the card containing his contact information, a voice suddenly rang out, ¡°How is this possible? I am a substitute for the Myrtle Symphony Orchestra. How could some Chinese person possibly beat me?¡± There was silence, and the people were surprised to see an angry, white man standing in the crowd. His face was flushed with anger, and he walked toward Qi Mu and the staff. He spoke as he walked, ¡°I will be in a regr position starting next year. How can this Chinese beat me? I refuse to ept this. Did he cheat because this is Hong Kong?¡± He deliberately emphasized the word ¡°Chinese.¡± His remark was so drastic that the staff¡¯s face turned cold. Qi Mu remained calm. He looked this impulsive white man up and down and said, ¡°Why. . . do you think that the Chinese cannot beat you, sir?¡± The man grunted in disgust, and Qi Mu just calmly looked at him. The man sneered and said, ¡°Is there any decent ssical musician in Huaxia? The members of the Huaxia Philharmonic Orchestra are worse than us at the Myrtle Symphony Orchestra. How can youpare to me? You Chinese people have no musical genes in your blood.¡± These words finally made Qi Mu¡¯s expression change. But he restrained his anger with great effort and let out a huff. He said with an aggravated tone, and a terrible expression, ¡°This gentleman, do you even know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± The racism that was engraved in his bones was unaffected by Qi Mu¡¯s words. The main disdainfully said, ¡°Are there any masters amongst you Chinese? I¡¯ve never heard of any. You Chinese people don''t have such elegant musical gics. You Chinese people. . .¡± ¡°It seems. . . that I am not a great master?¡± That low, maic voice suddenly echoed from the crown, mellow as a cello. It was not loud, but the people automatically turned in its direction. At the point where the crowd met, a tall man removed the sunsses on his nose. He calmly walked toward the prejudice white man, each step imbued with innate nobility. During his journey forward, the handsome but indifferent man removed the wide velvet hat from his head with one hand and rested it against his chest, the greeting courteous and befitting of a gentleman. His cold, sharp expression did not fluctuate, and he indifferently stared at the white man who now donned a stupid expression and said in a t voice: ¡°I¡¯m Chinese. Maybe I am. . . not truly a master.¡± Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Notes

From your editor:You kick his booty, Min Chen! I''m a half-ck-white dual citizen American-Belizean. Prejudice is shitty no matter who''s doing it! Chapter 37 The setting sun cast the vast sky into an array of magnificent color. In the center of the town¡¯s seventh square, a handsome and elegant man stood beside a celebrity column, his expression calm and indifferent as he starred at the stunned white man. There were many people in the square, but it was quiet enough most people could hear their own breath alongside the autumn breeze. The white man¡¯s forehead was covered in a thinyer of cold sweat, and he couldn¡¯t say a word, even with his mouth hanging open. The air was stagnant. Min Chen continued to stare, giving off tremendous pressure, without saying a word. ¡°Mommy, this person looks like that guy.¡± Suddenly, from who knows where the loud voice of a kid rang out. A doll-like little girl pointed her finger at the photo on the celebrity column. Seeing the photograph of a man waving a baton, they suddenly realized. Wasn¡¯t this the same man that stood before them right now? In an instant, stunned voices filled the square. As a matter of fact, many of the musicians already recognized him the moment Min Chen revealed himself. Now, though, amateur music lovers were also surprised and excited. Everyone knew what kind of existence was needed to receive the honor of being featured on one of the columns. Among the world¡¯s current maestros, only three were featured. And right now, there was a living, breathing master standing amongst them! And, this master was. . . Min Chen. ¡°What was it like to have a world-ss master of music appear before you?¡± If any of these music lovers were to be asked, they would not hesitate to answer: ¡°Have you ever had a first love? It¡¯s as though your goddess of love reached out her hands to you and said ¡®we¡¯re together.¡¯ It was that exciting!¡± Because of Min Chen¡¯s revtion, the recruitment event ended abruptly. Qi Mu and Min Chen were invited back into the audition hall by the official. That discriminatory white man? He had already fled the crowd in disgrace. Those with sharp observation noticed that he was ¡°identally stepped on¡± by several Chinese. Huaxia¡¯s ssical music industry wasgging behind the West. However, in recent years, the scene had gradually risen. Even Duke Daniel had said in an interview with ¡¶themusig¡· that he was shocked to hear a symphony orchestra on an international level during his recent trip. Unfortunately, racial discrimination still existed in the hearts of extremists, which was why today¡¯s incident urred. The staff who registered Qi Mu¡¯s information repeatedly apologized with a bowed head. Qi Mu could only politely smile and shake his head. Things like rude guests could hardly be med on the organizers. They couldn¡¯t investigate each and every one of their guests, let alone their mentality. While Qi Mu was busy, Min Chen stood at the door of the hall, watching the gathered crowd in silence. Once it let out that Auston Bertram was attending the festival and was here in this square, countless fans from the surrounding area gathered to see their idol. These usually calm fans went crazy, not losing against the Oppa fans for enthusiasm. Of course, they at least knew how to maintain a certain degree of discipline. When they were told Min Chen had left the venue, they dejectedly dispersed. Qi Mu filled out his contact information quickly then walked over to Min Chen¡¯s side with his violin case. The sunsses used to cover Min Chen¡¯s face was clipped to the cor of his shirt. He looked at the tourists that were leaving the square and frowned. Qi Mu didn¡¯t know what was on his mind. QI Mu sighed a little and said, ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t supposed to reveal your identity. What happened today. . . really, thank you for that. But you didn¡¯t have to deal with that person. I can handle myself.¡± Though, it would have been more troublesome. After all, nothing couldpare to the effect of having a Chinese maestro standing before you. Listening to Qi Mu¡¯s somewhat guilty admission, Min Chen shook his head and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not like I couldn¡¯t. It was just unnecessary. But, even if my identity is exposed. . . it isn¡¯t that big of a deal.¡± Seeing the other¡¯s unbothered expression, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°But I think it¡¯s certainly a big deal to Mr. Daniel.¡± Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± Qi Mu and Min Chen said a few more words to each other while walking. Just before they left the concert hall, they saw a brte approaching them with a smile. The man happily eximed, ¡°Auston, it¡¯s really you! I didn¡¯t expect to see you here after so many years.¡± Turning around, Qi Mu saw Boswell walking towards them. Before he could understand what ¡°It¡¯s really you¡± was about, Boswell was shaking hands with Min Chen and exining, ¡°When Qi Mu performed¡¶Little Rhine Legend¡· earlier, I thought it felt a bit familiar.¡± He looked at Qi Mu and added, ¡°After you left, I thought about it for a while and remembered when I was in Berlin a few years ago, after the Forest Concert, Auston once talked about converting an opera into a symphonic poem.¡± Boswell¡¯s kind eyes flitted over Qi Mu then returned to Min Chen who stool wore his calm expression. ¡°Auston, we haven¡¯t seen each other for such a long time. Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were here?¡± To this old friend who had always been gentle, Min Chen¡¯s cold expression softened a little. ¡°Daniel didn¡¯t want to let me go out and see people.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°It¡¯s Daniel¡¯s fault.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Boswell clearly knew this fellow with a wonderful face well. ¡°Yes, yes, I know. It¡¯s all Daniel¡¯s fault. It has nothing to do with you.¡± He sighed helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s a pity. If I knew you were here earlier, I would have introduced a friend to you.¡± Qi Mu looked at Boswell in surprise. Thetter noticed his gaze and Boswell smiled gently towards him. ¡°My friend, like you, is a very talented violinist, and quite an aplished one. He¡¯s older than you though. He and his orchestra left a couple days ago. When we met, he told me he really admired Auston¡¯s music.¡± Min Chen had no response to this. Every year, countless fans came to show respect to him after Bai Ai finished their concerts. Even professional musicians used his songs in their concerts as a tribute. But Qi Mu was a bit curious. He asked, ¡°Orchestra? Is that violinist also in an orchestra?¡± Boswell nodded. ¡°He¡¯s currently the concertmaster for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He was promotedst year. His name is Klein.¡± Qi Mu was stunned. He looked at Min Chen with surprise, just as the other man also turned to look at him. They both stared at each other for a moment and didn¡¯t say anything. Seeing this, Boswell was surprised and suddenly thought, ¡°Are you saying. . . that you went to the Montreal concert?¡± Qi Mu nodded helplessly. Boswell didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, and he said, ¡°This is really God¡¯s joke. Klein would be thrilled if he knew the person he always admired came to his concert.¡± Unexpectedly, Qi Mu reluctantly raised his hand and hesitated for a moment before whispering, ¡°Actually, we arrived a littlete that day. In the end, we just stayed and listened to the end.¡± Boswell: ¡°. . .¡± He could even imagine Klein¡¯s expression and how he would grip his wrist when he found out his idol was actually in the concert hall and listened to him. After exchanging a few more words with Boswell, the man told them the rehearsal schedule for the next few days, and they had nothing more to talk about. Before leaving, Qi Mu went to the hall to get the score and familiarize himself with the orchestra¡¯s members while Min Chen and Allen stayed behind. The only sound in that huge concert hall was the sound of wind whistling against the window. Aside from that, it was quiet. One light was on, and the high-watt light shone down on the center of the stage. Although it brightened the surrounding area, the ce Min Chen stood was rtively dark. Boswell smiled and looked out the window at someone who was walking by. He said casually, ¡°Min, I thought. . . you weren¡¯t the helpful type.¡± Min Chen frowned but calmly replied, ¡°I am very kind.¡± Boswell burst intoughter, ¡°See, even you don¡¯t believe what you just said. But today, when Qi Mu performed Little Rhine Legend¡·, I thought of you. But I didn¡¯t expect it would really be you. You really. . . are not someone eager to help out the younger generation.¡± Min Chen was cold and had little interest in making connections with people. Even Daniel knew this. In fact, everyone in the circle knew that this man never gave a shit. He was toozy to care about anything that had nothing to do with him. They would rather ask Daniel out for a cup of coffee than give Min Chen a gift. He would make you not dare to give gifts even in your next life. ¡°I¡¯m helping. . . Qi Mu?¡± Boswell nodded earnestly, ¡°Yes.¡± Then he smiled, ¡°But he really is talented. I understand your feelings to cherish it.¡± In the dimly light concert hall, the man¡¯s cold face was shrouded in the shadow so no one could see his expression clearly. One could only see Min Chen¡¯s thin lips. After a long while, he said, ¡°No. Actually, you don¡¯t understand.¡± Boswell: ¡°What?¡± Min Chen lifted his gaze, and there was a sh of humor in his deep eyes, ¡°Qi Mu is the best candidate for this event you were forced to agree with. Even that substitute you prepared is inferior to him.¡± Boswell was startled and no longer spoke. This time, New Ai really organized this to cooperate with the festivalmittee. This kind of event had such a generous reward as performing on stage. It was like a pie falling from the sky. But in fact, where is there such a good thing? In case there wasn¡¯t anyone suitable, the organizer already prepared a substitute and had them take part. As long as they won first ce, the audition would end sessfully. But when Boswell heard Qi Mu¡¯s performance, he canceled that n. And now, Min Chen exposed this matter bluntly. But, Boswell disagreed with Min Chen¡¯s remark ¡°That substitute is inferior to Qi Mu.¡± That substitute would be signing on with New Ai as the assistant concertmaster starting next year. They were quite popr in the US, and their skill was also good. As if detecting Boswell¡¯s inner dissatisfaction, Min Chen set his index finger to his lips and said, ¡°Shush.¡± Then he looked straight ahead, snapped his fingers and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the tone for that, Qi Mu?¡± Boswell turned to Min Chen in surprise then looked in the direction Min Chen was. Only to find that the beautiful youth had returned to the hall without him noticing. After hearing Min Chen¡¯s sudden question, Qi Muughed and said, ¡°G key.¡± His voice was rxed as if it were something trivial. As the young man approached, Boswell¡¯s eyes widened in shock. His mind was filled with astonishment, but he still heard a low voice: ¡°See, not only is he talented with the violin, but he also has the talent to be a conductor. Moreover, he¡¯s definitely more hardworking and diligent than you think. If you want to give a sessful concert in just three days. . .¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you need such a person the most?¡± Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet, Ayn Chapter 38 At the end of the day, Qi Mu and Min Chen left together, and on their way out, Min Chen received several text messages and phone calls. Some were sulking: ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t see you again.¡± Others wereining: ¡°If I knew you were there, I wouldn¡¯t have left so early.¡± Therge number of messages had his mobile peeping constantly as if it were going to explode. Those sulking messages were from musicians who hade to perform at the festival. For them to be able to contact Min Chen directly, naturally they had to be world famous. Among them, there were people Qi Mu knew of but was only able to listen to their concerts. All of them were difficult people to meet. Some were not as good-tempered as Boswell. Qi Mu heard a voice yelling in English over the phone line, ¡°Helen, why can¡¯t you y the etude decently? The break is over soon. If you can¡¯t y this piece by then, you can eat the damn score!!! . . . Hey, Min, you are not a good friend. I¡¯ve already returned to Canada, so you have to treat me to a meal, a meal, okay!?¡± Min Chen nodded calmly and answered tly, ¡°Okay, I will treat you.¡± ¡°Helen! The third note on your fifth bar is wrong! Again! Did you leave your fingers at home. . .¡± The cold man directly hung up the phone without hesitation, cutting off the voiceing from the speaker. Qi Mu: ". . ." The call came from Nagano, the current conductor of Montreal¡¯s Symphony Orchestra. This master was said to have returned to Canada today, just after attending the festival. He was quite angry when he learned from Boswell that Min Chen had actually attended his concert without letting him know. Yet Min Chen hung up on such a world-ss master without a second thought. . . if the younger generation that wished to make connections with this maestro knew about this, they would surely vomit three liters of blood in anger. Compared to Qi Mu¡¯s helplessness, Min Chen seemed to be nonchnt. He waved his hand and hailed a taxi. Once they were inside, Qi Mu softly sighed, ¡°Today. . . was really troublesome for you. I didn¡¯t expect it would cause such an inconvenience. Now I understand how Daniel feels.¡± Min Chen was a bit surprised. A trace of confusion shed through his Phoenix¡¯s eyes, and he asked, ¡°Trouble?¡± Qi Mu nodded: ¡°Well, there¡¯s a lot of maestros calling you and sending you messages. And Mr. Nagano just now. It sounds like he wants you to treat him to a meal now.¡± Min Chen finally removed his hat after they were settled in the taxi, and he leaned back in his seat. He said leisurely, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. They were just contacting me. If not today, they would have gotten around to it tomorrow.¡± After a slight pause, as if he just remembered, Min Chen added, ¡°And I said that carelessly. I won¡¯t actually treat him.¡± Qi Mu: ". . ." As if he didn¡¯t notice the young man¡¯s nk expression, he tapped his finger to his thin lips and whispered, ¡°His appetite is too big, I can¡¯t afford it.¡± Qi Mu: ". . ." It¡¯s just a single person¡¯s portion, not an elephant¡¯s! Besides, even if you invited an elephant to eat, you! Could! Still! Afford! It! Only just noticing Qi Mu¡¯s prolonged silence, Min Chen turned slightly to look at him. Seeing his unclear expression, Min Chen stared for a while then said, ¡°Today. . . I troubled you quite a bit. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll treat you to dinner.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°. . .I have arge appetite.¡± ¡°. . .¡± Apparently, this ¡°savage¡± refusal hurt this maestro¡¯s fragile heart. On their way back, he didn¡¯t utter another word, and that made Qi Mu ufortable. He tentatively turned to look at the man beside him only to find Min Chen looking out the window with indifference. The brilliant sunset reflected off his face, making his cool expression soften a little. After a long while, Qi Mu said carefully, ¡°. . . Actually, I can control my appetite?¡± There was no reply for a long while, and Qi Mu did not wait for one. He was both amused and helpless. This was the first time he saw someone begging for a meal, but when he loosened his tongue a little, the man wasn¡¯t happy at all. Really. . . ¡°There¡¯s a good beef steak ce near the hotel.¡± ¡°. . .¡± For such arge orchestra, three days of rehearsal was tense. Even the New York Philharmonic Orchestra bumped their attention up 120,000 points. They had to y Sibelius¡¯ ¡¶Symphony No. 1¡· perfectly. In fact, when Boswell chose Qi Mu as the temporary concertmaster, the members had some objections. They had already rehearsed with the substitute for two days, so it was easier to perform with him. But, just because Boswell¡¯s temper was good, didn¡¯t mean that he had no prestige. Since he had made the decision, no one dared object. The day after the recruitment, Qi Mu went to the rehearsal hall to rehearse with the world famous¡ª¡ªNew York Philharmonic Orchestra. Qi Mu had never spent time practicing just Sibelius¡¯ works before, and he had only practiced ¡¶Symphony No. 1¡· a few times. Though he had made some adjustments the night before, he still encountered problems on the first day of rehearsal. Boswell just smiled and told him to rest first. After New Ai finished rehearsing the other songs that afternoon, Qi Mu returned to the position of concertmaster and continued the rehearsal. At the end of the day, this issue caused several of the orchestra members to have concerns. However, what they didn¡¯t expect, is that the next day, the Chinese violinist magically integrated into their sound, blending his violin in perfectly. At the end of the next day¡¯s ¡¶Symphony No. 1¡·, Qi Mu was able to lead the whole orchestra in a decent formal performance. If they practiced a few more times the following day, there would be no problems. Even Boswell praised him, ¡°Qi, you are very talented. I¡¯m looking forward to working with you the day after tomorrow.¡± Once the conductor left, these New Ai members, like unrestrained bear children, enthusiastically went to Qi Mu and asked questions one after the next. ¡°Qi, it¡¯s only been a day. How did you change so much? Did you get a supplementary lesson yesterday evening?¡± ¡°Yeah, your ¡¶Symphony No. 1¡· was good, but it didn¡¯t blend well. How did you change it to fit so well today?¡± ¡°I heard you know Mr. Bertram. Did he give you guidance?¡± . . . The problem with so many sessive questions was that Qi Mu didn¡¯t know which to answer first. In the end, he lifted a hand in a ¡°pause¡± gesture andughed helplessly, ¡°When I returned to the hotelst night, I carefully recalled the rehearsals and yed ording to simtion. That¡¯s why I can cooperate better today.¡± ¡°Huh? yed by simtion? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Recalled the rehearsals. . . oh my god, Qi, for real?¡± ¡°You remembered each of our sounds? My god, I thought only Mr. Bertram had such amazing hearing and memory.¡± . . . Most of the New Ai members were American. There were tanned Asians, African Americans, and of course, several blonde and white-skinned Caucasians. But, maybe because of their conductor¡¯s temperament, the members were generally amiable. Although they had someints regarding the mistakes Qi Mu made at the beginning, they could nowugh and talk happily together after getting more familiar with him. This helped ease Qi Mu¡¯s worries a lot. Perhaps because the country was sorge, it was not aspetitive in America as it was in Europe despite having so many orchestras. Of course, Qi Mu believed that a few insidious people like that Luo Yu Sen could be found everywhere. A truly strong musician would use their own strength to prove everything, and they wouldn¡¯t bother making dirty schemes in the dark. Although Qi Mu still did not understand whose way he was ¡°blocking,¡±* he was not in a hurry. Because things were going ording to expectation, and he thought¡ª¡ª *Revisit for rification. It wouldn¡¯t be long before he returned to that continent where ssical music was born. . . . The three-day rehearsal period was soon over, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s performance had already been promoted by the festivalmittee. New Ai¡¯s unexpected audition caused a small surge in the number of people attending the festival. Especially when people heard that Min Chen was also present, the number of tickets sold for the Hong Kong Sea Music Festival broke through the roof in only a few hours. As for the New Ai concert tickets? Please, those were already priceless! By this time, Qi Mu, who won the change to perform with New Ai, was quickly identified by enthusiastic fans. Sure enough, how could someone approved by Boswell be an average person? He won the junior championship of the Men¡¯s International Violin Competition* at age 13, then at 14, he performed with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. While he wasn¡¯t seen in the limelight for the next eight years, those achievements were still enough for the majority of musicians to look up to. *Previously tranted as Choplin¡¯s International Violin Competition. And now, this genius was actually the assistant conductor for B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra! After learning this, some musicians were finally willing to admit defeat. ¡°That guy is talented to this degree,paring us to him is making me mad, ah!¡± All in all, thebination of New Ai, Qi Mu, and Min Chen¡¯s names led to the seventh day of the music festival being so hot that it raised the port city¡¯s temperature even more. Numerous cars trickled into town from all directions, causing a traffic jam. And when the concert officially began, the audience¡¯s expectations were written on their faces. They were just waiting. . . for New Ai¡¯s interpretation of Sibelius¡¯ ¡¶Symphony No. 1¡·! Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet Chapter 39 Perhaps it was due to New Ai¡¯s poprity or Min Chen¡¯s, but the audience for the event went above and beyond the original estimation. There were too many people. But, it was a concert for the Sea Music Festival, after all, so it wasn¡¯t as serious or as formal as usual. The organizers had removed all the sears on the second floor so the audience could. . . stand while they listened. Although most of the audience currently did not know Qi Mu, they knew the name ¡°Min Chen.¡± Min Chen was only thirty years old, but he was the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s conductor, and he had created dozens of outstanding musical pieces in the past decade. They were praised all over the world. For such a master, there was hardly anyone that couldpare to his position in ssical music today. Even the other three maestros that made up the world¡¯s four great conductors were a touch inferior to Bai Ai¡¯s conductor. Of course, it was never about who was inferior or superior in music, but these maestros freely admitted that Min Chen was above their level, so there was no need for his fans to be modest. And, such a person defended a neer in such a grand fashion! Even though now they knew Qi Mu wasn¡¯t a neer, it did not prevent the fans from having thoughts like: ¡°Even Min Chen appreciates him, this neer seems good!¡± Therefore, arge part of the audience today had some form of anticipation to see. . . just how skilled Qi Mu really was. Among those who hade to listen today, while many did not know who Qi Mu was before the New Ai¡¯s recruitment audition, there was a young woman with her hair in a ponytail and her face flushed with excitement. She was so excited her hands were clenched into fists. She looked forward to the performance with a single-minded focus. Li Yue Yue originally came to Hong Kong on a business trip. For a white-cor worker like her, this was quitemon. However, she never imagined that just the day before she was set to leave the port city, she would learn about the New York Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s ensemble at the Sea Music Festival!!! Although she was currently working a job that had nothing to do with music, in fact, Li Yue Yue had studied violin in elementary school for a few years. Since she had identally bought ¡¶Sound of Music¡· because of the photo on the cover, she never expected to be so lucky as to see him in person! In ssical music terms, she was just ayman. However, she was able to appreciate music that was harmonious and gorgeous much better than those ¡°¡± fans. Since she had bought ¡¶Sound of Music¡·, Li Yue Yue had bought all the albums that rted to Qi Mu and imported them to her phone so she could listen to them every day. She even asked her mother to send her violin to B City. She would practice it after returning home from work in the evenings. The things that had charm, maybe it was forced upon you as a child by a parent, and it was constant suffering, but once you had matured, its true beauty would be discovered! When she learned that Qi Mu would perform in Hong Kong this weekend, even if it was just a single piece, Li Yue Yue did not hesitate to ask her boss for a three-to-four day holiday. She had to listen to this song before she could leave! She listened to these exchanges around her: ¡°To rely on rtionships to get somewhere, that Qi Mu,¡± and ¡°Yes, so young yet the assistant conductor for the B City Symphony. . . he certainly has problems.¡± It made Li Yue Yue scornful! Qi Mu¡¯s strengths, she naturally had no doubts! And, she believed that these people would thoroughly understand just how stupid the things they had just said were in the end! In this splendid concert hall, even if the entire second floor was full, no one made a sound. When the signal that indicated the official start of the concert was broadcast, the musicians of the color music group were seated first. Then the percussion group took their seats, and the brass instruments followed them. Finally, the string instrument group walked in from both sides of the stage and took their positions. Once everyone was seated, An Boswell entered from the left side wearing a light grey suit and a smile. Suddenly, the audience burst into apuse and sent their most respectful greetings to this famous conductor. After Boswell and the staff had their exchange, he raised his hand gently. He brought it down again, and music flowed like a stream at hismand. New Ai¡¯s repertoire was the best of their famous symphonies. For example, Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶New World¡·, Berlioz¡¯s ¡¶Symphonie Fantastique¡·, Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶Fifth Symphony¡·and his ¡¶Eighth Symphony¡·. Once these familiar songs appeared, the audience became enamored with the sound andpletely forgot their anticipatory ¡°looking at the new person¡± type of mood. One song after the other intoxicated the audience. Even Li Yue Yue entered a state of pure appreciation. When ¡¶Symphonie Fantastique¡· ended, Li Yue Yue wore an expression of satisfaction. Then a sharp eye suddenly noticed a young man entering from the backstage. Everyone in the concert hall saw the handsome youth enter from the left side carrying a yellow violin. He wore a ck suit, like the New York members, but he had a white tie. This white color lined the young man¡¯s beautiful face and made it even better, letting everyone in the audience state nkly. After a moment, they suddenly realized that was. . . Qi Mu! Someone oncemented on the temperaments and appearances of several famous musicians in a western magazine forum. At first, everyone was inclined toward people that yed the piano. But temperament was generally not much worse. Until someone nominated the concertmaster of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. . . All in all, although the ssical music industry was not like the entertainment circle where there were beautiful people everywhere, most people in ssical music had a restrained temperament, and it made people morefortable. It could be said that they had a few, though not many, good looking people, but now. . . now they would be renowned for one. By the end of the handshake between Boswell and Qi Mu, some viewers had still not returned to their senses. After a while, a child whispered, ¡°Really good looking, ah, I don¡¯t know. . . how good is his violin? This won¡¯t be an embroidered pillow, right?¡± Li Yue Yue couldn¡¯t even hear these people¡¯s voices at the moment. She only saw the young man politely boy on the stage. After he had straightened up again, Qi Mu naturally ced his bow against the strings of his violin. Qi Mu then lifted his chin and turned to look at Boswell, waiting for hismand. The next moment, the r sounded first, and the atmosphere was restless and depressed. This gentle music continued, and that anticipated moment grew closer until, finally, Qi Mu narrowed his eyes and suddenly. . . Pulled the bow across his violin! As a specially invited violinist, Qi Mu did not sit in the original seat for the concertmaster. Instead, he stood directly to Boswell¡¯s left and gave his own performance. Sibelius¡¯ ¡¶First Symphony in E Minor¡· was divided into four movements. Two were slightly different andantes, one was a brief scherzo allegro, and the final piece was simr to a ling in Fantasia. The piece was brisk. The violin was its main theme, and its rhythm controlled the entire piece. The young man¡¯s left hand danced across the strings, and the dazzling light from above illuminated him, turning those white fingers almost transparent. Li Yue Yue held her breath. While listening, while watching, she felt her soul fly from her chest. Her mind was filled with only the increasingly passionate sound. The pace grew faster and faster. The music became more and more enthusiastic. And in the end, she saw that young man standing at the front of the orchestra suddenly draw his bow. The music that was so jarringgged for a moment at its highest peak¡ª¡ª But it did not stop. . . no, it went even higher! This was not Li Yue Yue¡¯s first concert, but. . . it was the most memorable. She sat in the middle of the first floor, her eyes wide as she stared at that handsome youth. At times, Qi Mu would frown, and the music would gradually deepen along with that dignified expression. Other times, his lips would slowly curl upward, and he would exchange smiles with the conductor. When the song reached thest 13-minute andante, the music that had umted for such a long time became rich. This majestic music and its intense sound, the audience could only surrender to the song¡¯s momentum. At the very end, the violin burst to the height of its peak, and some people helplessly clenched their hands into fists while others couldn¡¯t help but flush with excitement. Thatst note finally fell. The song was done. The whole piece was forty minutes long, but no one thought it took too long! Such magnificent music echoed in the audience¡¯s ears. After a few minutes, someone shouted ¡°Bravo!¡± as if they had just awakened. Apuse rang through the concert hall after that, almost loud enough to raise the roof. On stage, Qi Mu raised a beautiful hand and wiped away the sweat on his forehead. He stared nkly out at the audience that had stood and was apuding below. The fingers holding his bow gradually tightened, and an inexplicable excitement swelled in his chest. December 18, 2015, this was Qi Mu¡¯s first performance as concertmaster on the international level. At the Sea Music Festival in Hong Kong. Trantor(s): Bet, Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Notes

From your editor:Hello everyone! Bet here. I wanted to give a shout to everyone that Betwixted Trantions will be moving! We are moving to our own hosted server, however, the transition is veryplicated. (If I had known beforehand, I would have started on wordpress instead of blogger, but what can one do about the past?) I will be spending the rest of this week and the weekend reorganizing things. Hopefully, by next Monday, Betwixted Butterfly will be hosted independently. Please bear with me as I have to recreate each page one at a time. I don''t intend to interrupt your update schedule, so look forward to Friday''s update! Also, Kuro''s experiencing a bit of a hectic time with job interviews and life in general. So everyone will have to make do with my work this time. Please be gentle (>///w///<) Thank you so much for your continued support! Chapter 40 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: Your strength has nothing to do with me. 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 Lao, 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, Xiao 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! Xiao 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¡ª¡ªIncrease. In. Value. Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet

Notes

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. Chapter 41
There was a saying in Huaxia that went, "pi jitaii." (Extreme sorrow bes joy.) Due to the mistake in promoting the event, theHong Kong Sea Music Festival had 20-30% fewer visitors than in previous years.However, since everything had already gone wrong, weren''t they due to be luckyat least once? First, they used the New Ai''s recruitment drive,then the news that Min Chen was present triggered an onught of people. Then,the young Chinese violinist that performed with the New York PhilharmonicOrchestra, and phenomenally sessful concert. When the festival came to an end, many peoplelooked back on the ten-day event, andmost of them thought something along the lines of: "Actually. . . this year''sfestival was much more interesting than any other I''ve attended." Naturally, Qi Mu didn''t know this. He took thefirst flight back to B City the afternoon after the festival was over. Landingin B City, Qi Mu inhaled the fresh air of Huaxia and said wistfully, "This iswhat I''m most familiar with after all!" Min Chen: ". . ." Having left the warm climate in the south, theDecember chill in the north was enough to make the air feel like ice. The coldwind blew across the street like an iron knife. It waste at night, andtraffic was sparse. By the time Qi Mu reached home from the airport, it wasalready early in the morning. Since tomorrow was Christmas, Qi Mu invited MinChen to his house as thanks for looking after him the past few days. Min Chenwas surprised to receive the invitation, but he nodded and agreed. For westerners, Christmas was like the ChineseNew Year. Qi Mu had grown up in Europe and stayed there all his life. However,his adoptive parents were Chinese, so he never ced much importance onChristmas, and they instead celebratedthe Chinese New Year. When he was still a child in the orphanage, thecold dean would give them choctes, at most, but other than that, he hadnever attributed anything special to the date. This time, he invited Min Chen over because heknew the man wasn''t returning to Europe for Christmas and might feel lonely butalso to thank him for his care at the same time. Qi Mu had thought of a simple dinner. He didn''tknow that a wall over, in the living roomrge enough to raise a whale, thealways indifferent Min Chen was looking through various ties, tie clips, andcufflinks spread across the sofa with an unusuallysomber eye. Standing before these dazzling items that wouldmake it difficult for anyone to make a decision, the handsome man stared calmlyfor ten minutes then closed his eyes and randomly pointed in a direction. Likeso, he selected a long, dark blue tie, a tie clip with a white diamond at itscenter, and a pair of sapphire cufflinks. When it was time, Min Chen swiftly sorted outhis attire and picked up the white lilies he had specially delivered thismorning and exited his door. He impassively walked next door and rang thedoorbell. Soon after, the sound of footsteps came frombehind the door. "Creak¡ª¡ª" The door opened. Min Chen: ". . ." The pretty woman standing in the doorway: ". .." After a moment, Min Chen nced at the numberon the door. Confirming that he hadn''t gone to the wrong ce, the elegant manfrowned. Before he could speak, a familiar voice camefrom further inside, "Sister-inw, who is it?" The woman smiled and turned back to reply, "Xiao Qi,e see. . . if this is that friend you mentioned?" Qi Mue from the kitchen in a white apron.Seeing Min Chen, QI Mu unintentionallyughed and said, "Min Chen. . . it''s just a simple dinner at home. You didn''thave to wear such. . . formal attire." Outside, thehandsome man wore an elegant ck suit. Every corner of his clothingwas ironed, looking freshly purchased. Even his hair was slicked back and fixedin ce with hair gel. It almost felt like he could step on stage the nextmoment, pick up a baton, and begin a performance. Min Chen was silent, and Qi Mu did not wait for a reply. He saw the bouquet of white lilies in the man''s arms and was stunned. He suddenly thought of something, and a trace of guilt shed in his eyes. Hesaid helplessly, "I''m sorry. I should have told you clearly yesterday so youwouldn''t worry too much." Qi Mu''s words left Min Chen in a daze, but thelost look in his eyes was suddenly swept away. Min Chen stared at Qi Mu for a while then histhin lips curled upward slowly, and hughed softly, "It doesn''t matter. I was the one who thought too much." The woman stuck in the middle: ". . ." "Honey, why are you still standing at the door?Why don''t you go see what Qi Mu made. . . and how it tastes. . ." "Aaaahhh!!! Min Chen!!!" There was loud thud, and the things Zheng Wei Qiao had purchased at the supermarket fellto the ground. They quickly tidied up and went into Qi Mu''s apartment. Once all the food was on the table, Zhao Yue, Zheng Wei Qiao''s wife,ughed and said while she served the soup, "Xiao Qi''s cooking is delicious. I thought I would need to help out more today, but it looks like I was worried for nothing." Zhao Yue wasn''t in the music circle. While shelooked gentle, she was, in fact, a savvy and decisivewyer. Although herhusband was in the music industry, she knew nothing about it, so when she sawMin Chen, she didn''t recognize him. Of course, to Zhao Yue, this was just a simplemeal, and everyone had gathered tocelebrate. Because Zheng Wei Qiao had told her beforehand that Qi Mu''sperformance at the music festival was reported on in several internationalmedia, she only thought about celebrating that with Qi Mu today. Like Qi Mu, the Zheng family didn''t put muchimportance on Christmas. Thus, at the table, onlyone man was wearing formal attire, appearing solemn,pletely out of ce. This was Zheng Wei Qiao''s first time being incontact with Min Chen. Although Qi Mu always said the man wasn''t as harsh as helooked, having a dinner together with such a giant in the industry. . .it made him a bit ufortable. Fortunately, he was only somewhat half in thecircle right now. If he was still a violinist ying in an orchestra, hedidn''t think he would even dare breathe. The atmosphere was rather stiff once dinner started, so Qi Mu took the initiative to liven things up. As awyer, Zhao Yue was savvy with words, so she often made jokes here and there. Once dinner was over, Zheng Wei Qiao quietly pulled Qi Mu aside and gave him a red envelope, then he said, "Xiao Qi, ah,ter. . . don''t make me eat with Mr. Min again." For the Zheng couple, Qi Mu was still a kid inhis early twenties, so they often gavehim pocket money. Qi Mu quickly returned the envelope to Zheng Wei Qiao and helplessly said, "Zheng-ge, Min Chen is truly a good person. Really, get to know him a little, and you''ll get along with him. He has a good temper." Who would expect that Zheng Wei Qiao, known for his calmness, would suddenly burst into tears, "Xiao Qi, ah. I''m not being prejudiced against him or anything, it''s just. . . The sight of Mr. Min makes me remember when Teacher would punish me by having me practice ¡¶Constance March¡· for a month! I still can''t forget how terrible that song was, even after eight years. I''ll always remember that nightmarish month whenever I see Mr. Min''s face. . ." Qi Mu: ". . ." ¡¶Constance March¡·was the first movement in ¡¶ViolinSonata No. 9 in D Major¡·. This symphony waswritten by Min Chen when he was twenty-one. There were four movements in thewholeposition and among them, the violin section of the first movement wasthe most difficult to perform. Some professionals even secretly called it"Hell." Min Chen was a pianist after all. Sopared toPaganini''s Caprice No. 24 "Devil''s Movement," there were some areas of ¡¶Constance March¡· thatwerecking. Particrly in the technical aspect. But, for a violin songwritten by a contemporary musician, no one doubted that this was the mostdifficult to y. Watching Zheng Wei Qiao''s expression of "havingjust seen a ghost," Qi Mu didn''t try to persuade him anymore. After he saw thecouple off downstairs, Qi Mu returned to his apartment and unexpectedly foundMin Chen. . . Clearing! The! Table! Qi Mu''s eyes flew wide open in surprise, and he forgot to close the door. "Why are youclearing the dishes?!" This patient whose obsession with cleanlinesswas very steep pinched the edge of ate and picked it up. Qi Mu''s sudden yell caused him to fumble a bit, and his finger ended up brushing against abrown sauce. Min Chen''s face immediately turned ck and he stiffened. They went to the kitchen together, and Qi Mu started washing the dishes. He saidprofoundly, "Thank you so much for today, Min Chen. I really didn''t expect youto stay and help me clean up. I certainly didn''t expect you to pick up thedishes." Min Chen who stood beside him drying a te butactually doing nothing: ". . ." Qi Mu sighed, "It''s amazing that you actuallycarried them. . ." Min Chen: ". . ." How to say it. . . it wasn''t as though the te hecarried was explosive, right? Well, it had to be an illusion.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Kuro:

Oh god, tranting this chapter was torture formy poor delicate nerves. I got secondhand embarrassment from Min Chen all thetime! He''s such a sweet and caring man, I want 10 of him (borrowing Bet''swords). Tranting will be hectic once I start the new job, so please bear with it while I find a way to fit tranting into things. Thank you, Bet! For shouldering the weight of trantion over the past week, and in the future too.

Bet:

Wee to our new site, everyone! Please, let me know if you notice any hups. Everything¡¯s been set up, but not necessarily tested thoroughly. So please be patient as I work out the kinks. If you like using social media (twitter, tumblr, pintrest, instagram, facebook, etc. etc.), please give me a shout out! We¡¯re looking for someone willing to have fun and keep different ounts active. There are very few restrictions! For those who are interested in learning how and when we intend to update, please check out our . Join us on ! Chapter 42
On such a bleak night, even B City, which was usually filled with peopleduring the day, was sparse. There were only a few cars driving by on thestreets, and they quickly disappearedinto the freezing night. The security in this area was rtively good.There was a special system at theentrance, and outsiders were not allowed to enter freely. It was a high-endapartment, but there were only three buildings. Qi Mu''s apartment was on the26th floor of thest one. This building had twenty-seven floors. Qi Muonly recently learned that the entire 27th floor was owned by Min Chen, alongwith the one he lived in on the 26th, making his apartment a double-floorpenthouse. It could be said that apart from this apartment, purchased beforeMin Chen had, the entire floor was also Min Chen''s. Right now, those two floors were dark. Only QiMu''s apartment was shining with warm, yellow light. After cleaning the table,Min Chen didn''t immediately leave. Instead, he stared at an oil painting thatQi Mu had on the wall, lost in thought. Qi Mu finished tidying up and looked over. He saw Min Chen staring at the painting and walkedto stand beside him, "It was bought from a gallery in B City. The painter''sstyle is good. Simr to Ruben, it''s vivid and looks alive." When he spoke, Qi Mu pointed at the artisticrepresentation of an autumn harvest on a wheat field that was beside thepainting. His eyes bowed into crescents, "This autumn harvest is more likeRuben''s early works. Though not as radical, it has its own charm. I rememberone by him is hanging in the first rehearsal hall of the Geneva Conservatory." Min Chen had initiallybeen just studying the painting, but when he heard Qi Mu''s words, hisdark eyes narrowed. Just as Qi Mu thought of introducing the other painting to him, Min Chen asked casually, "Wasthere such a painting there? When I went tost year''s graduation concert, Ididn''t notice it." Being so suddenly asked about it, Qi Muautomatically replied, "Yes. Though, has it been removed recently? It''spossible. After all, Professor Deville, that painting. . ." Suddenly, Qi Mu''svoice silenced, and his throat went tautas he realized there was something wrong with his words. After a long time, Qi Mu smiled, "I only heardabout it. Professor Deville Carter at the Geneva Conservatory has a collectionof paintings. I was interested in one of them when I was a child, and my mother told me she saw the paintingthere thest time she went." In the original''s memory, his mother did go toConservatory for a concert when she was young. As to whether she saw thatpainting or not. . . Qi Mu really had no idea. Qi Mu''s immediate rification for the slip of tongue would have possibly made theother believe it if they were Du Sheng orZheng Wei Qiao. Even if it was Tan Zheng Hui, there might besome doubt, but he wouldn''t dwell on it. But, the person standing beside him right now. .. was Min Chen. Qi Mu has spent quite some thought in decoratinghis apartment. There was a spotlight to highlight and brighten these paintings.At the moment, the diffused white light reflected onto the man''s handsomeprofile, solidifying his sharp features. Min Chen felt something incredulous shthrough his mind, but just as he was about to capture his thought, itdisappeared entirely without a trace. He squinted and gently hummed, "If youwant to know, i can get Daniel to go findout. Geneva and Berlin. . . it''s not that far." Seeing that the other man didn''t seem to besuspicious, Qi Mu felt a bit relieved. He shook his head and said, "Let''s notbother him. It''s no big deal anyway." After a pause, heughed and changed thetopic, "Oh right, I really am sorry about not telling you today would beinformal beforehand. I. . . probably letyou down." Qi Mu could imagine. For the Bertram family, itwas impossible to have a simple 8-in-1 soup for a Christmas Eve dinner. Min Chen''s profound gaze lingered on him for abit. Then he shook his head and replied, "Your cooking is excellent. I didn''tknow you could cook Chinese like that." Qi Muughed, "It was all learned from myparents. They were keen on Chinese cuisine. I''m d you liked it. I reallyappreciate. . . what you did for me inHong Kong. When I went to the score, did you say something to Mr. Boswell? Hewas very kind to me during the rehearsals." As a good man who never let his good deeds stickto his name, Min Chen shook his head, "I didn''t do anything special. Didn''t yousay that Boswell''s temper was particrly good?" However, Boswell himself had told him. This manhad directly rmended him to Boswell. But. . . he still refused to admit it. Perhaps this was a form of. . . modesty? After thinking for a time, he no longer tried tochase the matter. "All in all, I appreciate you taking care of me in HongKong." "I''m only repaying you." Qi Mu: "?" Min Chen''s expression was calm, as was his tone:"For your help with the bug." ". . ." This was a single apartment of roughly forty tofifty square meters. Even if the decorations were excellent, after ten minutesof appreciation, there was nothing left to look at. Now, there was still sometime before midnight. Qi Mu knew it was important for many western familieswith strong traditions to keep the family together on Christmas Eve. Although he personally had no interest in thevigil, when he considered that Min Chen had to return thatrge, empty house, waiting for the clock tostrike twelve by himself. . . he shookhis head and sighed. Since the other man had helped him so much, evencalling it a repayment. . . so why not? "Before you knocked on my door that day, I hadno idea you lived next door." Qi Mu poured a cup of warm water from a thermosand handed it to Min Chen, continuing to say, "I didn''t expect to not know whowas living next door for so long, it''s a bit funny." Min Chen took the cup and said, "I don''tremember hearing the violin through the wall." Qi Muughed, "I practice in the music roomevery day. So I wouldn''t disturb the neighbors, I renovated for betterinstion." After a pause, he said strangely, "But I only practice for a fewhours a day, and I don''t remember. . . is there a piano next door?" He remembered, when he went into the apartmentnext door, he could see one. It was in the living room, a beautiful, ckSteinway. It stood proudly in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. It waselegant. This man who didn''t practice even an hour on thepiano everyday listened to this, and his face went ck. He coughed softly,"Probably while you were practicing the violin. . . I also dabbled on thepiano." Qi Mu nodded understandingly. Min Chen''s eyes were still dark, and he veryquickly changed the topic, "I haven''t seen your music room." Qi Mu subsequently smiled, "It''s not thatinteresting of a ce, just an ordinary music room." Despite saying so, heenthusiastically led the guest to hismusic room. He opened the door and turned on the light, revealing the simple musicroom. "I did not ask for a music room, sothe decorations are simpler." Min Chen''s narrow gaze circled the entire roomthen settled on the box on the table. "You like Paganini''s ¡¶¡·?" Qi Mu subconsciously replied, "Well, I''vepracticed Paganini''s songs for a while." "I like this piece very much, will you. . .allow me to listen?" Qi Mu was stunned, and he turned to look at the man. He saw that Min Chen was alsostaring at him, his eyes deep andfocused. The meaning of that request, Qi Mu was shocked. It was a glorious thing for any violinist tohave Min Chen ask for a performance. Compared to other music masters, Min Chenwas a very indifferent person. He had given achance to only a few, but none. . .terbecame well known. Bai Ai''s current concertmaster, Christi, was theonly violinist Min Chen had taken the initiative to hear his violin. And now a second had appeared. Without a trace of fear, Qi Mu curled his lipsinto a smile andughed. This expression of confidence was dazzling on theyouth''s handsome face. He nodded seriously,and his voice was firm, "Alright." He removed his violin from its case, wiped thebow with rosin, and directly lifted it to his shoulder. The notes were smooth, like water current, and the brisk tone flew from thestrings of his violin. The word ¡¶¡· tranted into Chinese meant ¡¶Bell¡·. However it had a unique name¡ª¡ª¡¶TheEmperor''s Bell¡·. The song was mostly a brisk stato, but in aPaganini''s song, it was quite tricky andmost violinists couldn''t control it. So when Min Chen proposed this song, itwas also a challenge for Qi Mu. But, this song was one of Qi Mu''s formerincarnation''s most perfected piece, andhe was especially fond of it. Qi Mu had yed ¡¶Bell¡· at his graduationconcert as hisst performance at Geneva. Even inters interviewing withseveral of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, he still yed ¡¶Bell¡·. This piece was incredibly significant to Qi Mu. In his previous life, he had a special album that recorded it five times. In that quiet music room, the cheerful musouldn''t wait to jump free from his bow. Every note danced in the air, breakingthe silence of the room like it wanted toeverything into the depths of a happy, cheerful ocean. As soon as the first note emerged, Qi Mu wasimmersed in the sound. Each string, each pull of his bow, it was engraved intothe depths of his memory. Pulling out this familiar melody, it was like he hadreturned to that early morning that he had gone to the Vienna SymphonyOrchestra with his violin case. If the interview wasn''t a sess, he could onlyleave Vienna. The slender fingers of the youth''s white handflowed back and forth over the four thing strings. The speed was so fast,sometimes so dazzling, that one could only use their ears to listen to thebeautiful music. Perhaps he was too immersed, so deep he couldnot extricate himself from it, so Qi Mu didn''t know that after ying for justa minute, the man listening to him suddenly stiffened and stared at him incredulously. His Phoenix eyes were wide, and Min Chen''sfingers trembled. Daniel had been with this man for over a decade,but if he could see this now, he would have said, "Oh my god, Min. Is it theend of the world? Why are you so surprised?!" The song went on for nine minutes, and MinChen''s excellent hearing suspended him in horror, capturing every noteperfectly. Each slide of the fingers against the strings,each pass of the bow, each of these notes were so hauntingly familiar. Whenthey came together, they formed theunique song that belonged to just Qi Mu¡ª¡ª¡¶LaCampane¡·. This song that was unique to Lu Zi Wen. . . ¡¶La Campane¡·.
Trantor(s): Bet, Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Bet:

Sorry for the minor dy everyone. Kuro¡¯s inte went down, and I didn¡¯t wake up early enough to finish the chapter by the original deadline. At least it¡¯s only half an hourte! Chapter 43
The gorgeous sound of a violin continued to ringclearly in the simple music room. Qi Muwas a contemtive person. Over the years, he seldom thought he was the best,or most skilled, at any of the songs he yed. However, when it came to ¡¶Bell¡·, he could confidentlysay, "I am good at it." The bow jumped rapidly across the strings, buteach movement was controlled by this skilled violinist. Paganini, called theKing of the Violin, was often praised for his dazzling skill with theinstrument. This ¡¶Bell¡· was a nightmare for an inexperienced violinist. But that was nottrue for Qi Mu, who was already entirely immersed in the song. At the end, Qi Mu was still engrossed in thefamiliar sound and was unable to shake himself free of it. He returned to his senses at the low chime of adistant bell. Today was Christmas Eve and the many bells in BCity''s tower rant at the stroke of midnight. The bell reverberated so strongly, its echoes could be felt even in theinsted music room. Qi Muid his violin in its case and said witha smile, "I didn''t notice it was already midnight." Buckling the case shut, heturned to the man sitting opposite him and added, "Merry Christmas." Min Chen had already gathered his thoughts andlooked indifferent and calm as usual. He nodded, "Merry Christmas." The sound of the violin''s notes still lingeredin the room. Min Chen''s eyes narrowed in a squint, and hemented, "You have a good grasp on ¡¶Bell¡·. I''ve heard the ViennaPhilharmonic''s concertmaster, Lyon Zayev, y it in a duet once. Your skill iparable, and you''ve handled the details in some parts very well." Facing this praise, Qi Mu was not shy butinstead nodded politely, "Thank you." Min Chen looked at him and asked, seeminglycasual, "Whose ¡¶Bell¡· do you usually listen to?" For any musician, it was important to listen to the works of different maestros. Even MinChen had a wall of shelves dedicated to various masters. Dating back to theprevious century, from the oldest record to the current Blu-ray and CDs, theylined his huge music room back in Berlin. Qi Mu took a moment to recall then answered,"I''ve bought Mr. ardi''s album and listened to his ¡¶Bell¡· frequently. I preferhis version inparison to others''." Min Chen''s eyebrow raised higher when he heardthis, and he stared at Qi Mu solemnly. He asked again, "You listen to ardi¡¯s¡¶Bell¡·?" Qi Mu nodded without thinking too much about it. Heughed and said, "I''ve listened toothers, but Mr. ardi''s version is my favorite. Why? Do you like his too?" Min Chen shook his head, "I prefer. . . yours." Qi Mu was stunned. He smiled helplessly, "Thathat is far toorge. I dare not wear it." Being praised so much as to be called Min Chen''sfavorite version, Qi Mu was a little afraid that he was joking, so he pulledaway from it. While actually, Min Chen felt he had said too much, so after theyspoke a while longer, it was not toote, but the two separated for the night. Qi Mu hadn''t prepared a full-table meal in along time. After such a busy day, he felt exhausted. He took a quick shower andwent to bed. Separated by the wall, in the spacious but simple living room thatwas still dark, its owner did not turn on the lights. Only the citystreetlights that entered through the floor-to-ceiling windows illuminated theroom. The tall man leaned against the ck Steinwaypiano that Qi Mu had just praised, and he frowned down at the moonlightsshed across the floor. He didn''t say a word, but his profound gaze seemedplicated. No one knew how long he stood there, leaningagainst the grand piano, without a word. But when the distant eastern horizongained a hint of gray, he took action: dialing a number. After a short beep, the phone was picked up. Itsounded like a family dinner on the other side, and theughter of a childcame through the speaker. "Hey, Min, Merry Christmas Eve. It''s pastmidnight for you over there, right? It''s too early for you to be calling me. Istill have an hour until midnight, alright? I''m going to the New Year concertsoon. Damn it, Min, when will youe back?" Min Chen''s foot pressed against the floor, andhe straightened from the piano. He walked over to the windows and said in a lowvoice, "Daniel. Merry Christmas Eve. Help me book a ticket. Have a wonderfulChristmas night." "Haha, Min. You''ll only speak so well atChristmas. Alright, what do you want me to look for? My sweetheart can wait forme to cut the turkey. This year, it''s very good,roasted and tender right out of the oven. Oh. . ." Min Chen went straight to the point, "Help meresearch someone." There seemed to be someone talking to Daniel.After saying a few words in reply, Daniel turned to answer Min Chen. "Are youstill talking about that Luo Yu Sen? Hey, Min, I''ve already found out hisbackground. You can look at the research on him and Jacquester. I don''treally know how Luo provoked that Jacques, but he''s being choked out." Daniel had begun the investigation when he hadleft a few days ago. Luo Yu Sen was being isted in the Vienna SymphonyOrchestra, and it seemed to be thedeliberate work of the concertmaster, Jacques himself. Daniel didn''t know whyJacques was doing it, but he was very confident that it was his handiwork. Listening to Daniel, he didn''t want to askanother thing about Luo Yu Sen. Swaying, Min Chen said, "Not him. I want you tocheck out. . . Qi Mu." Daniel sneaked aside and said subconsciously, "Ididn''t check his information before. But, his father was the conductor of theHuaxia S City Symphony Orchestra. His mother was the concertmaster. He''sstudied the violin since he was four. He won the Menuhin Junior Championship atthirteen and worked the Vienna Symphony Orchestra at fourteen. . ." "Daniel." The man''s maic voice suddenly interruptedDaniel''s tirade, and Daniel noticed there was something wrong. He frowned andopened the door to his lively living room. Stepping out onto the balcony, heasked, "Min, what happened for you to want me to look into things?" "I want you to look into. . ." "The rtionship between him and Lu Zi Wen." Near the New Year, the major orchestras inEurope would hold a grand concert. The most striking of which would be theVienna New Year Concert and the Berlin Philharmonic New Year Concert. Thetter was held in the Philharmonic Hall inBerlin, where a musical feast would be yed on New Year''s Eve. The former wasusually held in the Golden Hall on January 1st of each year. There would belive broadcasts in dozens of countries across the world so this annual event could be yed in every corner of theworld. In the music capital of Vienna, the protagonistof the New Year was naturally the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Every year,music lovers from all over the world would gather to listen to Wei Ai''sperformance. As for the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. . .Although they were also a world-ss Symphony, they could notpete with WeiAi. They often did world tours in previous years, after all, there were only asmall number of people that coulde to Vienna to listen to their concerts.Passing the beauty of ssical music to fans around the world was theirmission. But, this year, probably because there wastrouble on the inside, Evra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra''s conductor didn''thold a global tour. Instead, he made the entire orchestra make adjustments thiswinter, waiting for the next year to have a public performance. In winter, Vienna was still warm, and there wasrarely any rainfall. Even near the end of the year, the sun was warm, and people didn''t want to move. 3 o''clock in the afternoon, Viena SymphonyOrchestra Headquarters. Although they said "adjustments," dailyrehearsals were still essential. Around afternoon tea time, the concertmasterJacques, serving as interim conductor, announced a break. The man sitting atthe deputy chief position at the second violin group stood. The fat, ck man standing in at the podiumsneered at the ck-haired Chinese man that rushed out to the lounge. Hedidn''t have any words to say, so he went with the other members to have theafternoon tea. At the other side, Luo Yu Sen stood in thedoorway of the lounge with trepidation. After gaining permission, he entered. Stravinsky''s ¡¶Petrsuka¡·echoed in the room andthe elegant piano sounded with each turn of the album. Since someone hadentered the room, Evra turned down the volume and turned. He watched Luo Yu Senwith a nk expression and asked, "Luo? You''vee looking for me, is there aproblem?" Luo Yu Sen stared at the floor and struggled inhis heart for a long time. "Mr. Evra. There are a lot of songs in the nextquarter that requires a deputy chief. I don''t think the position can continueto be empty." Luo Yu Sen said "deputy chief," but it was not abouthis position in the second violin group. Rather,it was the deputy chief position in the first violin group. Four months ago,that was Lu Zi Wen''s position, but ever since the ident, Evra had left theposition vacant without adjusting the seats or recruiting externally. In the face of Luo Yu Sen''s sudden discussion,Evra wasn''t too surprised. This serious old man still had face, sohe said nothing. Instead, he seemed to be waiting. The Chinese man hesitated for a while and said,"Mr. Evra. I''ve thought a lot. Lu Zi Wen''s death makes me sad, and I oftendream of him every night, but I don''t think he''d want to see the orchestramissing a deputy chief." He seemed to have gained confidence, and he looked up at Evra, "Mr. Evra, I want tormend myself to you. Please, test me." Luo Yu Sen finished, but there was no response. This strange silence made Luo Yu Sen fewkward. After a long time, Evra sighed and said, "Luo, you have to train.Deputy chief. . . I have this position in my heart. I am also very saddened byLu''s death. He was very promising, and anoutstanding violinist. As your lover, you must work hard to share hisburden, ah." Luo Yu Sen was anxious. "Mr. Evra, I''m willingto ept your challenge, I. . ." "Luo." Evra looked indifferently upon thisanxious man. He said inly, "Your current level is not enough to serve asdeputy chief. Practice well. The orchestra has been making progress, and I hopeyou can keep up with everyone''s rhythm. For Lu''s sake, the things I mentionedbefore have been considered, but. . . your strength isn''t enough to guaranteethe renewal of your contract." Under Evra''s harshrefusal, Luo Yu Sen left the lounge. ¡¶Petrsuka¡·''ssound had been floating about the lounge for a long time, and eventually, itcalmed. Evra removed the disk and calmly ced it back in the album case.Apparently, andropause was already affecting a man so young. As he stood, Evramuttered, "Want to be deputy chief with that skill? Well, it''s a pity thetalented ones like Lu leave first. . ."
Trantor(s): Kuro, Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 44
Only a few days after Qi Mu''s return to B City,he sent off the most solemn, western Christmas celebration ever and ushered inthe new year. On the night of December 30th, a New Year''s concert was to beheld at the Great Hall of the People, and the performer was Huaxia''s NationalSymphony Orchestra. The B City Symphony Orchestra was in a simrsituation to the Vienna Symphony. Moreso, Tan Zheng Hui didn''t actually want toperform a national concert this year. So,on the evening of the 30th, Qi Mu arrived early at the Great Hall of thePeople. This year, Huaxia invited the world-ssmaster, Ivan Kocher from the US National Symphony Orchestra. This maestro''sstyle was delicate and gentle, and he had conducted the Huaxia NationalSymphony before. Qi Mu looked forward to tonight''s performance very much. Throughout the nearly three-hour-longperformance, Ivan and the Huaxia Orchestra received a lot of praise andapuse. Once it had ended, arge part of the audience was still immersedand would not forget the experience. Qi Mu had attended the concert alone thisevening. The Zheng couple went to their hometown to visit family for theholidays. When Qi Mu had gone next door with the two tickets he received fromthe B City Orchestra, he knocked for quite some time without a response. Just as Qi Mu thought it was strange, heremembered¡ª¡ª Huaxia was holding a New Year''s concert, wasn''tBerlin the same? Min Chen must have returned to rehearse with theorchestra a few days ago. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra''s New Year concerton the 31st was also a must-see. Therefore, Qi Mu sat alone under the magnificentdome of the Great Hall while the seat beside him remained empty. But, as he wasabout to leave, he hadn''t taken even a few steps when he suddenly heard someonewhisper his name. Turning back, Qi Mu saw Tan Lao walkingtoward him with a smile. Du Sheng looked Qi Mu up and down and smiled, "XiaoQi, ah, why did youe alone? Didn''t the orchestra give two tickets perperson? You don''t have a girlfriend?" Qi Mu''s smile shrank, and he said helplessly, "Du-ge, you''re making fun of meagain. I don''t have a girlfriend, ah." I don''t even have a boyfriend! Du Sheng justughed and stopped teasing him.Instead, a graceful man in a suit besidehim, who had been smiling at Qi Mu all the while, said, "Xiao Qi, Ihaven''t seen you for a long time. Why didn''t youe visit? Did you forget your Uncle Zhu?" As a matter-of-fact, Qi Mu had noticed Zhu WenJun standing beside Tan Lao. The handsome middle-aged man was the currentconductor of S City''s Symphony Orchestra. Beside him, holding his hand andsmiling, was the orchestra''s music director and also his wife, Cheng Ting Wen. Qi Mu nodded and politely greeted them with asoft smile, "Uncle Zhu, Auntie Cheng, long time no see. I received that S Citydelicacy you sentst month. Thank you for the gift." Although Cheng Ting Wen was over forty, her bodywas well maintained, and she looked likeshe was in her thirties. She covered her mouth to hide herugh and said, "XiaoQi is really sweet. Oh right, we received that album you sent us from Hong Kongthe other day. Your skill is getting better and better. Your Uncle Zhu and Ilistened to the Sibelius'' ¡¶FirstSymphony¡· you performed with New Ai, and we''ve decided totalk to you about something." Qi Mu asked, "What is it?" Henpecked as always, Zhu Wen Jun would neveroppose his wife. He only looked at her helplessly then said to Qi Mu, "Thismatter is still a secret. We intended to talk to Tan Lao first, theninvite you. But since Ting Wen''s already mentioned it, I''ll tell you directly. XiaoQi, do you know how many years ago our S City Orchestra was founded?" This question was indeed a test. No matter how hard QiMu studied, it was impossible to remember the details of every singleorchestra clearly. Even for the S City Orchestra, which was one of the most famousin all of Huaxia. As for the original? His head was full of car racing and yinggames. There was no time to think of when an orchestra was established. After thinking for a long time, Qi Mu gave aprobable answer, "If I remember correctly, S City''s Symphony Orchestra wasfounded in or around 1920?" Zhu Wen Jun and Cheng Ting Wen looked at eachother and smiled. The former nodded and said, "Not too far off. It wasofficially established on January 8, 1916. The Yulin West Daily issued a statementon it that year. This year will be the 100th anniversary of the orchestra¡¯sfounding." Qi Mu was startled, but he continued to listen as Cheng Tin Wen said, "There were someidents, and our preparations werehurried. We won''t make it for January 8th this year, but the grand celebrationwill be held in February. When your parents were alive ten years ago, weregretted that we invited famous violinists and conductors to perform for our90th anniversary. This year, we n to invite Chinese musicians and showcase afestival that belongs just to Huaxia." Qi Mu was beginning to guess what wasing,from Zhu Wen Jun and his wife''s words, but he didn''t dare speak it aloud as hefelt it was unlikely. Seeing his bewildered face, Tan Laosmiled, "For the S City Orchestra''s Centennial Celebration, other orchestras,including ours, will be lending a hand. For the piano, Wang Zheng, the secondce winner of the Xiao Competitionst year, has been invited to performProkofiev''s ¡¶Piano Concerto No. 2¡·." Du Sheng also smiled and nodded, "For thiscelebration, many Chinese young talents are bringing invited. Besides Min Chen,several famous Chinese musicians under the age of thirty were invited, and many of them have already agreed to give aspecial performance." After Du Sheng mentioned Min Chen''s name, ZhuWen Jun looked at Qi Mu and said, "Bai Ai seems to be busy at the beginning ofthe year. Otherwise, I would have likedto cede this baton to Min Chen." Zhu Wen Jun''s self-depreciation made everyonugh. He looked at the confused Qi Mu and said, "Xiao Qi. At the end ost year, we had a lot of ns and issued some invitations. For theviolinists, we considered many young talents like Sheng Yan Hui and Li Zhang,but now. . . I think there''s an even better candidate." Qi Mu was no longer confused. He understood whatZhu Wen Jun meant. But he was still a little shocked. After awhile, he frowned and asked tentatively, "Uncle Zhu, you want to. . . inviteme?" Zhu Wen Junughed and said, "Yes, Xiao Qi.S City''s Symphony Orchestra will send you an official invitation tomorrow. Ihope you can take part in the celebration. Some people have some doubts and area bit prejudiced against you, but your cooperation with New Ai was great, and it''s dispelled their concerns." He paused and his expression slowly changed. "QiMu, I sincerely hope you will ept this invitation. The past eight years. . .we''ve both made mistakes. We didn''t takegood care of you for Qi Jun and Ru Yue. We left you alone on the wrong path." At the time, the death of Qi Mu''s parents was sosudden it jarred all of their friends. Qi Jun and Ru Yue left only Qi Mu, thisone seedling. Several of the seniors had the idea to nurture Qi Mu until he hadgrown, but who would expect this to be counterproductive and make this stubbornkid even more rebellious? As a matter-of-fact, every time they gottogether these past eight years, they wouldment over this. If Qi Mu reallydidn''t want to stay on this path, then what they did was indeed selfish. So inprivate, they contacted Zheng Wei Qiao and sent money for Qi Mu, but also helpedarrange jobs for him. Even if Zheng Wei Qiao had a wide ofconnections, it was impossible for him to find a new job for Qi Mu every week.It was also impossible for him to aid Qi Mu so frequently when he needed toprovide for his own family. These thin-skinned elders were too embarrassed toapologize to the younger generation, and if the original had seen them, hewould have gotten angry anyway. So they had no choice but to use thisroundabout way. But, when he proposed the idea this time, it wasthe first time he was actually serious. Zhu Wen Jun sighed, "It''s been several monthsalready, and I think. . . you really dowant to get back into ssical music. If that''s the case, Xiao Qi, thisis also your parents'' unfulfilled desire. We hope you will ept thisinvitation and make the celebration a sess." A chilling wind blew through the square. Even atthe end of the year, Chang''an Street was still packed. The city''s neon lightsshone down on the fair and the handsome youth''s face, making it appear silkyand hazy. After a long time, Qi Mu slowly nodded andshowed a sincere smile: "Alright, Uncle Zhu. I ept your invitation. Iwill try my best. . . not to let you down."
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet Chapter 45
The prestigious S City Symphony Orchestra wasthe first to be established in Asia. They were undoubtedly the best ssicalmusic performers in Huaxia for the past century, since they were founded. The orchestra had performed in various,prestigious halls around the world like Carnegie Hall in New York,Concertgebouw in the Nethends, one in Vienna, Austria. They were even thefirst Huaxia performers to y on stage at the Berlin Philharmonic Hall. Once he received the invitation, Qi Muimmediately packed up and took a n to S City the very same day. Thesttime he had been in S City, it was on tour with the B City Symphony Orchestra.This time, when Qi Mu stepped onto the prosperound, his heart quivered. He had been to many ces in his past life.Huaxia was naturally one of them. Every time he came here, he always felt asthough he was inexplicably returning to his roots. Like he belonged to thind, that he was meant to grow and live here. Many people thought that the US Green Card was challenging to get. But in recent years, it wasthat foreigners dreamed of. Huaxia was arge country with a historyspanning over five thousand years. They had broad and tolerant minds, but theyalso had a mindset of "hiding their shorings." Want to be a Huaxianational? Yeah, dream on. Huaxia would never recognize dual citizenship! Qi Mu learned a lot about Huaxia''s culture fromhis adoptive parents and his Chinese was also excellent. They often said:"Different race, different heart." Qi Mu could only fullyprehend those wordswhen he applied for Huaxia nationality numerous times in his past life. He spent half his life preparing the materialsto apply for it, and yet, in thest month of review, he died and was reborndirectly as a Huaxian. Zhu Wen Jun mentioned before that this was the one hundredth anniversary, and all themusicians they invited would be Chinese. The orchestra was naturally the S CitySymphony, and the musicians were almost all geniuses under the age of thirty. Qi Mu could understand this feeling. It was truethat the development of ssical music startedte in Huaxia whenpared with the west, but their rise was not sloweither. Many Huaxians were in prominent positions in several differentworld-ss orchestras around the world. Qi Mu felt deeply that the older generation ofmusicians, and even artists, had the desire to spread ssical musicthroughout Huaxia. This idea was confirmed within the first five hours of hisarrival in S City. "I think that ¡¶First Symphony in E Minor¡· QiMu performed with New Ai was excellent. Why don''t we select a simr piecethat''s written by one of our own, instead of Paganini?" Cheng Ting Wen woresses and her curly hair skillfully tied up. Her expression was both professionnd serious. "The style we want to showcase is different from Paganini''s!" As one of the music directors, Cheng Ting Wen was also a famous cellist. Shemight look like a beautiful woman on the outside, but she had a keen instinct when it came to ssical music. Another music director pped the table. "Didyou even see the violinpetitionst year? He''s good with Paganini''s andhis ability to perform it is perfect. In this aspect, we should showcase ourskill level to those foreigners. Do you have a better choice than Paganini''s?" Cheng Ting Wen refuted, "If you want to showskill and difficulty, is Prokofiev''s ¡¶PianoConcerto No. 2¡· that Wang Zheng isying not enough?!" "The majority of people attending that day areprofessional musicians, Cheng Ting Wen,not amateurs that y outside! This is our hundredyear anniversary. The music style is good, and Paganini''s is the onlyone that is sophisticated enough for this. What are you not satisfied with?!" . . . Seeing these music directors argue to the pointthat they were rolling up their sleeves, Qi Mu was humored and distraught. Hethought Huaxia musicians would be more reserved and not show their emotions so easily. He didn''t expect that when it came tomusic, musicians all over the world were like this. . . short tempered and without manners. In S City''s conference room, Qi Mu and the othermembers of the orchestra persuaded them for a long time. Eventually, Zhu WenJun made a decision and didn''t give them an opportunity to think about it. "Thest two songs Qi Mu will perform are goingto be Min Chen''s ¡¶Violin Sonata in D minor¡· and ¡¶Liang Zhu¡·. It is settled." The handsome middle-aged man looked at his wifeand said kindly, "Ting Wen, see, both are in tune with the theme, right? Andthey''re both the works of a Huaxian." Cheng Ting Wen hummed and agreed. Zhu Wen Jun looked at the man on the other sideof the room and said helplessly, "Lao Qi, ah, ¡¶D minor¡·is not that difficult,but are you okay with ¡¶Constance March¡·?" The middle-aged man called Lao Qi noddedreluctantly. Zhu Wen Jun let out a relieved sigh. He lookedat Qi Mu who was sitting opposite him. "Xiao Qi, ah, sorry for makingyou see this joke. Your Auntie Cheng, Uncle Qi and I grew up together, so this is normal. Don''t be surprised." Watching the two musicians arguing until theirnecks were flushed with anger already made it hard for Qi Mu to restrain hiughter. He dutifully fixed his expression and nodded earnestly, "Okay, UncleZhu." Zhu Wen Jun naturally knew that Qi Mu wassuppressing hisughter and he felt helpless. But he still had to say, "As youheard, you will perform after Wang Zheng, and you will be thest. You workedwith ¡¶Liang Zhu¡· whenyou were a child, so I don''t worry about it, but how''s your ¡¶D major¡·?" ¡¶D major¡· wasthat one Zheng Wei Qiao mentioned before. . . thenightmarish one. The first movement was called ¡¶Constance March and had a variety ofplex tremolo, jumps of the bow, and notes spanning from G to Estring repeatedly. It was all challenging to a musician''s skill and endurance. Qi Mu hadn''t touched this piece for a long time,so he honestly replied, "I haven''t yed it for a long time, Uncle Zhu. Butthere is still just over a month to prepare. Give me three days, I''ll master itagain." Zhu Wen Jun asked, "Three days? Is that all youneed?" Qi Mu smiled up at him then solemnly nodded,"Yes." Getting an affirmative answer from Qi Mu, ZhuWen Jun smiled gently and said a few words of encouragement. He then discussedthe song selection with Cheng Ting Wen. Qi Mu, led by his assistant, returnedto the hotel arranged for him by the S City Symphony Orchestra. When the original left S City a few years ago,he went with a bad attitude. He sold his house, so when Qi Mu returned, he hadno choice but to live in a hotel. His room had a view of the Huangpu River and today''s weather was unusuallygood. Qi Mu could see the oil tanker sailing along the river with just ance. Qi Mu put away his luggage and took out his violin case. He then wentto the S City Symphony headquarters not too far away. The headquarters was a small three-storybuilding over a hundred years old. It was one of the oldest buildings in thecity. Qi Mu entered and went to the music room marked with his name. He thankedthe girl that guided him to it then closed the door and was alone. cing the case on the table, Qi Mu took outthe bow and rubbed it down with rosin. Before he could start tuning, hesuddenly heard a familiar ringtone. It was the ¡¶E Minor¡· that the B CitySymphony Orchestra had performed. Qi Mu was surprised when he saw the name onhis screen and quickly answered, "Hello, Min Chen?" A maic voice echoed over the phone line,"Yes, it''s me. Are you not home?" Qi Mu was stunned and asked without thinking,"Are you at my door?" Qi Mu smiled helplessly at the affirmative hereceived then put down his bow and said, "I flew to S City today. Did you knowabout the S City Symphony Orchestra''s Centennial Celebration? It will be heldnext month. It was decided they were going to showcase some young musicians, soI received an invitation. . ." Speaking of, Qi Mu suddenly remembered, "By theway, you should have also received an invitation, right? I forgot about that." Holding the phone with one hand, Qi Mu set hisscore on the tripod then looked down at the familiar name on the score. He saidwith a smile, "It''s a pity you can''t participate. It''s a rare centennialcelebration after all. Do you know what score I''m looking at right now?" He listened to the answer from the other sidethenughed, "I''m looking at your ¡¶Dmajor¡·. I''ll be ying it next month. This piece isquite difficult, so I wanted to. . ." The youth''s pleasant voice filled the quietroom. After speaking for a few minutes, hesuddenly remembered, "Why did you call me? I thought you returned to Berlin andwouldn''t be back for a while." There was a long silence over the line, and justas Qi Mu thought the man wouldn''t answer, he suddenly heard Min Chen sigh,"It''s nothing. Just. . . I just found out you weren''t home. I''ll be going backto Berlin tomorrow. There''s something I have to do." Qi Mu nodded with confusion and just happened tosee a small moth pping its wings in front of the score. He automaticallywaved his hand to drive it away and turned to close the window at the corner ofthe room. Behind the music room was a small garden of flowers. It wasmonfor bugs to wander in if the window wasn''t shut. When Qi Mu closed the window, a sudden thoughtshed through his mind, and he asked onreflex, "Did you call me. . . because you found another bug again?" Min Chen: ". . ." Qi Mu realized this joke wasn''t funny and said,"I''m just kidding, don''t mind me." Min Chen: ". . ." After exchanging a few more words, Qi Mu hung upthe phone. He first read the whole scorethen whispered helplessly, "It''s really not easy." He began to practice thepiece. What he didn''t know is that in a well-furnishedhigh-end apartment in B City, a man was staring silently at a bug the size ofhis fingernail on his porch. This staredownsted for five minutes. Finally,he closed the door and turned to walkaway without hesitation. Where was he going? Ahotel, of course! Don''t you see that big bug on the floor?!!!
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Kuro:

The ending was full of me LMFAOing while tranting. Ah, Min Chen just reced Qi Ze as No.1 ML in my heart. Min Chen is love, Min Chen is ! Chapter 46
The Centennial Celebration was an important event for Huaxia''s ssical music industry. In fact,as early as a year ago, there was already media coverage on the anniversary.Now, in the tense month of preparation leading up to it, there were severalnational-level media outlets speciallyreporting on it, causing tremendous exposure. The first day he came to S City, Qi Mu assured Zhu Wen Junthat three days of practice was all he needed. Since he dared to promise that,naturally he would not let Zhu Wen Jun down. At noon on the third day, Qi Mu knocked on the conductor''sdoor and carried in his violin case with a smile. Then, before Zhu Wen Jun''sastonished eyes, he yed a magnificent ¡¶D Major¡·to the man''s thorough approval. Now that he had mastered both songs, the next step was tocooperate with the orchestra. As the top orchestra in Huaxia, S City Symphony had an indisputable first-ss standard, even onthe world stage where the strong werelike trees in a forest. The orchestra wasdisciplined, and each of their members were highly skilled, and their teamwork was bound together with years of experience. Since Zhu Wen Jun became their permanent conductor eightyears ago, the orchestra had undergone training and done several performances.Even when such an excellent orchestraworked with someone for the first time, they could make anyone feel that levelof first-ss music. Perhaps because they so rarely practiced Min Chen''s ¡¶ViolinSonata in D major¡·, Zhu Wen Jun stopped at almost every movement during their firstrehearsal and pointed out corrections in detail. By the end of the day, oncethe song was about to end, he set down his baton, and the orchestra began coordinating. It had to be acknowledged that Min Chen''s D minor was indeedtricky. When Qi Mu rehearsed the next dayfor ¡¶Liang Zhu¡·, he had a much clearerimage of things. The beautiful melody echoed in the S City Symphony Orchestra''shall and the media outlets set to work on their reports. Within a month, media even not in the music circle madereports on it, and the Huaxia National Radio decided to broadcast the concertlive that evening. So everyone could enjoy the musical feast in thefort oftheir own home. Qi Mu''s rehearsal began the first few days, and Zhu Wen Juntold him he only had to take part once every two days in the afternoon.However, while things Qi Mu felt awkward with the arrangement, the orchestrawas busy. Qi Mu was only performing thest two songs, but what aboutZhu Wen Jun? The S City Symphony Orchestra? They needed to rehearse with all the musiciansthey invited! Take the opening erhu musician for example. She was young,under 25, and she took first prize in the Golden Bell Awardst year. She hadnever cooperated with such a formal orchestra before. The song she was going toy was "Er Quan Ying Yue," the most popr erhu song in Huaxia. Thedifficulty wasn''t high, but the girl had terrible stage fright. After all, the musicians invited to this celebration were all under the age of thirty. Most of themhad yet to leave their mark on the world of ssical music, so they did nothave the confidence or maturity to perform so suddenly. It was understandablethat they were a bit timid. "Say, Xiao Qi,ah. . . the other day, Cheng-jietold me that you didn''t have any stage fright at all. I thought it was a bitweird." Zheng Wei Qiao came to S City a week before the event. He was afrence writer so he would never miss such an asion. "You''ve performed orger stages before, but it was in your childhood. . . this time, even theconductor''s praised your fortitude." While they talked, Qi Mu and Zheng Wei Qiao were listeningto Zhu Wen Jun conduct Prokofiev''s ¡¶Piano Concerto No. 2 inE minor¡· in the rehearsal hall. The piano''s smooth melody echoed across the hall, and Qi Mu lowered his voice tough, "Zheng-ge, isn''t it good that I''m not nervous?Why are you worried?" Zheng Wei Qiao shook his head. He spoke while typing on thetablet he brought with him, "It''s a good thing that you aren''t nervous, butit''s a bit unexpected. . . This Wang Zheng also won second in Xiao Saistyear, but he still makes mistakes while working with the orchestra." Among pianists under 30, Wang Zheng was one of the best. Ifone did not count Min Chen, who wasunable to participate. By eighteen, he won second in the TchaikovskyInternational Piano Competition, andstyear, he won second ce in Chopin International. Xiao Sai was one of the heavyweightpetitions in thepiano industry, globally. There were six ces and one special ce awarded each year. It also had a special feature. If the judges thought no onewas worth the first ce, they would rather leave it empty than give it tosomeone undeserving. When Wang Zheng won secondst year, the first ce wasempty. So in essence, Wang Zheng''s skill was best among the young pianists inHuaxia¡ªso long as Min Chen was not counted. Whenever he performed ¡¶G minor¡· solo, WangZheng did excellently, but when ced with the orchestra, he encounteredproblems. Seeing Zhu Wen Juny down his baton again and correct Wang Zheng''smistakes, Qi Mu couldn''t help but frown. "I hope. . . the situation improvester." There was a saying: even when there was good, one could onlysee the bad. In the rehearsal the day before, Wang Zheng had gotten better atperforming with the orchestra. Yet, in the final run through, he yed a beatfast, and Zhu Wen Jun was troubled. For operas, there was a special day of rehearsal the daybefore the official event. This "preview" was a serious matter as the organizerwould sometimes sell tickets for fans to enjoy the rehearsal. The fee was generally a share of the formal performance. Fortunately, the S City Symphony Orchestra took thecelebration very seriously, and onlyrelevant personnel could enter the hall. Therefore, even if there were somemistakes, it wouldn''t have argeimpact. Qi Mu, who stood behind the red curtain in the backgroundholding his violin, had his delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. He watched theorchestra and the figure hunched over the piano. . . the young man''s forehead was already dripping in sweat. Wang Zheng was born into a good family, and he was spoiled by his parents. Though hehad participated in severalpetitions, he had never interacted with anorchestra. Therefore, he was unable to make the transition smoothly, and he wasanxious. Tomorrow was the event, and itwas impossible to find a recement. They could only hope he could y normally, maybe even exceptionally well,and would not be hasty. Once ¡¶G minor¡· had ended, Qi Mu saw Wang Zheng''s taut figure rx, and he looked lighter. But this was a much more formal form of rehearsal, soZhu Wen Jun didn''t say anything. Wang Zheng stepped down, and Qi Mu stepped onto the stage to perform. Thestaff pushed the heavy nine-foot Steinwayoff the stage, and Qi Mu went to hisposition at the left of the conductor. He raised his head, looked up at Zhu WenJun, and they both nodded. A cheerful, intense allegro rang out in an instant. The first movement of ¡¶D major¡· was fastand the title ¡¶Constance March¡· was famous. It was difficultand had a colorful tone. The orchestra listened respectfully to the soleviolin. Under the dazzling light, Qi Mu''s fingers dancedacross the strings. His speed was such that they left an afterimage. His lefthand carried the bow in fast jumps,keeping pace with his other hand. The piece had a colorful range of sound, from the Gstring to the E, and there several jumps that were challenging. But this was not difficult for Qi Mu, and he yed the piece with ease. Instead,Zheng Wei Qiao, backstage, wore a pinched expression and was in a cold sweat. Everyone knew that the most difficultpart of ¡¶Constance March¡· was at the end of thecadenza¡ª¡ªthe moment when the bassoon and the violin fused under the chief ofthe bassoon section! The bassoon was argetubr instrument, also known as the big pipe. It was heavy and deep. When yed, it had a solemn atmosphere, and they were ideal forserious, formal pieces. Yet, Min Chen did just theopposite! ¡¶Constance March¡· was a happy, lively springtime when everything was full of vitalityand renewed. The start also depicted a beautiful image to the audience, and thesudden insertion of the bassoon was always stunning. The reason ¡¶D major¡· did notstand out the most of Min Chen''s works was due to its high demands on theconcertmaster and the chief of the bassoons. Throughout the first movement, themain section was the violin and the onlything that apanied it was the mncholy sound of a bassoon. But in a happy piece? Well, the violinist had to make the bassoon witty andhumorous despite its seriousness that offset the song''s liveliness. While maintaining the difficultplex movement, Qi Mu had to also lead the bassoon. This was a problem for many violinists, but this time. . .when the most difficult duet came to anend, Zheng Wei Qiao who sat as the audience clenched his fists and whispered,"Good!" He was so excited that his face was flushed red and his earsrecorded every note that poured into them. Manyother musicians were ying on the stage, but Zheng Wei Qiao''s gaze wasfixed on the one standing just left of the conductor! The youth''s skillful maneuvering and the gorgeous, beautifrc of his bow¡ªhe even outshone the rest of the orchestra and had the mostunique presence. Zheng Wei Qiao could only imagine. . . How big a shock this young man was going to givethe world tomorrow!
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Bet:

Sorry for the dy everyone. We¡¯ve undergone a minor schedule change. Due to life (curse you, daily necessities), we have to bump KOCM from three updates a week to two. Right now, I¡¯m not sure when exactly they will be, but assume your next update to be on Friday (EST)! Chapter 47
The wind blew into S City from the dark east seaon February 6th, 2016. Due to this sea breeze, the temperature wouldn''t evenreach zero degrees, and everyone felt thestreets were cooler than usual¡ª¡ª This was the damp cold of the south. Even in this weather that chilled everyone tothe bone, there were still several women down from one car after another inbright, thinyers of clothing. On the arms of their malepanions, theywalked into the S City Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall. There were a total of 1200 invitations issuedfor the centennial celebration. In addition to world-renowned musical masters,many other guests with outstanding talent in various fields in Huaxia wereinvited. Out of these 1200 invitations, except for a handful who did notrespond, the majority were gathered here tonight waiting to experience thisgrand concert. Of the guests who came tonight, most could beconsidered at the pinnacle of the ssical music world. From the world''s four greatest conductors, thechief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Min Chen, and DresdenSymphony Orchestra''s conductor, Master Farrell Louis, were present. Additionally, Be Keim, known as Queen of theAmerican Violin, and the Canadian natural treasureposer, Spencer Rice, andBai Ai''s concertmaster, Christi Mensa. . . allof these famous international musicians were gathered at this magnificent hall. The S City Symphony Orchestra''s concert hall wasone of the top concert halls in Huaxia. This suspended building featured a1200-seat main auditorium and a 400-seat chamber hall. The main hall had an open design. But,regardless of whether it was a golden architectural style or puter-calcted scientific design, it was exceptional. One could not helpbut appreciate the grandeur of ssical Huaxia music. There were two VIP lounges and ten preparationrooms backstage. Qi Mu and the other young musicians were waiting in the tenprivate rooms. The backstage was busy, butthe S City Symphony Orchestra continued to y. Qi Mu made the final tuning of his E String inhis prep room when he heard the high-pitched sound of a sad erhuing fromthe stage. With the orchestra''s cooperation, this ¡¶Er Quan Ying Yue¡· wapleted sessfully and won the audience''s apuse. ¡ª¡ªObviously, this was an excellent start. Once the erhu song ended, there was ¡¶Moonlit Night¡· onthe zither and ¡¶Overlord Unloaded¡· on the lute. . . When Qi Mu took his violin to the lounge, he sawa young man walk past him toward the stage, hands clenched into fists. It was Wang Zheng. The thunderous apuse in the hall had yet tostop, and Qi Mu saw sweat on Wang Zheng''s forehead. He frowned slightly andreached out to grab Wang Zheng''s arm. Thetter turned to eye him strangely. He saw Qi Mu lick his lips in hesitation thensmile, tone mild, "Wang Zheng, yesterday. . . whenI talked to Min Chen, he said he was looking forward to your performance today.He watched your video at Xiaosai, and hethinks your level is good." Wang Zheng jerked in surprise and didn''t knowwhat to say. He believed that Qi Mu wouldn''t tell such a lie.After all, there were media reports about the Sea Music Festival in Hong Kongthat showed they had participated in it. It was proof they did know each other. Wang Zheng swallowed subconsciously, and his heart jumped a little. "You. . . areyou telling the truth?" A light shed in Qi Mu''s eyes, and he noddedcalmly, "Yes. Min Chen is sitting at the side of the stage now. He saidyesterday he believed you would be able to perform well today." Qi Mu paused then said, "Wang Zheng, you earnedthe approval of Xiaosai. It shows you have the strength to perform well. Do notworry, just like the rehearsal over the past few days, remember not to focus onjust your performance. You have an orchestra, you must listen to all theirvoices." Wang Zheng was older than Qi Mu, but in front ofthis youth, he felt a bit immature. Of course, he did not realize it himself.But after listening to Qi Mu, he nodded seriously.His pale face, originally due to stress, was reced with a flush ofexcitement. Qi Mu watched as he turned to the stage. After shaking hands with the conductor, WangZheng sat on the bench. After a moment, the gentle melody of a piano emerged.The first movement passed, and the second, then the final, and once thatstmovement came to an end, Zhu Wen Jun quietly sighed. Qi Mu smiled and noddedbut did not speak. Wang Zheng had the ability. Some people justbecame nervous once they made a mistake. Therefore they became increasinglyprone to errors. Error, nervousness, more mistakes, more nervousness. . . there was no way to escape such a viciouscycle. Wang Zheng exited the stage with an excitedexpression on his face, and Qi Mu smiled. They gave each other a hug, and Qi Mutook a deep breath. Then he stepped onto the stage for his turn. There were at least 1100 people seated in the1200-upancy concert hall. The stage was in the center and surrounded on allsides by the audience. With listeners on both the first and second floors andthe numerous watchful eyes that missednothing, many neers would panic. Illuminated by the ceiling''s dozens of lights, ahandsome young man walked from the backstage with a smile. He extended his handto Zhu Wen Jun, and they shook hands,then he turned and bowed to the audience. Under the gazes of more than a thousand people,Qi Mu lifted his violin to his shoulder and readied himself. Just as he wasabout to turn to Zhu Wen Jun, he saw a man sitting in the third row look up athim. Qi Mu stilled. He smiled and turned to Zhu WenJun. Then a passionate¡¶Violin Sonata in D major¡· filled the air. In the third row of seats, Daniel stared at theyouth on the stage. Even through a lens, his gaze, which seemed capableof peeling flesh from bone and swallow QiMu directly, could not be disguised. Especially when at the end of the firstmovement, Qi Mu''s violin blended perfectly into the deep resonation of thebassoon. Even Daniel couldn''t help but smile. In his heart, he added yetanother level of potential value to this young man. Such a nice seedling, ah! If they could sign himonto Bai Ai, that would be great! On stage, Qi Mu had no idea that someone in theaudience was looking at him. . . "like a tiger." He and Zhu Wen Jun had yed dozens of ¡¶D major¡· over the past month.Whether with the orchestra, an ensemble, or a solo performance, they could saywith absolute confidence that there would be no problem. This wasn''t just for his confidence, but alsofor Zhu Wen Jun''s, and the S City Symphony Orchestra''s. Naturally, the development of things would notlet him down. From the fiery passion ofthe first movement, through the slow pace of the second, over the andante cantabile of the third movement, andinto the fast allegro of thest. The twenty-minute ¡¶D major¡· came to an end. Qi Musighed a little and came back to himself from such fierce music, but before hecould rx, he heard a familiar, maic voice¡ª¡ª "Bravo!" Warm apuse filled the concert hall, almostenough to raise the roof. A few listeners turned to the man who spoke.They were surprised not only by the sudden breaking of Min Chen''s silent,introverted nature but also by how hesupported such a neer in such a high-profile manner. Most critically¡ª¡ª The track yed by this neer was his own ¡¶D major¡·! ying a piece of music and getting a "Bravo"from itsposer was an honor for any musician. Therefore, the people who noticed Min Chen nowlooked at the young man on stage more seriously. They wanted to see what kindof person he was, to garner such a high level of praise and appreciation. However, Qi Mu did care about the audience''sserious gazes. He turned to Zhu Wen Jun, andthe two men nodded. Zhu Wen Jun lifted his baton, and the flute group''s melodybegan. Many Chinese people may have not heardBeethoven''s ¡¶Destiny Symphony¡· or Mozart''s ¡¶Marriageof Figaro¡·, and perhaps not even Min Chen''s song. But¡ª¡ª ¡¶Liang Zhu¡·?Almost every Chinese could hum a few notes. Not just in Huaxia, this ¡¶Liang Zhu¡· often echoed in majorconcert halls across the world. It resonated with Europeans and Americans. Theymay not understand the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai''s love, but they would know it was called¡ª¡ª¡¶Huaxia''s Romeo andJuliet¡·. People were most familiar with the violin piece.It was well known to the public, and evenpeople on the street could sing along with it. In fact, many musicymendidn''t know that ¡¶Liang Zhu¡·was over twenty minuteslong. The difficulty wasn''t high, but neither was itlow. Especially in theunching of the wedding, the demands on the violin werevery high. Many amateurs couldn''t practice this piece without training forseveral months. After his disy of the extremely difficult ¡¶D major¡·, the audience naturallybelieved he could y this song. Child, the question was. . . Could he really portray theplex and profoundemotion behind ¡¶Liang Zhu¡·?
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet

Bet:

Aaaaaaaah. I did it! Don¡¯t tell me how bad it is. (//^\\) Shower me in love and affection. I¡¯m working on the next four chapters so we can stabilize our update schedule, but aaaah. I feel like I didn¡¯t do this justice. Chapter 48
¡¶Liang Zhu¡· wasdivided into three parts. The first was introductory, the middle unfolded, and thest part was reconstructive. Amongthem, people were most familiar with the tune throughout the song as it was theiconic ssical melody for any Huaxian. Zhu Wen Jun stood at the podium of the majestic hall''s main stage. When he swung hisbaton, the orchestra followed hismand, turning that music sometimes melodious and meaningful and other times fierceand intense. He truly deserved his reputation of being one ofHuaxia''s most outstanding conductors. Under the wave of his hand, ¡¶Liang Zhu¡· became exquisite,delicate, and rich with emotion that even Westerners who had never heard itbefore couldn''t help but frown, immersed in the song and unable to extricatethemselves from it. However, what surprised many musicians was theyouth that stood to the conductor''s left¡ª¡ª The orchestra didn''t outshine him for even amoment! Qi Mu''s right hand leaped in a blur, and themovement of his bow gliding across the violin''s strings produced a fierce but enthusiastic sound. This was an excellent replica of a Stradivariusviolin. Its exquisite, vigorous timbre could make any violinist obsessed withit. But right now, itid obediently in the arms of this young man and madesuch a magnificent melody. Liang apanied his "sworn brother" for his18-mile journey. . .* Ying Tai, who didn''t want to get married,arrived before the grave. . .* *Events of the story Liang Zhu (ButterflyLovers in English). The violin mournfully sighed, whispering thepain of these two lovers that could not be together. Throughout the whole piece, Qi Mu''s violinappeared to have been drowned out by the cymbals, but in actuality, it echoed like a sob, and during the final part,it emerged once again with a hauntingly familiar melody. Those in the audience that were particrly emotional already had tearsin their eyes. When this melody was first heard, Liang and Zhu had just met, and now they were a pair of butterflies, flyingtogether in front of a grave. On stage, the young man frowned a little. Whenthest note floated from the tips of his fingers, the audience burst intoapuse in an instant. Guidance was unnecessary. This piece, whichbelonged entirely to Huaxia, had conquered the audience thoroughly¡ª¡ªto thepoint of shedding tears. Music was not divided by gender, age, or nationality.They couldn''t help but feel the love that stood against time and the secrworld depicted by this song, and they were moved by it. This was ultimately an excellent performance! The interpretation was so good, the audience was swallowed up by it.Because of its intensity, they hadforgotten they wanted to see what theyoung man on the stage could do. Instead, they were intoxicated with the youth''sperformance! After his cooperation with New Ai, Qi Mu wasused to such a situation. He smiled and hugged Zhu Wen Jun then, under the leadof the other man, the whole orchestra bowed to the audience. Even more enthusiastic apuse broke out anew. The S City Symphony Orchestra''s CentennialCelebration was officially over. There was no need to evaluate the event. Theapuse still hadn''t stopped five minutes after the concert ended, proofenough of its historic ending. Qi Mu and the orchestra left the stage orderlyand below, the audience left with smiles on their faces. Some were still intheir seats, recalling the musical feastthey were treated to. "Mr. Perez?" A middle-aged, blond male smiled atthe old man next to him. He asked gently, "Mr. Perez, are you going to sit herefor a long while? Tonight''s performance was fantastic! There really is a lot ofgreat music in Huaxia!" The one speaking was the British "Times"correspondent in Huaxia, Evan Ritter. He had been in charge of the Times'' musicsection for two years and naturally wouldn''t miss the Centennial Celebration.What he didn''t expect was for there to be a mastic sitting next to him at theevent. Sitting next to Evanwas an old man with grey hair. Though his hair had all turned white, he wasstill in good spirits and had a kind, gentle smile in his eyes.¡ª¡ª This foreign old man made a good impression evenat first nce. "Evan, you''re right. Let''s talk while we walk."The two men got up and walked in the direction of the exit together. "I alwaysknew Huaxia had good music. There are a few good Huaxian musicians in myorchestra, they are excellent." A glint shed in Evan''s eyes, sniffing outgood material for an article. "Mr. Farrel, I really liked Dresden''sperformance in Edinburghst year. It was truly unforgettable!" Evan was aperson who would lead the topic, he turned and said, "Mr. Farrel, who do youthink gave the best performance tonight?" Farrel Louis was the chief conductor of theDresden Symphony Orchestra. The sixty-year-old man had been with Dresden forover a decade, allowing the world''s oldest symphony to be even moreoutstanding and had received praise across the globe. Simultaneously, he was recognized as one of thefour greatest conductors alongside Min Chen and Dorenza. Farrel wasn''t angry with Evan''s leading words.Instead, he smiled, "They were all excellent. Huaxia''s skill level hassurprised me. But, Evan, you can write more on that person in your report. . . oh yes, thatst violinist. I believe you willhear his name often in the future." Evan was slightly surprised. "You mean. . . QiMu?" Having been in Huaxia for two years, Evan''s Chinese was quite good. Farrel smiled and nodded, "Well, it should bethat child. His ¡¶D major¡· was great, but I care more about. . . hisst ¡¶Liang Zhu¡·. His feelings weredelicate, and his approach to music is very unique." This straightforwardment made Evan''s eyesshimmer. He quickly engraved the passive to his memory and nned to go backand start his manuscript that night. But when Evan was about to seize the opportunityand talk a little more with him, Farrel waved a little and called out, "Hey,Auston!" When Evan turned to look, he saw a man with astraight posture turn to look at them. The moment he saw him, Evan was stunnedspeechless, and there was a burst ofecstasy in his mind: Good God, it''s Auston Bertram! I didn''t expect to runinto him! If he could talk to him, he would definitely get. . . headlines. . . tomorrow.. . "Hey, this buddy seems familiar. Are you areporter for the Times?" A blue-eyed blond walked over, and he grinned, revealing a white tooth. "Is it hard to catch newsevery day in Huaxia? We have a performance next month, I don''t know if you''reinterested. . ." Daniel looked at the little reporter and tookhim aside, not giving Evan a chance to react. When Evan returned to his senses,he discovered that he had listened to this long-winded Bai Ai agent for overtwenty minutes. . . such a waste! Who wants to know what Bai Ai''s ying nextmonth! Wasn''t it announced early?! In Paris! Conducted by the guest Charles Littis! Who didn''t know!!! Besides, he was a reporter on Huaxia, notforeign reporting! What''s did Bai Ai have to do with it!!! After Daniel pulled aside the reporter, Min Chenwalked alongside Farrel, and thegentleman said politely, "It''s been a long time, Farrel. Thest time I sawyou was in Munich?" Farrel nodded with a smile, "Indeed. I rememberthat I couldn''t attend your New Year''s concert this year. You didn''t listen to Dorenza''s either. It was fantastic." Min Chen nodded a little, "I''ve been busyrecently." Farrel did not ask further. He looked at the manstanding beside him, smiling but not speaking. "Christi, I didn''t expect to seeyou in Huaxia. How do you feel about the concert tonight? It was pretty good,don''t you think?" The brown-haired man standing next to Min Chenwas Bai Ai''s concertmaster, Christi Mensa, and the gentle violinist smiled atFarrel''s words. "Mr. Farrel, the ssical music in Huaxia has always beenstrong. Daniel told us a few months ago that Huaxia had some talents with greatpotential. Oh yes, you heard the performance of the violinist Daniel wasspeaking about today. His ¡¶Dmajor¡· was really good." As he was speaking, Daniel returned to them, and the four went in the direction of theconcert hall''s exit. Farrel said, "Christi,I disagree with you there. I think. . . hisst song, ¡¶Liang Zhu¡·, was best. Ah, Auston,I just remembered it was your song. Pay it no mind." In the face of old friends, Min Chen had nochoice but to look away, acting as if he had heard nothing. Of course, the conversation did not stay on ¡¶Liang Zhu¡· for long. They quicklychanged from Qi Mu, and they said a fewwords on the orchestra. Then they started talking about the next year''s MenuhinViolin Competition. Overall, the topicturnover was pretty quick. Min Chen wasn''t a talkative person by nature.Especially in the face of Daniel and Farrel, he asionally spoke a sentence ortwo but said little in the end. In the dark night, Min Chen walked on theperiphery of the four with his hands in the pockets of his ck coat. Many people were chatting about the concert in the lobby outside the concert hall. Some saythe small circle and naturally came over to greet them. Of course, aside from the world-ss musicianswho came over, there were a few young ones that came just to express theirreverence to Farrel, Min Chen, or Christi, then left. Watching the dramatic pair, the more theytalked, the more Min Chen felt like sighing. He eventually sighed softly andtook two steps tot he side, giving the passionate talkers a chance to chat witheach other. However, not long after, Canada''s nationaltreasureposer, Spencer Rice, pped his shoulder and started chattingaboutpositional inspiration. Min Chen''s patience for music had always beengood. He listened carefully to Spencer and exchanged some ideas. While he was listening, he caught sight of something in thecorner of his eye, and he subconsciouslyturned. Qi Mu and Zheng Wei Qiao were exiting thebackstage. There were a lot of people gathered in thelobby, but thergest circle was simply too eye-catching. Qi Mu spotted it in ance. He also noticed the man standing just to the side of it. The two looked at each other in surprise. But QiMu noticed he was talking with Spencer, so he smiled but did not go over tobother them. Min Chen hesitated for a moment but immediately understood theyouth''s intention. He thought for a while then extended his righthand with the thumb pointed up. Looking at the young man''s stunned expression,Min Chen''s lips curled upward, and heturned to look at his conversational partner. "Spencer, it sounds like youreally want to use the Canadian maple leaf for inspiration, but if I remembercorrectly, isn''t it winter in Canada, right now? How about changing the theme.. ." Not far off, it took a while for Qi Mu to gatherhis wits. He stared, dumbfounded, at the man who hadturned away and was no longer looking at him, feeling a little helpless. That just now. . . Was he praising his performance? Well, it seemed a little childish.
Trantor(s): Kuro, Bet Editor(s): Bet

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Oh no! Kuro¡¯s most avable to trante during the weekend, but herptop broke! So let¡¯s see if I can hang onto this for a little more. As repayment, she is doing us (Read: Me, because I¡¯m a sucker) an art piece. We have some ideas already, but if you have an opinion on what the KOCM cast (Qi Mu, Lu Zi Wen, Min Chen, Zheng Wei Kiao, Christi, and Daniel) look like, drop a hint in thements! She¡¯ll take all of them into consideration. Chapter 49
A piercing wind whistledoutside the floor-to-ceiling window of the lobby. Many guests had driven away.Only a few musicians who met old friends still chatted in the lobby, nningto go out for ate evening meal. Despite his advanced age, Farrelwas still hale and hearty. Not only did he have no problems keeping up with thetalkative Daniel, but he also saidsomething relevant on every topic and make the gathered crowd burst ouughing. After half an hour, the musicians finally tired of talking andbegan to leave one after another. Eventually, only Daniel and Farrel were left discussing what songs to choose for thenext tour season. Christi, who stood beside them, didn''t know whether tough orcry. He pointed out, "But Mr. Farrel, Daniel. . . You are not in the same orchestra,so. . . You don''t have to agree on your theme, do you?" These words surprised Farrel. He nodded with a smile. "Indeed.Daniel, I don''t have to care about what you decide." Daniel also smiled. "That''s true. In fact, we in Bai Ai havetalked about this already. This year, we will perform Schumann''s works." At theend of the year, there was a heated discussion about what theme to use for thenext season''s tour. The members proposed various programs and the concertmasterand the conductor would make the final decision. Min Chen, who followed along without speaking, looked at Danind asked nonchntly, "I agreed to that?" Daniel was stunned, then he remembered: "Oh, at that time you wereon vacation in Huaxia!" He abruptly stopped because something urred to him¡ªthey forgot to ask this bigboss! Frightened, Daniel cleared his throat and said, "Min! Don''t tellme that you think this topic is not right?! This is the 160th anniversary ofMaster Schumann''s death! Don''t make fun of me!" Unexpectedly, Min Chen''s thin lips curled upward slightly, histone t, "I didn''t say it was inappropriate." Daniel: ". . ." Christi: ". . ." Farrel: "Ha ha ha ha, you''re still so mean, Auston." Min Chen shrugged nomittallyand the four men walked toward the exit. Farreldid note by car, so he let Min Chen offer him a ride. Daniel and Christiwent to pick up the car. Min Chen watched the bright lights of the traffic onthe distant street when, out of the blue, he heard the man beside him speak. "Auston. . . you and Qi are acquaintances?" Surprised, Min Chen turned to Farrel and saw thetter gazing athimself with a smile. Min Chen was a little taller than Farrel, so he had to look down at him. He pondered fora moment, then replied, "Well, I know him. Why do you ask?" Farrel nodded. "He''s a good violinist, very skilled. Seeing himreminds me of how I used to look when I yed the violin. Partly due to hisage, I guess. He''s really young!" Min Chen''s expression did not change as he listened to Farrel''spraise of Qi Mu, but his deep eyes shed. After a moment, he asked, "Do youthink he''s outstanding?" Farrel smiled again and asked in reply, "You don''t? I listened tohis performance with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra seven or eight years ago. IfI didn''t have an impression of this talented young man, I wouldn''t have paidattention then. Over the past eight years, his music style has changed so muchthat I almost couldn''t recognize him." Naturally, as one of the world''s top conductors, aposer, and a violinist, Farrel''s hearing wasiparable. Even years after listening to someone''s performance, he couldrecall how they sounded. And yet, when he heard Qi Mu''s ¡¶D Major¡· and ¡¶The Butterfly Lovers¡·, Farrelwas amazed to find that the former childprodigy''s technical skill and his ability to express emotions had grown significantly.It was not like that of a 20-year-old youth at all. "Such excellent seedlingsare rare in today''s music world. It''s good to beyoung. I''m old already." Farrel''s sigh was full of emotion. Min Chen narrowed his eyes in the dimly lit night, thinking aboutsomething. After hearing Farrel''s words, he said, "Well, it''s true. . . Hismusic style has changed a lot. The way he deals with the arrangement has alsochanged a lot. His ¡¶D Major¡· was better than I imagined." One month before the performance, Qi Mu called Min Chen to ask himwhat he thought about when he wrote ¡¶DMajor¡·. Being able to talk directly to theposer wasa fortunate thing, Qi Mu would be a foolto waste such an opportunity. Half a month ago, Min Chen had listened to a recording Qi Mu senthim. Although the sound quality was not perfect, Min Chen could still tell¡ª¡ªatthat time, Qi Mu''s ¡¶D Major¡· was not at this level. Thinking about this, Min Chen chuckled. He said, "He''s very hard-working." This was the first time Farrel heard Min Chen praise somebody likethat. For a long moment, he stared at Min Chen in surprise, thenughed."Auston, it''s rare for you to speak highly of someone; it seems Qi is trulyexceptional. Looking at his age, he''s about to enter college. It would be badif there wasn''t a teacher to guide him." Min Chen looked at Farrel in surprise. "You mean. . ." There was a meaningful smile on Farrel''s face. He looked at thebustling, splendid nightscape of S City. "I think Paris is good." Not long after, Daniel and Christi drove over from the parking lot,and they sent Farrel back to his hotel.Daniel held the steering wheel and joked with Christ in the passenger''s seat, while Min Chen sat alone in theback seat, pondering something with a frown. He recalled Farrel''s earlier words and the furrow in his brow deepened.In the end, he sighed quietly, murmuring, "Paris, then. . . Did he. . ." By then, Qi Mu had already returned to his hotel and was packinghis luggage. After the Centennial Celebration, it was time for B City Symphony Orchestra''sspring performance. He had to go back to B City to prepare himself and join therehearsals as soon as possible. Qi Mu set an overcoat in his suitcase. He hadn''t moved away whenhe heard his cell phone vibrate. He stood up and stepped over the luggage, reaching for his phone on the table.When he saw the name of the sender, Qi Mu froze for a moment before opening thetext message. Min Chen: ¡ºThe performance tonight wasexcellent. Congrattions.¡» Qi Mu let out a quietugh. He tapped the touch screen a fewtimes: ¡ºThank you. Conductor Zhu said you might not havetime toe. I didn''t expect to see you tonight.¡» It wasn''t long before Qi Mu received a reply: ¡ºI arrived at Hongkou Airport this afternoon, and I have a ticket for tomorrow''s flight to Berlin.¡» Before Qi Mu answered, there was another message: ¡ºSome things happened in the orchestra recently.¡» Seeing the evasive sentence on the screen, Qi Mu couldn''t helughing. He put the clothes he held aside and responded to the other partywith due respect: ¡ºI wish you a pleasantjourney, I''m also flying back to B City tomorrow. By the way, I should let youknow that today I encouraged one of your admirers in your name. I hope youdon''t mind.¡» The streets of the Bund were bustling, the stream of vehicles notstopping even sote in the night. Min Chen looked at the dark Huangpu Riveroutside the window. The phone in his hand vibrated suddenly, and he peered down at it. His gaze paused for a moment on the smiling face at the end of themessage, then he resumed texting: ¡ºThat''sfine, it doesn''t matter. I also wish you a pleasant journey.¡» This time there was no response. Qi Mu had already put down hismobile and continued to pack. Min Chen turned his head and again stared at theHuangpu River engulfed in the darkness. Several cargo ships sailed slowly along the ck surface. Thelights of the city were so bright that the water seemed like a cold, darkabyss. The man''s slender fingers beat rhythmically on the casing of hisphone. Although he seemed calm andposed, in fact, Min Chen''s heart was turbulent,and his mind filled with too many thoughts. Daniel had investigated the rtionship between Qi Mu and Lu Zi Wen¡ª¡ªtheonly time they were in contact was that one joint performance in Vienna eightyears ago. At the time, Lu Zi Wen was your average neer in the first violingroup, and Qi Mu had already beenuded as a gifted child prodigy. But, if so. . . if they had no rtion with each other, how hadQi Mu changed so much? And, why. . . . . .did he resemble Lu Zi Wen so strongly? Min Chen''s pupils constricted, andhis lips parted slightly. It was not possible for two different people''s music to be identical, not to this extent. . . Absolutely impossible. Min Chen felt as if he stoodbefore an imprable door. It wasn''tlocked, but there were also no gaps¡ªsealed so tightly even air could not passthrough it. He ran into a dead end before he had even begun. But it was rightin front of him, and he couldn''t ignore it. This was the first time in his thirty years of life that he had encounteredsuch a queer thing as an almost identical ¡¶Bell¡·. Even though there were slight differences, no one would dare denyit if Min Chen publicly announced that Qi Mu''s ¡¶Bell¡· was the same as Lu Zi Wen''s¡¶Bell¡·.After all, this was Min Chen, the man who could hear when a single string''smistake. "So why. . . How could this be?"
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This chapter is guest tranted by the lovely Eques over at ! The other blue butterfly trantor! We¡¯re like digital twins, I swear. Thank you for me if you get the chance, guys! She really saved my butt here. Chapter 50
In winter, the sky always brightened slowly. Even at seven o''clock, the hazy crescent moon still hung in the distant west, dyed on the horizon. But on this bone-chillingly cold morning, many people had woken up wanting to leave S City before the morning rush to avoid traffic. Qi Mu''s flight was at 10 am, so he got out of bed early to head to the airport. He had carried his suitcase downstairs and was checking out in the hotel lobby when he received a call from Zhu Wen Jun. While talking, Qi Mu pulled his suitcase outside. He hadn''t exited the main doors yet when the conversation over the phone sent him into a daze. A whileter, Zhu Wen Jun drove to the front of the hotel and picked Qi Mu up. He helped Qi Mu ce his not-toorge suitcase into the backseat. After they were settled in the car, the handsome middle-aged manughed, "Xiao Qi, I remember your flight leaves today around ten? It might be toote to catch it." With Zhu Wen Jun''s advice, Qi Mu already knew he would not catch the flight. He nodded his head. "Uncle Zhu, there''s another flight to B City tonight. Of course, if something happens, I can return a few dayste. There shouldn''t be any problems with Tan Lao." Zhu Wen Jun smiled, "Then, I will trouble you. Master Farrell wants to meet you. I was surprised. I didn''t think he would attend the Centennial Celebration. But not only did he attend, but he also wants to meet you." Just that morning, Master Farrell Louis, through a rtionship with the S City Music Association''s chairman, contacted Zhu Wen Jun. ording to Farrell, he wished to meet with Qi Mu today, the sooner, the better. Zhu Wen Jun believed this was an excellent opportunity, so he quickly gave Qi Mu a call. Even though he did not know why Farrell wanted to meet with Qi Mu, talking with one of the world''s top ss musical masters would be beneficial for Qi Mu. Although Farrell Louis and Min Chen were both world-ss conductors andposers, Farrell''s specialty was the violin, and he had some experience with the piano. To talk with such an outstanding violinist, it would be helpful to Qi Mu''s growth. Of course, Qi Mu understood the decision to abandon the flight and meet with this master. Even though he didn''t know the other''s intention, Qi Mu had a faint hunch that this meeting wasn''t a bad thing. When Qi Mu and Zhu Wen Jun arrived at the S City Symphony Orchestra''s building, Farrell and Cheng Ting Wen had already been in conversation for a while. The two sat in the VIP room. While it wasn''trge, it was quiet and pleasant. There was an old fashioned sliding ss window on the south wall, and the green garden was visible. Cheng Ting Wen saw them arrive and stood from the couch. She smiled and said a few sentences to Farrell in English then walked over to Qi Mu and said in Chinese, "Xiao Qi, Master Farrell is in a good mood today. He highly praised your performance yesterday." Qi Mu startled a little andughed, "Okay, Auntie Cheng. I understand." Then Cheng Ting Wen and Zhu Wen Jun left the VIP lounge and closed the door behind them. Farrell and Qi Mu listened to the crisp sound of it closing then turned to each other. Qi Mu didn''t have the nervousness of a younger person. He walked straight over to the couch where Cheng Ting Wen had sat originally. He asked warmly, "Mr. Farrell, hello. May I sit over there?" The white-haired foreigner smiled and nodded, responding in awkward Chinese, "Of course." While waiting for Qi Mu to sit, Farrell very thoughtfully poured a cup of hot tea for him, giving Qi Mu a feeling of being "overwhelmed by unexpected favor." After saying "thanks," Qi Mu was still deep in thought over how to ask what his intention for seeking him out was. Farrell''s eyes carried a smile as he studied Qi Mu up and down. Then he said with approval, "Qi, I heard your performancest night. You are very talented, and a violinist with great potential." Farrell''s straightforward words shocked Qi Mu. No matter how thick-faced, or how excellently he performed in front of a world-ss violin master, he would not be arrogant. Qi Mu''s eyes curled, and a faint smile crossed his delicate face. "Thank you for thepliment, Mr. Farrell. I was surprised to see you today. I used to like your ¡¶Charles Fantasia¡·. I''ve listened to it frequently in private. There were no lies in Qi Mu''s sentence. The only album he ever recorded, there was only oneposition by a contemporary master, and thatposition was ¡¶Charles Fantasia¡·. If he met Min Chen, he would not have been so respectful or prudent, but meeting this contemporary master violinist, Qi Mu couldn''t help but feel nervous. In the peaceful VIP lounge, the youth sat on a small section of the couch with his back straight, watching the silver-haired man on the opposite end seriously. Farrell seemed aware of Qi Mu''s solemnness because he smiled, "I also like ¡¶Charles¡·. If there''s a chance, I hope to hear your ¡¶Charles¡· in the future. However, Qi, I didn''te to find your today for this. Seven or eight years ago, I heard you perform with Evra." Qi Mu naturally knew what Farrell was referring to. He nodded his head and listened to the master as he continued, "While you were ingenious, I thought you were a bit impetuous initially. So I did not get into contact with you. After listening to your performancest night, I think. . . you have gotten rid of that impetuousness." While speaking, this old man with a constant smile slowly changed his expression into something that made Qi Mu also be serious¡ª¡ª He had a feeling that Farrell''s next words would significantly impact his future. Qi Mu solemnly said, "Thank you for your recognition, Mr. Farrell." His voice was low and pleasant, his attitude neither humble not overbearing. Farrell''s sharp gaze looked at Qi Mu for a long time, then he slowly nodded with augh, "Just like that Auston said. You are good, Qi. However, I am not a person who likes to beat around the bush. Speak straightforwardly. Qi, eight years ago, you might have talent, but I could see your future would not be long-term." Farrell''s smile grew, and he continued, "Your violin had no soul. Oh, it sounded fantastic, but Qi, your violin was empty. It made me very sad at the time. Sad that such a gifted child would not go far." "But, Qi, your performancest night showed your true strength. Maybe most thought your ¡¶D Major¡· was difficult and your skill was excellent. But I thought your next performance, ¡¶Liang Zhu¡· was even more touching. You had a soul. It made me see a diamond in urgent need of polishing." "Qi, I think you need a good teacher." Farrell''s kind voice lingered in the lounge, but Qi Mu''s eyes suddenly widened. He stared at the other man with an incredulous expression. The world had dulled suddenly, bing quiet. He swore he could hear his heartbeat clearly, each thump of it in his chest. Farrell''s meaning. . . Fingers clenched, and with tightness in his throat, Qi Mu asked after a long time, "Mr. Farrell, you. . . want to take me as your student?" However, Farrell quickly shook his head and exined, "No no no, Qi, you misunderstand. I am too busy with my work. I have no time to teach before I hand in my resignation to Dresden. If you were my student, it would only be a waste of your time." Those words were like a basin of cold water poured over Qi Mu''s head. Before he could open his mouth, Farrell continued, "But, Qi, I want to introduce a teacher to you. He is an old friend of mine. Compared to me, he is an academic master violinist. I cannot teach you many things, but he can make you improve from start to finish. He can take you even further down your path as a violinist." Qi Mu had initially been disappointed, but now he was puzzled. In his memory, no one could earn such high praise from Farrel. At least, in terms of violinists, those had won Farrell''s regard already stood at the very top. Qi Mu politely asked, "Thank you very much, Mr. Farrell. I don''t know how this master you speak of. . ." "You should have heard his name before," Farrell smiled. He set down his teacup and said slowly, "His name is¡ª¡ª" "Reed Akkad."
Trantor(s): Teo Editor(s): Bet

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Our team here at Betwixted is definitely sweet. When things got a little rough around here, Teo, the main trantor of TSMB, offered to pick up the ck a little and ran through this chapter for me. It was a blessing and a relief. Chapter 51
"Reed Akkad." After saying this name, Farrell fellsilent. In the quiet lounge, even thesound of a pin falling to the floor would be heard. Feeling as if he had heard an auditory hallucination, Qi Mu asked,tentative, "Mr. Farrell, excuse me. . . but who is that?" Farrell was not bored in theleast with Qi Mu''s inquiry. He smiled and lifted his cup. He repeated itpatiently, "Qi, you didn''t hear me wrong. I''m talking about Reed Akkad. He wentto the NationalHigher Conservatory of Music in Paris. As far as I know, he is stillwaiting for a student." This old man''s voice was casual as if he was saying something trivial.But in Qi Mu''s ears, it stunned him to stillness. Reed Akkad, who was he? Well, the great Master of the violin was over seventy years old, butst yearhe put on a grand performance with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Akkad''s skill with a violin stoodat the top of the world. Due to the difficulty of his y and his fantasticalhand-speed, he had a resounding nickname¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ªThe contemporary Paganini. This was, of course, alsobecause Akkad''s first performance on stage took first ce in Genoa''s PaganiniCompetition. However, Akkad''s mystical ability truly made the entire worldsigh. Farrell and Akkad went separatedirections. The former yed each piece with skill and rich emotion. Wheneversomeone mentioned thetter, despite Akkad having a deep understanding ofmusic, the first thing that came to mind was his dazzling skill. What Qi Mu least expected. . . this master had entered a music school and becamea professor? He could not help but feel alittle doubt in his heart. Qi Mu''s brow furrowed, and he looked up at thesmiling Farrel. "But. . . Mr. Farrel, as far as I know, Master Akkad is reluctantto ept students." Akkad was born poor, and he was self-taught.So, when he was young, he threatened that he would never ept a student inhis lifetime. He believed that a true master could not be taught by anyone and that only hard self-study could producea first-ss violinist. Farrellughed. He sipped his teaand said, "Qi, you are still young. You don''t understand an old man. . . in thst ten, twenty, half a year of life, what kind of mentality is that? When we wereyoung, we said a lot, and a lot of it was rubbish. Now, at our age, it isnatural to see farther and clearer. That kind of nonsense is stuff we said as children." Qi Mu took the initiative to renewthe tea, and Farrel was a little surprised, then he smiled, "Thank you." Farrell continued, "Akkad has aterrible temper, but, Qi, he will certainly be a good teacher. When I heardyour ¡¶D Major¡·st night, I knew you had good skill, and youhad an excellent feel for music. Yours was unique and delicate. After chattingwith Hill today, I found out you are also good with Paganini''s songs." Hill was Cheng Ting Wen''s Englishname. Qi Mu hadn''t expected them to talk about his affairs. He nodded, "Yes, I preferPaganini''s songs. Whether it''s his 24 capriosor the others, I have practiced them all." "That''s great! Qi, since I spokewith Hill today, she gave me a copy of your performancest night and a few of your other albums. When I returnto Europe, I will pass them on to Akkad." Farrell paused then smiled again, "Qi,you don''t have to worry. I believe Akkad will be thrilled to have you as a student.I just hope. . . you won''t refuse my kindness." Farrell had learned from ChengTing Wen that Professor Karl had tried to take Qi Mu on a student and was rejected. Professor Karl was also awell-known professor of music. Many of his students were in the world''s toporchestras. If Qi Mu could refuse him, then he was also very likely to reject bingAkkad''s student. While Farrell''s thoughts wentthat route, Qi Mu lowered his eyes and furrowed his brow without responding. The morning sun shone throughthe window, and the leaves outside rustled against the ss, isting thelight into dappled rays that scattered over the youth''s almost transparentcheeks. After a long time, Qi Mu ncedup then at Farrell. He was surprised to find the world''s top violinist, withouteven a hint of anxiety, watching him, waiting for his answer. Thest string holding hisheart back snapped in two. He sighed, "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Farrell,but. . . I don''t know if Master Akkad will ept me as a student. If I had theopportunity, I would be honored." The implication being that Qi Muwas hopeful about bing Akkad''s student. Perhaps Qi Mu was a tad tooproud. The moment news that "Reed Akkad wished to take a student" was released,there would be more than a hundred people gathering outside Paris''s NationalConservatory to set eyes upon the master. But, Farrell did not appearupset with Qi Mu''s answer. He knew this promising young man must have had hisown reasons for rejecting Professor Karl''s invitation. Therefore, it was justifiablefor him to not make a decisive decision in the face of his own request half ayearter. Farrell stood up and smiled. He extendeda hand and said, "Trust me, Qi, you are verygood. You are the student Akkad has been looking for." Qi Mu immediately stood up andsped hands with Farrell. His lips curled upward in a smile, "Thank you foryour praise. I was fortunate to have thisopportunity to meet you today." The two exchanged a few moresentences, then Qi Mu saw Farrell off at the S City Symphony''s entrance. Zhu Wen Jun and Cheng Ting Wenalso came over to send him off. The group chatted politely, then Farrell turnedto step towards the car, but he seemed to think of something. Farrell turnedand looked at Qi Mu. Everyone knew that Farrell Louishad presbyopia (farsightedness). He squinted a little and seriously looked QiMu up and down again. He seemed to look straight through him. A long stretch of time passed, then just when the polite smile on Qi Mu''sface was about to falter, the master burst intoughter. He asked, "Qi, do youhave an English name?" Silhouetted by the winter sun, theyoung man''s face appeared softer, even as he frowned in confusion. Qi Mu''s eyesshed with a trace of bewilderment, and he shook his head. "Mr. Farrell, Inever took my English name." Farrell nodded. "I was too farawayst night, and I couldn''t see clearly. Today, it was too dark in the lounge,so there wasn''t much I could see. But now, Qi. . . I think there is a name thatsuits you very well." Somehow, Qi Mu''s heart leaped with a badfeeling. He subconsciously took a half step backward, but he could not ignore Farrell''spresence. He bit the bullet, pushedthrough, and asked with a smile, "Farrell. . . I don''t know what you''re talkingabout. . ." "How about Angel?" Qi Mu: ". . ." "Pfffft. . . " Cheng Ting Wen,the closest, suddenly burst intoughter. When Farrell looked at her, she waveda hand and said, "Mr. Farrell, I think. . . ah, Angel suits Xiao Qi very well, pffffft. . ." Zhu Wen Jun looked at his wifehelplessly then whispered, "You. . . really, ah. . ." Farrell did not seem to noticehow drastic his words were. He nodded andgazed at Qi Mu solemnly. "Qi, you are truly a beautiful child. Your music isalso excellent. Cute as an Angel. This name really suits you." The mascot Xiao Tian Shi*/Xiao Qi:". . ." Cheng Ting Wenughed untilFarrell''s care had disappeared around the corner. She heaved in breathlessness.In contrast, her husband was positively stern, his expression making Qi Mu feelmuch morefortable. However, it did notst forlong. He only saw Zhu Wen Jun''s eyes squinta little, then he looked at Qi Mu and said, "Xiao Qi, I heard Mr. Daniel Dukeused to call you Engelchan*. . . orsomething? Why don''t you make your English name Angel?" Qi Mu: ". . ." . . . In a single afternoon, theentire orchestra learned that he had been given an English name by Farrell. "Angel"of all things. After spending several hours atthe headquarters, Qi Mu had seen countless membersughing and beckon him overwith a grin from ear to ear, all shouting "Angel." This ubiquitous "bad name" wasunavoidable. Qi Mu changed his flight to B City for that evening. In the faceof Cheng Ting Wen''s enthusiasm, he did not hesitate to board the ne. Just before he entered thesecurity checkpoint, Cheng Ting Wen, whocame to drop him off at the airport, raised her hand to wipe away thenonexistent tear in the corner of her eye. Her tone was low when she said, "Angel,you have to go study in Paris. Your auntie Cheng. . . I will certainly go see you often!" Qi Mu: ". . ." Do you dare to change my name!!!
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet

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If anyone remembers in Min Chen calls Qi Mu ¡°Xiao Tian Shi.¡± It means "Little Angel." Danielter called him "Engelchan" as well. I''m crying inughter, omg. I am dying. I swear. Qi Mu is forever titled ¡°Angel¡± henceforth. I shall not acknowledge anything else! roflmao! Chapter 52
Just as Qi Mu got off the ne and set foot on B City oncemore, the wind was cold like a knife as it whizzed past his face. He tightenedthe wool scarf around his neck and took a taxi back to his apartment. Initially, Qi Mu considered purchasing a car, but for thetime being, there was no need to contemte the issue. If he really had the honor of bing Professor Akkad''sstudent, then he would leave for Paris. He would not stay in the city for long. The next day, when Qi Mu returned to the B City SymphonyOrchestra, there was no special reception from the other members. They allcongratted him on his sess at the Centennial Celebration. Only Du Sheng''sgaze stared at him, profound, then took him to Tan Lao''s lounge. Tan Lao was always serious and old-fashioned. Like othersfrom his era, he was almost traditionally conservative, but he had a vision andexpectation that strove for innovation. His lounge''syout was simple. Apart from a few chairs at atable and an old desk, there were only a few trophies and pennants theorchestra had won decorating the room. Qi Mu opened the door and directly entered. Tan Lao was inthe middle of looking over the next season''s repertoire, but after seeing DuSheng and Qi Mue in, he set the pile of papers aside. He looked up andsaid, "Xiao Qi, ah. This time, S City''s performance was quite good." Because the orchestra had been busy, Tan Lao did not havethe change to go to S City. However, ever since the concert, several magazines,and other insiders had praised the performance. Naturally, Tan Lao saw the re-broadcast on Huaxia CCTVstnight. Though hearing it over the system was far from seeing it in person, TanLao believed the entire performance was excellent, and the ending had sessfullysuppressed the audience. Qi Mu''s eyes dipped in a smile, "Thank you for the praise,Tan Lao." Tan Lao was also not roundabout. He said bluntly, "Youshould have gotten in yesterday, but I got a call from Wen Jun. I hear. . . youmet with Master Farrell Louis." Qi Mu understood what Tan Lao and Du Sheng had called himout for. He did not deny it. He smiled with a nod, "Yes, I met MasterFarrell yesterday. He told me that he wanted to rmend me to Master ReedAkkad as a student." He added, "Master Akkad is currently a professor at theNational Conservatory of Music in Paris." Although Tan Zheng Hui already knew from his conversationwith Zhu Wen Jun, he still felt both sad and relieved to hear it from Qi Mu''sown mouth. Sad, because if Qi Mu went to Paris, he would barely returnto B City a handful of times a year. But relieved because this child would finally begin hisstudies and train under the master musician, Reed Akkad. Tan Lao did not speak, but Du Sheng, who sat to his side,smiled, "Xiao Qi, I did not expect there to be good news from you going off toS City. When I found out, I thought I had heard wrong! You must cherish thisopportunity, ah." With a gentle smile, Qi Mu said, "Du-ge, you''re thinking toofar ahead. Mr. Farrell just took back my albums to have Professor Akkad listento them. I haven''t necessarily been epted as his student yet." Du Sheng shook his head. "Since Mr. Farrell has alreadyspoken to you about it, he is naturally quite sure. You cannot give up thisopportunity, you must go. It''s already unbelievable that Reed Akkad is aprofessor, you can''t be likest time." He referred to Qi Mu''s rejection of Professor Karl''s offer,but this time, Qi Mu had already made up his mind. In the past six months, he had learned and grown a lot.Huaxia was his mothend, but what he needed now was to learn even more and makehimself stronger. So he could better develop Huaxia''s ssical music. "Please, rest assured, Du-ge. If I have the honor, I willseize it." After a pause, Qi Mu looked at Tan Lao and said, "Tan Lao, you don''thave to worry about me. I know what to do." Tan Lao had long been watching Qi Mu''s growth. He looked atthe handsome young man standing before him and felt that this youth had changeda lot. There was none of that suborn rebelliousness in his memory,that offensive speech and behavior. Now, Qi Mu was like warm jade. Although thelight had converged, people could still see the magnificence of this treasureat just a nce. After a long while, Tan Lao finally sighed, "Xiao Qi, thefirst performance of our tour next month. . . you will rece Lao Du." It took time for Qi Mu toprehend what he meant, but whenhe did, his fingers clenched tight, and he asked, "Tan Lao, you mean. . ." Tan Zheng Hui, who always kept a stern expression, slowly showeda kind smile. He nodded. "You''ve been in the orchestra for five months, andyou''ve rehearsed for so long. You have the chance to be a concertmaster, andyou won''t? What can you do as assistant concertmaster?" The content was a reprimand, but Tan Lao''s tone was soft. He said it easily and casually, but for Qi Mu''s ears, itstunned him in ce. Qi Mu did not dare believe his ears, but his hearing wasperfect, and he could not even pretend to wave away Tan Lao''s words. "You really. . . want me as concertmaster for the firstround!?" Qi Mu couldn''t believe it and asked again, but Tan Lao''sexpression darkened, and he asked, "Why not? You don''t have the confidence?!" Qi Mu immediately smiled and shook his head, sayingconfidently, "No, I do! You can rest assured, I will perform well!" Tan Lao smiled and let him go practice after a few morewords. In the quiet lounge, with only Du Sheng and Tan Lao in theroom, the old-fashioned man suddenly lost the tension in his body, and he gazedinto the distance without focus. Du Sheng sighed, "Tan Lao, I''m afraid Xiao Qi really will. .. go." Tan Lao nodded but did not speak. "I didn''t sign a long-term contract with him precisely becauseof this, but I didn''t expect this day. . . toe so fast. It''s only been halfa year." When he recruited Qi Mu to the B City Symphony Orchestra,Tan Lao had used personal connections to sign a temporary contract with him. Aslong as there was three-months notice, either party could terminate the agreement. The official contract was for three years. But Qi Mu was inthe prime of his life right now, the perfect time to grow and learn. Tan Laodid not want to restrict him to the orchestra in such a crucial period, so hehad given him such a special contract. . . But, no one thought that it would be put to use so soon. After a while, Tan Lao looked at Du Sheng and scolded with asmile, "What? You''re not happy Xiao Qi is going to Paris?" Du Sheng immediately retorted, "Where? Aren''t you afraidyou''ll be sad? Who doesn''t know how old you are, yet you''re so partial to XiaoQi. You''ve given my position to Xiao Qi already." Du Sheng''s wordscked anyjealousy, just aughing joke. Tan Lao''s eyebrows rose. "I know I favor him, but who areyou to speak? Don''t you guide him?" After a few moreughs, Du Sheng left the lounge. Alone inthe silent room, Tan Zheng Hui stared at the list in his hand without saying aword. Some timeter, a sigh echoed in the lounge, but it waslight and soon dissipated in the air. Since Qi Mu was confirmed as concertmaster for the firstround of performances, the entire orchestra''s rehearsals began once again. Manymembers were happy to congratte Qi Mu on the opportunity, but at the sametime, they knew that it meant he was leaving the orchestra. But no one took the initiative to bring it up and instead,they rehearsed, dutiful as always. Half a monthter, just when he thought perhaps he wouldn''tget to go to Paris after all, Qi Mu received a call from Farrell. Over the phone, Farrell first apologized and said ProfessorAkkad''s temper was too entric. The man wouldn''t call him personally, but healso brought good news. "Angel, Reed really likes your music. Especially once he heardyour ¡¶LiangZhu¡·,he decided to take you on. Qi, You know, Reed has such a bad temper! Helistened to your albums and put off replying to me for two weeks! Today, I''mhappy to tell you¡ª¡ª" "Angel,e to Paris!" When he got the news, Qi Mu was packing up his violin case tohead home. There was such an overwhelming, indescribablyplexemotion swelling in his heart that he didn''t care too much when he heard thename "Angel." There was. . . Paris. There. . . Reed Akkad would be his teacher. There. . . He would encounter several of the world''s topssical musicians. There, it was Europe. Six months, he¡ª¡ªhalf a year! He could go back!
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 53
Although he received ProfessorAkkad''s invitation, Qi Mu did not leave for Paris immediately. First, because the National Conservatoryof Music was still organizing formalities. After all, Professor Akkad suddenly wantedto ept an outside student. Even if it was a symbolic exam, it still took time to prepare. And the otherreason, was because B City Symphony Orchestra''s first performance had not begunyet and it was impossible for him to leave as concertmaster. After Qi Mu announced that he wouldleave after the concert, none of the orchestra members were sad. Instead, they werethrilled to hold a celebratory dinner for him to congratte him on being ableto study in Paris, and for gaining an excellent teacher in Reed Akkad. Afterward,Tan Lao confirmed the specifics for the orchestra''s performance. This was the first time Qi Muwould be leading their concert as concertmaster. He was no longer a guestviolinist, nor an ordinary member of the violin group. He was now the lead violinist that would leadnot only the violin group but the entire orchestra. Over thest two weeks ofrehearsal, he didn''t know if it was because of his impending departure, but the orchestra members practiced even more seriouslythan usual. They wanted to give their mascot onest grand performance beforehe left. Everyone was excited andharmonious, but the day before the concert, someone couldn''t help but wipetheir tears as they choked out, "Xiao Qi, you have to practice well in Paris." Generally, the female members weretoo emotional. Several women had given Qi Mu homemadecookies and biscuits as farewell gifts. Several of the older men and women, theuncles and aunties amongst the orchestra members, had taken to Qi Mu as if he wastheir own child. Qi Mu was the youngest in theorchestra, and while he had always beenmature, they had not forgotten that he was just a child. After the final practice, everyonegathered together again. When the party ended, the othersughed and patted his shoulders to cheer him on. It wasn''t until only Du Sheng''s car was left that Qi Muwiped away the tears in his eyes as if itwere sand blown into his face. Over thest half a year,everyone had be ustomed to this polite, humble young man. Not only wasthis beautiful child talented, but he was obedient and hardworking. They were sad because they would rarely get to see him inthe future, but they were also worried. . . That this child would go to a distant foreign country, where he did not havea single rtive, and he wouldn''t even know if he was being bullied! "Who dares bully our Xiao Qi!Let them try it!" "Yes, I have several old friendsin Paris. If they want to bully Xiao Qi, let them try us first!" . . . Qi Mu did not hear those words,but when he looked at the rearview mirror, he found that some of the membersthat had beenughing were now shedding tears. His eyebrows pinched a little,and he heaved a long sigh, but there was nothing to say. Du Sheng smiled and said, "XiaoQi, those guys really think of you as a mascot. When youe back to Huaxiaduring the summer, you have toe tosee us." Qi Mu looked at Du Sheng anughed, "Du-ge, you can rest assured. I will definitelye to see you." Du Sheng didn''t want to bring upa separate topic, so he quipped, "What isParis''s specialty? I bet there''s nothing good. Xiao Qi, are you going to cookyourself? Don''t hurt yourself, eat more pig hoof stew, and fix up your face. Leavingour sandy city, ah, you might not be able to adapt right away." Qi Mu was dumbfounded, ready tobothugh and cry, "Yes, I''ll try my best to cook more. . . cough, pig hoofs." They smiled and exchanged a fewmore words. Qi Mu''s apartment building was quite close to the orchestra, andthere was no traffic. Soon the car arrived at the entrance, and QI Mu took hiscase from the backseat. He walked in the direction of the hall for a few steps,then heard a sound behind him. His footsteps stilled, and he turned to see Du Sheng waving him over.He said, "Du-ge, you can just go back. It''s not early, don''t let your familyworry. . ." Du Sheng just stared at him calmly. After a while, Du Sheng looked athim with a solemn gaze. Finally, he said, "Xiao Qi. . . you have to take care of yourself in Paris. Listen to what Tan Laoand I said. Don''t hurt yourself. Our entire orchestra will back you." This was honestly too warm. QiMu felt his fingers clench tightly. There was a lot he wanted to say, but evenwith all the words on his tongue, he didn''t know where to begin. In the end, hecould only show a bright smile as a thank you to this big brother that was takingcare of him. Being able to be part of such anorchestra was a privilege and a wonderfulmemory that he would remember for the rest of his life. Perhaps only in a group ofpeople who truly loved music could there be such open-mindedness. Everyhere got along, and no one wanted to try climbing up using despicable means. In the ssical music world, howmany people were like Luo Yu Sen, who only wanted to go further but hadn''tthought of improving themselves first? The answer was, after all, very few. That evening, Qi Mu startedpacking up his apartment. When he first rented this apartment,he only paid half a year''s rent. He hadn''t thought much of it at the time and signedording to thendlord''s proposal, but he did not expect that he would only live there for half a year. Because he would fly to Paristhe day after tomorrow, and tomorrow was dedicated to the concert, Qi Mu had tocover the furniture in white sheets to prevent dust from collecting. There weren''tmany things that he needed to take with him, and arge box would suffice. The most important thing was hisviolin, and it needed to be protected well. Once all the furniture wascovered, Qi Mu nced around at this familiar yet unfamiliar house and felt alittle sad. He had lived here for half ayear. He practiced in the music room every day, cooked in the kitchen everyday. He didn''t have many feelings towardsthis ce, but now that he was about to leave, he felt like clinging to it. Qi Mu stepped out onto thebalcony. The winter night was cold, but he looked at the dark building nextdoor. After a long time, Qi Mu shifted moods and opened his phone. He scrolleddown his contacts for his neighbor''s number. Meanwhile, halfway across theworld in Berlin, it was afternoon. In the rehearsal hall of the BerlinPhilharmonic Orchestra, everyone was coordinating with the members of theirrespective instrument groups guided by the concertmaster. Forrger orchestras, there wasoften more of amand hierarchy, divided under the principal conductor, guestconductors, and so on. Of course, even if there were more than one conductor, these masters wouldnot be able to participate in every rehearsal. Therefore, whenever the timecame, the concertmaster, assistant concertmaster, or deputy chief would recethe conductor in leading the orchestra. Admittedly, aside from just timeconstraints, there were also some like Min Chen. . . who would not personally lead the rehearsals outside necessity. ording to Daniel, that wasbecause the guy was toozy. Officially, however, Min Chenbelieved every member of the orchestra had a different style. Although theywould eventuallye together, he thoughtit was best for them to develop freely in the early stages. Of course, whatever the reason was,for Bertram to not personally lead the rehearsal all the time¡ª¡ªThat was good news¡ª¡ªforevery member of Bai Ai. Could you imagine this man withperfect hearing stopping the whole orchestra in an instant and walking over tostand in front of you, saying with a nk expression: "This is such a simplesound. Have you left your IQ at home?" Or, even if you couldn''t figureout the mistake, this great conductor would toss his baton at the score andlook straight at you to calmly ask, "Won''t you run home to drink your mother''s littlmb soup?" When Min Chen picked up the baton,Mr. Bertram had the elegant demeanor of a gentleman, but when he picked up thesymbol of highest authority in the orchestra, God. He. Was. A. Demon!!! ¡ª¡ªCried out the hearts of allthe members. Of course, although Min Chenwouldn''t lead the rehearsal every time, he would often sit under the stage andwatch the members. It made even the most seasonedof musicians fear that they would identallylet this demon general hear a mistake. But today, they only rehearsedtwice when the sharp-eyed members saw¡ª¡ª Mr. Bertram took out his phone!!! Oh my god! Who was this angel to call thedevil out?!!! When Min Chen pushed out of the rehearsal room, he connected to the call from the other side of the world, "Qi Mu?" Qi Mu''s young, pleasant voicerang out over the line, "Min Chen, long time no see. It should still beafternoon there?" Min Chen walked down the hallwayand gently nodded, "Well, it''s three o''clock." He paused and thought ofsomething, then asked, "It''s already ten there, you''re calling sote. . .what''s the matter?"
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I am in literal tears. My Angel is now Angel to everyone. Even Min Chen¡¯s orchestra is already thinking of him as one. Good lord. I¡¯mughing so hard. This is fantastic. Chapter 54
Min Chen''s words embarrassed QiMu. Although it was March, a cold windhowled through B City. Qi Mu stood out on the balcony for a while then went backinside. The call had already dialed out, so he didn''t dare hang up. Even he did not know why he madethe call. Maybe it was because he noticed the empty, dark apartment next doorand suddenly remembered that he hadn''t seen his neighbor in over a month. Ormaybe, he realized. . . Berlin and Paris weren''t that far apart. After thinking about it for awhile, QI Mu smiled, "I was on the balcony just now. I looked over and rememberedI hadn''t contacted you in a while. Bai Ai is already preparing for this year''sglobal tour, right?" Since Qi Mu had changed thetopic, Min Chen''s brow furrowed a little but he didn''t bring it up again. Hewalked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows next to the rehearsal hall and nceddown at the passers-bying and going on the street below. "Well, the firstperformance is next week." After a pause, he asked, "Do you want to listen? Ican reserve a seat for you." Though a little surprised atfirst, Qi Mu stopped to think a little. If he recalled. . . Bai Ai''s firstperformance was going to be at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, Ennd. Although Ennd and France wereonly separated by the English Channel, there was bound to be a lot of work todo when he got to the college. He shook his head helplessly and said, "Iprobably won''t have the time to go. But thank you for your kindness." Min Chen frowned. When he was in S City, Farrellhad said he wanted to rmend Qi Mu to Paris for further studies. The first thingone would think of when they hear "Paris" is the National Conservatory. With alittle recollection, he remembered Reed Akkad had gone there two months ago. Only a few people knew about it,and it wasn''t widely publicized. But listening to Qi Mu now, hedidn''t sound as if going to Europe was going to be a short-term thing. Min Chencouldn''t help but feel a bit surprised¡ª¡ª It turns out Farrell rmendedQi Mu to Reed? Min Chen did not ask for an exnation,and after exchanging a few more words with Qi Mu, he hung up. This short conversation may havejust been casual on the other side, but Min Chen''s narrow eyes sharpened,sniffing out a disturbing scent. Bai Ai was so busy that hecouldn''t return to Huaxia and the investigation into Qi Mu. . . had already fallento the wayside. Min Chen wasn''t a curious person but this identical ¡¶Bell¡· gave him bizarre ideas. In this world, there can neverbe identical music. If this person came to Europe. .. there would be more opportunities for contact. Qi Mu didn''t know that thisphone call had helped a certain someone make rapid connections. Aftereverything was packed, he climbed into bed and slept. This was his second tostnight in B City and he slept well though the moon''s light was cold. The first performance of B CitySymphony Orchestra''s season was usually held in the National Theatre. It had arge hall with 2019seats. The crystal chandeliers lit up the concert hall, and the noble whitebackground gave the hall a solemn atmosphere. However, by seven o''clock, nearlytwo thousand seats were filled with people. B City''s Symphony Orchestra wasat the country''s highest music level, and this time, their opening concert waseven more carefully prepared with a grand finale. Last year''s was yed by the Huaxianviolinist, Master Li Chengde, who came all the way from Canada to y Mozart''s¡¶Amajor¡·. This year, they might invite awell-known conductor, or perhaps a famous musician from abroad. But, regardlessof who, the audience was looking forward to it, and even whispering before theconcert began. "I don''t know who will lead thefinale this year? Master Li Chengde''s songst year was magnificent!" "Wll, yeah, but this year, they''rea little different. The concertmaster isn''t Du Sheng, but that neer. . . Whowas it, something like Qi Mu?" "You don''t know him? He wasinvited to S City''s Symphony Orchestrast month to perform the closing attheir 100th anniversary! The music section of the Times reported onit. Even Farrell Louis was very appreciative of him!" "Who?! Farrell Louis? Really? Headmired this Qi Mu?" "Yes. I heard that he''s going tostudy in Paris, though I don''t know who''s going to teach him." . . . This whispered exchange was happeningthroughout the concert hall. Amidst these discussants, a young woman sat,seemingly out of ce. Tonight, she wore light makeup, a beautiful skirt, andshe wasn''t afraid of the cold, sitting with a performance program in hand. This was the first time Li YueYue hade to the National Theatre. It was still cold in March, but she onlywore a coat over her short dress and entered the hall. Over the past six months, shehad listened to over a dozen performances. Except for the one in Hong Kong, theothers were B City Symphony Orchestra''s concerts. Sometimes, Qi Mu would y asconcertmaster for a few songs, and other times, he didn''t get the chance. Mostoften, he sat at the head position of the first violin group and gave his own performance. Li Yue Yue was an ordinaryamateur violin enthusiast. Unless the concertmaster performed a colorfoul cadenza,she could not hear Qi Mu''s violin. However, as long as it was B City SymphonyOrchestra''s concert, she was never absent. At the start, she may have beenfascinated by just QI Mu''s beautiful face, but after she bought a few albumsand listened to him y as concertmaster, she was immersed in the name of this"Qi Mu." Even if she couldn''t understand,it still made her feel good. The sound of this young man''sviolin was particrly gentle. Even when ying a high-spirited piece ofmusic, it had a delicate softness to it and it rubbed at her heart like a feather. Li Yue Yue had bought a lot of BCity Symphony Orchestra''s albums, and even if there was no way to listen to thecentennial celebration''s "Huaxia''s Perfect Song" in S City, she had watched thelive broadcast on TV andter bought the album. She would love to listen to himy all the time. She was present at all of his concerts, but. . . a few days ago,¡¶TheSound of Music¡·interviewed Tan Zheng Hui and announced that "Qi Mu was going to Paris to study." This hit the industry huge, notonly because it was Paris'' National Conservatory of Music but also because TanLao refused to reveal the instructor. Everyone knew the Conservatoryhad already been in session for two months. It was difficult to transfer now.Moreover, the enrollment quota for all the teachers had already been met. Ifthey were allowed to take on another student, it would be a burden for both theteacher and the student. This set the industry on a waveof "guessing the mentor" but the B City Symphony Orchestra maintained tightlips, iming that it wouldn''t be publicized until it was approved by the professor. Li Yue Yue didn''t pay muchattention to the matter. She naturally knew it was one of the top music schoolsin the world. She also believed that her idol should be taught by only thebest. However, what caught her attention more than anything else was. . . Qi Mu was leaving. No one knew when it happened.But the orchestra''s nickname of "Xiao Qi" had long passed outside the circle.Many fans of his had formed a fan group called "7:47*" and Li Yue Yue was oneof them. *Qi Mu''s nickname isn''t actually"Little Qi" as in hisst name. It''s actually "Little Seven" so this name 7:47is ying on that. When they learned Qi Mu wasabout to leave Huaxia, many fans were saddened at this "powder removal*." Therewere also fans like Li Yue Yue who sincerely wished Qi Mu received betterguidance. *Remember powder fans? The onesthat follow a celebrity because they like his/her face. These ones are saidtheir "pretty face" is leaving. Blessings were blessings, butwhen thisst concert really came, Li Yue Yue felt her eyes heat up. Even if she looked at the emptystage, she felt sad. Paris was too far away. It would take her twenty hours togo back and forth, and she didn''t have the energy for such a huge journey. This evening was very likely thst time she would get to hear Qi Mu in the flesh. Li Yue Yue was one of the most expectant. . . . Huaxia''s National Grand Theatre,concert hall backstage. After Tan Zheng Hui gave onst sentence to the members, the percussion group and the others entered from bothsides of the stage. Qi Mu held the neck of hisviolin and watched the members enter one by one in order. When it was almost his turn, hetook a step forward but Du Sheng stood in front of him. He smiled, "Xiao Qi, goon!" Qi Mu dipped his head in a nodand stepped onto the stage. With more than 2000 of its seatsfilled, this magnificent stage was one of the most prestigious concert halls inHuaxia. Here, there was thergest organ in Huaxia, and all the seats surroundedthe stage. Qi Mu confidently but calmlywalked to just left of center stage and stopped. Since the members of the orchestrawere in their seats, the audience''s apuse had yet to stop. When this handsomeyoung man appeared on stage, it became even more thunderous as if to lift thestage. Under the stage, Li Yue Yue andmany of his fans apuded with all their strength. On stage, Qi Mu looked out overthisrge audience. There were so many people and the stage was huge. Aspecial kind of joy and excitement burst in his chest, filling his heart. After a long time, Qi Mu bentand bowed deeply. It was finally time for Qi Mu''s concert to begin.
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 55
¡¶B City Symphony Orchestra''s premiere of the seasons, the audience is packed!¡· ¡¶A sigh from a hundred years ago, Bruckner''s Symphony Night¡· ¡¶Qi Mu: Rising star!The most unique Bruckner interpretation!¡· . . . After B City''s concert, a wide range of news spread throughoutthe country. In just a night''s hard work, the professional newspapers andmagazines covered the performance from many angles. Even papers not focused onmusic had touched on it in their music section, publishing special articles. The night''s performance was an audiovisual feast for allpresent. The grand stage,magnificent symphony, and the Huaxia National Grand Theatre''s cream of the cropaudio equipment delivered every note of that imposing music to its listeners''ears, touching their souls. Tan Zheng Hui had selected a piece from Anton Buckner''srepertoire for the finale. This famous Australianposer from a hundred yearsago was excellent at creating solemn church music. His symphonies were serious, grave, and very traditionallyromantic. This was actually Tan Lao''sst test for Qi Mu. Before this, QI Mu usually yed symphonies that werehighly skilled or highly emotional, such as Paganini''s works or even ¡¶LiangZhu¡·. However, Bruckner''s symphonies had a particr difficulty and required an emotional understanding. It wasmusic Qi Mu had never performed before. Of course, on that magnificent stage, no matter the challenge,Qi Mu executed it perfectly. The enthusiastic apuse was a tremendousblessing and praise enough. After the concert, Tan Lao gazed at him for a long time andcouldn''t help but say, "Remember toe back and see me if there is time when we go for shows in Europe. Don''t belike those little bastards that go off and nevere back. . . It''s good tocall often." Tan Lao''s two daughters went to the United States to studywhen they were young. One returned to the city to work, but the other stayed by the ocean. Neither was interested much in ssical music, and Tan Lao didn''tfrequently contact them. The rtionship between father and daughter was frigidat best. QI Mu knew this and naturally smiled, agreeing to hisrequest. The next day, when he collected his suitcase and went downstairs,he didn''t have to call a taxi. Instead, he saw a man standing there, staring atthe ground. Qi Mu looked at him and crossed over. "Zheng-ge, how are youhere? You didn''t tell me you were downstairs, I would havee down early." Zheng Wei Qiao wore a thick gray coat and his familiarsilver sses, but the eyes behind those lenses were bloodshot. He appeared haggarpared to his gentle handsomeness from before. When the two were a meter apart, Qi Mu stopped and smiled athim. He said nothing, just looked on. Zheng Wei Qiao swallowed at the sight of his smile. After along time, he pulled over Qi Mu''s suitcase and stuffed it into the backseat. "XiaoQi, you really are something. You didn''t call to have someone send you to theairport. Were you going to take a taxi?" Qi Mu ced his violin case beside it in the backseat andtook the passenger''s side. Qi Mu: "Zheng-ge, my flight''s early. I didn''t want to disturbyou and sister-inw." "Nonsense, who are you bothering?! You go like this. . . Idon''t know when I''ll see you again. Won''t you have to wait for the end of thesemester for a vacation? Maybe that professor won''t let youe back to Huaxia.You actually want to leave without notice, how grown up! Your wings are so bigalready, ah!" Although the words were using, Zheng Wei Qiao''s tone wasn''tscolding. Qi Mu understood his mood. . . For him to study abroad likethis, it was important for Zheng WeiQiao. However, he didn''t know what to say. He gave a gentle "Um"and said nothing else. Zheng Wei Qiao drove, fingers clenched to the steering wheel.After a while, he sighed, "Xiao Qi, when you first came to B City, I was wonderingwhen you would cheer up a little and stop living in splendor? Drinking, racing, those things are meaningless, how couldyou indulge in it every day? I was givingup." "Then. . . You managedto change. You matured and became so very good. Now, you''re off to Paris, but Ihave to wonder if staying in Huaxia isn''t also good? A lot of people. . ." Zheng Wei Qiao halted. After a while, he said, "Some people,once they leave, they nevere back. Even if they return to perform with anorchestra, they have changed their nationality. They are no longer Huaxian." Qi Mu knew Zheng Wei Qiao referred to the musicians thatwent West and entered the top symphony orchestras. The ones who couldn''t waitto change nationalities. Among this kind, he already knew one: Luo Yu Sen. He had not understoodat the beginning, why Luo Yu Sen changed his nationality. It was something he hadn''t obtained even after half a year''sworth of trying, but Luo Yu Sen just gave it up. It confused him. However, he knew one thing. "Zheng-ge, what do you think ofme?" He suddenly narrowed his eyes, and hiplexion paled as he retorted, "If I daredo that, not just you, but Tan Lao has to break my leg!" "Hey. . ." When he said it, Qi Mu had purposely imitated Tan Lao''sexpression which made Zheng Wei Qiaough and beg for mercy, "Yes, yes, XiaoQi, ah. You go off to Paris but stop that. I hear Professor Akkad has a strangetemper. You have to pay attention to it." Qi Mu nodded, butbefore he could open his mouth, Zheng Wei Qiao urged him, "You were naughty.You can''t do that with the professor. If you make him angry, you''ll onlysuffer." He still didn''t let Qi Mu get a word in edgewise. "Right, Iremember Professor Akkad is from Turin, the capital of chocte. Do you wantto bring some for him? I heart people from Turin love chocte, so you shouldbreak a gift. . ." Qi Mu: "Zheng. . ." "Maybe you don''t want to bring chocte, Professor Akkad isa man after all. He might not like sweets much." "Zheng-ge. . ." "Anyway, if there''s anything hard to handle, just call me.My work is usually easy, and it only takes ten hours to get to Paris. I candefinitely help you. . ." "Zheng-ge!" At Qi Mu''s sudden shout, Zheng Wei Qiao shut his mouth,turned and asked, "Well, what''s the matter, XiaoQi?" The handsome young man''s beautiful face as stunned and helooked at the road helplessly, "Zheng-ge. . . Youjust passed the road to the airport. We''ll have to turn around. . ." Zheng Wei Qiao: ". . ." Fortunately, they had left two hours in advance. Even withthe U-turn, when they reached the security checkpoint, Qi Mu still had an hourbefore the ne took off. Zheng Wei Qiao beckoned Qi Mu over and hugged him. An hourter, a silver international airne took off,breaking into the white clouds and vanishing. Paris, early morning. Germany and France shared a border. These "small" Europeancountries had little geographical surface. From Germany''s capital, Berlin, toParis''s, it only took seven or eight hours by train. The station was roughly in centercity. Many tourists would go by train rather than a ne¡ª¡ª Europe wasn''trge, so it only took a few days to walkaround. Who knew if Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra''s cute and sillyagent was taking the wrong medicine, one called "there''s a one-of-a-kind hotel justtwo blocks away from the train station." So the original flight for Mr.Commander was changed to. . . a seven or eight hour train. There''s even a transfer in the middle!!! Daniel, don''t you know how much trouble this is!!! So, the entire way, this gentlemanly Mr. Commander wore acold Zhang Jun expression. He didn''t want to speak even a word to his agent, stingyenough to not wan to see him even in hisperipheral vision. Of course, Daniel was celebrating! ¡ª¡ªIt was worth it to sit with this iceberg that didn''t talkmuch! Let''s take a nap, duang~ Pairs is here! Awesome! Of course, when a raging spring storm dyed the train fromleaving Berlin until evening, even Daniel was remorseful. They only arrived inParis ridiculously early! What a mistake! Why''re you sleeping?! On such a cold,te night, even the beautiful city calledthe world''s romance capital was empty. Only the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra''smembers rushed across the two streets, entered the hotel, and could finallyfind some hot water to bathe! What, why did theye to Paris? Of course, it was the first stop on Bai Ai''s tour this year! You say, shouldn''t it be London? This was innovative! Creative! It was too boring to go to London every year. The chanceto see his neighbor, it was good too, ah. Bai Ai''s Paris-European tour would stay in Paris for¡ª¡ªfivedays.
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 56
Paris, France''scapital, was famous for being the world''s most romantic capital. This beautifulwestern city, like many of Europe''s cities,had tall skyscrapers. From above, the citywas built in rings, each carefullynned building part of this circle of rose and thorns, surrounding the Arc deTriomphe at the center. After arrivingat Charles de Gaulle Airport, Qi Mu took a taxi directly to the NationalConservatory of Music. Before, when he''e to France with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, he had visited Paris manytimes, but if he was left alone in the city, he would get lost. A handsome young man with dark hair and eyes waseye-catching at the Conservatory. Severalstudentsying on thewn saw an Asian youth carrying a violin case andluggage, and they were eager toe up and show him the way. Soon, he foundthe university building. To call it a buildingwas too exaggerated. The three-story facility was made of creamy white marbleand surrounded by a beautiful greenwn decorated sparsely with white. Once he wasthrough the doors, Qi Mu registered quickly. Due to thete hour, he went toan apartment arranged with the help of the school. The conservatory generally didn''tprovide amodations, but they would often help students in need find ces to rent. Qi Mu''sapartment was a little smaller than the one in B City. Its kitchen could only amodatetwo people, but it was overall quiet and clean. Most of the previous residentswere probably music students as a separate study had been opened in theapartment and could be used as a music room. It took an hourto unpack the luggage he had brought with him and once everything was tidied up, went to stand by the quaint,delicately-patterned window and pushed it open. A spring breezeoff the Pacific Ocean brushed aside the fine ck hairs against his forehead. Parishad a temperate climate, and while it was further north than B City, March waswarm, and a simple coat was more than enough. "So. . . Ireally am back, ah. . ." He nced downat the pedestriansing and going on the street below, then the Europeanarchitecture around him, the flow of the crowd, and it felt like he had returnedhome to Vienna¡ª¡ª All that it wasmissing was the statues of mastermusicians that were unique to the music capital. Qi Mu chuckled.He shook his head and left the window open for venttion then went back towork. Once night fend the stars were bright in the sky, moonlightshone down on the sleeping city and Qi Mu''s first day in Paris was spent busyrunning around. The nextmorning, Qi Mu brushed his hair, grabbed his violin case and cellphone, thenhurried off to the conservatory. The staff that senthim off to the apartment yesterday had said the violin department was holding aspecial admission exam for him at nine o''clock. In Huaxia''sterminology, this was called special treatment, or. . . entering through the back door. Although the universitydidn''t have a precedent for epting a student months after the start of theyear, Professor Akkad had insisted, andthey naturally could not refute. Therefore, whenQi Mu entered the building, after only a few steps, a teacher led him to anempty ssroom. There should have been no tables or chairs, but literally inthe center of the room, on a smooth desk, there was a pen and piece of paperwaiting for him. Qi Mu walkedover. . . ". . ." It wasn''t just apiece of paper, but words written in English. That''s right,it was. . . an exam. "Qi, we were worriedthat you weren''t good with French, so we prepared the exam in English. Youshouldn''t have any problems?" Qi Mu set asidethe violin case and smiled at the assistant professor. "It isn''t a problem." "Alright. Well,you have an hour toplete the test, don''t forget it." With a crispsound, the ssroom door shut and he wasleft alone in the ssroom. Qi Mu looked down at the thin paper feelinghelpless. His heart squeezed with a long-lost sense of familiarity. Exam questions.. . he hadn''t touched such a thing formany years. The originalhad never been good with theory, and he was admitted to the Geneva Academy withexcellent scores over ten years ago. It had been more than a decade, and he hadfar more applied practical knowledge now. He had no idea what level he was at. However,naturally, the boat would flow in direction with the current. Qi Mu did nothesitate to pick up the pen. He looked at the first question and quickly wrote theanswer. He initially thought it would bedifficult, but he found himself writing faster and faster. Twenty minuteter, the test paper was covered in beautifulfont and returned to four of the professors. One of the female assistantprofessors gasped in surprise and swallowed back the words "That''s a brilliantanswer." When Qi Munoticed the questions were all about field application, he felt a bit skeptics to who was leaving through the back door. Of course, hedid not know Professor Akkad intended totest his understanding of the other instruments and how to apply that basicknowledge on the spot. Even if ProfessorAkkad was resourceful, he couldn''t possibly know that this young man may seemlike he was only in his early twenties, but had actually yed with the world''stop symphony orchestra for over ten years. All in all, theprofessor passed the questions back and forth and looked them over three timesthen handed it to Professor Akkad for the final decision. This entric masterwas surprised to find¡ª¡ª There was onlyone grammatical error?! Notscientific!!! When it cametime for the violin test, Qi Mu was helpless to find none of the professorswere Akkad. "The piece wehave selected is ¡¶Song of the Gypsy¡·. Just y it directly." Theprofessor wore sses, and she sat inthe middle. "We''ll tell you when to stop, you don''t have to think too much about it." Qi Mu reallydidn''t expect this kind of special recruitment. He thought hewould merely see the professor and waitfor sses. Who knew there were still so many tests? Of course, the test wasnothing more than a formality. Since Professor Akkad wanted him to pass, he wasnaturally not afraid. After a moment,the low-pitch of his violin filled the ssroom. This room wasspecially designed for ss use. The material and shape of the walls enhancedthe sound of the music. The National Conservatory of Music had hundreds of suchssrooms, and many world-ss musicianshad yed in them during their studies. The top-notch acousticsmade the young man''s melodious violin all the more attractive. From aprofessional perspective, this song easily pulled eighty points. Even thestrictest and pickiest of the professors were speechless. Not halting theperformance meant it was excellent. The professorsfinally understood why Akkad didn''te out in person and let them examine hisstudent: Professor Akkad wanted toconvince them to recognize his student''s strength. Generally, special recruitment was fixed. Some people earnedspecial opportunities after enteringthrough the back door but didn''t actually have the strength. The National Conservatorywasn''t interested in recruiting those kinds of people. Even if the other personwere the son of the French president,they would be toozy to take a look. But there weresome that walked the special route to makeway for other students. Assuming it was the same test environment, these peoplethat would take second ce can shake off the hope of surpassing someone. In the past,the Leipzig Conservatory had specialrecruited Min Chen. Later, the MunichConservatory did the same for Christi. Today, they seteyes on one such extraordinary talent. Before, the college''srepresentative hesitated about recruitingQi Mu. He was already twenty-two thisyear, and the previous candidates for specialrecruitment were all prodigies in their teen years, all were famous in Europe. As a child, QiMu was also considered a musical genius. However, he was older now. Hisachievements could be regarded asremarkable, but not dazzling. Now, Qi Mu''sstrength had thempletely breathless. Once ¡¶Songof the Gypsy¡·hade to an end, they stared nkly at the smiling, courteous Huaxian andfor a while, didn''t know what to say. It could onlybe said that Professor Akkad had better eyes than them. It was no wonder there were rumors that Professor Karl wantedto recruit this student. No one spoke.Qi Mu politely bowed in thanks and patiently waited for the results. But, this time,Qi Mu didn''t get ament from these professors. The closed door pushed open, andhe turned to look at it. He saw a short old man enter the room with pride onhis face. Qi Mu''s eyes widenedthen, after a while, he smiled, and thetwo nodded at each other. "Hello, Professor Akkad."
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 57
"Hello, Teacher Akkad." Qi Mu bowed and said politely, his tonewarm. Before he could straighten, the entric man heaved a sighout his nose and said in response, "I still haven''t taken you as a student,Angel. Why do you call me teacher already?" ". . ." Farrell has passed on this unspeakable name, ah!!! He was so aghast at the name that he didn''t notice theinstructors in the room exchange words with Professor Akkad. They left the room and. . . closed the door. When the old man strode across the room to the desk in frontof him, Qi Mu was surprised to watch this world-famous violinist sit directly onthe table. Akkad looked up at him and said, "You''re ¡¶Gypsy¡· just nowwas alright. Can you manage Tchaikovsky''s ¡¶D Major¡·?" Qi Mu tore his stare away and slowly nodded. "I''ve practicedit some. The third movement is still unfamiliar, but the first is doable. . ." "Then y, the first movement is fine." Qi Mu: ". . ." He started to y. When he reached the third section of thethird movement, the music continued smoothly, but Professor Akkad shook hishead in disgust and said, "Enough, enough. Your third movement is indeed notgood. Let''s advance to the interview section." Qi Mu: ". . ." As if he didn''t notice the confused stare at all, Akkad said,"You know, this is the first time I''m epting a student. I cannot guaranteehow I will teach you. So I wanted to ask first, Angel, you. . ." "Professor. . ." Qi Mu could resist no longer. He raised hishand and said, "You. . . can you stop calling me ''Angel''? I haven''t taken the name.Master Farrell is messing with me. This kind of joke, you don''t have to take soseriously." Akkad raised an eyebrow but said nothing in response. In fact, when Farrell rmended a student called "Angel,"Akkad thought it was a cute little girl. When he found out it was a young man, hecouldn''t help but worry about his friend''s vision. What kind of child can you praise as an Angel? When Qi Mu was writing his exam, Akkad had looked in throughthe back door. When he saw this beautiful young man, even he had to admit theboy was a delicate porcin doll. But, this name Angel is a bit. . . Akkad asked with a smile, "If not Angel, then what is yourname?" Qi Mu replied, "Professor Akkad, my name is Qi Mu." Akkad''s face wrinkled in difficulty, and he said, "I heardyour name seems to mean ''Seven'' in Chinese. I will call you Severin." Severin Little Seven*: ". . ." *Severin Xiao Qi No longer entangled with this issue, Akkad switched topics, "XiaoQi, I don''t have experience in teaching a student. Of course, you can rest assured.I will help you improve. There is no doubt in that." Qi Mu had never doubted Akkad, so he replied, "Professor, Ihaven''t questioned your ability. I am honored to be your student and have yourguidance." Qi Mu was modest, but it displeased Akkad. As Farrell had said, this little old man had such a highlevel of skill with the violin that his temper was strange. He looked Qi Mu upand down, appreciative, then asked, "But, Xiao Qi, why should I ept you as astudent?" "Because you want to." Qi Mu didn''t hesitate, and the words made Akkad swallow hisnext words. He looked at Qi Mu for a long time, and felt. . . Am I a child to beconvinced like this? After a while, Akkad asked again, "Then, what do you want todo?" "Over eighty percent of violin graduates from the Conservatorywill go into various orchestras. Most will only be a regr member theirentire lives and won''t even climb to deputy chief." "Ten percent will be soloists. And less than ten percentwill not go into ssical music at all. I am afraid they don''t go into anymusic-rted industry at all." After spiting these statistics, Akkad looked at him solemnly."So, I want to ask you. Xiao Qi, what do you. . . want to do in the future?" For most, this was a difficult question to answer. But,after only just asking, Akkad''s eyes widened, and he remained silent for a longtime. Akkad asked no further questions. He looked at this smilingyouth with aplex gaze then smiled briefly. He adopted a serious expressionand nodded, "Tomorrow, report to the college at eight. You''re not allowed to bte." Qi Mu was a little surprised at the sudden approval, but notlong after, he smiled and packed his violin into its dark green case. He picked up the small bag next to the case and walked overto Akkad. He handed it over. "Teacher, this is chocte from Veffdebruge. Ididn''t know your preference, so I bought a little of everything." The dignified little ck gift bag contained a box ofpackaged choctes. Veffdebruge was one of the most famous choctiers inParis. It took almost two hours to wait and buy a box. Even he didn''t know why, but when he passed the store thatmorning, he remembered Zheng Wei Qiao''s joke. He stood at the door for a whilewhen a Chinese woman walked over and asked in surprise, "Excuse me, are you. .. from Huaxia?" When he nodded, this young woman¡ª¡ªan intern at Veffdebruge,pulled him into the store and let him buy the choctes without waiting inline. Akkad looked at the bag and light shed in his eyes. Helooked at him and asked furiously, "You think because I''m from Turin, I likechocte?" Qi Mu: " . . ." "I''m an adult, Severin,I don''t have a preference for sweets children like to eat." Qi Mu apologized, "I''m sorry, Teacher, I didn''t know. . ." "Eating a little asionally doesn''t matter." Qi Mu: " . . ." Akkad looked at the bag with disdain but snatched it up andhid it behind his back, not even letting him see it again¡ª¡ªlike he thought Qi Muwould take it back. Dumbfounded, Qi Mu stared. What was it Farrell said? entric temper? No, this couldn''t be considered a quirk. There was a poprword floating abouttely. . . Tsundere?!* *Trantes to "Proud but tender." Under the splendid sunshine, the European buildings indowntown Paris looked as though covered in ayer of spun gold. After being told to go to the college the next day, Qi Mu droppedhis violin off at the apartment, took his wallet and keys, and found thenearest supermarket. While furnished, the apartment''s refrigerator and cabswere empty. He had a lot to buy. His new apartment was in a good location. It was one streetaway from the university, and there was a small convenience store nearby. Itonly had one floor, but it had quite a selection. Qi Mu was rather satisfied. Under the high-wattage lighting, Qi Mu held a small fryingpan, studying it. There were already a lot of items in the cart beside him,fresh fruits and vegetables, and the basic seasonings. After deciding on the pan, he put it in his cart. He hadn''tstood up entirely yet when he saw a familiar figure. After a moment, Qi Mustood up and looked around. There was a narrow alley outside the ss window, and thereweren''t many pedestrians on the sidewalk. Everyone came and went, but they wereall blond. Where was that figure he had just seen? After looking for a long time, he didn''t find them andsighed,ughing a little at himself. "I really want to see Min Chen. . . how couldhe be here? I won''t see him every time I move. . ." The young man''s voice didn''t attract anyone''s attention inthe store, but what he didn''t know that halfway down the street¡ª¡ªbefore the magnificentdoors of the Paris National Conservatory of Music, a handsome man lifted hishead to look up at the quiet, beautiful college, then. . . Stepped inside. In the man''s right hand, he held a small ck bag. The word"Veffdebruge" was written in silver on the side, and it shone like diamonds inthe sunlight. Chocte and Min Chen? Don''t you think. . . it''s a bit disharmonious?!!!
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Do I spot a tsundere? Or do I spot a tsundere? Roflmao. These chapters are just getting better and better. Chapter 58
The spring breeze streaked across the campus''swn, betweenParis'' buildings, and through their exquisite architecture. The national conservatorywas filled with students. Some yed the trumpet, some the violin, the musicwas elegant, forming a unique atmosphere. A handsome man walked the white cobblestone path up to thecollege. He wore sunsse, and his lips were thin. His expression was cold,but he held a bag of chocte in his right hand. "That person looks familiar. . ." "Who? Oh my god, it is familiar. . ." ". . . Doesn''t that. . . look at bit like Mr. AutsonBertram?!" "How could that be? Bai Ai came to Paris to perform, but Mr.Bertram isn''t conducting. The guest conductor, Mr. Charles Littis, is incharge. Mr. Bertram probably didn''te to Paris!" "Yeah. . . how could Mr. Bertram possibly be here? . . ." . . . Some students whispered in surprise when they saw the manwalking up. None of these whispers escaped Min Chen''s ear, but he continuedforward calm. ¡ª¡ªThis kind of behavior made everyone guess "This man isdefinitely not Mr. Bertram." But, halfway to the building, he suddenly stopped and turnedto look at a girl standing under the shade of a tree and practicing seriously. The girl''s hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she hadfreckles dotting her face. She was focused intently on her songs. It was one ofhis, but her skill had a few. . . deficiencies and she kept fumbling. Herdelicate face was damp with anxious sweat. With a sigh, Min Chen walked over and stated, "In the thirdsection of ¡¶Constance¡·, there''sa problem with your finger technique. If you change the strings, you''ll reduce thedifficulty, but. . . the effect will be poor." His low, maic voice carried over the quietwn. The girllooked up in amazement and stared at him with fright. The students scatteredaround them were confused and turned to look at him as well. When they saw himunder the shadow of the tree, Min Chen merely removed his sunsses andextended his hand to point at the girl''s fingers. Perhaps a conductor could endure terrible music for a while.But if aposer were to hear his own song being yed like this, even forMin Chen, it was unbearable. The moment Min Chen removed his sunsses, everything was silentfor a moment. The next, chatter exploded¡ª¡ª "Oh my god, it''s really Mr. Bertram! Lily, I was right, itis him!" "God! How did Mr. Bertram get here? Come!" "Aaah. To get to see Mr. Bertram, I''m so lucky!" . . . This mayhem caused by Min Chen''s arrival in the violindepartment spread throughout the entire college. Although Reed Akkad was one ofthe world''s best musicians, he was a little less famous, and the most importantthing is. . . Min Chen is so handsome! No matter the country, people with excellent looks. . . itreally was an advantage! When Min Chen pushed aside Professor Akkad''s lounge door, theproud, awkward little old man snorted and was toozy to look at him. Heturned and pointed his butt towards the door. Min Chen: ". . ." Min Chen set the Veffdebruge gift back next to ProfessorAkkad and sat casually on the soft to the side. His dark eyes narrowed, and hesaid, "Reed, I haven''t seen you in a long time." Akkad''s answer was chilly, "Haven''t seen you, haven''t seenyou. You meet my students downstairs and get surrounded by lovely schoolgirls." Min Chen: ". . ." His phoenix eyes shed with a hint of a smile. In the faceof old friends, he naturally understood the man''s personality. He pushed thechocte gift bag forward with a finger and said solemnly, "I came today toask something of you." Akkad blinked at the bag. Then he hurried and stuffed it intohis desk drawer. He looked over at him. "If you have something, say it. I don''twant to y with an orchestra right now. If you want to invite me over to y,it goes without saying, Min." Reed Akkad had recently had a change of heart and wanted toteach a student. Min Chen naturally knew and hade over because of that. "I wanted to rmend a student for you. His skill is good,and he''s diligent enough. More than enough to consider." Min Chen''s tone was calm. He knew Akkad was looking for astudent, and he hade with a personal rmendation. It was naturally watertight. But. . . to his surprise, Akkad actually shook his head andsaid decisively, "No." Min Chen jerked forward in surprise, "Why? He''s good, and hehas a keen understanding of the violin." Akkad reached into the drawer and took out the bag ofchoctes. He sat it on the table and reluctantly showed it to Min Chen. "Min,it''s not that I doubt you, but. . . do you see this bag?" The handsome man across from him rubbed his brow. He turnedto look at Akkad''s hands. There was a Veffdebruge gift bag. "What about it?" Min Chen asked. Akkad shook his head and said, "This is what my student boughtfor me this morning. Min, I just took a student this morning. He''s a great kid.I have little experience teaching. It''s impossible for me to take two students." Akkad''s word was a surprise. Min Chen only listened as hecontinued. "Look, the boss of Veffdebruge is your fan. You don''t need to waitfor a bag. My lovely little student? He has to get up two or maybe even threehours early to wait. He''s a good boy, Min. I won''t give him up just for you." In the past thirty years, Min Chen had never been rejectedbefore. Especially. . . in the ssical music world. No one doubted his ears,and as long as he made the rmendation, they would stand at the top of themusic scene. This was a first. However, it was impossible to force Akkad to change studentsjust for his sake. He sighed and understood he was a step toote. The two moved on to talk about the next concert. When thesun set, Min Chen finally rose and took the custom sunsses from the neck ofhis coat. Before he could put them on, he suddenly stopped. He looked at Akkad and said, "Reed, I believe in yourvision. Your student must be excellent. Can I have the honor. . . what is hisname?" Akkad thought about it for a while then smiled around amouthful of white teeth, "He''s called Xiao Qi." "Small seven. . . ?" Min Chen whispered then didn''t worryabout it anymore. He nodded, "Well, Reed, I will see youter." Akkad suddenly remembered something and hastened to shout, "Waita minute, Min! Do you still have tickets for the day after tomorrow? I''d liketo take my student to hear it, but your concert''s tickets are always hard to grab." Min Chen only hesitated for a moment then nodded, "I''ll haveDaniel send you tickets tomorrow." Akkad nodded with a smile. When Daniel heard what he''d said to Akkad, his blue eyes widenedin disbelief. "Auston!!! I asked only a few days ago! When I went to give you tickets,what did you say? You said you had no friends toe, so I didn''t need to keepthem!" "Now there is!" Daniel was too surprised, or perhaps too crazy, and directlycalled out, "Auston!" Min Chen looked at Daniel, calm, and answered, "If Iremember. . . if it''s for my family, there''s always three seats reserved?" ". . ." Daniel was speechless. "Family. . . you want Akkad andhis student. . . to sit in the same box as you?" As the permanent lead conductor, the second-floor box wasfree for Min Chen at every Bai Ai concert if he wished. It was independent andsecluded, but it couldfortably amodate four people. Min Chen usually never liked to use these privileges, butthis time. . . it surprised Daniel. He whispered, "Min, even if the other guyis Reed Akkad, you don''t have to do this? I thought you''d never use it in yourlife." Paris''s sunset was a gentle glow. Min Chen raised his headand looked to the distant west. The purple-red clouds rendered the sky abeautiful garden of Eden. The scene was magnificent, and even Min Chen couldonly stand and stare for a while. "He thinks. . . hisstudent is better than Qi Mu? I''d like to see him too. . ." Daniel touched his head and asked, "Eh, Min? What did yousay? What are you looking at?" "It''s nothing." He shook his head and whispered, "Remember,I''m going to send Akkad an invitation tomorrow." Daniel forgot about what Min Chen just said to himself andclutched his head in pain. "Oh my god. . . I really don''t want to see Akkad. That stinking old man! Every time, hughs at my beautiful hair! He dares to say I have too little, that I''ll go bald!He must be jealous of my thick hair!" Min Chen: ". . ." Under that same sunset, Qi Mu put everything away in hissmall apartment. Afterward, even the fridge was packed full. Once everything was done, heid on the soft sofa and said,"Tomorrow. . . I will attend college officially. . ." "I don''t know. . . what will it be like? . . ."
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 59
Like the Geneva Conservatory, Paris''s National Conservatorywas amongst the world''s top music academies. Most graduates went on to y in internationallyfamous orchestras. Rarely did their alumni decide to work in professionsunrted to music. Qi Mu studied at the Geneva Conservatory for four years and improvedhis skill with the violin in leaps and bounds. Over those four years, he practiced several tracks as partof his professor''s teaching and participated in countlesspetitions ofvarious sizes. He joined the academy''s orchestra and eventually became thedeputy chief. When he officially started sses, Qi Mu thought Akkadwould have him practice a score of music and give him ording feedback, but.. . Qi Mu didn''t expect that when he rushed to the college earlythat morning and walked into Akkad''s music room at 7:45, the room was empty. .. there wasn''t even a music stand!!! That''s right, aside from the shelves of books, it wasimpossible to see even the shadow of a violin! Akkad''s personal music room had over 50 square meters. The floorwas hardwood and had excellent sound instion. The walls were also equippedwith professional sound-absorbing materials. The arrangements were simple, but thehuge windows ensured excellent lightning. Qi Mu sat stunned holding his violin case and waited forfifteen minutes. When the clock''s hands finally found eight o''clock, the dooropened, and Akkad wasn''t even a little surprised to see him there. This serious little old man was wearing casual attire today,and a full lens camera hung around his neck. He stood in the door and beckoned,Xiao Qi, let''s go. Take your violin to my office. We''re going out." Qi Mu: ". . ." Akkad noticed Qi Mu''s speechlessness and added, "Don''tworry, my lounge is definitely safer than your apartment. It''s tightly monitored,the little girl in your hand won''t get lost. It''s okay to leave it there." Qi Mu: ". . ." Where is he worried?That wasn''t his problem! But, the professor''s words were instructions for the student. Qi Mu didn''t object and took his violin to Akkad''s office. Akkadseemed to think Qi Mu was still worried so carefully put Qi Mu''s "little girl"into his safe. He turned and said, "See, don''t worry?" ". . ." That really wasn''t theproblem! Although Qi Mu was confused and couldn''t understand what Akkadmeant by it, the following development only made him more. . . baffled! For the whole day, the violin master from Turin, Italyshowed him, thoroughly, how the "people of Turin love chocte." From the familiar Jeff de Bruge to Smucha and Jean-Paul Hevin,ones he had never heard of, the master walked through these famous choctiersand tasted a variety of them. Qi Mu hadn''t known before, but chocte could have such distinctivetastes. For example, Smucha chocte was sweet with a bitter aftertaste, whileJean-Paulkevin was entirely sweet. Chocte was amon snack in Europe. The many lovelychildren on the streets of Paris were not round from just high-fat foods. However, while Qi Mu had grown up in Europe, he rarely atethe stuff. There was no need to ask why when he was in the orphanage. And afterhe was adopted, he ate some affordable choctes, but he had never tasted thesewell-known brands. When they strolled into thest high-end shop in thewestern suburbs, it was already four in the afternoon. If they were still atthe college, the bell would be ringing, but Akkad was apparently not a mentorthat liked to procrastinate. Akkad shoved a few of his choctes into Qi Mu''s hand andsaid gravely, "Xiao Qi, chocte is a very happy food. You have to taste it.Today''s ss is here, tomorrow you will wait for me at the Arc de Triomphe.Remember to keep my camera safe, these are the memories of our day." Qi Mu wanted to cry, but he also wanted tough. ". . . Yes,Teacher Akkad!" So, as the sun set, a handsome young man carrying a varietyof exquisite chocte gift bags and a heavy camera around his neck walked downa path. All day, Akkad had made him smile and pose while he tookpictures. At first, Qi Mu was a bit cautious. He didn''t understand whythis entric professor wanted to take such bizarre photos, but he graduallylet go and even snapped a few pictures of Akkad. Tomorrow would be focused on the Arc de Triomphe. . . Looks like another day of fun? It was only after Qi Mu returned to his apartment and setdown the heavy camera that he suddenly remembered something important! "Myviolin. . . it''s still in teacher''s safe?!" Qi Mu smiled helplessly, having a faint feeling his heart¡ª¡ª Akkad didn''t want him to touch the violin for a while? Well, maybe he was overthinking things. In fact, this oundish spection was confirmed the nextday when he asked his professor. "Teacher, I don''t know when I can get my violinback." "When, ah? We don''t have to cover every corner of Paris. It shouldn''tbe long. I think you should be able to meet the little girl in a week." Qi Mu: ". . ." That morning, at the official start of ss, Qi Mu took severalpictures of the Arc de Triomphe and walked back and forth with Akkad across thefamous Avenue des Champs-¨¦lys¨¦es. After a simple lunch at noon, he was still guessing as towhere they would spend the afternoon when Akkad took him straight to a high-endclothing store. He took Qi Mu''s financial situation into consideration andonly selected a medium, gray suit for him. Though Qi Mu didn''t understand histeacher''s intent, he assumed it was for when he was allowed to y in the futureor for a performance, so he directly paid for it. But then Akkad cut thebel and told him to leave hisclothes, Qi Mu finally noticed something wrong. He asked, "Teacher Akkad, whatare you. . . what do you mean?" Akkad asked strangely, "Didn''t I tell you before? We''regoing to a concert tonight!" Qi Mu: ". . ." Youdidn''t say anything! Akkad didn''t care too much either way. He nodded, "Xiao Qi,tonight, we''re going to Paris''s Philharmonic Hall for a concert. This suit fitsyou well. You can use it forpetitions and performancester, but since you''lluse it sooner orter, you might as well use it tonight." Since he had only been in Paris for a few days and most ofit was spent cleaning his apartment and getting things sorted with the college,Qi Mu didn''t have time to learn about unrted things. This was the first timehe heard of a concert being held at the Philharmonic Hall. One that would have Akkad interested in it must be at leasta world-ss symphony orchestra. Qi Mu thought for a moment then tried to figureout what kind of orchestra. . . woulde to Paris to perform? This question did not haunt Qi Mu for long. When they passed a calm, man-madeke, a magnificentbuilding came into sight. The Paris Philharmonic Hall was the most expensive concerthall in the world. This young hall was only nine years old this year, but ithad the world''s best audio equipment and sound effects. The building''s architecturewas all sleek curves and reflected the faint silver glow of the moonlight. When Qi Mu entered the building, a huge poster caught hiseye. Qi Mu: ". . ." Akkad looked at the poster in disapproval. He said, "It''snot that guy conducting, but they still give him a position on the poster. So unreasonable." Qi Mu''s light-colored eyes widened slightly, and he subconsciouslyasked, "Teacher, this time tit''s not Min Chen. . . um, Mr. Bertram conducting tonight?" Akkad nodded, "Ah, I remember this time it''s Littis imand tonight. His skill is also great, very orthodox and elegant. You shouldbe able to learn a lot from it. Bai Ai is strong, Xiao Qi, you have to listenwell." Naturally, if there were an opportunity, Qi Mu would neverhave missed the chance to listen to these first-ss orchestras. Moreover, CharlesLittis was also a great conductor. His style was formal and belonged to the romanticgenre. Qi Mu had listened to one of his concerts, and it was dignified,powerful. "Alright, Teacher, I will listen carefully." Under the moonlight, this beautiful youth dressed in adelicate suit followed his teacher into the exclusive box on the second floor. Qi Mi didn''t question why they were sitting there, afterall, this was Master Akkad. For him to get an exclusive seat, it was nothingunusual to think about. They could see the entire stage from this box. Only after hewalked closer did Qi Mu realize this box would experience the concert best. Qi Mu sat in such a quiet,fortable box, and looked downat the orchestra members on the stage. when Bai Ai''s concertmaster, Christi, officiallyarrived, the next to step on stage was the conductor. Qi Mu smiled and saw Charles Littis step onto the stage. Asif in time with the master reaching the podium, the door behind them opened. The sound was quiet, nearly drowned out by the audience''sapuse, but Qi Mu''s hearing was astute, and it still rang in his ear. Heturned and looked back. He froze, stunned, in his seat. Even the handsome man standing at the door was stunned stillness. Qi Mu: ". . ." Min Chen: ". . ."
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 60
After a round of apuse, melodious music carried throughthe concert hall. In the box Qi Mu was in, the acoustics rang clear in his ears. Whether it was the tambourine, the timber drum, the triangle,the trumpet, or the oboe, the British tube, or even Christi''s violin, he could hearthem all distinctly. Before, Qi Mu had guessed this box to have the best location,but when he heard the vibrant echo of the multiyered symphony, he affirmedhis previous conjecture. No. . . Perhaps he had confirmed it when that man entered the box. Wherever Min Chen went, it would naturally be the best. Schumann''s ¡¶Vienna Carnival¡· yed on stage, and its magnificentperformance was so powerful it intoxicated the audience and drew them into thecarnival experience. While the music yed, no one spoke. Although Qi Mu was surprisedto see Min Chen, he did not talk to the man beside him. There were six seats in the box. Three in the first row andthree in the second. Akkad had chosen the leftmost position when he entered,and Qi Mu sat beside his teacher. He hadn''t thought there would be someone elsein the box with them. When Min Chen sat beside him, the concert had already begun,and Qi Mu could only smile at him for there was no time for words. During the thunderous apuse after the first song, Qi Mu whisperedas he pped, "I didn''t expect Bai Ai''s first show of the season. . . to be inParis." The young man''s voice was deliberately low, almost masked underthe roar of the audience''s apuse. The box''s lighting was dim, Akkad reminiscedabout the exhrating rendition of ¡¶Vienna Carnival¡·, sohe didn''t notice the other two beside him. Min Chen''s gaze flitted to the side, and he answered just asquietly, "Daniel said the orchestra shouldn''t do the same thing all the time. Hedecided we''d do something different this year. The second show will still be inLondon." Qi Mu nodded and asked, "Didn''t you. . . could it be on thephone the other day, when you asked if I needed a ticket, it was for this?!" A smile shed in Min Chen''s dark eyes, and he hummed an affirmative"En." Qi Mu: ". . ." So, even though he refused the invitation before, he still endedup at the scene with the other man? Min Chen didn''t seem to notice Qi Mu''s tangled expressionand pped his hands. The family emblem engraved on his left hand''s ring caughtin a ray of light, but he frowned as he pondered. After a while, Min Chennarrowed his eyes and asked, "Little Seven?" "Yes?" Qi Mu subconsciously answered. Min Chen: ". . ." It wasn''t until after his reflexive reply that Qi Mu noticedit wasn''t his teacher calling him. Qi Mu covered his mouth with his hand and coughed twice. Hewhispered, "Teacher Akkad calls me that. He doesn''t know Chinese and my name isa bit of a mouthful. Did he tell you my name? I don''t care if you use it, youcan call me Qi Mu." Min Chen: ". . ." After a long time, a low-pitched noise came from Min Chen''sthroat in reply. The apuse had subsided and the second song began. Qi Muturned his attention back to the state and did not see the indifferent man besidehim lick his lips and swallow unpleasantly. Fortunately. . . he doesn''tknow what I did. ¡ª¡ªMin Chen secretly thought. Under the dim lighting, no one realized the man who hadalways been cheeky now had red ears. He coughed. No strange behavior here. A two-hour concert was impossible to y through from startto finish without rest, so there was a fifteen-minute break in the middle. QiMu wanted to exchange greetings, but Akkad unexpectedly argued with Min Chen aboutthe orchestra''s personnel configuration. Akkad had never been a conductor, he was once theconcertmaster for the Dresden Symphony Orchestra before he moved to theNational Conservatory of Music. He worked as a concertmaster of three world-ss symphoniesfor decades of his musical career. Even if he had nevermanded an orchestra,he couldment professionally on the positioning. Akkad believed the second violin group was a bitrge forthis concert. Once he learned Min Chen decided the staffing, the two argued witheach other. In the end, Akkad was convinced by Min Chen''s three reasons,but by then, the break was over and Schumann''s ¡¶Abegg Variations¡· had begun. Therefore, Qi Mu had to sit back and continue listening. Robert Schumann was a famous German pianist andposer ofthe 19th century. His works were almost exclusively piano pieces.The entire world thought only the piano could disy these musical piecesperfectly. There was a time where no adaptation of Schumann''s songsinto orchestral form could be found without a piano ensemble. To find a concertof five of his songs without even the hint of a piano like Bai Ai did tonight,this was a first. After the concert had officially ended, Akkad stood andapuded enthusiastically without being stingy about his praise. "Min, I thoughtyou would perform as a pianist this time, but I didn''t think. . . you wouldn''tbe on stage at all!" Min Chen nodded and replied bluntly, "I might go up durinter performances, but for the first show, Daniel said. . . to be innovativeand creative." That provoked Akkad''s eyebrow into rising. "The adaptationof these songs don''t tell me that Daniel Duke kid did it. He wants to let allhis hair fall out, it''s impossible." After a pause, he added, "Well, if he hasn''tlost it all already, his blond head should be bald by now." "Pffft. . ." Min Chen looked over when Qi Muughed, and his own lipscurled into a smile. "It''s my and Charles'' adaptation. Christi helped some too.In fact, what did Daniel do. . ." He deliberately drew it out, and when Qi Muturned to look at him curiously, he was appeased. Min Chen met his gaze and said, "He brewed coffee, hm. . . it didn''t taste all that good." Qi Mu almost choked on hisughter. Akkad didn''t seem to own a humorous cell in his body. Henodded then, as if recalling something, asked, "Wait a minute. If you''reneither conductor nor pianist. . . why is your name on the poster at theentrance? Yours was the biggest?!" At this sudden usation, Min Chen blinked a little andfrowned in contemtion. "Because. . . I am the music director?" Akkad snorted. "You don''t introduce the orchestra, what kindof director are you?" His tone was disgusted, and hiszy re at Min Chenwas more than enough to express his disdain for "this man that had his namedprinted on the poster and pinned up." Min Chen did not care about Akkad''s contempt and nodded, hisresponse nd, "Oh, then it''s probably because. . . I am handsome." Qi Mu: ". . ." Akkad: ". . ." "Auston! I didn''t know you were such a narcissist!" The corners of Min Chen''s lips curled, and he raised hishead, "You only just found out?" Akkad: ". . ." Wanting to get angry at this poisonous man, Master Akkad neededto practice some more. . .e back after another 500 years.
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet Chapter 61
Spring nights in Paris were cold. The wind brought the scentof salt from the sea, and everyone tightened their coats as they exited theconcert hall. The Paris Philharmonic Hall was in the suburbs, surroundedby a man-madeke, and outlined by silver moonlight. One car after the nextdrove down the path and left the magnificent building behind. Earlier, Akkad and his student came by taxi. Qi Mu did nothave a car in Paris, and Akkad hadn''t bought one yet, so the professor suggestedthey hitch a ride with Min Chen. Qi Mu followed Akkad out of the concert hall. He tugged onthe scarf around his neck as a breeze brushed past and turned when his teacher spoke. "Min, the concert tonight was great. Your and Charles''sadaptation was excellent!" Akkad had long forgotten how narcissistic and arrogant MinChen acted moments ago. "In fact, I wanted Small Seven to adapt a song for practice." Speaking of Qi Mu, Akkad remembered his student. Heintroduced the two, "Oh, I forgot to say before. Min, this is my student. . .Qi. . . Mu. His name is hard to pronounce, but I recall you''re fluent inChinese." Qi Mu stood under therge poster with Min Chen''s name embodiedon it and smiled. He didn''t have time to interrupt as Akkad went on, "SmallSeven, this is Auston Bertram." Qi Mu had nothing to hide, so he nodded. Helplessness shoneout of his delicate white face. "Teacher, I. . . I met Mr. Min a long time ago.In Huaxia. . . we were neighbors." Akkad wondered. . . did he have hearing issues? "Seven, whatdid you say?" Qi Mu solemnly repeated himself, "Teacher, I said Min Chen,and I met each other a long time ago." ". . ." Akkad turned to look at Min Chen. The stoic man raised an eyebrow, "I knew him before you did." Akkad: ". . ." When did the worldbe so small? Weren''t there over 7 billion people?! Since there was no need for introductions, Akkad asked a fewmore questions about the concert then continued toward the exit. Akkad nodded, but he was dissatisfied. He walked past theartificialke and recalled, "Wait a minute, Min! That gifted student youwanted to rmend, it wouldn''t be. . . Small Seven, huh?" Qi Mu: "?" Min Chen: ". . ." The man''s ears stained red in the dark, but he maintained a wlesslycalm and collected expression. Min Chen reached up to cover a cough with hishand, "En. . . yes." Akkad muttered, "This has to be God''s joke. Is there such acoincidence?" Thanks to Akkad''smenting, Qi Mu was dumbfounded. He tooka moment to understand the words "student you wanted to rmend" from Akkad''smouth, then he realized. . . Min Chen rmended him to Akkad?! An indescribable well of emotion burst forth in Qi Mu''schest, spreading into every corner of his body. He was warm despite the coldair. This man helped him too much. It both dazed and moved him. "Thank you for taking care of me. . . Min Chen." The young man kept his voice low, so it didn''t spread far,but it tunneled straight to Min Chen''s ear. He turned and looked at Qi Mu. Satinmoonlight illuminated the boy''s eyes, and there was a tremor in his heart whentheir gazes met. After a while, Min Chen answered, "Never mind." Qi Mu could not describe his gratitude. "In Huaxia, youhelped me a lot, I don''t know how to thank you." Qi Mu referenced the many pointers the other man had givenhim. Although Min Chen wasn''t a violinist, his experience and the depth of his feelingstowards music had inspired Qi Mu. "Don''t take it to heart, you are very good." Min Chen''s low-pitched voice resounded on the quiet path.They had spoken in Chinese and Akkad couldn''t understand what they were saying.Though the entric professor frowned, he said nothing and let the twoconverse. What Akkad didn''t know was the two''s conversation had long shiftedaway from the concert to their recent lives. Min Chen paid close attention toQi Mu''s words. The youth had no rtives now and to be alone in Europe, it hadto be ufortable. "The orchestra will stay in Paris for a while, if there''s somethinge find me." Qi Muughed a little. "If there''s something I need helpwith, I won''t be shy." He remembered a certain trait of Min Chen''s and teasedwith a smile, "Of course, if there''s anything you need. . . I can help anytime." ". . ." Min Chen thought in silence for a long time then hiseyebrows rose high in question, "What would I need?" "Bugs." ". . ." What retribution would he get for teasing this arrogant,stingy man? Well, this time Qi Mu found out. They got into the car Bai Ai provided and Min Chen made theentire trip in pursed silence. Akkad, at some point, asked, "Min, what''s with that cold face?It''s even colder now!" However, when Akkad saw Min Chen open his mouth to speak,eyes even chillier yet, he raised a hand and begged for mercy. "Okay, you can stop hurting me now. Who doesn''t know thatyou won the championship for world¡¯s worst temper on the Danube Forum? No one daresquestion it. That vote. . . the second ce lost by over five hundred votes." Qi Mu: ". . ." So Akkad also visited the Danube Forum! After saying goodbye to his teacher, Qi Mu looked at MinChen''s handsome but indifferent face and smiled. He raised a finger and swore, "I promise, no one except forthe people that already know, will find out you''re afraid. . . cough, okay?" Min Chen turned to look at him, voice quiet as he asked, "Areyou sure?" Qi Mu blinked: ". . . Certain!" "Alright, go to bed early and be careful on the stairs." Qi Mu: ". . ." Don''t have such a good face!!! Once Min Chen saw Qi Mu''s apartment lights turn on, the carleft and drove toward Akkad''s house. The professor had hopped into the backseat after Qi Mu got out so he could sit next to Min Chen. He wasn''t too interested in the shift, so he nced over atAkkad but didn''t pay much attention. The seventy-year-old musician sighed and said,"Min, my student. . . what do you think of him?" Outside, the streetlights shed by, their halo castingonto the car as they drove past, and Min Chen''s face flickered in and out ofillumination. He looked over at Akkad. "He''s very talented, very diligent, andvery astute to the emotion of music. His skill is good." "You used three ''very,'' ah. . . if Farrell heard how you describedSmall Seven, what expression would he have?" Akkad did not smile. "Min, Ialways thought you weren''t one to raise the next generation. Even that stupidboy, Daniel, knows you''rezy." Min Chen raised an eyebrow. "I don''t like to raisethe next generation." . . . This was the sentence he just heard? "But, Min, for you to take care of my student like this, it makesme feel. . . strange. Gives me strange ideas." The little old man turned and stared at his left ear withoutfear. "If you Germans are homosexual, you wear an earring in your left ear, showme!" Min Chen: ". . ." He turned to face this old man, his expression dark as hesaid dryly, "I don''t wear earrings." "That doesn''t prove you''re not gay!" ". . ." "Damn, are you looking at my lovely student? I''m warning you!You''re not allowed to give him a ck hand. Small Seven is a lovely boy, and Iwon''t let you do anything to him. If you try something with him under the nameof Bai Ai, it''s not qualified!" ". . ." "Oh, wait a minute, Auston Bertram! You''ve never been inlove, have you?! Damn, you''re gay and paying attention to my student, youdemon. . ." "Reed Akkad!" The man next to him gnashing his teeth made Akkad fall silent. Min Chen''s face was dark enough to squeeze out water. He pursed his lips and asked in a dangerous voice, "Who told you. . . I¡¯m homosexual?" Akkad retorted, "Then why are you so good to my student?!"
Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Bet

Bet:

I''m going to have to go back and make some edits, but from henceforward, Akkad will use the English "Small Seven" instead of "Xiao Qi." I got in the habit of keeping it Romanized, but since the man has referenced his struggle with Chinese, I might as well adapt. Chapter 62
Akkad''s questioning had Min Chen speechless. His fierce Phoenix eyes narrowed, then he sighed. "Reed, you''ve yed the violin for over sixty years. Do you think. . . it''s possible for two people to sound the same?" Stunned, Akkad shook his head. "Impossible. Even in different stages of life, the same person''s style and skill will make them sound different." After a pause, he asked, curious, "Min, why ask such a simple question?" The shadowy lighting in the car made everything bleak. Even when they passed a light on the side of the road, it barely highlighted the outline of Min Chen''s profile so Akkad couldn''t gauge his expression. Min Chen''s eyebrows furrowed, and he whispered, "Qi Mu''s violin. . . sounds a lot like someone I knew." He added afterward, "That man was important to me. He helped me with something long ago, but he died young." Akkad nodded, feeling guilty, and said, "I''m sorry Min. . . I didn''t expect that." "It doesn''t matter. His music sounds very simr, and I was concerned. But I don''t want to cast too much attention on him." Min Chen nodded a little and stared into the darkness ahead of them. "He''s talented and diligent, so teach him properly. It''s not a problem for me." Akkad was also in favor. "Yes, if you can continue like this, not afraid of trouble, it''ll be good for a lot of potential neers. It wasn''t muchter that the car came to a stop outside the two-story building Akkad called home. The atmosphere between them had returned to its humorous beginning. Akkad draped his coat over his arm and got out. Before he got far, however, he turned and hurried back to knock on the window. Min Chen looked up at him in bewilderment and rolled down the window. The little old man stared at the handsome man sitting in the car and asked in a solemn tone, "Min. That still doesn''t exin why you''re so good to my lovely Small Seven. . . Are you not homosexual?" This question had been tossed to the back of his mind, but now he brought it up again. Min Chen was a little stunned. Min Chen''s dark eyes shed with humor, and he raised them to look him in the eye. He asked ndly, "Oh? Did I say I wasn''t gay?" Akkad: ". . ." Once Min Chen had spoken, the driver, aware of Min Chen''s temper, stepped on the gas and pulled away from the curb. On a quiet, empty street in Paris, a little old man dropped his coat in resentment and shouted after a beautiful Bentley. "Auston Bertram! You insidious demon! You really approached my lovely student with such ill intentions! You demon!!!" At the violent cries behind him, the man in the car pursed his lips into a smile. . . . Was he gay? Well, that question would have to be directed to his future wife and what gender they were. And if that was Qi Mu. . . The name sprang to mind, and Min Chen stilled. After a long time, he rubbed at his temples and expelled the thought. Still, the warmth in his chest tugged at the corners of his mouth. The brain said it wasn''t reasonable. But the heart. . . the heart said it wasn''t wrong? After attending the Bai Ai concert, Qi Mu thought the days of messing around were over. But the next day, he waited for half an hour in the music room, but Akkad did not show. Qi Mu dialed his teacher''s number and listened as the entric old man said in surprise, "Didn''t you see the email I sent youst night, Seven? Today, we''re going to the Louvre so show up at nine." Qi Mu: ". . ." Luckily, at least he had brought along the big full-frame SLR camera? The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the River Seine, the Pce of Versailles. . . Paris was a famous tourist city for its romantic attractions. There were fewer attractions that in B City, but they still had three full days of walking around and a thousand photos taken from different angles. Some were pure scenery, others of the two together, most of them were photos of Qi Mu taken by the professor. Akkad strictly demanded a smile and often times funny poses. By the third day, thestndscape photographed was the banks of the Seine. The beautiful river was akin to a long, jade belt as it reflected the light with jewel-like fluorescence. Numerous tourists walked along the river and, in the crowd, this pair of a handsome young man and short old man¡ª¡ªit must have looked a little weird. "Small Seven, remember to be at the music room at eight tomorrow." Qi Mu was looking at the photographs but looked up, feeling out of ce. It was like waiting for chocte every day but getting a cake each day and now finally being told: tomorrow we''ll eat chocte! ¡ª¡ªAt least, that''s probably what it was like. . . . Qi Mu couldn''t be med too much, though. He had seen so much chocte these days and wanted a detour. "Teacher, tomorrow. . . do we officially begin the course?" Akkad raised an eyebrow. "Have we not been learning these past few days?" Qi Mu: ". . ." "Go to the music room early tomorrow. The school estimates the renovations should be done. Small Seven, ah, don''t be surprised when you see the insides tomorrow. This is a surprise teacher has for you, haha." Qi Mu smiled. "Teacher, isn''t this type of thing supposed to be kept quiet until thest moment?" Akkad disagreed, "That''s an unsessful surprise. The surprise I prepared for you, even if you know, you''ll still be thrilled, ah!" Qi Mu nodded, "Yes, yes, Teacher, I know. I''ll be amazed." This answer satisfied Akkad, and they continued walking along the embankment. Akkad pulled on Qi Mu''s arm, and the student looked at his teacher in surprise, "Teacher?" "If I remember. . . Bai Ai''s leaving Paris today?" Qi Mu nodded, a little astounded. "Yes, Teacher. I heard they left today." These days, Qi Mu apanied Akkad everywhere every day. He returned to his apartmentte at night. Although there was little contact with Min Chen, they still exchanged texts from time to time. Last night, Min Chen told him they were leaving for London today. "Ah. . . Small seven, teacher''s telling you to stay further away from that Auston guy. He. . . is not a good guy." Qi Mu looked at Akkad''s mysterious expression, "Teacher, why. . . do you say that?" "This. . . this. . . anyway, you don''t need to look for him often. He''s not a good guy." Akkad was an open person, and he had no discrimination toward homosexuality in his heart. However, once he thought that guy might have ill-intention towards his student, Akkad''s heart became awkward. Anyone else was fine, but to let that cold, ill-tempered guy around his lovely student, it made Akkad ufortable! After getting along these few days, Qi Mu knew his teacher had a veritable mouth. While he didn''t understand why he needed to "nder" Min Chen, it was easy for him to follow the old man''s heart. He smiled and bowed his head, "Yes, teacher, I know." "Well, alright then," snorted Akkad in satisfaction. He didn''t know, behind him, the young man described as beautiful lifted his hand to cover his smile. How was Min Chen a bad guy? Well, teacher must be feeling yful again. Evening, London. Another aircraft dropped onto the runway of Heathrow Airport. The international airport weed tens of thousands of passengers every day. Sometimes, even the security checkpoint lines were long. When the members of Vienna Symphony Orchestra exited with their instruments, the round sunset was almostpletely hidden by the horizon outside, peeking down at the people below. Luo Yu Sen wore a thick coat, wrapped up like a wild bear. He followed at the end of the group. Over the past six months, he lost a lot of weight, and his cheeks were sunken in. If he could be considered handsome before, he was haggard now. He looked bad enough that before going on stage, he now painted his face with makeup. The first stop on the Vienna Symphony''s tour was London this year. This wasn''t their first time in the city, so they were familiar with the bus that came to meet them and drove them to the rented hotel. Seated inside, Luo Yu Sen sat alone at the end with no one to care about him. After Lu Zi Wen''s death, everyone had little opinion of him. Even the police couldn''t file aint against him, but there was a small bump in everyone''s hearts they couldn''t release. After all, this had to do with an actual life, they dared not think about it too much. Whenever the orchestra''s chief, Jasper, ridiculed Luo Yu Sen in public, the other members would detour away. Although Jasper wasn''t good looking, his interpersonal rtionship with the orchestra was still good. Between offending the former or thetter, everyone''s choice was obvious. In thest row of the bus, one person sat alone. Luo Yu Sen''s dark eyes stared resentfully at the fat, ck man sitting at the front of the bus. His gaze didn''t trouble the other man at all, but he still stared. After a long time, he whispered, "Jasper. . . this is what you''ve forced me to do. . ." This early spring night''s sky was dark. Luo Yu Sen''s finger hitting send on his mobile could be seen in the window''s reflection. Afterward, he sighed with relief and sneered. "You. . . just you wait for it!"
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On the sixth day of his enrollment, Qi Mu finally enteredthe music room marked "Reed Akkad" for regr sses. The first time he saw it, the room was bare. At the time, heeven made a mental note of the sole violin he recognized. Now, it had only beena few days, but the room was drastically different. Italy was rich with artists. Leonardo da Vinci, Michngelo,Raphael. . . Countless famous artists were born and risen out of the country,bing some of the brightest shining stars in human history. The renaissanceera alone birthed numerous outstanding paintings and symphonies. When Qi Mu entered the piano room, it was impossible toce Professor Akkad amongst the ranks alongside these artists with profound aesthetic.. . this was, Qi Mu felt apologetic toward da Vinci. The fifty square meter room was decorated in tones of redand white. Displeased with the soundproofing, Akkad also had them put up anotheyer of insting wallpaper. That wasn''t all. Qi Mu looked around and saw a Huaxian knotto one side and a redntern on the other. It was enough that he couldn''t lookdirectly at any of it. How to say it. . . Painting a tiger didn''tmean you could also paint a dog. There was also themon sense. . . Huaxian restaurants in Europe and America tarnished the nameof Huaxian cuisine! Akkad touched his chin with a smile, "I know that SmallSeven is Chinese, and it''s hard to study in Paris. Teacher specifically prepareda room for you! Are you happy?!" Qi Mu nodded, unable to do anything else. "Happy, veryhappy." . . . If you dare pick the four renterns. Akkadughed, "This surprise is good. Such a beautifulmusic room, you''ll be able to practice with all your heart." ". . ." Believe me,that''s impossible. He spent the morning talking to his professor about authenticHuaxian style. When he finally convinced Akkad to remove the. . . room full onterns, knots, and paper flowers, his professor sighed, "Pity. They weremeticulously designed by me." Qi Mu: ". . ." To deform aesthetic like this, by an Italian no less, Akkadreally was something. That afternoon, in the clean, tidy music room, Qi Mu satwith Akkad and poured out cups of rich coffee. Akkad scented the white mist that rose off the coffee andsaid, "Small Seven. When Farrell personally handed your album to me, I didn''treally think I would be your teacher. But Farrell says your music hasemotion, and it touched him." Qi Mu shook his head and said, humble, "I didn''t know MasterFarrell thought so. . ." "You know. Farrell''s a good guy, but he rarely gives outsuch high reviews to an unfamiliar violinist. I thought since you''ve managedthis already, why do you need me as a teacher? Farrell should be introducingyou to Dresden, not rmending you to me." "But, after I listened to your sound, I understood. . . Iunderstand why Farrell and Min decided to rmend you to me instead of directlydrafting you into an orchestra." Akkad''s critique stunned Qi Mu, and he straightened in hisseat, staring at the gray-haired old man in seriousness. The world-famous violinist solemnly stared back at him. "SmallSeven, how far are you from Auston Bertram. . . ?" Qi Mu blinked, owlish in surprise, then dithered for sometime. "Teacher, I. . . Min Chen and I are. . . far apart. . ." Akkad shook his head. "You don''t walk the same path sinceyou have no desire topose. Of course, I''m not saying topare yourselfwith Auston, I meant your violin. How far is it from his piano?" Akkad broke in a pause then continued. "In the end, music isinteroperable. Auston''s violin is just noise, his skill on the violin is trash,so don''t botherparing yourself to it. But, his piano, his piano is betterthan you. . ." Qi Mu sucked in a breath and waited in perturbed silence forAkkad''s final deration. Akkad held out his right hand, thumb and forefinger pinchedtogether. "By only this much." Qi Mu''s eyes burst wide open, and he stared, disbelievingly,"Teacher, this. . . are you joking?" Min Chen''s piano was the best in the world. The man startedat seven years old, and Min Chen had shown amazing talent since. He was the youngest Xiaosai champion at twelve and had performedon the same stage as Wei Ai. When people mentioned Min Chen, regardless of his achievementsas a conductor andposition since, he was still called a pianist. Qi Mu was confident in his skill but not to that high of adegree. Min Chen''s piano was on the same level as Akkad''s violin. Ifwhat Akkad just said was true. . . the gap between Qi Mu and Akkad himself wasonly that much?! Akkad nodded seriously. "Yes, Small Seven, you''re not wrong.If God gave ssical music a benchmark, Auston''se very close, and you. . .you are also very close." "Small Seven, I didn''t believe I should be your teacherbecause. . . I always thought my student would be like me, a child withordinary origin. Someone that worked hard, was diligent; someone I would mold intoa brilliant violinist under my own fingers." Akkad had never said such to Qi Mu before, but when helooked at the old man across from him, Qi Mu''s heart trembled with the essenceof destiny. "When I heard your sound, I was surprised. . . Everything Farrelltold me was nonsense! He said when you were fourteen, you performed with theVienna Symphony, that you were a well-known music prodigy. Your parents werewell-known musicians in China. You''re not short on money. You even have that beautifulpiece in a Swiss bank somewhere!" Akkad cursed entrically then added, "I thought you werean arrogant brat, but after listening to you. . . Small Seven, you and I madethe same mistake." Qi Mu set down his coffee cup and asked, "Teacher, I don''tunderstand. . ." "You are not arrogant enough." The answer was clearly beyond Qi Mu''s expectation. "I started learning to y the violin at six. After sixtyyears, I thought I was talented enough, hardworking enough. I becameconcertmaster of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra when I was thirty. At thetime, I still couldn''t get rid of it. . . that one thing in my music." "You know, Small Seven. My family was bad. I had to borrow astate loan to attend a music university. I believe that my poor upbringing gaveme the motivation to go up in life. I had to prove to everyone that I could doit better than them. But, when I was forty-five, I heard Farrell''s music, and Ifinally understood. . . the distance between him and I." Farrell was also an excellent violinist, and though he and Akkadwere both to be revered, Qi Mu believed Akkad was higher than Farrell. Akkad''s judgment now surprised Qi Mu. "Farrell is really the darling of God. Back then, I guaranteethat if my violin counted 99 points, that abominable man could only get 90 andno more. But I knew that I was missing that one point, and Farrell. . . Farrelready had it." Akkadughed a little, rare and profound, then he looked atthe stunned young man in front of him and said gently, "Small Seven, my pointis, in music, we are confident. But, Farrell, Auston, they have never doubtedthemselves." "Small Seven, you are not confident enough." The professor''s words were few, but they were poignant. "You''re not confident enough." Never had anyone ever said that to Qi Mu, in this life orthest. Perhaps Min Chen and Farrell picked out that something was missing inhis music, but they couldn''t find it intuitively. Only Akkad, who had the same life experiences as Qi Mu, couldunderstand the core of the problem. A poor family, the motivation to work diligently, but, atthe same time, theck of freedom to what they wanted in their childhood. To learn music, Qi Mu never knew what it was like to y asa child. When he was young, he delivered milk and newspapers and so on. Even whenhe was older, he yed the violin at a caf¨¦. This umtion of life experiences gave Qi Mu a uniquesentiment toward music, but from another perspective, it also. . . shackled him. "Seven, you and Auston are only this one point apart, but. .. it''s not so easy to get. Are you ready to surpass him in a year?" Akkad''s serious tone dragged Qi Mu from his thoughts of the past.The word "surpass" shook his heart. He looked up at Akkad and smiled. The handsome young man wore a beautiful smile, but after awhile, a low, pleasant voice echoed in the quiet music room¡ª¡ª "A year is long, Teacher. . . can we shorten it?"
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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¡ª¡ª ¡¶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¡ª¡ªsomething 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: ¡¾What happened? Reply quickly.¡¿ Qi Mu checked the time on the next message. It was sent threehours ago¡ª¡ª Min Chen: ¡¾How are you?¡¿ Another half an hourter¡ª¡ª Min Chen: ¡¾Are you busy?¡¿ After another half an hour¡ª¡ª Min Chen: ¡¾Qi Mu£¿¡¿ Thest two were almost at the same time. ¡¾£¿¡¿ ¡¾What 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: ¡¾Sorry, 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: ¡¾Hmmm.¡¿ Another came a momentter: ¡¾What song?¡¿ Qi Mu thought about Akkad''s original task and said: ¡¾Paganini''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: . . . When did my hair get so long? 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 24th Caprio is famous. If it''sconvenient for you, listen to this version first." Qi Mu thought of declining but suddenly recalled what Akkadsaid. "Min Chen has that point, the oneyou''re missing." 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 24th 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 24th 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!
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A spring breeze blew in from the Antic at the end ofMarch, waking Paris from the slumber of winter. The French were born with romance in their bones. Coupleswalked the street hand-in-hand and would sometimes kiss intimately without care. Qi Mu had long since learned to ignore them and could now ignorethese sweet lovers as he walked by them. He grew up in Austria, and thoughpeople were open there, it was not so openas to kiss publicly in the streets. His apartment was a couple blocksfrom the college. The handsome, sophisticated Chinese carrying a violin casethrough the streets was still eye-catching. Less than ten days after hisarrival, Qi Mu''s poprity continued to rise. When he passed the bakery, the chubby owner would smile and gifthim bread, wish him a good morning. The blonde woman cutting flowers at the flowershop around the corner would send out a flowering branch to send him on hisway. A polite, good-looking child was the most liked. Of course. . . this favoritismdid not include Professor Akkad. Akkad was fond of his lovely student, but once it came tomusic, Qi Mu''s master would be seriousand would not tolerate even a defect the size of a sesame seed. On the eve of Qi Mu''s third day of practicing the 24thCaprio, Akkad had him y his adaptation. The result was disappointing. Akkad said, "Small Seven, you''vetried to adapt some of the music, but what I want isn''t topletely changethe song. Rather. . . in your performance, there needs to be some chemical changes." With an evaluation like that, Qi Mu got serious. Aside from practicing and adjusting tocollege life, he spent most of his time outside, hoping to gain some spark ofinspiration from the spring season in this romantic capital. Across the strait, in London, Ennd, the first performanceof the Vienna Symphony Orchestra''s European tour officially began. They held the grand concert in the Royal Albert Hall, London''smost prestigious concert hall. In this centuries-old hall, the Vienna musicians underwenttheir finalmissioning, and theaudience waited in anticipation for the start of the show. In fact, this concert almost conflicted with the BerlinPhilharmonic Orchestra''s concert. To avoid the problem, Daniel had themperforming four nightster. When Evra learned the "Golden Retriever" Agent had made apoint of splitting their performances by three days, he snorted with disdain. "Daniel,you know how Christi''s body hasn''t been well these past few days. I thought youwould dy the performance indefinitely." Min Chen and Evra still had a good rtionship. When MinChen was studying at the Leipzig Academy,the master once directed the academy''s orchestra, and Min Chen was the pianist. So, Evra had invited Min Chen and Daniel backstage beforethe show, and they walked together toward the exclusive second-floor box toenjoy the music. In the past, whenever Evra invited him, Min Chen would politelyrefuse. The man never enjoyed being treated as one of the privileged ss, andhe would sit in the audience. But this time, even Evra did not understand why hisinvitation was epted. Daniel thought about it and whispered, "Do you want to seefor yourself. . . what happened to Luo Yu Sen?" After a moment of silence, Min Chen lowered his gaze, "You think too much." That said, when Evra did st check on all the members of the orchestra, Min Chen did not enterthe box. Instead, he stood behind the curtain and watched the handsome but haggardChinese violinist. That, Luo Yu Sen. . . Luo Yu Sen who was busy testing his violin, felt a chill inhis chest. He nced around for a while but saw nothing strange. He shook hishead and fixed his violin''s pitch, then snuck a nce at the fat, ck manstanding at the front of the orchestra, eyes. . . dark and fierce. Soon after, just as the percussion group was about to go onstage,there was a scream, "Oh my god! Pieces of my score are missing?!" Everyone looked at Jasper in shook, the man in question staring,horrified, at his score. "The pages I''m least familiar with! I don''t know if I canfinish it!" Some people didn''t have a goodmemory, and Jasper. . . was one. If it was Qi Mu, he could recite a ten-sheet music score in anhour. If it was Min Chen, he only had to listen to it once, and he could yit perfectly. While Jasper''s skill washigh, his memory. . . was not so good. Evra, noticing the situation, turned a with a severeexpression, "Jasper, where did your score go? Prepare to go on stage, takesomeone else''s." Jasper shook his head, an anxious sweat pooling on hisforehead, "No, no, no, Evra! It''s the part that''s different from everyone else''s.The background score is already difficult, but this section was harder. I. . . I have it memorized, but I can''t guaranteeI''ll y it perfectly." Evra was so angry he could barely speak, "Jasper! How canyou be so careless with your score? You can''t even keep the score safe, and you still want to perform?!!!" The rtionship between Jasper and Evra was inherently good,but it was only natural for Evra to be furious that something like thishappened when he was about to go on stage¡ª¡ª After all, he was the runner-up winner of the world''s worst-temperedconductor. The backstage became a mess, but even Daniel frowned. "Jasper''snot usually so bad? How did he lose only a piece of his score, and it''s a pieceof resplendence? That''s weird. . ." By his side, the elegant man narrowed his gaze to a squint,watching the Chinese in the back, not saying a word. Although Luo Yu Sen chattered anxiously with the others, thecorners of his mouth were tilted upward. . . lookingrather pleased. His heart ached with realization, and Min Chen pursed his lips. He walked over to Evra''s side andwhispered, "Which song?" Min Chen''s sudden appearance dazed the orchestra members:they didn''t expect the man to be backstage! Among them, most appalled was Luo Yu Sen against the back wall!His eyes widened and the rising corners of his mouth sunk, because. . . He recalled what someone said about Min Chen whenhe was at school: "Mr. Bertram? The scoremachine! Whatever the song, one look is all it takes for him to recreate it,ah!" Sure enough, when Evra heard his question, he froze for aminute then said, "My god, Min! I forgot you were here! It''s Farrell''s ¡¶Sonatain F major¡·,damn. . . have you ever heard it? It''s the song he wrote a few years ago, Ihaven''t performed it in public often." Min Chen''s eyebrow raised then he whispered, "It''s one ofFarrell''s?" The question made Evra despair, "Oh god, you haven''t?! Oh mygod! This is a nightmare! Jasper, don''t make me. . ." "A difficult piece. . . should be at the end of the thirdmovement." Min Chen''s voice silenced Evra, and Evra turned to see him face the nervousviolinist. "Is there any lines you can''t understand?" Jasper nodded, "No, I can understand them! I''m just not sureif I can remember it all. The score''s just a hint." Min Chen nodded and took the pen and paper Daniel offered. Hisfingers scrawled five neat lines over thepaper. With just a few additional notes, he marked the ces for the fade awayand reinsertion! No one dared to make a sound. When the scratch of pen onpaper finished, it was time for the first violin group to go on stage. Jasperdidn''t even nce at it before he took the handwritten score and filed onstage. Evra also breathed a sigh of relief, "Ah. . . Min, I''m dyou remember this song. That''s great." Min Chen looked at him, tone even, "I listened to Farrell performit, hm. . . a year ago." Evra: ". . ." Daniel: ". . ." With a belly full of anger, Evra stalked to the other side ofthe stage. Behind him, Daniel wept. "Evra will hate you, Min! Histemper is no better than yours. He''smanded the song many times, and there''sno way he could write it out in so little time. You can''t hurt him!" Min Chen hummed but did not take it to heart. Instead, his gaze fell on the brte in the second violingroup, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "This is. . . Luo Yu Sen?"
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Sincethere were no serious repercussions, this crisis came and went as a simplematter. Evra''s strict mannerisms and his fierce criticism of Jasper made theentire thing akin to dropping a stone into the sea, negligible. Jasper thanked Min Chen solemnlyafterward, but thetter waved it off and answered, "It doesn''t matter, it isn''ta big deal." Evra snorted, never wanting to payattention to this abominable guy again! No wonder Farrell would say: Don''pare yourself to Min Chen! This inhuman creature can kill with just words! In the hustle and bustle of Paris,Qi Mu naturally didn''t know of this "small matter." On the fifth day of practice, Qi Mustared at the music score of his adaptation. Heughed a little and turned itover, saying to himself, "Now. . . I really have no ideas left. . ." He had never done anything likethis in the past, especially adapting such a familiar song. These days, he hadpracticed ¡¶No. 24¡· to the point that he could hear it in his head before going tobed at night. Yet, it still did not reach the level Professor Akkad desired. Qi Mu practiced the song again andagain for the entire afternoon, hoping to find some inspiration. Of course, nothingappeared. After heaving a long sigh, he packed up his things. After leaving college, he wouldeither head to the Seine River or the Eiffel Tower to see the scenery¡ª¡ªthis wasQi Mu''s life nowadays. He wanted to find inspiration inthe rxation, but the elves were being mischievous and hiding it from him. Qi Mu dried his hair that eveningand gave a rare peek at the Danube Forum. Pleasantly surprised at the speed ofthe inte, he refreshed the front page. The most popr posts were aboutthe Vienna Symphony Orchestra''s performance tonight. Qi Mu had been "isted"from the world the past few days and realized that now. . . Evra and theorchestra gave their premiere concert in London already! Qi Mu''s hatred at seeing the name"Vienna Symphony Orchestra" had already loosened. Of course, he couldn''tguarantee that he wouldn''t break that scum to pieces next time he saw him, tolet him experience the same agony of suffocating to death. He read a few more posts thenstopped paying any mind to it. About to close the page, he saw a few threadsmarked "Hot." All of them introduced Bai Ai''s concert that would be held inthree days. Qi Mu suddenly realized. . . Bai Aileft Paris quite a while ago. He hadn''t realized it had been solong. . . Over the past few days, he had been in constant contact with that manby text, so Qi Mu didn''t even realize he was on the other side of the strait. Since Qi Mu arrived in Paris, heand Min Chen were often in contact, like friends. At first, Min Chenidentally sent a text when practicing the piano. At the time, Akkad happenedto be on the sofa nearby and saw his screen. The little old man pouted, "LittleSeven, exactly how do you use Chinese characters? Thenguage is toplicated, who are you talking to?" Qi Mu remembered. . . his proudteacher seemed to dislike Min Chen recently. Thus, he felt fortunate his phonedefaulted to Chinese. Heter told Min Chen it wasprobably best not to contact him during the day. After all. . . not only did hehave to practice, but he also had the temperamental Akkad beside him. He was in such constant contactwith the man, it was strange that Qi Mu didn''t know Bai Ai was holding aconcert in London. He studied the English text on hisputer and his phonevibrated next to him. Qi Mu paused when he saw the namesh across the screen thenughed, "What a coincidence." He answered thecall, "Good evening, Min Chen." He held the phone to his ear in one hand andsmiled, "I was just reading about Bai Ai''s concert, didn''t expect your call." The man on the other side of thephone didn''t expect such a coincidence either. Min Chen whispered in reply, "Christolehasn''t been in good health, so it was dyed a little." After a pause, heasked, "Paris isn''t that far from London, do you need tickets?" Qi Mu looked at a post titled ¡¾No tickets for Bai Ai. God has abandoned me.¡¿ Min Chen''s words were a direct contradiction, and he shook hishead, "I''m afraid I don''t have time. I have no idea with that adaptation, so Ireally don''t have spare time to go out." The tall, handsome man standingoutside the orchestra''s rehearsing hall frowned and asked, "What''s the problem?" Although Min Chen said to contacthim if he had any difficulties, Qi Mu hadn''t said anything else, and Min Chenmistakenly assumed everything was going smoothly. The young man on the phone sighed,"When you yed No. 24, I had a rough idea, but I couldn''t capture that feeling.I think. . . I''m not sure if it''s because it was over the phone or something,but you''ve been busytely, so I didn''t tell you." Qi Mu knew that Min Chen was leadingBai Ai''s concert in London so he would have to lead the rehearsals before theperformance. Min Chen wouldn''t have much spare time either. Qi Mu stared at the text on hiputer and smiled into the phone, "Thank you for your help. In time, I thinkI might find that feeling Teacher wants." After exchanging a few more words,Qi Mu hung up, turned around and started to pick up the clothes strewn about,tidying up his room. What he didn''t know is, under thecold moonlight, the handsome conductor stared at his phone with a profoundgaze. No one knew what he was thinking. A blond with blue eyes rushed outof the rehearsal hall and found the person he was looking for. "Hey, Min! Whodid you call? Christole already gave the first rehearsal. Come!" In front of therge windows, MinChen turned to Daniel and asked, "Has he finished?" Daniel nodded, "Yes. You''ve been onthe phone for a while. Say, Min, who on earth have you been contacting? You werenever like this before!" Daniel seemed to realize something, and his eyeswidened in horror. "God, Min! You''re not in love with some cute girl, are you?" Min Chen: ". . ." "Oh God, it''s possible. Only lovewould make a person so blind! Only love would change you so much, you coldbastard! Min, quick, tell me. Which lovelydy is it?" Min Chen''s cold eyes swept overDaniel, disgusted. He sighed through his nose and gave a muffled reply, "Qi Mu." "Oh, her name is Qi Mu. That''s alovely name, just like. . . Hang on a second! Min, who are you talking about?!Qi Mu? Isn''t that Engelchen''s name?! Damn, they share the same name? Oh no, whowill give their daughter such a name. . . Don''t tell me, it''s really thatlovely Chinese angel?!" Daniel was so frightened that hisface changed. He thought for a long while then asked tentatively, "Min. . . amI thinking too much? Why are you so concerned about Engelchentely? Do youwant to bring him into our orchestra?" Min Chen raised an eyebrow insurprise and repeated his question, "Do you want to bring him into ourorchestra?" ". . ." Daniel cried, "My God, Min! Youdon''t want to bring him into the orchestra?! Are you really in love with him?!" After a moment of impatientsilence, Min Chen walked to the rehearsal hall. Unfortunately, the talkative agent waswrapped up in the topic and spewed things like: "Min, do you like Engelchen?","Oh no, Engelchen is a man!", "But if you like him, that''s okay too. Betterthan having no one in your life." and so on. Daniel concluded his bberingwith, "Even if you like a man, it''s better than being alone all your life God,I''ve never seen you like anyone, even after knowing you for so many years. . .It''s like Engelchen was sent by God to save you, and the rest of us oppressedby the devil. . . yes. . ." Daniel''s words were drowned out bythe man''s cold, indifferent eyes. He gulped, ". . . Min?" "Why aren''t you continuing?" MinChen''s face was expressionless. He asked in a dull tone, "You think. . . I likehim?" "Damn it! You dare say you don''t?!Then why are you so kind to him?! Don''t think I don''t know! I heard from Akkad,that stinky old man said you brought chocte and asked him to take Engelchenas a student!" This response was beyond Min Chen''sexpectation. After a pause, he calmly answered, "Qi Mu is a good seedling, andAkkad is a suitable teacher for him." Daniel was incredulous, "That''ssomething that should be done by family! Don''t say you suddenly have a goodheart and want to sow the seed of love to the world. That''s God''s business, ithas nothing to do with you demons." Min Chen frowned and did not reply. Daniel waved his hand, "Okay, okay.I hope it''s just me thinking too much. Who told you to hold your phone and waitfor texts every day looking like my niece waiting for her boyfriend to call?I''ll leave this matter alone. It''s your private business anyway. Let''s go andrehearse!" With that, Daniel hurried into therehearsal hall, but after a few steps, he noticed the man who should have followedwas gone. Daniel turned and asked, "Hey, Min.What are you doing. . ." Daniel''s voice halted. Under the endless sky, Min Chenstood alone in London''s dark night, rooted in ce. The lips praised by manyfans as the sexiest in the world were pursed tight, and his always coldPhoenix''s eyes were nk. Daniel''s heartbeat spiked, and heunderstood something was happening, but. . . he couldn''t quite grasp it. Min Chen tightened his fist untilwell-manicured nails left crescent marks in his palms. After several moments,he dropped his gaze and asked, quietly to himself: "Really. . . is this so special?"
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Bet Chapter 67
Time flies when immersed in practice. By the time Qi Mu felt he had found the inspiration for theadaptation, it was already a week away from Akkad''s deadline. The Berlin PhilharmonicOrchestra''s concert in London was long over and another great sess. Bai Ai''s concert was held at the Royal Albert Hall, theoldest concert hall in Ennd, and Bai Ai''s musicians performed enthusiastically,giving their audience a thrill. When Qi Mu logged into the Danube Forum to check on thtest news, he found that 17 of 20 posts on the front page were about theconcert! People gave a technical review of the concert, from the songselection to the adaptation and the scores themselves. And at the end, they allremarked: "A lucky thing to be in London this month!" Ain''t that the truth! First, there was the European Tour premiere of the ViennaSymphony Orchestra, then the Berlin Philharmonic. It was good news forssical music enthusiasts, especially the ones that got to listen to twohigh-level concerts in a week. ¡¾I went to the show in Paris, and Mr. Charles is an excellentconductor. But, after listening to the London concert, it''s clear. Even thoughthe songs were the same, and the arrangement didn''t change, I felt they weretwo entirely different concerts. It was that wonderful!¡¿ This post received hundreds of replies, and the originalmade it to the topment. Qi Mu scrolled down and saw many agreed with this post: ¡¾Yes, Mr. Bertram''s style is not that different, but itchanges the entire concert. How to say it. . . God, I can''t even describe it!¡¿ ¡¾Mr. Bertram and Mr. Littis are both Bai Ai conductors, andtheir styles lean towards ssical orthodoxy. But. . . Mr. Bertram feels solemnwhile Mr. Littis is romantic.¡¿ ¡¾Exactly! You took the words right out of my mouth!¡¿ . . . ¡¾So. . . Mr. Bertram isn''t that amiable then?¡¿ When someone said that as the hundredth reply, no one respondedfor a while. Then an unknown daringly ran up and said: ¡¾Our conductor is gentleand kind. He. .. he never gets angry when he''s conducting our rehearsals! Really!He just. . . He just seems a bit cold! Hmph!¡¿ Then, several people rushed to ask: ¡¾Is this person from BaiAi?¡¿ ¡¾God, you dare to reply. . . Let me guess who you are?!¡¿ ¡¾Good thing this is an anonymous forum. Otherwise, I wouldbe worried about that buddy''s safety.¡¿ . . . Comments like this were not in the minority. Since there wassuch a fierce gentleman, countless people debated over the passionate discussionon the anonymous poll question¡ª¡ª "Which conductor do you think has the worsttemper?" Qi Mu justughed and didn''t pay attention to it anymore.He turned to the second page and was surprised to see a familiar name¡ª ¡¾Violinist Sheng Yan Hui from Huaxia will hold a solorecital at the Munich Conservatory of Music!¡¿ Qi Mu hadn''t seen Sheng Yan Hui for half a year, but heheard that Sheng Yan Hui followed Professor Karl and participated in manpetitions to won awards. He gradually gained rtive fame in Germany. Qi Mu thought for a bit, then responded with "Lookingforward to it," and paid it no further mind. It was a spring night. The moonlight was silent and dim,shining onto the empty streets. There was not a sound in a small apartment, itsbusy resident having already fallen into a peaceful sleep. However, just across the strait in London, the members ofBai Ai held a celebration. Some were doing something sneaky with their mobiles, andsome were toasting each other to celebrate. Of course. . . No one dared hold a ssto their silent conductor who sat alone in the corner. Christole came over with a reluctant Daniel. He smiled andsaid, "Min, the performance tonight was great!" Daniel was helplessly to add, "Cheers, Min!" That day Daniel saw Min Chen stand in the rehearsal hall anda murmur a few words to himself, he thought: "This guy must have been possessed by a ghost." Even though he handled the orchestra and rehearsals usually,Daniel had known Min Chen for over ten years¡ª¡ª There was something wrong with Auston! He had no idea what had happened, but he knew this damnfellow was not right. Min Chen raised his ss and tapped it against Christole''sthen Daniel''s and took a sip. Christole was a gentle and amiable person so hecouldugh and chatter with Min Chen and Daniel easily. But before long, heleft. Outside therge window, London''s beautiful night view scrawledacross the horizon. The Thames River flowed gently in the dim light, and thebridge was illuminated by many lights, making it look iid with gold. It wasmagnificent from afar. Min Chen held his slender ss'' stem, looking out thewindow. He frowned, pondering something. Daniel couldn''t help himself. "Min. . . What''s the matterwith youtely? You''re not like yourself. You''ve never been so quiet. . . Okay,no. You''re usually quiet but not to this extent." Min Chen didn''t reply. For a while, Daniel was rooted in the same ce, not surewhat to say. A few minutester, Min Chen slowly turned his head andasked, "Daniel. We''ve known each other for over a decade. In your opinion. . .what kind of person am I?" Daniel gawked. Then he said, "Very talented, very strong,also very¡ª¡ª" "Be frank." Daniel: ". . ." Daniel snorted. "You''re a stingy, poisonous fellow and youalways say things with a deadly expression. If I hated you, I''m sure I would bedisinclined to manage you for my whole life." After venting a little, Daniel smiled as he said, "But. . . Youare good this way. At least, you always do things face-to-face and are neversneaky. Of course, it would be better if you were a little more like Mr. Dorenza,gentler to the younger generation." Min Chen''s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He thought of his andanother person''s opinion about himself and asked in a whisper, "I''m not. . .kind to the younger generation?" Daniel stared at him with wide eyes. "Not only that! You don''tbother to give young people a nce if they didn''t grow to your expectations.They are obviously talented, but you still ignore them. When Christole wasstill in Munich College, I wanted to recruit him in advance, and what did yousay?" Daniel frowned and thought for a moment. Then he pped hishands in recollection and said, "You said¡ª¡ª''He''s gifted but not strong enough,not interested.'' If I hadn''t insisted on cultivating Christole, when Mr. Devleft, where would you find a new concertmaster?" Faced with these words, Min Chen didn''t reply. Daniel thought his words caused some kind of damage so he scratchedthe back of his head and said, "But. . . You''re not that bad. Min, you can beconsiderate, at least, for the most part. . ." "Help me book a ticket to Paris tomorrow." "Also understanding and. . . Wait, what? What did you say?!Right now?!!!" Min Chen nodded: "Yes, now." Daniel: ". . ." "Damn it! Who said that you''re understanding? You''re thedevil! Do you know how many people go from London to Paris every day? Where doyou want me to find a ticket? You''re a demon, a demon!!!" . . . Daniel''s roar resounded over the western restaurant near theThames River. His curses melted into the running water and vanished into thedark night along with the never-ending current. The night in London was quiet and beautiful, and soon after,it was already the start of another beautiful day. Qi Mu took his violin and entered the practice room again. Thistime around, he had some inspiration, so the satisfied Akkad praised him throughoutthe day and encouraged him to continue. To seize this hard-won inspiration, Qi Mu practiced untilthe sun set and only then packed up. The full moon climbedzily into thenight sky, and Qi Mu turned to lock the door. As Qi Mu was to remove the key from the look, he heardsteady footsteps behind him. The college had been closed for quite a while, and even thesky was dark. He was the only person left in the entire violin department. Thesound of footsteps made his heart go tight, as the scenes of horror movies hehad seen over the past few decades shed through his mind one by one. Qi Mu clenched his fist and looked around, "Who''s there?" After he spoke, he saw the other figure and Qi Mu nked insurprise. Under the sound-activated light in the hallway, the tall,handsome man stared at Qi Mu in confusion, wondering why the youth was so nervousnow. After a while, he tentatively asked: "Is it. . . me?" Qi Mu: ". . ." Min Chen: ". . ."
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Bet

Kuro:

I''m baaaaaaaaak. It feels good to trante again, though theziness kicked in again 2 pages in. Happy Ramadhan guys. Chapter 68
Europeans have always been the type to be calm and enjoy thesilence, to dislike disturbing the peace and quiet. This manifested even inParisians. Paris was quiet and empty in the night. Only the rustle of leavescould be heard after dark, making the entire city melodious. From the college to Qi Mu''s apartment, it was only twoblocks. It was pretty close, but right now, Qi Mu felt it was a long ways away.He walked side by side with this man who, for some reason, suddenly appeared inParis, and it slowed his pace. Qi Mu wanted to ask why he was here, but he remembered. . . intheir texts the past few days, he had mentioned he didn''t need to be present atthe next two concerts. So. . . if he wanted to travel Europe, he was free to do sonow? Qi Mu didn''t know what to say, so he looked ahead at the roadlit by the moon. The first rain of spring had fallen a few days ago, and thetemperature wasn''t that low in the evenings, but Qi Mu still wore an extrascarf¡ª¡ª He had always been afraid of the cold. "Spring in Paris has always been good," The man''s voice rangout in the quiet street, and Qi Mu turned to look at him in surprise. Min Chentilted his head up a little to look at the dim moon and whispered, "I like thespring in here, it''s quieter than in Berlin." This kind of conversation confused Qi Mu. After thinking fora while, he came to an epiphany, "So. . . you came to Paris for this?" Min Chen calmly nodded in affirmation: "Yes." Qi Muughed, "I''ve never seen spring in Berlin, I don''tknow what it''s like." Although there was a faint smile on his face, Qi Mu thoughtinwardly: So he came to Paris for spring.For a second there. . . I thought he came looking for me. There was a smile in Min Chen''s dark eyes. He nodded andckened his industrial city without hesitation, "In Berlin, the air isterrible this time of year. Un. . . not as good as Paris." Qi Mu had never been to Berlin during spring before, so henodded along, "I see. . ." Min Chen nodded, "That''s right." . . . You''re going toget ughtered by all the Berliners! "I think spring inLondon is too. Right, speaking of London, I heard Bai Ai''s concert was asess. I saw ¡¶ssicalParis¡·''sreview and the special introduction by the ¡¶Voice of France¡·. . ." Once he changed the topic, the awkward atmosphere faded abit. When they arrived downstairs at Qi Mu''s apartment, he feltas if the time had passed too quickly and he hadn''t gotten the chance to talkmuch. But, looking at the time, it was quitete. Heughed and waved hishand, "Since we''re both in Paris, we can contact each other more." Min Chen tucked both hands into the pockets of his trench coatand nodded, "yeah, good night." Qi Mu smiled, "Be careful on your way back." The bright moon overhead was slowly covered by a dark cloud,and only two or three pedestrians walked the narrow street. The beautiful youngman smiled and after saying a few more words turned and went into the building.The other man watched him go upstairs but still didn''t leave right away. Min Chen tilted his head up and watched the window of Qi Mu''sroom in silence. The lights flickered on inside, and the darkness just outsidewas lit up as well. He himself didn''t know why. . . he had suddenlye toParis. He remembered wanting to know what Qi Mu had been doing allthis time, so he rushed over to find the answer. But in that dark corridor,when he saw the youth''s slender back, he felt as if "finding the answer" was nolonger important. At first, he had found the younger man''s violin a littlefamiliar, so he paid special attention to him. Later, he found out Qi Mu''s sound was identical to that man,so he devoted all his attention to this strange anomaly. When, in fact, beforest year, Min Chen didn''t even knowthe person he had spent years looking for. . . was called Lu Zi Wen. The seemingly insignificant help he received from thatperson in his childhood was engraved deeply in his heart. When he finally foundhim, he was surprised to learn the other man had already be the deputy concertmasterfor the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. So Min Chen decided to¡ª¡ª Give him a hand. He rmended Lu Zi Wen to Mr. Dorenza and helped him withthat grand performance with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. But before he could even think of what to say when they met,it became impossible. Then, he met someone with the exact same violin as Lu Zi Wen.. . Qi Mu. There were a lot of thoughts in Min Chen''s head, but on thesurface, he still wore an indifferent expression. He looked at the brightwindow overhead and wondered how long it had been, then abruptly turned and disappearedinto the dark alley. When Qi Mu woke up the next day, he went downstairs with hisviolin and saw a familiar figure. He froze for a moment then walked over and smiled,"Min Chen? What a coincidence?" Min Chen shook his head under the warm sunshine of thatspring morning, "Unfortunately not, I was waiting for you." Qi Mu: ". . ." Min Chen didn''t seem to notice his speechlessness and raisedhis left hand to look at his watch. "It''ll be 8 o''clock in thirty minutes. Ifyou don''t go now. . . won''t you bete?" Qi Mu still didn''t know why he was at his apartment, but he didknow he needed to get going. He walked while he spoke, "It''s alright. ProfessorAkkad is in the United States for an event. He won''t be back for another fewdays. It doesn''t matter if I''m a littlete." It only took ten minutes to get to the conservatory, but QiMu had to get breakfast, so it naturally took more time. His pace was quick ashe went, but he didn''t expect Min Chen to follow him all the way there. Qi Mu smiled as he received the bread from the baker unclethen walked alongside the German conductor. "Min Chen, did youe to find mefor something today? I''ve been busy with the assignment Teacher gave me, so Idon''t have much time." Qi Mu suddenly remembered, "That''s right, have you hadbreakfast yet? Want some?" Min Chen self-consciously took a croissant from the box inQi Mu''s hand and took a bite. "It''s still Paganini''s ¡¶No. 24¡·?" Qi Mu nodded, "Yes. Teacher gave me two weeks, but. . . it''salready been a week, and I haven''t gotten the whole song down." As they talked, they passed a flower shop. The blondeflorist handed a sunflower she had cut just that morning to Qi Mu and ncedat Min Chen. In a furtive whisper, she asked, "Seven. . . who is this? Yourfriend?" Qi Mu turned the sunflower to one side, and his lips quirkedup into a gentle smile, "Yes, he''s my friend, Vina." The young girl looked at Min Chen shyly for a few momentsthen smiled and handed him another sunflower, one that had just bloomed. Min Chen took the flower in surprise, but Qi Mu had alreadyexchanged a few words with the girl and stepped away towards the college. He exined,"Vina has the mentality of a seven-year-old girl, but she''s very kind." "Un, she''s cute." Qi Mu smiled, "She will only give flowers to the people shelikes. It looks like she likes you a lot." This stunned Min Chen, and his steps halted. "Then she. . .also likes you a lot." Qi Muughed and didn''t continue chasing the topic. "By theway, do you have business with the college? I might be busy, but if you needsomeone to show you the way, I can ask Dn. Dn is a Swiss violinist who practicesnext door. He''s studying now, but he practiced the piano for a long time. You''rehis idol." The piano department was well known throughout the world. Andmost of these privileged people respected Auston Bertram highly, in other words.. . Min Chen. Min Chen, who was only 31 this year, already stood at thetop of the piano world. When he served as a judge at Xiao Sai several yearsago, countless young pianists jumped at the chance to sign up, and it madequite the ssh. "I have nothing to do. I just wanted toe take a look. Ican listen to your ¡¶No. 24¡·. . . at the same time." Min Chen''s in tone made Qi Mu turn to look at him again. Theman stared straight ahead, calm, like the man really was just going to wanderaround and listen to him y. A strange thought shed through Qi Mu''s mind, but beforehe could discern what it was, it disappeared without a trace. He didn''t think too much about it. Qi Mu smiled, his eyesforming into crescents. "Oh? You want to hear. . . my ¡¶No. 24¡·?¡± Min Chen raised an eyebrow when he saw the young man''s "bad"smile. "Um? Yes?" "Well. . . then you must give me more advice!" Min Chen: ". . . ?" Qi Mu was not stupid. Since he wanted to listen to his violin so much, then. . . hecan also give a few pointers. Really, it''s killing two birds with one stone.
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Bet Chapter 69
Thespring rain was fresh and pleasant. Its smell permeated the soil and gave offthe feeling of vitality. Several students talked amongst themselves. More,still, were concentrated on the various musical instruments in their hands,eyes closed. As an old college, the Paris''National Conservatory of Music had over 200 years of history. After manyrenovations, every single piece of their music equipment was world-ss. Thepractice rooms had perfect instion, and there were no sounds from outside,only the beautiful sound of the musical instruments. Paganini''s ¡¶Caprice No. 24¡· was notthat elegant nor full of aesthetic. Sometimes, it could also be regarded as ude. This was the case for amateur violinists. Professionals and skilledviolinists, however, could y such aplicated piece and make it trulyunforgettable. Musicians like Akkad, for example. Paganini''s ¡¶No. 24¡· not only tested theaudience''s aesthetic appreciation but also the violinist''s skill. Only a goodmusician could perfect such a difficult piece, and only a strong musician couldcontrol their momentum when ying Paganini''s works. Min Chen had listened to Qi Mu yPaganini¡¯s work before. It was that ¡¶Bell¡·, at midnight on Christmas'' Eve. Three or four months had passedsince then. Despite feeling it was the same asLu Zi Wen''s violin, Min Chen had also been amazed by Qi Mu. Such a uniqueperformance was first-ss even when ced it on the world stage. But that''s it. It was just amazing. If Daniel asked Min Chen to bringQi Mu into Bai Ai, he would hesitate but answer: "No, he still falls a bitshort." Qi Mu was extraordinarily talented.His absolute pitch made Min Chen think of taking Qi Mu as his student. He couldteach him to be the world''s top conductor. But, if he wanted to be Bai Ai''sconcertmaster. . . Qi Mu stillckedpared to Christole. Min Chen''s skill with the violinwas middle-tier, at best. If he evaluated himself, Min Chen would considerhimself passable as concertmaster or deputy concertmaster for a second-ssorchestra. But to evaluate anyone else, he could do just fine. The difference between Christole''sand Qi Mu''s violin was too small for Min Chen to describe. However, it is precisely becausethe difference was so small that Min Chen couldn''t tell what is wrong¡ª¡ª After all, he wasn''t thatproficient with the violin. When Min Chen made the move, hehoped that Akkad would take Qi Mu as his student. What he couldn''t hear, Akkadmight be able to spot. Perhaps he was the teacher Qi Mu needed? Although Min Chen was prepared forthis oue, when he heard Qi Mu''s violin again, he was utterly stunned. Thepure, decisive sound yed from that violin made him breathless with shock. . . .Qi Mu had changed. The song had a lot of beautiful andgorgeous techniques, not to mention how it changes between several octaves,requiring the left hand to maneuver across the strings. Between the variousways the bow needed to be used, the plucking of the strings, it was enough togive the average violinist a headache. Under the bright sunshine, theyoung man stood with his head tilted sideways, and his left hand danced acrossthe strings. The speed of his fingers exceeded what human eyes could capture,leaving behind only an afterimage. His right hand slid the bow gentlyacross the strings. In this section, musicians neededto demonstrate the piece''s progressiveness with the right hand holding the bowin a spato while the left hand danced over the strings. This was the most challengingpart, but Qi Mu seemed to have no difficulty with it. What surprised Min Chen was not thedisy of these difficult techniques but instead. . . the qualitative changein the sound itself. It was like a veil had beenremoved. No, more like ayer of mist shrouding the sound lingered at theedges, almost ready to clear. The sound of the joyful violinreverberated in the music room. Each friction of the strings and the bow letout a high-pitched sound as if singing the upbeat notes. At the end, Qi Mu finally heaved asigh. He turned to look at Min Chen off to the side. shing a beautiful smile, Qi Muspoke, "You''ve heard it, then. . . Mr. Min, can you give me some advice? Ihaven''t found an answer yet." Roused from his stupor by Qi Mu''svoice, Min Chen looked up at him for a while then said, "Qi Mu, I don''t know ifyou noticed but..there has been a fundamental change in your violin. I don''tknow how Reed did it but. . . now, I think I know how you will have to change." Min Chen''s tone was serious andsolemn. Qi Mu''s expression shifted to concern, and he asked, "You. . . noticedthat?" Min Chen nodded slightly. "You onlychanged a few notes, and there was a slight altering of the beats. It''s stillthe recognizable ¡¶No. 24¡·. However, your violin is quite different than before, you''vechanged. I can see exactly where the problem is. It''s quite hard to exin but.. ." After a pause, Min Chen looked upat Qi Mu, "Is there a piano?" Ten minutester, a tall Swiss manexcitedly lent them his music room. The br was called Dn. Hestudied the piano for more than ten years, so a Fazioli grand piano resided inhis room. With it, he could practice any time he wished. "Little Seven, I never knew youknew Mr. Bertram! I''m so excited! God, is he going to borrow my room to y mypiano? God, I won''t even y this Fazioli again, I must preserve it!" It was natural for Dn to beexcited at meeting his idol. Grateful, Qi Mu said, "Thank you very much, Dn.My room doesn''t have a piano, so I can only borrow yours. If you need topractice, you can go to my room, it has good lighting." Despite notpleting the taskgiven by his mentor, Dn shook his head without hesitation. "No, Seven! Iwant to stay and listen to Mr. Bertram y the piano. I want to remember thisscene well and imprint it in my heart!" Qi Mu: ". . ." Min Chen yed a few notes tofamiliarize himself with the piano, then he looked up at Qi Mu, who had hisviolin rested on his shoulder. Min Chen smiled, "y as usual.I''ll keep up with you." Qi Mu nodded and lifted his bow. He had no doubt that Min Chen wouldbe able to keep up with him nor that he would have any trouble despite notrehearsing first. If Min Chen couldn''t y it. . . no one in the world could. When the elegant piano resounded,Qi Mu''s eyes widened. It. . . wasn''t an ensemble! It was an apaniment! The piano was like a river''sstream, and the sound flowed slowly in the room. Although Qi Mu was shocked,his bow didn''t stutter, nor did his fingers on the strings. He remembered MinChen''s words from earlier, "Don''t worry about me, just y as usual." So, hedid. Qi Mu stopped thinking about it and concentrated on ying. Only the sound of the violin andpiano resonated in the quiet room. The sole audience, Dn, was takenaback. He never expected that Mr. Bertram would apany Little Seven! Thiswas simply too amazing! And this piece, Dn couldrecognize from a single note. It was the piece Little Seven had been practicingso intently, Paganini''s ¡¶No. 24¡·. Dn''s own sybus hadn''t yet reached it, so he knew howdifficult it must be. Qi Mu yed it well, but he couldn''t say much. Today, however, he felt that thissong. . . could be adapted so pleasantly? What Dn didn''t know was that QiMu was also surprised. Min Chen only acted as theapaniment, but Qi Mu felt that he was being led by the man. While beingpulled wasn''t obvious, he could still detect the slight traces. Qi Mu didn''t intend to ask Min Chenhis intention, but when he entered the song''s second section, he found¡ª¡ª He grabbed hold of that inspiration! The echo of freedom released themelody and let the sound of the violin dance. Every time he practiced, he wouldtry to find that sh of inspiration Mr. Akkad once described. Qi Mu hadasionally seen a glimpse of this wonderful feeling before, now. . . heactually had it. Even after the 6 to 7 minutes, whenthe piece had ended, the echoes of a violin and piano still lingered in theroom. It took a long time for the soleaudience to recover and apud. Qi Mu set down his violin and turned to lookat the man by the piano. Min Chen looked back at him. The two gazed at each other for amoment then Min Chen revealed a rare smile and asked quietly: "Do you. . . get the feeling now?"
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): AyN, Empress, Bet

Bet:

This one is all my fault. I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯m still adjusting to juggling work, family, and editing. And this one just. . .pletely slipped my mind. But here it is! Chapter 70
Inspirationis a mysterious thing. For the past seven or so days, QiMu wandered all over Paris hoping to find even a shred of inspiration from itsromantic atmosphere. Of course, he found it but controlling it was anothermatter. With the piano apaniment justnow, he grasped the elusive thing he had been searching for¡ª¡ªthat endlessinspiration, dancing freely in the air. The brisk but elegant piano wasclearly just an apaniment, but it used an objective perspective to guidethe violin in another direction. Whenever Qi Mu''s violin was about to stall,the piano would pick it up and guide him to the next big tide. Qi Mu stared at the man behind thepiano. After a long while, he frowned, but the corners of his lips curledslightly upward. "I really. . . I don''t know how to describe it but, Min Chen.. . I think I''ve caught it, a little." Min Chen''s eyebrow raised, "Can yougrasp it?" He thought about it carefully for amoment and shook his head helplessly: "It feels like. . . there is still someunclear points. Like the finger technique or something. I didn''t change any ofthe technique, but I always there are still some changes to be made. I really.. . don''t know how to describe it." Qi Mu''s left hand pressed thestrings, but he didn''t pick up his bow. He wanted to feel that strange feelingagain. But unfortunately, after a few more attempts, it remained at a fancy,still elusive, and he failed to capture it. "I think. . . this still won''t do." Min Chen was already quitesurprised to see him make such significant progress with just this one session.He naturally didn''t think Qi Mu''s violin would make this much of a qualitativeleap in only one ensemble. At least, Qi Mu''s performance of ¡¶No. 24¡· just now was on par withChristole''s. If once wasn''t enough, then theycould y it twice, even thrice. Min Chen calmly said, "Then we''llcontinue." Qi Mu: ". . . ?" "You continue, I will follow." The words surprised Qi Mu, and hesaid, "Min Chen, I don''t know how long will it take for me to fully grasp thefeeling. If you really continue to help me, won''t it. . . take too much of yourtime?" Min Chen lifted his gaze and lookedat Qi Mu with a smile. "You think. . . it will take a long time?" Qi Mu froze. A secondter, heresponded to the other man''s question, "I think it won''t take all that long." "A week?" Qi Mu smiled and shook his head,"That exceeds the deadline teacher gave me. Five days, at most." Min Chen''s slender fingers caressedthe ck and white piano keys. He scrutinized the grand piano then looked upat Qi Mu and said, "Three days. . . perhaps." Though he was surprised, Qi Mu didnot refute. Again, the sound of a violin andpiano emerged from within the quiet music room. By the door, Dn watched the twodark-haired men work in sync with each other. He didn''t quite understand. . .What were these two men talking about just now? What one week, five days, threedays? Could it be. . . a secret code? But then again, it turned out his ¡¶Fazioli¡· could y such a beautifulNo. 24! Why did he feel like he was ying cotton before. . . The owner of the music room¡ª¡ªDnfelt the malice of the vast universe today. . . . On the first day of their practicesession, Qi Mu assigned a five-day time limit which Min Chen reduced to three.When Min Chen said that, he was slightly joking, but he didn''t expect¡ª¡ª The youth really did it, and itwas. . . even better than he thought it would be! On the second day of their practicesession, the captivating sunset dyed the western skies, and the sun shiftedtoward the horizon moment by moment. Min Chen pressed the piano keys rapidlybut suddenly noticed. . . he could no longer control Qi Mu''s rhythm! The sweet sound of the violinresounded in the room, broken free from all shackles and dancing freely. Originally, Min Chen intended toonly y the role of apaniment and guide Qi Mu. But by the end of thefirst practice, Min Chen felt that his piano already lost its grip on Qi Mu. In fact, as the lead, Qi Mu shouldhave guided Min Chen''s piano and made it a foil to his violin. However, therewere very few masters in the world who were capable of that feat (making Min Chen''s piano a foil), and Mr. Akkad was one of them. But this washis student, not the man himself. During another fast pace pizzicato,Qi Mu''s violin was so full of impact and overflowing with intense emotion thatit startled Min Chen, and he inevitably missed a beat. Qi Mu, immersed in hisying, didn''t even notice it. When Qi Mu yed this time, he hadfully grasped that mischievous inspiration. After only two days of continuouspractice, Qi Mu finally took the final step and let his bow bounce freelyacross the strings. He already mastered the necessaryskills, but only now would he dare to say: "This is my ¡¶No. 24¡·." The sound of the violin was like aPhoenix of Nirvana, that which was born anew only once every five hundredyears, bursting with infinite glory. The violin had a growing momentum, but itmissed the mark a little. Suddenly, the piano that was onlyapanying the violin since the beginning joined the main melody. Itsmagnificence increased sharply and refused to lose to the violin. Through years of practice, theman''s fingers slid on the keys and soon joined the violin. The melody blendedseamlessly without conflict or abruptness, perfect in harmony. The moment Akkad returned to Paris,he went to the college. He believed that his lovely student wouldn''t ck off.Even if he wasn''t in Paris, Qi Mu would continue to practice hard to achievethe desired results. Therefore, as soon as he arrived atthe college, Akkad went straight to his music room. Akkad''s music room was in theinnermost part of the violin department''s first floor. It had the bestlighting, arge ss window, and also upied thergest area. Thesoundproofing was so fantastic that it was almost impossible for sound insideto leak. Of course, these were Akkad''spersonal benefits, other rooms did not have such luxury. For example, as hestepped into the corridor, the sound of a violin and piano echoed with excitingmelody. Akkad''s footsteps halted, and hemurmured to himself, "This violin. . . is it Little Seven?" His heart was overjoyed, but hedidn''t stay happy for long as he suddenly realized, "Wait a minute, where didhe get a piano? This is definitely not a CD, someone is ying live?" This was the violin department,there were almost no piano students here. But after thinking for a moment,Akkad remembered, "Oh, that Dn boy next door ys the piano. It must bethat fellow ying with Little Seven." Touching his chin, Akkad walked toDn''s room and murmured, "Geez, this Dn is really good. To have someone atthis level, what is the piano department doing? Why didn''t the piano departmenthold onto him?" He crept towards the door andcarefully pushed the door open, making little to no noise. In the room, Qi Mustood facing the piano with his eyes closed, so he didn''t notice Akkad''s arrival. Professor Akkad smiled and enjoyedthe melody for a while. He then turned to look at the person ying the piano.Unfortunately, from his spot, the pianist''s figure was mostly obscured by thepiano panel, but he could still see the person''s handsome jaw. This Dn guy could really ythe piano, or. . . he could rmend this person to Farrellter? This shouldbe more than enough for Dresden. ¡ª¡ªWas Professor Akkad''s thoughts. Qi Mu had yet to notice someone hadopened the door and was secretly peeping. It was hard to grasp this rareinspiration, so Qi Mu didn''t want to be distracted even a little. His fingersslid across the strings, and the bow in his right hand was pulled fast, tappinguniformly from time to time. Paganini''s works were reallysuitable for showing off dazzling skills. For a handsome and refined young manto y with such beautiful and gorgeous skills, even Akkad felt refreshed andhappy watching him. Of course, while Dn''s facewasn''t visible, Akkad had to admit that the skills the pianist showed off weregood enough. He changed to Liszt''s version of ¡¶No. 24¡· to suppress his student''s violin with even more dazzling ability. But, how could Dn easilysuppress Little Seven as he desired? In the duration of the roughlysix-minutes-long song, the sound of violin and piano werepatible and, inthe end, there was nothing that could indicate which was the lead and which onewas suppressed. When the finale came to an end,Professor Akkad pped and shouted, "Bravo!" Qi Mu suddenlye back to hissenses. He looked at Akkad who stood at the door and asked, "Teacher, why areyou back today? Weren''t you supposed to be back tomorrow?!" Akkad stepped forward and said, "Icame back a day in advance to see if you were cking off. Little Seven, ah,do you want to eat chocte? Teacher brought some back from Italy for you,haha!" He lifted the chocte bag in his hand. Qi Mu took the bag, not knowingwhether tough or cry, and said, "Thank you, teacher." Professor Akkad nodded, satisfied,and said, "I didn''t expect your skills to rise to this level in just a fewdays. Very good, Little Seven. Youpleted the task I gave you three days inadvance. Your performance on No. 24 just now was great! I think you nowunderstand what youcked." This high praise from his teacherstunned Qi Mu, but then he smiled, "Teacher, I think. . . I get it now." Akkad said with relief, "That''sgreat, that''s great. As long as you understand this point, let alone a year, Ithink in half a year, you could surpass that guy Auston. Let him know. . ." "Teacher. . ." "Let him see, how much better thanhim you are. . ." "Teacher. . ." Qi Mu weakly said. "Don''t worry, Little Seven. ThatAuston guy has too many things, he''s so greedy. . ." Qi Mu knew that nothing could besalvaged this time. He covered his face, sighed, and said, "Teacher, you. . ." "I don''t know if he''s had the timeto practice these years. Maybe he''s regressed that even Dn could match himnow. Oh right, speaking of Dn, I didn''t expect that big silly piano couldy so well, not bad. Little Seven, you''re. . ." "Hey! Professor Akkad, Seven!You''re both here?!" A high-pitched voice came from thedirection of the door. Akkad and Qi Mu turned, following the sound, and sawDn scratching the back of his head. "I went out to buy some burgers. Ididn''t expect to see you''re already back, Professor Akkad." Akkad nodded and said, "Oh, Dn,I just mentioned you. You y the piano well, why did you suddenly switch tothe violin? With your skill level, you''re good enough for Dresden. . . eh. . ." Akkad stopped abruptly. He turnedto look at Qi Mu in horror. The young man smiled helplessly and gently shookhis head, motioning towards the piano. Suddenly having an ominouspremonition, the little old man gulped but before he could make a sound, he sawa slender hand stretching out from behind the piano, and it waved at him twice. Immediately after, a handsome,familiar face appeared in front of him. Min Chen waved again, "Hi, Reed.Long time no see." Akkad: ". . ." Qi Mu: ". . ." Min Chen solemnly said, "I practicethe piano daily, don''t nder me." Akkad: ". . ."
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Bet Chapter 71
After living for over 70 years, what hadn''t Reed Akkad seen? He and Min Chen had known each other for a decade. While he wasn''t as close to Min Chen as he was with Farrell, asional teasing wasn''t an issue. And the best option for right now was¡ª¡ª To y dumb. He had to y dumb. The famous violinist acted as though nothing happened like he hadn''t said all those things about Min Chen. He turned to his lovely student and said, "Little Seven, your ¡¶No. 34¡· has progressed beyond my expectations." Everyone else: ". . ." Min Chen sat at the piano stool and said nothing, watching them for a long time. Qi Mu didn''t know whether to cry orugh. "Teacher, it''s not ¡¶No. 34¡·, it''s ¡¶No. 24¡·. . ." Akkad, embarrassed, coughed twice to cover up his mishap. "Okay, Little Seven, you''re going to y this song solo, and I''ll listen. If you can maintain this level, you don''t have to spend any more time on it." Since Akkad had gone this far ying dumb, the student, Qi Mu, needed to give face to his master. He obligingly yed his solo of ¡¶Caprice No. 24¡·. Over the past two days of practice with Min Chen, Qi Mu rarely had the chance to y the song alone. However, he wasn''t nervous. He looked forward to seeing how well he could do. Without apaniment, just him ying. . . what kind of melody would he y? Qi Mu was surprised to see that in the absence of the piano, he didn''t feel restrained at all. Instead, he feltpletely free, he could still grasp the initial inspiration. After listening to his solo ¡¶No. 24¡·, Professor Akkad nodded and praised, "Although the strong impact of the ensemble is no longer there, you still have good control. With this song, you can hold a solo recital now." Qi Mu sat down his violin and smiled, replying, "Thank you, teacher." However, at Qi Mu''s level, how could he only just now be able to hold a solo recital? In his previous life, he held numerous solo recitals and had invitations to perform in various concert halls. Akkad''s requirements were too high. In his ears, only the current ¡¶No. 24¡· was considered excellent. Akkad touched his chin, thinking. "In addition to this ¡¶No. 24¡·. . . I will give you another song for tomorrow''s lesson. I hope you can finish it in a week, alright?" Before Qi Mu could answer, Dn eximed, ¡°God! A week?! Only seven days? How could anyone be able to practice andplete a piece in such a short time?" Dn didn''t know what song Professor Akkad would give Qi Mu, but he doubted it would be as tricky as ¡¶No. 24¡·. Dn, himself, was practicing Strauss'' works, having recently encountered only two or three of Paganini''s works. Moreover, his mentor gave him at least two weeks to practice. Even then, Dn thought it was too short. At Dn''s exmations, Qi Mu smiled helplessly and nced at him. He said, "Dn, you''re still young. I''m older than you by two years, ah." Before, in Huaxia, he was the youngest member of the orchestra. In college, he was the "older student" at the age of 22. He won''t be graduating for another few years. It was normal for Akkad to speed up his curriculum. After all, if he followed the regr sybus, he would undoubtedly end up as the oldest student in the violin department. Dn touched his nose andughed. Akkad''s gaze swept over to the silly boy and continued, "Little Seven, it''s already quitete, you should go home first. Tomorrow we''ll go to the violin room. Our own music room, okay?" Deliberately emphasizing the word "our music room," Akkad looked gloomily at the man sitting at the piano. Min Chen just looked at them with a faint smile, tapping his fingers gently on the piano cover. Qi Mu smiled, "Yes, I will be there at 8 tomorrow, teacher." Professor Akkad praised Qi Mu a few more times with satisfaction, and Qi Mu packed up his things to leave. He turned to ask Min Chen if he wanted to go with him, and Akkad suddenly spoke, "Little Seven, you can leave first. Auston and I. . . have something to talk about." Qi Mu blinked and looked at Min Chen. He turned and took Dn with him, as if in a trance. He closed the door behind them. After the door closed with a click, Min Chen and Akkad were left alone in the violin room. Min Chen still sat on the stool, tapping on the piano cover. Akkad, on the other hand, paced. A long time passed, then Akkad seemed to make up his mind, and he approached Min Chen. "Ah. . . Auston, there''s something you don''t know. . ." Akkad''s hesitant voice had Min Chen looking up at him. In a mild tone, he said, "Reed, don''t we know each other? If I can help, I will do my best." ". . ." Akkad involuntarily rubbed his arms to get rid of goosebumps. After a moment, Akkad said, ¡°Okay. . . Actually, this matter is rted to Little Seven. You know, Seven had juste to the college, and he''s taken a special path. Compared to the orchestra, he''s very young, but in this college, he is definitely not the youngest.¡± Min Chen''s casual look turned solemn at the name. He frowned, ¡°So. . . ?¡± ¡°In three years at most, Little Seven will reach the average age of the graduates, but I don''t think he needs to spend that much time in sses. He''ll be wasting his youth. So I''m thinking. . . about letting him go the same path as you and Christole." Min Chen''s fingers stopped. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Akkad, saying in blunt reply, "Reed, his situation is different from my and Christole''s. No student of Paris'' National Conservatory of Music has ever graduated in advance. This is not Leipzig, nor is it Munich." Akkad shook his head, "Did Leipzig have a student who graduated in advance before you?" Min Chen fell quiet. He thought for a long time then admitted, ¡°Christole did.¡± ¡°But you set the precedent.¡± Professor Akkad said, adding with a serious expression, ¡°Hey, since you can do it, then my student can also do it. Anything can have a precedent, and the precedent for that here will perhaps be Little Seven." Min Chen closed his eyes and said nothing else. At Min Chen''s silent agreement, Akkad nodded with a smile. He added, tteringly, ¡°Since you think the same. . . that Little Seven should graduate earlier, I''ll take care of my students. Isn¡¯t that. . . also what you should do?¡± By the end of the day, Akkad''s fox tail finally revealed itself. Min Chen looked at him, his thin lips curling upwards. "How can I help?" ¡°I already spoke with the college. If Little Seven can get a score of 90 or more in every exam, then after one year, he can graduate directly. So. . .¡± ¡°Well, I am going to be one of the judges.¡± ¡°So can you please. . . Hey?! How did you know?!¡± Shocked, Akkad looked Min Chen up and down and asked, ¡°When did you start practicing divination?!¡± Min Chen looked unamused. "The day before you returned, Dean De Silva invited me to be the main judge for this semester''s first assessment. I''ve been hesitating but now. . . I''ll just say yes." Akkad: "#%$#^%$. . ." The evening breeze blew, thickening the sky with clouds. They obscured most of the sunset, allowing only a few stray sunbeams to streak through. Min Chen wiped and covered the piano, then stood to leave. As he packed everything up, he listened to Akkad whisper to himself. The man''s voice was so low, if it weren''t for his excellent hearing, even he wouldn''t hear it clearly. ¡°Well. . . Min, you are still a good person." Min Chen raised an eyebrow. "What?" Bluntly, Akade said, "I''ve heard about you helping Evra in London. I never expected Jacques to be stupid enough to lose his own music score, but fortunately, you were there.¡± Min Chen finally understood what he was talking about. He nodded. "Well, it''s not a big deal." They exited the room together while chatting. Akkad hesitated for a long time then finally said, "Actually, Min. . . even if you''re gay, I will not discriminate against you. I''m not homophobic. I''m sorry about thatst time. In fact, when I thought about it afterward, I realized you''ve never been with any girls these past years. So if you found someone that would apany you for a lifetime, that is something to be happy about." Min Chen''s footsteps halted. He turned to Akkad and questioned, "You think I''m gay?" Akkad immediately waved his hand. ¡°No, no. I mean, whether you are gay or not, I hope you can find someone to share your life with." Of course, that person better not be his lovely student. "Oh," was all Min Chen could say. Opening the door of the room, he took a half step then turned around and added, ¡°It seems that I actually. . . am homosexual.¡± Not giving Akkad a moment to react, Min Chen turned and left. After a few seconds, Akkad snarled in anger, ¡°Auston Bertram! You tell me clearly, what are your intentions with my student? Youe back here!!!¡± Theyers of clouds covering the sky were gradually thinned out as the evening wind blew. In the warm hustle and bustle of the setting sun, a handsome young man with a violin case leaned against the violin department building, waiting. Qi Mu wore a light gray coat and had a long beige scarf wrapped around his neck. The woolen scarf rubbed at his half-obscured face. He hadn''t waited long when a handsome man appeared. Smiling, he stepped over. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you woulde out so soon. I thought Professor Akkad would talk to you for a while.¡± Min Chen was surprised to see him there. He thought that Qi Mu already left, but when he saw that he was waiting for him, his heart skipped a beat. An indescribable emotion pooled in his chest. "Well, it wasn''t that important." Qi Mu didn¡¯t take him seriously. He knew that even Bai Ai''s concert could only be regarded as ¡°general news¡± to Min Chen. The man never felt nervous. They walked side-by-side along the white cobblestone path. ¡°When we practiced this evening, I really felt what you wanted to express. Thank you for spending your time with me these days.¡± Qi Mu paused, then added, ¡°Min Chen, in fact, I really think you¡¯re a nice person, though sometimes you''re not expressive, but. . . you really care about people." Min Chen raised his eyebrows but didn''t breathe a word. Qi Mu couldn''t tell what was wrong with him. He looked up at the sky, at the red sunset, and squinted. He mused, ¡°I used to know a good person. . . he was very enthusiastic because I was new there. He took care of me." The words that he spoke were vague, almost no one could guess who he was talking about. Min Chen listened in silence as he continued, ¡°But then I found out he was frigid. It was unbelievable that he could actually. . . be that kind of a person.¡± Qi Mu''s voice gradually subsided. Until Luo Yu Sen closed the door, Qi Mu didn''t believe ¡ª¡ª That there were people who could be this vicious. In the setting sun, he lowered his head, and his face was covered in shadows. He stared at the cobblestones on the ground. They glittered like gemstones, reflecting the sun. Qi Mu didn¡¯t notice that while he was looking down at the stones, Min Chen was staring at him with wide eyes. Min Chen''s heart fluttered in his chest, beating faster and faster. He couldn¡¯t ignore it and felt like it was about to beat right out of his chest. The cobblestones shone, but they weren''t nearly as attention-grabbing as Qi Mu. The sound of musical instruments could be heard across campus. It may not have been perfect, but it soothed Qi Mu. He felt so much lighter, shifting his attention away from that scum. Qi Mu didn''t know why he said something like that to Min Chen. However, he felt relieved after telling the secret so deeply hidden in his heart. Some secrets, even deeply suppressed, need to be released. Sharing them with someone, anyone, could help, even if they didn''t understand. Once he had vented, Qi Mu smiled, and his eyes curled into crescents. ¡°Sorry, I said something that was. . .¡± Qi Mu''s words came to a screeching halt. He stared nkly as Min Chen''s hand reached out and stroked his hair. Min Chen''s fingertips touched his forehead, making his heart skip a beat. A strange feeling of numbness and brittleness spread from where they touched. Min Chen apparently didn''t expect that he would turn so suddenly. Stunned for a moment, he coughed, ¡°You had a white petal on your head. I wanted to remove it. . .¡± Words trailing off, Min Chen stepped back, looking at the top of his head. The beautiful atmosphere disappeared without a trace, and Qi Mu frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ". . . There''s a bug." Qi Mu: ". . ." Reflexively touching his hair, Qi Mu wiped a small white bug off his head. Expressionless, his movements were brutal and decisive. Min Chen: ". . ." When he saw Min Chen''s guarded expression, he couldn''t help butugh. "If Dn knew of this. . . No, if your fans could see this. What would you do?" ". . ." Qi Mu turned his eyes and said deliberately, "Probably. . . from pure fans to ck powder fans?" ". . ." "Well, they''d be disappointed at the least. After all, they think of you as. . . Are you angry? I was just joking! You can rest assured, I will never tell anyone about this, I swear by God! ¡° ". . ." ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t believe in God, what about this? I''ll swear by Paganini?¡± ". . ." ¡°You don¡¯t believe in Paganini? Well, then I really. . . Huh?¡± Qi Mu shuddered, his light eyes wide in horror¡ª¡ªhis waist was tightly grabbed by Min Chin, the distance was so close, so close that he could smell his scent. The world became quiet. Qi Mu didn''t know if anyone could see them, but at the moment, he didn''t have the heart to care. He was far too sensitive, he could feel the head of Min Chin''s arm. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of bugs.¡± The low, rumbling voice rang in his ear, his hot breath tickling Qi Mu''s throat. ¡°I just find them. . . very disgusting.¡± Qi Mu: ". . ." So, you are afraid of them then? Even up to when he washed his clothes that evening, Qi Mu still didn''t understand. How could such a big man be afraid of bugs? What about the hug? Xiao Qi thought about the answer and decided, ¡°To keep people from knowing he was afraid of bugs, he had to whisper.¡± So, during the weekly cross-ocean phone call with Zheng Wei Qiao, Qi Mu said nothing about what happened to his gossipy housekeeper. What he didn¡¯t know was that in a high-ss apartment on the other side of Paris, a man rubbed his fingertips together and whispered, ¡°His clothes were. . . very thick.¡± The moon hung in the dark sky. After drying his clothes, Qi Mu looked at the thin crescent and mused, ¡°Phobia of snakes, tigers, lions, these I can understand. But. . . a fear of bugs?¡± Seriously.
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): AyN, Empress, Bet Chapter 72
Of all the music institutes in Europe, the world even, the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music was one of the best. Their terms usuallysted for 4 to 5 years. Each semester, two in-house assessments were conducted to inspect both the sybus implemented by the teachers and the progress of the students. Students who failed multiple times would face the difficult choice of either repeating the semester or dropping out. Qi Mu mentioned this assessment when taking his new assignment from Akkad. Naturally, he knew that the Conservatory held these assessments four times a year. Most orchestras believed it was also a good opportunity to recruit talent. Qi Mu had also apanied Jacques to Paris in his previous life. ¡°Little Seven, you enrolled during the middle of the semester. Now, you have to participate in the assessment after only two weeks.¡± Akkad gave him the score and added, ¡°I don''t want to keep you here in Paris with me for too long. The right way to do this is for you to graduate early." Akkad knew that Qi Mu had worked with several orchestras before, including the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Cooperation, however, did not imply being a full member. The ssical music industry in Huaxia was still peaceful and flourishing, while Europe''s had long beenplex. Qi Mu gazed at the score in his hand then looked up and smiled, ¡°I know. I will work hard.¡± After a pause, he inquired, ¡°Right, teacher, I don¡¯t know. . . if you want me to choose the performance track for the assessment myself.¡± "Paganini''s ¡¶La Campane¡·." This answer left Qi Mu in a daze. He asked, "Professor Akkad, I thought. . . You would let me choose ¡¶No. 24¡· or ¡¶Carmen Fantasia¡·." Akkad gave Qi Mu the score of Sarasate''s ¡¶Carmen Fantasia¡·. ¡¶Carmen¡· was an opera piece written by the Frenchposer Georges Bizet for the novel ¡¶Carmen¡·. The subsequentposers, German-American Franz Waxman and Spain¡¯s Sarasate, used the opera as the inspiration to write their own piece. Bizet''s ¡¶Carmen¡· paid more attention to singing, making it the most widely spread version, and it was very popr with the audiences. Waxman and Sarasate¡¯s ¡¶Carmen¡· was focused on violin skills. Although it had a smaller audience, it was regarded as a ssic in fantasy violin. Akkad raised his thick eyebrow. "Do you think. . . your ¡¶La Campane¡· will be worse than these two?" Qi Mu smiled and shook his head. He confidently replied, ¡°No, I believe my ¡¶La Campane¡· will definitely not be worse.¡± ¡¶La Campane¡· was one of Qi Mu''s specialties. Duringst year''s Christmas Eve, he yed this song in front of Min Chen. Though he hadn¡¯t practiced it recently, Qi Mu believed he would never grow rusty. Akkad nodded and said, ¡°Not bad, then we will practice Sarasate¡¯s ¡¶Carmen¡· this week and another song next week.¡± Qi Mu was stunned. He asked, ¡°. . .Professor, don''t you want to set aside some time before the assessment to let me practice ¡¶La Campane¡·?¡± Akkad frowned. He feigned anger and said, ¡°Little Seven, do you still need to be like that silly Dn next door? He made his mentor leave a week to practice for his assessment!¡± His righteous gesture and matter-of-fact-tone made it seem like a perfectly reasonable thing to say. Qi Mu nodded helplessly. ¡°Yes, Professor. Let''s continue with our own sybus, don¡¯t let the assessment disrupt our progress.¡± In the whole school. . . only he would still teach as usual. Akkad smiled. ¡°Okay, familiarize yourself with the song.¡± Satisfied with Qi Mu''s hard-working attitude, Akkad finally rxed. He added, ¡± Sarasate''s ¡¶Carmen¡· is a bit difficult. Little Seven, practice well.¡± Qi Mu smiled and replied, ¡°Okay, Professor.¡± A bit difficult. . . More like, very difficult. Only Dn was prepared to practice¡¶Carmen¡· in a week. But to get Akkad''s recognition? It would be more realistic for Dn to transfer back to the piano department. Of course, difficult didn''t mean impossible. After a week of uninterrupted practice, Qi Mu got Akkad''s approval on the afternoon of the seventh day. He hadn¡¯t yet breathed a sigh of relief when a new score appeared before his eyes. He looked up and saw Akkad looking back at him with a smile, revealing his white teeth, "Little Seven, next week we have to practice Tartini¡¯s ¡¶G minor¡·. I heard when you were 14, you worked with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra on this song. It should be easy. So. . . let''s shorten the time a bit, how about five days?" Qi Mu: ". . ." He was far from proficient! Professor!!! . . . Qi Mu''s life was hard, and the man on a leisurely trip had nothing to do. In the beginning, Min Chen came to the music room to see Qi Mu. But, Qi Mu was so intently focused on the music, Min Chen wasn''t even noticed. Min Chin waited a long time, but when Qi Mu still didn''t look up, he went to the professor¡¯s lounge. Gloomily, he sat face-to-face with Akkad. Neither of them said a word. Akkad: ". . ." Min Chen: ". . . . . ." Akkad: ". . . . . . . . ." Min Chen: ". . . . . . . . . . . ." After three days of confrontation, Akkad''s thick skin finally wore thin. He raised his hands in surrender and spoke, ¡°Okay, Min. What is your problem? Why do you run over to steal my chocte every day?¡± Holding the chocte in his arms, Akkad didn''t give the other man a chance to even nce at them. Min Chen was toozy to even say the word "chocte." After a while, he quietly asked, ¡°The assessment is the day after tomorrow, could you not give Qi Mu a little time to prepare?¡± Akkad suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and muttered, ¡°So that''s what this is about. . .¡± He put his chocte jar aside. ¡°I won''t give Little Seven a task tomorrow. A day should be enough for him to practice the song. Besides, didn''t you tell me that Little Seven''s ¡¶Bell¡· is good? You also rmended this song for him. Is it. . . Are you worried?¡± Min Chen''s eyebrows wrinkled and sighed. Finally, he said, ¡°His ¡¶Bell¡· is really good, and a day should be enough for him to prepare.¡± "Then what''s wrong?" Min Chen: ". . ." Qi Mu was so busy that he didn''t even notice he was there. How could he say it?! In the adjacent lounge room, an indifferent man wore an expression of dissatisfaction. After ying his ¡¶Devil''s Trill Sonata¡· to Akkad, the sun had already set. The moon rose steadily in the sky. Within five days, Qi Mu had practiced this difficult piece of music to the level Akkad wanted. Even so, Qi Mu felt ayer of his skin had peeled off, and his body had thinned. Akkad, however, looked him up and down and smiled. ¡°Has Little Seven gained a little weight recently? Gaining weight is good. You used to be too thin, haha.¡± Qi Mu: ". . ." His teacher¡¯s presbyopia had be very serious. After 11 days of hardship, Qi Mu was finally ushered into his first assessment. Students from every department gathered in the main concert hall of the college, waiting to demonstrate the results of half a semester''s toils. Although the college had strict admission requirements, it also had arge number of students. However, students who participated in this assessment every year needed to be supervised by a professor-level tutor. Therefore, usually, only four or five people met this quota in each department. To show the assessment''s fairness, not only could their tutor not being a judge, but at least five of the ten jury members were selected from outside the school. The college would invite professional masters to impartially evaluate the students. Last year, the school invited Farrell Louis, and the students in the violin department were ecstatic. When Min Chen told Qi Mu Be Kim would be a judge, Qi Mu''s wide eyes couldn''t be concealed. ¡°Be Kim? The American Violin Queen? Even she will be there? This is incredible!" Be Kim was nearly 40 years old, but her fame extended for over 20 years in the music world. Strauss¡¯s works were her specialty, and she had a unique understanding of music. Her ¡¶Gypsy Song¡· was Qi Mu''s favorite version. At his excitement, Min Chen clenched his teeth and whispered, ¡°I am also one of the judges. . .¡± ¡°Be Kim is second only to Master Farrell. I didn''t expect Be woulde, the college really extended themselves." Qi Mu instantly remembered the four or five signed Be Kim albums he bought in his previous life. He was really looking forward to the assessment. He was always reserved and seldom got excited. Aside from his meeting with Farrell and Akkad, this was the first time he would meet such an outstanding master. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Be Kim will be tomorrow''s main judge. At her level, it is possible. . .¡± Min Chen: ". . ." "No, she might not be the main judge. The main judge forst year''s assessment was a violinist, so this time they will choose a different department." Min Chen: ". . ." ¡°Yes, I remember you mentioned something this morning. Are you leaving tomorrow? That''s a pity. I''ve been swamped recently and didn''t have time to take you around Paris." Qi Mu only now remembered the silent man next to him. He smiled, eyes curling into crescents, and said, "I''m afraid I can''t send you off at the airport tomorrow. I''m sorry. . .¡± Min Chen could hardly smile. He gritted his teeth. "It''s. . . no. . . problem." He said just this morning that his flight was tomorrow! "Do you know when Be Kim will arrive?" Min Chen: ". . ." This was the first time Min Chen regretted not learning the violin. If he had and if his skill surpassed Akkad''s, he could directly ept Qi Mu as his student and that. . . that would be great. But someoneforgot that talent was mysterious.
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): AyN, Empress, Bet

The Author:

You don''t even have talent with the violin and you want to surpass Akkad? Wait another 500 years! Today''s rmended track is ¡¶Carmen¡·. Both versions are good. XD Girls can choose whichever. Of course, Bizet''s opera is also great!

Kuro:

Be has bad luck, I think, and Min Chen eats a pool full of vinegar. At first, I wanted to trante Xiao Qi as Young Seven instead of Little Seven because "Young Padawan" and " Midoriya-shounen ." But reason held me back and I left it as Little Seven. On the other hand, I have been listening to a lot of Paganini and Sarasate (just two of Sarasate''s) and bingeing TwoSetViolin. Check them out, there have really good violin facts and funny videos. Happy Eid, guys!

Bet:

I am feeling abused. My new editor is biting my behind because I want to take my time and give you guys the best. TT^TT I really do need to get better at time-keeping though. . . Chapter 73
The Paris'' National Conservatory of Music held these tests fourtimes a year. Since it was one of the world¡¯s top ssical music schools,orchestras often observed outstanding students at their assessments. However, some believed the stream of talent was beginning to fade.For several years, no one was bright enough to catch anyone''s gaze. Of course,that was the high-demanding masters. The audience seemed unusuallyrge. It made sense, though. Torecuperate from the slump of the past few years, the college official speciallyinvited the famous Spanish cellist Melinoff, French music connoisseur MasterLeonid, ¡°The Queen of the Violin¡± Be Kem, and. . . Min Chen. As long as any one of them appeared, it would create a disturbancein the French music industry. With all of them gathered together, the wholeworld of ssical music couldn''t help but sneak in to witness the event. Melinoff, Leonid, and even Be Kim, they could understand. But.. .why Min Chen? All the others were excellent students who graduated from theParis'' National Conservatory of Music. It was natural for them to return totheir alma mater to honor the request. But, it was converse for Min Chen. Everyone knew Auston Bertram graduated from the LeipzigConservatory in Germany. Not only that, but this elegantly cold music masterhad not participated with apetition for three years. Thest time heserved as a judge was in Xiaosai four years ago. So. . . "Why did Mr. Bertram be a judge this time?!" Countless audience members and the media from various countries inEurope pondered this question. When Qi Mu woke and started for the college with his violin case,he was shocked to see the horde of people standing in front of the gates. It may as well have been the Chinese Spring Festival, the crowdwas so lively. Some even carried valuables like SLR cameras and tried to squeezein. At least the noisy group was detained at the college''s entrance. Beyond it,the cobblestone path was packed but much quieter. Before Qi Mu got to the concert hall, he caught sight of Dn,his violin case also in hand. They greeted each other and walked together. Dn nervously clutched his treasured violin. "Little Seven, didyou see the crowd at the gate? It''s terrible! I''ve never seen so many people inmy life!" The br looked like a small child crying out, "Too scary, tooscary! Mama,e and save me!" Qi Mu couldn''t help butugh. He pattedDn''s broad shoulder and said, "Dn, you should never go to Huaxia. There.. . Well, how to say it? The subway is worse than this." Dn touched his head, eyes wide, and asked, "What do you mean,Little Seven? Does the subway eat people? I''ve heard that there are a lot ofmonsters in Huaxia. . . Is the subway one of them?!" Qi Mu recalled a famous saying. He looked at Dn and spokesolemnly, "No, Dn. There''s a rule in Huaxia. After the founding of therepublic, no one is allowed to be a ghost. So the subways you''ve heard ofare all forbidden from turning into monsters." Although the Swiss musician felt like Qi Mu was teasing him, whenhe saw his stern expression, he unconsciously took the tale seriously. Dnshrunk his neck in fear and said with horror, "Well, no wonder my father alwayssaid. . . Huaxia is a magical and beautiful country. It turns out that Huaxia.. . is full of wonders." When he saw the man''s expression, Qi Mu couldn''t contain hiughter. After a few more jokes, they arrived at the concert hall. Although it was a concert hall for their own use, the NationalConservatory hadn''t spared any expense. With an interior designed byworld-renowned architects and materials carefully selected to create the bestacoustics, the building itself was masterfully constructed. Though it wasn¡¯t the first time he entered the concert hall, Qi Mudeliberately walked behind Dn. He let the simple Swiss take him backstage,where the other students were starting their preparations. When he passed thepreparatory room of the piano students, he heard two students talkingexcitedly¡ª¡ª "Oh my God, Hooke, can you believe it? We will have the honor ofMr. Bertrammenting on our performance!" "Good God, Lewis, I know you''re excited. I know Mr. Bertramis your idol, but could you let go of my sleeves?" "No, Hooke! You don''t get it! The thing that inspired me toseriously learn the piano was Mr. Bertram''s performance at XiaoSai!" "Yes, yes, yes. You''ve said so three times a day. . ." "Ah, ah, ah! Hooke, I can get amentary from Mr. Bertram. . ." . . . The two students squealed as they walked away, but Qi Mu stoppedto watch them go with wide eyes. He was so shocked, someone might as well haveshouted, "The heavens have copsed!" "Little Seven? Why are you stopping?" Dn''s voice brought him back to his senses. He slowly turned toDn, then asked calmly and clearly, "Dn. . . Please tell me honestly.There is another Mr. Bertram who participated in XiaoSai, right?" Dn''s eyes also widened. "Is there another Mr. Bertram? I don''treally know, Little Seven. Didn''t Mr. Bertram tell you. . . he would be one ofthe judges today?" Qi Mu: ". . ." Qi Mu smiled reluctantly. "It seems. . . that''s what he might havebeen wanting to tell me." Dn: "???" . . . When Qi Mu walked into the violin department''s lounge, he set downhis violin case and sent a text to Min Chin. He received, "I''m already sitting at the judge''s table," as aresponse. Qi Mu couldn''t stop himself from covering his face with his hands. Hefinally understood. . . why Min Chin''s face was so stiff yesterday. Indeed, the year''s main judge couldn''t be a violinist. So, wasn''ta world-ss pianist qualified? Qi Mu should have thought of it earlier. Min Chen had been inParis for quite a while, maybe the academy had contacted him long ago? PerhapsMin Chen as the main judge was set in stone well before then? He heaved a long sigh and dismissed that thought. Qi Mu didn''thave the time to think about it. Dn already roped him along to discuss his"rank snatching strategy." The assessment didn''t divide the students by their musicalinstruments. Departments like piano and violin could send 4 ¨C 5 students toparticipate. Whereas, it was rare for departments like the drums or harp to sendmore than 2 students. Most of the other departments only sent one student. Therefore, for the equally matched violin and piano department, itbecame a contest to see which department would upy the higher ranking andwho would ce at the top of the ranking in every assessment. "Dn, try to keep Lewis under control. He was scolded a lot byhis mentor recently. Perhaps his violin has suffered." "Zach, how are you doing these days? Can you suppress Hooke?" "Jenny, if you beat Lenna, I think we can have it easy." "Oh, Little Seven, it''s your first time participating, so take iteasy. We will not give you any task. Get acquainted with our enemies. The guysin the piano department. . . are good opponents!¡± The leader was called Angelo, a proud student of the violindepartment. He was an American adolescent with brown hair and blue eyes. Tandnky like a bamboo pole, he was quite enthusiastic and talkative. At the sound of his name, Qi Mu nodded. "I understand." As soon as Qi Mu''s voice fell, Zach sighed. "Damn, this year''sjudge is Mr. Bertram. Although it''s an honor to have him as the main judge. . .Mr. Bertram is a pianist. I''m afraid he''ll be partial to those guys in thepiano department." Dn disagreed. "Ah, Zach, you don''t know. Mr. Bertram andLittle Seven. . . uh. . ." Qi Mu covered Dn''s mouth with his hand, and everyone turned tolook at him. He sighed helplessly said, "Min and I. . . know each other. But Ibelieve he will never be partial to anyone. When ites to music, he willfair and just." Shocked for a moment, Angelo blinked then smiled. "Little Seven!Of course, we know Mr. Bertram will be fair. Don''t listen to Zach, this jerk.Let''s leave him alone and discuss. . . What track are you going to performtoday?" Seeing Angelo walking away with Qi Mu, Dn stared at them for amoment. Then, he realized, "Damn it! That Angelo guy worships Mr. Bertram! Hemust want to ask for Mr. Bertram''s signature on his CD from Little Seven!" "Hey, Ange! Angelo! Youe back here!!!" . . . Most of the audience went to their seats. Aside from the judge''s ten seats at the front, there was also aseat for the dean. A handsome, ck-haired man sat at the center of the judges''table talking with the other masters, asionally making themugh. A gold que rested on his table. There was an English name engraved in small cursive on the lowerpart of the metal que, upying about a fifth of the space¡ª¡ª Auston Bertram.
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Bet

The Author:

Above that English name, there were two beautiful Chinesecharacters written beautifully¡ª¡ª Min Chen. Chapter 74
The concert hall was magnificent. Evenly spaced marble columns lined its walls of warm gold. Under the religious-themed murals on the ceiling, there were 518seats on the first floor and 235 on the second. Musical media arrived from allover the world, and there was a professional team to report on the school''sinternal assessment. The French media was most heavily represented. Due to the behemothof talent that were the judges in attendance, reporters from more and morecountries filtered inside. Of them, Zhou Kang Sheng was one of the most inconspicuous. Zhou Kang Sheng was a journalist of Huaxia''s top music magazine ¡¶Music Hall¡·. His journey fromHuaxia was lengthy, given its distance from Europe on the east side of Asia.Securing his participation from the Paris branch was difficult, even though itwas valued by the headquarters. Getting him to record a video was even more unlikely. Zheng KangSheng only brought a single SLR camera with him. He was not interested inwasting his memory card on recording a college exam. It wouldst more thanthree hours. As far as Zhou Kang Sheng was concerned, the Paris'' NationalConservatory of Music was just a school. This so-called assessment was that ofa college student''s level. How skilled could a student be? They were in their twenties, atmost. Could they really be another Min Chen? Christole? Zhou Kang Sheng didn''t think so. If he guessed correctly, the reason headquarters asked him to makea report was due to Min Chen serving as a judge. As a worthy leader in Huaxia''s ssical music scene, Min Chenconfused Zhou Kang Sheng. He was born and raised in Germany and had hardlyvisited Huaxia. Why did he still hold Huaxia so firmly as his nationality frombirth? Though Min Chen was in attendance, he still encountered racistswho despised ssical musicians from Huaxia. He would only smirk and reply,"There are no good musicians from Huaxia? Do you know the name of Bai Ai''schief conductor?" Before Zhou Kang Sheng could consider things any further, theassessments began. A lovely girl took to the stage with a cello, and a thoughtcrossed his mind. Whispering to himself, he said, ¡°Yes. . . Headquarterstold me to pay special attention to a particr student. What was his nameagain? Li Mu?" Zhou Kang Sheng shook his head, deciding not to think about it. Hefocused on the current performance. . . . The University had a lot of good students. All who participated inthe assessment were coached by professor-level instructors. But. . . This didnot stop the masters in the judging panel from baring their fangs. When facing excellent music, the judges were gentle, givinments and suggestions. When the first yer with music intolerable to human earsappeared, Min Chen listened politely to the final note. However, he gave 4points without hesitation. Where there are good performances, there are also bad ones. This year¡¯s assessment maintained the high standards of thecollege. Of course, it also made thezy students too embarrassed to lifttheir heads in front of these masters. The performances'' order was decided before the assessment began. When a piano student finished his performance, he directly shoutedfrom the stage, "Mr. Bertram, I''m a big fan of yours! Thank you for listeningto my ¡¶Piano Concerto in A Major¡·!" Even with such a lovely fan, Min Chen could hardly be kind to thestudent. Offering advice and encouragement were the furthest things from hismind. No, this man judged his own violin as "god awful." How was heexpected to listen to music so bad ]it echoed to the center of the Earth? MinChen, who had so far listened patiently, was the one who deserved high marks. It was truly useless. The piano student who got the first failing mark of 59, Lewis, ranoff the stage. In all his excitement, he shouted, "Hooke! Hooke! Mr. Bertramspoke to me, you hear me?! I''m so excited!!" Hooke sighed. ¡°. . . But he only gave you 4 points. . .¡± On stage, students with various musical instruments continuedtheir performances. When an excellent student from the r departmentappeared, the deputy music director of the British BBC Orchestra immediatelyinvited him to join the orchestra. This became the beginning of the invitationwave. r, trombone, saxophone¡­ A lot of students received invitations from various orchestras.Once the assessment was concluded, they would consult with the head of theorchestra with the help of the college. When the first violin student showed up, Be Kim gave a highscore of 8 points with a smile. The lovely girl excitedly nodded and gotinvitations from several orchestras. Qi Mu was the second student of the violin department. His number wasclose to the one Jenny drew, but they were separated by Langston from the pianodepartment. When she learned that her turn was before Langston, Jenny wasrelieved. ¡°Little Seven, you don¡¯t know. . . That Langston guy isreally amazing! He received an invitation from the Salt Lake City SymphonyOrchestra at thest assessment, but he refused. I think. . . he wants to be asolo pianist. He might have even bigger ambition. It''s good to y beforehim!¡± Looking like she just escaped disaster, Qi Mu wasn''t nearly asworried as Jenny. When Langston finally went on the stage, his piano was like arunning river. Qi Mu was astonished. In an instant, he realized that Jenny wasright to be concerned¡ª¡ª Langston was, indeed, a solidpetitor. In terms of piano alone, he believed Langston could serve as apianist in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. He yed Liszt¡¯s famous piano piece,¡¶Dante Symphony¡·. Like the roar of the devil, it depicted the torment and painfulsorrow of hell. It was an eerie piece that evoked strange feelings of anunknown world. Langston¡¯s piano was able to show enough depression, constraint,and sadness. Even the audience did not realize that they were all brought to a beautifulrealm by Langston¡¯s piano. As if they could see Liszt''s Dante''s Purgatory, theywere full of intense emotion. Even at the end of the song, Qi Mu couldn''t return to his senses.It was the shout of "Bravo" from the audience that woke him up. The world nevercked genius. He stared at the tall young manstanding in the middle of the stage. His long-lost hot-blooded spirit revivedin his heart. Only when he met a worthy opponent would his ambition skyrocketand be violent¡ª¡ª He must defeat this person! Faced with such high-level skill, even the picky Min Chen gave ahigh score of 8 points. After 10 judges gave their evaluation, Langston scoreda total of 89 points. Among them, he received a perfect score from the Frenchconnoisseur Leonid. ¡°Auston, I think. . . this Langston kid will probably end upwith the highest score.¡± Sitting at Min Chen''s side, Leonid apuded andcontinued, ¡°It''s amazing that this incredible ¡¶Dante¡· came from a man of only24-years!" On the other side, Ms. Be Kim reminded, "Leonid, you have tosee clearly, in front of whom are you praising a 24-year-old as a pianogenius?¡± Leonid suddenly realized his position. ¡°Oh! I shouldn''t saythis in front of Auston, but Be, this ¡¶Dante¡· is really outstanding. . . Waiting for the next student toe to the stage, the two masterson either side of Min Chen began to exchange opinions. Min Chen, however,looked ahead without any expression. When he heard Leonid say, ¡°I betLangston will be the one with the highest score,¡± Min Chen curled his lipsinto a smile and turned to the other man. ¡°Leonid, what do you want to bet on?¡± He hadn''t expected the indifferent man to say something like this,so Leonid was stunned to silence. He paused for a moment then said, ¡°I''mgoing to bet. . . if Langston doesn''t get the highest score, I will write amusic review for you myself, Auston! If you win, Auston, you will write a songfor me. How does that sound?!¡± Beughed and said, ¡°Leon, don''t you think this bet ischeap?¡± Without giving Leonid the chance to respond, Min Chen raised aneyebrow and asked, "You will write a review for me?" Startled, Leonid said, ¡°Oh. . . yes. Who do you want me towrite about?¡± He saw a man in the dark just offstage, and his dark eyes shedwith light. Min Chen pointed at the stage. With a quietugh, he spoke¡ª¡ª "Him." Leonid and Be followed the direction of his finger and spotteda handsome, delicate young man walking towards the stage with his violin. Hemoved elegantly, his expression calm. Coupled with his beautiful eyes andexquisite face, it was difficult to tear their gazes away. Min Chen''s thin lips curled. He whispered, ¡°Him. Give him amusic review. How does that sound?¡± Stunned for a long time, Leonid woke up as if he were in a tranceand said, "Deal! If you really think you''ll win, I can write about anyone!"
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Bet

The Author:

Just stepping on stage, Qi Mu didn''t know that he had already be the subject of a gamble between judges. Chapter 75
When Zhou Kang Sheng saw the handsome young man take the stage, hefroze. After his name was announced, he pped his thigh. ¡°Yes! That''shim!¡± The French director had told him to pay special attention to thestudent named Qi Mu at this assessment. Now that he had appeared, Zhou KangSheng had to diligently take notes and more photos. Zhou Kang Sheng had been in France for three years, and he didn''tknow much news from the maind. This was his first time seeing the young mannamed "Qi Mu." Zhou Kang Sheng couldn''t help but point 100% of his attention toQi Mu. He looked to the bright stage, not blinking. "Qi Mu will be performing Paganini''s ¡¶Bell¡·. This is a difficultpiece. I don''t know how well this Qi Mu can. . . y?" After taking two photos with his SLR, Zhou Kang Sheng set it down.He intended to dutifully listen to the performance. Even if it wasn''t good, hehad to listen with patience. Who told the headquarters to pay so much attentionto Qi Mu? Once Qi Mu''s bow touched the strings, Zhou Kang Sheng was frozenin his seat. ¡¶Bell¡· was one of Paganini''ssignature works. The violin devil had magical hands, and it was said his lefthand could bend into an unbelievable arc. It allowed him to press the stringsin unbridled ways. ¡¶Bell¡· began with a short andintense stato, a signature trait of Paganini''s. Zhou Kang Sheng had been inthe ssical music industry for 6 years. He''d listened to three versions of ¡¶Bell¡· but. . . he had neverseen anyone with an uracy of such unprecedented level! Once the bow touched the strings, it would inevitably create asound. Amateurs often slipped and made it even louder. Even professionals couldonly minimize it. The entire concert hall was shrouded in the bell-like melody.Light and warm, every time the bow glided across the strings, a bronze bellgently chimed. The youth''s slender left hand kept sliding along the stringswith broad range but somehow made it look rxed. His right hand controlled the bow with such precision the tremorwas reduced to the minimum! In the pale golden music hall, everyone held their breath andlistened to the magnificent and wless ¡¶Bell¡·. The violin was like a brook in the mountains, rushing overbroken stone and tree branches, creating an ethereal echo. By the time the song progressed into the second half, the youth''swhite fingers had stretched from the forefront octave to the end of the ckfingerboard. The cluster of sound emerging from the strings was like streamsconverging into a small river, and from a small river. . . to a great flood. The song eventually reached its final high tide, and the melodyonce again surged forth with momentum. If Langston''s ¡¶Dante Symphony¡· wasa river running, then this student''s ¡¶Bell¡· had a real soul, rolling with the will of the ocean. The difference was never the song, but the person who yed it. Liszt and Paganini were both representative figures of the"dazzling technique" genre, but as students who y these two masterpiecesseparately, it was obvious. . . the ck-haired Chinese youth in front of themwas better! The performance ended. Zhou Kang Sheng stared nkly at the young man under thespotlight. His lips moved, but he had yet to recover from the music. A second,low ¡°Bravo¡± rang out, and he turned in the direction the voice camefrom. He saw. . . Zhou Kang Sheng was even more shocked! Min Chen actually took the initiative to get up and gave thisstudent a ¡°Bravo¡±?! Zhou Kang Sheng picked up his SLR and took a photo on pure reflex.The angle he was standing at was unique. He could capture the image of both MinChen''s left profile and the smiling young man on the stage. Then Zhou Kang Sheng pped, still in utter shock. He whisperedto himself, ¡°This is really. . . Can a student have such strength? CouldQi Mu be. . . the next Min Chen?!" Onstage, sweat glistened from Qi Mu''s forehead. The piece wasplicatedand had taken its toll on him. When the first ¡°Bravo¡± rang out, roaring apuseresounded in the concert hall. It was as shocking as the mountains. Qi Mu politely bowed and waited for the judges to rate andmenton his performance. Most judges gave him nine points, though some offered 10.All gave praise as if the former performers were air. When it was Master Leonid''s turn, he looked at Qi Mu and saidsolemnly, ¡°Your ¡¶Bell¡· made me return to a performance from over a decade ago. . .Someone yed Liszt''s ¡¶Bell¡· in Xiaosai and was the only person to get a full score.¡± Surprised, Qi Mu turned to look at the man sitting at Leonid''sside. Leonid didn''t say Min Chen''s name directly, but many in theaudience were already whispering, "I didn''t expect Leonid to give this studentsuch a high evaluation," "He evenpared him to Mr. Bertram from thapetition," or, "Leonid''s judgment has always been urate." Leonid looked at the elegant young man on the stage and finallysighed, "Your ¡¶Bell¡· is the best I''ve heard in the ten years. So I will give you. . .10 points." Although he already obtained two full marks before this, whenLeonid said the words ¡°10 points¡±, the audience was still amazed. Unexpectedly, after this, Be Kim gave a high score of 9 pointswith a smile. Frankly, she said, ¡°Your violin is worth 10 points, but yourunderstanding of ¡¶Bell¡· and mine are different, so. . . I can only give you 9points.¡± After the nine judges gave their score, Qi Mu''s total reached 85points! As long as Min Chen gave him more than 5, he would surpass Langston''sscore and be the first with 90 points or more! The eyes of the crowd could not be more concentrated on the mansitting in the center of the judges. They all remembered. . . when Qi Mufinished ying, he was the first to stand and apud. So. . . ¡°Your ¡¶Bell¡· is excellent. Your portamento, stato, and chords are skillfnd concise. You also have a unique understanding of music.¡± In the primaryjudge''s seat, the cold and noble man¡¯s thin lip curled. He whispered,¡°Very good, well. . . 9.5 points.¡± When the score ¡°9.5 points¡± was uttered, most of theaudience was stunned, but Qi Mu was relieved. He smiled and walked off thestage. His high score of 94.5 points made many students congratte him. Theones in the violin department cheered and asked Qi Mu to treat them for a meal. ¡°Oh my, Little Seven, that 9.5 points given by Mr. Bertram!It''s not the same! You''re 5.5 points higher than Langston!¡± ¡°Yes, Seven, you must treat us today. But it''s a pity. . .you almost got 95 points, if only Mr. Bertram gave you that 0.5. . ." . . . At the over violin students'' cheers, Qi Mu felt like. . . theperson who yed just now wasn''t him, but them. However, them being so happy for him made him feel touched. Hedidn¡¯t want to get 10 points from Min Chen like Angelo had mentioned. When he heard Min Chen''sment, Qi Mu gave him a look. Thestudent hoped Min Chen wouldn''t give him an outrageous score because of theirfriendship. He believed his ¡¶Bell¡· still had room for improvement. It had yet to reach perfection. At the judges'' table, a certain man sighed at his ¡°lowscore.¡± When he was speaking, Qi Mu kept staring at him. Min Chenunderstood. . . Qi Mu was worried that he would be biased because they kneweach other. Only Min Chen knew, to avoid suspicion, the perfect score he wantedto give dropped to 9.5 points. ¡°Auston, I didn¡¯t expect you to give 9.5 points. That scoreis really high, I thought you wouldn''t give more than 9.¡± Mr. Leonidsighed, ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect a student with such a skill. . . Auston, youreally have a good eye.¡± Be, on the other hand, said, "Leon, do you really think. . .Auston just picked that student on the spot?" Leonid was surprised. "He didn''t?!" Beughed and said nothing. Leonid turned to Min Chen only to see him calmly staring back athim with an eyebrow arched. Min Chen asked, "Will you write the review?" Leonid: ". . ." "Well?" ". . . Will write. . ." Later, Leonid said, "But Auston, you have to tell me, do you knowthat Chinese student?" A smile shed in Min Chen''s dark eyes, and he asked, "Do youthink?" Leonid: ". . ."
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Bet

Kuro:

I rmend you guys listen to Zigeurnerweisen by SoHyun Ko, a violin prodigy (I think). The note transition in the fourth movement was abrupt, so you will definitely know when it happens. Controlling a bow is difficult because as long as the bow touches the strings, it will inevitably create a noise. Seeing her control her bow with such precision really made me in awe of her talent and efforts. And as you know, TwoSetViolin were also in awe lol Chapter 76 The Huaxia ssical musicindustry was a quiet, waveless pool. Apart from the asional headline thatread, "S City Symphony Orchestra about to start tour," or, "Who won the huxiayouth group?", the industry remained stagnant. Until. . . the¡¶Music Hall¡· May 2016 edition came out. As one of Huaxia''s top ssicalmusic magazines, and having been in print for over 30 years, they were the well-deserved big brother ofthe industry. Compared to their peers, ¡¶Music Hall¡· had statesupport and branches in Vienna, Berlin, Paris, New York, and more. Theydelivered the best information at both home and abroad. Photos of Chinese musicians or shows often graced their covers.This issue, though, surprised everyone with¡ª¡ª A recital?! The photo of a beautiful youth holding a violin and wearing asmile took up the cover''srgest section. A third of the picture, however, wasrelegated to a handsome, profound face almost obscured by the shadow under thestage. Most lighting in the photograph focused onthe stage, so few could recognize the man under it. But. . . they knew thecenter of attention, and several cried out, "Qi Mu?!!!" Inrge font, the title read¡ª¡ª ¡¶Huaxian Violinist, Qi Mu, Wins First ce of the Paris''Conservatory of Music''s Assessment¡·. This seemingly small stone was cast quietly into the long silenceof the Huaxia ssical music industry. Ripples spread, bit by bit. . . and injust four hours, the news turned into a massive wave! ¡°He really became Reed Akkad''s student!¡± "Sure enough, he went toParis'' Conservatory of Music. I didn''t expect to be right¡­" "It''s amazing he can beReed Akkad''s student!" . . . "What?! First ce in thecollege''s assessment?! The Paris'' National Conservatory of Music, at that? Isthis true?!" "Haha, I know Xiao Qi isthe most powerful. First ce is nothing unusual!" ¡°You know a fart, this is the assessment for the entireuniversity. Did you not see the report? They mentioned that the one in thesecond ce, who yed the piano, epted the invitation of the New YorkPhilharmonic Orchestra. After graduation, he''ll serve as their residentpianist!¡± . . . All kinds of voices rang throughout Huaxia, and their discussionswere heated. When Qi Mu left Huaxia that year, he left without revealing hiscollege, nor which professor he would study under. Many wondered if he wasgoing to the Paris'' Conservatory and whether Reed Akkad was even in Paris. When it turned out to be a reality, the musicians were shocked bythe news. Not only did he enter the Paris'' National Conservatory, he wasalso Reed Akkad''s student. And. . . in a little over a month, he won firstce in the college''s assessment. A rocket jetting into space wasslower than his progress. After ¡¶Music Hall¡· ¡®s smooth report, many people cursed ZhouKang Sheng''s words¡ª¡ª "Who wants to know howspectacrly Qi Mu yed? Don''t your pictures tell us that already?! And! Whydon''t you tell us more on how Qi Mu is doing?!!!" Some people focused on Qi Mu''s recent sensation in Paris, butothers¡­ were interested in something else. ". . ." "Ah, look. . . this person apuding, isn''t that Min Chen?" "It looks like him but. . .I don''t think so. He gave Qi Mu a standing ovation?!!!" "Oh, this Qi Mu is toopowerful!!!" . . . Simrly, when Min Chen''s presence was discovered, some peoplethought, "This Qi Mu must be anoutstanding violinist for Min Chen to give him a standing ovation." Others paidfor cross-ocean telephone bills to call and ask directly, "Xiao Qi, Mr. Min wasin Paris all along? Why didn''t you tell me?" When Qi Mu received the callfrom Zheng Wei Qiao, he was cooking dinner. He took the phone in one hand, the chilisauce in the other, and replied, ¡°Ah? He left Paris a few days ago. . .Zheng-ge, I didn''t tell you? Min Chen stayed in Paris for quite a while, about aweek. . .¡± Qi Mu nodded along with the voice over the line and said,¡°Well, I will inform you about these things in the future. You can restassured that I mind my manners with him. . . Well, don¡¯t worry about it. . . Ahokay, we''ll talkter, good night." He put the phone aside and poured the canned chili sauce into thepot. Earlier, Zheng Wei Qiao specifically mentioned that Qi Mu shouldnot behave. . . "frivolously" with Min Chen just because he was younger than othermasters. Although Qi Mu promised, when he carefully thought about it. . .his attitude toward Akkad and Min Chen was different? After careful consideration, Qi Mu finally had a satisfactoryanswer. "Well, how could youworship a guy who''s afraid of bugs? Shouldn''t anyone be disillusioned?" Of course, although he wasn''t that courteous with him when theymeet, Qi Mu still respected Min Chen a lot. A few days previous, Qi Mu watched the Berlin PhilharmonicOrchestra''s concert in Zurich. It was the orchestra''s closing concert of the spring.Min Chen served as pianist for a concerto and received warm apuse for histalent. If you want to idolize a person, worship their merits, and don''tthink about the messy stuff. ¡ª¡ªAs a victim of this poison, Qi Mu thought the saying wasurate. Before the assessment, Akkad didn''t mention what he expected from QiMu. Only after Qi Mu won first ce did the little old man say,"Little Seven, this is a good start. Do you want to keep up with this standard?The dean told Teacher if you get first ce consecutively in threeassessments, you can directly graduate." Given this arduous task, Qi Mu had just finished Bruch''s ¡¶Scottish Fantasy¡·. Qi Mu first received the task with Paganini''s ¡¶Caprice No. 24¡· with two weeks to practice. Then, a week forSarasate''s ¡¶Carmen Fantasy¡·. By the time he was tasked with Tartini''s¡¶G minor¡·, thetime limit had fallen to five days. When he got ¡¶ScottishFantasy¡·, Akkad straightforwardly said, "LittleSeven, you have to practice this song quickly. I''ve already booked a flight inthree days. You don''t want to trouble me with changing the flight, right?" Qi Mu: ". . ." Qi Mu had yet to breathe a sigh of relief after ying ¡¶Scottish Fantasy¡· to Akkad''s approval, and he alreadytriggered the task "win first ce in the assessment three times in a row (13)". The workload of all the students in the violin department couldn''tadd up to his! Qi Mu struggled to smile. He gritted his teeth, "Okay, professor.I will. . . Work. Hard. Non-stop." Akkad nodded and said, "Okay, go pack your clothes and stuff. Thistime. . . you can bring the violin along. It mighte in handy." After puzzling it over for two days, Qi Mu finally asked,"Teacher, where are we going? Are there activities you need to attend?" Akkad stared at him incredulously. "Little Seven?! Don''t you knowwhat month it is right now?" Qi Mu automatically answered, ". . . May?" Akkad nodded, "Yes, it''s the Golden May! Do you. . . want to wasteyour time in this dull college?" ". . ." Can you say that again in front of the dean? Earnest, Akkad continued, "Spring has just fully awakened, andEurope has ushered in the beautiful season. Seven, beautiful music is callingus. Don''t you think that you should feel and embrace it?" Qi Mu: ". . ." Akkad put down the chocte in his hand and said, ¡°LittleSeven, you have to remember that it''s hard to achieve anything with just hardwork and a dull mind. Isn¡¯t there an old saying in Huaxia, what was it, ''Driving with the door closed''?" Qi Mu gently corrected him, "It''s ''to build a cart behind closeddoors.''" "Yeah, that''s it.Therefore, we must leave. We need to go out and see more things and enrichourselves with this experience, you know?" The young man smiled helplessly and admitted defeat. "Yes, sir. Iknow. But. . . can you first tell me where we''re going?" The professor stood and walked towards him. Heughed, "Seven,there is a ce in Europe where you need to go." "That ce is. . . Vienna."
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Bet Chapter 77 Vienna, the symbol of ssical music. Countless famous musicians spent their brilliant music careers inthis beautiful city. Statues of music maestros such as Mozart, Beethoven, andBrahms stood over parks and various streets. Some were even named after them. Vienna, the sacred ce of every ssical musician. To them, thehappiest moment of their lives would be toe and listen to concerts andwatch musicals. Qi Mu followed Akkad to Vienna in the middle of May. Spring was already n fully swing, and all kinds of flowers viedfor beauty. Walking on such a quiet street, he could smell the fragrant flowersand listen to melodious music at any time. It was refreshing. When Akkad arrived in Vienna, he immediately found a coffee shopcalled . Even before Qi Mu could put down his suitcase, the music mastergave his order, ¡°One Sachertorte and atte. Oh, Little Seven, would you like a Sachertorte aswell?" Qi Mu smiled and waved his hand. "No, professor. I''ll just have amocha, please." Akkad smiled and waited for the uniformed waiter to leave thenspoke mysteriously, ¡°Little Seven, although you''ve been to Vienna as achild. . . it was several years ago. You have to take a good look, this time.Vienna has changed after all these years, ah.¡± Qi Mu nodded. "Yes, professor." "For example, Sachertorte is Austria''s national treasure. Whydon''t you have one?" Did he just want Qi Mu to try Sachertorte? It was known as one ofthe top ten cakes in the world. Qi Mu didn''t know whether tough or cry."Professor. . . then, shall I have one?" When Qi Mu ordered another cake, Akkad was satisfied. Before long,two small cakes were delivered to them on a glittering gold te, making iteven more delicate and lovely. Qi Mu took a single bite and didn''t touch it again. He turned his head and looked out the window, catching sight of afew lovely children. They were chasing and ying with each other on a bluebrickne. Next to them stood a white marble statue, its figure looking aheadholding a thick sheet of music in hand. Qi Mu looked at this familiar yet unfamiliar scene and felt as ifhe was from another world. Everything was the same, he even recognized the scent of the air.The sunshine was bright as ever. The people on the streets, the street signs,even this Sachar Cafe hasn''t changed. The only thing that had changed¡­ Was perhaps himself? Qi Mu looked out the window, the bright and dazzling sunshinemaking him squint. Ten years ago, he came to this ce by himself. He diedhere with unfulfilled dreams. And now¡ª¡ª Now he was back. ¡°Hey Little Seven, don¡¯t you want to eat? Don''t wastethis!¡± Akkad looked at the cake on the te that was only missing asingle bite, and said, ¡°The cake is so delicious, you can¡¯t eat just thismuch.¡± Qi Mu smiled and tacitly pushed his te over. "If Teacherdoesn''t mind, would you like to share?" Professor Akkad immediately took the te and said, "I don''tmind, I don''t mind." Akkad thought he was being considerate so he took Qi Mu to visitthe , the Belvedere and the St.Stephen Cathedral. After that, they endedthe first day of their trip and arrived at the hotel. Qi Mu set down his luggage and couldn''t wait to open the curtain. In an instant, Vienna¡¯s golden night was in sight. The streetlights were exactly as they should be. Every building was still distributed thesame way. There was nothing different from the Vienna of his memories! Qi Mu stared in amazement, and after a long time, it finally hithim¡ª¡ª He really was back. . . . Since he was back, he had something to do, didn''t he? Qi Mu didn''t ask Akkad about their ns for the next few days. Ifthere was nothing, he wanted to go back to the house he rented. When he had just about to knock on the door, he saw Akkad wasready to go out. The gray-haired old man wore a simple shirt with an ordinarycoat. He looked like the typical grandfather next door. When he saw Qi Mu, Akkad blinked and smiled, ¡°Little Seven,you''re early. Come on, bring your violin, let''s go.¡± Qi Mu: ". . . Go?" Akkad nodded with a straightced expression. "You want to stayin the hotel all the time? Little Seven, young people can''t waste their timelike that. Bring your violin ande with me!" ". . ." When Qi Mu went back to his room to get his violin, he thoughtAkkad was going to take him to visit a master. Many musicians, after bing famous, except for those who preferto settle in their hometown, woulde to Vienna and integrate with the city.Therefore, quite a few musicians lived in Vienna. However, when Akkad went to the subway and walked to a ce hewas very familiar with, Qi Mu''s eyelids twitched. A terrible premonition rosein his heart. Akkad took him and stopped in front of the statue of the prince inthe Heroes Square, Qi Mu involuntarily gulped. He barely managed to restrain theurge to turn around. Akkad smiled, bearing white teeth. "Little Seven, start ying." Qi Mu: ". . ." After a while, the beautiful young man could barely keep the smileon his face but asked, "Professor, what do you mean. . . start ying?¡± Akkad said matter-of-factly, ¡°Of course, you are yinghere. Little Seven, I know you Chinese are more humble, you need to open up alittle bit! Let the residents of Vienna hear your violin. Just like the streetmusicians we saw yesterday, boldly unleash your violin!¡± The suspicion in his mind turned to reality, and Qi Mu could onlyshake his head helplessly. He ced his violin case at the side of the stepsand began to prepare. Akkad was surprised to see him agree so quickly and whispered, ".. . He epted so quickly? Little Seven is quite open-minded. I thought I willhave to persuade him for quite a while." Akkad didn''t know that although he never yed in the streets ofVienna, when the Munich College was on break on Saturdays, he would go to thebusiest square in the city center and y the violin by himself. Performing in such public spaces was a test for a performer''smindset and mentality which increased their courage and flexibility. There wasno audio equipment, let alone a magnificent stage, but ordinary passers-by togive heartfelt apuse. Of course, for the poor Qi Mu at the time. . . it was also anopportunity to make money. Akkad worried whether his lovely student could adapt to this kindof environment. After all, Qi Mu grew up a music prodigy, like a flower in agreenhouse. To his surprise, while he worried. . . Qi Mu was already ready! The handsome young man smiled and looked at his teacher.¡°Professor, what kind of track do you want me to perform?¡± Akkad, stunned, asked out of reflex, "You''re ready? Have yourubbed the rosin? The tuning is done?" Qi Mu didn''t know whether tough or cry. "Professor, I''ve doneit all." Akkad was not ustomed to such a promising student who alsoexceeded his expectations. He coughed twice and said, "Okay, then y threesongs. I won''t stand by your side and give directions or pressure. You willy on your own. Choose the songs yourself, but remember. . . The first onecan be amateurish, but thest, I hope will be professional-level and beyond." Qi Mu was quite embarrassed but nodded quite confidently. "Okay,Teacher. I know." Akkad left quietly after a few more words. Under the statue, Qi Muwas left alone with his empty violin case. Tourists and passers-by stopped to look at him when they saw hiscase on the steps. Many musicians performed improvisations in the streets of Vienna.Some were professionals, but more were amateurs. They had long beustomed to such a thing, it wasn''t unusual for them. But. . . when the star of the show was a handsome Asian youth,they couldn''t help but pay more attention. By the time Qi Mu set the beautifulviolin at his shoulder, four or five people had gathered, waiting for his performance. In an area full of people, Qi Mu took a breath then slowlyexhaled. The next moment, his bow met the swings and the pleasant melody ofhis violin rang out, sounding as if it flowed from the heavens!
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Bet

Kuro:

Wanted to share this since I started tranting, but I always forgot, and I''m sure many people already know this but here: a ll hail our hero, Mozart! Chapter 78 Thefirst song Qi Mu selected was ¡¶SummerNight¡·, an authentic Chinese piece. Only four minuteslong, it was short and required no special skills. An amateur song around leveleight. While the piece yed, more andmore people gathered around. Every spring, visitors from allover the world flocked to Vienna and to its famous attractions like HeroesSquare. It was filled with people of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The more people that gathered, thenoisier it became. In such a loud, spacious area, ying the generous andpassionate ¡¶Turkish March¡· seemed like the best choice. However, whensomething exactly the opposite began to y, Akkad was surprised by themelodious violin. After pondering for a while, theexperienced Akkad finally recognized it as a Chinese piece! Even Akkad had to think for a whileto know the piece was. Others would not know the name or origin of thismysterious song. However, they knew it sounded gentle and made them feel warm.Even their irritability faded. While most passers-by hadn''t beenexposed to musical instruments, that didn''t prevent them from enjoying thewondrous music. The beautiful violin was like a thin veil before their eyes,isting the outside noise. Even the noisy children chewedtheir little fingers and stared at the musician standing amidst the crowd. More people continued to gather.When Qi Mu set down his bow, four or fiveyers of people surrounded him. Qi Mu was a little surprised. Heced his right hand on his chest and bent in a unique gentleman''s bow. The passers-by woke from theirstupor, and thunderous apuse broke out. "Great music!" "Vienna really has great musicianseverywhere!" "This kid is really good. Oh,what''s the name of this piece?!" ¡­¡­ Manynguages filled the airaround Qi Mu. Among them, he only understood English, German, and a bit ofFrench. As for the others, Qi Mu couldn''t understand a single word. However, heknew they were praises from the smiles and apuse. The apusested for threeminutes without pause. When Qi Mu ced his bow on thestrings again, the crowd was silent, then someone eximed, "Is thereanother?" The apuse halted. Qi Mu smiled and looked at a littleblonde baby in her mother''s arms toward the center of the crowd. He touched hislips with his index finger, and miraculously, the babbling little girl wentsilent. She stared nkly at the handsome young man before her. After that, Qi Mu raised his bowagain. This time around, his performance just began, and the crowd alreadystarted whispering¡ª¡ª "This is ¡¶Zigeurnerweisen¡·!" Under the statue in the square, thedeste violin slowly resounded. Qi Mu''s brow tightened, and his expressiongrew solemn. His slender fingers danced alongthe ck fingerboard. The melody was not as light-hearted as the one before.Instead, it was tactful and quiet. The audience was stunned, their heartbeatsrising with the sudden high pitch of the opening note. ¡¶Zigeurnerweisen¡· had another name, ¡¶TheWanderer''s Song¡·which was one of therepresentative works of Spanishposer, Pablo de Sarasate. As a professional-level piece, it required so high a level ofskill that many performers were hindered. It was both unique and profound. A wandering Gypsy shivered in thecold autumn wind, the sorrow vividly demonstrated by Qi Mu''s violin. Expressingthe wanderer''s terrible condition andmentation over and over again, thispiece aroused deep sympathy. By the time Akkad heard the thirdnote, he had guessed the piece. What he didn''t understand was whyQi Mu chose such a delicate piece as his second song. ¡¶TheWanderer''s Song¡· was a regr visitor.Performers from all over the world performed this long-standing ssic on thestage. Of course, Akkad never doubted QiMu''s skills. While ¡¶Zigeurnerweisen¡· was difficult, it was easier than Paganini''s ¡¶La Campane¡·. Theformer paid more attention to artistic emotion while thetter paid moreattention to skill. There was nothing much topare between the two. But. . . "Since you''ve yed ¡¶Zigeurnerweisen¡·. . . Whatare you going to y next. . . Little Seven?" Of course, Qi Mu couldn''t hearAkkad. His eyebrows were furrowed, the violin climbing to a high pitchedtreble. The wanderer once again cried out hisment. Such a miserable melody made theaudience mncholic. Some people''s eyes reddened. It seemed like they had metpoor wanderers not epted by the world, by the people, by everything. The youth''s skillfully emotionalperformance silenced the whole square. The sad melody steadily grew to itshighest tide and sharply change from sadness to joy. As if relieved fromthousands of ordeals, it delighted them but left behind that underlying sorrow. The contrast was too strong, theinfinite grief turned instantly to iparable joy. Such a transition seemedto have been deliberately made to force people to smile and in doing so, thosewho resisted now let their tears flow. The scene was amusing. Theyresisted their tears when the melody was sad, but when it reached the joyful allegroin the fourth movement, they couldn''t help but cry. Only those who have experiencedordeals in life could understand the pain behindughter. Of course, many also noticed theyoung man''s brilliant skill. To be able to perform ¡¶Zigeurnerweisen¡· at such alevel, people with an understanding of music realized¡ª¡ª This young man ying in front ofthem was. . . an outstanding violinist! His left hand gently plucked thestrings, the other held the bow. Despite disying these difficult skills, hewas elegant and calm. The music he performed was more beautiful and moving thananything they had ever heard! This was a musician! Vienna was truly full of crouchingtigers and hidden dragons! ¡ª¡ªThis the audience thought. When ¡¶Zigeurnerweisen¡· ended, the apuse was even more enthusiastic than before. Eventhe blonde little baby nestled in her mother''s arms pped and babbled at QiMu. Qi Mu smiled and nodded at her. Amiddle-aged man came from the crowd and took a brand new €50 from hiswallet, intending to ce it in his violin case. Qi Mu reached out and stopped thekind-hearted man. He smiled and said in fluent German, "Thank you for yourkindness, sir. Please give this money to those who need it more, instead." The sun bathed the youth''s delicateface win a golden light, stupefying everyone. The middle-aged man understood hismeaning and apologized. "Sorry, I didn''t know you were an artist. Thank you forthe music you yed for us. It''s a beautiful melody!" Many tourists and passers-by approachedQi Mu and expressed the same sentiment. In ces like Vienna, manymusicians wanted to dedicate their music to the enjoyment of the music cityrather than for money. Obviously, these people regarded Qi Mu as a musiciandevoted to the art. Qi Mu didn''t know whether toughor cry, so he just nodded. He had yet to recover when, a tender, childish voicecalled out, "En. . . Encore. . . Encore!" When Qi Mu turned to the source ofthe voice, he saw the toddler pping. She repeatedly shouted, "Encore!". Itseemed like her mother told her to say it. She kept chanting. Soon, everyoneelse joined her. "Encore!" "Encore!" "Encore. . ." Qi Mu smiled. He performed thegentleman''s bow again then. . . ced his bow on the strings once more. The voices went silent. The crowdgathered around the statue in eight or nineyers¡ª¡ªeach drawn in by the sadand moving ¡¶Zigeurnerweisen¡·. At the time, they were angry at themselves for noting to seewhat the performer looked like. At the back of the crowd, Akkad''slips twitched. He whispered, "Well, of course, my student is very excellent.His violin is superb, and he''s also cute. If you guys knew, I''m sure you''d bejealous of me, haha. . ." Akkad frowned and thought, "But. .. What if there is another like Auston with bad intentions? Oh no, I willprotect my student. . . I won''t let him. . ." Before Akkad could finish hisbroken thought, he heard a rapid, fast-paced allegro ring out in the square. Akkad''s words died in his throat.After a while, he realized what he was hearing. He opened his eyes inamazement, looked towards his student violinist, and eximed, "It''s thissong!"
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, AyN, Bet Chapter 79 Double stops was a technique that pressed on two strings simultaneously withtwo fingers to create an effect simr to ying two tones. The technique seemed simple, one manyamateurs could do. But. . . to utilize it to the fullest, there was a piecemany violinists couldn''t circumvent¡ª¡ª ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡·. Brilliant golden sunlight shonedown on earth, the statue''s shadow cast over the youth below. Despite it, his slenderhands were still exposed to the light. The audience could only see themmoving at unbelievable speed. The violin, in such excellent hands, seemed togain a life of its own. With skill this excellent, even yman could see it. Hidden amongst theyers of thecrowd, Akkad couldn''t see Qi Mu at the center. Even so, he could imagine howshocked the audiences were by his student''s performance just from the sound ofthe fast-paced piece. Bazzini''s ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡· also has thealias, ¡¶Fairy''s Dance¡·. As arondo, it repeated the same melody many times but used a variety of dazzlingtechniques. Double stops, spato, artificialharmonics, left-hand pizzicato¡­ It had all the standard techniquescrammed into a three-minute piece. The music was exciting andpleasant, but this time, the melody wasn''t the most important. Instead, it wasthe dazzling visual effects. Akkadughed helplessly andchided, "This Little Seven, he actually used this piece full of dazzlingtechniques as the third song. . . So mischievous." Generally speaking, short pieceslike this weren''t apanied by a symphony orchestra. Of course, there werealways exceptions. When their concert ended, many maestros used the song as theencore piece to thank the audience. However, because it was so tricky thateven professional musicians struggled with it, it wasn''t popr. But. . . It became ornamental. From the audience''s gaping mouths,theypletely worshiped Qi Mu''s violin. Some youngsters even took out theirphones to record the performance. Qi Mu was focused on his left-handpizzicato, so he didn''t notice. ¡¶Dance ofthe Goblins¡· was soplicated that,even with Qi Mu''s skills, he had to concentrate on avoiding mistakes. His left hand danced rapidly on thefingerboard, asionally needing to pluck the strings while his right handheld the bow and demonstrated the stato. Each tap produced the precisesound, no extraneous notes ringing out. The enthusiastic melody filled thesquare. It was as if no one dared to breathe, there was only the sound of theviolin. It was so fast and skillful that bythe time Qi Mu''s artificial harmonics reached the highest range, the sound ofthe violin had already stopped for half a minute, yet no one reacted. "Bravo£¡" A cheer came from the back of thecrowd, and Akkad apuded his student with a heartfelt smile. At his prompt, others started toapud as if they had just awakened from a dream. Some immediately uploadedthe recording on the inte. Qi Mu smiled and bowed to thankthem. But just as he was about to pack up, the tender, crisp voice of a girl criedout once again¡ª¡ª "Encore. . . En. . . Encore!" Qi Mu was bbergasted. The next second, more and morevoices chanted the same word, "Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore. . ." Qi Mu: ". . ." In just one morning, Qi Muperformed a total of five pieces. Only then did he finally manage to find anescape. Over the past six months filled of practice, he gained better enduranceand could perform more pieces withplicated techniques but. . . That didn''t mean he could y allday long without stopping! When Qi Mu finally escaped thecrowd, he looked back and saw people were still gathered under the statue. Thedensely packed crowd made him feel as if he was back in the subway during theSpring Festival in Huaxia! . . . There were more than a dozeyers of people?! Didn''t a report say many countriesin Europe were experiencing a decrease in poption recently?!!! He saw Akkad waving at him. Heheaded over, but before he could say a word, the proud but awkward Akkad sethis hat on him. "Little Seven, didn''t I tell you to y three songs? Why didyou y five?!" Qi Mu reached up to fix the hatthen looked at his professor. Akkad wore an angry expression. Qi Mu, who knew the other man''stemper well, reached out to touch his woolen scarf. "Professor, it is becauseyou taught me so well that my violin can attract so many people. They blockedmy escape, so. . . I had to end it well. Don''t you think so, professor?" Akkad was satisfied with the youth''spraise. As they walked out of the square,Akkad said, "Well, you yed the five pieces very well. But. . . Little Seven,I told you to choose a professional-level piece that could be yed at theGolden Hall. Why did you choose ¡¶Dance ofthe Goblins¡·?" The morning passed, and soon, itwas already noon. In May, Vienna was well past the winter cold, the wind blewin the warmth of spring. The burning sun hung high in the sky, the shadow fromhis hat obscuring most of Qi Mu''s face. Qi Mu smiled and replied, "Professor, didn''t you. . . Didn''t you y this piece in Golden Hall thirtyyears ago? I remember you got quite the apuse back then." Akkad was very impressed with hispraise. It was smooth and light without a trace of over-ttering. He noddedwith a smile and said, "Well, good, good. I did y the piece ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡· many yearsago." Seeing his professor unable torestrain his smile, Qi Mu smiled, too, controlling the twitching of his lips. Having known each other for solong, Qi Mu understood the proud old man''s character. If he could make histeacher happy, then. . . he might have an easier timeter? But, Qi Mu didn''t stay happy fortoo long. When they walked out of the Heroes Square together, Akkad hailed ataxi. After getting on, he said, "Little Seven, you must do well thisafternoon. Don''t let teacher down!" Qi Mu: ". . ." The corner of Qi Mu''s lipstwitching, he squinted and stared at Akkad. "Professor. . . I don''t know whatyou mean by that?" Akkad looked shocked, then spoke,"In the afternoon, we''re going to Joseftz like this morning. Little Seven, you must y well and don''tmake your professor lose face!" Qi Mu was almost unable to keep thesmile on his face. He sighed heavily and said, "Professor, Joseftz is near HeroesSquare. We only need to walk a bit to get there. . . Why did you hail a taxi?" Akkad, exposed as "direction blind": ". . ." After reaching out to cover hismouth, Akkad coughed heavily, ears red. "No¡­Nonsense! Little Seven, you haven''tbeen to Vienna often, so you don''t know. In fact, Heroes Square is a bit farfrom Joseftz so we will have to walk for quite a while. . ." "We''ve arrived, sir." The taxi driver interrupted Akkad''snext remark. Akkad: ". . ." Qi Mu: ". . ." After paying the fare, Qi Mu andhis direction-blind professor exited the car together. When Qi Mu looked at thecity he had lived in for more than 10 years, he felt funny yet helpless at thesame time. "Professor. . . Please be sure tofollow me in the uing days! Although. . ." Here, Qi Mu paused and continuedwith a smile, "Although I haven''t been to Vienna that many times, I can stillread the map. Please rest assured." Professor Akkad: ". . ." Zurich, evening. Following the back-to-back concertsof their New Year''s Spring Tour, the members of the Berlin PhilharmonicOrchestra carried their simple luggage. They walked into the ZurichInternational Airport in an orderly manner, about to fly off to their nextdestination. Daniel looked at the man behind theparade of the members with his hands in his pocket, lips twitching. "Min! Why did you stay in Paris forso long?! Do you know how much work I had to do in your absence?!!!" The blond scratchedthe back of his head irritably and said, "Being your and Bai Ai''s manager, myblood will be moldy for eight generations! You irresponsible man, you devil!" Min responded to him with his usualsilence, he was toozy to even give half a nce to this bad-tempered fellow. Daniel was furious. "Huh, Min!There''s a little time before the orchestra''s next concert in Vienna. So youmight as well just go to Paris again. I don''t understand. What on earth wereyou doing there? You even served as a judge for the Paris'' National Conservatoryof Music. Well, are you not afraid of trouble?" Min Chen calmly said, "I''m verywarm-hearted, no trouble." Daniel: ". . ." "I dare you to say that again infront of the orchestra''s members!!!" The Bai Ai''s members before them:". . ." Daniel, ifyou want to provoke the conductor, do it alone, don''t drag us along!!! Daniel got angry. "You can just goto Paris. There are still a few days before the concert in Vienna." "No." Daniel: ". . . Just go!" "No." Daniel got depressed. "So why areyou not going to Paris now?" "Because. . . he''s already inVienna." The man murmured to himself, voice low and weak, drowned out by othernoises. Daniel: "Ah?! Min, what did you sayjust now? I couldn''t hear. . ." "Min?" ". . .Auston?!" "Auston Bertram?!" "This devil! God should just sendan angel down to tidy up this abominable demon!" . . . Min Chen ignored Daniel''sints.He turned to the airport''s huge ss windows. On the runway, a ne took offand flew steadily upwards. Against the backdrop of the blue sky and whiteclouds, it looked particrlyid-back and rxed. Angel. . . huh? Maybe God had already sent one.
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, AyN, Bet Chapter 80 The impromptu public performances entitled "Feel Vienna, ExercisePerforming Skills"sted for three days after Qi Mu arrived. Inte spring, Vienna was full of fragrant flowers. Qi Mu andAkkad visited almost all of the famous spots under Qi Mu''s guidance. Akkad had to admit, "Little Seven. . . Perhaps you have the talentto be a geographer? It''s not easy to read such aplicated map, andyou''ve never got it wrong. . ." Qi Mu: ". . ." Although Vienna''s streets wereplicated, there was still along way to go between "able to read maps" and "bing a geographer!" After the impromptu performance, Qi Mu nned to see his oldhouse. But, Akkad pped his hands and said, "Little Seven, after three days,there''s finally a concert. Tonight''s concert is by the British BBC PhilharmonicOrchestra, it will be the first orchestra we attend aftering to Vienna." Qi Mu thought for a moment and had an idea, "Professor, you mean,when you took me to all those ces to perform over the past few days. . .were you waiting for the concert to begin?" Akkad nodded with a very master-like expression and said, "Well,yes. From today on, there will be many good concerts in Vienna, enough for usto stay until May." As they talked, they walked into a cafe next to Gesellschaft derMusikfreunde in Wien''s building. Akkad ordered a cup of coffee then looked atQi Mu and said, "Little Seven, you are skilled and have a great sense of music.What youck most is the opportunity to work with an orchestra." Qi Mu nodded solemnly. "Yes, professor. There are fewopportunities." Qi Mu, a member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in his previouslife, was a reserve member in his first year there and didn''t get to performfor quite some time. After that, he entered the first violin group directly andgradually grew from an ordinary member to the deputy chief. But this meant he never had the chance to work with an orchestraas the concertmaster. The concertmaster was a very glorious and sacred position, meaningthey needed the strength to match. Excellent violin skills didn''t make anexcellent concertmaster. It usually took a lot of practice to umteexperience. Qi Mu had a superb sense of music, which made it convenient forhim to rehearse with an orchestra. But it was talent rather than experience,after all. What Qi Mucked was experience as the concertmaster. In the quiet coffee shop, a gentle, female voice sang a blues song.The coffee shop was located near the Musikverein, where many ssicalmusicians waited for the concert that evening. Akkad didn''t wear a disguise. So many people who wandered into thecafe found this world-ss master of the violin. When they noticed thehandsome youth sitting opposite him, they realized instantly¡ª¡ª "Is that. . . Is that the person who won first ce in the Paris''National Conservatory''sst assessment?" From time to time, people came to pay their respects to Akkad whilesneaking a nce at the maestro''s favorite disciple. When their coffee arrived, Akkad used a spoon to mix sugar intothe drink and sighed. "Actually, Little Seven. . . if you were born a decadeearlier, I don''t think you would have such a worry." Qi Mu looked Akkad, who helplessly continued, "Right now, all theworld''s major orchestras are basicallyplete. Even Bai Ai, that has alwaysbeen ''a never changing old man'' made Christole their concertmaster seven oreight years ago. Now, basically, all the concertmasters of most of thefirst-ss orchestras are young." Qi Mu was slightly startled. After a pause, he spoke. "Indeed. . .But teacher, have you forgotten the concertmaster of Wei Ai?" Akkad was silent for a moment before replying, "I forgot that oldfellow. Yes, he is quite old. But he has worked with Dorenza for so many years,and I don''t think he will leave Wei Ai in the near future." Qi Mu nodded and didn''t express his opinion. Akkad sighed, "Even the Academy Orchestra of our college have Angeas the concertmaster. Even if he graduated next year, you would also graduateat that time. So that position won''t be yours, Little Seven." Qi Mu thought about it a bit and then asked, "That. . . Professor,can I start as an ordinary member?" Akkad shook his head and said, "No, Seven. Before you came toParis, I already saw your performance as deputy chief of the second violingroup and assistant concertmaster of the B City Symphony Orchestra. As a memberof the orchestra, I think you''re already excellent. You don''t need moreexperience in that. . . What you need is specific experience as concertmaster." Qi Mu went silent and said nothing more. He knew how to cooperate with world-ss orchestras after workingwith the Vienna Symphony Orchestra for over a decade. However. . . not everyonecould have such an opportunity, and unfortunately, Qi Mu was not born in that"lucky" era. Akkad smiled and went on, "But Little Seven, having a lot ofstrong opponents is a good thing for you. It is because there are so manyrivals that you can watch and learn more. So this era that you were born in isnot only a cruel era but also a beautiful one." At Akkad''s words of encouragement, Qi Mu nodded, and a smileappeared on his handsome face. "Yes, professor. I will work harder." Akkad nodded approvingly, and they quickly left for theMusikverein in the next building. The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra was one of the top symphonyorchestras in Britain. Their style tended to be romantic, graceful, and gentle.After five symphonies were yed in one evening, thunderous apuse broke outseveral times, and at the end of the event, an encore was performed. The BBC Philharmonic''s concert wasn''t held at the Golden Hall butin another hall of the same building. However, when Qi Mu walked into theMusikverein again, his heartstrings pulled tight, an indescribable emotionflooding his being. This was thest ce he went in his former life. The three-store building stood for more than 200 years, allowingnumerous ssical music maestros to perform and spread their music to theworld. It had the world''s best music hall, the Gro?eSaal¡ª¡ª which has collected countlessvirtuoso from all over the country. Qi Mu hastened to maintain hisposure and didn''t show anyemotion in front of Akkad. He apanied his mentor to greet many of the man''sold friends. Akkad also introduced Qi Mu to these world-renowned masters,expanding his contacts. With such a famous mentor, this represented Qi Mu''s inheritance ofhis master''s various contacts and factions in a way. The next day, Akkad took Qi Mu to visit a world-renowned cellist.The three of them chatted for a long time at the virtuoso''s house. Akkad let QiMu leave on his own in the afternoon as he needed to talk more with his friend. Qi Mu smiled and said goodbye to Akkad and the cellist then leftthe building. It had been four days since he first stood in the quiet streets ofVienna, and this was the first time since his arrival he was finally alone and couldmove freely. He looked at the clear blue sky, unclear how long he stood therebefore recovering. After looking around, Qi Mu figured out where he was. Hefound the nearest subway station he was familiar with and took the line he hadtaken for over a decade. The scenery leaving the subway was one he was so familiar with.The sights and sounds were engraved in his soul, and he stood there for a longtime in a daze. The dessert shop still looked like it did eight months ago withthe owner''s favorite tulips ced in front. The owner of the small cafe on theopposite street preferred to move his lounge chair to the front of the shop inthe afternoon, however, and basked in the sun. Qi Mu took a step and moved forward. In a short while, apiano-like sound came from the side of a small building. A little boy, who didn''thave much talent in piano, still practiced every day. He never made anyprogress. Qi Mu''s pace grew faster and faster. When he turned a corner andsaw the house he had lived in for more than a decade, he stopped. He wonderedwhether he should go forward or turn back. It took him a while to walk to the side of the apartment, then hestopped again. The young man leaned against the brick wall. Because it was in thesun for quite a while, it was warm. He looked up and stared at the dark windowon the second floor of the small building. Qi Mu stared and remained silent until the sun set. Night came,and he still didn¡¯t move. He didn''t go forward, he didn¡¯t leave. It was as ifhe fondly remembered a past he couldn''t rewind. There was no way to saveanything from it. About half an hourter, Qi Mu finally heaved a long, heavy sighand said to himself with a bitter smile, "It''s all over. . . it''s impossible toreturn." He turned and left. Just as he turned away, a ck Bentley parked nearby slowlyfollowed his path. Once the young man left, the window opened, and a handsome faceappeared in the dark night. Min Chen''s eyes narrowed, and he stared in that direction for along time. Ten minutes earlier, he saw Qi Mu on the street. He wanted to sayhello, but he noticed he was staring at the apartment across the street.Unknowingly, the words he wanted to say died. That. . . was Lu Zi Wen''s apartment. He waited until he saw the familiar young man enter the subway, thenMin Chen turned away and said in a low voice, "Let''s go." The driver, still unaware, started the engine without askinganything. In the dimly lit car, the man pressed his long finger against hisphone screen several times, and before long, he received a reply.¡¾Are you already busy with the orchestra yet? Iwas just strolling around. Since we''re both in Vienna, there is time for us tomeet.¡¿ After Min Chen replied with an affirmative, they exchanged a fewmore texts then said, "Good night," to each other. He looked out the window at the golden night of Vienna, and hiseyebrows furrowed for a long time before he sighed¡ª¡ª Since you were just strolling around, why¡­ Why did you stare at that apartment for so long with thatexpression?
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

The Author:

Listening to Aimer''s "If I didn''t meet you" at the end of this chapter was quite hard to do while tranting lol curse you, ylist. What a nice time to y that song at the end of the chapter. Coincidence? I don''t think so Chapter 81 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: ". . ." So you know you have a bad temper. . . 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: ". . ." To have an exclusive professor-level mentor, Dn was verygood, professor. . . "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? How could Teacher have such prejudice against Min Chen? ¡ª¡ªQi 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¡ª¡ª" "Resentment."
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet Chapter 82 Lance''s diagnosis of "resentment" froze Qi Mu in ce. Fora long while, he didn''t know what to say. Akkad, on the other hand, frowned, "Lance, what are youtalking about? How could Little Seven''s music be resentful? I didn''t notice it.I heard momentum." "Well," Lance shookhis head, "Reed, you''re not a delicate person, to begin with. I wish Imisheard. But since you''vee to me with your precious student, you must feelthat your and my violin is somewhatplementary. You asked me to give somepointers. So¡­" "I''m saying, eventhough my ying is not on par with your student. . . Over the years, myunderstanding is not worse than yours." Since his old friend so serious, Akkad realized Lance reallywanted to guide Qi Mu. So he said, "Yes, Lance, you''re right. I think that onmusic perception, you''re better than me. But I don''t feel the ''resentment'' youmention. . ." "Professor, I think.. . I understand what Master Lance meant." Akkad''s next words were interruptedby the pleasant voice of the youth. He turned and saw Qi Mu looking at him witha smile. "Professor, Master Lance can hear things that even I didn''t notice. Ibelieve. . . he''s right." Lance nodded and smiled, "That''s good. This kind ofresentment isn''t a bad thing. To tell you the truth, Beethoven couldn''t haveforced himself to write so many ssics while being deaf if he didn''t havesuch sorrow and hatred toward life. Of course, everyone has different styles ofmusic. Little Seven, I hope you can be a genius like Mozart. . . notBeethoven." Mozart''s life was full of ups and downs, from the fame inhis youth to the predicament of hister years. He pawned his watch to survive,and eventually, even his grave was gone. However, his music seldom showed theugliness of humanity. Instead, it was always exciting and cheerful. ssical music was diverse. Whether you were gentle,delicate, vigorous, or even cynical, you could always find your ce in thisworld. Nevertheless, music was like people. One can tell what kindof a person someone was by hearing their music. Although Mr. Lance seemed to bedirecting Qi Mu''s violin, he wanted Qi Mu to cast aside the grudge in hisheart. Lance believed Qi Mu may have suffered some unfairnessbefore and was depressed. He wanted Qi Mu to open his eyes, to see everythingwas better now, and to forget those unpleasant things. However, Lance didn''t know the inexplicable aggression inhis music was caused by. . . A deadly hatred that could never be forgotten. Although he knew he couldn''t forget this hatred, Qi Mu stilltook Lance''s words to heart. He didn''t want his music to be entangled in theshadow of that scum forever. But topletely forget and abandon it, he couldonly say. . . ¡ºThis matter needed to be resolved first.¡» Qi Mu thought this to himself but didn''t leak any of it inhis expression. He bowed respectfully to the gentle maestro and said, "Thankyou for your advice, Master Lance. I understand." Lance smiled at his earnest expression. Although he didn''tknow what kind of torment this child had in his heart, he hoped this lovelyyoung man would live happily. Akkad was not as delicate as his good friend. He didn''t hearany kind of buried aggression when his student yed. He thought there wasnothing wrong with Qi Mu''s sorrowful style. In this world, only Lance Trier, one of the world''s topthree violin masters could find the faint aggression in Qi Mu''s violin. Eventhe other two, Reed Akkad and Farrell Louis couldn''t hear it. Qi Mu and his mentor had lunch at Lance''s home. Not longafter, Qi Mu''s mentor rushed him to the maestro''s practice room. The famousviolinist said it was so Qi Mu''s skills wouldn''t get rusty when, in fact. . .Akkad wanted to discuss some "secret" matters with Lance. After the sun set and night fell, Qi Mu was finally released"with the grace of His Majesty" and could put down his violin. Qi Mu searched for the aggression Lance mentioned the entireafternoon. He yed ¡¶Violin Concerto in E minor¡· and ¡¶Devil''s Trills¡· for four or five hoursbut still couldn''t find it. Qi Mu could only sigh. "Master Lance''s musical perception. .. is second to none!" Since he couldn''t find the aggression, Qi Mu secretlydecided to solve this matter as soon as possible. He didn¡¯t want to let thatscum affect him after leaving Lance''s house. Although he had decided, he had yet to form a solid nwhen Akkad''s voice called out, "Little Seven, teacher. . . might be leavingVienna soon." Qi Mu asked, "Professor?" In the beautiful and quiet streets of Vienna, a handsomeyouth walked with a delicate dark green violin case in his hand. Under the dimmoonlight, his eyes were wide with surprise. He was dumbfounded. . . unable tounderstand what he just heard. Akkad sighed, "There''s a problem in my hometown, so I haveto go back. Little Seven, is it okay for you to stay here and continue studyingon your own?" Qi Mu slowly recovered. He nodded and spoke gently, "Alright,Professor. I''ll study hard, don''t worry about me." Akkad nodded and after a while, he said, "Little Seven, youdon''t have to worry. I have many friends here. If there''s anything you need andI still haven''t returned, you can ask them for help." Warmth spread in Qi Mu''s heart. He nodded, smiling. "Okay,Professor. I know." "Now that I thinkabout it, aren''t those guys out performing?" Akkad thought for a moment thenwent on, "Oh, by the way, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra seems to have aperformance in a few days. That Evra fellow should be back, this is hisstronghold after all! Little Seven, if there''s something you need, you can godirectly to Evra, the principal conductor of Vienna Symphony Orchestra.Although that fellow has quite the temper, he should be willing to take goodcare of my student." At the familiar name, Qi Mu''s footsteps faltered. He wasstunned for a moment, but before Akkad noticed, he chased the old man again andsmiled. "Yes, Professor. You can rest assured, I will take care of myself." Not noticing anything unusual, Akkad nodded. "Evra gave metwo front-row tickets the other day. Unfortunately, I can''t apany you. Ifyou have any acquaintances here, Little Seven, you can give them the otherticket." Qi Mu smiled and epted Akkad''s concert tickets. Hiseyebrows furrowed for a moment, then he smiled. Helplessly, he said,"Professor, how could I know anyone here? Oh, right. It seems that Bai Ai ishere currently. I heard that they are rehearsing for their concert next week.Then can I. . ." "Little Seven!" Qi Mu burst outughing. "Yes, yes, yes. I won''t give theticket to Min Chen, Professor." Akkad nodded with satisfaction. He continued to assert hiswarnings. Qi Mu nodded almost constantly, never daring to say "No." On the red-brick street, only a few people still walked inthe dark. Lance lived close to the hotel they were staying in. After only a fewminutes of walking, Qi Mu returned to the hotel and ced his violin case onthe table. After confirming he was the only one in the room, Qi Mu''ssmile faded away. He stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, fisttightly clenched. He looked silently toward the southwest. . . where theheadquarters of Vienna Symphony Orchestra was located. He never expected that just as he decided to solve thematter from his previous life, Akkad would give him the ticket. Everythingseemed to be arranged from the dark as if some big hand called "fate" silentlymanipted his life, making him face¡ª¡ª The very thing he didn''t want to let go! At that moment, a ne from Genevanded at the ViennaInternational Airport. It skidded down the runway and stayed for a few minutesbefore releasing the exhausted passengers. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra''s schedule was tight thisseason. Unlike the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, they didn''t tend to spend alot of time practicing before their performances. They just got back to Vienna,and the day after the next, they would hold another concert. It can only be said that since conductors have their ownstyle, so do the orchestras. At the airport, the members of the orchestra walked ingroups of three to five. Only thest Chinese man at the back was alone, disjointedand disharmonious. Luo Yu Sen''s handsome face had thinned over the past fewmonths. He looked a little harsh. He stared at people with fixed eyes withoutseeming to realize it. This made the other members of the orchestra, who werealready hostile to him, even more unwilling to approach him. A few days before their concert in Vienna, Evra announcedthat in three months, at the earliest, or six months, at thetest, he would selecta new deputy concertmaster. Luo Yu Sen had longed for this position for a longtime, so this opportunity. . . He would never let go of it! Luo Yu Sen didn''t know, though, that while he was gunningfor the deputy concertmaster''s seat. . . Just half a city away, a young man sneered,waiting for their reunion. "The day after tomorrow. . ." "Luo Yu Sen, it''s been a while since Ist saw you." The young man''s soft voice echoed in the quiet room and soondisappeared without a trace. The quiet night of Vienna hid the secrets of many people.
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

The author''s description of Mozart was beautiful and moving. I do think it''s true, but I can''t help but remember that this guy wrote a piece called "Lick me in the arse" and I''m suffering for it now. (My diaphragm hurts.) Chapter 83 Vienna''s Golden May was a season full ofmusic. The world''s best orchestras performed in this beautiful city one afterthe other. When the Vienna Symphony Orchestra finishedtheir trip all over Europe and returned to their base camp, they were warmlygreeted by the residents of the city. That night, almost all 1000 seats were filled.The attendees ranged from ssical professionals to musicians from otherorchestras to Vienna''s local residents. Among the apuding crowd, a beautiful youngman with ck hair attracted some attention. When the concert was over, andthe audience started to look for this seemingly familiar young man, they weresurprised to find¡ª¡ª That youth left as soon as the concert wasover! In the dark of night, the dressed-up audienceleft with a smile. And from time to time, they spoke about theconcert and asionally mentioned the famous figures in attendance. Thegentlemanly concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra was present, alongwith the deputy conductor of the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra, and. . . theck-haired youth who sat in the front row with a smile on his face the entiretime. It felt like many years had passed since thefirst time they heard the name "Qi Mu." So much time, in fact, that they didn''tremember it well, but they knew. . . For being only 22 years old, his violin was remarkable! It was a pity they didn''t get the chance tospeak with him. Say. . . Why did he leave so early? The Vienna Symphony Orchestra''sst concertof the season wasn''t held in the Golden Hall, nor in any hall at Musikverein.Instead, it was held at their own hall and was an evening full of music thatwas decisively their own style. By the time almost the entire audience leftthe front building, a heated discussion rang out in a quiet, empty side street. "Hey,Davey, where are you going to y tomorrow?" "I''mgonna stay home, Kirk, you fool!" . . . "Mnie,let''s go to the Vienna Mall tomorrow. My summer dress is calling for me!" "Helen,you silly woman. What summer dress? My autumn clothes are waiting for me inthose beautiful windows!" . . . A group of people passed through thehalf-opened mahogany door. Some carried violin cases, others carried heavycello cases, but all were smiling andughing. They made the street looklively. They were the members of the Vienna SymphonyOrchestra. Most of the orchestra preferred to leave viathe back door of the concert hall after their performance. Although this was anopen secret in Vienna''s music industry, no one knew the alley well. It was alsoa good way for them to escape the media. Two beautiful blondes walked out the door, andafter a moment, a handsome but cold-looking ck-haired man stepped out. Hisnose leaned a bit downward, appearing rather aquiline but it also made him looka bit insidious. Walking alone at the end of the throng ofpeople, no one paid him any attention. He was like an abandoned animal, walkingstep-by-step behind these people. He didn''t walk for long before a shiny,light-colored pair of leather loafers appeared before his eyes. A little stunned, he looked up. Before Luo YuSen could open his mouth, he was stunned to silence. His heart skipped a beat.After a while, he coughed and said, "This friend, I don''t know. . . who youare?" His tone was deceptively gentle. The elegant youth before him just smiled andexcitedly said, "Excuse me. . . are you Mr. Luo Yu Sen from the Vienna SymphonyOrchestra?" This kid spoke Chinese! Luo Yu Sen was stunned, and in turn, alsospoke in Chinese. "Yes, I am Luo Yu Sen. And you are. . . ?" "Hello, Mr. Luo. When my teacher talked aboutthe Vienna Symphony Orchestra before, he once mentioned that you were the onlyChinese in this orchestra. It''s amazing to be able to work in such a topsymphony orchestra. I really admire you a lot!" The words of praise from the youth made Luo YuSen feel warmth in his heart. He couldn''t help but smile and said, ¡°Youare praising me too much, I don''t know who your mentor is¡­¡± "My teacher is Reed Akkad." The smile on Luo Yu Sen''s face froze. Helooked at the young man in surprise. The kid had an innocent expression as if nottainted by the dark side of society. Luo Yu Sen thought for a while, then he lookedaround and said, "Master Akkad! You''re awesome!" Although he said this, in hismind, he thought, Easily revealing his teacher''s name. I don''t know if thisfellow is either too stupid or too naive. After listening to Luo Yu Sen''s praise, theyoung man lowered his head shyly and whispered, "Actually. . . Actually, I''mnot really that good. Mr. Luo, I think your performance was good. I noticedyour violin at the concert just now, and it was very. . . " Here, the young manpaused, then he went on, "It was very exquisite and moving. There are fewChinese musicians in Europe. I''m really honored to meet you. I don''t know. . ." "Idon''t know if you would give me your contact information so that I can get intouch with you and ask for your advice in the future?" Luo Yu Sen, who was treated coldly by themembers of the orchestra for half a year, had not been adored like this for along time. Adoration was one thing; not a single member of the orchestrarespected him. And right now. . . the person who praised him so much was thestudent of Master Akkad. Not only that, this person was a beautiful anddelicate looking young man. Not doubting him in the slightest, Luo Yu Sengave his phone number to the young man. After they walked for a bit and leftthe dimly-lit street, Luo Yu Sen realized¡ª¡ª He didn''t even know the kid''s name! "Then. . . May I ask, what is your name?" Under the dim moonlight, the youth''s lipcurled upwards, making him look even more ethereal. He opened his mouth, andwith a mild voice, he said, "My name is¡ª¡ª" "Qi Mu." When Luo Yu Sen walked away, he didn''t noticethat the young man whom he had just called a fool, smiled and stared him down. His deep eyes were neither sad nor unhappy. Heshowed no agitation, either. He was seemingly just watching Luo Yu Sen. After a long while, Qi Mu smiled, a bithelplessly. He sighed, "Your character is still very arrogant, ah. . . Luo YuSen, you actually gave your contact information to an innocent looking youngman, and you spoke to him for so long. Should I say that you''re too confidentin yourself or should I say. . . that you''re a fool?" Watching Luo Yu Sen''s figure fade away fromthe corner of the street, Qi Mu shook his head gently and turned to theopposite direction. The reason he came to Luo Yu Sen personallywas to find out¡ª¡ª Just whose road did he blockin the first ce? When Luo Yu Sen mentioned it in that lounge inhis previous life, Qi Mu''s first suspicion was Jacques, the concertmaster ofthe Vienna Symphony Orchestra. He was only the deputy concertmaster, but hewas invited by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and Jacques wasn''t. . . It was a major blow to Jacques. But, all of this was just his spection.There was no solid evidence. Therefore, even if Qi Mu doubted Jacques,there is no way to prove it. Letting out a sigh, Qi Mu looked up at thenight sky. Just as he did, a cloud blew from the east, blocking the dimcrescent moon. Qi Mu looked calmly at the dark and gloomysky. It took him a long while before he finally lifted his feet and walkedtowards the subway''s entrance. If he wanted to forget and calm hisresentment, he must first solve this matter. This was a stumbling block in his music pathand the inevitable obstacle in his otherwise future peaceful life. ¡ºCompared to Beethoven,in fact. . . I prefer Mozart.¡» ¡ª¡ªQi Mu smiled helplessly and thought this tohimself. Huaxia had an old saying: The mantis stalkedthe cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Qi Mu walked briskly to the subway station andon the quiet and empty street, his footsteps gentle on the stairs and vanquishedby the whistling by the train. In the street thatte at night, not even asingle person''s shadow lingered. The only noise in the night was the windslowly blowing the leaves on the ground, making "sha sha sha" sounds. Therewasn''t a trace of anyone on the street, only two or three cars parked on theside of the road. One of the cars was deathly silent as if noone waited within. But. . . after ten minutes of pitch-cksilence, the ck Bentley flicked on its headlights, illuminating the entirestreet. In the car, a handsome man stared ahead, inthe direction of the subway. The previous day, Min Chen learned from Danielthat the Vienna Symphony Orchestra would hold their Spring Tour''sst concertin Europe that night. Somehow. . . after his busy rehearsal, he drove there. He had the vague premonition that Qi Mu wouldbe there. Min Chen was disinclined to ask about a lot ofthings. But regarding this matter, his patience and curiosity were getting thebetter of him. He watched the audience leave the frontentrance in tandem until the streets were empty. He watched the members of theVienna Symphony Orchestra leaving,ughing and smiling, and watched the youngman. . . stop someone he recognized. Eyebrows furrowed, Min Chen sighed into the boundless darkness. This time. . . he had a question he might notbe able to solve for a lifetime.
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet Chapter 84 After meeting Luo Yu Sen againand obtaining his contact information, Qi Mu didn''t contact him even once. Partly because Akkad gave Qi Mu atask: to visit some famous maestros. And partly because Qi Mu knew if he wastoo enthusiastic, Luo Yu Sen would know something was wrong. He wasn''t thatstupid. When he left a famous violinist''shouse with his violin case, Qi Mu looked down at the path and walked toward hishotel. At noon, the bright sunshine litup thend, painting the red-brickne with ayer of gold. Qi Mu recalledthe phone call he received the other day. His eyebrows creased as he was lostin thought. He secretly hired a privatedetective on the first day of his arrival to see if he could find the personbehind Luo Yu Sen. From his point of view, since theother person could make Luo Yu Sen take the risk of drugging him, they had tohave a high status. And they must have promised some kind of benefit. As long as there was moneyexchanged, it left a paper trail. Being caught was just a matter of time. However, when Qi Mu thought hecould easily catch the person behind the scenes, the private detective he hiredreturned in distress, "Luo Yu Sen''s bank ount didn''t receive anyrgeamount of money in thest 10 months. Would you like to look for otherinformation, sir?" It shocked Qi Mu. He thought fora moment before replying, "Look for other things." After receiving another sum ofmoney, the private detective began searching for other things involving Luo YuSen over the past 10 months. Qi Mu hung up the phone, puzzled. If it wasn''t a deal with money,then. . . What was init for Luo Yu Sen? Qi Mu knew that in the monthsafter his death, Luo Yu Sen wasn''t promoted to the deputy of the second groupviolin. The seat remained empty. And from what he saw that night outside theconcert hall''s building, the other members had alienated Luo Yu Sen. If Jacques was the one Luo Yu Senwas helping, then. . . Why was he so miserable now? Qi Mu first thought the truth hadalready emerged on the surface, waiting for him to scoop it out. Only now didhe understand the whole matter was wrapped inyers of thick silk webs likelooking at the reflection of the moon in water, unclear. And now, after three days, Qi Muwas nning to contact Luo Yu Sen again to see if he could find any anomalies. Before he could, his mobile phonevibrated. Qi Mu saw the familiar name on the screen and was surprised. Hepressed the answer button and whispered, "Min Chen?" A low "Um" came from the otherend of the line. Min Chen continued in the same low tone, "Long time no see, QiMu." Qi Mu was still surprised butchuckled. "Well, it''s been a while since Ist saw you. Is Bai Ai busy withrehearsals nowadays? If you have some time, let''s go have a meal together orsomething. I''ve been somewhat idletely." Min Chen came to Vienna as earlyas ten days ago. He had sent Qi Mu a text informing him of his arrival. At that time, Akkad was stillglued to Qi Mu''s side, and he was unable to escape. When Akkad finally leftVienna, Bai Ai was getting busy with their rehearsals, leaving Min Chen with notime to spare. "Where are you now?" Qi Mu looked around and answeredbluntly, "I just visited Master Anton near Gaul Street." After a pause, henearly cried, "What a coincidence, you''re nearby?" Qi Mu thought it was toocoincidental. The corner of his lips curled upward, and he couldn''t help butchuckle. "Okay, how can there be such a coincidence. . . Vienna is so big, howlucky we are for this to happen." The other end of the line wassilent for a while. The handsome man''s thin lips curled even higher, and hethought, Well, it''s really fate. . . It had already happened twice. "Did you get the ticket for BaiAi''s concert tonight?" Qi Mu continued to walk forward,nodding, "Yes, I got it this morning. I didn''t expect Daniel to personally sendit to me. Thank you very much, Min Chen. You know Bai Ai''s ticket is tough toget. I heard that on the ck market, the price shot up to 500 euros for icket." "Well, it''s good you got it." Theman''s mellow and maic voice came through the speaker. Qi Muughed. "But it seemed alittle bit too much for you to send Daniel in person. . . I was surprised whenI opened the door this morning. I thought you would either courier it or passit to me along the way. It was quite over the top." Min Chen: ". . ." So. . . Between he delivering the ticket inperson and Daniel delivering it, thetter was more serious? The two chatted for a bit and,after saying "See you tonight" to each other, they hung up the phone. After the call, Qi Mu somehowfelt hisplex mood clear. Taking advantage of his good mood, he cast thethought of the disturbing scum aside and wondered what was for lunch. In the concert hall no. 3 ofMusikverein, the members of Bai Ai were horrified to find out¡ª¡ª Their conductor smiled!!! He was in a good mood!!! They saw the cold man in themiddle of the auditorium with the corner of his lips raising while he gazed athis mobile phone. Something happened, and it made him happy. This scene was so shocking forthe members of Bai Ai they had suspicions. Their conductor with such apoisonous tongue that could make them cry for their mothers. . . Did he blow afuse? Daniel, the representativewarrior, tiptoed over. After hesitating, again and again, he asked, "Min. . .Have you been upsettely? Our concert starts tonight. If you have somethingon your mind, don''t bury it in your heart. Daniel''s ears are always open toyou, my friend!" Min Chen lifted his gaze to lookat Daniel. Disdainfully, he repeated, "I''m upset?" ". . ." After a long while, Danielgloomily said, "You call this not upset? You scolded all the members the otherday! Whenever they saw you, they would walk the long way around to avoid you,did you know that? Although you seem to be in a better mood today, you''re stillterrible!" Min Chen raised his eyebrows inprotest and stated, "Daniel, my mood is as good as my temper." Daniel: ". . ." After a long while and a loss ofrestraint, Daniel spat out, "Well, you strange fellow, you''ve had a cold faceall day long. You looked like everyone owed you millions. And suddenly, you''rehappy. Min, I''ve known you for more than a decade. I always knew you have astrange temper, but I didn''t know you were this weird." On the rehearsal stage, Christolebegan leading the orchestra in a new round of tuning their pitches. Under the stage, Min Chen wasdeep in thought. After a while, he parted his lips and asked, "Daniel, if. . .if you''re 99% sure of something and only missing that remaining 1% so you cannever be sure it''s the total truth, what would you do?" "What the hell is with thisproblem?" Daniel silently muttered. After thinking about it for a bit, hereplied, "Now that you got 99%, how important can that 1% be? It''s only 1%,right?" Min Chen was apparently satisfiedwith his answer. His grim face softened. After a gentle "Hmm," he stoppedtalking. Daniel''s curiosity was thoroughlyprovoked. He asked, "Hey Min, what on Earth is going on with you?" Min Chen: "Nothing." Daniel: ". . .There must besomething!" Min Chen looked at him and said,"Nothing." ". . .There absolutely must besomething!!!" Not bothering to listen to theweirdo any longer, Min Chen stood and walked up to the stage. Behind him, Daniel kept repeatingthings like, "You damn fellow, say it, ah," "Hey, Min, you have to takeresponsibility for piquing my curiosity," and "Damn, you devil!" . . . As for. . . What was going onwith Min Chen? Well, it didn''t seem like a bigdeal. Why was Qi Mu, who had never studiedGerman, suddenly fluent in German? Why was he familiar with the Vienna SymphonyOrchestra? Why did his ¡¶La Campane¡· sound exactly the same as Lu ZiWen''s? Why did he stand under Lu Zi Wen''s apartment and look at it for so long?Why did he suddenly go to Luo Yu Sen, someone whom he should have never known? All these questions pointed atonly one answer. The answer was so fantastical andunbelievable that he couldn''t ept it at first. Three dayster, as Daniel said,since you''ve affirmed it 99%, even if you were missing the remaining 1%, it. .. didn''t matter much either way. You see, boldconjecture, careful investigation, and confirmation was a very scientific meansfor research, ah. In a 24-hour convenience storehalf a city away, a young man, who didn''t know he''d exposed his secretscrutinized, two bok choys. "The left one is a littlethicker, and the leaf on the right one is a little dry. Hmm. . . which one isthe best choice?" Having spent nearly half a yearin Huaxia, this was a great change. He now had. . . very critical eyes towardfood. He wasn''t this picky in his previous life, he even bravely triedBritain''s dark cuisine. But. . . Who wouldn''t cry eating bread,pizza, spaghetti, and pasta after rich and colorful Chinese cuisine for half ayear? A week after arriving in Vienna,Qi Mu asked the staff of his hotel for permission to borrow their kitchen. Even if his cooking was regardedmedium-level in Huaxia, it was better than eating bread, pizza, spaghetti, andmacaroni every day. . . After half an hour spent tangledin the convenience store, Qi Mu finally walked back to the hotel with two bagsof food in tow. Looking out at the lovely bluesky and the smooth clouds, Qi Mu couldn''t help but stare. He smiled thensighed, "Today''s weather is good. The sun is bright, and the sky is clear." Well, yes. . . In fact, you''realso very clear.
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet Chapter 85 The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra performed theirst concertin the Golden Hall at the end of May. As one of the world''s best symphony orchestras, they had a solemnstyle. Each musician was world-renowned, and their shows were always so wellreceived, they filled the house. Even the articles in music magazines reportingtheir concerts could be turned into a thick musicmentary collection. At nightfall, the streemps glowed golden. The European-styledmpshades cast hazy shadows. In front of the Musikverein, a river of cars slowly stopped, relievedof their smiling patrons. When the audience was seated, Qi Mu found familiar faces. Among them was Scott, the cellist he visited, and Keh, the concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra. The concert attracted many famous musicians, and the media andmusic critics followed suit. The ticket Min Chen gave to Qi Mu was on the left side of thethird row, giving him a good view of the violin group. The location also hadthe best audio of the entire performance. Although the hall''s architecturaldesign provided the audience with an almost perfect sound, a good ear couldhear subtle differences. Qi Mu looked at the repertoire in his hand. The ck card''sedges were lined with silver patterns. The back featured an introduction of theorchestra while the front disyed the five pieces they were going toy. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra''s Europe tour this yearfollowed Schumann as their theme. Almost all of their repertoire were hisworks, but they would also y some pieces by other maestros. That night''srepertoire had two of Schumann''s sonatas as well as Chopin''s ¡¶PianoConcerto No. 1¡· and Beethoven''s ¡¶Symphony No. 3¡· and ¡¶Symphony No. 9¡·. This repertoire reminded Qi Mu of the concert he missed half ayear ago*. On that stage in Huaxia''s capital, Bai Ai performed ¡¶The Destiny Symphony¡· as their closingpiece and earned apuse from the entire audience. "It''s a pity that I didn''t get to hear their ¡¶Destiny¡·¡­" Qi Mu smiled helplessly and chuckled to himself softly. Amelodious bell rang out, and members of the brass group filed in from the left. Amidst the thunderous apuse, Christole, holding his violin,stepped out from backstage. After he led the other members by group to theirseats, a handsome man came from the other side. He was apanied by growingapuse. Qi Mu also smiled and apuded as he looked at the stageilluminated by spotlights. It may have been his imagination, but he felt Min Chen''s gazelock on him, startling him a bit. By the time he recovered, Schumann''s ¡¶Carnival ofVienna¡·, full of joy andenthusiasm, had already started. This piece was bright and vibrant, and when the melody resoundedthroughout the concert hall, it brought the audience to a scene of nationalcelebration. The violin was gentle, and the pipe group yed a light tone.When this piano sonata was reorganized into a symphony, many people wondered¡ª It could be changed like this?! Qi Mu had listened to ¡¶Carnival of Vienna¡· once, conducted by Mr. Charles in Paris. At that time, Min Chenwas sitting beside him. Now. . . He stood before the podium, leading the wholeorchestra. Although he knew he should be paying attention to Christole''sperformance to learn something, Qi Mu''s eyes were focused on the conductor. When Min Chen raised his finger, the orchestra''s sound rose.When he clenched his fist, it became silent instantly, and the audiencefollowed suit. Some conductors preferred to use batons, while others did not.Most didn''t use batons at all. That night, Min Chen didn''t use one. This didn''taffect his performance in the slightest. No one dared to question Bai Ai''s level; Min Chen¡¯s strengthswere never doubted. At the end of the closing piece ¡¶Symphony No. 9 in D minor¡·, the fierce melody seemed to reverberate across the concerthall. The apuse grew even louder. It felt as if the sound almost toppled theroof. Qi Mu kept apuding without end. This was his second timelistening to Bai Ai''s concerts, the first two years before. With his ears andsense of music, he noticed Bai Ai had made considerable progresspared tothen. The concertmaster''s violin was more emotional, the orchestra coordinated, and even their music style better stabilized andplete. It was as if they reached the peak of their era. All of this. . . might be due to one man. Qi Mu couldn''t help but stare at the man standing centerstage.He bowed along with the members of the orchestra to thank the audience. BeforeQi Mu could tear his gaze away, the man looked at him, a smile on his face. Qi Mu''s eyes widened in surprise, and he couldn''t stop himselffromughing. Min Chen was bold enough to sneak a nce at him on such anasion. After the concert, Qi Mu didn''t leave immediately like everyoneelse. When he spoke with Min Chen earlier, he mentioned the orchestra wouldhold a celebration, and he hoped Qi Mu would join them. Qi Mu wasn''t a member of the orchestra, though, so it wasunnecessary for him to join the party. Despite it, Min Chen said, "I havealready reserved a seat for you," leaving him with no choice but to ept theinvitation. When Qi Mu arrived at the so-called party venue, he looked athis "seat" in silence. He could only feel dumbfounded. The young man raised his eyebrows and looked at Min Chen. Voiceslightly raised, he asked, "This is. . . the seat you reserved for me?" In the double-floored luxury apartment, there were only a fewempty chairs left in the dining room apart from the sheepskin sofas in the openliving room. Unlike the formal celebration in Qi Mu''s imagination, this was afamily gathering with snacks ced in every corner of the room for everyone''senjoyment. Min Chen nodded and calmly said, "Well, I asked Daniel toreserve a seat for you." After a pause, Min Chen turned to Daniel and asked,"Why didn''t you reserve a seat?" Daniel: ". . ." Ditching the responsibility on me! In front of the man''s cold and indifferent eyes, Danielughed thenreplied to Qi Mu, "Angel, in fact. . . In fact, we originally wanted to book ahall in the hotel, but the hotel was already booked full. So you see. . . wehad to hold our party at Min''s house." ". . ." After a moment of silence, Qi Mu said, "Daniel, my name. . . isn''t Angel. Please call me Seven." Danielughed and said, "Oh, that''s a lovely name, my AngelSeven!" Qi Mu: ". . ." At the word "Angel", several members nced up at Qi Mu. No oneknew who started: "Are you the violinist who yed ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡·?!" But, after that,all of them gathered around him. "Oh God, your ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡· was great!" "Angel? So your name is Angel? I was never good with ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡·, your performance was really excellent!" "Oh, Angel, do you wantto join us too?" . . . One after the other, all the "Angel"ments drowned out Qi Mu.More and more members of the orchestra gathered together, and soon, they weresqueezed Min Chen and Daniel into a corner. Qi Mu: ". . ." Really, his name wasn''t "Angel"!!! Outside the crowd, Min Chen stared at the group so thick, hecouldn''t see so much as the hair on Qi Mu''s head. He snorted and pursed hislips as he whispered, "Daniel, why didn''t you book a hotel instead of holdingthis meaningless family reunion? Did you leave your brain in Berlin?" Daniel let out an exaggerated "Ah," and mercilessly said,"Didn''t a certain someone inexplicably say that the party must be held todayand very kind-heartedly offered up his own house as the venue?" Min Chen: ". . ." A certain someone just experienced what it meant to lift a stoneand drop it on their own foot. By the end of the party, Qi Mu had to exin his real name. Unfortunately. . . after discovering Min Chen and Qi Mu had aphone call earlier, they all exchanged a nce. They shouted, with even moreenthusiasm, "Angel, you have to visit uster," "Angel, it''s a good habit toconstantly call," and "Angel, Bai Ai''s gate is already opened for you." Qi Mu: ". . ." It was not easy to get to the end of the party. When it wasover, Daniel realized their celebration, originally for Bai Ai''s sessfulconcert, had turned into something else entirely. It was now about pestering QiMu with a chorus of "Little Angel, make more phone calls." Daniel screamed, "You useless fellows!" At his side, Christole burst outughing. "It seems like theconductor really likes Little Seven. I think. . . it''s good to have Little Sevencall him more often and let the members rx a little, Daniel." ". . ." Finally, after Qi Mu repeatedly vowed to make a daily phone callto Min Chen, the slippery members let him go. Qi Mu didn''t know whether to cryorugh as he watched them leave one by one. When Daniel was about to leave, Qi Mu also nned to hitch aride, but Daniel shook his head in horror. "No, no, no. Angel, I. . . My carbroke down, so I''m walking back." Qi Mu: ". . ." Do you think I didn''t see youe by car?! The door closed behind Daniel with a "click," and Qi Mu pickedup his coat helplessly. Before he could open his mouth, he saw Min Chen. Hisdeep, dark eyes gazed at him, the corner of his lips curling. His heart skippeda beat. . . A strange feeling burst from his chest. "Xiao Qi." Qi Mu involuntarily gulped and nodded. "Yes." Why did he call me that name. . . A smile shed in Min Chen''s dark eyes. But his expression wasstill stern like he was about to begin a solemn conversation. ". . . I havesomething to tell you." Qi Mu: ". . . Wh. . . What?" "Actually. . . I think. .." Qi Mu held his breath. "Please. . . Help meclean this up." Min Chen said calmly, raising a finger to point at the messyroom. Qi Mu: ". . ." Do you have to makeyourself look like a national leader for this?!!!
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

Min Chen is a kid, now everyone can go home. JK, let''s just watch him fumbling his way through this so that we canugh some more

Videos:

Choplin¡¯s Piano Concerto 1 (Long) (Short) Beethoven¡¯s Symphony 3 Beethoven¡¯s Symphony 9 Carnival of Vienna Chapter 86 After Qi Mu finished cleaning thest of thetrash, he tied a knot in the stic bag and raised his hand to wipe the sweatfrom his forehead. Satisfied, he observed the clean living room. Min Chen''s house was on the top floor of ahigh-ss apartment building. Qi Mu wondered if he was born withobsessivepulsive disorder (OCD), because the moment he entered theapartment, he found. . . The decorations in this ce were identicalto the ones in Min Chen''s apartment back in B City! There were some minor differences, of course.After all, the two houses couldn¡¯t have the sameyout or height. Apart fromthat, even the angle of the sofa was the same as the one in B City. OCD. . .was really beyond the realm ofprehension. Qi Mu smiled helplessly, and when he lookedup, he saw Min Chening from the kitchen with two sses of water. He worean apron to prevent his clothes from getting dirty, but his expression was ascalm and indifferent as ever. This made Qi Muugh out loud, leaving MinChen puzzled. After cleaning all the garbage, Qi Mu sat onthe soft sheepskin sofa and asked, ". . . I''ve found you''re. . . a little obsessivepulsive,right, Min Chen?" This was the result of their long acquaintanceand good rtionship. Qi Mu couldn¡¯t ask such a thing half a year ago. Butnow, he spoke naturally and felt nothing wrong with it. Seeing Qi Muugh with his eyes curled intocrescents, Min Chen smiled, "You found out?" Qi Mu immediately bowed in a "confession"gesture. "I don''t dare say a word." They talked for a while, and Qi Mu rememberedsomething. Putting his ss on the table, he turned to look at the man at hisside. His expression serious, he said, "Actually. . . Min Chen, I saw thereview written by Master Leonid the other day. I didn''t expect him to evaluateme that high, it made me feel a little. . . ttered." At the name "Leonid," Min Chen squinted and asked,"He wrote a review about you?" Qi Mu didn''t know whether tough or cry.Shaking his head, he said, "Tell me the truth. Don''t pretend you didn''t knowabout it." The review was published in ¡¶Philharmonic¡·. Qi Mu didn''t know about it until Akkadmentioned it. After a pause, Qi Mu went on, "My professor felt it was strange.. . He said¡ª¡ª" "Howcould that old Leonid remember you enough to find you and write a review aboutyou? Little Seven, hang on a bit. I''ll go ask, that guy is toozy to write. .." Without Qi Mu saying it, he hinted tantly. I already know about the bet. Under the bright light, the cold man raisedhis eyebrows. He calmly asked, "So. . . What happened?" ". . ." Defeated by his calm expression, Qi Muhelplessly raised his hands in surrender."I didn''t expect you to make a betwith Mr. Leonid, but. . . Min Chen, thank you for taking care of me. Even myprofessor said he wanted to thank you." "How are you going to thank me?" Min Chen directly ignored his teacher''sthanks, asking only for his. Feeling as if a lump in his throat rendered himspeechless, he thought carefully for a while. Finally, he tentatively spoke,"¡­How about I cook for you? My craftsmanship has improvedtely. Now thatwe''re in Vienna, I''m afraid it''s a bit difficult to eat authentic Chinesecuisine." Min Chen didn''t say a single word. Qi Muremembered, "Oh right, I forgot. You''re going back to Berlin tomorrow. . ."Regret lingered in his voice. Min Chen smiled slightly, then said, "Therewill be other opportunities in the future." Qi Mu was stunned. "What did you just say?" Min Chen shook his head. "Nothing." Qi Mu: "???" The man''s dark eyes stared at the youth''s facefor quite a while. He chuckled at Qi Mu''s puzzled expression. "Do you likeChopin''s music?" The topic changed so quickly, it took Qi Mu amoment to nod. "I love Chopin''s ¡¶Mazurkas¡· and ¡¶Nocturnes¡· a lot. I have a collection of them." Min Chen raised an eyebrow. "Whose?" "Of course it''s yours. . ." As soon as hespoke, Qi Mu abruptly stopped. He smiled helplessly. In a weak tone, he wenton, "Well, there were many pianists in the world who recorded aplete set ofChopin''s works but. . . I like yours the best. Especially Nocturne No. 2 ¡¶in E t minor¡·. It''s quite suitablefor bedtime." In fact, before he met Min Chen, he neverexpected the man was. . . such a person. In his imagination, Min Chen was a calm andelegant musician. Being able to y such beautiful music, he had to have agentle but firm heart. It was inconceivable. . . for him to fear a but the sizeof a nail. Well, he was afraid of bugs. If he let Min Chen''s fans know, he couldn''timagine what they''d think. Min Chen set his ss on the table, notnoticing the young man''s dilemma. The moonlight shone through the window andinto the room. Particrly bright and clear, its light bounced against theedge of the cup, reflecting a silver streak. The man''s handsome face showed an almostimperceptible smile, he asked, "Do. . . Do you want to listen to the liveversion?" Before entering the room, Qi Mu never knew. .. anotherrge space existed beside the living room. In the 100 m2 room, there was nothing aside from the ck grand piano in thecenter. The floor-to-ceiling window allowed moonlight to fill the room, castingpale luminescence across the light brown floor. Steinway''s 9ft grand pianos were a favoritefor concert halls. Only this one could have such clear sound. It was the onlyone that could fully disy a pianist''s skill. But now, this treasure was shelved in anapartment, like the sword of a sleeping king. It waited patiently for the kingto pull it out of its scabbard. Qi Mu felt like he stumbled upon a refinedconception. The materials in the room were top-notch. It createdthe clearest tune and the best instion resonance. Such a room decorated withonly one piano was unique, leaving Qi Mu breathless. When Min Chen opened the piano''s cover, Qi Mustood at its side. Before he realized it, he was sitting on the pianostool! The chair was big enough for 4 people, so with2, it didn''t feel crowded. Qi Mu was surprised when he heard a low voice in hisear. "There isn''t a chair in this room, so. . . just sit here. Standing can beexhausting. You can listen better while you sit." Qi Mu nodded. After a moment, he asked, "Areyou going to y Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 ¡¶in E t minor¡·?" Min Chen didn''t answer. A sound like flowingwater answered Qi Mu''s question. Qi Mu had never sat on a piano stool whilelistening to a pianist perform, let alone the man called the "King of Piano." Chopin''s Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 ¡¶in E t minor¡· was a gentle piece.It wasn''t difficult, and there weren''t any mboyant techniques. However, whilethe melody was simple, it wasn''t as easy as it seemed. As Qi Mu said before, among musicians whoperformed Chopin''s works, he liked Min Chen''s the most, especially thisparticr ¡¶Nocturne¡·. In his previous life, as long as he had the time, he wouldy it on loop and listen while rxing. Now, the pianist yed in front of him. Min Chen''s hands were slender, his knucklesprominent, and his nails were round. They were trimmed without the slightestdefect, much like their owner with OCD. With those hands pressing the white and ckkeys, the grand piano turned into a child. It sang the most beautiful melody,led by this man. It was too perfect to be real. How did the live versionpare to the CD? Qi Mu experienced it to the fullest then. If the ¡¶Chopin''s Complete Works¡· he purchased was thebest performance at an amateur level, then. . . The ¡¶Nocturne¡· he listened to nowwas the best on a professional level. Those precious hands danced rapidly across thekeyboard, each note filled with endless subtlety. It was so moving anyone who heardthe performance would be intoxicated with it. Qi Mu finally realized. . . This was Min Chen. And, though he had made a lot of progress, QiMu was nowhere close to this man. Only he could turn this ¡¶Nocturne¡· into such perfection.Only he could make such a simple melody have a stable, profound connotation. As thest soft note echoed in the quiet piano room, Qi Mucouldn''t help but smile. He pped as he said, "Bravo!" ¡ª¡ªFirst trick in abducting Xiao Qi: y piano! ¡ª¡ªLimited user: Min Chen
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet Chapter 87 Echoes of the performance lingered in the air. Qi Mu smiled,offering his most heartfeltpliment, "I''ve heard this piece so many timesbefore, but listening to it live is different." Min Chen looked up at him. "How do you feel?" Thinking it over, Qi Mu said, "How to say it. . . It feelsmore real. With ssical music, you need to hear it live to really understandit. You''re able to discern the little details." As the years progressed, so did headphone quality in themarket. Such high-end headphones allowed listeners to hear the subtlest notes,bringing CD''s t melodies to life. Through them, music was vivid andimmersive. But. . . for someone with excellent hearing and perfectpitch, no pair of headphones could match the sound of a live performance. So, why did most people prefer live concerts? Electronic equipment could never fully convey the beauty ofmusic. A smile shed in Min Chen''s dark eyes. He nodded. "It willbe good for you to attend more concerts while you still have the time." After apause, he asked, "What else do you like?" Qi Mu knew he wanted to y another song for him. Decidingto tease him, Qi Mu thought for a moment then said, "Chopin''sEtude Op. 10, No. 1 ¡¶in C major¡·?" Min Chen raised his eyebrows. Most etudes were not pleasant to the ears. Even Chopin''setudes could only be regarded as pieces of melody and harmony at best. Comparedto his serenades, sonatas and the others, they were far from enjoyable. As an etude, it was meant to hone the performer''s skills.Enjoyable or not, a pleasant sound wasn''t its purpose. The most importantcharacteristic of an etude was the difficult techniques it required. Chopin''s Etude ¡¶Op. 10, No. 1¡· was among the best ofthe dozens he''d written. Even from Qi Mu''s perspective, it was one of the mostdifficult pieces to perform. Therefore, when he said he "liked" this piece, heimplied he wanted to see Min Chen''s skills at the keys. It wasn''t every day he got to see a piano master perform atsuch close range. Qi Mu wasn''t passing up the opportunity to see everything hehad to offer. Min Chen immediately understood what Qi Mu wanted. Facedwith such "difficulty", his lips curled into a smile. Softly, he asked, "Yousure?" Qi Mu nodded. "Yes. This piece is smooth and vivid. I likeit a lot." Visual appreciation was still an appreciation. To put it simply, hedidn''t lie. At his cheeky expression, Min Chen smiled. His rare smilesoon faded, but he nodded. "Okay. . . How many times faster?" Qi Mu echoed, "How many times faster?" Min Chen''s dark eyes were alight withughter. "Yes, howfast would you like it?" Although he didn''t quite understand what he meant, Qi Muthought for a moment and said, "Twice as fast?" As soon as he said it, he addedwith wide eyes, "How fast can you do it?" Min Chen raised an eyebrow. "Five times." "Five times!" Chopin''s Etude ¡¶Op. 10, No. 1¡· at five times the speed? Qi Mu had never seen it that fast before, but since Min Chenwas confident. . . he didn''t mind making the request even more difficult. But, to Qi Mu''s surprise, five times the speed. . . was fastenough to make him sick, what madness was this! Chopin''s ¡¶First Practice Song¡· was just a practice piece. Themelody was repeated almostpletely for its 2-minute duration. Put it simply,the left-hand movements were simple. The right hand had a wide range, though,ying from the bass to the high tone and back. If Chopin''s Etude ¡¶Op. 10, No. 1¡· at normal speed was atest of endurance, then. . . five times the speed was beyond Qi Mu''simagination. It entered the realm of the demons. Min Chen''s fingers slid along the keys at such a high speed,they left afterimages. Even Qi Mu, with good eyes for motion, had to bow down.No, it wasn''t just his fingers, even his wrists and arms left afterimages, too! Qi Mu tasted the bitter fruit of his own nting. Now, evenif he wanted to appreciate the other man''s beautiful skills, he can''t see hisfingers long enough to do it. He should''ve known from the beginning that sinceMin Chen could say "five times the speed", he was confident andpetent enoughto back it up. Performed very vividly, the two minute piece waspressedto only 20 seconds. By the time Qi Mu immersed himself in his frustration, theetude waspletely over. Min Chen''s faint smile was lit by the cold moonlight. In alow voice, he asked, "Did you like it?" Qi Mu: ". . ." After a while, Qi Mu hummed and said, "I prefer ¡¶R¨¦miniscencesde Don Juan¡·."He went on, earnestly and sincerely describing it, "The melody''s moving andbeautiful. The rhythm is also very concise and light, it''s an excellent piece." Min Chen: ". . ." ¡¶R¨¦miniscences de Don Juan¡·was a short piano piece from Lisztadapted from Mozart''s opera ¡¶Don Giovanni¡·. The piece reached 22 points ofdifficulty and was touted as one of the most difficult piano pieces in theworld. Very few people would and could y it. What light rhythm? Wasn''t it difficult to the point of beingnon-human? Qi Mu firmly said, "I''ve always liked the ¡¶R¨¦miniscencesde Don Juan¡·very much, but. . . There are very few albums in the market. Almost no one hasrecorded it, not even you. . ." Full ofment and regret, his tone seemed to say, I didn''texpect even you couldn''t y it. . . Min Chen: ". . ." Could Min Chen y ¡¶R¨¦miniscences de Don Juan¡·? QiMu intended to find out. As early as his teenage years, he used Liszt''s other piece, ¡¶¡·inhis repertoire for his entry in Xiao Sai. It gained him thunderous apusefrom the audience. Rosaire, a British pianist who served as the main judge,said, "Your ¡¶Norma¡· has surpassedmine and I think. . . if you don''t get full marks, then no one will!" Qi Mu never thought he would seed with such a radicttack. He simply wanted to pay him back for teasing him with "five times thespeed." But. . . Again, to Qi Mu''s surprise, he found there werepeople in the world. . . That were too childish! When the very difficult ¡¶R¨¦miniscences de Don Juan¡·resounded in the piano room, Qi Mu didn''t realize Min Chen was inspired by hiswords. Qi Mu had yet to recover, not getting the chance to speak,before the childish man asked, "Do you like ¡¶Danse Macabre¡·?" ¡¶Danse Macabre¡· was one of Liszt''s representativeworks. Its difficulty was on par with ¡¶R¨¦miniscences de Don Juan¡· andwas also touted as one of the most challenging piano pieces in the world. Inthe words of some pianists, each of the five variations in the piece was worsethan the others. Liszt must have wanted to embarrass theter generations todeath, ah! Qi Mu was still in a daze when Min Chen asked him thisquestion. He just muttered "Uh," and the beautiful notes of ¡¶DanseMacabre¡·filled the room. Qi Mu: ". . ." After the piece, Min Chen again asked, "How about ¡¶La Campane¡·?" Qi Mu: ". . .You. . ." ¡¶La Campane¡· rang out. "Do you like ¡¶Petrushka¡·?" ". . . I really do. .." ¡¶Petrushka¡· also rang out. "¡¶Imey¡·?" ". . ." . . . Intricate pieces resounded one after another, making Qi Mutaste the bitter fruit. He experienced what it meant when people said: "Youcannot die twice." Just as Min Chen was about to start another piece, Qi Mugrabbed his hands. He looked up at the stubborn, childish man with a sinceregaze, and said, "Like. . . I like it very much! I like every piece you yvery much!" Qi Mu''s words stunned him. When Min Chen realized what the youngerman said, he felt his temperature rise. The man called "The thick-skinneddevil" by Daniel. . . sported a blush on his ears. Min Chen coughed softly and said, ". . . Now, since you saidyou liked it, I''ll y another one?" Qi Mu: ". . ." Even though he liked it, he couldn''t stay and listen to morethan a dozen songs without taking a breather! . . . When Qi Mu leftte that night, he couldn''t help but sneakseveral nces at the other man''s hands. Finally, he couldn''t stop himselffrom asking, "You yed so many pieces. . . Ah, difficult pieces. Aren''t yourhands sore?" ". . . Not sore. Ipractice long hours every day." Qi Mu practiced violin for at least six hours a day, so hecould understand. He nodded. "I think it''s better if you cut back on the hoursa bit. It will burden your fingers." Min Chen, who practiced daily for an hour at a time, said,". . . Well, okay." Qi Mu smiled and nodded after receiving an answer. He said,"Then I''ll leave first. You don''t have to send me out." Min Chen took out arge, brown paper bag out of nowhereand stuffed it into his hands. Qi Mu wondered what was in the bag when Min Chen''s low andmaic voice rang out, "This is a recording I madest year. There wereseveral of Liszt''s works, such as ¡¶R¨¦miniscences de Don Juan¡·, ¡¶DanseMacabre¡·and ¡¶LaCampane¡·.You can listen to them whenever you like." Qi Mu finally figured out what was in the bag. It was avinyl of Min Chen''s performances recorded privately. It included Liszt''plete works. It was absolutely priceless if he put it on the market. Qi Mu hesitated. "This is too valuable, I. . ." "I can record anotheranytime." Min Chen blocked all of Qi Mu''s arguments with a singlesentence. Qi Mu could only smile and nod. "Rest assured, I will treasure it andtake good care of it." After exchanging a few more words, Qi Mu left for his hotel.Just a few seconds after he left, the childish man frowned and whispered tohimself: "When will he. . .find out what''s inside?" "Tomorrow?" The man''s low voice was swallowed by the darkness of Vienna''snight. No one knew what he said nor understood what he meant. The hidden thing remained a mystery.
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet Videos: Chopin''s Etude Op. 10, No. 1 ¡¶in C major¡· R¨¦miniscences de Don Juan R¨¦miniscences de Norma Danse Macabre (Video 1) (Video 2) La Campane Petrushka Imey Chapter 88 When Qi Mu returned to his hotel,it was nearly 11 o''clock. It was quitete, so he took asimple shower and went to bed. When he woke the next day, it was already 10 inthe morning. Bright, warm sunshine filled theroom. After his shower, Qi Mu turned on his phone and saw a missed call and twotexts, both from Min Chen. Min Chen: ¡¾Have you listened to it?¡¿ Min Chen: ¡¾I''m leaving for Berlin first.¡¿ Looking at the screen, Qi Muthought a bit on his reply then pressed the screen several times. He quicklysent the message. The man who just arrived inBerlin turned on his phone and received a text¡ª¡ª ¡¾Um. . . I haven''t yet, the hoteldidn''t have a record yer. I''ll listen to it today. You should be in Berlinby now, right? I wish you a sessful performance this evening.¡¿ In front of the airport window, ahandsome man halted in his steps and stared at his phone. The corners of hislips were slightly upturned as if something pleasant had happened. Min Chen replied with a simplesentence. Before he could put his phone back in his pocket, Daniel''s terrifiedvoice suddenly rang out, "God! Min! Why are you suddenly so happy? Whathappened. . . to make you so happy?!" Min Chen: ". . .Shut up." Hecontinued walking. "Hey, Min! Was it Angel whotexted you just now? You really like him, huh. . ." Daniel''s murmur wasignored, but he continued, "You really like him. . . Min, is this a good or badthing. . .?" The cold-faced manstopped and stared at this particrly chatty blond. His eyebrow raised. "A good thing." Daniel failed to respond for amoment. ". . . Ah?! What did you say?" Min Chen earnestly said in fluentGerman, "It''s a good thing." ". . ." I was justsaying! Why are you so serious!? Daniel sulked silently. He had ahunch. If he stayed with this guy for more than a decade, he would end up bald! Just thinking about it scaredhim. He wasn''t going to care for him. He was about to walk away when the man''smuffled voice called out, "Hmm. . . Daniel, I need you to check on one morething." Unkindly, Daniel said, "Checkwhat? I don''t know you that well." Able to ignore his friend''s fierytemper for several days each month, Min Chen lowered his eyelids, thought for amoment, then whispered, "Luo Yu Sen. . . There must be something wrongwith him. You check on him, he. . . the past 10 months, he''s behavedstrangely." "Half a year ago, you told me tocheck his family background. Why are you still doing this now!" Min Chen stopped again thenturned to look at Daniel. Indifferently, he asked, "You won''t?" ". . . I will!" He''s been exploited for more thana decade! How on earth did he survive allthose years, ah!!! ¡ª¡ªDaniel''s expressionwas full of tears. Vienna, 3 p.m. After leaving the home of a musritic, Qi Mu walked towards a subway station when he received a text messagefrom Luo Yu Sen. Qi Mu was busy, either bpleting his teacher''s tasks or attending concerts. He didn''t have the timeto pay attention to Luo Yu Sen. He entrusted the investigation to the privatedetective, intending to wait until he wasn''t so busy to deal with this scumbag. Even if Qi Mu had forgotten abouthim, Luo Yu Sen had no such patience. In fact, Luo Yu Sen waited anentire week for his phone call. ording to Luo Yu Sen''sthoughts, the innocent young man was so delighted to get in touch with him thathe eagerly left him his contact information¡ª¡ªwho told the boy to admire him somuch? What surprised Luo Yu Sen was thefact that the kid didn''t contact him at all. He didn''t call and didn''t evensend a message! After waiting that long, Luo Yu Sen was no longer patient. Hesent a text first. ¡¾Long time no see. Wei Ai has aconcert tomorrow, and I have two tickets. Do you need them?¡¿ Just like the Berlin PhilharmonicOrchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra concluded their European tour andreturned to Vienna for the final concert. The concert of a world-ssorchestra naturally attracted arge audience, and the tickets were bound tobe hard to acquire. Qi Mu frowned. Finally, he replied,¡¾I''m sorry, I have tickets. I''ve beena little busy recently. If there''s an opportunity, I will contact you.¡¿ After a brief "Okay." from Luo YuSen, the man didn''t send anything else. Qi Mu looked coldly at hisphone''s screen and sank into his thoughts. Qi Mu had already gotten someinformation from his private detective. He. . . got the gist of why Luo Yu Senwas treated coldly by the other members of the orchestra. Qi Mu was so busy, he nned towait until this period ended to settle the matter with Luo Yu Sen. Compared tohis business with the scum, Qi Mu felt. . . "Well, it''s better to practicefive hours a day than spend an hour with that guy." With that in mind, Qi Mu returnedto his hotel room and practiced happily for over an hour. By the time hearrived at Musikverein the next day, the crowd had already blocked half thestreet. Such a grand venue wasn''t worsethan the one Bai Ai had a few days ago, and it was even more enthusiastic. TheVienna Philharmonic Orchestra belonged to Austria, so many locals rushed to gettheir tickets. Only then did Qi Mu realize howconvenient it was to be an insider. A few days ago, just an hourbefore the concert, Bai Ai''s ticket price soared up to over 1000 euros on theck market. For tonight''s concert, Qi Mu heard it was about the same. Qi Mu didn''t have to worry aboutit. Last time, he got a ticket from Min Chen. This time, Dorenza specificallyasked the staff to send him the invitation for a front-row seat. Dorenza and Akkad were oldfriends, and since Akkad asked him to take care of his student, he undeniablyfound it fascinating. Dorenza had heard of Qi Mu. A violinist earning a 9.5score from Min Chen wouldn''t be an ordinary person. By coincidence, he listened to QiMu''s ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡· and saw Master Leonid''smentaryon Qi Mu. Even without Akkad''s introduction, the mild-tempered conductor wascurious about Qi Mu. Before Qi Mu could leave thevenue after Wei Ai''s concert that evening, a staff member came to see him. Theyinformed him that Dorenza invited him to the orchestra''s final post-concertcelebration that night. Qi Mu was surprised, but therelong-lost joy in his heart. Dorenza was one of the mostimportant figures in his previous life. In thest few months of his life, heprovided him with a lot of guidance. He was the one who gave Qi Mu the chanceto stand on the Golden Hall''s stage. He was very grateful to him. Qi Mu looked forward to seeingthe maestro again. Wei Ai''s celebration party wassimr to those of other orchestras, they reserved several tables directly ata hotel. To Qi Mu''s surprise, he shared the main table with the conductor,Dorenza, and Zaev, the concertmaster. On such asions, food was notthe main focus. Under the brilliant lights, the main table was full of famousfigures from the ssical music world. Albert Dorenza was one of the fourleading conductors in the world, and Leon Zaev was also renowned. Among those people, a handsomeyoung man would certainly be eye-catching. When some curious members came upand struck a conversation with Qi Mu to figure out who he was, there were threeexmations¡ª¡ª "Ah! Were you the one who yedthat brilliant ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡·?" "You''re Master Akkad''s student!" "Is it really possible to get ascore of 9.5 from Mr. Bertram?!!!" Dorenza had a good rtionshipwith Min Chen, so he often came to Wei Ai to have a conversation with him. Manymembers of Wei Ai were aware of the fact that the world''s best-temperedconductor (Dorenza) and the world''s worst-tempered conductor (Min Chen). . . Were very different! We sympathizewith ourrades at Bai Ai, look at how lovely our Dorenza is! Thus, being praised by the harshand poisonous Bertram, the young man must be exceptional! And his temper wasmild and as cute as their great Dorenza! Fortunately, Qi Mu had onceworked with these people for several months. So, even as the butt of theirjokes, he could deal with them easily. He also harvested a lot of good pointsfrom Wei Ai''s members. When the benevolent old man came towards Qi Mu with a smile onhis face and a ss of wine in his hand, he couldn''t help but feel a burst ofwarmth in his heart. A smile bloomed on his fair, delicate face. Voicemelodious, he said, "Hello. . . Mr. Dorenza."
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet Chapter 89 Theroom was lively, and Vienna''s beautiful night could be seen out the window.Crystal lights hung from the hotel''s high ceiling, shining like diamonds, andbrightened the brilliant banquet hall. The banquet started awhile ago, and the Wei Ai members were chatting andughing with each other.Their first tour of the year hade to an end, and they would soon get avacation to reward their hard work. It was a happy asion for everyone. Most of them sat on thesofa at the center of the hall. On the other side of the hall, a kind, old mansmiled and approached a beautiful, ck-haired young man and said: "Hello, QiMu. I heard your teacher gave you a lovely English name, so I will call you bythat name, is that okay?" Dorenza''s Chinese wasquite good, so his pronunciation of "Qi Mu" was also standard. Qi Mu was very excited,but he held it back. He politely nodded and said respectfully, "Yes, Mr.Dorenza. You can call me that." Such a cute and beautifulchild was enough to win everyone''s favor. Before meeting Qi Mu inperson, Dorenza didn''t understand why Reed, who had always been entric,loved this student of his so much and even called him time and again asking himto take care of the child. But now that he had seen him, Dorenzapletelyunderstood¡ª¡ª This child really madepeople feel pleasant. "Little Seven, I''velistened to your ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡· and your teacher, as well as Farrell, sentme the albums you recorded in Huaxia." Dorenza fixed his silver frame ssesand smiled, "Your violin is excellent, Seven. I like your sound." Qi Mu never expected thathe would receive such high praise from Dorenza. The grip on his ss tightened,and he said, "Thank you for yourpliment, Mr. Dorenza. I also like yourmusic very much." The two continued to chatleisurely. Qi Mu was quite thetalkative person, and Dorenza was also a good speaker. Once the two sattogether, the conversation became harmonious. Even when a VIP passed by,they continued to talk. "Little Seven, in fact,when I listened to your albums, I felt that your style was simr to a friendof mine." Dorenza put down his ss and smiled, "You are as skillful and asemotional as he was, but after listening to youter works, I think you''re abit different." This sentence squeezed QiMu''s heart. He smiled and asked, "Different?" Dorenza nodded lightly,"Well, Seven, although you''re younger than my friend, your music is heavierthan his. Before meeting you personally, I couldn''t believe you''re only 22years old. Your talent isn''t inferior to that of Christole, and you might even¡­be better than him." Since his emergence as assical musician in Europe nine years ago, multiple magazines in the worldcalled him the "genius of 50 years" and Christole truly didn''t disappoint. Paganini InternationalViolin Competition, Menuhin International Violin Competition, TchaikovskyInternational Violin Competition¡­ Christole won theseinternationalpetitions with outstanding performances. He graduated fromMunich Conservatory of Music at the age of 19 then joined the BerlinPhilharmonic Orchestra as their concertmaster a yearter. But now¡­ Dorenza said Qi Mu''stalent surpassed Christole''s. This statement seems tosay: Qi Mu was the genius of a century. Qi Mu shook his head andmodestly said, "Thank you for your praise, Mr. Dorenza. Butpared toChristole, I still have a lot more to work on." Dorenza shook his head andsaid, "Seven, the Chinese are always like this, humble. You''re already at thesame level as Christole." After a slight pause, Dorenza sighed. "But. . .if my friend was still alive, with his effort and talent, the ssical musicworld in the uing few decades would have been his." What Dorenza spoke of, QiMu somewhat knew. . . Precisely who "my friend"was. Qi Mu''s heart tightenedpainfully. He just smiled and nodded, "It''s a pity, I didn''t expect thisgentleman already passed away. . . I''m sorry, Mr. Dorenza, for reminding you ofsomething so sad." Dorenza chuckled and shookhis head. "It''s fine. Seven, that kid was a fantastic violinist. If you canlisten to his albums, maybe you will harvest something." Qi Mu nodded, "Yes. By theway, Mr. Dorenza, you. . ." "Dorenza, it turns outyou''re here talking to our Angel secretly?" A cheerful voice came from behindQi Mu. He turned his head and saw a middle-aged man with a bearde over. "Iwas wondering where you were, turns out you''re hiding here." Dorenza just shook hishead and said with a wry smile, "Zayev, I wanted to have a chat with Reed''sstudent. Where did you think I was?" This was Lyon Zayev, theconcertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. This violinist was in hisearly 50''s, but he looked healthy, energetic, and younger than his age. Hispersonality was bright and friendly, so his reputation in the music circle wasalso good. Qi Mu could only face thismusician with a smile, "Mr. Zayev, my name is not Angel. My name is¡­" "Huh? Didn''t Mr. Farrellcall you Angel before? When he visited the orchestrast month, hespecifically mentioned you and said you were a lovely little angel." Zayev saidearnestly. Qi Mu: "¡­" Farrell was really workingtirelessly on his path creating a ck history for him! How much money did he oweFarrell in hisst life!!! With the participation ofa cheerful chatterbox, the atmosphere became even livelier. When Qi Mu left the hotel,Dorenza told him he was wee to visit anytime. The proposal wasunanimously agreed upon by the members of the orchestra. They believed such agood and clever child could improve their aesthetic if he came over every day. When Qi Mu got into thetaxi and left, Dorenza looked at the departing cab and couldn''t help sigh outloud, "His and Lu''s violin. . . is simr but he''s even better than Lu. Nowthat this child is already excellent, the music world in the future will be lively,right?" Zayev, standing at hisside, looked at Dorenza in surprise and asked, "Dorenza, you think of LittleSeven. . . this highly?" Mr. Dorenza smiled andnodded, "Yes, Zayev. Don''t you think. . . If he had graduated from college,wouldn''t many excellent orchestras mor for him to join? He''s excellent. Reedis lucky to have him as a student. Zayev''s eyes widened, andhe asked in disbelief, "Dorenza, aren''t you thinking a little too much? It''shis luck to be Reed''s student, right?" Dorenza shook his head andrefuted, "Zayev, wait and see. Three years at most. . . You will understand hisstrength, I think. Age has never been a measure for musical skill. Look atChristole, he''s also an excellent child. You can''t think too highly ofyourself. Young blood is important to our ssical music, ah!" Dorenza didn''t dwell onthe topic, but Zayev still pondered carefully with a frown. After Dorenza gotin his car and left, Zayev walked alone in the empty streets of Vienna andwhispered to himself: "He''s just a child. . . how far can he go?" "Dorenza''s really thought too much, how can there be so manyChristole''s in this world. . ."
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet Chapter 90 TheVienna Philharmonic Orchestra''s concert put a sessful end to Vienna''sconcert season. Since the beginning ofJune, most of the major orchestras entered a holiday period, ending the firsthalf of their tour. Beautiful music still lingered all across Vienna, though. This capital of music wasnever short of moving music. Walking on the streets, musical notes alwaysfilled the air. Step into a roadside theatre, and a concert is always onstandby. Even though it wasn''t theseason for grand symphonies, some orchestra musicians took the opportunity toperform chamber music shows with their own small ensembles. It was rumored that theconcertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Lyon Zayev, and the ViennaSymphony Orchestra concertmaster, Jacques, would join hands. They were toperform in a small concert hall in the Musikverein the following week. Such abination was sodazzling even Qi Mu''s heart skipped a beat. Unfortunately, he couldn''twatch the performance. The day after Wei Ai''s concert, he was already packed upand ready to return to Paris at Akkad''s request. Akkad''s business wasimportant and needed more time to settle. He called Qi Mu and told him he''dfound a good substitute teacher for his lovely student. The second assessment ofthe semester was two weeks away, so Qi Mu nned to end his trip and return toParis. Even while at the hotel,Qi Mu practiced his violin for four hours a day. It was inconvenient being awayfrom home, so he needed to go back to practice. After June, the weatherbecame hot and dry. Europe during the summer was a big, hot stove. Almost everycity reached unbearable temperatures, and Vienna''s sky was cloudless. There wasnothing to shield them from the sun. Qi Mu checked his luggageand passed the security checkpoint when he received a call from Berlin. As soonas the call connected, he said, "Min Chen, long time no see. You called at theright time, an hourter, and I''d already be on the flight." On the other end, Min Chendidn''t expect such a coincidence. For Bai Ai''s ordinarymembers, this was their holiday. The tour season was over, so they could take anextended vacation. As thechief conductor and music director, the agent, and the concertmaster, theconcept of a vacation hardly existed for Min Chen, Daniel, and Christole. After theirst concert,they began preparing for the tour in the next quarter and those beyond that.The bigger the orchestra, the sooner they nned. Min Chen was busypreparing for theing seasons and Qi Mu was busy packing for his flight backto Paris; neither had the time to contact the other. Apart from their shorttexts before Wei Ai''s concert, this was they first chance they got to talk. "Are you heading back toParis? Or. . . somewhere else?" Even through the speaker, the man''s voice wasstill as mellow as a cello, "Christole is going to hold a personal concertsoon. If you''re interested, I can reserve a seat for you." His voice was calm as ifit were a casual remark. If he listened carefully, he could hear a trace of. .. restless anticipation hidden in his tone. A reminder was broadcastedacross the airport, distracting Qi Mu. After a pause, he answered, "I''m goingback to Paris, not anywhere else. It''s time for me to go back and prepare formy assessment. Thank you for your kindness, Min Chen. But unfortunately, Ican''t be there." ". . .Well, okay." At aloss, Min Chen paused. Then, he asked, "Is Reed back from Italy?" Picking an empty seat, QiMu put his bad on the chair next to it. Heughed, "No, Professor is still inTurin, handling his family matter. He told me to return to Paris first. ButMaster Akkad said he''s found a good teacher for me, but I don''t know who itwill be. . ." "Most orchestras are onvacation right now, but many solo violinists will hold concerts now too.They''ll probably be the concertmaster of some orchestra." Min Chen analyzed hiswords very carefully. Seeing such rare patience, Christole, couldn''t help butsneak a few looks. He smiled and bowed his head as if understanding something. The young ck-haired manwas totally unaware of Min Chen''s unusual attitude towards him. After all, MinChen being a good person always willing to help others in need was a fact forhim. Qi Mu nodded and said,"Well, that might be the case. . . I don''t know who it will be." The two chatted for awhile. And after a few moments of struggling, Min Chen coughed softly, "Right.. . That. . . Have you listened to that recording?" A little stunned andembarrassed, Qi Mu cleared his throat. He said he would listen a long time ago,but, contrary to his words, he never did. He was too busy for it.But, the most important reason was the hotel made it impossible for him to finda good record yer. Without an excellent needle and sound system, the musicon the record wouldn''t sound as good as it should. This was vital for Qi Mu,who was very serious when it came to music. Sighing, he repliedguiltily, "I''m sorry, I was a little busy these days, so I haven''t had the timeto listen to it. I remember there''s a good record yer in Teacher''s lounge sowhen I go back to Paris, I should be able to hear it." Although Qi Mu didn''tunderstand. . . why the man was so entangled with the record, but, since he hadpromised to do it, he would. Min Chen''s tone got evenmore depressed. He only replied with a gentle "Um." Even Qi Mu, with his crudenerve, noticed. It seemed. . . the other man was in a bad mood? After a few moreexchanges, Qi Mu hung up and boarded the ne. At the top floor of theBai Ai headquarters'' conference room, a man who had always been cold andindifferent looked like he had just returned from Antarctica. He dropped iceall over the ce. When Daniel opened thedoor, he reflexively rubbed his bare arms. In a low voice, he muttered,"Strange, the air conditioner isn''t on. . . What kind of weather is this, whyis it so cold?" Having endured the coldair silently for quite a while, Christole looked at Daniel, unsure whether tugh or cry. He pointed to the man at his side. "Stop talking, Auston is in abad mood." How could Daniel''s IQunderstand such a high-level secretnguage? He frowned, then grinned and tooka chair on the other side. "What''s the matter, Christole? Do you have a sorethroat? Then you have to take medicine!" The kind-heartedChristole: ". . ." Min Chen nced at theguy with a low IQ and said, "Daniel, you should take medicine." Daniel: ". . .??? I''m notsick, why should I take medicine?!" Amused, Min Chen''s lipscurled up. He shook his head. "No, you''re sick. It''s very serious." Daniel: ". . . ?" "You left your brain athome." Daniel: ". . ." After a moment, heshouted, "Auston Bertram!!! I want to break off with you!! You actually daresay I have no brain!!! I want to resign! I''m telling you, I''m not waiting anylonger! I must resign today!!!" It was a typical, dailyurrence in Bai Ai as usual. The mild-temperedChristole helplessly hid his face in his hands. He sighed, silently thinking. .. When will God send an angel torescue these poor children living in deep waters and scorching fire? When, in fact, the angelChristole was praying for had already arrived! It''s just. . . Thecoordinates were off. He actually arrived in Paris, thousands of miles away! Qi Mu dropped his luggageat his apartment. The scent of iris andlilies were everywhere in the romantic city. Numerous tourists from all overthe world gathered there, walking on the streets andnes, constantly takingpictures. The weather was sunny andbewitching. From a broader perspective, the sky was clear, as if it were beingwashed. It eased Qi Mu''s mood a lot. Without rest, Qi Mu rushed to theuniversity at 3 o''clock. ording to Akkad, theteacher who came to guide him was already in Paris and should be waiting forhim in their violin room. Although he didn''t know who it was, Qi Mu very muchlooked forward to meeting them. With his teacher''s harshcriteria, a person who can make Reed Akkad praise them as a "good teacher" mustbe an excellent violin master. He just didn''t know. . . Who woulde to Paristhis time of year? Qi Mu gently turned themetal door handle of the violin room with anticipation. The door opened with acreak, the brilliant sunshine through the huge ss window of the violin roomblinding Qi Mu. Pushing the door open a little, he couldn''t see the roomclearly, but heard a pleasant melody resounding¡ª¡ª "Oh? Is it my littleangel? Angel, we haven''t seen each other for a long time. I really miss yourbeautiful violin." Qi Mu: ". . ." Now. . . was it tooteto close the door?
Trantor (s): Kuro Editor (s): Empress, Ayn, Bet Chapter 91
Farrell Lewis was one of the four top conductors. As chief conductor and music director of the Dresden Symphony Orchestra, Farrell Lewis had many great aplishments to his name. Unlike many maestros who started as a pianist turned conductor, Farrell''s achievements with the piano were less than his achievements with the violin. Such a great violin master and conductor was praised by Master Akkad as a "good teacher"?! This was a mentor students all over the world dreamt of, ah! But. . . Qi Mu was excluded from this list of students. "Angel, your skill with tremolo is excellent, but I had hoped you would be more decisive with the overtone and show the true excitement of ¡¶The Lark¡·. Like this. . ." Farrell took the violin from Qi Mu''s hands and demonstrated. The delicate violin was clear in his hands. Though there were differences between his and Qi Mu''s technique, his performance showed the aesthetic romance unique to Parisians. Farrell was a French musician. Because he was the current conductor, his musical style deeply influenced the orchestra. It made Dresden, once ssically German, romantic and gentle. Although Qi Mu felt helpless in the face of each "Angel" the master uttered, he had to admit he was young and less experiencedpared to the other man. During the three days of practice, he listened to the master''s guidance with the utmost respect and soon won his recognition. With a smile, the master said, "Angel, if you perform ¡¶The Lark¡· for next week''s assessment, I believe. . . it will be hard to find someone across all of Paris to apany you." Qi Mu interjected, politely, "Thank you for your advice, Master Farrell. But. . . Professor didn''t seem like he wanted me to take the assessment with this piece." Over the two weeks of practice, Akkad gave him three pieces to perfect and proimed that when he got back to Paris, he would personally listen to Qi Mu performances. To be recognized by Reed Akkad? Well. . . It was even harder than gaining Farrell''s approval. Akkad''s temper was so much worse. He wouldn''t let even the speck of a w pass. Farrell frowned. "That fellow just wants you to y a full-court song and make his own prestige rise. ¡¶The Lark¡· is only two minutes long, but I think Angel''s ¡¶The Lark¡· could take first ce." Farrelughed, "Angel, y this piece. I''ll let Reed know. How can he treat his lovely student so harshly? Reed is so insensitive, you''re practicing hard every day with so little time to rx." Farrell was right. Before he saw Qi Mu''s dutiful practice, he would never believe a 22-year-old could, and would, practice from 8 am to 8 pm every single day. Moreover, the pieces he practiced were never simple. Each and every one of them required a high level of skill. The students at Paris'' National Conservatory of Music were all so excellent, and most would be the backbone of the industry a decade after their graduation. If the pieces Qi Mu practiced every day were handed to Dn next door, it would take him at least a week to prepare. The deadlines Akkad set for Qi Mu were never more than 3 days. Such strong pressure concerned Farrell. But, to his surprise, the beautiful young man in front of him shook his head. "Mr. Farrell, Professor hopes I can graduate early, so don''t stop him. He knows my limits. Please don''t worry." The bright sunshine illuminated the pristine room like a golden awn. It shone from behind Qi Mu, surrounding him with a thin golden halo, hazy and gentle. Farrell was stunned. He automatically reached for his phone and unlocked the screen. He had to make sure this scene was captured. Qi Mu frowned. "Master Farrel, did you. . . ?" "Oh, Angel, you''re so cute! Your teacher hasn''t seen you for a long time, he must miss you a lot, eh? I took your picture and sent it over to show him his lovely student. Now he''s even livelier!" Qi Mu: ". . ." I really don''t know what these maestros are thinking¡­ Qi Mu started to practice the next piece Akkad gave him. The master at his side, whose head was bowed as he tapped on his phone''s screen, only offered an asionalment as he chatted in a very active group chat. What? Was it possible that Farrell, who was already over 60 years old, could be savvy with his phone? Well, he had followed the footsteps of time and refused to be left behind by youngsters! In a group chat called¡¾Little Angel''s Violin Practice Room¡¿, the otherwise quiet chat exploded with the release of the picture. Although there were only three people in the group, two were chatterboxes, and the third was particrly hyperactive. Rapid-fire lines of text filled the screen. Farrell: ¡¾Angel''s been practicing ¡¶The Lark¡· very well, Reed. I think he can use this piece as the performing track for the assessment. It''s very good! By the way, your Angel looks particrly cute today!¡¿ Half a minute passed. . . Reed:¡¾Farrell! Who allowed you to take my lovely student''s picture?!¡¿ Farrell:¡¾I took it fair and square, Reed. Don''t insult me.¡¿ Daniel:¡¾Oh, it''s already time for the second assessment. Hey. . . This picture of Little Angel is beautiful. My sweetheart became his fan after seeing him perform ¡¶Dance of the Goblinsst month. I have to save it and show it to my baby when I get back.¡¿ Farrell¡¾Haha, Daniel, you''re a bad one!¡¿ Reed:¡¾Daniel, you baldy! You''re not allowed to keep pictures of my student! Wait a minute, why are you in this group chat? Where did youe from!!!¡¿ . . . After spending the day practicing, the sky outside was dark. In the summer, the sun went down at 8 o''clock, giving way to the moon. Qi Mu carefully wiped away the rosin powder on his violin''s panel then ced it in its case. Picking up the case, he prepared to leave. He saw Farrell on the sofa, still gazing at his phone. He didn''t know who the master was texting. After spending three days with this maestro, Qi Mu decided he liked Farrell. He was a talented master with a good temper and lots of patience. It was no wonder he was ranked third on the poll for the best-tempered conductor, right after Boswell from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and Dorenza of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Of course. . . If he could stop calling him "Angel," Qi Mu would rank him number one in his heart. "Mr. Farrel, are you ready to leave? Almost everyone has left already." With violin case in his hand, Qi Mu said, "If you don''t mind, we can walk together. My ce is closer than yours, but I can apany you half-way there." Farrell was still typing like a madman on his keyboard. Finally, he said, "Angel, could you wait a little longer? Just ten minutes, then we''ll leave together." Ten minutes wasn''t long, so Qi Mu agreed. There wasn''t anything to do, Qi Mu thought, turning his eyes left and right. He picked up his phone but remembered something before he could unlock it. There was an excellent record yer in his professor''s lounge. Qi Mu already brought the record to the university, intending to borrow Akkad''s record yer. But until now, he had been too busy to use it. Now was a great opportunity. Qi Mu set down his violin case, leaving it in the violin room, and moved to the lounge. As for Farrell? He was having the time of his life in the group chat. Daniel:¡¾Damn it! Min saw me try to send the picture to my sweetheart! How did he manage to sneak up behind me and steal a peak? What a devil!¡¿ Farrell:¡¾Huh? You haven''t left the orchestra yet? Is Bai Ai that busy, Daniel?¡¿ Daniel:¡¾We''re preparing for the next tour and the one after that. No, Auston is #%^%#^. . .¡¿ Daniel:¡¾Farrell, where are you?¡¿ After a while, Farrell: ¡¾. . . Auston?¡¿ Reed:¡¾Damn it, Auston! What are you doing here?!!¡¿ Daniel: ¡¾Are you in Paris, Farrell?¡¿ Reed: ¡¾Shut up! Shut up! Don''t talk!¡¿ Farrell: ¡¾I''m in Reed''s violin room. He asked me to take care of Angel in his absence. It just so happens the orchestra is on holiday, so I came.¡¿ Daniel: ¡¾It''s. . . little past 8 in Paris. You''re still in the violin room? What about Qi Mu?¡¿ Farrell: ¡¾Angel? He seems to be out just now, I told him to wait ten minutes before we go. Let me tell you, Angel is such a lovely child. He''s been practicing violin all day until now. He wanted to leave earlier but couldn''t bear to leave me alone, so he''s waiting for me. ¡¿ Daniel: ¡¾Put down your phone. You should go back now, Farrell.¡¿ Farrell: ¡¾. . . ?¡¿ Reed: ¡¾Farrell, you dare to make my lovely student wait for you?! Don''t tell me you haven''t had dinner yet!¡¿ Farrell: ¡¾No, we ate a loaf of bread, Reed.¡¿ Daniel: ¡¾Farrell, you can go back. It''ste now, it''s time to rest. Berlin is very close to Dresden, I can visit you next quarter. When do you want me to go?¡¿ Farrell: ¡¾. . . Auston? Well, you might be right. I should go now. Then, I''m going next door to call Angel over. Goodbye.¡¿ Daniel£º¡¾Well, be careful on the road.¡¿ Farrell reluctantly set down his phone and went to the lounge. When he opened the door, he saw the handsome young man ce a brand-new record on the yer, preparing to put the needle on. Startled, Qi Mu turned to him. ". . . Mr. Farrell?" Farrell nodded, then asked, "What are you doing, Angel?" Qi Mu smiled. "I wanted to listen to a record while waiting for you. Have you finished your work, Mr. Farrell?" Farrell wanted to say, "No hurry, if you want to listen to the record, I can wait." But the threatening words from the group chat still lingered, fresh in his mind. The mild-tempered conductor sighed helplessly and said, "I''m a bit busy, Angel. It''s gettingte so let''s leave first. You can listen to the record tomorrow." Qi Mu hesitated for a moment but finally nodded. He put the record back into the kraft bag then ced it in Akkad''s safe. A certain man in Berlin tossed the phone back to its owner. Eyes closed, he thought, today. . . he should have listened to the record already, right? He should have. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

You just unintentionally cock-blocked yourself Min Chen £¨£»?£ß?)

Empress:

Is there a way we can add a cry of frustration to the end of this chapter?

Honorable Mentions:

Thanks to Jessie and Michelle in Colorado for the Kofi. I promise to work harder and improve further. <3
Chapter 92
If there is something you never forget to do, and even if you don''t think about it, you can do it easily, once you''re interrupted in the middle, you''ll get entangled with it and be obsessed withpleting your unfinished business. This was Qi Mu''s current situation. He woke up early the next morning and went to the college a little after 7 o''clock. He wanted to listen to the record before practice, but to his surprise, when he put down the needle on the record, the needle shook a little then¡ª¡ª It refused to move! No movement at all!!! Qi Mu tossed about for half an hour trying to repair the record yer that suddenly went on a strike but to no avail. Qi Mu seldom used this kind of thing in his past life. First of all, time had evolved, so although there were certain sacrifices in music quality, CDs were simpler and more convenient than records. Secondly, ck records weren''t exactly cheap. He couldn''t afford such "luxury" items in his past life. Qi Mu wasn''t familiar with record yers because he rarely used then. When Farrell arrived, the gentle maestro was surprised to see him with his sleeves rolled up and hard at work. He asked curiously, "Angel, what are you doing?" Once Farrell understood what was going on, he, who was keen on ssic record yers, checked it himself and regretfully informed Qi Mu, "I''m sorry, Angel. This little lovely one''s arm is broken. I''m afraid we''ll have to send it to a special ce to fix it." Qi Mu: ". . ." Farrell, a Parisian by birth, smiled and said, "I remember several good old shops here. One is nearby. Angel, we''ll take this record yer there, and I think you will be able to listen to this beautiful record soon." Qi Mu nodded helplessly, but when they sent the record yer to the said shop, they were told, "This one''s pathe''s arm is a little damaged, and this record yer is a limited edition from a few years back. We need to buy the parts from a British factory. It will take a few days to have it repaired." Qi Mu had no choice but to leave the record yer at the shop and head back to the college. In the neat violin room, Qi Mu yed Kreisler''s ¡¶Sch?n Rosmarin¡· seriously and attentively. His fingers were fast, and his hand pulled the bow up and down repeatedly. The rhythm was upbeat and beautiful. After Farrell said a few more words, Qi Mu started practicing. What he didn''t know was just two meters away from him, the old man beganining about Akkad in the group chat ¡¾Little Angel''s Practice Room¡¿. Farrell: ¡¾Reed, why didn''t you service your record yer? Angel tossed around with it for a long time this morning.¡¿ After a few minutes, instead of Professor Akkad replying, the man who just entered the group chat by his own all-powerful meansst night spoke¡ª¡ª ¡¾The record yer broke? What happened?¡¿ Farrell: ¡¾Oh, Auston. It''s like this, Angel came early this morning especially to listen to a ck record. But the record yer was broken, so we had to send it for repair.¡¿ Min Chen: ¡¾. . .¡¿ After a while: Min Chen: ¡¾Reed, things that are broken need to be repaired. This. Is. A. kind. Of. Virtue. ¡¿ Master Farrell looked at the texts and his eyebrows furrowed. He didn''t understand. It''s Reed''s record yer that was broken. . . Why was Auston so concerned? But he didn''t spend much time thinking about it. Qi Mu began to y, and this time, Farrell set down his phone and guided Qi Mu. The record yer? Just leave it to the shop. A week passed quickly in this manner. At Farrell¡¯s insistence, Qi Mu finally chose ¡¶The Lark¡· as his performance track for this time''s assessment. This time around, there was no judge like Min Chen, who was a powerhouse. The Paris'' National Conservatory of Music invited a famous French cellist as the main judge. When one''s music reached its peak, theyman could not see the inteced turmoil in it. And between cello and violin, it was even harder to see the intricacy as they were both stringed instruments, and they were more subtle. When Qi Mu finished performing ¡¶The Lark¡·, the cellist smiled kindly, backed by the warm apuse of the audience, and praised, "At thest assessment, I was performing in Switzend. But in my school days, I heard that the violin and piano department are equally talented. So there is a tendency for one to overwhelm the other every time." After a slight pause, the master continued, "To tell the truth, I didn''t believe it when I first heard it. I believe that everyone who graduated from this conservatory, of course, including me, knows that the violin and piano department have always been equal, so neither of them has ever had the upper hand with an absolute advantage. When I heard that a student in the violin department received the high mark of 9.5 from Auston, I''ve always wanted to meet them." The apuse gradually subsided, and the audience looked forward to the main judge to giving his evaluation. Especially amongst the others who gave Qi Mu full marks, and the main judge from the previous assessment who gave this handsome young man a score of 9.5 points. The master looked at Qi Mu, his eyes gentle, "Today, I have finally seen you, and I understand. . . why you earned such a high score from Auston Bertram. Of course, I think his score is too low. You deserve¡ª¡ª" "10 points." As soon as the score was announced, the hall was astir. Standing at the center of the stage, Qi Mu listened to such high praise with a humbly lowered head and said politely, "Thank you for yourpliment, Master Gerrard. I will continue to work hard." The silver-haired Gerrard smiled and said, "Son, I think I can see your future. In my lifetime, the world of ssical music will belong to you, youngsters." In the end, Qi Mu took first ce with a high score of 96 points, which was a whole 8 points higher than second ce. The violin department once again crushed their old rival, the piano department, so hard everyone in the piano department could do nothing but stare at them with rage. Aided by his height, Dn swung his arm over Qi Mu''s shoulder and excitedly eximed, "Seven, with you on our side, we''ll definitely crush those guys in the piano department in the future! This is so great!" Qi Mu couldn''t help but chuckle, and his lips curled upwards, but he didn''t say anything apart from "Um." He always remembered Akkad saying he could graduate early if he got first ce for three consecutive assessments. Well. . . such a thing, he won''t let Dn know now lest he spoiled his happiness. The next day after the assessment, Qi Mu arrived half an hour earlier and was ready to start his practice. But just as he took out his violin, Farrell opened the door. Qi Mu was surprised to see Farrelling so early today. He watched as the mild-tempered old man furrowed his eyebrows, "Angel, there are two things. . . I have to tell you today. Which do you want to hear first?" Qi Mu wiped his bow with rosin, and his slender fingers appeared even fairer when contrasted with the light yellow rosin. Qi Mu put down his bow and rosin and, frowning slightly, he asked the maestro with a warm voice, "Mr. Farrell, usually. . . wouldn''t you start with asking me to choose between good news and bad news?" Farrell was stunned then waved his hand and said, "Well, Angel, that''s probably your Chinese culture speaking. I''ll get straight to the point. First, it''s been decided that Dresden''s next season tour will start a month ahead of the initial schedule. So I need to go back to Dresden by tonight, or tomorrow at thetest." Qi Mu was shocked by this. After a while, he nodded and said, "Master Farrell. . . then, the next news is?" Farrell smiled, turned to look at the lovely young man sideways with an admiring look, "Angel, I''m going back to the Dresden Symphony Orchestra. I think my orchestra is very good, so. . . Do you want to go and visit with me before Old Reedes back?" Qi Mu''s eyes widened, and his expression could not disguise his shock. Dresden Symphony Orchestra. . . is not just good, okay?! This symphony orchestra had been established for over 400 years and was one of the oldest orchestras in the world. It had experienced nearly five centuries of storms and hardships, even suffered a nearly devastating destruction in the Second World War. But even so, it still stood firm and maintained excellence to this day. In 1823, Beethoven, who was hailed as the Holy Saint, wrote in his collection of dialogues, "In general, the Dresden Symphony Orchestra is the best orchestra in Europe." Of course, 200 yearster, this orchestra experienced many storms and didn''t have an absolute advantage in ssical music. But no one would dare deny the fact that it was one of the most advanced symphony orchestras in the world. And now, the chief conductor of said orchestra. . . invited Qi Mu for a visit! This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Qi Mu barely managed to hold back his excitement, fingers flexing slightly, and he nodded earnestly, "Mr. Farrell, can I. . . can I really go?" Master Farrell smiled and said, "Of course! Go and pack up, Angel. We''re leaving tonight!" Qi Mu immediately locked his violin case and nned to go home straight away to pack up his luggage. But as soon as he left the violin room, a thought suddenly urred to him: That record he ced carefully inside the safe. . . he still hadn''t had the chance to listen to it yet?! "Master Farrell, it suddenly urred to me that I haven''t listened to that record yet. I wonder if you have a good record yer and if you do, can I bring it along to Dresden and listen to it?" Farrell was surprised for a bit but nodded, "Oh, you didn''t know about this yet, Angel. Yesterday during your assessment, the shop sent the record yer over since they''ve finished repairing it." Qi Mu paused then asked, ". . . It''s repaired?" Master Farrell smiled and nodded, "Yes, I saw itst time. That ck record''s surface is beautiful, it must be a good one. Now that the record yer has been fixed, let''s go and listen to it together, Angel." Qi Mu set down his violin case and went to Akkad''s lounge. Standing in front of the door, Qi Mu pushed it open. The door opened with a creak, and he was bathed in the gentle sunshine, making him squint his eyes. After over half a month. . . he would finally get to listen to that record.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet
Chapter 93
A professor''s lounge was kept to a high standard, alwaysfortable and spacious. It was especially so for Akkad''s, which was well-lit and elegantly decorated. Before Akkad took the lounge, the college had already prepared almost everything, including a safe with a double lock. Of course, Akkad had also brought his things over, such as. . . A beautiful record yer. Pathe was a famous record yer brand from Britain. From the first rough-grained phonograph to the Compact LP type with 33 RPM, the century-old brand witnessed the history of record yer development. It was one of the oldest brands in Europe. The record yer in the lounge was designed for Akkad during Pathe''s centennial celebration a few years earlier. The name "Reed Akkad" was engraved on the arm. When Qi Mu first met Akkad, he was attracted to the elegant record yer. Records were the best medium to preserve the quality of symphony music. In the ssical music industry, most chose to record with ck vinyl if there was no cost-calction. While Qi Mu took the record from the safe, Farrell prepared the record yer. When Qi Mu entrusted the album to him, Farrell asked, "Where did you get such a beautiful record, Angel?" Qi Mu didn''t keep any secrets. "Min Chen gave me this record, Master Farrell, when I was in Vienna. He recorded some of Liszt''s works such as ¡¶Danse Macabre¡· and ¡¶Reminiscences de Norma¡·." Farrell was stunned. He carefully ced the record on the yer and said, "Oh, it was Auston''s. . . Angel, Auston is very kind to you. He rarely records his ying and seldom releases albums." Qi Mu nodded unequivocally. He knew Min Chen seldom released albums. He only owned one Chopin Complete Works and Beethoven''s Selection in hisst life. So, when Min Chen gave him the record, he was astonished. If he hadn''t been so busy for the past few months and had a record yer, he would have listened to this record over and over again. Qi Mu smiled. "As far as albums go. . . Min Chen doesn''t record much, but, Mr. Farrell, I''ve listened to all his albums on the market. I think they''re great." Farrellpleted thest of the preparations and looked at the young man. Qi Mu called Auston by his actual name. He chuckled and shook his head, convincing himself that, "Young people are like that, they must be closer to each other than older people." "Well, Angel, look at the time. . . We might as well listen to the record, haha!" Qi Mu nodded, and Farrell lowered the needle onto the record. The record buzzed as it turned. Qi Mu sat on the bench next to the record yer and waited for the music to start. Farrell sat a little farther away, enjoying it leisurely. Few could surpass Auston Bertram''s piano. Even Farrell didn''t mind enjoying his music and readily agreed to it. Of course, it would be better if he had another cup of coffee. After a brief silence, a beautiful gliding melody rang out. It was Liszt''s ¡¶Danse Macabre¡·. It seemed like the pianist yed five variations, but from the fast dance music, Qi Mu could feel the speed and intensity of its rhythm. Because he had seen Min Chen ying it half a month ago, when he heard it now, the scene yed out again in front of his eyes. Farrell was also delighted. He tapped his fingers along with the rhythm, and his smiling expression was full of praise¡ª¡ª Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Dresden Symphony Orchestra were the best orchestras in Germany. In recent years, the former had widened the gap. Although he didn''t want to, Farrell had to admit it was Min Chen and Christole who created such a miracle. Min Chen''s contribution was more apparent. At least in Dresden, no one could y such a beautiful and moving ¡¶Danse Macabre¡·. After ¡¶Danse Macabre¡· ended, ¡¶Grand Galop Chromatique¡·immediately began to y. Then, there were ¡¶Rigoletto¡·, ¡¶Reminiscences de Don Juan¡·, ¡¶Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3 and No. 7¡·. By the end of ¡¶Reminiscences de Norma¡·, Qi Mu was immersed in the world of piano sonatas, unable to shake himself free. Liszt wasn''t crowned the King of Hungarian Piano for show. Like him, there was no mistake when Min Chen was touted as the King of Contemporary Piano. Although Qi Mu couldn''t hear Liszt since he lived and died over a hundred years ago, he believed the magnificent piano he listened to now would not lose. It might even be. . .parable. After 30 seconds of silence, Qi Mu said, "Maybe it''s over. Mr. Farrell, is it okay to just lift the needle and turn the record over?" Two meters away, Farrell nodded and whispered, "Right, Angel. You just need to turn it over." Qi Mu tilted his head. His fingers gently pinched the silver-white arm of the needle, ready to lift it, when he heard a low, maic voice: "Qi Mu?" Qi Mu paused, his eyes wide. He looked at the ck record, still ying static incredulously. He couldn''t respond to what he had just heard. Farrell raised his eyebrows. "Hey? Did Auston speak on top of recording? Whatnguage is that? Was it Chinese? Was that Angel''s name?" Without giving them time to react, the voice spoke again. "Qi Mu." The man repeated, carefully, solemnly. Qi Mu''s hand on the record yer''s arm froze. He returned to his senses but still couldn''t figure out what was going on. Why did Min Chen record his voice? Why did he keep repeating his name. . . ? A strange emotion surged in his heart, and Qi Mu''s fingers clenched. He almost understood, but it quickly escaped his grasp. Qi Mu didn''t realize it was this hesitation that prevented him from stopping the record. "Qi Mu. . ." "I like you." The young man''s eyes widened. He instinctively lifted the arm and removed the needle from the record. In his two seconds of hesitation, the pleasant voice already reverberated in the lounge. Farrell heard it clearly. Even if it was in Chinese, Farrell had been to Huaxia more times than he could count in the past 40 or 50 years of his music career. He couldn''t understandplicated words after such a long time, but he could speak simple greetings like "Hello" and "Good Morning." And among what he understood. . . The phrase that expressed love in such a simple sentence¡ª¡ª ¡ºI like you.¡» The maestro, who was always gentle and ever-steady, looked at the youth beside the record yer in a daze. After a long while, he asked, ". . . Angel. . . That, what Auston said. . . Does he like you?" The young man before him had his head tilted down. He turned his face toward the wall. From that angle, Farrell couldn''t see that the young man''s eyebrows were knitted and his lips were pursed. But, his ears were red, almost dripping blood. The blush spread to his cheeks until his whole face was scarlet. Qi Mu''s heart pounded in his chest, his face burned and his fingers trembled as he moved the record yer''s arm away. The whole world was covered in a veil, and his ears felt waterlogged. Even Farrell''s voice seemed far away. The only thing he heard¡ª¡ª ¡ºI like you.¡» It echoed in his ears. This. . . What the. . . What the heck was going on?! Just now. . . What he heard just now. . . What exactly was that?! Qi Mu kept trying to hypnotize himself. Though, there was no way he could have misheard at such a close distance, not with his ears. Farrell''s exmation fished him out of his thoughts. "Good heavens! Reed!!! Auston confessed to Angel!!!" In an instant, the ¡¾Little Angel''s Violin Room¡¿ group chat exploded. Min Chen: ¡¾. . .¡¿ Daniel: ¡¾Ah?!!!!!¡¿ Daniel: ¡¾Ah?!!!!!¡¿ Reed: ¡¾Damn it, Auston!!! You really eyed my lovely student!!! You devil!!!¡¿
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

Pffffffffffft.

Ayn:

*rolling on the floorughing* I want to see Min Chen¡¯s face!

Empress:

Oh my god. I''m dying.

Bet:

Can I sink in a hole? I don''t think I''ve ever been this embarrassed in my life.
Chapter 94
There was a flightless bird in the vastnd of Africa. Because they couldn''t fly and, thus, were unable to escape to the sky, whenever they were in danger, this bird would bury its head in the sand and pretend that nothing happened. This was the Ostrich. Farrell had traveled all over the world in his career, so of course, he had seen one before. But currently, he was surprised. "Angel, why are you more like an ostrich than an actual ostrich. . ." Qi Mu: ". . ." Qi Mu followed Farrell to Dresden three days after that "surprise deration." In those three days, Qi Mu didn''t mention a word about it. He even ignored text messages and phone calls from a certain person. If not for the fact that Farrell also heard it and his ears hadn''t deteriorated to that extent, even he would have doubted that he had heard the confession correctly. Fortunately, he didn''t dissolve the ¡¾Little Angel Practice Room¡¿ group chat, so he was sure it had happened, judging by the on-going curses Reed chanted daily! Although he wasn''t a Britain-born gentleman who wouldn''t talk about anything even if he saw it, born as a romantic and open French, Farrell was by no means homophobic. Even though there weren''t many homosexuals in the ssical music industry, they were not exactly umon. And if he really was homophobic, there wouldn''t be any in his orchestra. Looking at the youth''s red cheeks, Farrell smiled and said while thinking it''s so nice being young, "Forget it, it''s a matter of the youth. I don''t mind. Angel, you''re the shyest child I''ve ever seen. So cute!" Qi Mu didn''t lift his head and continued to pack up his violin without a word. "Fortunately, Reed has been so busytely that he has no time to deal with it. Otherwise, I believe that. . . he really won''t sit by idly.¡± Farrell set down his cup of coffee and smiled at the young man opposite him. "But Angel, my thoughts differ from that of Reed''s. In my opinion, although Auston is a bit cold, he is a worthy man. He is very dedicated, so if you have some feelings for him. . . don''t let the chance slip by." Qi Mu buried his head even lower, only letting Farrell see a bit of his chin from across the table. The maestroughed and said nothing more. Before long, Mrs. Lewis came in carrying several tes of fried eggs and ham and ced it on the table. Although she didn''t know what happened, it didn''t prevent her from falling in love with this beautiful, lovely child at first sight. "Angel, would you like more ham? You''re so thin, that won''t do!" Qi Mu nodded, head still hung low and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Audrey." Then, he went to the other side of the table and began today''s breakfast. Since Farrell himself invited Qi Mu to Dresden, there was no way he would leave him in a hotel. As one of the world''s top four conductors, Farrell Lewis certainly wasn¡¯t short of money. But his house wasn''t something you could call luxurious. He lived in a building of about a hundred apartments. When Qi Mu arrived, Mrs. Audrey loved him so much that she often made delicious meals and was very considerate towards him. In such an environment, Qi Mu''s life became very routine, going out with Farrell everyday for sightseeing anding back at night. And justst night, Farrell invited him to the next Dresden Symphony Orchestra''s concert. This made Qi Mu feel honored but also fired him up at the same time. All in all, this trip to Dresden was enjoyable. Of course, if Farrell didn''t talk about "that" every day. . . Qi Mu might be even happier. In Europe, ck-haired, ck-eyed Asians were conspicuous. Especially ones that were gorgeous. The longest to pursue Qi Mu in his past life was Luo Yu Sen. It took him three years to move Qi Mu and, at that time, he decided to live in harmony with him for the rest of their lives. However, among all the confessions, when Qi Mu heard that man''s simple¡ª¡ª "I like you," he blushed so hard, and his heart elerated so much he couldn''t ignore it. Qi Mu''s exnation to himself was, "Well, it must be because it''s Min Chen. That must be it. . . Yes, I have worshipped Min Chen for over a decade so that must be why. . ." On this side, Xiao Qi continued acting like an ostrich while on the other side. . . Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra was in full swing. It was unknown who leaked the news, but in a matter of two or three days, almost everyone in Bai Ai knew¡ª¡ª "The conductor likes someone!" The rumor spread and soon, it turned into¡ª¡ª "The conductor likes Little Seven from the other day!" A few hourster¡ª¡ª "Every time he was on the phone, it was actually Little Seven!" The morning of the third day¡ª¡ª "Good heavens! The conductor]''s actually already proposed to him!!!" Although the orchestra discussed it in private, and there were even some bets going on as to when their great Mr. Bertram was going to put an end to his diamond-bachelor status, on the surface, they still practiced diligently every day to prepare for the next season''s performance. And now, their conference room was the freezing Pacific Ocean. A handsome, indifferent man sat in a ck chair, staring nkly ahead. On his right hand was a Rainier grey-gem fountain pen. He turned the delicate, beautiful pen between his slender fingers, the afterimage twirling like a flower. In addition to ying piano, these hands could make even the simplest act of turning a pen appear graceful. Opposite him at the conference table, Daniel raised his hands in surrender and said, "Min! You must believe me! I really, really didn''t tell anyone about you and Little Angel! You must believe me! I really didn''t tell anyone! If I really did. . . Then I will be baldter! No! I''ll be bald tomorrow!!!" Christole, beside him, couldn''t help butugh. Min Chen nced at Daniel casually, but it made the blond tremble, bing cold/, and he shrank his neck fearfully. After a long while, Min Chen spoke tly, "You really want to shave your head?" Daniel couldn''t respond for a moment, "¡­Eh? What?" Christole kindly exined, "I think what Auston meant was you really will be bald now. After all. . . if it wasn''t you, then who?" Daniel was immediately dissatisfied, "Min! We''ve known each other for more than ten years, do you really think I''m that kind of person? Watching my good brother who''s expected to be a bachelor all his life finding a person he likes, would I really disturb your pursuit? This is absolutely impossible! It wasn''t me!" Min Chen nced at Daniel, and Christole took the chance to say, "Daniel, you might not have told people directly but what about, like. . . Did you talk about it over the phone, in a conversation, or something in a public space?" Daniel immediately retorted, "Who can I talk to about this? Only Angel, Min, Mister Farrell, and Professor Akkad know this, it''s impossible for them. . . Ah. . ." Daniel choked on his words and stopped talking. Christole just smiled and asked, "So, who did you call?" After a moment, Daniel burst into tears, "Min! I really didn''t mean to. . . If I hadn''t blocked Professor Akkad''s phone, how could you happily chat with Angel every day? Even though it doesn''t look like he''s been replying to you. . . But I did that for you!!!" Min Chen: ". . ." Christole: ". . ." After repeated vows to repent, Min Chen was toozy to listen to this broken-mouthed idiot. At a signal of his eyes, Christole smiled and left the room, leaving the two to solve their conflict. Daniel instinctively wanted to run away. But before his legs could even take a step, the door closed with a "click." He heard the other man''s low voice, "Stand up." Daniel''s back was drenched with sweat, and he turned his head with a dry smile, "Haha. . . Min. . ." Min Chen stared at Daniel, not that far away, and his expression grew more and more solemn. After a while, he sighed and asked, "That Luo Yu Sen thing. . . did you get anything?" Daniel straightened up at once, his face expressionless. He nodded solemnly and sat in the chair nearest to Min Chen. "He''s a little slippery. Someone over there in Vienna sent me a message just this morning. I think. . . it''s important." There was a faint sh in Min Chen''s eyes, and he nodded, indicating for Daniel to continue. Outside the window, the Berlin sky was bright and blue, and in Dresden, a few hundred miles apart, Qi Mu carried his violin case into the Dresden Symphony Orchestra''s rehearsal hall. This is the first time he would work with the world''s oldest symphony orchestra. He had been just an observer the past two days, but now, he really was¡ª¡ª Participating.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Ayn, Bet
Chapter 95
Germany, bordered by both the North and Baltic Seas, was a rigorous gentleman''s country. As a world-renowned industrial ce with a poption of fewer than 100 million people, it was quite prosperous. In its east-central region resided a beautiful, bewitching city named Dresden. The Elbe River flowed through Dresden like a silver belt, giving the city the nickname Florence. At dusk, magnificent clouds floated upward, glowing over the river. Dresden Symphony Orchestra was the most outstanding representative orchestra in the city. Throughout Germany, perhaps only the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra hadparable strength and fame. Anyone who visited Dresden had to find an opportunity to listen to the orchestra''s opera and enjoy their 400 years of history. Yes, opera. Unlike many others, the Dresden Symphony Orchestra performed in opera format for most of their concerts. Symphony and opera were intimate friends. Symphony provided moving music for opera while the opera gave innumerable inspiration to the symphony. Many orchestras performed together with a troupe at an opera house, but in most cases, they yed a grand symphony concert by themselves in a concert hall. The Dresden Symphony Orchestra was an exception. For example, they would perform Mozart''s most famous opera ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· at the local opera house, Semperoper for their evening event next month. Qi Mu didn''t have much opportunity to touch opera symphonies in the past, but ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· was just too famous that he couldn''t ignore it even if he wanted to. Farrell used his position as chief conductor and music director to open the back door for Qi Mu to perform with the Dresden Symphony Orchestra as a member of the first violin group. Concertmaster? Naturally, that was impossible. This opera''s concertmaster was a Norwegian violinist in her early thirties, Jenny Achilles. While studying at the Munich Conservatory of Music, Qi Mu also listened to the Dresden Symphony Orchestra, but the concertmaster then was not this seemingly delicate, thin woman. So when he came to the orchestra, he officially met the beautifuldy for the first time. Now that Farrell had decided on ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· as their repertoire, the orchestra began rehearsing fervently. Qi Mu remembered that when he first came to the orchestra, he was sitting in the third row, staring at the youngdy sitting at the front of the lines in surprise. . . . Can a woman so soft and beautiful y ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· well? Qi Mu thought this to himself, but who would expect, after the performance was over, the music left him speechless. Although Mozart''s ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· was a fairy tale, there were many points of conflict such as escape scenes, revenge, and battle. . . This variety was presented in the singing, and the symphony music had to show its vigor. Qi Mu finally understood why Farrell liked the soft-spoken young violinist so much. When Jenny pulled her bow, she could showcase the force and anger. It was evenparable to the famous midnight soprano aria in ¡¶The Magic Flute¡·. Of course, it''s not that Qi Mu thought he couldn''t express the same momentum, butpared to Jenny, he had less exposure to opera and wouldn''t be as skillful. As a result, if you want topare which was better than the other. . . "Well, I''m still worse than Jenny," Qi Mu could only smile and sigh. But privately, Jenny didn''t think this was the case. When she first saw Qi Mu, she shook his hand excitedly and with great joy. Her pale cheeks were tinted red when she said, "Oh my God, are you the Angel Mr. Farrell often talks about? I really like your music!!" Qi Mu was surprised, but before he could respond, Jenny''s continued, "Since Mr. Farrell let me listen to your ¡¶Violin Sonata in D major¡·, I listen to it once a day. You yed really well!" Qi Mu''s eyebrows involuntarily arched high, and he began to recall. . . When mentioning ¡¶Violin Sonata in D major¡·, several pieces came to mind. But when it came to ones he both yed and recorded, there was only one. . . "The ¡¶D major¡· you yed is the best version I''ve ever heard! Mr. Bertram''s music has always been difficult. I liked this piece very much, but I can''t y as great as you did, mine was much worse. Can you guide me, Angel?" Qi Mu: ". . ." It really was that one! Qi Mu''s smile was stiff, and he opened his mouth to reply, but before he could utter a single word, Jenny''s head tilted down shyly, and she whispered, "Actually. . . I admire Mr. Bertram very much, and although he asionally visits the orchestra, I''m too shy to say much. I heard that. . . Well, I heard you know him well, so. . . Can you tell me what kind of a person Mr. Bertram is, Angel?" Qi Mu: ". . ." After a while, Qi Mu''s lips curled up, and he gently smiled, "Jenny, in fact. . . I''m not that familiar with Mr. Bertram either. But if you want me to say something about him. . ." Here, Qi Mu paused and after a moment of hesitation, "He''s. . . very talented." Jenny was disappointed by this standard street evaluation and nodded listlessly. But soon, she got excited again. She looked directly at Qi Mu and said, "Angel! Since you can get in touch with Mr. Bertram, how could you not know him? Let me tell you something." Qi Mu never expected this kind of development. Before he could stop it, the concertmaster of the Dresden Symphony Orchestra was already chatting excitedly with her eyes wide, "Mr. Bertram is really a gentleman. I first met him at Leipzig College. . ." "Oh, yeah, you didn''t know this. I studied at the same college! But unfortunately, when I was half a year in, Mr. Bertram had already graduated ahead of schedule. . ." On the afternoon of his first visit to Germany, Qi Mu was forced to listen to the lovely Jenny''s renderings of "the great Mr. Bertram" she had known for years the whole time. In Jenny''s words, Mr. Bertram was quite the very, very talented maestro! In Leipzig Conservatory''s annual assessment, the then 16-years old maestro didn''t participate. Not because he wasn''t qualified for it. . . But because a few years before, he had already won first ce in Xiao Sai with full marks. It would hurt the students'' heart to let him participate. Being talented was not enough! Mr. Bertram was also very graceful! Every time he visited, he would thoughtfully bring the members Berlin''s delicacies. Although he looked serious, he was meticulous and considerate. . . . There were countless urrences. Listening to it going on and on, Qi Mu even doubted¡ª¡ª That awkward, stingy, vengeful, poisonous tongued, and ck-bellied man with a good face that he knew. . . Most important of all that fear of bugs, was this really the man named "Auston Bertram"? All in all, until time for thest rehearsal, Jenny kept instilling "Mr. Bertram is a handsome, gentlemanly, elegant and talented man. . ." propaganda in Qi Mu''s mind. It was hard to make the loyal Bertram fan leave. A member of the orchestra patted Qi Mu''s left shoulder with feeling and sighed, "Angel, Jenny is. . . She adores Mr. Bertram so much even her husband is jealous." Qi Mu: ". . ." After a while, Qi Mu asked helplessly, "In fact, Mark, why do you call me Angel? My English name is. . ." "Ah?! Isn''t your name Angel? Mr. Farrell has been talking about you non-stop for half a year, saying¡ª¡ª ''I met a lovely Angel in Huaxia. His violin was very touching'' and so on." Qi Mu: ". . ." Sure enough, Farrell wasmitted to creating ck history for him forever. And He. Would. Not. Stop! Even allowed to join the Dresden Symphony Orchestra as a temporary violinist through the back door, Qi Mu doubted him again, Mr. Farrell. . . is this true love? Or is this really hate? After pondering for a long while, Qi Mu found a suitable description for Farrell: "Well, he''s both ck (hate) and pink (affection)." . . . In this way, Qi Mu officially joined the orchestra early his third day in Dresden and began rehearsing for the opera concert next month. Over here, a silver ne from Berlinnded at Paris'' Charles de Gaulle International Airport. A man whose phone calls had been hung up on 22 times in a row and had 53 texts ignored finally couldn''t resist rushing over from Berlin to ask in person. But when he stood in front of the door with a que that read, "Reed Akkad," and knocked for 20 minutes, he never got a response¡ª¡ª Min Chen: ". . ." After a while, Dn, who had just bought a hamburger, saw the man standing in the corridor with an unhappy face. He was so frightened that his burger fell to the floor, and he eximed, "My God! Mr. Bertram?! Why are you suddenly here?!" Min Chen: ". . ." A whileter, the man coughed softly and said inly, "I have something. . . I left something here, so I came to get it." What were the words Qi Mu used before? Good face! How could the great Auston Bertram with a good face say directly that, "I''ve been ignored by my loved one for three days, so I decided to block the door in person"? But Dn, a fool, didn''t think much of it. He nodded and said, "That''s why. . . But Mr. Bertram, didn''t Angel followed Mr. Farrell to Dresden? Why did youe to Paris to see him? Eh. . . Aren''t you friends? Didn''t he tell you?!" Min Chen: ". . ." After a while, the cool, elegant man lifted his chin and calmly replied, "Oh, he told me, but I forgot for a moment." Dn: ". . ." He was a bit dense, but he wasn''t stupid, okay. . . Mr. Bertram!
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Bet
Chapter 96
Although Qi Mu was only a temporary member of the first violin group, for a top orchestra like this, any small change was vital. Qi Mu wasn''t familiar with ¡¶The Magic Flute¡·, so he made a few slight mistakes in the early rehearsals. Fortunately, he responded quickly and was also a quick learner. Using his absolute pitch to memorize each of the sounds in the orchestra, Qi Mu was basically starved for the chance to y by the third rehearsal. The days Qi Mu experienced with Farrell were good ones. His gentleness was akin to that of the spring breeze, and he was unbiased towards everyone. It was no wonder this man was voted No. 3 in the most mild-tempered conductor world poll. It was not that Farrell wasn''t gentle enough, it''s just that. . . Boswell, who ranked first, and Dorenza, in second, was so powerful Farrell could only sit at third ce. This left a deep impression on Qi Mu who had survived ten years in the heat of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. These days, he really understood the differences between conductors! For example, during the afternoon rehearsal today, a member of the trumpet group yed the wrong note. If this was Vienna, well. . . the poor sap would have been chewed out by Evra until he wouldn''t even dare lift his head. But at Dresden? Farrell waited until the section was over before smiling at the erred member and gently said, "Oh, Kenny, you''re too nervous. You''ve yed well all this time, so rx and pay attention to the pitch. You''ll do better next time." You see, there was nothing topare here between Evra and Farrell. Of course, Qi Mu had now cooperated with the world''s top three best-tempered conductors. If such achievements were to beid out on the Danube forum, it would be a perfect anecdote and soon be the hottest post of the day. But what Qi Mu didn''t expect was by the end of the day, he would hear Evra''s name. At that time, Qi Mu was packing his violin case when he overheard the wind group''s discussion¡ª¡ª "Well, Cookeined again today that Mr. Evra is so cruel." "Cooke''s condition is a bit offtely, so it''s normal for Mr. Evra to say something. At least Mr. Evra is frank, even though he scolds you, he guides you. Unlike Mr. Bertram, even if he doesn''t say a word, people will tremble. . ." "Don''t say it. Mayer posted anonymously on the Danube forum at noon saying Mr. Bertram is on leave today. Christole led the afternoon rehearsal." "Oh! What a happy event, Christole has a good temper!" . . . When these words reached Qi Mu''s ears, he was so surprised his eyebrows furrowed. Although. . . although Min Chen was awkward, stingy, vengeful, had a poisonous tongue, was ck-bellied with a good face and a bit afraid of bugs, was his temper really so bad? Generally speaking, he was a kind person. After all, the things Jenny said about Bertram. . . "Hey! What are you talking about?! Mr. Bertram is very kind and considerate, isn''t he a gentleman?! Don''t talk nonsense here!" Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Well, before he could remember the exact words, the person who uttered them appeared first. The group didn''t know whether to tearfullyughing while apologizing to the "guardian" Jenny. The old men were forced to flee by the young woman. Jenny was sullen for a while but suddenly remembered the reason she was there. The female yaksha abruptly smiled. Though she wasn''t beautiful, her smile was friendly and made her approachable. But right now, Qi Mu. . . couldn''t associate this woman with a kind smile to that yaksha just now. Jenny went over to Qi Mu and said with a smile, "Angel, I came because Mr. Farrell asked for you." Qi Mu was about to leave at once, and she smiled again, "Go straight ahead, I''ll help with your stuff. It looks like Mr. Farrell wanted to say a word or two, so it shouldn''t be long." Qi Mu smiled and said, "Okay. Thank you, Jenny." In the rehearsal hall, a handsome young man walked ahead toward the conductor''s lounge behind the stage. Behind him, the female violinist sat on a chair, watching over his violin case and phone. It took him three minutes to walk to the backstage from the hall. The maestro told Qi Mu that he and his wife, Audrey, were going out tonight to have a candlelight dinner and share a romantic, warm world for only the two of them. Since it was a two-person world, of course, one couldn''t bring a giant light bulb along. So he gave him the key, telling him to go back alone and eat something on the way. Qi Mu naturally agreed. Although the fact that Farrell and Audrey were in their sixties but still regrly went out on a date together every week was somewhat unexpected, their love of more than 40 years made him slightly envious. The vibrant sunset shone through the stained-ss window making the ss looked even more dazzling. Qi Mu walked alone down the long corridor. For some reason, he suddenly stopped in front of the tall Gothic-style window and stared at it in a daze. Over 40 years of love. . . When put together, it didn''t seem much inparison to the years he had lived. Why was he suddenly a bit envious? If he could be with Min for 40 years. . . His light eyes opened wide, and he was stunned, standing frozen in the same ce. He couldn''t believe the fact that name just popped up in his mind. There wasn''t a single movement in the corridor for quite a while. It wasn''t until a small, ck bird perched on a branch of a tree outside pped its wings and flew away that Qi Mu was suddenly awakened from his reverie, and he clenched his fist. He once again continued toward the rehearsal hall. His shocked expression had already returned to normal as if nothing happened. Qi Mu had just stepped into the rehearsal hall when he heard the familiar ringtone of his mobile phone before he could even spot Jenny. He used ¡¶Concerto in E minor¡· as his ringtone until a few months ago when he changed it to Paganini''s ¡¶La Campane¡· yed by himself. So when the melody rang out, he knew it was his phone. Qi Mu hastened his pace, but before he coulde close, he heard a sudden cry, "My God! Min. . .Chen?! That''s Mr. Bertram''s Chinese name!" Qi Mu suddenly had a bad feeling. His steps quickened, but just 10 meters away, he heard Jenny''s voice again, "Ah. . . Mr. Bertram? Well, I''m not Angel. I''m Jenny, Jenny from Dresden. . . Ah, Angel? Angel was called by Mr. Farrell just now, and he needed me to. . . Ah! Mr. Bertram, Angel is back! Do you want me to give him the phone?" Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± What was the Chinese saying again? Escape on the first day but can''t hide on the fifteenth. Facing Jenny''s expression full of expectation and excitement, Qi Mu could only sigh softly and take over the phone. Setting it to his ear, Qi Mu hadn''t yet spoken when he heard the maic voice through the speaker¡ª¡ª "Qi Mu." Time suddenly shed back to three days ago. It was this voice and intonation that gently said the same two words while the vinyl rotated. Qi Mu was stunned for a while. After the other man repeated his name, he let out a bitter, helplessugh and answered, "Well. . . I''m here." Over the past three days, Qi Mu had ignored dozens of text messages and countless phone calls from this man. Now that he heard the man''s voice again, it felt like a century had passed. On the other side of the line, Min Chen was silent for a while before whispering, "I''m in Paris." Qi Mu understood the meaning of his words in an instant. He was frozen for a moment before replying automatically, "I''m in Dresden?" "Well." The man answered. There was the sound of a car passing by, it sounded like Min Chen was walking. He then continued, "I''ve been very busytely. Dresden is close to Berlin, but, in the next week, I might not have time to spare." Qi Mu didn''t know how to answer. He could only hum as a reply. For a while, neither of them spoke. Qi Mu could only listen to the winding from the speaker, and suddenly, he heard a familiar bell chime, bright and clear. With a sh of inspiration, Qi Mu asked, "Where exactly in Paris are you?" "I''m at your house, downstairs." After a pause, Min Chen''s voice contained a slight smile, "You''re not at home, the window is dark. It''s only two floors. . . I should be able to climb up." Qi Mu finally couldn''t stop himself fromughing. He could imagine the man with a very good face casually climbing up the window of his house and being caught by the police or neighbors but still calmly exining it away as he just forgot his keys. Well, there''s no doubt this man would do such a thing. "Didn''t you own a house in Paris? It''ste now, don''t climb my window if you''re not going back to Berlin today. I locked the door and windows when I left." The joke made Qi Mu''s tight nerves rxed. He thought for a while and said, "If you''re hungry, the croissants from the bakery you like across the street are good. The boss is German. You can talk to him for a while." Over there, it seemed Min Chen had started walking again. Qi Mu heard the whirring sound of wind blowing, then Min Chen''s spoke again, "What''s the name of the bakery?" This time, Min Chen spoke fluent German instead of Mandarin. Qi Mu automatically replied, "1iebedin??" But as soon as his voice fell, Qi Mu realized what he had said. In an instant, a red flush spread across the youth''s fair cheeks. Qi Mu quickly reached out to cover his face and whispered, embarrassed, "The owner is German, and the shop''s name. . . that. Well, I have something to do here. I can''t talk to you, see youter." After that, Qi Mu hang up in a hurry without waiting for the other man''s response. At this moment, he could feel his cheeks burning, and he had yet to recover from the impact of the words he just said. But when Qi Mu looked up, Jenny with startled eyes wide waited for him, "My God! Angel, did I mishear?! Did you just say ''1ebedih'' to Mr. Bertram?! It turns out. . . you guys are in that rtionship!" When Qi Mu spoke to Min Chen before, they used Mandarin which naturally, Jenny couldn''t understand even a word of. But the phrase "1iebedih" was the only thing she did understand and that shocked her to the point she couldn''t pick her jaw off the floor. Qi Mu: ". . .No! Jenny, listen to me. There''s a bakery named that near my house. Really!" Jenny shook her head and said incredulously, "But, Angel, since it''s a bakery in Paris, why is the name German?" Qi Mu immediately responded in defense, "Jenny, that''s because the owner is German, so he named his shop in German." Jenny looked at Qi Mu with disbelieving eyes, but her mouth still said, "Okay, Angel, I see. Near your house, there''s a bakery named ''1iebedih'' whose owner, though German, ran to Paris to open the bakery and named it ''1iebedih''. I see. Rest assured, Angel, I won''t tell anyone." Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Ich liebe dich¡£ In German, it meant I love you. Then. . . Liebe dich? Yes¡ª¡ªlove you.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Author:

XD Min Chen is so bad! I''m gonna beat you to death!

Kuro:

So. . . that sh of inspiration Qi Mu just had. . . Was that a yes? Stay tuned to find out lol
Chapter 97
Luckily for Qi Mu, Jenny wasn''t that loud of a speaker. The next day, he was busy tuning his violin before the next rehearsal when Jenny sat beside him. She shed a smile that said, "I understand, you know. I''ll keep your secret," after sending him a fervent look. Qi Mu: ". . ." Even though you say that, you don''t understand anything! Ah! When a professional orchestra began rehearsal, all members had to focus. They couldn''t be distracted. Even Qi Mu, whose thoughts wavered, pinned all of his attention on Farrell''s everymand. Someymen may think the conductor was just someone that stood at the podium and gestured around, having little to no effect on the y itself. He didn''t need to y, nor did he need to shoot a video. He simply gestured, waving his arms around. What exactly did a conductor do? In fact, the conductor was the orchestra''s soul. The stage was the best ce to experience music. Standing at the front, the conductor could hear every sound and could adjust and blend them together into something masterful. The conductor decided the style, the rhythm, and how to salvage every unavoidable mistake. Farrell stood at the podium with his hands raised. They dropped, and the orchestra fell silent. Then, he turned to the first violin group at his left and raised his left hand gently. A silvery, soft melody filled the air. Although Qi Mu wasn''t concertmaster or deputy concertmaster, Farrell gave him a good spot to see the conductor''s movements for himself. Qi Mu had served as concertmaster in the past with B City''s Symphony Orchestra. This was the first time he would perform with a high-level orchestra since returning to Europe. The youth''s slender fingers danced along the fingerboard, and he along with the other members of the group pulled their bows like the flutter of a butterfly''s wings. A fierce struggle soon churned in the air above the stage. A momentter, the wind instruments roared. The melody grew in power, followed by the entire orchestra, and the fierce rhythm resonated throughout the entire rehearsal hall. Each note in ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· conveyed the tension, fear, hatred, and suspense belonging to the opera. Aside from the two minor errors on the first day, Qi Mu hadn''t had any problems. When practice ended, and everyone took their afternoon tea break, Farrell waved his hand. He asked, hesitating, "Angel. . . can you distinguish each individual instrument in the orchestra?" Though he hadn''t expected the question, Qi Mu understood why it was asked, so he answered, "Yes, Mr. Farrell. My sense of sound is good. I can hear each of them." Farrell looked at the youth with a conflicted gaze. The spotlight overhead shone on the youth''s ck hair. Although his eyes were slightly hidden by his hair, it made his facial features stand out even more. Farrell knew from the moment he nicknamed him "Angel". . . That this youth was a lovely child. But now, he hesitated some on the child''s future. Farrell sighed, "Angel, my perfect pitch was honed day by day with experience. Though I can hear every instrument and the musician that ys them, I will never be able to pick out a newly reced string like Auston." After a pause, he continued, "Auston''s ability was given by God, not acquired. If you''d like, I can ept you as my student. I think. . . even Auston would be happy to ept you as his student." Qi Mu froze. Only then did he understand what Farrell meant. He shook his head and smiled. "Mr. Farrell, I understand what you mean, but. . . I don''t want that. I like the violin, and I don''t want to do anything else. Besides. . ." He looked up. "Mr. Farrell, do you think, if I became a conductor. . . could I defeat Min Chen?" Farrell was stunned. He smiled. Then he shook his head. "That''s too difficult, Angel. You are talented, but I have never been able to understand Auston. And. . . you''re ten years younger than him." Qi Mu asked a second question, "Then, do you think. . . I could create a piece better than ¡¶Wandering¡·?" ¡¶Wandering¡· was Min Chen''s most ssic masterpiece. Because of its difficult technique and profound connotation, the piano sonata became popr at pianopetitions. Farrell shook his head again. "A good piece needs not only talent but inspiration. Even Auston himself doesn''t know if he could create another ¡¶Wandering¡·." Farrell was no longer reluctant. "Angel, I''m d you have your own goal, and I support you on your path. From the first time I heard your ¡¶Liang Zhu¡· in Huaxia''s S City, I knew you''d be great in the future." This was the first time Qi Mu heard Farrell mention that time from so long ago. Eyes wide with surprise, he said, "Thank you, Mr. Farrell, but I still need to work harder." A brilliant smile as warm as a spring breeze lit the child''s face. It evenforted Farrell, and he couldn''t help but exim, "Oh! Angel, I''ve always thought giving you such an apt name was the best thing I''ve ever done!" Qi Mu: ". . ." "Whenever I go somewhere, I can''t help but say¡ª¡ª''Hey, in the magicalnd of Huaxia, far in the East, I met a lovely Angel whose violin is so beautiful I can''t help but be moved''!" Qi Mu: ". . ." "Look, Angel! I can''t wait to show you off to my friends!" Qi Mu: ". . ." He asked, reluctantly, "Mr. Farrell, if I may ask. . . which masters have you spoken to about me?" Qi Mu grit his teeth in wait, but Farrell didn''t notice. The older musician smiled, "Boswell from New York, Dorenza in Vienna, and that Zayev from the BBC in the UK. . ." At the familiar list of names, the stiff smile on Qi Mu''s face became even more difficult to maintain. That was basically saying¡ª¡ª This ck-pink fan! Of course, now it didn''t look like a fan at all, but a ck fan (anti-fan) as ck as a sesame seed!!! The Dresden Symphony Orchestra had such intense rehearsals for the Opera Concert that summer. Vienna, however, was entering its calm hibernation. Except for the asional small concert in some theater or another, few maestros performed solo concerts. The hot sun shone out of the clear blue, hot enough steam billowed from the earth. On the first floor of a small two-story building near the center of the city, a window screen was pulled shut tight, not a glimmer of light allowed entry. The room was so messy one couldn''t bear looking inside directly. Materials of all kinds were sprawled everywhere, and there were papers even nailed to the wall. At a table in the middle of the room, a man with messy hair stared at a stack of papers on the table, frustrated almost to the point of copse. "My God. . . What the hell is going on with this thing? Why is it impossible to find out who bailed him out of prison?!" "Damn it," The man whispered to himself, "It can''t be his parents. They''re ordinary people, they don''t have that much ability. . . Who the hell was it!" The man broke down again. Just as he went to pick up his clothes to go out and search for more evidence, his assistant knocked on the door. Pushing it open, the assistant whispered, "Mr. Charles, a letter for you." Charles, one of Vienna''s famous private detectives, was surprised. "Mine?" he asked, "Where did ite from?" The assistant shook his head. "There''s no stamp. It was stuffed in the mailbox. Would you like to see it?" Despite having seen every sort of danger, Charles took the letter and opened it. It was impossible for such a thin letter to contain explosives or sulphuric acid. Puzzled, Charles looked at the white paper containing only a single line of an address. "Strange. . . There''s only one line of address, it''s really. . ." Charles'' words halted when he saw the name on the paper. The other side of the paper bore only amon Chinese name. Although it was only three characters, it was enough to surprise Charles. Those three words were¡ª¡ªLuo Yu Sen.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet
Chapter 98
Dresden was one of Germany''s best-known tourist cities. Its music center, Semperoper, was would-famous. The solemn, sacred-looking opera house, the Zwinger Pce, and Dresden Frauenkirche were called Dresden''s "three tourist mas." Qi Mu yed an adapted version of the opera ¡¶Des Knaben Wunderhorn¡· at his audition for the New York Philharmonic''s Orchestra''spetition in Hong Kongst year. At the time, he also admitted that he rarely listened to opera and knew very little about them. Therefore, when the opera troupe first joined the rehearsals, Qi Mu couldn''t adjust right away. It took a few rehearsals together before he got used to it. During the two weeks of intense rehearsal, Qi Mu experienced first-hand exactly how a three-hour opera came into being. This included the stage prop production, the opera singers'' positions, and even the detailed lighting arrangement. There was no suchplicated process for a symphony concert. Qi Mu only needed to rehearse carefully and perform wlessly in the concert to have a sessful ending. But opera wasn''t that simple. After he went home with Farrell, Qi Mu would borrow the man''s books to study every day. In this regard, Audrey felt it was a bit iprehensible. She often made snacks for the young man who stayed upte in the study and once asked him, "Angel, since you don''t intend to make a career in opera, then why. . . read all these books? These are all opera symphonies." Her words made Qi Mu lift his gaze from the book packed with German words. He looked up and smiled at the kinddy. He answered, "Mrs. Audrey, we Chinese have an old saying that says it''s never toote to learn. There''s still a lot I don''t know, so I hope to enrich myself as much as I can." When the appreciation in Mrs. Audrey''s gaze grew, Qi Mu blinked and asked, "And. . . Do you think I will ever have the opportunity to see such precious materials as in this study in the future? There are so many treasures here that I just want to steal them all away." "Oh! Angel, you''re wee to visit anytime. You''re such a sweet and lovely child!" Such an answer clearly pleased Audrey and, to Farrell, Qi Mu gave another reason for reading those books, "Mr. Farrell, Min Chen gave me a rtively novel idea to adapt opera pieces to symphonyst year." When talking about this, Qi Mu couldn''t help but smile, "However, though he had experimented with this, it seemed as if he had never put it into practice, so. . . I wanted to collect more information and try to iron out the kinks." Farrell''s interest was also piqued by this. "Oh? I''ve heard of this, but I didn''t realize Auston hadn''t given up yet. Angel, I support your decision." Qi Mu smiled, "Then, Mr. Farrell. . . can you exin something to me?" Qi Mu pushed the book in his hands toward Farrell. The two had a little Q&A in the quiet study for the next hour or so. Pen in hand, Qi Mu constantly jotted down notes. When all of his inquiries were answered more or less, Farrell took a look at his beautiful handwriting and said, "Angel, I already thought it was amazing you speak German so fluently, but I never expected. . . you could also write it so beautifully!" Qi Mu closed his book and replied, "Mr. Farrell, I enrolled in German sses while I was in Paris. Because my foundation in Latin is good, I learned quickly." Farrell nodded gently but, after a while, he couldn''t help but say, "But Angel, your handwriting is really beautiful! You see, I''m never good at calligraphy. Fortunately, I only need to draw tadpoles whenposing, so I don''t need to pay much attention to my writing. Otherwise, I''d be upset." After a pause, Farrell suddenly thought, "Oh, yeah. I don''t know if you''ve ever seen Auston''s handwriting. That fellow''s handwriting is so beautiful, I don''t know how he manages it." It wasn''t the first time he heard that name today, so Qi Mu only smiled and didn''t say a word. Since he inadvertently answered Min Chen''s phone call that day, Qi Mu once again ignored the man for over a week. The sentence "liebe dich" was like a thorn pierced deep in his heart, making it impossible for Qi Mu to ignore it. . . . That man actually dared to trick him?! Then he would just not answer the phone and cut the evil right from the source. Qi Mu didn''t know while he was leisurely and happily enjoying his time in peace as if isted from the world, over here, the members of Bai Ai spent the days in fear. They began to regret how they foolishly entered Bai Ai with tears in their eyes. They swear! They really didn''t spread the rumor the conductor was getting married next month! How could they say such an abominable thing?! It was a rumor, like the rumors that said they asked their friends to vote for their conductor for "the conductor with the worst temper" poll. It really was just a rumor! But Little Angel. . . when can you give our conductor a call? We''re freezing to death here, ah! Didn''t you say you''ll call him everyday?! Angel, you little liar! Of course, God is always fair. Qi Mu bowed to collect his pen and notebook, but before he could pick them up, suddenly, he heard Farrell let out a single "oh," appearing to have thought of something while staring at him in surprise. The grey-haired maestro grinned, showing his white teeth, "Yeah, Angel, you haven''t seen Auston for a while, have you? He asked for a ticket to tomorrow''s performance the other day. You can talk to him tomorrow night, ah." Qi Mu: ". . ." Precisely what did I owe you in my past life, Mis! Ter! Far! Rell! Dresden, 7 p.m. The summer turned Europe into a frying pan. Even with the cold sea breeze from the Antic Ocean, it still couldn''t reach Dresden that was ind. With Dresden being a warm and quiet city, the streets usually slowed down, preparing for a beautiful night. But this evening, the square in front of the Semperoper Opera House was crowded. Opera enthusiasts from major cities in Germany and even from other countries were gathered here tonight to listen to what might be the biggest opera evening event of the summer. The lead singers were outstanding members of the German National Opera, and the orchestra was the Dresden Symphony¡ª¡ªthe oldest symphony in the world! Their chief conductor, Farrell was an experienced romantic musician whose name alone was enough to entice music enthusiasts. As it happened, tonight''s concert was in July when most orchestras were on vacation. So many people were pleasantly surprised to find the chief conductor and music director of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, the concertmaster of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, and the saxophone maestro from Spain in the audience. . . And when some of the audience went to the front row, They saw the man sitting on the left side of the third row, and a few directly whispered¡ª¡ª "Isn''t that Mr. Auston Bertram?!" If the man who sat with a cold face was not Min Chen, then who else would it be? Min Chen was probably the first to enter the hall. Intending to block someone and talk with them before the show started, he rushed from Berlin to Dresden at noon. To his surprise, after he drove all the way from Berlin and finally stood backstage, Jenny regretfully informed him, "Oh, Mr. Bertram. . . Angel and Mr. Farrell said they would be here before the performance, but they''re not here right now." Min Chen: ". . ." Jenny then sighed, "I guess Angel has something to do this afternoon, but Mr. Bertram, his violin really is wonderful. So you don''t have to worry about his performance tonight, it definitely isn''t inferior to mine." Min Chen''s lips pursed weakly for a while before whispering, "Thank you, Jenny. I believe in him. Thank you for taking care of Qi Mu during his time here." After saying a few more words, Min Chen went alone to the auditorium and sat down. Jenny, on the other hand, covered her cheeks and said excitedly, "Didn''t Angel know that Mr. Bertram would be here?! He must be very excited to see Mr. Bertram! Ah! Ah! I never expected Mr. Bertram woulde to our show tonight, Oh, God¡­" The members of the Dresden Symphony Orchestra sighed when they saw their fangirling concertmaster who almost couldn''t control herself, and collectively thought: Mike (Jenny''s husband) is so sad. . . As for Qi Mu''s current whereabouts? Min Chen guessed the young man learned of him attending the concert from Farrell and was deliberately hiding. But this time he guessed wrong. Qi Mu really wanted to avoid him, but before he could, he received a call from across the ocean. Qi Mu smiled while packing up his things, "Yes, Zheng-Ge. I''m performing ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· with the Dresden Symphony Orchestra tonight. . . Yes, I''ll work hard, you don''t have to worry. Mr. Farrell takes good care of me as well. . . Oh, it''s already early in the morning there. You have to take care of sister-inw as she''s pregnant right now so you should rest early. . ." Qi Mu''s conversation with Zheng Wei Qiaosted for nearly half an hour in this manner of Qi Mu obediently assuring him with, "I won''t sleep sote" and "I would never stay up to study opera symphony" until Zheng Wei Qiao was satisfied and hung up the phone. This so-called "hanging up" had its own way of separating people. You see. . . The great Mister Auston Bertram called him six times every day yet was hung-up on again and again while he sometimes had phone calls with Zheng Wei Qiao thatsted for half an hour every day. You say. . . the difference between the two. . . Why was it sorge?
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet
Chapter 99
The Semperoper Opera House''s performance hall was different from other concert halls. Normal halls in Europe were arranged with the stage in the center with the auditorium around it. This allowed the sound to extend as far as possible, and it was easier for the audience to enjoy the most beautiful music. But, an opera house gave priority to the theatrical performance. In most opera houses, the orchestra was a meter or so lower than the stage so the audience could focus on the performance. An excellent orchestra would never steal the opera''s spotlight. They would impress the audience with fantastic music and immerse them in the opera from start to finish. Dresden''s Orchestra was one of the most outstanding at this. ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· was thest opera Mozart wrote in his short 35 years. The dream-like story was a fairytale. A giant serpent chased a brave, Egyptian prince, but threedies, attendants to the Queen of the Night, saved him. The Queen showed the prince a picture of her daughter and gave him a flute. She then asked him to rescue her child from the "Devil." However, the real identity of this so-called "Devil" was the Leader of the Light Priests. Thus, the prince was deceived into killing the "Devil" because of the Queen''s envy. Just like Mozart, who experienced a turning point in his miserable life, every story had a happy ending. The prince saw through the Queen''s plot and married the beautiful princess. And ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· ushered in the perfect ending. Stories were always beautiful, but life was cruel. As the greatest opera of his life, ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· earned him endless glory but could not save his life. While Qi Mu was in Vienna, Lance told him that he wanted Qi Mu to be like Mozard, not Beethoven. Though he suffered illness and a miserable life from a young age, Mozart''s music was positively optimistic. He believed the world was beautiful, and that good would always triumph over evil. The second song of the first act ¡¶Der Vogelf?nger bin ich ja¡· (The birdcatcher am I) was performed on stage. The tenor sang a lively tune, dressed in mboyant garb. Under the stage, the orchestra''s melodious sound reached out to the audience. Qi Mu had never been so d that the orchestra had an inconspicuous position during an opera. Qi Mu could feel a burning gaze on him as he walked onto the stage. It was so fierce it made his throat dry. He didn''t dare look up. He knew¡ª¡ª It was that man. Farrell personally ensured Qi Mu''s name wasn''t printed on the brochures and posters to avoid misunderstandings. No one in the audience knew of Qi Mu''s presence except for some of Farrell''s old friends. And. . . Who else would stare at him with that kind of burning gaze? As a member of the first violin group, avoiding the attention was difficult. When Qi Mu could no longer feel that fiery gaze, he let out a relieved sigh. Soon, the opera began. Once he started ying, Qi Mu''s world consisted of only the orchestra''s sound and the conductor on the podium. Qi Mu served as an ordinary member. With his skills, however, he was qualified to be the concertmaster. But, once he participated, Qi Mu realized the difference between an opera and orchestral performance. To avoid overshadowing the actors, the orchestra had to hide in the dark, making the audience forget they were there at all but for the music. For the first time, Qi Mu was not under the stage''s bright light. In the dark, he felt as if he had merged with the opera. He could y at will and dominate the stage. When the bass began theirment, the cello whimpered. The soprano roared in anger, and the violin and wind instruments echoed with a rumble. It didn''t matter what technique was used in the dark. Even with the soprano, Qi Mu decisively abandoned the baritone part on the E-string and yed the whole section on the D-string. Once a continuous melody was yed on two strings, no matter how fast the bow or how quick his fingers were, there would be a tiny gap. But, there was another string between the tenor E and bass D-string. ying the treble on the E-string in tandem with the D-string was a difficult feat for an amateur. It was easy for a professional to grasp the treble urately. But. . . what if the bass and treble must be yed at high speed? When he heard the note amongst the other sounds, Min Chen was astonished. He turned to the person hidden amongst the violinists. In the dark, the man''s thin lips parted. If anyone could read lips, they would have read¡ª¡ª ¡ºCaught you¡» The operasted for nearly three hours, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed it. They were still immersed in the melody even after the prince and princess got together in the finale. Qi Mu had never performed while being ignored before. He trailed after the other members of the orchestra and bowed to the audience. Though they were ignored, Qi Mu was still satisfied he got to y ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· freely to his utmost content. Thunderous apuse broke out in the opera house, and the bright atmosphere became even warmer. Apanied by the praise, the orchestra members exited the pit one after the other, officially ending the night''s show. Farrell pounced as soon as he walked backstage. Heughed, "Angel, you did great tonight! I couldn''t hear itpletely, but from how perfectly seamless it was. . . I guess you did quite a difficult trick, didn''t you? Like abandoning the E-string?" Although the maestro''s hearing wasn''t as superb as Min Chen''s, Farrell was much more skilled at the violin than the younger conductor. Though Min Chen could hear Qi Mu''s sound amongst the rest, he couldn''t guess the technique like Farrell did. And, even if Farrell couldn''t hear it, he could guess from experience. Qi Mu didn''t try to hide it. "Yes, Mr. Farrell. I thought the second piece of the third act wouldg a bit if yed on the E-string. I worried it would be noticeable, so. . . I tried ying it on the D." Farrell nodded and praised him, "You''re really fast, Angel. I think, in a few years, even I wouldn''t be able to keep up with your left hand. Being young is so nice! Angel, I think you''re more suited to orchestra than opera, but it''s a pity. . . There doesn''t seem to be an orchestra in want of a new concertmaster right now." Akkad said the same thing half a year earlier, so Qi Mu just smiled and didn''t pay much mind to it. "Mr. Farrell, as you said, I''m still young. And I don''t care much about these things right now." Such a confident, calm young man made Farrell all the better about him. After a few more words of praise, the old man remembered, "Oh yeah, Angel. It''ste now, so the celebration party will be held tomorrow instead. You were informed, right?" Qi Mu smiled and nodded, "Yes, Jenny told me yesterday." "Well, it''s already thiste so,e home with me," Farrell added, "Audrey must have prepared a good red wine and is waiting for us to go back and celebrate. I''ll wait for you at the gate." Qi Mu''s expression shifted. A sh of hesitation appeared on his face, and he said, "Mr. Farrell. . . I''ll go back alone tonight. I have something to deal with." Farrell thought for a moment then understood. Smiling teasingly, he asked, "What''s wrong? You want to talk to Auston? Angel, I''ve known him for over a decade. Though he doesn''t have a gentle temperament, he''s really a man worth trusting your life with. If you like him, don''t miss the chance." "Yes, yes, yes. I know, Mr. Farrell." "Angel, I''m saying this for your sake. Auston is a good man. He''s. . ." After a full five minutes of lecture, Qi Mu sent away the man who had discovered a love for matchmaking. Watching the old man''s back, Qi Mu shook his head helplessly, "Me. . . go find him? How is that possible. . ." Yes, his ns for the night had something to do with him, but. . . Qi Mu wasn''t going to talk to him like Farrell assumed. Since he waste arriving today, Qi Mu found that aside from the front and rear doors, there was a small side door just big enough for one person to walk through. This kind of secret entrance was perfect for sneaking off! Qi Mu crept out the door with his violin case and looked down the deserted street. He took a deep breath and, in a pleasant mood, whispered, "Hmm. . . What fresh air. . ." A low, maic voice rang out, "Well, it''s better than Berlin." Qi Mu: ". . ." The young man''s eyes widened in horror. In disbelief, he stared at the man who spoke. A handsome man leaned against the brick wall, basking in the moonlight. His keen eyes stared fixed on Qi Mu, strong emotion brewing deep within them. His thin lips curled at the corners with ridicule andughter. If it wasn''t Min Chen, who else could it be, ah?!!! Qi Mu: ". . ."
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet
Kuro: The pit is not that morous. Proof:
Chapter 100
The moon shone brightly that summer night in Dresden. Like reflecting through water, it cast shadows over the small street behind the Semperoper Opera House. Dim, hazy lights shone from a few streetmps. Except for a handful of cars, no one passed by. The moment he saw the other man, Qi Mu wanted to turn around and walk away. He entertained this childish idea. He knew the man had probably waited for a long time, so Qi Mu sighed heavily and epted his fate. Qi Mu waved his hand and smiled, "Long time no see. What a coincidence, right?" His voice was calm, as if nothing happened. Min Chen''s eyebrows climbed high at seeing the youth so calm. The touch of a smile appeared in his gaze. He shook his head. "Yes, quite the coincidence. I just waited for three minutes." Qi Mu: ". . ." Three minutes? That meant. . . If he had left four minutes earlier, he wouldn''t have met this guy? Guessing the younger man''s thoughts, Min Chen''s smile deepened. He added another blow, "I also wanted to visit Mr. Farrell and Mrs. Audrey this evening. Let''s go together?" Qi Mu: ". . ." Cold moonlight shone unobstructed through the sky, and the cool night breeze dispelled the summer heat. Qi Mu had thoroughly epted the reality of his situation. He no longer acted dumb, nor did he avoid Min Chen. He held his violin case in front and leaned against the brick wall next to the other man. Neither spoke. Everything Min Chen had to say was already said. Min Chen had never been good at expressing himself. That simple "I like you" already exhausted the restrained, introverted man. Qi Mu tilted his head upward, looking at the moon. The bright moonlight overpowered the stars. It was a rare sight, because the city''s neon lights usually dimmed the moonlight. Neither spoke, but the atmosphere was beautifully tranquil. The breeze passed by, ruffling leaves on both sides of the road. Just when Min Chen thought the young man who had avoided him for a month wasn''t going to speak, his pleasant voice rang out¡ª¡ª "Your record. . . I heard it." His tone was helpless. "I listened to the veryst piece. It was the most perfect recording of Min Chen or Auston Bertram I''ve ever heard." Pondering for a while, Min Chen finally nodded. "En." The white moonlight shone on the young man''s face. His smile softened, and he said, "Actually. . . I''m not a person who tends to run away. I just. . . don''t know what to say." Min Chen looked at the younger man then asked, "What is it?" Instead of directly answering him, Qi Mu began to recall. "When I first heard the name ''Min Chen,'' it was over a decade ago, close to twenty years, probably. I was surprised, thinking a Chinese won Xiao Sai with full marks?" Qi Mu shook his head helplessly. "Since then, I began to pay attention to him. The first piece I listened to was Bach''s ¡¶St Matthew Passion¡·, then his Chopin, Beethoven, Schumann, Schubert and finally. . . Liszt." After a pause, Qi Mu looked up at Min Chen. With a teasing nod, he asked, "Oh yes. I discovered long ago. . . You seldom y Mendelssohn. Why?" In such a quiet and deserted street, they spoke softly, and the atmosphere was harmonious. Min Chen stared at the young man, feeling as if the light of the moon was drawn into his pale eyes. He smiled and asked in return, "I graduated from Leipzig Conservatory, you know that, right?" Qi Mu nodded. "Yes." ¡°Do you know who founded the conservatory?" Qi Mu immediately answered, "Mendelssohn." Smiling, he added, "To be precise, this was Germany''s first conservatory of music." ck trench coat blending into the night''s shadows, Min Chen nodded. "When I first came to Leipzig, I was invited to perform at the school festival. The festival was the school''s anniversary, and all the performances were rted to the conservatory''s celebrities or pieces by the founder; Mr. Mendelssohn was the most popr. But there''s a tradition. . ." He paused for a moment then continued, "Mendelssohn''s style is ssical romantic. Once you''ve decided to y something by him, you need to find someone else to perform with you. At the time, the concertmaster of the Spanish National Orchestra was head of the violin department. That person was, um. . ." Musing on his choice of words, Min Chen finally found suitable ones: "That person liked my music very much. . . and was a girl." Unable to keep fromughing out loud, Qi Mu finally understood what happened. Min Chen didn''t seem to have heard the youth''sughter and continued with a nk expression, "I didn''t want to y with her, and many of the notable pianists and violinists at the time were like her. . .They were bad news. But I couldn''t exactly tell the truth either, so I could only say: I haven''t practiced Mendelssohn much and I didn''t think I could y it to its utmost potential." The picture immediately yed out in his mind, and Qi Mu smiled helplessly, "You could y Liszt''s well at the time, giving such a reason. . . did they believe it?" "Yes." Min Chen solemnly said, "Because I''m the one who said it." Qi Mu: ". . ." "Having skills doesn''t equate being able to y well. I said I couldn''t perform Mendelssohn''s romance, and it was the truth. I am an honest and sincere man." Such a funny sentence made Qi Muugh, and he turned to the person beside him, but when he did so, he froze. The man''s profound face was serious, and his deep dark eyes stared right at him as he said in a solemn tone, "I couldn''t y a romantic piece with her because. . ." "Qi Mu, I didn''t like her." The topic suddenly came full circle, and Qi Mu''s eyes widened a little. After a while, he sighed. "Min Chen. . . we are both very busy. I can''t develop my career in Berlin, and you cannot give up Berlin. Europe is small, but in some cases, it can be quite vast too. As people separated all day and night, do you think. . . it''s possible for us?" "Do you like me?" The words stunned Qi Mu, and before he could respond, a shadow fell over him. The taller manpletely blocked the moonlight. Hands on either side of Qi Mu, he looked down at him. This posture was quite aggressive and, more importantly, it made Qi Mu feel like he had no escape. It was at this moment Qi Mu found out¡ª¡ª He was half a head shorter than his opponent. This was the first time Qi Mu viewed the man from such a close distance. From the moment he first heard the name "Min Chen," to the moment they met officiallyst year, this was the first time they were close enough they could feel each other''s breath. Cheeks flushed, Qi Mu coughed a little and carefully looked away, "Now isn''t the time to think about this. . . Min Chen, I can''t go to Berlin, and you can''t leave it for another decade. We won''t have time for each other, we. . ." "Do you like me?" Min Chen repeated the question, halting Qi Mu in his words. After some thought, Qi Mu understood the man''s meaning and could onlyugh weakly in his mind. He lifted his head to look into Min Chen''s attentive eyes and said: "I like you." Of course, the answer was ''yes''. Otherwise, he wouldn''t blush at his confession. Nor would he avoid the man for half a month. Qi Mu wasn''t a hesitant person. If he didn''t like it, he would say so frankly. It''s precisely because he likes him. . . That he didn''t dare to answer. Speaking those three short little words immediately made Qi Mi feel lighter, but he didn''t notice the man, who was usually calm, had held himself stiffly up until then and let out a relieved sigh. Min Chen looked down at the delicate face of the younger man and saw the helplessness and hesitation in his expression. Min Chen said confidently, "As long as you like me. . . there will be no problems." Shocked, Qi Mu automatically said, "But I can''t develop in Berlin, and Min Chen, I don''t want to be a solo violinist. I want to be in an orchestra, I want to. . ." "I can leave." Qi Mu stopped abruptly, eyes wide in surprise, "How can you? You''ve been conductor for ten years, and you''re only 31 this year. Bai Ai has the principle of ''no change until death'' so you can easily stay for another three or four decades!" "It doesn''t matter," Min Chen calmly replied. Qi Mu, on the other hand, was anxious, "But that''s Bai Ai!" Warmth flooded Min Chen''s heart at the young man''s anxiety for him. His lips curled upward, and he softly asked, "What do you think. . . of Karl Thomas?" Qi Mu answered, "Mr. Karl? He''s very good. Though he''s not in an orchestra, he''s excellent. He receives invitations from world-famous orchestras to conduct every year and performs globally. Why do you suddenly. . ." Qi Mu had an epiphany. "You want to be like him?" Right now, the world''s top four conductors were Min Chen of Bai Ai, Albert Dorenza of Wei Ai, Farrell Lewis of the Dresden Symphony, and Karl Thomas who wasn''t affiliated with any orchestra. Min Chen''s eyebrows raised gracefully. "Can''t I? Karl''s doing well so far." Though he knew Karl had a great reputation was respected and worshiped by the masses, he didn''t know why but the thought of this man leaving Bai Ai for him filled Qi Mu''s heart with pain and guilt. Now that this man was willing to do this. . . What else was he worrying about? The youth''s expression suddenly became a calm smile. He looked up at the man in front of him and said, imposingly, "You are not allowed to leave Bai Ai." After a slight pause, he amended, "You are not allowed to leave Bai Ai for me." Confronted with such a fierce tone, Min Chen was bbergasted. ". . . What?" "I don''t want my lover to give up his career he''s been working on for ten years because of my circumstances." Min Chen frowned. "I''m not giving it up. I''ll be as free as Karl. . ." This time, it was his turn to stop abruptly as he realized what he''d just heard. Eyes wide, he asked, a tremble in his voice, "You. . . what did you just say?" Qi Mu raised an eyebrow at his rare uncertain expression and, with eyes full ofughter, he repeated, "I said, I don''t want my lover to abandon his career for me. . ." Suddenly, he was wrapped in the man''s arms. Min Chen''s powerful arms wound tightly around his waist, and his vigorous heart rate seemed contagious, making his own beat wildly too. The man whispered gently in his ear, "Qi Mu. . . I like you." Knowing how childish this man was, Qi Mu patted his back and nodded then whispered, "Well. . . I like you too." But the man didn''t stop and, instead, repeated, "I like you." Qi Mu was quite dumbfounded. "Yes, yes, yes, I know you like me." "I like you." ". . ." "I like you." ". . ." "I like you." ". . . Stop ying around!" "Come to Berlin with me." ". . ." After a pause, Qi Mu pushed the overbearing man away and said, "I just said I cannot develop in Berlin." Min Chen''s face serious as he said earnestly, "One mont, just one month. . . wait until I''m done with Bai Ai''s schedule this month, then I will apany you to Paris or wherever you want." Qi Mu: ". . ." He sighed gently. "Teacher will be back next week. I have to go back to Paris, Min Chen." "Ignore him." Qi Mu: ". . .Can you not be so childish?" "I can teach you the violin." Min Chen''s ck eyes were solemn and sincere. He said firmly, "I will teach you in Berlin. I have a lot of time, and I''m more patient than Reed." Qi Mu: ". . . When you can y Paganini''s ¡¶La Campane¡· to my satisfaction, I will think about it." After a moment, he hastened to add, "On the violin!" The hope that was kindled in the man''s eyes vanished in an instant. ". . ." Under the moonlight, Qi Mu stared at the man''s unhappy face with slight amusement and helplessness. The man''s facial features appeared all the more handsome under the moon. He appeared softer, somehow, and his pair of slightly drooping eyes were just as he remembered them, unfathomable. The young man unconsciously reached out and touched the other man''s face. The movement froze them both. Qi Mu instantly wanted to retract his hand, but it was suddenly grasped by the older man. Qi Mu raised his head in surprise and, in turn, met Min Chen''s dark gaze. As if knowing what came next, Qi Mu tried to break free but found he couldn''t escape the man''s hold. In the end, QI Mu listened to his rapidly rising heartbeat and gave up the struggle, closing his eyes. An a dark, quiet street, a tall gentleman pulled a younger man''s wrist and leaned forward. Thetter didn''t resist at all, almost as if waiting for it. People in love needed only to look into each other''s eyes in moments like these, and their reason would be overtaken by love. Qi Mu could almost hear the man''s heartbeat, could even feel the breath from Min Chen''s nose. His throat felt a bit dry, and he was a little nervous. Then¡ª¡ª "Bang¡ª¡ª" "You pervert! Who are you! How dare you touch our Little Seven!!!" The angry roar broke off Qi Mu''s thoughts. He immediately opened his eyes and found Min Chen staring right back with a nk expression, numerous lily petals littered atop his head. "No. . . we need to speak in German here. . . anyway, pervert! Who let you touch my Little Seven, let go of your dirty hands!" The person changed to English, "I''m going to call the police, don''t you run, you pervert!" The person smashed the bouquet of lilies over Min Chen, but when they saw Min Chen refused to loosen his grip on Qi Mu, they grew even angier. "Even Europe has this kind of pervert! You. . . Ah?! Mr. Min?!!!" Qi Mu, who had long been dumbfounded into speechlessness: ". . ." Min Chen, who was covered in lilies and wearing a nk face: ". . ."
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

It''s already chapter 100!!! Hurray! Viva confession on the hundredth chapter!

Bet:

So may ¡°this man¡± I wanted to write as ¡°his man.¡± And can I just say how perfect of a confession this is?Nananana, you got a yes, but you can¡¯t kiss him yet, Min Chen~!
Chapter 101
As night gradually deepened, thick clouds drifted over from the east, obscuring the bright moon. Just half a kilometer from the Semperoper Opera House, there was a small cafe with a handful of people inside. Amongst them, there were four sitting at the same table. Thest time these four people sat like this wasst Christmas. Qi Mu suddenly had the inexplicable feeling of a "meet the parents" event. He sat on the inside with Min Chen, who was still calm but smelled of lilies. Opposite Qi Mu was a woman with a gentle demeanor and beside her was. . . If it wasn''t Zheng Wei Qiao then who would it be?! The four sat together, but the atmosphere was so awkward Qi Mu, and Zheng Wei Qiao didn''t know what to say. Zhao Yue, Zheng Wei Qiao''s wife, didn''t know what happened, and as for Min Chen. . . ? The handsome man sighed softly and pushed over the candies the water had sent over into the middle of the table and said, "Excuse me, do you want some candy?" Qi Mu, immediately: "Well, I want some." Once someone opened their mouth, everyone else knew what to do. As one of the hosts, Qi Mu enthusiastically handed two over to Zhao Yue. When he turned to Zheng Wei Qiao, though, the man was staring at him with a hesitant,plicated expression. After a while, he said, "Xiao Qi. . . what the hell is going on?" Now that it hade to this, Qi Mu didn''t intend to hide anything. Though he only spent three to four months with Zheng Wei Qiao, he knew the man was gentle and had a good heart. Qi Mu always treated those who were good to him twice as good, so naturally, he wouldn''t deceive Zheng Wei Qiao. Qi Mu confessed. He didn''t say much, just "We like each other," and all the words Zheng Wei Qiao wanted to say were swallowed back to his stomach. It also made the other stoic man smile unconsciously and softened up his entire face. Zheng Wei Qiao never expected this. He intended to surprise Qi Mu today but ended up shocked himself. Since his wife was pregnant, he stayed at home to rest. As a frence writer, Zheng Wei Qiao never had too much work to begin with and could spend most of his time at will. As Qi Mu was going to y ¡¶The Magic Flute¡· with the Dresden Symphony Orchestra, under his wife''s suggestion, they came to Europe to make up for the honeymoon trip they didn''t get to have after they got married. And their first stop¡ª¡ª Dresden. It was good,ing to Dresden. He could see Xiao Qi, write an article about him, and sent it back to Huaxia to publish. In these six months of not meeting each other, Zheng Wei Qiao always worried whether Qi Mu would be bullied at the Paris'' National Conservatory and whether Akkad would be unkind to him. During summer vacation, Qi Mu didn''t n on going home but decided to continue his studies. This put Zheng Wei Qiao in the far east into a state of constant worry. He hadn''t told Qi Mu he wasing to Dresden today to surprise him. But when he got to the Semperoper Opera House with a bouquet of white lilies his wife carefully selected and waited for half an hour, he didn''t see Qi Mu but Mister Farrell Lewis leave. From his daily phone calls, Zheng Wei Qiao knew Qi Mu was staying with Farrell. So he asked the man about his family''s Xiao Qi. With a rather peculiar smile, Farrell said, "You''re Angel''s friend from Huaxia? Angel has something to do tonight, I''m afraid you''ll have to contact him tomorrow. Tonight, he''s. . . well, he should be busy tonight." He didn''t inform Qi Mu to begin with, so he could only ept the situation. But, just as he and his wife were nning to leave and walked by a street behind it, Zheng Wei Qiao looked up¡ª¡ª And say Qi Mu''s arm being pulled by something about to receive A. Strong. Kiss!!! That tall, sturdy physique over half a head taller than himself was clearly not a woman! No! Even a woman couldn''t kiss his family''s Xiao Qi! And so, without thinking, Zheng Wei Qiao took the closest thing at hand¡ªthe bouquet of lilies, and smashed it over the pervert''s head. And after that. . . Qi Mu already knew. After listening to Zheng Wei Qiao''s narration, Qi Mu only felt a deep sense of powerlessness. He spent the entire morning searching for the "secret exit," and once he found it, first, he was caught by Min Chen. Then, Zheng Wei Qiao bumped into them. Qi Mu wouldn''t even be surprised if Akkad somehow appeared in the cafe. Now, Qi Mu''s heart felt choked. Zheng Wei Qiao, on the other hand, was on the verge of a heart attack and death. His family''s sensible, well-behaved, and clever Xiao Qi had left Huaxia to study hard and improve his skills as quickly as possible. Howe half a yearter. . . suddenly, vi, he''s got a boyfriend! And. . . this boyfriend of his was Min Chen. Zheng Wei Qiao looked at the man sitting in front of him, and Min Chen did the same. Min Chen''s eyes were deep and calm, but Zheng Wei Qiao was nervous facing him. He couldn''t help but recall the painful years he was tortured by this fellow''s songs. It just so happened that Beethoven''s¡¶Symphony No. 7¡· performed by Bai Ai inst year''s concert yed in the quiet little cafe. The soft, pleasant melody lingered in the air, and Qi Mu stared at the coffee cup before him, unsure what to say. He had yet to make a move when he felt warmth on his hand. Qi Mu reflexively looked at the man beside him, and Min Chen calmly nodded with gentle eyes. Qi Mu''s disorderly heart rxed somewhat. The man''s warmth against his palm reassured him: as long as. . . this man was here, there was nothing to worry about. Min Chen''s cold face was solemn. He looked at Zheng Wei Qiao opposite him and said, "Mr. Zheng, long time no see." Zheng Wei Qiao also straightened up. Though he was a little timid in front of Min Chen, this matter involved Qi Mu. He pushed his sses up the bridge of his nose and replied seriously, "Hello, Mr. Min." Zheng Wei Qiao''s serious demeanor earned him an appreciative gaze from Min Chen. The man was serious because he cared about Qi Mu, and he had taken care of Qi Mu before this, so Min Chen respected him a lot. "Thank you for taking care of Qi Mu, and in the future. . . I will take good care of him, so rest assured." Without giving the man a chance to respond, Min Chen continued bluntly, "I love him, and he, me. I promise my feelings for him willst a lifetime, and I will spend the rest of my life with only him. So please. . . let me take care of him." Min Chen used the formal "You" instead of its informal counterpart. Such a respectful address surprised Zheng Wei Qiao. Qi Mu also turned to look at Min Chen. He knew this man very well. He knew he was awkward, stingy, petty, had a poisonous tongue, was ck-bellied, valued his face a lot, was afraid of bugs, but that he was also. . . confident and proud. Min Chen rarely lowered his head to others and now. . . for Qi Mu, he faced his peer with the attitude of a junior. And his words also warmed Qi Mu''s heart. Now that he had already done this, Qi Mu felt he too had to do something. Qi Mu smiled and turned to look at Zheng Wei Qiao who was still frozen in shock. Under the table, the back of his hand brushed Min Chen''s fingers. Following the gap between them, he slowly intertwined their fingers one by one. This action stunned Min Chen, and he turned to look at Qi Mu. The beautiful young man had turned a brilliant smile on Zheng Wei Qiao. "Zheng-ge, I don''t know if you can ept us or not, but. . . I want you to believe in our rtionship. No matter what happens, our feelings will not change, and I hope. . . you can give us your blessing." Zheng Wei Qiao stared at the two sitting across him. Such a harmonious picture made the two look as though they were the heavens'' darlings. When the light shone on them, it reflected ayer of warm brilliance. This gave Zheng Wei Qiao the feeling¡ª¡ª These two were meant to be together.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

Thank you, Jessie, for the Ko-Fi! I will work hard to repay you with trantion and, in the future, artwork!
Chapter 102
They were a match made in heaven. That sentence suddenly shed through Zheng Wei Qiao''s mind. It wasn''t because of their appearance or background. When these two sat together, Zheng Wei Qiao felt the two were in their own world, and no one else deserved to enter that space. That night, Min Chen, Qi Mu, Zheng Wei Qiao, and his wife parted in front of the cafe. Zheng Wei Qiao still couldn''t bring himself from the shock. It was Zhao Yue who blessed them with a smile and gave them suggestions for their future. She also apologized for her husband, who couldn''t turn his head. Farrell''s house was a few kilometers from the opera house, but the thought didn''t seem to ur to Qi Mu as the idea to take the subway didn''t even ur to him. Instead, he walked the quiet street hand-in-hand with the man beside him. The moonlight descended upon them while Qi Mu spoke in a quiet voice, and Min Chen listened attentively. Over the past two weeks, he was ignored by Qi Mu, Farrell and Jenny had taken matters into their own hands and spoken well of him using words like "gentle, talented, and trustworthy." Min Chen pondered carefully for a moment then said, "I need to thank them?" Qi Mu: "What?" Min Chen replied with a smile in his eyes, "Need to thank them. . . for letting you get to know the real me." Qi Mi: ". . . What about your face?" Min Chen''s lips curled, and he chuckled without replying. When they arrived at Farrell''s house, Qi Mu suddenly remembered, "Didn''t you say you wanted to visit Mr. Farrell and Mrs. Audrey tonight? Do you want to go upstairs with me?" But Min Chen shook his head, "I haven''t told Mrs. Audrey yet. I''ll call and visit tomorrow." ". . ." After a moment of silence, Qi Mu feigned anger, "You lied to me?" In response, Min Chen raised an eyebrow. "No, I want to bring a gift to express my sincerity." Qi Mu was startled: "What does that mean?" Qi Mu knew that Min Chen and Mr. Farrell had known each other for over a decade. They had a good rtionship and were familiar with each other. During the duration of his stay here, Mrs. Audrey found out he knew Min Chen and even said¡ª¡ª "I don''t know when Auston will have the time toe again. He''s such a polite boy." So, even if Min Chen went upstairs right now, empty-handed, the couple wouldn''t be angry and would wee him with open arms instead. Min Chen coughed softly twice and said, "I need to bring gifts and deliver a card in advance. Because. . ." He halted abruptly, and Qi Mu looked at him even more doubtfully. Min Chen looked at Qi Mu. "Because I want to thank Mr. Farrell and Mrs. Audrey for taking care of my lover." Min Chen deliberately emphasized the words "my lover," making the youth''s fair cheeks bloom red. Qi Mu''s face was hot, and to prevent this abominable guy from seeing them, he turned his face away. Mr. Farrell''s house was on the banks of the Elbe River. The wind blew over theke, and the silver moonlight sparkled on its surface. As he turned sideways, Qi Mu happened to stand facing the wind. And so the damp evening wind quickly messed up his hair. Even so, Qi Mu was determined not to face the man again. Although neither of them spoke, Min Chen wasn''t embarrassed at all. He just watched the young man who stubbornly faced the other way, and a sentence shed through his mind¡ª¡ª Was this shyness? No, not shyness, because. . . His hand wasn''t shaken off yet. Min Chen wasn''t left to wait for long. The youth beside him whispered, "Yes, thank you for being so respectful to Zheng-ge just now, for his. . . Well, for not being angry with his misunderstanding." Qi Mu still remembered clearly that he''dughed out loud when he saw Min Chen covered in lily petals like steamed bread. Min Chen held Qi Mu''s hand even more tightly and whispered, "I respect him a lot because he takes care of you. He''s very good to you." Qi Mu realized he should have taken his hand from the man''s grip, but no matter what he did, Min Chen''s fingers had turned into the world''s strongest lock. In the end, he simply epted the reality. He turned around and hummed, "What you said to Zheng-ge just now. . .That was pretty good. . ." His voice slowly lowered and eventually became as low as a mosquito''s buzz. With a voice so faint mixed with the wind, it was almost inaudible. However, the person standing before Qi Mu was Min Chen. The young man''s voice reached his ears, softening his indifferent face. Min Chen hummed as a reply: "I don''t only speak well. Later. . . I will also do so well." Qi Mu''s heart warmed, and he immediately realized the difference between them¡ª¡ª The man''s face was definitely thicker than the Great Wall! A muffled squeak came from his throat, and Qi Mu suddenly remembered, "How did you know I would exit from that door today? I went to the Semperoper in advance and searched for ages for that door. How did you get there faster than I did?" Min Chen smiled slightly, "How many times have you been to Semperoper?" Qi Mu replied honestly, "Today is. . . the second time. The orchestra held the rehearsal at Semperoper yesterday, so that was the first." After a pause, Qi Mu added, "As I told you in Hong Kongst year, I rarely listen to opera." Min Chen nodded slightly and spread his hands helplessly. "Since that is the case. . . Then why do you think you know the Semperoper better than I do?" Qi Mu: ". . ." "After the opera ended, I waited at the front entrance for two minutes. Then I suddenly realized. . . How could someone so hellbent on avoiding me for half a month suddenly be okay with seeing me? So I waited for another three minutes until Farrell came out." Under the European streetmp, the blurry yellow light shone down on the two, creating ambiguously entangled shadows. Qi Mu raised his head, an ominous foreboding emerging in his heart, ". . . So, you ran into Mr. Farrell?" Min Chen nodded, "Well, before I could go over to him and speak, he asked me in surprise¡ª¡ª ''You''re still waiting for Angel, Auston? Oh, you need to have a good talk with him, but you can''t abduct my Little Angel tonight, or you will have to answer to Audrey!''" Qi Mu: ". . ." "And so, since Farrell said you would talk to me tonight, despite me getting hung up on again this afternoon, I realized that. . .You were probably going to hide again." Qi Mu was somewhat unconvinced by this, "But that side door wasn''t the only exit. Why were you waiting for me there? I might have gone through the backdoor after all." Min Chen casually raised his eyebrows. "Would you go through the back door?" ". . .No." Because it wasn''t hidden enough. Amusement shed through Min Chen''s eyes at the younger man''s withered appearance, but he maintained a calm and collected expression. He nodded gently, his voice mellow as a cello, "So I went to the more hidden door and waited for another three minutes. . . And there you were." Qi Mu: ". . ." Qi Mu finally understood the meaning of "to make a fool of oneself" today. It was a bitte after all, and Qi Mu was worried Farrell would fret if he went back anyter. So after they exchanged a few more words, he decided to hurry upstairs to not worry Farrell and Audrey. But just as he was about to turn and leave, when he had only taken a single step, he was dragged back by the hand in the man''s tight grasp. Qi Mu turned around, not knowing whether tough or cry at the suddenly stubborn guy. "Well, it''s almost 12. I''m sure Mrs. Audrey will worry if I don''t return now, Min Chen." Min Chen''s grip gradually loosened, but just as Qi Mu thought the man was going to let him go, he was suddenly pulled forward without warning and collided with the man''s chest. Qi Mu''s eyes flew wide, but before he could say anything, a low, maic voice echoed in his ear, "Don''t move. There are bugs." Qi Mu automatically froze then he remembered: "Wait a minute, are you not afraid of bugs. . ." His voice stopped abruptly when he felt a warm touch to his forehead. Qi Mu froze on the spot. When he realized what it was, he looked up, and his eyes met a distant, hidden, and deep gaze. Min Chen stared at the person in front of him for a long while in silence. "Well, I was mistaken." Qi Mu: ". . ." When Qi Mu went upstairs with his violin case, he didn''t know the handsome, indifferent-looking man stood under the streemp and watched his figure disappear around the corner of the stairs. After a while, the man raised his hand and touched his lips as if he could still feel the wonderful sensation? even now. . . .Well, it wouldn''t be on the forehead next time.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

It¡¯s my birrtthhhdaaaayyyyy
Chapter 103
The early morning by the Elbe River was apanied by the whistle of ships. Qi Mu folded his clothes and saw Audrey dusting a corner with arge feather duster as soon as he opened his door. He took the duster and helped her clean the ceiling corner. "Auntie Audrey, you can leave this kind of thing to me. Please rest." After yesterday''s opera, the orchestra was given a seven-day holiday, but early this morning, Farrell went to deal with some business, so only Qi Mu and Audrey were in the house. The slightly chubby Audrey smiled at the young man''s well-mannered behavior and said, "Angel, you''re a kind child. I''ll leave the dusting to you. When Auston gets here, I''ll cook arge meal!" Qi Mu smiled, "Then I''ll wait for your meal. . ." His smile froze, and he turned to her in surprise, "Wait, Mrs. Audrey. . . who''sing?" She replied, "Auston. He came early this morning to deliver a card. I don''t know what''s going on with this child, actuallying to deliver a card. I told him toe in and stay, but he refused. I have no idea where he is." Qi Mu: ¡°. . .¡± Well, Qi Mu had a feeling he knew where the man was. . . Probably, out buying gifts? Last night, he did say he wanted to visit and deliver his card in advance, but Qi Mu didn''t expect. . . the guy to really do it as he''d said. Qi Mu inexplicably felt his teeth ache. The toothacheter turned into speechlessness when he opened the door to a man wearing an indifferent expression. Min Chen wore a formal, ck, dress suit. Not one fit for a fancy dinner party, but just looking at him made people feel. . . he was a solemn, serious man. Qi Mu took the gifts he''d brought and noticed the man had his hairbed back today. Neat and tidy, it showcased his forehead and intensified his presence even more. Holding the high-end gift bag, Qi Mu asked, "Did you take medicine this morning?" Min Chen was a bit stunned, "No." Qi Mu frowned then sighed helplessly, "Sure enough, forgot to take medicine, ah. . ." Min Chen: ¡°. . .¡± As Bai Ai''s chief conductor who lived by "exploiting" others, Min Chen had always left people in silent anger, and no one could make him admit defeat. Min Chen narrowed his eyes and reached out. He touched Qi Mu''s jaw and startled the young man into stillness. Before he could react, Min Chen tilted forward and whispered in his ear, "If only you could remind me to take medicine every morning, that would be good. . ." His face red, Qi Mu, who couldn''t steal the chicken yet lost his rice, coughed. Fortunately, his embarrassment didn''tst for long. Footsteps approached, and Min Chen immediately dropped his hand and straightened up again. Audrey, who had been in the kitchen, appeared, smiling widely. "Oh, Auston! Long time no see. You''ve gotten even more handsome!" After giving him a big hug, Audrey turned to Qi Mu and asked curiously, "Hey, Angel? Why are you so flushed? Was the cleaning too tiring?" ". . ." Qi Mu lifted his hand and covered his mouth. Coughing twice, he smiled, "No, Mrs. Audrey. I''m just. . . it''s a little hot." Audrey nodded understandingly, "You''re right, Angel. Summer in Dresden is always hot." Audrey opened the window for venttion and went back to the kitchen. Qi Mu, on the other hand, picked up the feather duster again and continued cleaning the corner where he left off. But before he could get far, the tool was taken away. Qi Mu looked at Min Chen in surprise, only to see the man had already rolled up his sleeves and was staring at the ceiling, dusting gracefully. "I''ll do it, you take a rest." Since the other party had offered, Qi Mu naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse. He smiled and nodded, "Okay, I just cleaned these three rooms. Excluding the kitchen, there are four more. Mr. Farrell''s study. . . Well, that one''s terrible." Min Chen, who just realized something was wrong: ". . ." By the time Mr. Farrell returned, the three already sat at the table, waiting for him. The rich dishes on the table were delicacies he only got to see during Christmas or Thanksgiving. He looked at Qi Mu and Min Chen with some jealousy and whispered, "Audrey is really ying favorites, making this many delicious meals only when youe." Qi Mu just silently smiled, but Min Chen raised his eyebrows and asked, "So. . . are you ming me?" Farrell: ". . ." The meal was peaceful and harmonious. Qi Mu spent his time bowing, fighting with the crab, and Audrey kept giving him and Min Chen vegetables. Farrell was so jealous his eyes almost turned green, but he could only watch his wife spoiling someone else. After the meal was over, Qi Mu''s stomach felt like bulging he had eaten so much. Farrell, whose eyes were red, stared at the man pleasantly chatting with Audrey and suddenly stood up. He said frankly: "Auston, are you really here just for a meal?" Min Chen stopped talking and turned to Farrell, who was already out of breath. After a while, he sighed softly, "Farrell, I remembered there was a piano score in your study I liked very much. Let''s go see it together?" Min Chen and Farrell soon disappeared into the study and Qi Mu, by virtue of his ears, found out the men had locked the door. He shook his head helplessly and didn''t probe. Before he could move, he saw Audrey looking at him. "Auntie Audrey?" Qi Mu asked in doubt. The amiabledy stared at Qi Mu with a gentle gaze and said, "Angel, Auston. . . really likes you, doesn''t he? I''ve never seen him looking so serious. Did you notice, he didn''t eat crab at all. All the crab he peeled was given to you." Qi Mu was stunned. He liked crab very much, so he didn¡¯t pay attention to anything else while he ate. He didn''t notice Audrey nor did he notice Min Chen, who kept serving him along with her. But, what''s even more surprising was. . . "Auntie Audrey, did Mr. Farrell tell you. . . about my rtionship Min Chen?" Qi Mu smiled, then shook his head. He suddenly realized this question was wrong. They had only established their rtionshipst night, he hadn''t even told Farrell about it, so it was even more unlikely for the old man to tell his wife. Audrey patted his shoulder and smiled, "Oh, Angel, I think this is the first time you''ve fallen in love. When you really fall for someone, there will be nothing else in your eyes. You will unconsciously enjoy their kindness, and you will also treat them well without realizing it." "Angel, Auston, that boy, he looks at you with those eyes. . . and you do too." Audrey started to clean up the table leaving Qi Mu with this sentence, and he sat there in a daze. After a while, he reached up to his eyes and muttered, "So. . . I was looking at you. . . with that kind of gaze?" The sun outdoors arrogantly marched across the sky. And when it set in the west, it dyed the sky the shade of cherry-blossoms. It was around this time, the door to the study suddenly opened. No one knew what Min Chen and Farrell talked about in the study, but when Qi Mu saw the two sitting on the sofa, Farrell had a smile on his face, and Min Chen was nodding along calmly. When he saw Qi Muing, Farrell smiled at him, "Oh, Angel, have you packed yet? Don''t bete for tonight''s flight, Dresden''s nes never wait." Qi Mu, who knew nothing: ". . . ?" "What a pity, Angel. Though we''ve only lived together for a short month, I really want to live with you forever. But, you''re not my child, I can only be with you temporarily." Farrell''s words grew even stranger, and the veins on Qi Mu''s temple faintly throbbed. He asked with a stiff smile, "Mr. Farrell. . . I don''t know what you are talking about?" Farrell blinked in confusion, "Didn''t you already make an appointment with Austonst night to go to Berlin with him today? Don''t worry, Reed won''t be back from Turin for three days. So you still have three days to spend. Bai Ai is a good ce. I don''t think Reed will have any objections with you visiting to learn." ". . ." Qi Mu turned and looked at the man who sat calmly. Inquiring, and killing the man, with his stare¡ª¡ª ¡ºWhen did I promise to go to Berlin?¡» ¡º. . . Right now?¡» ¡º. . .¡» Don''t tryparing with someone who has a thick face. When they want something, they never care about their face!
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

Thank you Jessie and glxyxenia123 for the Ko-fi!
Chapter 104
Europe was the second smallest continent in the world, only a bitrger than Oceania. Although it was small, its 44 sovereign states gave it quite a dense poption. The fact it was small meant the distance between ces wasn''t that far. Berlin and Dresden were less than 200 km apart, for example. Qi Mu had just boarded the flight, and a few minutester, the ne hadnded. Qi Mu: ". . ." The man beside him took his luggage very considerately, turned to look at him, and asked attentively, ¡°There''s nothing special going on at Bai Ai today. Do you want to look around first? Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden are nearby." The weather was slightly colder than Dresden. Qi Mu only wore a long thin coat and tied it around his waist in case the temperature at night would get too cold. Originally, he thought his visit to Berlin just consisted of going to Bai Ai. But at Min Chen''s suggestion, he became interested in the city and asked, ¡°Is it convenient?" Min Chen put on his sunsses and nodded gently, ¡°Yes, my car is parked here. We can go right away." Qi Mu just smiled and said, "Then let''s go." Qi Mu had been to Berlin before, but it was always on trips with the orchestra. Though Berlin was only 600 km from Vienna, half the distance between B City and S City, Qi Mu never had the time to visit by himself. Min Chen nodded slightly, then pushed up his sunsses. He then continued forward, pulling the suitcase. Qi Mu was quite surprised by this as he hadn''t seen the man acting like this in Dresden. Noticing the youth''s confusion, Min Chen whispered in Chinese, ¡°Most people in Berlin know me, so it''s not as convenient to walk outside here like it is in Dresden." Qi Mu nodded understandingly. After all, Bai Ai was one of the most outstanding orchestras, representing Germany''s ssical music at its peak. Because their base was in Berlin, it was normal for a lot of people to know their chief conductor. However, even if Qi Mu thought this was the case, seeing a young woman looking in their direction, Qi Mu still felt a little shocked. He asked, a little perplexed, ¡°There are many people in Dresden who knows Mr. Farrell, but. . . I''ve never seen Mr. Farrell being treated so drastically. . ." Min Chen halted. He turned to the youth and lifted his sunsses slightly, revealing his pair of sharp eyes. Staring at Qi Mu seriously, he said inly, as if talking about the weather, ¡°It''s because. . . I''m handsome." Qi Mu: ". . . . . ." Can you not be such a narcissist!!! . . . Brandenburg Gate was in the center of Berlin. At the end of the eastern side of Unter den Linden boulevard was Schlossbr¨¹cke, also known as the Marx-Engels-tz. In the quiet car, although the windows were tinted dark, Qi Mu still watched the neossical architectural solemn gate from afar. But to his surprise, the car sped past the magnificent gate without any signs of stopping. Qi Mu turned his head in surprise and asked, ¡°We''re not stopping?" Min Chen caressed the steering wheel, and calmly said, ¡°My house is nearby, let''s drop off the luggage first." Qi Mu: ". . ." Why did he feel like. . . he''d been duped? But Qi Mu wasn''t left waiting for long this time. Min Chen really just set the luggage in the garage downstairs and brought him to the Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden and other famous scenic spots in Berlin. Qi Mu wasn''t in the habit of taking pictures, so he simply recorded these beautiful sceneries in his memory. But, when he turned around and looked up, he didn''t notice since when, but the man beside him had been snapping pictures of him while he was unaware. Thanks to the power of cell phones nowadays, people could take pictures silently. It didn''t take them long to walk from the Brandenburg Gate to the Unter den Linden boulevard. Soon after, they arrived at Bai Ai''s headquarters. Perhaps influenced by German''s Bauhaus , Bai Ai''s HQ was different from Wei Ai''s and Dresden Symphony Orchestra''s. The building was modern in style with a strong sense of aesthetics. The streamlined edge surprised Qi Mu, who stood downstairs for a long time. The bright orange and beige contrasted with style. It was Qi Mu''s first timeing to Bai Ai, so he didn''t expect this. . . The world''s top old-style orchestra had such an "avant-garde" building as its headquarters. Under Min Chen''s guidance, Qi Mu easily entered the building. Walking into this simple yet concise building, Qi Mu felt as if he had entered an exhibition art hall of modernist style. On both sides of the transparent corridor framed by four-sided ss, there were pictures of past Bai Ai members including information on their conductors and concertmasters. These photos ranged from oil paintings to ck and white photographs to today''s colored ones, bearing witness to the heavy history of this centuries-old orchestra. Qi Mu looked at these pictures and arrived at thest few before he abruptly stopped. He stared at the white-haired old man in the photograph in a daze. "This picture was taken two years before Master Karajan''s death," Min Chen''s maic voice chimed in Qi Mu''s ear, the warm breath he exhaled was a bit unstable, betraying his thoughts, ¡°I was only 4 when he died, it was the same year he resigned from Bai Ai." Qi Mu had just entered the Geneva Conservatory of Music when he discovered Bai Ai''s motto of "never change until death." The world''s number one symphony orchestra had the best mastery of music and was extremely demanding when hiring. But now, seeing the picture of a man who was old but still wore a stern expression, Qi Mu felt nothing but admiration. Herbert von Karajan, a musician also known as the "conductor emperor." During the 34 years of his career as a conductor, the man brought the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which had always been at the top, even higher, bing a behemoth in the ssical music world. A reputation that was still maintained today. Looking at the maestro''s picture, Qi Mu sighed, ¡°Unfortunately, Master Karajan died when you were 4. I guess you''ve never met him. . ." "No, I did." Qi Mu turned to Min Chen in surprise. Thetter just stared at him. ¡°When I was 4, I followed my parents to a Bai Ai concert and met Master Karajan backstage." Under Qi Mu''s expectant gaze, Min Chen recalled the moment then continued, ¡°He was. . . a very serious maestro." Qi Mu smiled then nodded in response, ¡°Well, his style was the same." The young man couldn''t stop himself from sighing softly and said in disappointment, ¡°Unfortunately. . . I can''t hear his concert live." Seeing the young man''s lost expression, the handsome, indifferent-looking man squinted slightly. After a while, he pointed at the picture next to the maestro''s and said, "But you can listen to his." Qi Mu immediately looked in the direction Min Chen was pointing and. . . ". . ." Min Chen said solemnly, ¡°His style is also excellent, and you can also listen to pieces of his ownposition." The man''s tone was somber as if he was talking about something vital, ¡°Well, heposes his own scores and conducts them himself, and only he can understand the meaning of the pieces best." Qi Mu: ". . ." A staff member of Bai Ai just happened to pass by and heard Min Chen''s serious words and couldn''t help bursting out inughter. Min Chen calmly nced at the person, and the staff immediately straightened up and walked away with a nk expression. Qi Mu didn''t even look at the photo of the "conductor who couldpose his own piece" and skipped directly to the empty picture frame beside it. He was surprised for a moment and said, ¡°Strange. . . Shouldn''t Christole''s picture be here?" Min Chen replied with a disappointed expression, ¡°His picture is there." Qi Mu turned to look, and as expected, the picture of Christole was set directly opposite the nk frame. Although Bai Ai adhered to their principle of "unchanging till death," this didn''t mean a conductor was allowed only one concertmaster. Things were changeable after all. Therefore, Min Chen and Christole, the orchestra''s current principal conductor and concertmaster''s pictures were not ced side by side, but opposite each other instead. Qi Mu looked at Christole''s photo and information for a while then walked away. But after taking two steps, he found the man who was supposed to follow his lead hadn''t moved. Qi Mu turned to search for him only to find the man still standing in the same spot with a calm, unperturbed expression, looking at him from afar. When the young man turned to him, he asked in a very calm, low voice, ¡°Really. . . don''t need to see?" Qi Mu: ". . ." After Qi Mu patiently saw the man''s picture and his information, Min Chen took him to the orchestra''s rehearsal hall, looking satisfied. As they walked, Qi Mu looked at the cool, elegant man. It was difficult to associate this man with the childish fellow just now. With a helpless smile, Qi Mu whispered, ¡°Actually, I don''t need to look at that information because. . . I''ve already remembered it long ago." Min Chen''s footsteps came to a still. After a long while, he just let out a low hum. His handsome face still wore a calm expression, but his lips were slightly upturned, betraying his obvious happiness. Brilliant sunshine radiated through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside was a rxed afternoon panorama. Qi Mu followed Min Chen down the corridor for a while, and they finally arrived at the end. Beyond this door was Bai Ai''s rehearsal hall. Qi Mu entered the headquarters of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for the first time on August 2, 2016.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Ayn, Bet
Editors wanted! Of any English proficiency! Contact us via the page or . Min Chen just wanted to show off to his hubby, but his hubby didn¡¯t want to y ball. ¡î*: .?. o(¨R¨Œ¨Q)o .?.:*¡î
Chapter 105
Qi Mu pushed open the mahogany door, and a beautiful melody spilled out from inside. Naturally, rehearsal halls weren''t designed like concert halls. Many were styled like ssrooms and built with sound instion. Often, there were only seats for the orchestra and none for an audience. However, Bai Ai''s was obviously an exception. At a nce, Qi Mu gauged about 300 seats and in front, a 50 cm tform stage. The red curtain was drawn to both sides, and nearly a hundred people were gathered under the lights. Qi Mu listened for a few lines then turned to Min Chen, "They''re rehearsing Tchaikovsky''s ¡¶Symphony No. 6 in B minor¡·?" Min Chen gently closed the door behind them. The entrance was so quiet, no one on stage noticed their arrival. Only Daniel, who sat in the audience, saw and turned to stare in surprise. "Yes, Tchaikovsky''s temporarily set as our autumn tour''s theme. They''re rehearsing the first piece." Min Chen walked toward the stage, whispering to Qi Mu, "We''ve performed Symphony No. 6 before, so they''re familiar with it." Qi Mu nodded but didn''t speak. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra was keen on Bauhaus'' minimalistic style. This hall wasn''t as brilliant as many of the concert halls in Vienna and was decorated mainly in ck and white. It channeled the ck and white keys of the piano to express the fluidity of music in various smooth, curved lines. Even the seats were minimalistic. Qi Mu saw Danial, but to his surprise, Min Chen took him two rows away from the smiling, waving agent. Daniel: "¡­" Qi Mu: "¡­" Aware of the confusion, Min Chen pulled down a chair and sat, whispering, "This seat has the best audiovisuals. They''re only rehearsing now, and Christole is leading them, but it''s best to sit and listen here." Qi Mu: "¡­Really?" Min Chen nodded calmly: "Really." Qi Mu frowned: "Then why did Daniel sit there?" ¡­Shouldn''t he be sitting over here? Min Chen casually nced at Daniel and answered, "He has bad judgment and chose the wrong seat." Qi Mu: "¡­" Daniel: "¡­" Oi, I heard that! On stage, Christole led the orchestra in their rehearsal of the second movement. As concertmaster, he was responsible for leading Bai Ai in their conductor''s absence. Obviously, he had be excellent at this. As Qi Mu listened, he couldn''t stop himself from closing his eyes and immersing himself in the mncholy. The second movement of Tchaikovsky''s ¡¶Symphony No. 6¡· was a gentle adagio and had a soothing rhythm. It wasn''t anywhere as pleasant, or asfortable, as ¡¶Serenade¡·. In fact, it was rather sad and depressing. Qi Mu''s eyebrows furrowed as he listened to the moving melody. He noticed it was a little below Bai Ai''s usual level of performance, but still at an orchestral peak. This clearly marked Bai Ai''s excellence. Just a few days of rehearsal under their concertmaster, who wasn''t even a professional conductor, and they could y with first-ss quality. Of course, near the end of the movement, Qi Mu heard the timpani miss a beat and someone in the cello group made a mistake. These errors were within the range of tolerance, though, and were temporarily ignored. As thest note lingered in the air, Qi Mu apuded, offering his respect and encouragement to the musicians. Christole took the bow from his strings and looked down from the stage at the sudden apuse. When he saw the ck-haired young man, the name "Little Angel" shed through his mind, but before he could act, the other Bai Ai members were jumping around like they were in a frying pan. "Oh my God! Little Angel?!" "Oh God, when did he get here? Why didn''t I notice?!" "It was only yesterday when I said to McCann Angel hadn''t called the conductor for a long time. Why did he suddenlye here?!" ¡­¡­ Christole shook his head helplessly, thinking: Of course, you won''t think of how your Little Angel suddenly got here¡­ Have you considered who brought him? Sure enough, a momentter¡ª¡ª "Oh my God, the one next to Little Angel, that''s¡­ The conductor''s back!" "Oh, God, you gotta be kidding me. Didn''t Daniel say he took two days off?" "Yeah, he said the conductor woulde back tomorrow¡­" ¡­¡­ The rehearsal hall was designed to give the audience the best experience. The curvedyout was specially constructed to improve sound distribution. This, coupled with his excellent hearing Qi Mu could hear the excited chatter and theints. He even wondered: Some speak German, some English, and is that French¡­ How do these peoplemunicate? Of course, he didn''t know that when the Bai Ai members say their demonic conductor, they couldn''t care less whatnguage they spoke. They could first scold themselves in their native tongue. Speaking anothernguage just wasn''t enough. They had to bring in dialects and ents too, the more remote, the better. There was once a new member who was scolded until he''d had enough. He''dined in Albanian: "I don''t want toe to Bai Ai in my next life." Min Chen had put down his baton and said to him, in Albanian, with an utterly nk expression: "Then you can leave now." As a conductor, Min Chen was undoubtedly talented. The mistakes he pointed out and the areas that needed improving were correct and also useful. Bai Ai admired him for that. But as a peer, or as the younger generation¡­ Their conductor was cruel and had a poisonous tongue, ah!!! ¡ª¡ªWas their thoughts. Qi Mu saw their every exaggerated expression under the bright spotlight. Unsure how to feel, he turned to the man beside him and said, "They seem¡­ very afraid of you?" Min Chen just raised an eyebrow. "You misheard." Qi Mu, of course, believed his ears over this man who didn''t even have the right to speak. "They''re really scared of you." Min Chen: "¡­" Seemingly wanting to prove he was indeed a "kind" person, Min Chen left the audience and strode to the stage. Bai Ai''s members watched him approach in panicked stillness. When Min Chen stepped on stage and picked up his baton, some crumbled. The raid wasn''t enough¡­ You want to conduct too?! We don''t want you, we want the gentle Christole!!! Off stage, Qi Mu raised his eyebrows. He looked at the man''s tall figure with a smile. Of course, he knew what Min Chen wanted to do. It looked like¡­ The man wanted to disy his "good temper" by directing the rehearsal himself, right? Qi Mu just smiled and sat back to enjoy the show. Min Chen turned the score and looked at Christole. "Only the second movement?" Christole smiled and nodded. "Yes, I wanted to rehearse the second movement this afternoon, so I only prepared thisst night." Therge a3 on the music stand had each of the instruments'' notes in detail. This obviously wasn''t Min Chen''s score as it was marked with notes, especially the violin section. Min Chen skimmed it then closed it. Christole was talented, but he wasn''t a conductor. The score didn''t do much for Min Chen. Min Chen raised his baton and ordered a fat man from the third left of the cell group, "Keith, tighten your G string. It''s still in tune, but you''ll do more work in thest five minutes." The fat cellist called "Keith"plied without a word. Min Chen looked at the orchestra as a whole then said inly, "The second movement is basically alright. We''ll move straight to the third movement now." Bai Ai''s members: "¡­" "I hope that by tomorrow, I can see you sessfully y this simple movement." Bai Ai''s members: "¡­¡­" Are you shitting me? As if he didn''t see the members'' murderous gazes, the handsome conductor raised his baton, and with it, a violin filled the hall.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

My ko-fi suppliers, please reply to my e-mail!!! T_T
Chapter 106
Tchaikovsky''s ¡¶Symphony No. 6 in B minor¡· was also known as the ¡¶Sorrowful Symphony¡· Unlike Beethoven''s ¡¶Path¨¦tique¡·, this ¡¶Path¨¦tique¡· was overcast and depressive from beginning to end. It was Tchaikovsky''sst swan song, describing his life. Six days after the song''s premiere, theposer died, due to ingesting poison. The piece was divided into four movements. The third had the liveliest allegro. With the violin as the main apaniment setting the mood, it expressed the business of everyone''s busy through the sound of southern dance. Bai Ai was undoubtedly skilled. ording to Christole, they hadn''t rehearsed the third movement yet. But, from the audience, Qi Mu couldn''t hear anything ringly wrong. Other than the asional error in emotional interpretation and typographical mistakes like missing a beat or a tempo, problems were few and far between. Such performance would usually take an orchestra two days of rehearsal to reach. ¡ª¡ªQi Mu thought. His perfect pitch distinguished every sound, and he could hear how unfamiliar with the melody the orchestra was at the beginning, but they gradually began to y in harmony, as if they had rehearsed it countless times. And all of this. . . Qi Mu knew it wasn''t just because the orchestra was skilled. His gaze shifted to the man standing at the conductor''s podium. From his seat, all Qi Mu could see was Min Chen''s straight back. He watched the man gently raise his baton and listened as the cello group yed a warm melody in session. When he lowered his arm, the string group stopped, and the wind group began. Any conductor could control a performance, but a good one could make the piece their own. Offstage, the young man couldn''t stop himself from smiling. Onstage, Min Chen stared at the r section of the woodwind group. One of the brtes clutched his r as he trembled nervously, focusing on the score. A horrible note screeched in his ear, and Min Chen turned a dangerous look on a woman with a pony-tail. She trembled then straightened. The whole third movementsted for about 9 minutes, quite short. Other than Christole, the entire orchestra reminded themselves not to make any mistakes and concentrate even harder. As for those who faltered. . . They could only pray. At the end of the rehearsal, the rist who made the first mistake raised his head. He nervously looked at the conductor, waiting for the man to admonish him. To everyone''s surprise, the attractive man set down his baton, looked at the rist, and gently asked, "Roger, do you have a cold today?" Nodding quickly, Roger said, "Yes, Conductor. I have a cold, so I wasn''t careful. . ." He shook his head vigorously and exined, "No! Mr. Bertram, I shouldn''t have coughed just because I have a cold. I should have taken a leave of absence." He remembered thest time Martha had a cold. Not only did her bow slip, but she sneezed so loud they had to stop ying. Back then. . . the conductor said¡ª¡ª ¡ºDrink more water when you''re sick. Did the cold scald your brain, or did you not have one, to begin with, to bring your illness to the orchestra? Go home!¡» That day, however, Roger easily admitted his fault and was ready for the expected reprimand. Who would expect the gentle response he got instead? "Well, you should have a good rest when you''re sick, Roger. Remember to drink more water, don''t let your cold get worse." Roger: ". . . Ha?!" The entire orchestra: ". . . ???!!!" Turning to the violin group, Min Chen asked, "Alice, the mistake on the third paragraph? That was you, right?" Alice cried out then apologized. "I''m sorry, Mr. Bertram. I''m not familiar with the third movement. I will practice it tonight when I get home, I won''t dy the orchestra! I''m really sorry!" Min Chen calmly nodded and gently said, "You''ve done a good job, Alice. It was only a small mistake on the overtone, it was a bit high. It''s understandable you''d missed the timing. Don''t worry, you''ll get used to it." Alice: ". . . Ah?!" The entire orchestra: ". . . ????!!!!" Say, conductor. . . Did you take the wrong medicine today? When they recalled the Mr. Dorenza and Allen tended to guide their members, they paused and mulled over Min Chen''s soft voice. It was as if the earth had found spring, and the snow had melted. The Bai Ai orchestra felt as if they had tasted heavens'' warmth atst. Min Chen nodded in satisfaction then snuck a nce towards the audience. . . The temperature instantly dropped!!! Qi Mu was gone, not even his shadow could be seen! Christole couched, feeling awkward. He kindly exined, "Auston, at the end. . Danial took him away." Implicating that, by the time Min Chen started hismentary, Qi Mu was already gone. Min Chen: ". . ." With a cold re, the man picked up his baton. "Again from the top. Make a mistake this time, and you can copy the score ten times for me." The orchestra: ". . ." You told us to have a good rest! You were so good just now!! You were very kind until now!!! Little Angel, why did you leave, ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Daniel called Qi Mu out as soon as the orchestra had finished ying. Though he didn''t know why, Qi Mu didn''t mind, and since the rehearsal was over anyway, he left the hall with Daniel. There were six entrances to the rehearsal hall, excluding the backstage. Daniel led him through the middle doors and he was surprised to see¡ª¡ª Outside the huge window, a clear river divided the city in half. Looking out the window, Daniel smiled. "Oh, that''s the Spree River. You can see the part that hasn''t entered the Havel River here, and our HQ can see the part that''s merged. You came from the corridor on the other side so you couldn''t see it." This corridor was simr to the one Qi Mu walked through with Min Che, except, there were no pictures of the orchestra''s historical figures here. Qi Mu looked at the setting sun and said, "Long time no see, Daniel. Was there. . . something?" Daniel went straight to the point. "Actually. . . Angel, are you with Min?" The question was so abrupt Qi Mu froze for a moment before answering. "Yes, we''re together." After a pause, he added, "You can call me Little Seven. The name Angel was just Mr. Farrell''s prank." Feigning hurt, Daniel said, "Oh my God, did you really forget, Little Angel? The first time I heard your solo at the end ofst year in Huaxia''s B City, I called you Angel. Mr. Farrell wasn''t even there!" Qi Mu was speechless at the man''s sad expression. Finally, he forced himself to nod. "Yes, I forgot. . ." After hesitating, he asked tentatively, "Um, will you. . . still call me that?" Daniel nodded. "Angel, when Min asked for two days off yesterday, I thought. . . If you didn''t ept him this time, what kind of catastrophe would we experience next?" Surprised, Qi Mu asked, ". . . His temper is that bad?" Min Chen pulled him away from traffic the first time they met, saving him from danger. The second time, he found out the man was so afraid of bugs he would not enter his own house. Such a person could scare people? Later in Hong Kong, Min Chen told him what Boswell liked, what to y, and how to y it. There were countless examples since, proving Min Chen might look unfriendly, but he wasn''t scary, right? Daniel rolled his eyes and eximed, "God! Are you saying that devil is gentle, Angel? Did I hear that right? He''s not that bad?! I''m telling you, he''s not just bad, he''s already trained the whole orchestra not to breathe!" Qi Mu: ". . ." "Have you been to the Danube Forum? Damn it, I thought that fellow wouldn''t be interested in what people say about him. Oh, I forgot, Little Angel, you''re from Huaxia." After a pause, Daniel added, "It''s a forum for Europeans where ssical music fans gather. They held two pollsst year." Qi Mu just smiled and waited for Daniel to continue. "The first poll was for conductors with the best temper. And, you should know the one who got the first ce. It was Allen from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The other poll was for conductors with the worst temper. And. . . Little Angel, do you know who won first ce?" Although he smiled and shook his head, in his head, Qi Mu spat out the name. . . Auston Bertram. "It''s that guy, Min Chen! I found a few friends to register an ount and vote for him. Otherwise, the other bad-tempered conductors like Mr. Evra of the Vienna Symphony would snatch his well-deserved ce, you know!" Qi Mu: ". . . Well, Daniel. . ." "Min Chen''s temper is just so bad. He may look elegant and all, but his belly is full of ck water and his tongue''s poisonous. . ." Forcing a smile, Qi Mu said, "Daniel, actually. . ." "I know! Don''t you also want to say he''s a demon? Little Angel, you finally see the truth! If he''s not the devil, then who else. . ." "I''m the devil?" A deep voice rang out from behind Daniel, elegant and unhurried. ". . . And, you asked people to help you vote?" Daniel: ". . ." Little Angel! Why didn''t you warn me!!! Qi Mu: ". . ." I mean, you didn''t let me. . .
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet
Chapter 107
Now that Min Chen had arrived, Daniel had no reason to hang around. Before he escaped, Qi Mu asked what he wanted to talk to him about. Daniel patted his thigh and scratched his head. "Little Angel, I just wanted to tell you that while this guy has all kinds of shorings, he''s good at heart. Don''t be deceived by his looks, he''s really a fantastic guy!" Qi Mu: "¡­" Was that how you used that saying? (Don''t be deceived by his looks.) The man in question spared him a nce, "Cleaning up the aftermath? A little toote." Daniel: "¡­I really wanted to say that! I brought him out here just to say good things!" "Oh," Min Chen replied, indifferent, "Yet you said I''m the devil?" Daniel: "¡­" I can''t argue with that, ah! Even if he jumped into the Rhine River, Daniel wouldn''t be free of this injustice! The orchestra continued its rehearsal that afternoon, and it wasn''t good to disturb them. So Min Chen didn''t take Qi Mu back in, and Qi Mu had noints. But, he didn''t know¡­ Bai Ai''s rehearsal hall was silent as a cemetery. Everyone, minus Christole, was lifeless, their expressions screamed¡ª¡ª It''s so painful! I don''t want to live anymore. Qi Mu couldn''t possibly go back. If he did, he would drown in their tears. Therefore, Min Chen took Qi Mu to explore Bai Ai''s headquarters for the afternoon. Qi Mu really enjoyed his time at the world''s top orchestra''s HQ. Unlike the Vienna headquarters, which was more traditional, Bai Ai''s was modernized. His gaze swept along the smooth, ck and white curves of the architecture. He spotted a collection room of records and his gaze widened. "The records here can''t be listened to, to prevent them from being damaged." Min Chen stood in front of the ss cab with a smile on his face, "But there are some CDs you can borrow whenever." A little dazed, Qi Mu asked, "Really?" Min Chen replied calmly, "Really." When they left the building, Qi Mu held a small bag in his right hand. The CDs inside tinkled quietly, in harmony with his steps. Since Berlin was Min Chen''s home, he took his responsibility of showing Qi Mu around very seriously. He even brought him to a private restaurant on Friedrichstra?e for a meal. Qi Mu wasn''t a foodie¡ªfor him, any meat dish not from Chinese cuisine was more or less the same. However, he never imagined German food would be so heavy. Most of the dishes on the menu were meat dishes. Though he preferred meat, even he would tire of it. So, once they left the restaurant, he hesitated for a while before finally asking, "¡­Is there a supermarket nearby?" Min Chen: "?" The young man let out a quiet sigh, his expression conflicted. "I want to buy some ingredients. Once we get to the hotel, I''ll ask to borrow the kitchen and make supper." At the word "hotel," a teasing expression shed through Min Chen''s eyes but he promptly shook his head. He asked, "You''re still hungry?" After a pause, he added, "Would be fine?" Qi Mu''s eyes lit up. "You have Yang Chun Noodles?" Rare to see him so excited, Min Chen couldn''t help but gaze at him. After another pause, he nodded. "Yes." In the end, what happened that night was: the two left behind a table full of barely touched food in a high-end German restaurant and, under Min Chen''s lead, found a small, inconspicuous Chinese restaurant and ordered two bowls of Yang Chun Noodles. Because they were fellow countrymen, the owner gave them two extra eggs. Qi Mu ate happily. After they got in the car, Qi Mu took out a CD and looked it over. It was from a New Year''s concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra eight years earlier. Qi Mu had been on a tour with Vienna Symphony Orchestra at that time, so he didn''t get to attend. Qi Mu rarely got to attend Wei Ai''s New Year''s concert. So, he borrowed several rare recordings that he hadn''t had a chance to buy and nned to listen to them once he got back. The faint yellow light of the streetmps intermittently illuminated the youth''s handsome face as the car passed them by. Qi Mu gently stroked the CDs,pletely focused on them. No one spoke, but the silence wasn''t awkward. The traffic light turned red, and the car slowed to a halt. Woken from his reverie, Qi Mu looked at the man beside him. This sudden stop made him realize something. This red light¡­ was the first one they encountered since the car started, wasn''t it?! As if hearing his thought, Min Chen turned to Qi Mu, keeping one hand on the steering wheel. With a smile in his deep eyes, he said, "I have good luck, I rarely encounter red lights." Qi Mu couldn''t help butugh out loud. "Yes, I can see that," he said, turning to watch Berlin''s brilliant nighttime scenery. Suddenly, he remembered something. "Right, I forgot to ask if you booked a hotel. Did you?" Min Chen stiffened but returned to normal a momentter. The red light turned green, and he stepped on the gas pedal, replying, "It''s peak season, getting a hotel room is quite difficult. I asked Daniel to deal with itst night and he said there were no vacancies." Qi Mu stared at him nkly. "Not even one?" Min Chen nodded solemnly. "Yes, not even one." Qi Mu frowned. Helplessly, he said, "Incredible, not even one¡­ Last night, I thought since Berlin is so big, there would be no problem in booking a hotel. I didn''t expect even Daniel couldn''t find one." Qi Mu believed in Daniel''s ability since the man wouldn''t have been able to stay Bai Ai''s manager for more than a decade if he wasn''t capable. His extensivework of connections covered all of Europe. Min Chen shook his head. "He''s turned stupidtely." Qi Mu: "¡­" Daniel, chewing a lovely steak at home: "Achoo! ¡­Who''s saying bad things about me?" The city''s bright lights dyed the night sky a magnificent rose-red. In contrast to this man-made illumination, the moon was quite dull. It just hung quietly in the sky, its glow gentle and soothing. Since no hotel had free rooms, Qi Mu naturally followed Min Chen to his apartment in the center of Berlin. Seeing Min Chen bring his luggage from the garage, Qi Mu had an epiphany. He asked, "Don''t tell me¡­ You knew I was going to stay here tonight, so you left my luggage here this afternoon?" Min Chen froze for a moment but returned to normal before Qi Mu could react. He shook his head then turned to look into the young man''s suspicious eyes. "This afternoon, I asked Daniel to look again. Qi Mu¡­ I''m not God, how could I have known?" After thinking about it, Qi Mu felt this was reasonable. Anyway, he would stay in the guest room. As far as he knew, theyout of this apartment should be the same as the ones in B City and Vienna. It would definitely have two guest rooms, what''s a big deal? So, when he saw the apartment wasn''t even 100 m2, he stopped at the door and stared in shock. Finally, he asked, "This one¡­ isn''t two-stories?" Min Chen nodded matter-of-factly. A smile could be heard in his voice as he said, "Well, no." Qi Mu: "¡­" A clean, spacious living room upied the majority of the room in the apartment. When, Qi Mu saw a lone 9ft Steinway piano in a smaller room, he seemed to realize something and his heart skipped a beat. "¡­Do you have a guest room?" Min Chen shook his head regretfully. "A pity but no." Qi Mu: "¡­" After a while, he asked again, "Then¡­ how many bedrooms?" Min Chen sighed, even more regretfully. "I live alone." Qi Mu: "¡­" After looking around the apartment and confirming there really was just one bedroom, Qi Mu could only spread his hands helplessly. He looked at the tall man who couldn''t quite conceal his smile and asked, "Min Chen, do you know¡­ basic Chinese hospitality?" This took Min Chen by surprise, and a bad feeling appeared in his heart. Raising his eyebrows, he said, "Yes?" "I can see your sofa is quiterge¡­" Qi Mu continued meaningfully. Min Chen: "¡­I guess?" "And your living room is big, much more spacious than the bedroom, ah¡­" Min Chen: "¡­" "I think this sofa is perfect for you¡­" Min Chen: "¡­I''m sleeping on the couch?" Seeing the man''s expression screaming, "I don''t want to sleep on the sofa, don''t make me sleep on the sofa, okay?", Qi Mu finally couldn''t stop himself fromughing. Sighing, he said, "I''ll sleep on the sofa. It''s big, it shouldn''t be a problem. I hope I''ll be able to find a hotel room tomorrow." As the young man moved towards the sofa, Min Chen frowned and reached out to stop him. Surprised, Qi Mu turned to look at him. The other man hesitated for a while, before finally asking, "¡­You really don''t want to sleep in the bedroom?" "If I sleep in the bedroom, where will you sleep?" Min Chen: "¡­" In the bedroom as well¡­ After a long silence, the handsome man let out a quiet sigh. Admitting defeat, he said, "Let''s go¡ªmy apartment is next door." Qi Mu: "¡­What?" Min Chen: "This is my piano room." Qi Mu: "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­"
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Eques, Bet

Kuro/Bet:

Pfffffffffft
Chapter 108
Berlin had a rare clear sky the next day. Cool wind blew over the Spree River, sweeping away the summer''s dry heat. However, Qi Mu wasn''tfortable for long. By noon, the hot sun brought someone unexpected along with the scorching heat¡ª¡ª Akkad. When he received the call, Qi Mu was sitting in the Bai Ai''s rehearsal hall, listening to the third movement of ¡¶Symphony No. 6¡·. Fortunately, his phone was on silent, so he stepped out. He barely opened his mouth to speak when he heard Akkad''s cold hum, "Little Seven, I''m at Tegel Airport. Where are you?" Qi Mu, doubting his hearing for the first time: "¡­" Qi Mu asked, "Professor¡­ Where did you say you were?" Akkad gnashed his teeth. "Tegel Airport. Damn it; I heard Tchaikovsky''s ¡¶No. 6¡·. It sounds like Bai Ai''s¡­ You''re still there?!" Qi Mu''s head spun at the anger in his voice. The old man hung up, leaving Qi Mu at a loss. He listened to the beeping on the line then his light-colored eyes widened. "¡­ Professor''s in Berlin?!" The answer came twenty minutester. In the blink of an eye, the old man was at Qi Mu''s side. Neither his appearance nor his awkward temper had changed in their two months apart. He still raised his eyebrows the same way when he got angry. "Little Seven! You actually agreed to date that horrible Auston?!" Qi Mu didn''t have the chance to speak before his professor went on, "You haven''t even been together for that long, and you''re already living together?! Damn it, that bastard must have deceived you. He kidnapped you!" Qi Mu: "¡­" Qi Mu coughed and said, "Professor, we''re not living together. It''s tourist season in Berlin right now, so it''s hard to find a hotel room. I didn''t book any when I came, so I spent the night at Min Chen''s yesterday¡­" In the guest room. "What?! You stayed in his house?!!!" Without waiting for Qi Mu to finish, Akkad''s rationality copsed entirely. He stared at Qi Mu and said, "What tourist season, what no hotel?! It''s possible not to get a hotel in Germany, but if it''s Auston Bertram, I don''t believe it!" Qi Mu looked at Akkad. Doubt in his tone, he asked, "Professor, what do you mean¡­ ?" Akkad shook his head bitterly and sighed, "Little Seven, you''re too simple. Do you remember¡­ What ''Bertram'' means?" Qi Mu pondered, then replied, "It''s one of Germany''sst few families of Dukes and Min Chen''s father''s family¡­ ah¡­" "Do you really think he couldn''t book one little hotel room in his own base?!" Looking at his student''s lovable face, Akkad was so worried, his heart almost broke. He sighed, "Little Seven, oh, Little Seven, Professor told you before. That Auston guy is full of bad water! He can''t be trusted!" Qi Mu: "¡­" Even if he wanted to refute, Qi Mu swallowed his words and listened to Akkad, until he remembered the "piano episode" the former night. The sound instion in the rehearsal hall was amazing. Standing outside the ss corridor, Qi Mu could hardly hear anything, despite being separated by only one wall. After a round of preaching, Akkad heaved a long sigh and said, "Little Seven, Teacher has only been gone for two months, and you really got together with that devil?" The word "Devil" was too familiar. Qi Mu couldn''t help but think of Daniel''s words. He didn''t answer. When the old man repeated the question, Qi Mu looked up at his professor and sighed. Gently, he said, "Professor¡­ Min Chen isn''t as bad as you think. I know he''s not perfect, but I like him." Akkad was in such a rage, he had to press one hand to the corridor wall to hold himself up. Supporting him, Qi Mu whispered, "Professor, no one''s perfect. I know his shorings, but I like him very much. And¡­ isn''t that enough?" Akkad deted under his student''s gentle persuasion and nodded, letting Qi Mu support him as they walked along the corridor. The Spree River flowed, reflecting sunlight not far away. Though the temperature was boiling, people inside werefortable. Qi Mu led Akkad to the window with the gorgeous view and stopped. He felt pleasant, gazing over it all. Still, Akkad couldn''t stop himself. "Little Seven¡­ You see, this Auston is so bad. He deceived you once; he can do it again and again." The handsome young man wore a calm smile. Silently, he thought, "In fact, he lied to me twice yesterday." On the surface, he said, "But professor, I believe he will be good to me. And, I will be good to him. Even if he lied to me¡­ It must be for a reason. He won''t harm me." Akkad was at a loss for words. Seeing the old man''s bewilderment, Qi Mu recalled the first time he met the professor. Akkad had just picked up a chocte and gazed at it, the words "I''m just going to taste it for you" stered across his face. His heart warm, Qi Mu said, "Professor, I hope¡­ Can you bless us, please?" No one could bear rejecting such a sensible and clever child, especially with eyes full of expectation. Even Akkad couldn''t deny him. When Min Chen got the news from Daniel and ran to find Qi Mu, he saw Akkad already standing beside him. Hesitating, he went over to them. "Long time no see, Reed." The man''s voice resounded in the quiet corridor. When Qi Mu turned to him, he saw the striking man walk towards him, calm andposed. Immediately, Qi Mu had a bad premonition. Heart lurching, he turned to look at his mentor¡ª¡ª "Auston, you bastard! You still dare appear in front of me after leading my student astray?!!!" Qi Mu covered his face, powerless. "¡­" Raising his eyebrows, Min Chen asked, "Then, Qi Mu and I will go first?" Akkad: "¡­" Qi Mu didn''t see his mentor or Min Chen again for the rest of the afternoon. They went to talk somewhere Qi Mu didn''t know and couldn''t find. So, he stopped trying and minded his own business like he did at Farrell''s house. Min Chen let the orchestra practice by themselves. Under Christole''s arrangement, they formed an ensemble and practiced separately with their group chiefs. Since Qi Mu nned to just watch Bai Ai rehearsing, he had left his violin at Min Chen''s house. But, Christole was enthusiastic about letting Qi Mu y his spare violin for the first violin group. Christole had long known since Qi Mu was Akkad''s student, and he had received a 9.5 from Min Chen, his violin was bound to be exceptional. But, when he heard Qi Mu''s third movement of ¡¶Symphony No. 6¡·, a glimmer of surprise still colored his gaze. He apuded him wholeheartedly. The afternoon ended with Qi Mu and Christole''s mutual consultation. The members of the first violin group could only watch as their concertmaster, and the little angel spoke to each other without giving them a chance to join in. When the two began to talk about Caprice 24, someone finally couldn''t help but interject, "Stop! Christole¡­ We''re supposed to practice ¡¶No. 6¡· today¡­" Once one began, the others followed¡ª¡ª "Yeah, I''ve practically never touched Paganini since I left college. Those are nightmares!" "Can you not mention ¡¶Devil''s Laughter¡·? That was my graduation track!" "Oh please, can that evenpare to me?! I''ve practiced all 24 caprices in my four years of college!!!" ¡­ Listening to them, Qi Mu kept his head down and covered his smile. Frustrated that they hadn''t learned their lesson, Christole said, "You guys, what are you saying in front of Little Angel? If the conductor knew you acted like this and ruined our Bai Ai''s reputation¡­ What do you think he''d do?" "If you and Angel don''t say anything, how will he know?" "That''s right, Mr. Bertram trained me, and I would rather go to heaven than touch ¡¶Infinity¡· ever again." "Don''t even mention that piece! I almost scrapped my fingers trying to y it in under 3 minutes and 55 seconds!" ¡­ Christole sighed helplessly while Qi Mu shook his head. Once night fell, and the members of Bai Ai had packed up and gone, Qi Mu lingered. He stayed behind tough and speak with Christole. They were discussing how to improve and y ¡¶Infinity¡· at the fastest speed when he heard a low, mellow voice in his ear. "Qi Mu." Qi Mu turned. The sunset acting as his backdrop, a tall man stood at the door of the rehearsal hall, looking at him. He looked like he''d been waiting for a long time. Qi Mu couldn''t help but return the tenderness in his smile. Before he could meet Min Chen, his professor appeared behind him. Looking at him, his professor shouted, "Little Seven, hurry and pack your stuff¡­" "We¡¯re going back to Paris."
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

Aww, Akkad you spoilsport!

Empress:

WHAT.

Ayn:

Min Chen agreed to this? ¡Ñ.¨‘

Kuro: Couldn¡¯t find a Hungarian violinist with NOVA in their name (the original), so searched around and found these three possibilities for thest track ¡°Infinity¡±:

Chapter 109
Evening fell, and the brilliant sunshine, with all the liveliness and vitality of afternoon heat, faded into darkness. The cry of cicadas filled the stuffy air along the Spree River. Sitting in the passenger''s seat, Qi Mu recalled Akkad''s words. Min Chen and Akkad held a private conversation for three hours. Though he didn''t know its content, he wasn''t curious. Since they didn''t say anything, they had to have a reason. When the time came, maybe he would know. Min Chen had just told Qi Mu about his visit to Farrell''s house, and their time in the study. They had discussed at length how to get Akkad to agree to their rtionship, as well as Farrell''stestposition. Although Min Chen''s expression read, "Just talked about hisposition," Qi Mu felt¡­ it wasn''t that casual for Farrell. But, that didn''t matter, since it had already happened. Now, though¡­ He was returning to Paris. Qi Mu turned to the man whose gaze was fixed on the road. He frowned, heart reluctant. When Min Chen first brought him to Berlin, Qi Mu wanted to refuse. Now that they were going to separate, Qi Mu felt¡­ the time they spent together was too short. He only came to the city the day before, and he was already leaving. The youth''s lovely face was filled with loss, and Qi Mu kept his head down. He gazed at the ground, not focusing on anything until he felt warmth on the back of his hand. He looked at it in surprise, finding Min Chen''s distinct knuckles. Though his fingers were thin, they were powerful from years of ying. Qi Mu''s gaze followed the hand to his arm and up, only to find the man looking down at him with tenderness. "When you get back to Paris¡­ Contact me more." The car stopped in front of Tegel Airport. Its tinted windows prevented anyone from peering inside. When Akkad saw theirplicated expressions, he self-consciously excused himself, "I''ll get off and take my luggage first." Opening the door, he slipped away, leaving them alone. Only Min Chen and Qi Mu were left in the car. Each moment spanned for hours. Nodding, Qi Mu gently said, "Well, I''ll take time¡­ and contact you more. Paris isn''t that far away." To ease their parting, Qi Mu added, "You see, Paris and Berlin aren''t as far as B City and S City." "I''ll miss you." With just those three words, Qi Mu''s throat contracted, and his words froze in ce. Min Chen''s skin was hot, and his heat surged up the back of his hand into his veins and directly to his heart. It burned in his chest as his pulse sped up. Qi Mu didn''t know how to reply. The man had reached some sort of consensus with Akkad. Now that he was saying such stimting words, Qi Mu don''t know what to do. Finally, Qi Mu squeezed his fingers. He chuckled, "I''ll go help professor with his luggage. It''s too much for him alone." Qi Mu started to turn away, his hand on the doorknob. The moment he turned, Min Chen''s low voice called¡ª¡ª"Qi Mu." Turning around, Qi Mu whispered, "Yes, what¡­ Umph¡­" Their lips met. Involuntarily, his mouth parted and the the tip of the man''s tongue swept inside. Seatbelt already unfastened, Min Chen leaned in and pressed his beloved against the door. He held Qi Mu''s waist in one hand and the back of his head with the other, locking him in ce. Somehow, this one-sided kiss became an elusive dance, impossible to separate. Their lips and tongues twisted together, ambiguity filling the car. Min Chen held the youth firm in his arms, and Qi Mu too earnestly responded to the kiss. By its end, Qi Mu was breathless, and his dazed expression drew Min Chen even closer. They clutched each other close for a long time, foreheads touching and gasping for breath. "Will you miss me¡­" Qi Mu lifted his gaze. The man''s dark eyes were locked on his, gazing at him in hesitation. It felt as if Min Chen was close to giving up whatever decision he had made to keep him here. His breath slowly evened out, but Qi Mu didn''t answer. Instead, he asked, "Will you miss me?" Min Chen smiled. "I will¡­ I really will." Qi Mu smiled, too, eyes pinched closed. "Then, me too¡­ I will also really miss you." ¡­ The words "I will really miss you" made Qi Mu smile all the way onto the ne. Even at the security check, he couldn''t stop himself from turning back, never hiding his reluctance to leave the man behind. Akkad, who had been a single dog for years: "¡­" After the nended at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Akkad went to the parking lot with Qi Mu at his side, exining bits of his business in Turin. When he noticed the young man would only reply with "Oh" and "Um," Akkad frowned. He turned to him. His lovely student was sending texts on his phone! Smiling so happily¡­ Of course, who else could be on the other side?!!! Akkad, the single dog who had received a second blow: "¡­" You''ve only parted for a few hours, can you control yourself a little!!! After returning to Paris, Qi Mu and Professor Akkad headed back to the college and cleaned up the violin room. Farrell had said Akkad wouldn''t be back for another three days, but he returned two days earlier. The following night was the opening ceremony for the start of the new semester, and he didn''t want to miss it. A lot of instructors didn''t have a consistent ss schedule. During the holiday period, Dn spent all his time in the piano room, attending sses. He didn''t know what the word "vacation" meant. Qi Mu was the same, he went to Vienna with Akkad during the semester, then to Dresden with Farrell during summer break. But, Akkad was an official professor at the university. He should lead by example and follow the academy''s regtions, which was why he went straight to Berlin to pick up his student after his business in Turin. It was no wonder Qi Mu forgot the opening ceremony when his mentor had such an inconsistent ss schedule. When Qi Mu finished cleaning up, he was about to pick up his violin case and luggage when Akkad called, "Little Seven, those are heavy. Can you carry them all?" Qi Mu answered, "I can, professor. My ce is nearby, did you forget?" Akkad nodded then added, "It''s a bitte now. Just leave your violin in my safe. You can pick it up in the morning." Qi Mu thought about it then agreed. He handed his violin over to the professor. While locking up the safe, the old man asked, "Oh yes, Seven¡­ Evra mentioned when you cooperated with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, you used an excellent violin, right? Why haven''t you been using it since?" Confirming that the safe waspletely locked, Akkad turned to look carefully at his student. "Seven, that''s no good. No matter how good a violin is, if it''s not yed, it''s not a violin. It''s just an item in a collection that looks like a violin. Look at Paganini''s Il Cannone, aren''t there a lot of people borrowing it?" Feeling awkward, Qi Mu shook his head, exining, "Professor¡­ There''s a reason for that. I have an agreement with some elders. They keep the violin in the Swiss Bank. I can only take her out after I can cooperate with the world''s top orchestra in the Golden Hall." His answer made Akkad''s eyes widen. As they walked out of the building together, he asked, "What''s with this strange agreement? Seven, I don''t know what happened, but if you want to take that violin out, you can ask Auston. He should have a way." Qi Mu shook his head. "Thank you for your kindness, professor. I know how to deal with the matter." Pausing, he raised an eyebrow. "But professor¡­ Do you think I''m not capable of it?" "Okay, fine, fine, that''s your violin anyway! Just remember to bring it and show it to meter!" Akkad muttered a few iprehensible words to himself. He didn''t ask anything else about the violin. Looking up at the bright moon, Qi Mu''s lips lifted into a faint smile. That Little Princess¡­ It was almost time to get her back.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Ayn:

I just feel so happy for Qi Mu (*¡ä¦Ø£à*)
Chapter 110
The number of first-ss schools of music in the world could be counted on two hands, and the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music was one of the most outstanding. Any top music academy would have orchestras of varying sizes, or private, student orchestras. Almost every one of them would perform from time to time, and it was one of the ways studentsmunicated with each other and enhanced their skills. Qi Mu thought of joining his violin department''s orchestra, but Akkad kept him too busy for it. He was unable to participate in their daily practice, so he gave up. After the opening ceremony, when Qi Mu returned to Akkad''s designated violin room, his mentor said, "Little Seven you will start rehearsing with the college orchestra tomorrow." In a daze, Qi Mu asked, "Professor, don''t we need to keep practicing?" He was in a bottleneck period, and it was hard to keep improving in such a short amount of time. Akkad also changed his exercises from training his skills to improving his mastery and understanding of music. But, Qi Mu wasn''t confident he could reach the level Akkad wanted. Akkad nodded then took a piece of paper from his score folder and handed it to Qi Mu. "This is the letter I got from the Dean. You can serve as the orchestra''s concertmaster right away." Qi Mu was so shocked he couldn''t even ask, "Why did you put such an important thing in a score folder?" Instead, he asked, "Professor, isn''t Angelo the concertmaster? He''s excellent, I think he deserves the position. I don''t want to steal his seat." Akkad smiled and said, "Seven, do you know that he''s going to graduate soon? He''s busy preparing for his graduation project and exam. He has no time to practice with the orchestra, he''s practically resigned." After a pause, he continued, "They don''t want to take the time to train another concertmaster. In skill level, you''re the only one suitable for the seat, so the Dean agreed to make you concertmaster." Only then did Qi Mu realize Angelo was about to graduate. With that, he remembered something else, too. With a smile, he said, "Professor¡­ I''m about to graduate, too, right?" Akkad''s smile stiffened, but he hid it soon after. Laughing, he said, "Yes, if you can get first ce again in the next assessment, Little Seven¡­ you will graduate." It was as Akkad said before, he didn''t want to trap Qi Mu in the college and restrict his development. For many students, the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music was the cradle for their development. It provided them strength and shelter, giving them peace of mind. But, Qi Mu could stand alone. He didn''t need the academy to be his protective wall. Instead, he was the academy''s pride. In the quiet violin room, Akkad stared at Qi Mu, his student for only half a year, squinting. Hiding his gaze, he said, "Well, you will report to the orchestra tomorrow. Remember to rehearse with them every afternoon afterward, got it?" The school was so good its students could be hired by first-ss orchestras directly. Qi Mu nodded and replied in affirmation. Then, he thought, "Professor, you told me to report tomorrow. So today¡­?" Akkad grinned. "Today? Today you''re going to y the pieces Farrell taught you. Seven, you can''t bezy. Teacher is much stricter than that Farrell fellow, so you have to y seriously, ah! If you make even one mistake, I won''t give you any chocte!" Qi Mu: "¡­" He didn''t want chocte¡­ Qi Mu spent the whole day ying the tracks Akkad arranged in addition to several other pieces his mentor randomly selected. Knowing his mentor''s temper well, Qi Mu had already practiced a few pieces here and there, though it was just a few. Ultimately, Akkad, who wanted to y the teacher''s card, reluctantly handed over his chocte. His expression was stiff. "That chocte is made by my favorite old shop, you can only find it in Turin. Seven¡­ you must savor it!" Qi Mu didn''t know whether tough or cry. "¡­Teacher, I really¡­" "Stop dilly-dallying! Just take it, I can''t bear it anymore!" Qi Mu: "¡­" There was an old Chinese saying that was passed on since ancient times, "Zh¨£ng zh¨§ c¨¬, b¨´ g¨£n c¨ª," It meant the younger generation could not refuse a gift from their elders. He held the bag of choctes, hesitating. As soon as Akkad wasn''t paying attention, he slipped it back into the lounge. He knew the saying, but Akkad wasn''t Chinese. Therefore¡­ he didn''t count. Under the brilliant sunset, the temperate summer wind blew through Paris. Even with the breeze, it was sweltering. Grabbing hold of his violin case, Qi Mu walked towards the college exit. Some of the students on thewn greeted him with a smile as he passed, while the rest looked on from afar. They chatted about Reed Akkad''s favorite student and how he got first ce in the assessment twice in a row. Before Qi Mu stepped out of the gate, he received a text from his mentor. Rows of messages appeared on the flickering mobile phone screen¡ª¡ª ¡¾Well, Little Seven. You bought this chocte, too. It''s good. It tastes the same as the ones I gave you, your teacher approves. But, you have to practice seriously tomorrow morning and, don''t forget, you have to report to the orchestra. Bribing your teacher is useless, you know!¡¿ Seeing this tsundere message, Qi Mu burst outughing. "Yes, I know," he replied. He whispered to himself as he walked out of the gate, "Teacher is so cute, he knows very well that''s his chocte¡­" The youth''s voice was drowned out by the sound of violins resounding across the university. Returning home with a bag of fresh vegetables, Qi Mu had just ced it on the shelf beside the entrance when he received a call from Vienna. Stunned at the name on the screen, Qi Mu connected the call. A hoarse voice spoke from the other end, "I found something, sir." Qi Mu''s hands clenched into fists. He asked, "What did you find?" "I couldn''t find out who bailed Luo Yu Sen out, until I received a clue a few days ago, sir. When I went to check it out¡­" The man hesitated. "You might know him, he''s famous in Vienna." Qi Mu heartstrings pulled tight. Jacques wasn''t a household name in Vienna, but he was still quite famous there. "Yes¡­" Qi Mu said, "Are they from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra?" On the other side, the man shook his head. "No, no, no, sir. Not from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, but from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Err¡­ You should have heard of Wei Ai''s concertmaster¡­ a Mister Leon Zayev?" Qi Mu''s pupils shrunk. His fingers tightened around the phone, their tips turning white. "Mr. Zayev is quite the powerful man, but I''m very sure he''s the one who bailed Luo Yu Sen out." Charles added, "He found a proxy, who then led Luo Yu Sen''s parents to awyer and ultimately released him on bail." Charles proceeded to recount everything that had happened. His theory was well-founded, he even said he could send Qi Mu the evidence the next day. Qi Mu only needed to give him his address. Qi Mu had no choice¡­ but to believe this fact that had never urred to him. "Please continue to look into Luo Yu Sen and Zayev, and the past¡­ What they did in the past year." After a pause, Qi Mu added, "Money is not a problem, I''ll wire it to you tomorrow." After Charles replied with an affirmative, Qi Mu hung up. Only the sound of the clock ticking echoed through the dark living room, breaking the frozen atmosphere. After a few minutes, Qi Mu flipped the switch and turned on the light. The house suddenly brightened, but the youth kept his head lowered in silence. Qi Mu didn''t know how much time passed before he started to move. Head bowed, he changed into his slippers. Just as he stepped into the kitchen with his violin case and groceries, his phone rang again. When the call connected, the passionate ¡¶La Campane¡· came to an abrupt end. Qi Mu stood by the kitchen counter, smiling. "Why did you call so suddenly¡­ Min Chen?"
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Ayn:

I wanna ¡®aww¡¯. It¡¯s adorable how Min Chen could change Qi Mu¡¯s mood??
Chapter 111
cing the spinach into the sink, Qi Mu turned on the water to wash it. Phone in his free hand, he asked, ¡°You said the orchestra was having difficulties with the fourth movement. How do you suddenly have time to call?" The man on the other side hummed before answering, "It was only a slight problem, it''s fine now." Min Chen could hear running water, so he asked, "What are you doing?" Qi Mu eyed his reflection in the window as he washed his vegetables one-handedly. His face was calm, and his voice rxed, "Washing ingredients for cooking. Oh, there''s no time difference between Paris and Berlin. Have you eaten yet?" Min Chen didn''t reply right away. After a beat of silence, he said, "Well, I have. What are you having tonight?" Qi Mu couldn''t helpughing. "I''m having¡­" This simple, ordinary chat eased Qi Mu''s depression and shifted his forced smile into something much more natural. When the conversation turned to Akkad and the choctes, Qi Mu had already burst outughing a few times. His mood warmed by the minute and his delicate face was filled with smiles. Min Chen said he was going to make Daniel go to Turin to buy chocte for the old man, and Qi Mu couldn''t restrain his giggles. "Are you¡­ going to bribe my professor?" The man''s answer was matter-of-fact: "Of course." "Well¡­ what are you going to bribe him for? You can''t be¡­ you''re not trying to learn the violin again, are you?!" Recalling his mentor''s words, "Auston''s violin is god-awful," Qi Mu immediately shook his head and said, "Min Chen, I think you''re already superb with the piano, so don''t grieve yourself over the violin." Min Chen: "¡­" Under Qi Mu''s persuasion, Min Chen revealed some anecdotes from his childhood studies of the violin. Qi Mu ced his sd and on the table and lifted his chopsticks. He had yet to take even a single bite when Min Chen sighed. "So¡­ now that you''ve heard my jokes, do you feel better?" His chopsticks froze. Smiling weakly, Qi Mu asked, "How did you know?" "When you answered, your voice sounded¡­ sad." The man''s voice was very much like the beast piano, clear and pleasant. "Qi Mu, I''m sorry I can''t be with you right now. If something happened that made you unhappy¡­ Please, don''t hide it from me?" Though that voice was transmitted over cold radio waves from thousands of miles away, it warmed his heart. He could imagine the man''s face, still cold and indifferent, but with eyes overflowing with indulgence and affection. "Actually¡­ it wasn''t anything very important¡­" Qi Mu exined the situation. Calmly, he ryed that he trusted a man very much but never expected him to go behind his back. His exnation wasn''t too vague, and while someone might think he was misaligning the facts, he didn''t hide anything. When he finished, he omitted his death and reced it with, "I lost something very important." Still, leaving it at that, he was worried Min Chen might be angry. After a long while, Min Chen said, "So¡­ That someone you never thought would stab you in the back and seemed kind was actually conspiring with someone else to take something precious from you?" Qi Mu nodded. "Yes, something very, very precious." Everyone knew how big the opportunity to perform in the Golden Stage was to a young violinist. Not to mention¡­ how precious life was to someone who obviously only had one! "So¡­ what are you sad for, Qi Mu?" The question threw Qi Mu off guard. "Since he took something precious from you, take it back." Min Chen said, "But, if you can''t take it back, then¡­ teach him the price of taking something that isn''t his. Even if he used to be kind to you." His voice wasposed and without much fluctuation, and Qi Mu felt he was trying to suppress something, which, to be frank, surprised him. Though, nothing Min Chen said was wrong. He didn''t have anything to be sad about. On the contrary, he should feel grateful for his fortune! Since he knew the person''s true face early on, he hadn''t truly been deceived by them yet. When he thought about it this way, he and Zayev had only known each other for two months, whatever friendship they had wasn''t that profound. Qi Mu rxed. It wasn''t that mboyant and crude Jacques who had him killed. Qi Mu also wanted to believe in him, even though the ck musician never concealed the fact he looked down on him. Getting such a tant wake-up call from Min Chen, the weight in his heart disappeared. They chatted for a while after that, until Qi Mu was ready to eat and about to end the call. But then, Min Chen whispered, "Qi Mu¡­ is there anything else you want to tell me?" Qi Mu pondered for a moment. Shaking his head, he replied, "No, I can''t think of anything else? I''ll call if I do. Remember to put your phone on mute, so I don''t disturb the rehearsal." On the other end of the phone, Min Chen replied with a hum. Qi Mu hung up with confusion written across his face. He wondered why the man asked¡­ What else could he want to tell him? He still couldn''t think of anything after pondering it for quite a while. Chuckling, he started his dinner. In Berlin, thousands of miles away, a man wore a gloomy expression. Daniel came over and scratched at his hair. "Hey, Min, break''s over. Let''s continue with afternoon rehearsal." Daniel, who didn''t know he stood before a loaded gun, continued, "Did you just call Little Angel? Oh, it''s been a while since Ist saw him, I really miss that guy! What''s the Chinese saying again¡­" "Um, let me see¡­ Ah, one day is like countless autumns!" Min Chen nced at Daniel. "It''s ." Daniel nodded. "Oh yeah, yeah, that''s the one. Damn, Chinese is too difficult!" Min Chen''s eyes narrowed. "You''re just stupid." Daniel: "¡­" After a beat: "You wanna go!!!" Though he said it, even ten Daniels wouldn''t dare fight him. When they returned to the rehearsal hall side by side, even Daniel, as dense as he was, could feel something off about Min Chen. He frowned. "Min, we''ve known each other for a long time. Yet, I rarely see you in this bad of a mood¡­ What happened? Does it have something to do with Angel?" Over their decade of friendship, Daniel had a good grasp on Min Chen. Put simply¡ª¡ª He knew him so well, he even knew he was afraid of bugs, okay! So, he definitely noticed the anger Min Chen tried to suppress, so pungent it threatened to freeze the air. Daniel hadn''t seen Min Chen this anger in a very long time. Thest time was over a trumpeter trying to be smart. They tried ying petty tricks to get ahold of the track they were using to select the next deputy chief in advance. It made Min Chen furious, and the trumpeter''s end was¡ª¡ª To be driven out of Bai Ai. Standing before the mahogany door, Min Chen lowered his head, and his hair covered his eyes. It took a while to suppress everything, but finally, he said, "Someone did something bad to him." For a split second, Daniel was stunned, then he rolled up his sleeves. "What?! Someone bullied him?! They must not want to live anymore! Don''t worry, Min. You won''t even have to do anything. We, Bai Ai, will end this with one punch." Qi Mu was Bai Ai''s angel. Bullying him? Daniel knew they had to have a death wish! To his surprise, the man who ought to be the most furious of them all shook his head. Min Chen stared at the ground and murmured, "It''s toote¡­" Such simple words shocked Daniel. Though he didn''t know what happened, he could tell from Min Chen''s appearance, things weren''t simple. Because¡­ Daniel had never seen Min Chen me himself or be so vulnerable. He was surprised that this man, who had always remained calm andposed in all his schemes, who could even hide his murderous intent, could show such remorse. He stared at Min Chen. He felt so lost until he remembered¡­ Min Chen was just an ordinary human. Their years of friendship made Daniel sad for him. Patting Min Chen''s shoulder, he sighed, "Don''t worry, Min. It''s not toote yet. Isn''t Angel doing great right now?" He continued to encourage him after a pause. "I don''t know who bullied Angel¡­ but now that he''s doing so well, you can certainly protect him. Besides, I don''t think anyone would dare try such a thing now. How can they bully him when he has us, Bai Ai''s support?!" Daniel waved his fist as he spoke. He didn''t notice the cold sh in Min Chen''s eyes. After a beat, Min Chen sighed. When he looked up again, he''d regained hisposure. Min Chen replied to Daniel with a hum. When he opened the door, he was once again the usual Bai Ai''s cold conductor with a poisonous tongue. But, as he looked at the man''s sturdy figure, Daniel shook his head and whispered, "Looks like¡­ someone''s going to be very unlucky." The night sky in Paris was the same as in Berlin, and a hazy crescent moon hung overhead. Qi Mu finished doing the dishes and intended to pack things and prepare his score for his work with the college orchestra. He hadn''t practiced with one for quite a while. In Bai Ai, Min Chen had extra patience that night. Though all the members and staff worked overtime, they were surprised to find¡ª¡ª Wasn''t the conductor a lot less poisonous today?! Well, it had to be because he was spending so much time with Angel!!! The moonlight shone on Qi Mu as he wiped his table. Gazing up at the moon outside his window, Qi Mu decided to forget all those disgusting people. He took afortable bath then sank into sweet dreams. Light dispelled darkness, just like justice would always triumph over evil. That day wasn''t that far away.
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Fuwa (the author):

XD Min Chen is so gentle, he won''t be mad if you touch him. Min Chen: I will be! Fuwa (The author): I choose you, Qi Mu! Qi Mu: *pats his head* Min Chen: . . . Well.
Chapter 112
After some reflection, Qi Mu decided to put aside the disgusting people. He ignored them and continued improving his skills. There were so many things to do. Improving his violin was far more important than anything else. And so, Qi Mu told Charles to continue digging for more details. At the same time, he officially started working with the school''s orchestra. When Qi Mu studied at the Geneva Conservatory in hisst life, he served as deputy concertmaster. At the time, the concertmaster was a year older than him with skills and strengths on par with Qi Mu. The only difference was the concertmaster''s mentor was the violin department''s dean. Before entering the school, Qi Mu (previous life) hadn''t studied under any top instructors. His first year there, he was very behind the other students, especially in professional knowledge. There were things the other students treated likemon sense that werepletely unknown to him. Those first two years, he absorbed knowledge and practiced like a madman. During his third year, he became the deputy concertmaster and delivered his speech as the grade''s representative. Now, he served as the concertmaster of the Paris Conservatory''s orchestra. Although it was a temporary arrangement, Akkad said the orchestra would have a performance the next week. Qi Mu needed to be ready. The next afternoon, he arrived at the rehearsal hall early. It was arge lecture hall, approximately a hundred square meters in size. There were no desks or tforms. Instead, it held only chairs ced ording to the musicians'' positions. A score stand stood in front of each. The room was designed in the generic baroque style used by the college. The lighting wasn''t as excellent as Akkad''s music room, but several windows were open for venttion. When Qi Mu got there, only a few girls sat in their chairs, chatting. From their positions, they seemed to be in the second violin group. He watched them afar, but before he could greet them, a short-haired girl stood. Eyes wide, she eximed, "You''re Little Seven!" The others were also surprised to see Qi Mu¡ª¡ª "God, my teacher said Little Seven would take Angelo''s ce for a while, is it true?!" "Lena, I told you he would, but you still didn''t believe it. See, he''s here now!" "Didn''t they say Professor Akkad assigned him too many tasks? How could Little Seven have time toe?" ¡­ The ancient Chinese had a saying: "Three women were enough for a drama." Qi Mu had never taken this saying seriously, but¡­ When he saw the girls shift from surprise to discussing which mentor was gentlest, QI Mu helplessly covered his forehead and realized the truth¡ª¡ª His ancestors hadn''t deceived him. After they argued, realizing they were going about it wrong, the girl called Lena walked over to Qi Mu and asked, "That¡­ Little Seven, are you really going to be our concertmaster?" At the girl''s meek behavior, Qi Mu smiled. "Well, if there isn''t a problem¡­ I''ll be concertmaster for half the semester." The words "half the semester" frustrated the girls. They exchanged a few more words and introduced themselves. Generally speaking, each student at the Conservatory had their own mentor to guide them. In smaller departments, like the harp department, having instructors teach students one-on-one was rathermon. But, for the violin, piano, cello, and otherrger departments, the instructors would guide three or five students at once. Of course, there were students professors paid special attention to. Dn, for example. He was his mentor''s favored student and often given closed-studies. He shared his professor with the short-haired girl, but she wasn''t quite at his level. There were also mentors like Akkad, who only epted one student. But, they were far and few between. So the girls were quite jealous of Qi Mu for having a mentor that would give him one-on-one instruction, yet d they didn''t have such a harsh mentor. When the other orchestra members arrived, Lena turned to Qi Mu. "Little Seven, although the violin department is happy about your arrival¡­ some people might not be so friendly." This remake had Qi Mu''s eyebrows raising. "Not so friendly¡­ What do you mean?" "Those guys in the woodwind section," the girl said, "They''ve always envied Angelo for getting the dean''s rmendation to the Munich Symphony Orchestra. Our Angelo is strong, that''s a fact! Their envy is useless!" The girl side-eyed the boys as she spoke, and as they demonstrated the vitality of youth. At such youthful behavior, Qi Mu couldn''t help but chuckle¡ª¡ª He hadn''t seen such lovely students for a long time, or such tant defiance. After leaving the academy, most musicians learned to keep their emotions in check. It was like entering the workce. They could no longer do what they wanted in fear of others stumbling into their path and speaking behind their backs. At the girl''s concern, Qi Mu said, "Maybe you think too much. Angelo is very skilled; they must be blessing him sincerely¡­" "Are you Little Seven?" Qi Mu was interrupted. Surprised, he turned to see a boy from the woodwind group standing behind him, bowing. That''s right¡­ bowing. The boy had a rare figure for a music student. He was muscr and stood half a head taller than Qi Mu. He had to be around two meters tall. Though his tone wasn''t polite, Qi Mu wasn''t timid. Tilting his head up, Qi Mu answered neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Yes, I''m Qi Mu. If I may ask, who are you?" A Chinese man amongst blondes stood out like a crane in a flock of chickens. The youth''s elegant demeanor and speech made the other members stop to look at him. When they looked at this youth who had be a campus celebrity, they felt¡­ he really was good-looking. The impact was even bigger this close up. To Qi Mu''s surprise, the aggressive student lowered his head. "Actually¡­ I wanted to ask a favor." The boy pulled a thin CD from his backpack. Qi Mu looked at it and saw a pair of handsid over ck and white keys on the cover. These fingers were slender and pristine. Just by looking, he knew they made beautiful melodies as if by nature. Clearing his throat awkwardly, the boy said, "I love Mr. Bertram''s piano, and¡­ I heard you were close to him. I was wondering if you could ask for an autograph?" Thrown off, Qi Mu smiled and took the CD. "Yes, I''ll ask him as soon as possible." The boy sighed in relief and repeatedly thanked him. Qi Mu looked at the taller student bowing to him, and before he could react, over half the orchestra had surrounded him¡ª¡ª "Oh God, can you really ask for Mr. Bertram''s autograph?" "I''m a big fan, but when he was here as a judge, I wasn''t here!" "Little Seven, you''re so nice. Please help me get an autograph as well. I''ll bring the CD tomorrow!" ¡­ By the end of the traffic jam, Qi Mu had collected eight albums and more than a dozen reservations for an autograph, all of which would be sent to him tomorrow. Qi Mu had no choice but to pack up all the CDs and store them in the bag with his music scores. As soon as he turned around, a young boy around fifteen or sixteen looked up at him. With adorable blue eyes, the boy was as lovely as a doll. Qi Mu''s heart softened. With a smile, he asked, "Do you want Min Chen''s autograph, too?" "N¡­ No." He shook his head rigorously. At Qi Mu''s surprised gaze, he removed a CD from his bag and thrust it forward. "¡­ May I have your autograph, please?" Qi Mu''s eyes widened when he saw the album. The words "New York Philharmonic Orchestra" were written on the cover, and on the back, a familiar name was credited under concertmaster¡ª¡ª Qi Mu. This was the album Qi Mu recorded atst year''s festival in Hong Kong. Qi Mu''s heart warmed. He smiled and took the boy''s pen, signing his name in the ck space on the cover. "Thank you for your appreciation. I will work harder." His acknowledgment made the boy blush. The young man then ran to the back door, and Qi Mu took out his violin. Before long, the assistant conductor entered the room and introduced their new temporary concertmaster whom everyone had already met. In front of nearly a hundred people, Qi Mu looked at their young, immature faces and felt something inexplicable¡ª¡ª This was the first time he had be the concertmaster of an orchestra. Over the next month or so, he would be responsible for leading the orchestra even higher together with the conductor. And, in the future¡­ "Hey, Little Seven, this orchestra has a rule. I don''t know if you know it." Qi Mu, already nning for the future: "¡­" The interrupted Qi Mu coughed to hide his gaffe then turned to look at the young man. The br stood toward the end with empty hands. Qi Mu smiled, "This¡­ I do not know, can you tell me?" The young man smiled, baring his teeth, and spoke like a salesman: "It''s very simple. That is, as our concertmaster, your skills need to be advanced. For example¡­ ying ¡¶Infinity¡· in under three minutes and forty seconds?" Immediately, the orchestra sizzled like a frying pan¡ª¡ª "ying ¡¶Infinity¡· in 3 minutes and 40 seconds? You have to be joking! I would be thankful if I could y in 3 minutes and 50 seconds!" "This is too much! Since when did our orchestra have this rule? It''s ¡¶Infinity¡·, you know!" "Wasn''t Angelo''s record 3 minutes and 47 seconds?" ¡­ Finally, someone couldn''t stand it. "Hey, Kale! Just because the violin department won first twice in a row, and you beat Langston and Seven, doesn''t mean you can cause a ruckus! We''ve never had this rule! You''re just damaging yourself. If you have the ability, beat everyone in the assessment with your own piano." The boy from the piano department just shook his head dismissively and said, "What about the rule? Angelo has yet to graduate, and he''s already been reced. He needs to be more skilled than Angelo. Fine, it doesn''t have to be 3 minutes and 40 seconds, I just made it up. But Langston can y ¡¶Dante Symphony¡·, and Mr. Bertram appreciated it a lot!" Everyone was so disgusted they hissed. They knew "Kale hated the violin department" was practically his slogan because he was mad he lost twice in a row. Therefore, he deliberately made trouble for Qi Mu and twisted his words, all consistent with his personality. It was no big deal to lose a verbal match anyway. He had nothing to lose. Even though the other members shared these thoughts, Qi Mu stared at the vigorous br. Eyes narrowed, a trace of ridicule lit up his gaze. He held his violin and stepped forward. In the noisy rehearsal hall, the young man''s low, even voice seemed to gain infinite power. The room fell abruptly silent¡ª¡ª "Since you want me to prove my ability so much, then¡­" "Thank you for the invitation."
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet

Kuro:

Sorry for the extra awful trantion, i''m running on three hours sleep when i trante this. Thank you, editors! And as everyone know if they watch TwoSet, speed ying is never a measure for skills, unless you can y the right notes. Otherwise you''re just a sacrilegious boi lol (Reference for Infinity)
Chapter 113
¡¶Infinity¡· was Paganini''s most famous etude. Like the name implied, the melody was repetitive. It tested a musician''s skill and was used for training. It tested the endurance and flexibility of the left hand for pressing strings and the bow''s jumps, but also the adeptness of change for the right hand. Manyrge orchestras used the piece as theirpulsory audition track to test violinists'' ability. This piece contained 2,212 notes. Paganini was able to y it in three minutes and three seconds, over twelve notes a second! It was unimaginable and unheard of for current violinists. After Paganini, the best violinist in the world could only clock the piece at three minutes and thirty seconds. In his youth, Akkad could y it at three minutes and thirty-two seconds, forparative sake, that showed just how difficult the piece was. In fact, the piece itself wasn''t that difficult. At a slower speed, even amateurs could y it. However, it was a speed test. In the silent room, everyone held their breath, staring at the young man. Some stared at his left hand while others already stared at their stopwatches in silence. This was perhaps the longest three minutes in the world. With over ten notes a second, all the students could see Qi Mu''s hands moving swiftly over the bow and strings, but at the very least, they knew¡­ He definitely wasn''t slow! The repeated melody echoed in the rehearsal room. Qi Mu''s slender, fair fingers seemed to have a mind of their own. They danced along the violin board so skillfully and easily, holding and changing strings constantly. No technique, just speed, speed, speed! When the second minute ticked in, many members of the violin department already felt their wrists aching. They naturally were the most qualified to express their opinion on this piece because they knew, it was at this stage, the piece truly tested their endurance. This kind of intense string changes made one''s muscles sore, and wrists swell. Most of them couldn''t endure it at this stage and would feel like they were dying. Therefore, for them, this piece spelled "Tragedy" whenever they heard it from afar. But what they couldn''t believe was¡ª¡ª Qi Mu didn''t seem to slow at all! In fact¡­ He seemed to get even faster!!!! Some of the girls covered their mouths in marvel, but Dn and the others who just entered the rehearsal room had their eyes wide with shock and watched Qi Mu incredulously. When the performance finally entered its third minute, time seemed to slow, sixty seconds feeling like a century. They watched the handsome young man calmly y thest two notes. Long after the piece ended, the room was dead silent, and no one moved. In the end, it was Kale from the piano department who started the provocation in the first ce that pped first in a daze. The others followed, and thunderous apuse from nearly a hundred members of the orchestra filled the room. Dn finally reacted, "Oh, God, don''t let my teacher see Seven perform¡­ Teacher really will scold me to death!" Lena nodded, "This¡­ I finally understand how terrible Professor Akkad is. Little Seven is so skilled, why is he always so unsatisfied?!" Amongst the whispered marvel, someone finally asked the duration. The student with the stopwatch raised his mobile phone and announced, "Three minutes and thirty seconds! No, it''s¡­ 03:39:44!!!" This silenced everyone. Even Kale, who issued the challenge and stated the timing, withered. He looked at the young man in front of the crowd who was described as beautiful with strange eyes filled with wonder. If Qi Mu could read people''s minds, he would hear only one word in unison¡ª¡ª ¡ºMonster!¡» By the age of 22, he could y ¡¶Infinity¡· in under 3:40 seconds. If he wasn''t a monster¡­ then what else could he be! Even Christole wasn''t said to be this powerful!!! In fact, these innocent students didn''t know that onlyst night, Qi Mu was given the arduous task¡ª¡ª To y ¡¶Infinity¡· within three minutes and thirty-five seconds in only a week! And so, Qi Mu had begun practicing this piece right after he returnedst night. He hadn''t touched this piece in so many years. When he first yed, he could only manage three minutes and fifty seconds. The second try shaved off three seconds! If Angelo knew Qi Mu could reach this speed after only practicing twicepared to him, who took over a month, perhaps even vomiting three liters of blood wouldn''t be enough to express his grief and indignation. However, Qi Mu spent over two hours practicing and resting his hands intermittently, yet couldn''t break the forty-second barrier. It was only this morning after Professor Akkad gave him some corrections that he managed it. Even Qi Mu didn''t think¡­ he could y this piece in under forty seconds, to begin with. After all, this feat was a bit shocking for an ordinary student who hadn''t even graduated yet. But this also meant Qi Mu had met this impossible "requirement of the orchestra." If it was said the woodwind group was friendly because they adored Min Chen, now¡­ they really admired the strength of this temporary concertmaster! Did they think ¡¶Infinity¡· was easy? Yes, even amateurs could y it. But they couldn''t y it in three minutes and forty seconds!!! Not only the woodwind group but even the empty-handed apany group like Kale looked like frosted eggnts,pletely wilted. He then apologized to Qi Mu, looking deted. While he was still skeptical, he knew Qi Mu really had the skill to defeat Langston. Not only Kale, another member of the piano department said quietly: "When will this guy graduate, when will this guy graduate, when will this guy graduate?" Important things had to be said thrice! They hadmitted themselves to the piano department, but so long as this monster was still here, their department would never take first in the assessment. Someone, exin¡­ why didn''t Seven enter the piano department?! Since even the piano department waspletely won over, no one doubted Qi Mu''s skill anymore. That afternoon, Clive from the conductor department took Qi Mu to various instrumental groups so he could familiarize himself with the members. He then left Qi Mu to manage the first violin group''s practice before making him brush his skills as concertmaster. Qi Mu knew most of the members, especially Dn and Zuckerberg. They were both "closed disciples" of their mentors, so they often hung out with Qi Mu. As for the other members of the group, though they didn''t have much contact with Qi Mu, they knew this legendary figure helped the violin department win first ce in the assessment twice in a row. The afternoon passed quickly. Qi Mu and the orchestra yed Haydn''s ¡¶Symphony No. 45 in F sharp minor¡· for the first time, and after that, it was time for ss. Qi Mu smiled and said goodbye to the other members, packing up his stuff and CDs from before. Once he was finished, Clive smiled and walked him out of the room. "Oh, Seven, I actually heard about you a long time ago. . It really was wonderful! It''s a pity our conductor department could only sit under the stage and listen, haha." Clive was the student of the conductor department''s dean. So to speak, he was at the same level as Angelo. In this school''s orchestra setup, other than a professor from the conductor department who served as chief conductor, it was Clive as the assistant conductor''s duties to manage the orchestra''s daily affairs and training. In response, Qi Mu smiled, "Thank you, Clive. You''re also good. I felt the lonely end to ¡¶Symphony No. 45¡· this afternoon!" The two left the college together. Over the following few days, apart from demonstrating his improvement to Akkad that morning, Qi Mu also devoted himself to the orchestra''s arduous practice in the afternoon. Think he could rx at night? Of course not! Impossible! QI My only had the time to practice ¡¶Infinity¡· in the evening, so naturally, he had to hurry up and practice. Wanting to y this piece in under 215 seconds in a week, even Qi Mu had a headache. He used most of his rest time to practice. The time to reply to messages and answer phone calls was also reduced to dismal numbers. So, when Akkad leisurely enjoyed his choctes, the group chat that had been silent for a long time, ¡¾Little Angel''s Practice Room¡¿, suddenly flickered to life: Min Chen: ¡¾What arduous task did you give him recently, Reed?¡¿ Farrell: ¡¾Eh? Reed gave Angel a difficult assignment? Reed, you can''t do that. Angel is still a child, you have to guide him step-by-step.¡¿ Reed: ¡¾Is trying to y ¡¶Infinity¡· in 215 seconds in a week hard?¡¿ Daniel: ¡¾¡­¡­¡­¡­ Is there something wrong with my eyes? Why do I think I saw someone ying ¡¶Infinity¡· in under 3:35 within a week not hard¡­¡­¡¿ Farrell: ¡¾My god! Reed, that''s inhuman!¡¿ Reed: ¡¾Hmm, I can do whatever I want. Auston, don''t even try to tell me what to do. I want to let Little Seven graduate early. There''s not much time left, thank you very much. Please send some chocte.¡¿ Min Chen: ¡¾¡­¡­¡­¡¿ The next day, anotherrge bag of chocte was airmailed from Turin to Paris. Akkad looked at the choctes with a smile. Looking up, he said to Qi Mu, who had been practicing ¡¶Infinity¡· to the point of barely breathing, and said, "Seven, you just slowed down a little. Speed up!" Qi Mu, nodding with a smile but crying inside: "Yes, Teacher!" Akkad nodded happily. He opened the gift bag and found a thin card iid with silver inside, and a note written in beautiful cursive in both Italian and Chinese¡ª¡ª ¡¾Don''t bully him, Reed. -- Auston Bertram¡¿ Professor Akkad: "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­"
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet
Chapter 114
Qi Mu took seven days to y ¡¶Infinity¡· in 3 minutes and 35 seconds. The following morning he was able to y it in 3 minutes and 34 seconds, impressing Akkad quite a bit. In the beginning, Akkad gave Qi Mu a task that was practically impossible toplete. He didn''t intend for Qi Mu to actually aplish it. Even people who had practiced the piece for weeks found it difficult to reach the 3 minutes and 40 seconds mark after a break. But, Qi Mu did it. Only then did Akkad have a clear understanding of how determined and hardworking Qi Mu could be. Could such a young man with top-ss talent and relentless effort not stand at the pinnacle of the ssical music world? Akkad believed he would. "Little Seven, you really are the best child I''ve ever met." Setting aside his sses, Akkad sighed and continued, "Talent is a hard thing to gauge. Of all the people I''ve met, your talent is among the best, but certainly not the highest." Qi Mu removed his violin from his shoulder as he listened. He wasn''t angry. Rather, he smiled and said, "Yes, I have never thought I have the talent to surpass others, professor." Adamant, Akkad shook his head and said, "Seven, you don''t have to be humble. Your talent is not inferior to thatd, Christole. Needless to say, it is inferiorpared to that monster Auston. Of course, I don''t think your violin would be worse than his piano in the future. It won''t be long before you surpass him." Qi Mu smiled, but didn''t say a word. If others heard Akkad saying his student would surpass Min Chen, all of them would definitely say, "Master Akkad is really partial to his student!" But, if Farrell was asked the same question, he would agree with Akkad. The reason Qi Mu''s talent was inferior to Min Chen''s? He would never be a sessfulposer and conductor like Min Chen. But, that didn''t mean Qi Mu''s aplishments with his violin would lose to Min Chen''s piano. Remembering someone''s threat from a few days earlier, Akkad''s lips stiffened. "Alright, Seven, let''s not talk about that guy, Auston. You''ve been with the college orchestra for a few days already. How''s the situation? You should be familiar with them by now, right?" Gentle sunlight filled the room through the windows. Dust particles dotted its light, fluttering in the air. Under the sunlight, the young man''s hair was spun with gold. He looked at his adorable mentor, his eyebrows knitted. "Professor, it''s been six days. If I dare say I''m not familiar with them yet¡­ Wouldn''t you be angry?" Exposed, Akkad coughed and retorted, "Fu¡­ Nonsense! I''ve been busytely so I just remembered it. Well, it''ll be a few days before the performance. How are you doing in the orchestra?" "For the opening performance, the orchestra intended to focus on Haydn''s works, ying his ¡¶Symphony No. 45 in F minor¡· and his ¡¶Violin Concerto No. 1¡·." At his teacher''s awkward appearance, Qi Mu went on, "This time, the conductor is a teacher from the conductor department, Mr. Kawaguchi. We''ve been rehearsing for several days and it''s gone well so far." Akkad nodded. "Well, the opening performance of the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music is still highly valued in the industry. It will be broadcasted live on TV in Paris and there will be some reports in Vienna. This performance will also be recorded on CD, so treat it seriously, okay?" "Yes." Qi Mu nodded, his tone serious. The two spent the next hour discussing Wilhelm''s music. When Qi Mu finished his morning ss, Akkad coughed and took a small bag from behind him. "Little Seven¡­ You''ve been very busy recently, but you should take proper lunches, you know? I brought you some corn from home. My neighbor cooked itst night. I heard you Chinese don''t like sandwiches, hamburgers, bread and the like. So you can try corn instead." Qi Mu''s eyes widened, but he finally took the little bag from the old man''s hands. Even from a distance, Qi Mu could smell the sweet scent of the corn from. His heart soft, he nodded. "Master Akkad, you cane to my house in a few days. I will cook some Chinese food for you." Akkad was stunned. "Really?!" "Of course!" He simply nned to send his student some corn for him to taste. But, it turned to an event, Qi Mu invited him to his apartment to eat after the performance. Satisfied with the oue, Akkad was pleased that only two pieces of corn could bring him such benefit. When Qi Mu left the room, the old man took out his mobile and sent a message¡ª¡ª Reed: ¡¾Hey! Auston! You told me yesterday to urge Seven to have a good meal. Well, you see, I sent him some delicious sweet corn today!¡¿ Daniel: ¡¾¡­ Excuse me, Master Akkad. Exactly, how¡­ does sending sweet corn could make you so proud?¡¿ Min Chen: ¡¾Corn?¡¿ Reed: ¡¾Exactly! I sent him corn and Seven invited me to his house for dinner! This is great, I haven''t gotten to taste Little Seven''s cooking yet!¡¿ Min Chen: ¡¾¡­¡¿ The pain of long-distance rtionships was having to ask others to care for your lover, only to envy their benefit! Forced to restrain the emotion in his eyes, Min Chen ended Bai Ai''s lunch with a sad look on his face. Then¡­ The afternoon rehearsal was an inferno of purgatory! Bai Ai members: ¡­ Why! Why is the conductor acting so strict!!! ¡­ Qi Mu knew nothing of what was happening in Berlin. As temporary concertmaster of the college orchestra, Qi Mu spent less than a day familiarizing himself with the orchestra from top to bottom. During rehearsal the next afternoon, his violin had already integrated into the orchestra''s sound, making the members marvel at his achievement. Even Clive was in awe, "Seven, you''re the most powerful violinist I''ve ever seen! You''ve only rehearsed twice with us, it''s amazing how you can be so familiar with the orchestra''s rhythm already!" Clive didn''t know Farrell once said, "If time could turn ten years back, I''m sure Qi Mu could be a world-famous conductor!" Qi Mu''s perfect pitch enabled him to distinguish all sound. With an excellent memory forged from daily practice, he was easily able to integrate his own sound into the orchestra''s. Qi Mu had worked with several orchestras in both his lifetimes, from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and New York Philharmonic Orchestra to the small theatre groups he joined when he first arrived in Vienna in his previous life. The Paris'' National Conservatory of Music''s orchestra wasn''t the best among those he''d worked with, but the students'' skills already amazed him. In another ten years, Qi Mu knew many of the people there would definitely shine in the world''s top orchestras! After practicing two of Haydn''s works for about a week, the orchestra finally got the approval of their conductor, Kawaguchi. The conductor professor from Japan alwaysbed his hair with gel and dressed in a suit all day long. At first sight, he looked strict and in. He was skeptical of Qi Mu in the beginning. Qi Mu''s age wasn''t proportional to his fame in the college. He was especially skeptical after seeing Qi Mu was a handsome young man. Kawaguchi always held the belief that "appearance and strength were inversely rted" and kept a close eye Qi Mu. He didn''t believe in his skill. After several rehearsals, Kawaguchi took Qi Mu aside to speak with him in private. "Seven, I want to apologize to you for my skepticism. Your violin is great. I believe our opening performance will be even more sessful with you here!" Qi Mu smiled and humbly epted the professor''s praise. Qi Mu was on the way to the supermarket to buy groceries at the time, and he decided to invite Kawaguchi to his house for dinner after the performance. After Qi Mu extend his invitation, Kawaguchi agreed and said he was honored to have the opportunity. When they arrived at the next street corner, Qi Mu and Kawaguchi parted. Just as he reached the supermarket, Qi Mu received a phone call from Berlin. Unable to hide the smile on his lips, Qi Mu''s face turned soft. "Is afternoon rehearsal over?" Only a few people lingered about the supermarket. All kinds of goods were ced neatly on the shelves. Everything looked appealing. Pushing his shopping cart into the bright light, Qi Mu listened to the man''s low voice over the phone, "Yes, what are you doing?" Qi Mu held a cabbage, determining how fresh it was, before cing it in his cart. "I''m buying ingredients for hotpot. The opening performance of the college is in a few days. I wanted to invite several students over, along with Professor Akkad and Professor Kawaguchi of the conductor department. It''s going to be lively." After a long silence, Min Chen said, "¡­ Sorry, it''s not your own cooking and it''s not going to be just you and Reed?" Shocked, Qi Mu asked, "Teacher told you? Well, it''s not just Teacher, Dn and Angelo will be there as well. It will be too tiring for me to cook alone, so I invited more people since hotpot is easy to make inrge portions." After a pause, he suddenly thought, "Are you busy the next few days? Our college opening performance will be excellent, you cane and listen." "Bai Ai is going to start our global tour, so I''m a bit busy." Qi Mu felt a bit lost. After exchanging a few more words, he pushed the cart to the counter to pay. The sunset dyed Paris''s night sky a gorgeous rose red. Raising his hand to shield his eyes, Qi Mu gazed at the beautiful scenery. He couldn''t help but say, "What a beautiful day!" ¡­ What beautiful day?! Some people didn''t think so!!! Some people had their conductor treat them to dinner in the lounge. And, what was their conductor doing?! How could their conductor sit in the corner, sneakily enjoying his Chinese hotpot, while they had to chew on steaks with the smell permeating the air?! What a good spicy smell! They wanted to eat some, too!!!
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Bet

Kuro:

¡°Wilhelm¡¯s music¡± can refer to any of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Wagner https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Joseph_von_Wasielewski https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Melcher https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tell_Overturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliusz_Wertheim
Chapter 115
The number of students enrolled in the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music each year never exceeded a thousand members. When divided among departments, the number seemed dismal. However, just because there weren''t many students, didn''t mean their opening ceremony performance wouldn''t be grand. For a century-old college like they were, as long as there was arge-scale performance each year, many alumni attended. Located on the north side of the campus, the concert hall had a history spanning over 50 years. Under the moonlight, the hall''s baroque dome reflected their unique silver-marble architecture. Excited and curious new students filtered in with the old alumni, who were full of nostalgia as they joked with each other. They all walked along the colorful cobblestone path to the concert hall. Once there, all they needed to enter was an existing or old student ID. The college also invited some non-alumni musicians. All in all, it was a celebration of the college, for the college, with very few outsiders allowed in. The number of graduated maestros wasn''t small in the past few years, so when excited freshman saw familiar faces, they couldn''t stop shouting their surprise at seeing an idol! Instead of going backstage, Akkad sat in the front row, waiting for the concert to begin. Today, the stern, old master wore a tuxedo with a delicate tie clip. Appearing very formal and solemn¡­ his actions were far too casual for his dress. Akkad typed on his phone¡ª¡ª Reed: ¡¾The concert is about to begin! I can go to Seven''s house this evening for dinner, it''s wonderful!¡¿ Farrell: ¡¾¡­ I taught Angel for a while, too! Why didn''t he ever invited me to dinner? I''m really disappointed¡­ ¡¿ Min Chen: ¡¾Haha.¡¿ Daniel: ¡¾¡­ What are youughing at! Min! Youe back right now! Prepare for tomorrow''s rehearsal!!!¡¿ Reed: ¡¾Back? Where did he go?¡¿ Min Chen: ¡¾Try guessing.¡¿ Reed: ¡¾¡­¡¿ Ignoring the man who exuded the feeling "I can''t eat Seven''s cooking, and I''m full of vinegar," Akkad exchanged a few words with the other professors from the violin department and thought: You want to eat Little Seven''s cooking? Dream on! Humph, I''ll just take a picture tonight for you! The old man didn''t notice that just two rows away, a handsome man bowed his head, huge sunsses covering most of his face. He wore a ck hat and big sunsses for good reason. He didn''t want anyone to find out who he was. Even so¡­ A few minutes before the concert began, a young girl went up to him. In German, she timidly asked, "Excuse me¡­ Are you Mr. Auston Bertram?" He stared at the girl through his dark sunsses. In fluent French, he asked, "Excuse me¡­ What are you talking about?" The girl and herpanion immediately bowed their heads and apologized. "Sorry, we got the wrong person." Then, they returned to their seats in a hurry before the performance began. As she walked away, the girl whispered to herpanion, "The man speaks French, I''ve never heard Mr. Bertram could speak French before. I think we''re thinking about this too much¡­" Through the thinyer of his sunsses lenses, the man''s dark eyes didn''t fluctuate. He didn''t take the episode to heart. Even when the professor seated next to him stared at him, he only asked casually, "What''s the matter?" And so, the man who practically screamed "Don''t get close to me" sat in the middle of the audience like it was nothing. Just wanting to hide, he didn''t realize the hat and sses only made people more curious. When the first cello student''s performance ended, Akkad apuded. Curiously, another professor sitting next to him asked, "Hey, Professor Akkad. Do you see the weird guy sitting behind you? Wearing a hat in a concert hall, what a funny guy!" Akkad turned to look in indifference. Seeing a strange man in a hat and sunsses, he shrugged and said, "Professor Maes, there are many strange people in our field. There''s nothing strange about him." Maes shook his head. "No, I think he''s familiar¡­ Don''t you think he looks like Auston Bertram?" Akkad: "¡­ ?!" Looking back again, the man calmly waved at him. The corner of his lips twitched, and he covertly went over to the man, taking advantage of the buffer time before the second performance. He changed seats with another violin professor. "You brat! How did you get here?! Didn''t you say that you''d stop meeting so often with Little Seven before his graduation? If this is discovered, what would if someone wanted to start something?" The four students onstage already started their ensemble. Facing Akkad''s whispered questioning, Min Chen quietly typed something on his phone and handed it over to him. Akkad: "¡­" When the short ensemble performance ended, Akkad urgently whispered, "Leaving just after the concert is finished? What the hell are you doing? Daniel said that Bai Ai will start rehearsal tomorrow. It''s going to take you more than 20 hours back and forth, it''s a waste of time!" A long silence answered Akkad. Min Chen didn''t speak a word in reply. After a long while, Akkad received only a short reply. "I want to." Akkad: "¡­" Onstage, Langston of the piano department finished his performance of Bach''s ¡¶English Suite No. 5¡·brilliantly. Akkad pped his hands gloomily and sneaked a peek at the man beside him under the dim light. He couldn''t understand. Why did Min Chene here over a ten-hour flight knowing that he needed to leave right after the show ended? ¡­ Single dogs naturally couldn''t understand this kind of behavior. The broad brim of his hat covered the man''s profound face, only leaving his prominent jaw visible. When the host announced the next performers, the college''s orchestra, would be performing two of Haydn''s symphonies, Min Chen''s lips curled into a smile. His cold face softened. Why did I take a ten-hour flight toe? Because¡­ ¡ºI miss him very much.¡» After an hour-long production featuring the cello, violin, piano, and all the other departments, the curtain finally rose for the orchestra. It was the main event of the evening. Members of the college''s orchestra had always been the best students in the academy. Each one of them carried their instruments to the stage and walked to their seats in an orderly fashion. The members represented the highest level of skill in the academy, so they had to show their strengths in a grand concert. Countless lights shed. When a handsome young man entered the stage, the atmosphere warmed. Especially amongst the violin students, there were quiet gasps of shock from the audience. The name "Qi Mu" had widely circted in the university ever since the first assessment,st semester. The college assessment had been held for a hundred years, and no one had won the first ce multiple times in a row. Only one outstanding piano master from 70 years ago did it seven times and graduated with honors. But the maestro didn''t get 90 points every time, let alone¡­ Get full marks from the main judge. The bright, dazzling spotlights illuminated the stage as thunderous apuse seemed to have torn off the hall''s roof. Under the lively apuse, the outstanding young man gracefully shook hands with the orchestra''s conductor, Kawaguchi. He was calm and confident, not disturbed by the audience''s enthusiasm. When the youth led the orchestra to bow to the audience, Min Chen''s grip tightened against his wooden armrests. Hiding his thoughts and love beneath the dark sunsses, only his upturned lips revealed how he felt¡ª¡ª His favorite person stood where the lights gathered, the audience apuding him. "Little Seven¡­ is excellent." Akkad''s whisper came from his side. "When I saw him for the first time, I thought he''d be something special. Just like now, he led arge orchestra all on his own." Min Chen nodded and whispered back, "I know, he''s always been outstanding." On the stage, having bowed to the audience with the members, Qi Mu took his ce at his seat. cing his bow on the strings, he was ready to y. His head raised, he watched Kawaguchi on the podium. The older man gently raised his baton and¡ª¡ª A soothing melody resounded!
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet
Chapter 116
Haydn''s ¡¶Violin Concerto No. 1¡· inherited itsposer''s optimism and warmth. As a violin concerto, it showcased the violin''s light timbre with a leaping melody. Such a lovely, lively tune was very suitable for such an energetic event. The audience watched as the violin group drew their bows, pressing their strings in unison, and made this queen of instruments worthy of its name the highlight of the performance. Those with average hearing could discern only whether the pitch and rhythm were right or not. The college professors and the specially invited maestros, however, with excellent hearing could hear the allure of the violin. This sound that came from the concertmaster, especially, was a stream flowing from the mountain with authentic vitality. Most gazes were involuntarily drawn to the young man sitting to the conductor''s left. Coincidentally, the part ying now was melodious and the entire violin group had be an apaniment. Only the youth''s violin still sounded its delightful tune. His fair, slender hands danced along the board, picking out one beautiful note after the next, sowing the seeds of joy. Everyone was still immersed in the tune even after the performance had ended. Each had smiles on their faces, as if they truly felt Master Haydn''s joy that had spanned for over hundreds of years. "Bravo!" That was an excited shout from the violin department, and soon after, roaring apuse broke out. Professor Kawaguchi and Qi Mu bowed to the audience as the apuse slowly subsided, waiting for the next performance. Professor Akkad had already changed seats to one near the left exit of the concert hall. He pped gently as he watched the brilliant youths on the stage from afar. He blurted, emotionally, "This piece is rtively simple, but the performance is excellent. I didn''t expect a college orchestra to y such a timbre, they''re really beyond my imagination!" He had never bothered to keep up-to-date with the college''s current affairs, so although he was there for half a year, he had never listened to one of their performances. If it weren''t for his student being concertmaster, Akkad would surely be toozy to even go to the concert hall. Min Chen nodded silently, gaze locked on a certain someone on stage. "Them being so outstanding¡­ might have something to do with their new concertmaster." His words, in turn, almost made Akkad choke. After a while, he said dubiously, "If you''re heard by someone else, they''ll think you''re Little Seven''s teacher. Seven is excellent, but he alone won''t be able to change an entire orchestra in just a week, right?" Min Chen nced at him indifferently and said, "Not necessarily." Akkad: "¡­" Okay, fine, great, everything about your lover is beautiful! Do whatever you want! Three minutes had passed since the first performance ended. In tonight''s repertoire, the audience had lone known the orchestra would y two pieces., but it was quite strange. They had already yed the first and the second was¡ª¡ª It was nk! nk as in "¡¶¡·" nk! Many students felt as if their heads were splitting open, trying to figure out what this "¡¶¡·" meant. Some professors with profound qualifications, on the other hand, smiled mischievesly and said to each other, "Is the piece they''re performing next that one?" Yes, that one. Just before the second performance began, a handful of members left the stage with their instruments. It was rare for something like that to happen at a concert. Sure, many symphonies didn''t need many musicians while others needed nearly a hundred. However, when this happened, some members would just sit and not y. Not actually leave the stage! This inexplicable situation confused the students and had whispers spread throughout the hall. Min Chen frowned a little, and realization dawned in his eyes. He whispered, "Is it ¡¶No. 45¡·?" Akkadughed, "Nothing escapes you. Yes, it''s Haydn''s ¡¶Symphony No. 45 in F minor¡·." ¡¶Symphony No. 45 in F minor¡· had another name, ¡¶Farewell Symphony¡·. Now, half the musicians had left, leaving behind only the string instruments and a few of the wind instrument groups. Kawaguchi turned to Qi Mu, who had sat silently all the while. They exchanged looks and smiled, and that slender baton sharply rose. Music alighted into the hall, soothing the audience''s restlessness. Qi Mu watched his violin as he yed, its gentle whisper traced with sadness. The cellos and trumpets whispered to each other, a gentle breeze flowing through the hall, and the violin became even more mncholy. Though lingering and mild, the melody had an atmosphere of inexplicable loss and forced the audience to focus on the elegant performance. Until¡ª¡ª A trumpeter stood up and left the stage! Left the stage! Left! Leaving¡­ He really left! Then just take your trumpet and don''t evere back!!! After a while, a member of the second violin group happily left the stage with their violin. Someone in the audience recovered and eximed, "Do they really want to y ¡¶Farewell¡· ?" The ¡¶Farewell Symphony¡·, like its name, was a beautiful farewell. As court musicians, Haydn''s orchestra was ordered to live in the pce and couldn''t return to their home freely. These musicians were sad they couldn''t see their families for a long time, and Haydn noticed their mncholy so wrote a humorous ¡¶Farewell¡· on purpose. When they yed the piece to Count Nikus, the nobleman was even more surprised than the audience was today. The musicians blew out a candle near their seat as they left the concert hall with their instruments, still ying as they left. More and more had left until there was only Haydn on the stage, bowing respectfully to the count. What else could he say? Have a holiday and quickly go see your wives and children! And right now, the audience in the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music''s concert hall had the privilege and honor to enjoy this concert full ofughter and tears. On the stage where the lights were gathered, another trumpeter left followed by two more violinists. One was more devoted than the other and continued ying until they disappeared behind the curtains. Another two, then three, three again¡­ All of them! The audience watched in shock as Kawaguchi walked away from his podium and waved at the two cellists packing up their cellos. Thetter didn''t spare him a nce at all but directly left the stage. When the professor turned around, the violinists behind him rushed out. Then the r, the oboe, and the vi¡­ One by one, they got up and left, leaving Kawaguchi standing on the stage, wearing a hrious expression. The audience alsoughed. Finally, only Qi Mu, the concertmaster, was left still in his post. Kawaguchi went over and conducted¡­ with only Qi Mu ying. On this empty stage, only the conductor and a single violinist yed alone. The students immersed in the sceneughed, thoroughly amused. However, some professors with sharp thoughts nodded. A violinist that could hold the audience¡¯s attention, this student who had taken first ce in the assessment¡­ was really worth his reputation! Akkad couldn''t contain his sigh, "I didn''t expect they''d perform ¡¶Farewell¡· like this." Min Chen nodded silently, eyes on Kawaguchi''s hand resting on Qi Mu''s back. He pursed his lips and remained silent. When thest note faded in loneliness, the audience gave them sincere apuse scattered withughter, smiling after such a unique performance. Qi Mu bowed with Kawaguchi, representing the entire orchestra to express his thanks to the audience. They received a bouquet from a student, then Qi Mu and Kawaguchi exchanged a few words with a smile. Qi Mu suddenly felt he had seen a familiar shadow in the audience. He automatically turned to search, but only saw Akkad''s figure. His heart inevitably beat faster, and after a while, Qi Mu just smiled and tried to slow it down. Berating himself for thinking too much, he turned and said to Kawaguchi, "Professor Kawaguchi, when everything is over, pleasee over to my house with Dn." "Alright. Seven, you''re so kind, I''m delighted¡­" The apusested for five minutes, and Akkad watched his student proudly. Somehow, he remembered his brief conversation with Auston. Listening to that solo near the end of ¡¶Farewell¡·, he couldn''t help himself from saying, "Auston, I have a premonition¡­ that my student will one day surpass you." The man''s voice was maic, "I know. That day¡­ isn''t that far away." Akkad replied, jokingly, "Do you feel pressured?" What did that guy Auston reply with again? Oh, right¡ª¡ª "I''ll work harder." Even after Akkad tried persuading him for ages, Min Chen stood and left without hesitation as soon as Qi Mu''sst note ended. They were near the concert hall''s left exit, and he left in a sh. Even Akkad could hardly see his shadow. "Didn''t he.. want Little Seven to know?" Akkad asked himself, perplexed. "Oh well. That Auston is weird. Don''t want to eat Seven''s cooking, well, I won''t share it with him!" How could Akkad, a single dog, understand Min Chen''s mood of: "As long as I can see him, I''m content"? His beloved was progressing so fast, naturally¡­ he couldn''t fall behind. In the car back in Berlin, Min Chen rubbed his eyebrows to relieve the exhaustion of traveling. Before he could drop his hand, his phone buzzed. He clicked it open¡ª¡ª Qi Mu: ¡¾The concert just ended. Master Akkad seems upset that I also invited Dn and the others. Your rehearsal should have ended by now too, if I''m not mistaken. Rest early, don''t be too tired.¡¿ Min Chen''s eyes lingered on that phrase "Don''t be too tired" for quite a while, then he sighed and replied¡ª¡ª Min Chen: ¡¾You should also rest early, don''t be too tired.¡¿ After a pause, he couldn''t help but sent another message. ¡¾I miss you very much.¡¿ Qi Mu looked at the words on his screen and couldn''t restrain his smile. He replied with another few words then Dn called him from the kitchen. So, after sending one more text, he turned and entered the kitchen. The phone''s screen soon turned dark, but before it did, its disy illuminated the thoughts of these two lovers¡ª¡ª ¡¾Me too¡­ I miss you very much.¡¿
Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Bet

Kuro:

Dog food, dog food everywhere! Read "Death Progress Bar" for more dog food and awesomeness!!! Go to "Everyday I Get up to see the Viin Stealing the Show" for some air-headedness and hrity!!! Special thanks to the editors and proofreaders and thank you, readers!!! (I think I''m doped on painkillers)
Chapter 117 After the exciting opening performances ended, the Paris¡¯ National Conservatory of Music finally entered the formal lecture period as scheduled. For students like Qi Mu and Dn, the opening ceremony was just words and held no meaning. They don¡¯t even know what ¡°holiday¡± meant. At least the tasks for the orchestra members became easier once the semester started. After all, they had their own courses toplete. There was no time to be idle. Realizing he had only half a semester to spend with his lovely student, Akkad¡¯s temper was a lot better. He even lowered the threshold for Qi Mu. Often, he would order Qi Mu to practice Tchaikovsky¡¯s ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡· in two or three days, but now¡­ ¡°Little Seven, this piece is a bit difficult. So, I hope you can practice it in a week, okay?¡± Though his expression was t, Akkad¡¯s tone was soft enough to shock Qi Mu. Frowning, Qi Mu thought about it then asked, ¡°Professor Akkad, are you sure¡­ you gave me the right schedule? Seven days, not¡­ three?¡± Akkad raised his white eyebrows and said, ¡°I still have a clear distinction between seven and three days. Seven, youth is bitterly short. You shouldn¡¯t exhaust yourself, enjoy yourself more and have a good time. It¡¯s also important to make phone calls and send messages.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡± Why did he feel like¡­ those words were strange? In a group chat Qi Mu didn¡¯t know existed, Akkad was drowned by messages from two other people. Daniel sent messages like, ¡°Professor Akkad is the devil!¡± and Farrell sent some asking, ¡°How could you bully Angel like this? Are you even human?¡± Both of them tormented him with text messages like these several times a day. It was enough for Akkad to reflect on himself¡ª¡ª Do I give him too much work? A bag of choctes airmailed to him from a popr, traditional choctier from Turin really did make Akkad reconsider his methods. The sweet taste had earned Akkad¡¯s never-ending praise. Even though Akkad had lowered his requirements, Qi Mu didn¡¯t pay attention to his sudden abnormality and still practiced with the same intensity as he did before. He familiarized himself with the piece as soon as possible. But when the tasks for the orchestra became more overbearing, Qi Mu understood¡ª¡ª ¡°Professor! You changed the task schedule so I could work around the orchestra¡¯s daily practice!¡± Akkad was munched on a sweet chocte when the youth¡¯s emotional voice interrupted him. The mellow taste of red wine spread through his mouth, putting the entric maestro in a happy mood. He didn¡¯t respond to Qi Mu¡¯s words, just let out a strange, ¡°Ah.¡± When he saw Akkad¡¯s strange reaction, Qi Mu still nodded and said, ¡°Professor, you¡¯re so kind, ah! The orchestra is preparing for a performance in Philharmonie de Paris. It¡¯s very important, and I have to spend a lot of time practicing.¡± Akkad still didn¡¯t understand what was going on. Blinking, he said, ¡°Ah? Seven, you¡­¡± What the hell are you talking about¡­ ¡°Professor, you¡¯re so kind!¡± Akkad, who still didn¡¯t know what was happening: ¡°¡­¡± Qi Mu said nothing wrong. The college orchestra received an invitation from Philharmonie de Paris not long ago. They would perform a symphony concert there the following month. The academy¡¯s orchestra was a first-ss orchestra in Paris, but it was no small task to be invited by the Philharmonie de Paris. Because their performance at the opening ceremony was so excellent, many music-rted media in France and even across the world reported on them. That was probably how the college orchestra received the invitation. Although it was newly built, the Philharmonie de Paris was one of the best concert halls in Paris, even the whole country. Bai Ai and Wei Ai also performed there half a year earlier. It was a great honor for the Paris¡¯ National Conservatory of Music¡¯s orchestra to perform there. Therefore, apart frompleting the assignments from his professor, Qi Mu spent most of his time practicing with the orchestra. The members of the orchestra were the best students from the academy. In a few years¡¯ time, they would be big names in the ssical music world. But, for now, they stillcked experience. By this time, the orchestra began to realize¡ª¡ª Their new concertmaster¡­ had a ton of skills! The orchestra didn¡¯t really understand what skill meant, other than that a concertmaster must be more skillful with the violin than any of them. The reality was that a concertmaster must have a good grasp on how to merge the sound of the orchestra. It was something each group had to master; how to cooperate with other instrument groups. Qi Mu gave his ten years of experience with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra to the na?ve, straightforward students without reservation. Not only would they hear their sound and observe the conductor, they would pay attention to everyone else¡¯s performance, too. Under his guidance, the average members began to pay more attention to the members in their instrument groups, while the stronger ones paid attention to the other groups. Those with a higher skill level, like Dn, felt as if they became a member of the symphony orchestra. They were able to y a more orderly and harmonious melody with the orchestra. ¡°Seven, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so talented in cooperating with the orchestra. You¡¯re amazing!¡± Dn said. As assistant conductor, Clive was also star-struck by Qi Mu¡¯s skills. ¡°Seven, I¡¯ve been in the conductor department for four years and an assistant conductor for a year. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen our orchestra improve so quickly!¡± Qi Mu just smiled modestly and said, ¡°Actually, Clive, the only thing youck is experience. Though you¡¯ve been leading the orchestra for a year, we¡¯re all as nk as a paper. We know nothing. If we didn¡¯t have a leader, we would know nothing.¡± Clive nodded. ¡°Our actual conductor is too busy. As you know, Professor Kawaguchi rarely rehearses with the orchestra. If I could follow him to study more, I think I would be more proficient with the orchestra¡¯s daily management.¡± Clive approached Qi Mu and whispered, ¡°Do you know that Professor Kawaguchi is Japanese?¡± Qi Mu was shocked. With a smile, he replied, ¡°Yeah, I do. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Clive looked around carefully. Confirming that Kawaguchi wasn¡¯t there, he shook his head and furtively said, ¡°Seven, I¡¯ll tell this only to you. Last time¡­ I saw Professor Kawaguchi eating live fish slices! Oh yes, it¡¯s called what, sashimi in Japan, right? The fish¡¯s tail was still moving, and he actually ate it! It¡¯s terrible!!!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He looked so serious. I never expected he dared to eat sashimi! It¡¯s really frightening!¡± Finally, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Clive, if I remember correctly, you¡¯re English, right?¡± Clive nodded. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± After a moment of hesitation, Qi Mu asked, ¡°What do you think of that famous dish¡­ ¡®Stargazy pie¡¯?¡± ¡°Oh my God, are you talking about that ¡®Stargazy pie¡¯? It¡¯s so delicious! I like the soft meat under the head the most. It¡¯s so wobbly and soft, like jelly!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡± So¡­ As a person from the Dark Empire, you¡¯re very fond of the dark cuisine¡­ Where on earth does your self-confidencee from, if you still dare to despise sashimi?! ¡­¡­ After growing more familiar with the orchestra, Qi Mu made new friends and received a lot of party invitations. However, because practice kept him busy, Qi Mu hardly went to any of them. It disappointed his new friends enough to ask, ¡°Little Seven, you don¡¯t love us. Aren¡¯t we best friends?¡± Qi Mu had no choice but to take the group of foodies to his house. He held a hot pot party and barbeque party every couple of weeks to feed his friends, who drooled at the mere thought of Chinese food. Afterward, all of them said, ¡°Little Seven, you really are my best friend!¡± Such fulfilling days passed by quickly. Before Qi Mu knew it, they were already three days away from their performance at the Philharmonie de Paris. His days were so satisfying that when Clive gave him three tickets for family members, Qi Mu thought, Do I want to invite the man who¡¯s thousands of miles away? When Qi Mu picked up his mobile phone, it immediately started to ring. He looked at the name written across the screen, shock written across his face. Pressing the answer button, he helplessly said, ¡°Well, I was just about to call you. I didn¡¯t expect you to call me first.¡± Over the phone, Min Chen didn¡¯t expect such a thing to happen either. Walking to the window, Qi Mu listened to the man¡¯s deep voice across the line. ¡°What were you going to tell me?¡± Somehow, Lena and her boyfriend¡¯s ¡®greasy, crooked¡¯ dialogue during the afternoon¡¯s rehearsal break shed to the forefront of Qi Mu¡¯s mind. The young man involuntarily smiled, but his voice was serious. With a tone full of grievances, he said, ¡°What¡­ Can¡¯t I just miss you?¡± Min Chen over the phone: ¡°¡­¡± Just when Qi Mu could no longer hold back hisugh and admit to teasing him, Min Chen¡¯s dumbfounded voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°¡­ I miss you too.¡± Why does he sound like a young wife? Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Okay, I really have something to say to you, which is why I wanted to call you. Do you have something to tell me, too?¡± ¡°Well, there is something.¡± Qi Mu nodded. ¡°Well, then you say it first.¡± ¡°You first.¡± ¡°No, you first.¡± ¡°You first.¡± ¡°No, you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of silence, Qi Mu didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. ¡°I¡¯m sending you an invitation!¡± Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet Chapter 118
"I''m sending you an invitation!" Qi Mu and Min Chen were both shocked by their words. They both fell silent. In the quiet, narrow room, Qi Mu could only hear the sound of the pendulum from the clock in the living room. Water was the only sound to break the silence, dripping from a faucet in the kitchen. Qi Mu only smile helplessly and exined, "Well, I wanted to invite you to our college orchestra performance. The Philharmonie de Paris invited us to perform there, and the date has been set. It''s Wednesday evening." Lifting his head, Qi Mu gazed at the hazy moon as it rose. "Berlin is very close to Paris. Even if you drive here, it should only take about ten hours. So if you have the time,e and listen to us." Finally, the man whispered, "¡­ Next Wednesday?" Qi Mu nodded. "Yes, the concert hall is vacant the third day of next week, and the college is also on a break that afternoon, so we can go early and rehearse." Just as he said it, a thought shed to the forefront of his mind. Qi Mu got a bad premonition. "You mean, the invitation you wanted to send me is on Wednesday too?!" A heavy sigh came through the line. "Not Wednesday, but¡­ Tuesday night." He didn''t expect the answer but understood Min Chen''s hesitation. It was only one night between their performances. If he went back to Paris from Berlin that night, he wouldn''t be able to practice in the rehearsal Wednesday afternoon. He wouldn''t allow himself to miss it. Slowly drawing the curtain closed, the tulle made the moonlight even hazier. "I didn''t expect Bai Ai''s tour to start so early this year. Is the opening concert in Berlin?" "It''s not the tour, that will probably start next month. The first stop is London." Qi Mu was shocked, Thinking for a moment, he asked, "What are you inviting me to? Is there any orchestra performing in Berlin? Is it Wei Ai?" Speaking of, Qi Mu grew even more surprised. Helplessly, he said, "Well, Wei Ai is on holiday now, isn''t it? None of the big orchestras are going to start public activities right now." "It''s not an orchestral concert." Stunned, Qi Mu asked, "If it''s not an orchestra, then what is it?" "It''s my piano recital." Qi Mu''s light eyes wide, he gripped the phone tightly in hi shand. It took a long time for him to digest the news before he couldprehend it. Involuntarily, he gulped, unsure whether to feel excited or dejected. "You''re holding a piano recital?! Really?! Why didn''t I know¡­ Next Tuesday?!" As a pianist, Min Chen hadn''t held a solo piano recital for a long time. Any Bertram fan knew it by heart. If asked, they would all shout, "It''s been 15 months and three days!" asionally, Min Chen would perform piano concertos with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as a pianist. A recital featuring his name, alone, hadn''t been seen in more than a year. He would hold a recital the next Tuesday, but even Qi Mu didn''t know. Min Chen''s baritone only made the dark night richer. He whispered, "We only decided it recently¡­ We set the date and only offered invitations to certain people. It isn''t a public recital." Qi Mu sighed powerlessly. They exchanged a few more words and tacitly, but neither of them mentioned the word "invitation" again for the rest of their conversation. Qi Mu wanted to attend to Min Chen''s piano recital. He had already admitted that he liked Min Chen''s music very much. And, it was so much more difficult to attend his recital than to attend Bai Ai''s concert! This man rarely held a piano recital, and when it did, it was never public. He only sent private invitations in private. In both lifetimes, Qi Mu had never gotten to attend one of his piano recitals. He had only ever gotten to listen to his CD, never in person. Feeling sorry for himself, Qi Mu pulled up the curtain. Heading towards the kitchen, he turned off the tap. Before long, his phone buzzed again. Min Chen: ¡¾I will send you the recording after the recital is over.¡¿ Shocked, Qi Mu replied: ¡¾Okay, I will send you a CD of our concert as well.¡¿ The phone then stayed silent for a long time. When Qi Mu came out of the kitchen, he noticed that its screen was shing. Opening the text, he couldn''t keep from smiling, as if he could see Min Chen''s sad expression. Min Chen: ¡¾I have a big piano room with a 9ft Steinway piano in my Paris'' apartment. When I have the time, I will y for you.¡¿ Qi Mu replied: ¡¾Well, I''ll y Tchaikovsky''s ¡¶D major¡· and ¡¶G minor¡·¡¿ They sent messages back and forth the same way until they finally said good night. Their conversation was in, but Qi Mu still patiently replied. When he got too sleepy to even keep his eyes open, he helplessly sent a good night text. What he didn''t know was that the indifferent man on the other end didn''t go to sleep after replying "Good Night." Tightly gripping his mobile phone, the man pursed his lips, his face''s contour growing deeper. Quickly, he tapped his finger across the screen. The moment the call was connected, the other side was alreadyining. "Okay, Min, you better have a great reason to call me, and it better be important. You look at your phone and see what time it is now!" "My piano recital¡­ Change the time." Daniel was about to roar but froze. "Are you joking? Change the time? This thing is troublesome enough! Fine, I think the orchestra has some extra time on Wednesday. I can change it to Wednesday evening." "¡­" "Oh God, please, you told me to change it at thest minute, okay?! I''m doing my best, okay!" With a heavy sigh, Min Chen said, "He isn''t free." Daniel: "¡­" "What the hell! Angel isn''t free? We decided the timingst week! Don''t tell me you only just told him, after we sent out all the invitations?! Why did you invite everyone else first?!" Min Chen, rarely scolded: "¡­" "Don''t tell me, you wanted to surprise Little Angel!" Min Chen, intentions exposed: "¡­" "This isn''t a surprise, it''s just a shock!" Min Chen, rarely suffering such a loss: "¡­" "Well, Angel must be very disappointed and sad. You deal with this yourself, it''s your own affair. You''re the one who doesn''t have a baby to hug at night since you''re in a long-distance rtionship. I, on the other hand, want to kiss my sweetheart. I''m warning you, Min, don''t disturb people''s dreams¡­" "Daniel." The low and maic voice cut him off, shocking him. "What is it?" On the other end of the call, the man''s voice was emotionless. "Come to the orchestra early tomorrow." "Ah? Why?!" "¡­ Because you will have lots and lots of work to do." Daniel: "¡­" This was revenge!!! So, Daniel, let''s not over stimte the man who was alone in his empty room and suffering a long-distance rtionship, hm? You see, retribution will always be swift. Unable to attend Min Chen''s recital, Qi Mu felt lost. After a short disappointment, though, he was even more determined to catch up with the man. Qi Mu knew there was still a huge gap between them. Even though there were magazines and newspaper reports on him, when journalists evaluated Min Chen, they always said he was "the sound of nature." At the very least¡­ he wanted to stand on equal ground! That''s how it was supposed to be; wanting to surpass him, defeat him, and be like him, the one who stood on top. With such determination, Qi Mu got even more serious with the orchestra. He spent almost all his energy on the orchestra training and after-ss violin practice. Perhaps because it was too much, Akkad couldn''t help but sigh. "Little Seven, young people need to be more rxed. Don''t exhaust yourself." To this, Qi Mu only replied, "Professor, you worry too much. I feel even better now." Strong physique was the root of everything. Qi Mu ran every morning and exercised every evening. Under the intense pressure of studying, Qi Mu was still healthy. He showed no signs of cracking under pressure. Such an intense lifestyle always made time fly. Soon¡­ It was the Wednesday of the orchestra''s performance. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn

Ayn:

I want to give Min Chen a hug (¤Ã.? ? ?.)¤Ã
Chapter 119
Once evening fell, the temperature gradually dropped. Without the warm sunshine of daytime, the autumn nights of Paris wereyered with destion. Bleak, cold wind whistled through the streets, forcing pedestrians to draw their coats tight. It was still afternoon when Qi Mu boarded the bus to the Philharmonie de Paris with the other orchestra members. When he saw the leaves outside Feng Moow, he knew it was freezing outside. The orchestra practiced in the concert hall''s rehearsal room for the entire afternoon. After an hour, the official performance would begin. A steady stream of patrons descended from their cars and into the concert hall. Just then, Dn went behind the curtain to sneak a peek. Although there were some vacancies in the 2400 seats, at least half of them were upied¡ª¡ª The promotion for the performance was splendidly sessful. They were the students of the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music, after all. Their love for going on strikes aside, the French were very supportive of their own people. Thest time Qi Mu came to the Philharmonie de Paris was for Bai Ai''s concert. But now, he was going to lead an orchestra. It felt unreal, and he had no choice but to confront the challenge. "Seven! You know who I just saw? It''s Mr. Leonid! I didn''t expect him toe!" His face red with excitement, Dn said, "Last time he exclusively wrote a review on you¡­ I wonder if he will write one for us this time around. If he writes an article about me¡­ God! My whole life would be worthwhile!" Zuckerberg shook his head. Turning a deaf ear, he said, "Dn, the concert is about to start. Why are you still daydreaming? Wake up, man. For Mr. Leonid to write about us, you really have to dream big¡­" Dn snorted. Softly, he muttered, "What if¡­ Mr. Leonid is observing us by mistake?" Helplessly watching the two bickering, Qi Mu thought, So, you think that if Mr. Leonid wrote about you¡­ It would only be by mistake¡­? The atmosphere backstage grew tense as the time for the performance approached. Although the college orchestra had performed in many theatres and concert halls in Paris, to perform in Philharmonie de Paris¡ª¡ª This was the first time. Every one of them was nervous, some too nervous to even read the score. This was why a good concertmaster was so important. Qi Mu calmlyforted the members, telling some jokes to distract them. Even Helen, a girl famous for her timidity, raised her hand. With a smile, she asked, "Seven, if¡­ if Mr. Leonid really writes a review about us, can we go to your house for hot pot?" As soon as her words fell, the backstage immediately boiled with murmurs. "I want to eat instant-boiled mutton." "No way, fresh tripe is better." "No, no, no, Napa cabbage is the best." As time went on, they argued which was better; hot pot with clear broth or hot pot with spicy broth. Qi Mu: "¡­" He didn''t agree to make hot pot! Timidly, Helen said, "Oh, Seven¡­ I''m just joking. It''s fine if you¡­ cough. If you can''t. I''m just saying¡­" Seeing her sad expression, Qi Mu finally decided to relent. "Actually, I have no problem making hot pot for everyone. It''s just¡­ my apartment is small, it can''t amodate so many people¡­" Someone immediately shouted, "I will volunteer my house, free of charge!" Things had already reached that point, so Qi Mu could only smile and nod. "Well, if Mr. Leonid really writes a review about us, then I will¡­ Is authentic Sichuan hot pot okay?!" "Okay!!!" Ten minutes before the performance started, the backstage changed from fear of failure and embarrassment to the determination to eat spicy food and quarreling about which was best. As a bridge ofmunication among humans, food once again cleared the road for a harmonious society. As Qi Mu got ready for the performance backstage, Leonid sat in the audience. He read the repertoire carefully, then took out a pen. Intermittently, he wrote a note in his book. Although it was long past the age of electronics, Leonid was fond of using pens on white paper in his process¡ª¡ªBut, it had nothing to do with an opinion that handwritten characters were more beautiful than typed. His handwriting was far from elegant. He always thought that the image of ck ink spreading on white paper was a unique view¡­ "Your handwriting is as ugly as ever, Leonid." Leonid: "¡­" Enraged, Leonid turned around and scolded through a whisper, "Handwriting doesn''t represent anything. Who dares to say my writing is¡­" Ugly. He didn''t say thest word. When Leonid saw the man who dared call his writing ugly, his eyes widened in surprise. Seeing the man''s calm, profound eyes, he couldn''t say a thing. Raising the sunsses on his nose, his long, narrow, Phoenix eyes stared at Leonid. Shifting his eyes to the writing in his notebook, the man''s brows furrowed. The orchestra''s name was written on the first line. After seeing the name of the conductor and the concertmaster on the second line, he reached out for Leonid''s pen. Crossing out the name Qi Mu, he wrote it with the fluidity of practice. Each of the strokes were like exquisite carvings from nature, gorgeous and polished. Even after the ink dried, they still appeared lustrous. In just a few graceful strokes, he outlined a few English letters¡ª¡ª Qi Mu. Farrell once said, "Auston''s writing is so beautiful! I''ve never seen such beautiful writing. Oh no, Seven¡­ Your German is not inferior to Auston." Leonid was in no mood to appreciate how much better Auston''s writing was than his. It was miles away from what he wrote. The writing was so out of ce in his notebook full of graffiti-like scrawls. mming his notebook shut, Leonid whispered, "Auston, what are you doing here? Didn''t you have a recitalst night? Isn''t Bai Ai''s tour going to start soon, too? You have enough free time to watch a college orchestra?" Gently capping the pen, Min Chen replied, "A Chinese writer once said time is like water in a sponge. As long as you''re willing to squeeze it, . I''m not that busy, Leonid." After a slight pause, he added, "Write the way I did. Practice will cure your handwriting." Leonid: "¡­" What Chinese writer?! The only Huaxia sayings that he knew was¡ª¡ª !!! ustomed to the man''s poisonous tongue, Leonid could only ept his reality. "I''m just habitually writing the repertoire, anyway. I don''t need to practice writing the names of the musicians." "No." The man''s firm tone shocked Leonid. Min Chen went on, "You need to practice writing this name, because¡­ You will have to write it moreter." Leonid: "¡­Hah?" Soon, the light dimmed. The performance was about to begin. Taking off his sunsses, Min Chen revealed his handsome, indifferent face. Leonid didn''t understand why he would write this name more in the future. Although he wrote a review on the excellent young man in the past, there were very few musicians he wrote about twice. The only exception so far was¡­ Christole, the young violinist. Min Chen deliberately lowered his voice. "Leonid, let''s make a bet." An ominous premonition immediately rose to the forefront of his mind. "¡­What? ¡­Well, what''s the bet?" "If tonight''s performance is beyond your expectation, then¡­ You will write a review on them in ¡¶World of Music¡·." Pausing, Min Chen''s eyes narrowed. He turned his attention to the students filing onto the stage. "If¡­ You think their performance wasckluster, then, Leonid, I will write a short piano piece for you." Leonid waspletely shocked. "Wait, Auston¡­ What''s the expectation? What''s the standard?" Min Chen turned. Staring indifferently at the man, he said, "The standard¡­ If you think they''re excellent, write a review." Testing the water, Leonid asked, "So¡­ If I insist the performance isn''t excellent, no matter how the orchestra actually performed, it''s your loss? You''re still going to write me a piece?" "Yes." "¡­I don''t have a good education. You''re not trying to fool me, are you?!" "No." "¡­Auston, did you take your medicine when you went out today?" "¡­I don''t have a fever." After confirming that the younger man really wouldn''t take it back, Leonid wore an expression that said "I sympathize with you." In his mind, he wasughing joyfully. Helplessly, he said, "Okay, Auston, my dear friend. I hope you can give me your piece soon. I will listen to it ten times a day!" Seeing Leonid looking as if he won the lottery, a smile flickered in Min Chen''s dark eyes. He raised his eyebrows and said lightly, "Sure. I hope¡­ You won''t go back on your words." Small bets are good for you. But big bets¡­ Will hurt you! Leonid, you''ve already lost once. Do you¡­ Have a short-term memory?! Under the stage, the apuse grew more enthusiastic as time went on. When the apuse turned thunderous, the man''s Phoenix eyes grew warm. Just as he turned his gaze to the stage¡ª¡ª A young man walked out from the backstage. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn

Kuro:

Leonid just made a big Ooof. Let''s light a candle for him. Ayn: Light a candle for him +1
Chapter 120
Under the spotlight, a handsome young man strode onto the stage. He wore an impable dress suit, paired with a deep red tie. The clothes he wore seemed to be no different from the other members'' behind him¡ª¡ª It was the orchestra''s uniform, after all. But, the audience was shocked when they saw him. Was he the concertmaster?! Before they could think more, Kawaguchi moved onto the stage. Hugging the young man tightly, he confirmed their suspicions. "He''s really the concertmaster?!" Seeing the name "Qi Mu" on the brochure, several of them already recognized him. The Paris'' National Conservatory of Music was the top music institution in France. Being able to get high scores in two assessments consecutively, even those with a slight preference for ssical music would know his name. Moreover, Leonid had written a review on him. It was full of praise, making him famous. But, it was just his name that was famous. When the audience saw him for the first time, they were impressed that such a talented violinist¡­ not only was he young but also very beautiful! They looked forward to the performance even more. Onstage, after Qi Mu and the orchestra members bowed to the audience, he sat at the concertmaster''s position and looked at Kawaguchi on the podium. They had worked together several times, so they could understand each other with just a look. The next second, Kawaguchi raised his baton, and the sound of the string instruments immediately chimed. Tchaikovsky''s ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡· was divided into three movements. Since it was a violin concerto, the violin was the protagonist of the piece. After a long and unhurried ensemble, a splendid and mncholic violin rang out. Since Qi Mu was the concertmaster, he sat to the left of the conductor and was the leading performer. His eyebrows furrowed, Qi Mu yed low, soft tones with the utmost focus. The moderate allegro drew on like a singer, singing softly about the sadness of its life. Qi Mu''s violin was like a stream flowing through an empty valley, full of loneliness and mncholia. Although sometimes blocked by the stones in its path, it always moved forward, using mncholia as a way to express the pursuit of a wonderful life. Because it was a , people paid more attention to the violin solo, since it was also a test of the concertmaster''s skill. The audience had long guessed that this young man with such great fame would be talented. But, when they heard such a dreamlike ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡·, they were so surprised, they couldn''t respond. Some couldn''t even believe it¡ª¡ª "Is that really a student?!" Music was never about age. Just like Mozart, who created the famous ¡¶Violin Sonata in C major¡· at the age of 8, no one could imagine the limits of a genius. Although they didn''t darepare the youth to the gifted Mozart, many of them thought: This is probably the most melodious and graceful ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡· I''ve heard in years! From the allegro in the first movement to the short bad atta in the second and the third movement¡­ Furnished with top-notch audio equipment, the Philharmonie de Paris brought the ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡· back to life. The melodious tune and the moving sound of the violin depicted a lifelike Russianndscape. The people couldn''t help but marvel at the wonders of nature. At the end of this piece, the audience gave them thunderous apuse after a loud "Bravo!" Min Chen''s burning gaze was glued to the youth on the stage. While pping, his lips were slightly curled in an imperceptible smile. Beside him, Leonid was waking up from a trance. He looked at the joyful orchestra members on the stage and at the concertmaster in the front. "It''s only been half a year. I can''t believe it¡­ He made another breakthrough, at his level?!" Leonid pped as he muttered to himself. "Isn''t he progressing too quickly? His splendor wasn''t inferior to Wei Ai''s Zayev, wasn''t it? And¡­ What''s with the orchestra''s ability to cooperate? Are they really students?!" Min Chen''s excellent hearing allowed him to hear Leonid''s muttering amidst the warm apuse. Looking down, Min Chen whispered, "So, Leonid, what do you think of the performance?" "It''s very good, of course¡­" Leonid''s words stopped abruptly. The famous music critic suddenly raised his face. Dropping his hands, he said, "Very good¡­ But it''s just impossible as it''s far, far away from the standard I set, haha!" Min Chen stared at Leonid. He knew he had a short-term memory. Min Chen didn''t say a word. Leonid reached out to wipe the sweat from his forehead, thinking: Luckily, I was quick. Luckily¡­ Leonid breathed out in relief, but he didn''t expect the next performance would make him¡­ cling to his seat for his life. Although the orchestra was invited to perform at the Philharmonie de Paris and could perform a serious concert before arge audience¡­ to get Leonid''s attention was a feat in itself. So, why was Leonid there that night? It was because he received a secret repertoire and an official invitation from the concert hall. The thin card was printed with the repertoire of the night''s performance so the audience would know the pieces. Of course, Leonid had known the repertoire from the get-go. It was because of the pieces that he decided to attend the concert¡ª¡ª He wanted to know¡­ to what extent the students could perform Tchaikovsky''s music. Tchaikovsky was the greatest musician andposer of Russia in the 19th century. He wrote many symphonies, operas, and ballets in his life that became the force thatpelled Russian''s development in ssical music. This brilliant maestro''s repertoire was full of Russian folk vor, using beautiful melodies to showcase the charm of the world''srgest country¡ª¡ªtheir vast territory overflowing with gorgeous scenery. ¡­ Leonid was very fond of Tchaikovsky''s symphonies. Among them, ¡¶Symphony No. 1 in G minor¡· was his favorite. This piece also had a nickname, ¡¶Winter Daydreams¡·. True to its name, it depicted the frozen beauty of the vast nation. Full of love for thend, Tchaikovsky described a wonderful winter scene that could never be seen in France, in four movements. The orchestra roared through the concert hall. The passion in the violin group, the lingering cello, the woodwind group''s joy, and the brass groups'' contemtion and exploration¡­ The wonderful melody reached the highest resonance in thest movement, transforming the dark winter night into brilliant winter sunshine. The famous fighting nation won the battle in the cold winter and shared its precious joy with the audience. Running,ughing, singing, dancing, whistling¡­ When the violin reached the highest note, they finally arrived at the closure of this wonderful dream with a melodious and bright tune. When the music stopped, a loud "Bravo" resounded through the hall. Sitting in the front row, the French music critic couldn''t stop himself from standing up and apuding the orchestra. Leonid never imagined that a group of young students could y such an excellent ¡¶Winter Daydreams¡·! This performance brought him back to eight years earlier, when he listened to Bai Ai''s performance of the same piece in Berlin. The melody, with a trace of metal texture, made him involuntarily cry. From then on, it had always been his favorite piece. With his apuse, the rest of the audience followed suit, and an unprecedented wave of cheers broke out. Leonid sat back in his seat amidst the thunderous apuse. Although he had stopped pping, he kept praising. "It was so great, I couldn''t believe my ears! A college orchestra could y Tchaikovsky¡¶Winter Daydreams¡·like that, with such excellence?! How could there be such an excellent college orchestra, with such lovely students?!" Just like the fans who had entered the pit, Leonid turned to the man at his side and said, "Auston! Focus! Did you hear that ¡¶Winter Daydreams¡· just now? Oh God, I didn''t expect these children could y so well! I think it will take them five years. If they train together for another five years, I believe their ¡¶Winter Daydreams¡· would beat the one you conducted!" The man calmly raised his eyebrows and stared at Leonid. The man kept speaking. "Damn it, I thought I would just listen to them casually tonight. I didn''t expect them to give such an excellent performance! Their ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡· was also outstanding. Maybe the students are really good with Tchaikovsky''s music?" With that, Leonid began to probe Min Chen. "Oh, Auston, you''re more familiar with orchestra than I am. I wonder if you think the orchestra¡­ Ah¡­" His words stopped abruptly as he looked at the man. After bbing for so long, Leonid finally remembered¡­ the damned bet. Leonid: "¡­" With an eyebrow slightly raised, Min Chen asked: "Are they outstanding?" Leonid, refusing to answer: "¡­" "I''ll be very d to see your review in ¡¶World of Music¡· once again, Leonid. I believe the lovely students will buy four or five copies each to give to their families. I can just picture them, telling everyone they know to listen to¡­ your favorite ¡¶Winter Daydreams¡·." Leonid, inside: "¡­" No bet, I didn''t bet!!! God, how on earth did he board Auston''s pirate ship?!!! Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 121
When Qi Mu returned backstage, he saw his mentor talking to someone with a serious expression. The person talking to Akkad had his back to Qi Mu. He could only see their slightly gray hair and a straight posture, so Qi Mu didn''t recognize him. Once Qi Mu saw them clearly, he was stunned. Smiling, he called out, "Mr. Leonid, it''s been a while." Leonid turned around, observing Qi Mu before nodding. "Qi Mu, right? I haven''t seen you for a while. I''ve just talked about you with your teacher. You''ve improved so much in such a short time, it''s excellent!" Qi Mu thanked him modestly and went to pack up with the members of the orchestra. However, as he walked with Dn after he finished packing up, he had just passed by them when he heard Leonidining, "Mr. Akkad, I really won''t bet with that guy Auston ever again in my life! He''s a terrible man! You don''t know, just under the stage¡­" "Mr. Leonid?!" Qi Mu stopped, carefully looking over the music critic. Hurriedly, he asked, "That Auston you said just now¡­ Is it Min Chen?!" Seeing him so anxious, Leonid couldn''t respond for a moment. He just nodded. "Yes, it''s Min¡­" "Where is he?!" "He was seated with me in the audience, but he''s probably at the airport now. He needed to catch a flight. There aren''t many flights to Berlin, as you know. It looks like he has to participate in the orchestra''s rehearsal tomorrow¡­" "Dn! Help me with my violin!!!" Without even waiting for Leonid to finish, Qi Mu quickly handed over his violin case to Dn. And under Dn¡¯s and Leonid''s confused expression, he rushed out from the backstage and ran at full speed. A momentter, it was as if the soft-spoken young man hadn''t been there at all. After a beat, Dn touched his head and said, "¡­ Eh¡­? This is¡­" Leonid also frowned. "What''s going on? I thought Little Seven was already familiar with Auston. How unexpected, he''s also one of Auston''s fans? And quite the passionate one at that?" He turned back to Akkad. "Oh, Mr. Akkad. I didn''t expect your student to be this crazy about Auston." Akkad heaved out a heavy sigh, not one of me or joy, but of sadness and displeasure. "Leonid, if you had told me you were sitting with Auston, I don''t think I would have spoken with you here. But, this isn''t a bad thing¡­ It''s good for them to see each other, this is fine¡­ Not seeing each other is a source of encouragement. But maybe¡­ this will have a better and splendid chemical reaction." This remark perplexed Leonid, and when he asked Akkad about it, the older man was toozy to exin. Dn, on the other hand, was still wearing a bewildered expression on his face as he held the two violin cases. He only reacted after handing Qi Mu''s violin case over to Akkad, "¡­ Wait?! Mr. Bertram was listening to our performance just now?!!!" There was a hint of chill in the evening wind of the autumn night. The ground was damp, waiting to turn to frosted dew by the time the sun showed its first rays of daylight. Qi Mu ran out of the concert hall then hailed a cab. On his way to the Charles de Gaulle airport, he took out his phone and hurriedly sent a text message. There wasn''t a reply, and it made him nervous. After sending a few more text messages, he made a call, but it wasn''t connected. Qi Mu anxiously asked the driver to speed up. The man replied, "Who are you going after, little friend?" After a moment of stupor, Qi Mu unexpectedly told him the truth. "I''m going after¡­ my lover!" The romantic French driver gave Qi Mu an encouraging look then stepped on the gas, speeding up within the speed limit. Even so, Qi Mu still held his phone tightly and repeatedly dialed the number. When the taxi arrived at the airport, Qi Mu hurriedly paid the driver but was refused. "Young man, hurry and chase your lover. Back then¡­ I missed mine at this airport. Don''t be like me." Qi Mu nodded and ran into the airport. Once he stepped inside, the huge airport left him in a daze. It was only then, he remembered¡­ he had no way to find Min Chen. Maybe the ne had already taken off, maybe Min Chen had already passed the security check¡­ As long as Min Chen didn''t answer the phone, Qi Mu had no way to find him. After a few frantic seconds, Qi Mu made a bet that Min Chen might not have gone to the security check yet, so he rushed there. But after running for a while, Qi Mu realized¡ª¡ª Wait a minute, would that guy¡­ really treat him that badly? After calming down, Qi Mu went straight to the staff and got the number of the VIP lounge with their help. After giving the staff a reasonable exnation, Qi Mu was soon taken to a tall, mahogany door. The young man clenched his fist tightly and knocked. After hearing a calm "Pleasee in," Qi Mu pushed down the metal handle. As the door opened, little by little, the two men finally saw each other face to face. And they froze. After a while, Min Chen''s dark eyes widened. He whispered, "¡­ Qi Mu?" The young man clenched his fist. Moving forward, he raised his fist, ready to punch him. "You bastard, why didn''t you tell me you were in Paris?!" Instinctively, Min Chen caught the fist in the air. Just as he was about to open his mouth, the young man raised his hand again and threw a light punch to his chest. The gentle touch made Min Chen''s throat turn dry. The young man buried his face in his chest and whispered, "I miss you so much, every day¡­ Why didn''t you want to meet me when you came here?" The words of reproach spoken so softly put Min Chen at a loss for words. A tinge of regret shaded his face but was quickly reced by deep love and longing. He curled his arms tightly around Qi Mu''s waist. Lowering his head, he whispered, "I''m sorry¡­" Qi Mu hasn''t seen him for more than a month. Text messages could only let them share a conversation, and phone calls could only let them share their voices. Even with video calls, they were separated by a cold screen. He can''t touch the man''s warm body and listen to his fluttering heartbeat. He missed him, awfully so¡­ Sometimes, he even thought of going to Berlin and developing his career there after his graduation. He believed in his own strength. Even though he might encounter many difficulties in Berlin, he was not afraid. As his thoughts umted, they became Qi Mu''s motivation to work even harder. He wanted to graduate early, he wanted to improve quickly and go on the stage with him. No longer needing to¡­ Hide their rtionship. Burying his face in Min Chen''s shoulder, Qi Mu whined, "You came to Paris and didn''t tell me." The man who had always been skilled in arguments didn''t know what to say. "I¡­ No." "You came to Paris and didn''t tell me." "¡­" "You are in Paris, and you didn''t even tell me!" "¡­ ¡­" "You came to Paris, and you hid it from me!!!" "¡­ ¡­ ¡­" After a while, Min Chen asked, "Who told you I''m in Paris?" Without thinking too much about it, Qi Mu murmured, "Mr. Leonid." Min Chen''s eyes narrowed dangerously. Leonid¡­ "You went to my concert so why didn''t you¡­ tell me?!" In addition to great joy and excitement, there''s also a sliver of anger in Qi Mu''s heart. He was really annoyed. Although Akkad told them not to meet each other much before he graduated, it doesn''t mean they weren''t allowed to meet at all. But this guy,ing all the way to Paris to listen to his concert, and he didn''t even breathe a word to him! How could he not be angry?! Min Chen frowned. "Qi Mu, actually, I¡­" "You didn''te to me!" "I don''t want to¡­" "But you didn''te to me!" "I don''t want to disturb¡­" "You just don''t want to see me, do you¡­ Humph¡­" Warm lips stopped Qi Mu''s crazy chatter. After more than a month, Min Chen released all his suppressed feelings with his kiss. Min Chen kissed his beloved earnestly, and they didn''t even part to breathe. The friction between their lips and teeth gradually calmed them both, and they held onto each other tightly, as if they could merge as one in flesh and blood. When the young man instinctively opened his mouth, Min Chen''s tongue slipped in. Sucking away the youth''s breath, he explored the long-awaited warmth. The exchange of fluids made their lover''s presence even more real for both of them. When the kiss ended, Qi Mu''s unfocused eyes were glued to the man in front of him. He could only listen as he panted. Finally, Min Chen whispered, "Qi Mu, I don''t want you to change your pace because of me. Your third assessment is starting soon. We still have a lot of time, but now¡­ You will be distracted." Qi Mu reluctantly nodded. He couldn''t help but murmur, "But¡­ I miss you so much. You can see me, but I can''t see you. Min Chen¡­ Has anyone ever told you that your behavior is quite¡ª¡ªOutrageous?" The youth''s awkward seriousness turned Min Chen''s already dark eyes even darker. The next moment, he pressed him down onto the sofa, kissing him passionately. He kept the young man captive in his arms. He couldn''t understand how he had lived for more than a month without Qi Mu. He didn''t know how he was willing to just see him from afar and leave without saying a word. The temperature in the room gradually increased as Min Chen''s warm lips gently kissed Qi Mu''s eyebrows and his eyelids. Then, he kissed from the tip of his nose all the way to his beautiful jawline. Finally, his lips fell on Qi Mu''s, softly pulling them apart. Why did he feel guilty? Because¡­ He loved him. Yes¡­ He loved him. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn

Kuro:

Eeuu, I was wriggling while tranting this. That aside, it''s nice seeing Qi Mu acting spoiled and childish. He was too mature, understandably, being 30 something before he died and all. But willingly showing this side to Min Chen really warms my heart. I decided to trante this novel because amongst Mo Chen Huan''s words that I''ve read at that time, this one left the deepest impression and also the fact that it wasn''t excessive and it''s a slice-of-life. I''m an old man, I can''t handle too much excitement. _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_ Thank you for reading! <3 Ayn: Oh em geeeeee!!!( ?(???)??(???)?(??//¦Å//??)
Chapter 122
The autumn heat of Paris'' night couldn''t match the heat of the romance in the air. The VIP room of the Charles de Gaulle airport upied a space of 20m2. The floor was covered in thick woolen carpet, and the room was equipped with aputer, television, and other electronics. In addition to the basic furniture like a sofa and coffee table, there was a separate bathroom for the guests'' perusal. When Qi Mu knocked on the door, Min Chen was flipping through a magazine¡ª¡ª The magazine was just published that morning. The airport management ordered a beautiful flight attendant to deliver it to Min Chen because his silhouette graced the cover. It was from his recital in Berlin. Min Chen just flipped through the magazine without paying much attention to it. He was more concerned about an article on thest few pages¡ª¡ª ¡¶An Overview of the world''s top ten music institutions¡·. The Paris'' National Conservatory of Music was mentioned in the article. Although it was a short paragraph of only 200 words, Min Chen found a familiar name. It wasn''t long before he saw the actual person. Reaching out, he brushed his hand along the fingers of the young man who had been upying his thoughts for more than a month. Min Chen gently felt along Qi Mu''s right index finger, from his round fingernails to his prominent knuckles. Every musician took good care of their hands, and Qi Mu was no exception. Every fingernail was perfectly manicured; he bore no blemish except for the calluses on his fingers. "So¡­ You''re leaving, even though you''ve only just arrived?" "Yes, shortly," Min Chen nodded. Pausing, he looked at the clock on the wall and added, "There''s still 20 minutes before the takeoff, but I have to go through the security check." As he spoke, Min Chen''s warm exhale grazed Qi Mu''s beautiful fingers, tickling them. Qi Mu reflexively pulled his hand from the man''s hold. "Don''t you have to go through the security check?" Min Chen nodded. "Yes, in about ten minutes¡­ Someone will inform me." In general, passengers needed to have their ticket and pass the security check 30 minutes before the takeoff, or their ticket would be void. However, as Qi Mu thought, Min Chen would never treat himself poorly. So only when the ne was about to take off, would he leave the VIP room and enter the ne first through a separate security channel. Qi Mu thought for a moment and asked, "Is there another flight tonight?" A sense of loss shed in his dark eyes, and Min Chen shook his head slightly. "There''s no other flight today." Hearing this, Qi Mu also lowered his head in disappointment. His hair fell from his forehead, obscuring his dejected gaze. Qi Mu knew that Min Chen had to lead his orchestra in their rehearsal, so he couldn''t stop him from returning to Berlin. But, it was alreadyte in the evening, and they had very little time together¡­ It made him very sad. It wasn''t easy for them to see each other. When they finally could, it was only for 20 minutes. Such a short meeting was akin to drinking poison to quench your thirst. It was pointless. "The third assessment¡­ Is starting next month. It''s a little more than two weeks away," Qi Mu whispered, "If I continue to get high scores, then I can graduate early. After that¡­ I want to go to Vienna." As he listened to the young man''s honest confession, Min Chen hid the emotions in his eyes and said, "Well, Vienna is better than¡­ Berlin. If you really want to go there, I have a spare room in the house you went tost time after the celebration. It''s hard to find a good house to y in, in Vienna. But mine is. It''s also closer to the city''s center and convenient tomute. You could live with me." Qi Mu asked, "The one where you yed your piano to me?" Min Chen nodded. "That''s the one. The sound instion in the piano room is good. I''ll ask Daniel to send the keys to youter." Qi Mu didn''t decline the offer and just hummed in reply. Somehow, the memory of the man currently by his side ying numerous high-level piano pieces emerged in his mind. That was the same night Min Chen gave him the record with such a heartfelt message. With a smile, Qi Mu asked, "By the way, how was your recital yesterday? Mr. Farrell told me you''ve improved in the past two years. He was quite surprised." As he spoke, Qi Mu opened and closed his fingers in front of Min Chen. "Didn''t you say you''d record it and give it to me?" Taking one of his grabby hands, Min Chen murmured, "I''ll tell Daniel to send it along with the keys if you behave." Qi Mu wouldn''t back down against Min Chen''s cating tone. Raising an eyebrow, he pretended to be angry, "I''m not a child. You can''t give me the record, so you should at least be able to tell me what pieces you yedst night, right?" To be fully prepared for their concert, the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music''s orchestra rehearsed until past 10 the former night. Qi Mu was so tired. He couldn''t even move his fingers. He fell asleep the moment he hit his mattress, far too exhausted to pay attention to Min Chen''s recital. The sight of the youth being difficult and acting like a tsundere was rare. It made Min Chen''s lips curl upwards. His eyes brightened as his fingers slowly moved along Qi Mu''s until they intertwined. "How about I hum it for you?" Qi Mu blinked. "¡­ Hum?" After a slight pause, he nodded. "Okay, let''s try that." Qi Mu almost immediately regretted his words. In all his life, Qi Mu had never met a person who was so¡­ tone-deaf. This man obviously had the perfect pitch; he could even hear the difference in the timbre in every string. Yet when he hummed, even from the first half of the first note¡ª¡ª How could a person that tone-deaf exist?! His voice was so magical that a moving melody had turned into a in humming without any intonation. Qi Mu couldn''t even recognize a short segment, let alone guess what piece it was. Finally, Min Chen stopped to ask, "Do you like this Chopin''s ¡¶Mazurkas¡·?" Qi Mu: "¡­ That was ¡¶Mazurkas¡·¡­ ?" "¡­" "You used to¡­ Have you ever sung to anyone?" After a long silence, Min Chen shook his head. "You''re the first." Qi Mu couldn''t bear to hurt the man''s feelings. Hesitating, he finally managed, "Listening to you humming just now¡­ Ah¡­ That ¡¶Mazurkas¡·, did you feel anything wrong with it?" After thinking about it, Min Chen frowned, "The tempo was a bit too fast?" Qi Mu: "¡­" Your ears are broken!!! A trace of a smile shed in Min Chen''s dark eyes as he watched the youth''s floundering expression. Hugging him gently, Min Chen said, "I know I''m out of tune. It''s a problem with my vocal cord, and there''s no way to fix it. Don''t feel bad for me. It doesn''t matter if I can''t sing¡­" Well. Thest word was stuck forever in his throat as Qi Mu''s expression went nk. His heart skipped a beat, and an unclear premonition took over his mind. Sure enough, Qi Mu sneered and asked, "You know¡­ You know you''re tone-deaf, and you''re still polluting my ears?!!!" Min Chen: "¡­" Hang on a second, aren''t you supposed to console me¡­ "If I can no longer listen to ¡¶Mazurkas¡· anymore after this, it''s all your fault!" "¡­" The script was going in the wrong direction¡­ "You must take responsibility." "¡­???" After a moment of thought, Qi Mu said, "As a punishment, you will be ying ¡¶Mazurkas¡· for me every day." Min Chen choked at this. A long minute passed, and he asked, "y ¡¶Mazurkas¡· every day?" The corner of the younger man''s lips slowly raised. His fair, lovely face was like the sun that appeared after a heavy rain, bright and dazzling. "Yes, you have to y it every day in the future. 365 days a year, and you''re not allowed to skip it even once." The words were simple, but they directly expressed Qi Mu''s dedication to their future. Warmth seeped through Min Chen''s heart, but he couldn''t be happy for long. Qi Mu sported a slight frown as he thought aloud, "But it will be tiring to listen to the same piece every day. Well, you can y other ¡¶Mazurkas¡·ter. Once you finish ying all of the ¡¶Mazurkas¡· existing in the world, then you can¡­ Start to write one yourself?" Min Chen: "¡­" Min Chen didn''t expect to gain such a '','' with his mood fluctuating ording to Qi Mu''s, whether he was happy or angry. Even while facing such an unreasonable punishment, Min Chen wasn''t angry at all. Instead, he began to look forward to his future life of joy and sorrow ording to his lover''s mood changes. As long as he was by the young man''s side, time moved so quickly. Even listening to him talk about his college life was interesting. When a flight attendant knocked on the mahogany door to inform Min Chen that his ne was about to take off, they both fell silent. Before Min Chen could open his mouth, Qi Mu beat him to it. "Please wait a moment," Qi Mu said in French, his lips curling at Min Chen''s astonished gaze. While he was still bewildered, Qi Mu leaned forward and kissed him again. It was the first time Qi Mu made a move, and Min Chen was so startled, he couldn''t respond. Qi Mu''s ears were dyed red. After a slight cough, he whispered, "Be careful on your way back to Berlin and¡­ Remember to text me." The red contrasted against the rest of Qi Mu''s skin, made him look even fairer. Seeing him so seductive, Min Chen refused to be like Liu Xia Hui. Hugging Qi Mu tightly, Min Chen kissed him again. When the young man leaned on his chest, gasping for breaths, Min Chen once again hid the emotions in his eyes. Leaning forward, he whispered in Qi Mu''s ear, "Just another two months and two weeks." Qi Mu blinked, immersed in silence. Finally, he repeated, "En¡­ Two months and two weeks." Qi Mu stood in front of arge ss window at the airport, watching as a silver ne soared past, disappearing into the endless night sky. He slowly closed his eyes, his hand touching his lips. ¡­ He could still feel Min Chen''s lips against his. "Another two months and¡­ two weeks." After whispering the words to himself, Qi Mu turned around resolutely and left the Charles de Gaulle Airport. He arrived with tension and expectations and left with newfound determination. For the next two weeks, Qi Mu would prepare for the final assessment and graduation. For the next two months, Min Chen would lead the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra into their final tour of the year. They were apart but were still working together. Suddenly, 1000km¡­ didn''t feel so far. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 123
The assessment, which was held twice a semester, was one of the most important events in the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music. For the past two assessments, Qi Mu wasn''t nervous at all, since Akkad constantly gave him pieces to practice and didn''t give him time even to review his performance. But this time, Akkad stopped their lessons a week before the assessment. Under Qi Mu''s confusion, Akkad exined, "Seven, you didn''t have any shorings that I need to point out. What youck the most now is experience. Later, your skills will be polished step-by-step and your perception of music will grow more profound. So¡­ You will probably surpass me." After a pause, Akkad shook his head. "No, not probably. It should be, sooner orter, you will surpass me." Being held in such high regard, Qi Mu couldn''t stop himself from saying, "Professor, I''ve always admired you. You''re the violinist I revered the most. I don''t think I could ever be at your level¡­" "Little Seven." Akkad put aside the score he held and looked up at Qi Mu. Scanning his face attentively, he went on, "I''ve always believed that the world of ssical music belongs to the younger generations. As my student, how could you be so unsure of yourself? This is probably yourst assessment and you yourself will decide your assessment piece from your repertoire. I want to know¡­ What kind of piece you will choose." After the short conversation, Qi Mu started searching his repertoire for the assessment. Later on, Qi Mu asked Akkad if the repertoire given to him was only to enhance his confidence. Akkad said that there were other reasons, but then again, he really wanted to see what his lovely student would choose. He wanted to see if he knew his own strength. Of course, the piece Qi Mu chose didn''t let Akkad down¡ª¡ª ¡¶Spring Sonata¡·. Beethoven''s ¡¶Violin Sonata in F major¡·was written in his early years, it was quite different from the intense vor in hister works. Because the first section of the piece depicted a vibrant spring scenery, it was called ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· by theter generations. This piece wasn''t very difficult, especially whenpared to his previous pieces during thest two assessments. But, Akkad was satisfied with his choice and gave Qi Mu a whole week to practice. Music can be ssified in two ways; skill and expression. For the former, Akkad believed Qi Mu has no obvious shorings. Even if he reached a bottleneck, it was a bottleneck that most people wouldn''t even reach in their life. Regarding thetter, it just so happened that Lance, Akkad''s good friend, had arrived in Paris from Vienna a few days earlier to visit. As a violinist with delicate passion and firm control on the emotions he disyed, Lance expressed his surprise when he saw the aggression in Qi Mu''s music start to fade. It had dissipated so much so that his music began to clear. Though ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· seemed "ordinary," it was rich in nuance. It was perfect. To get a better understanding of the piece, Qi Mu enlisted Langston from the piano department to help him. ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· was a piano and violin ensemble, after all. If it were just violin alone, Qi Mu would have a hard time mastering it in such a short time. Seven days passed quickly as he practiced. By the time Qi Mu was finally ready for the assessment, it was already the day before the event. Half a year had passed since he came to the college. Qi Mu even remembered the first time he arrived, pulling his luggage and stepping inside the gate. He remembered how Akkad deliberately made things hard for him in the audition. ¡­ Eight months had passed. Those were already things of the past. On the evening of the day before the assessment, Qi Mu and Akkad carefully cleaned the violin room. Of course, it was Qi Mu who did the cleaning, Akkad just made more garbage¡ª¡ªeating chocte. Eight months had passed and Akkad still enjoyed eating chocte. Qi Mu didn''t like sweets much, but under Akkad''s influence, he started to eat a piece every day. When asked why he liked chocte so much, the maestro would always reply, "Because I''m from Turin!" That night, after Qi Mu finished polishing thest ss, Akkad handed him a piece of chocte. Qi Mu didn''t take it. Instead, he smiled and said, "Professor, I already had one this morning. You can have that one for yourself." Holding a delicate box of choctes in his left hand, Akkad shook his head. His tone serious, he said, "Seven, do you know¡­ Why I like chocte so much?" Qi Mu blinked, his lips slightly parted. Reflexively, he wanted to answer, "Because you''re from Turin?" but, seeing his mentor''s deep, clouded eyes, he only shook his head. Finally, he said, "I don''t know." Akkad pointed at the vast sky outside the window. Qi Mu had wiped the floor-to-ceiling ss window clean, leaving no blemishes. Looking out, Qi Mu could see the moon quietly floating in the endless night sky. The moon was bright, like a halo, paling the stars that appeared. "I like chocte because¡­ It''s like the moon. It can drive out all the darkness." Akkad''s voice was low and hoarse, but he went on, "Little Seven, I''ve been through a lot of things in my 70 years of life. I lived until I reached this position, but I''ve gone through a lot of painful experiences, as well. Since life is so hard¡­ Then why can''t we make it a little happier?" Seeing him so morose, Qi Mu didn''t know how to respond. "You''re fine. You put some sugar in your coffee. Auston has always liked his coffee ck, no sugar. There are two types of people that take their coffee like that. The first is someone who''s had a smooth life without any storms. Their heart is sweet enough that they don''t need any sweetener. The other¡­" "They prefer to swallow the bitterness into their stomachs. They''re not good at expressing their feelings. They will share their joy with you, but not their pain. Such people will have a hard life when they''re with someone who doesn''t understand them." Akkad smiled, then continued, "Little Seven, I don''t want you to be like Auston. But, when you''re together, I want you to try to understand him more. Love is never just one person''s affair. I missed it in this life and you¡­ Don''t be the same." Qi Mu nodded heavily. The thought that Akkad¡¯s love for sweets was due to the bitterness in his life has never crossed Qi Mu''s mind. Then again, the maestro came from a poverty-stricken family. With no prestigious background, he had been able to climb his way up until he gained the reputation he currently has. He had experienced unimaginable hardships. Compared to his mentor, Qi Mu felt that he was lucky. At least¡­ He had a lover now. He wasn''t like Akkad, whose lover had a grave illness, yet still chose to hide it from him. It only made him unable to see her final moments. Qi Mu''s heart was heavy, thinking of her untimely demise. He distracted Akkad with a few different conversations, drawing him from the deep throes of his mourning before taking his violin case and leaving. Once he was home, Qi Mu immediately gave Min Chen a call. He didn''t answer but returned it not long afterward. Hearing Christole''s and Daniel''s voice in the speaker, Qi Mu realized, "You''re still rehearsing?" Bai Ai''s world tour was starting in two weeks, so Min Chen had been very busy with the preparation. The man''s deep, rich voice flowed through the speaker. "Yes, there was a little problem tonight and we were dyed for a bit." After a pause, Min Chen remembered, "Tomorrow is the third assessment, right?" Turning on the light in his room, Qi Mu said, "Yes, it''s tomorrow. I did tell you I''m ying ¡¶Spring Sonata¡·, right? Unfortunately, the review won''t be recorded, otherwise I would send one to you." Aside from the fact that ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· really suited the current version of him, Qi Mu also chose it because of a record he received the previous week. Before leaving Paris, Min Chen told Qi Mu that he would ask Daniel to send the recording of his recital to him. Daniel was efficient, and Qi Mu received the recording three dayster. In the private piano recital, nearly all of the pieces were Chopin''s, but a few were Beethoven''s. Only ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· was quite unique; it was not a simple piano piece. When Qi Mu listened to the piece, he felt as if he could see a pair of thin hands, flying across the ck and white keys, depicting the liveliness of spring. Right now, he was no match for the man. But if it was this piece, Qi Mu believed¡­ He could y at the same level. They didn''t talk for long that night, as Bai Ai was still rehearsing. Min Chen was sorry that he couldn''te and listen to Qi Mu''sst performance at the college since he would be rehearsing. But, he encouraged Qi Mu, saying he will perform more beautiful symphonies on the next tour. After they hung up the phone, Christole stared at the calm,posed man under the stage in surprise. He said, "Min, you gave the orchestra a day off tomorrow¡­ Isn''t that why everyone is so peppy, rehearsing this evening?" When Bai Ai''s members heard this, they all started to whisper¡ª¡ª "What?! We don''t get a day off tomorrow?!" "Impossible¡­ We''re supposed to have all of tomorrow off." "We''re going on a tour soon. If we don''t get a day off now, we won''t have any time for itter!" Listening to the members "whispering," Min Chen''s face was expressionless. He gently nodded and asked, "Did I say that you won''t get tomorrow off?" Christole smiled helplessly, "But, just now, didn''t you tell Angel¡­ That you''re rehearsing tomorrow?" "Shhh¡­" The man ced his slender index finger against his lips, and their corners curled upwards. "Do you know¡­ What a surprise is?" Christole: "¡­" Well, he thought, Angel might not be surprised tomorrow. Instead, he would be¡­ Frightened. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn

Ayn:

I feel this chapter was more emotional, maybe because Akkad finally opened about his past, although only a bit? And I hope MC is able to properly surprise QM.
Chapter 124
For the rest of the college, the third assessment was business as usual, like the previous ones. For Qi Mu, however, it was different. The assessment was held in the same hall north of the campus. Dozens of excellent students would y their best pieces to disy their improvements. Akkad was absent from the previous two assessments. In his words, "The college is testing you, not your professor. I''m not going, no!" But this time, Akkad realized that¡­ it was likely Qi Mu''sst assessment. This time, he apanied his student backstage early on. Over and over, he asked vexingly fussy questions like, "Have you wiped your bow with rosin yet?" or "Is this the right tone?" and the likes, seeming as though his personality had shifted entirely. Dn was confused. He couldn''t understand why Akkad, who had always been cold, got so chattery all of a sudden. What happened to him? Qi Mu on the other hand, listened attentively to Akkad''s every word. Why was Akkad so fussy now? But, Qi Mu knows his mentor well. This maestro, who looked¡­ difficult and proud was actually a tsundere. He was reluctant to part with his student. Although he has been saying things like "You have to graduate early, so you can better yourself" and "College is wasting your youth years, you need to go out to discover the world", in fact¡­ Even if this man was the Reed Akkad, he was just another old man. After answering the inane question, "Have you read the score?", Qi Mu finally couldn''t help but reach out to hug the old man. Qi Mu''s hug stopped Akkad''s babbling. Feeling the warmth emanating from his student, Akkad heard Qi Mu whisper "Professor, I will try my best. I will not let you down or disgrace your name." For the night''s assessment, Qi Mu''s priority was to fulfill Akkad''s requirement. In the future, after he left the college, he would always strive to keep Akkad proud. The youth''s pleasant voice was like a balm, soothing the old man''s heart. Even someone as surlish as Akkad got weepy. Finally, the old man snorted and said, "See that you do. If you dare to stop working so hard¡­ Don''t call yourself my student!" His words were reproaching, but the tone he used was like an elder advising his beloved youngster. Qi Mu''s heart warmed as he promised to do as he was told. When the assessment started and students began to perform onstage, Akkad looked at Qi Mu and hesitated to say something. When asked, he just shook his head. After a few more words of admonition, he went to the seats arranged for the professors. Watching Akkad take his leave, Dn went to Qi Mu and covertly pulled the hem of his shirt. In a whisper, he asked, "Seven, why is Professor Akkad so weird today? Do you know what happened? It''s just so unlike him!" "Maybe because¡­ Today is my third assessment?" Dn froze, stupefied, before letting out a loud "Ah". "Oh, God! It''s already your third assessment? Wait¡­ You only need to get first ce in three assessments in a row to graduate, right?!!!" Since Qi Mu joined the college''s orchestra, his rtionship with the other students grew closer. Some of them heard from their mentors that Qi Mu could graduate after three assessments. When asked, Qi Mu admitted it, not bothering to hide it from them. "Yes, Dn¡­ This really is my third assessment." "My God!!! How could I forget?!!!" Immersed in shock, Qi Mu could only smile helplessly andfort him, saying that even if he graduated, he will still visit them. But, Dn''s mood didn''t improve. It wasn''t only until an old enemy from the piano department took the stage that Dn changed the topic. "Seven, ah¡­ Langston will only graduate after the next assessment. If you graduate first¡­ I''m afraid our violin department will have a hard time beating him after this." Listening to Dn''smenting voice, Qi Mu cast his gaze to the stage, illuminated by the spotlights. He watched as Langston''s fingers danced on the ck and white keys, ying a song with an elegant, light melody. Not far from the grand piano, a blonde girl sat with her head bowed, ying her cello. Her music was thick yet mellow, like the deep sea. They were ying Faur¨¦''s ¡¶Sicillienne¡·. The cello was like a shallow sigh, its tears of sadness falling into dance with the piano. Within such gentle, quiet music, the melody described a beautiful, rural scenery. It was akin to a mirror, only for eyes to see, but not anything that could be touched. It was a fragile nostalgia. The cellist was Alleine, the chief of the cello department. Although her skill wasn''t on-par with Langston, the melody she yed moved Qi Mu. Dn, blinded by hatred, scoffed and whispered, "Langston and Alleine joined forces for the assessment. They''re really despicable. They want to win with this?! It''s impossible!" With a smile, Qi Mu said, "But, they do y excellently." The tall, Swedish guy stared at Qi Mu, dumbfounded. "Seven, how can you praise the enemy so much?! Isn''t there a Chinese saying that goes¡­ What was it again? No matter, it''s not right to praise your enemy and not yourself!" Raising his eyebrows, Qi Mu asked, "?" Dn nodded heavily. "Yes, that''s the one! I know I can''t surpass you so I''ll bring Alleina with me! Hah, the two of them wanted to make the judges think they''re better, now that they''ve joined forces. It''s despicable! No way, Seven. Let''s y together and beat them!" Qi Mu was dumbfounded. "¡­ Are you ying ¡¶Spring Sonata¡·?" Dn instantly wilted. "No¡­" Qi Mu looked at the Swissman whose expression screamed, "Why didn''t I choose ¡¶Spring Sonata¡·?!", not knowing whether tough or cry. After Qi Muforted thed, Dn immediately sprang up and cursed the "despicable" fellows again. This time around, Qi Mu drew a lot with ate number. Even after most of the violinists had performed, even Dn, it was yet to be his turn. By the time it was his turn, most of the students had already performed. The judges and the audience were no longer fully focused on the stage. It was unfavorable to any performer. Even if the level of their performance was adequate, the judges wouldn''t listen patiently and would only give them an average score. But, when Qi Mu stepped onto the stage, the mor of the audience abruptly stopped. The whole audience, including the ten judges, all stared at the "famous" ck-haired young man with focused gaze. Only a few discussions could be heard beneath the stage¡ª¡ª "This is Qi Mu?" "I heard that he''s very skilled! But, when London Philharmonic offered him an olive branch, he refused." "Yeah, I heard about that. But it seems like many orchestras came for him this time. I don''t know how skilled he is¡­" These whispers didn''t disturb Qi Mu. On the brightly lit stage, he calmly his violin on his shoulder. Just as he was about to lift his bow, he stopped. A series of gasps filtered out from the audience and someone eximed¡ª¡ª "My God! That¡­ Who''s that?!" Hearing such strange remarks, Qi Mu looked below the stage, only to see that the audience turned their attention away from him. Their eyes wide, it was as if they had seen something incredible. Qi Mu had a strange premonition. When he turned to look behind him, he froze. His bow hung in mid-air. "Is that Auston Bertram?!!!" Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 125
Eight spotlights illuminated the stage. Standing on such a dazzling stage, the handsome young man ced an exquisite replica of a Stradivarius violin on his shoulder. But instead of ying his violin, he turned his gaze to the grand piano. The piano provided by the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music for the assessment was a 9 ft B?sendorfer grand piano. This behemoth was so overbearing, it took four grown men to move it. It resided on the stage even when students from the piano department weren''t ying. The school would only remove the piano after the assessment was over. The spacious concert hall was so quiet that even the drop of a pin echoed. Everyone was staring in disbelief at the man in front of the piano. For Qi Mu, his feelings couldn''t be described as "surprised" as much as¡ª¡ª Frightened. Just a second ago, he was ready to y. But, the next, he turned his head and saw a man that should be thousands of miles away! Qi Mu didn''t get to dwell on his surprise for too long. Min Chen raised his index finger and gently ced it in front of his nose. He then pointed to the astonished young man. It was a simple action, yet Qi Mu immediately understood it. In theplete silence, they looked at each other and smiled. Qi Mu turned around. The next moment¡ª¡ª A soft and melodious tune poured from his violin. The violin was like the warm hot springs, it dispeled the bleakness of autumn and ushered in the beauty of spring. The melody was light and soft, every note flowing with ease, as if there were elves dancing on the strings. An even gentler echo apanied it by the piano. Beethoven''s ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· was a violin and piano ensemble piece. At the beginning, Qi Mu only practiced the first and the fourth movement. The first section was a light and brisk allegro and the other was a melodious tune that was repeated in a leisurely cycle. With the piano in the background, the beautiful melody reverberated in the hall. This piece was full of whispers between the piano and the violin. They responded to each other''s voices tenderly, like close friends or a couple in love. Full of vigorous tides and surging enthusiasm, they spread the fresh breath of spring to the audience. Everyone felt the warmth of the spring breeze. Onstage, the youth''s slender fingers were illuminated by the spotlights. The light was so dazzling that the audience under the stage couldn''t even see the movements of his fingers. They could only hear the violin flowing like a stream. Behind Qi Mu, Min Chen''s figure was mostly blocked by the grand piano. The man watched his fingers on the piano keys calmly and asionally raised his gaze to look at the youth not far away. His eyes were soft and intimate, but with their view obstructed, the audience couldn''t see it. The violin uttered a whisper and the piano replied. When the violin danced excitedly, the piano happily yed along with its steps. Someone once made ament on the piece, saying, "Beethoven''s ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· is neither difficult to y nor hard to understand. But, if you want to make the violin and piano integrate perfectly, you need to rehearse it for a long time." Right now, the audience thought the same. Practically seeing the green scenery of spring, the audience enjoyed the performance and praised the beautiful sound. Although no one said it, many thought¡ª¡ª ¡ºThey must have been rehearsing this ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· for a long time, right?¡» For any piece yed by two or more musicians, they must rehearse beforehand. Even if the rhythm and melody were the same, neither artist could guarantee that their music could integrate perfectly once they performed together. One section might require the violin to be on a higher note while the piano should be ying low. Or, the violin should be a little faster and the piano would hasten after it. Could you perform to your best potential without rehearsing? If you say you can, no one would believe it, not even Dn! But¡­ Only Qi Mu and Min Chen knew that this nearly perfect ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· was their first ensemble. However, they performed as if they had yed together countless times. When Min Chen suddenly pressed a chord, Qi Mu immediately picked up his speed. And when Qi Mu suddenly did a spato to interpret a note, Min Chen tacitly responded with a glissando. Obviously, Qi Mu made some minor changes in this piece. But even if the changes happened mid-way through their performance, the other man took to it like a duck to water. He did it effortlessly and freely, adjusting and making changes ordingly, he highlighted the soaring and beautiful timbre of the violin perfectly. When the piece reached its final section in the harmony, the audience was already immersed by the mutual dance of the violin and the piano. After the performance ended, and the first "Bravo" was heard, an unprecedented apuse broke out. In the thunderous apuse, some people finally woke up from their stupor¡ª¡ª "Just now¡­ I think I heard the sound of spring!" "I didn''t expect the ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· would actually make me see green leaves and flowers blooming!" "This performance was above the level of a college student. It''s more at home in a world-ss orchestra, isn''t it?" Of course, there were others whose attention was drawn elsewhere¡ª¡ª "Did Mr. Bertram do this especially for Qi Mu?" "It''s quite an honor but this ensemble¡­ Why do I feel that the violin was better than the piano? The violin is the main character of this piece!" "Mr. Bertram deliberately yed low-key as the apaniment, but I really didn''t expect that such a young student could cooperate with him perfectly!" "This atmosphere¡­?" All the peoplementing on Auston Bertram were members of major orchestras across the globe. They came to the assessment today especially to find and recruit good seedlings into their orchestras. Before Qi Mu started his performance, many people were weighing on whether to invite him to their orchestra or not. But, when they saw a certain man appeared before the piano and perform ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· with the young man, they realized¡ª¡ª "He''s already been snatched by Bai Ai? Then how can we grab, ah!" Was there really no one who wanted to try? Hooke, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra''s concertmaster, boldly handed Qi Mu''s an olive branch onstage, under the ''indifferent" gaze of Bai Ai''s principal conductor. What was even more surprising was that¡­ Qi Mu didn''t refuse!!! Looking at the old man with a thick beard under the stage, Qi Mu felt helpless. He didn''t refuse, but that didn''t mean he would ept the orchestra''s offer. Qi Mu didn''t anticipate that Hooke would be at the assessment. It was really difficult for him to refuse the man, as he needed to take care of Hooke''s reputation. After the major orchestras finished offering their invitations, it was time for the judges to give their scores. The Paris'' National Conservatory of Music''s assessment didn''t make the students perform alone as a rule. The students could y in an ensemble, like Langston and Alleina did, but each of them would be judged separately. Of course, they could also invite someone from outside the college to perform with them but¡­ No one had ever invited a maestro like Min Chen. When it came to the judges, more than half of them knew Min Chen. Two or three of them were even his fans. This wouldn''t add points to Qi Mu''s performance, however. Some judges even harshlymented, "Your apaniment was too formidable, I think¡­ Qi Mu, you need to control your apaniment. Such strength is very hard to find. And I really am sorry to watch¡­ You controlling Mr. Bertram''s piano so perfectly in the performance just now." As he said this, the pianist with a face full of sadness gave the score, "I really am angry and my impulsive brain wanted me to say "I prefer your apaniment!" to you but¡­My reason told me to give you full marks." Qi Mu received the first score with such a sadment. Then the second, the third and the fourth¡­ Then, the ninth. Until, finally, thest judge gave theirment. "Your apaniment is very good and so are you. I like Auston''s piano as much as Lazzoni does but I''m not as childish and emotional as he is." Lazzoni was the first judge, and the one currentlymenting was the main judge, an excellent trumpeter. He smiled at Qi Mu and said, "I am different from Lazzoni. I think¡­ Your score should be worthy of your strength. Being able to make Mr. Bertram servepletely as your apaniment, Qi Mu¡­ Your score is¡ª¡ª" "10 points." Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn Author''s note: ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· is very good, Fuwa rmends! The God Min Chen was actually reduced to being just an apaniment to Qi Mu! This is a historic event! Sprinkle flowers~~~ Fuwa : Min Chen, in view of your sess of bing Xiao Qi''s apaniment, please tell us your mental state at the moment. Min Chen : I''m very happy. Fuwa : ¡­¡­Min Chen, you''reing to woo¡­ Min Chen : I''m very happy. Fuwa : ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­
Chapter 126
As the¡¶Spring Sonata¡·concluded, the atmosphere boiled. Nearly every orchestra under the stage wanted topete to get such an outstanding violinist. Of course, seeing that Bai Ai''s conductor was also on the stage, most of them couldn''t open their mouths but¡­ asking in private should be okay, right? "Qi Mu''s mentor is Reed Akkad. Say¡­ Was it Mr. Akkad who invited Min Chen?" "Mr. Akkad''s name is really big, ah. Such a perfect cooperation, they must have rehearsed countless times, right?" "¡­..But I heard that Bai Ai was busy rehearsingtely?" ¡­¡­ All kinds of discussion filled the air until the end of the assessment. And the first ce went to Qi Mu. With full marks, he was naturally worthy of the title, as he was the first student who has achieved that in the history of Paris'' National Conservatory of Music. Even Akkad was surprised by the result, but he nodded with satisfaction. If Akkad was surprised, then the students in the violin department were beyond shocked. Angelo, one of Min Chen''s fans, ran back to his violin room the moment Min Chen appeared and gathered histest CD collection for an autograph. As for his fans in the college orchestra, they were even crazier. Last time, they got Min Chen''s autograph from Qi Mu. And now¡­ the actual person was right in front of them, what were they waiting for?!!! And so, Qi Mu witnessed how the usually rough crowd suddenly turned into obedient sheep, greeting Min Chen one by one and expressing their love for his music. Qi Mu didn''t know what to say. Say¡­ Some of you guys even forgot to introduce yourselves, you''re overexcited! After the excited students collectively expressed their respect and love, the assessment finally came to an end. Hooke went backstage and invited Qi Mu to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, saying, "Oh, Seven, I didn''t expect to have this conversation with you a year ago!" Qi Mu smiled and shook his hand, replying, "Long time no see, Mr. Hooke. It seems that it really has been a year¡­ since we met in Hong Kong." "Yes, Seven. I''ll just say it out right. Mr. Boswell sent me to the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music in hopes that we''d gain an excellent violinist. Your skill is obvious, you''re our first pick. Furthermore, we have cooperated before and everyone in the orchestra is very fond of you." Hooke wore a straight expression as he spoke, not even sparing a nce at Min Chen. At his side, Min Chen looked down at the youth beside him, paying no attention to the bearded man. Watching the two grown-up men ignoring each other, Qi Mu didn''t know whether tough or cry. If not for the fact that he had witnessed how much Hooke adored Min Chen a year ago, Qi Mu would have thought that the man couldn''t stand him. There were so many awkward tsunderes in the world. Having experience in dealing with the countless charming tsunderes, Qi Mu thought before politely answering, "Mr. Hooke, I really admire the members of the New York Philharmonic. I am very happy to cooperate with you, but at present, I have no n to develop my career in the United States. I''m hoping to develop my career in Europe for a while." The words "for a while" wasn''t specific. It could be a month, a year, a decade, maybe even a lifetime. Qi Mu discreetly turned down the invitation. Hooke was disappointed, hearing Qi Mu''s answer. When he sneaked a peek at the man standing beside the youth, he thought, Say¡­ Is Seven going to Bai Ai? But no one''s quit or retired from Bai Ai, though! Hooke couldn''t figure it out. After exchanging a few more words with Qi Mu, he went to where the major orchestras were gathering in Paris that night. Before he left, Qi Mu covertly put a paper bag in his hand, surprising him. When he opened the bag, Hooke was moved to tears! "Little Seven still remembers our agreement a year ago¡­ Seven, you''re so kind! If I don''t bring you to our New York Philharmonic, my name is not Hooke!!!" . . . Was it only Min Chen''stest album inside the brown paper bag? Not quite. In the top right corner of the album, there was also a name, written in dragon and phoenix-like strokes. Such beautiful Chinese cursive¡­ It''s that man''s signature, alright. No one else could imitate such writing. But Hooke¡­ Your idol was standing in front of you just now, yet, you ignored him, acting like you didn''t see him at all, right? Why didn''t you just say that you wanted his autograph¡­ That would be much more convenient! The dark night obscured the pedestrians as the moon grew dimmer. The cold forced them to don thicker coats, and the ground was coated in a thinyer of frost. Winter was well on its way. After saying goodbye to the other students, Qi Mu took his violin case and walked back to his apartment. It was only a kilometer away from the campus so he strode slowly, the man beside him following suit. "So¡­ Did Master Akkad already know you wereing to perform with me tonight?" Being in public, Qi Mu was only about 20 cm apart from Min Chen. He had always been weak to the cold, so he swapped the hand that held his violin case with the free one which is always tucked into his pocket. The corner of Min Chen''s lips curled up. Reaching out, he took the violin case from Qi Mu''s hand. Nodding, he said, "Yes, I told him the other day. He was against it at first, but¡­ I was hoping to do something for your graduation, so he relented." After a pause, Min Chen added, "Reed will announce that it was him who invited me and that it has nothing to do with you." With Reed Akkad as his mentor, even if Qi Mu did something shocking in the future, no one would be surprised. After all¡­ "This is Reed Akkad''s student!" Qi Mu couldn''t help but chuckle. Nodding, he wondered aloud, "Wait a minute¡­ Since you''ve made such a decision a long time ago, why didn''t you tell me? Right! Duringst night''s phone call, you said that you were going to rehearse with Bai Ai today and wouldn''t have the time toe to Paris!" It was an obvious thing but it only crossed Qi Mu''s mind then. Looking down at Qi Mu, Min Chen murmured, "Because¡­ I wanted to surprise you." Qi Mu''s smile disappeared abruptly. Before he could speak, Min Chen frowned and added, "Christole thought you wouldn''t be surprised, but frightened. Hmm¡­ Guess he was wrong." Qi Mu: "¡­" I was frightened! A pleasant surprise should be a small thing that could be ignored, okay!!! No matter how slow they walked, it would never take them long to walk a kilometer. By the time they arrived at Qi Mu''s apartment, only a dozen minutes had passed. Looking up at Min Chen, Qi Mu reached for the violin case in his hand. The youth''s fairplexion was as bright as the moonlight. His eyes glimmered in the darkness. Sighing, Qi Mu said, "Bai Ai¡­ Is very busy now, right? Every time you go to Paris, you have to go back on the same day." "The second half of our global tour has just started. We won''t have a holiday until mid December." The man''s low, maic voice resounded in the corridor. Looking at the youth before him, he resisted the urge to hold him in his arms. "Qi Mu, be sure to visit Berlin more and¡­ Look for me, okay?" The words were simple, but his tone was weighted. Qi Mu had been very busy during his time at college, and he couldn''t afford to take time off to go to Berlin. Once he graduated, though, he would have time. It would be no problem to stay in Berlin for quite a while. But¡­ "I want to go to Vienna after graduation." Qi Mu''s eyes dropped, not daring to look up at Min Chen''s reaction. "I will go to Berlin to see you, but I won''t be living there." Min Chen already knew it would happen, but it still hurt to hear. However, Qi Mu''s next words stunned him to silence. "But¡­ If I remember correctly, Vienna is closer to Berlin than Paris is, right? When I get my driver''s license and buy a car, I will go and visit you as often as I can." After a slight pause, Qi Mu grimaced, "Butter, don''t do anything like¡­ Well, this surprise." When he spoke, his lips turned down, displeased. He was scared by one "surprise" after another. If his heart was weak, he would''ve had a heart attack onstage. But this man thought it was¡ª¡ª A! Pleasant! Surprise! Seeing the young man being so difficult was such a rare sight that it made Min Chen''s lips curl. Reaching for Qi Mu''s waist, Min Chen pulled him into his arms. Stepping forward, he covered Qi Mu''s figure under the shadow of the apartment''s stairs. If any pedestrians passed, all they could see was the figure of a tall man holding his lover, his back facing the streets. Who was this man! Qi Mu coughed, his cheeks reddening. "There are a lot of people, be careful¡­" Akkad didn''t want the public to know their rtionship before Qi Mu made any aplishments, so Qi Mu had to be very careful. "They can''t see." Looking up, Qi Mu could only see Min Chen''s dark eyes and thin lips in the darkness. Qi Mu stared at him in a daze. They hadn''t seen each other in two weeks. Feeling the warmth on his waist, Qi Mu sighed and roped his arms around the man, pulling him close. "Before, I thought¡­ Ten days, or even half a month of not seeing each other wasn''t that long." The youth''s whisper rose to Min Chen''s ear, "But why¡­ Do I miss you more every time I see you?" As far as confessions went, Min Chen was wholeheartedly,pletely floored. The tip of his ears burned red, and he managed to keep his expression calm. His voice, however, couldn''t cover his delight. Hugging Qi Mu even more tightly, Min Chen murmured, "Um¡­ I miss you, too¡­ I love you even more, every time we meet." The emotions between them were thin and delicate, flowing like a stream of water. It wasn''t like a storm or a wave of the ocean. No, it was more like wine, growing more mellow and thick as time went on. Qi Mu couldn''t stop himself from tilting his head up to kiss him. He seldom took the initiative, but when they yed ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· together, Qi Mu felt as if his soul merged with Min Chen''s. With every breath he took, he could feel his lover''s heartbeat. It was as if their spirits intersected. Their souls moved in a dance, finally reaching its peak. No one else¡­ Could understand his music better than this man. Just like no one else would make him feel this deeply in love. The kisssted for only a few seconds, ending with them nestling deeper into each other''s arms. In the streets of Paris, the capital of romance, this sight wasmon. Pedestrians didn''t even bat an eye. Gasping, they dipped forward again, their lips meeting in the shadow of night. Seeing Qi Mu''s lips a brilliant red, Min Chen''s eyes darkened. He had to catch a flight in an hour, but¡­ He didn¡¯t want to leave! The man''s hand caressed Qi Mu''s chest, but the youth shook his head, stopping him. "Tomorrow¡­ Bai Ai has a rehearsal. Min Chen¡­ You don''t have time." The words left Min Chen at a loss, but Qi Mu raised his head and whispered, "I love you, Min Chen¡­ When your tour arrives in Vienna, I want to¡­ be in your piano room and listen to you ying it for me." Min Chen''s stern eyes widened suddenly as he realized¡­ What the youth was saying! Seeing Qi Mu''s light pupils stained with lust, Min Chen gave Qi Mu another poignant look With only each other in their eyes, the pair didn''t notice¡­. Across the street, a tall Swissman with eyes wide open in shock eximed, "Oh my God! Is that¡­ Umph¡­" Before Dn could shout, a hand was pped over his mouth. Turning around, he found himself face to face with Reed Akkad. With a cold expression, the maestro ordered, "No shouting, young man. You get that!?" Dn quickly nodded. When he looked back across the street, the two men were talking normally, giving their final exchanges before parting. Looking at his beloved, lovely student¡­ and the vicious devil, Akkad''s head shook, as if saying, "Those two¡­ are a match made in heaven." Dn nodded. "Yes, Little Seven and Mr. Bertram¡­ are a great match." The young man bid farewell to his lover under the soft moonlight. Watching Qi Mu''s figure disappear in the corridor, Min Chen''s face turned nk. Frowning, he whispered, "¡¶The Twilight¡­under the Moonlight¡·?" ¡¶The Twilight under the Moonlight¡·¡£ It was then did those words emerge in the world for the first time. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn

Kuro:

Our editor, Empress took a liberty with the title originally. She turned it into ¡¶A Twilight Moonrise¡·. I prefer hers as it sounds more fancy? Fantastical? But since Min Chen named this soon-to-bepleted piece based on Qi Mu''s figure under the moonlight, we changed it back to the original after a discussion. In the raw, the title was ¡¶The Twilight in the Moonlight¡·. So the readers could pick whichever you think the best. Please let us know in thement.
Chapter 127
The day after the assessment, Qi Mu went to Akkad''s room carrying his violin case as per usual. The sun shone like a veil in the early autumn, lighting the narrow corridor like a golden pce. Qi Mu came early, and no one was in the violin room. Only the sound of his footsteps filled the space, breaking the silence. When he arrived at the door, he raised his hand, but froze. He didn''t know why he hesitated. His hand stayed mid-air for a long time. ¡ª¡ªHe didn''t take out the key because, subconsciously, he thought that the old man would be waiting for him, like always. The reality left Qi Mu disappointed. When he opened the door, Qi Mu saw Akkad standing before the score stand, his violin tucked between his neck and shoulder. With his right hand, he tuned the strings. When the old man saw Qi Mu, he waved his hand and said, "You''re early, Seven. Come sit on the sofa and take a rest. I haven''t adjusted the strings yet." Qi Mu felt awkward, and unsure how to respond. So, he obediently ced his violin case on the tea table and sat on the sofa¡ª¡ªa position usually reserved for Akkad. Akkad didn''t seem to notice his abnormality. He carefully and attentively tuned his violin. His gentle hand was like an iron cover, making the small, delicate violin look even more elegant against the backdrop. The violin was light yellow in color, Qi Mu had seen it in one of Akkad''s performances. Her name was "Alice". Akkad bought it at a high price from a collector when he was in his fifties. It was said that Akkad went through a lot of trouble to obtain the violin; it had to be very important to him. Like most of the Stradivari violins, Alice had a narrow top with a broad bottom and a t, wide board. The thin panel provided it a clear, sweet timbre with vigorous volume. "Alice" wasn''t only the name of this violin, Qi Mu also know for a fact that¡­ Akkad''s wife, who had died young, shared the name. The violin held an extraordinary significance to Akkad. He would never bring it out, apart from some very important performances. But, right then¡­ The maestro was carefully and attentively tuning it. Qi Mu straightened his back in his seat. "Once, I told you to y ¡¶Infinity¡· within 3 minutes and 40 seconds and you actually did it. I didn''t expect that." After finishing tuning all the four strings, Akkad tightened his bow and continued, "You''re the best child I''ve ever seen, Seven. And I believe that you could break that 30 seconds mark in the future." Qi Mu didn''t act modest under the praise, but solemnly nodded. "I will try my best, Professor." Akkad nodded, satisfied. "It''s good that you have the passion. For a violinist, the skill is very important but that''s not the only thing. Last time in Vienna, Lance said that he isn''t as skilled as you are now, but¡­ You''re a step below Lance Todd at his peak." Qi Mu nodded matter-of-factly, then said, "Yes, professor. Compared to Mr. Lance, I think I''m¡­ a lot worse." "But, Lance reached his peak when he was 40. I think you might be able to reach his level earlier than that." Akkad''s tone had a trace of fatherly pride. He smiled and said, "I told you to practice many pieces, but it seems like¡­ I haven''t yed anything for you, have I?" Qi Mu''s eyes widened. "Professor, you want to¡­" "y ¡¶Infinity¡· within 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Even ten years ago, I could barely do it. But now, I''m sorry to say, I''m unable to. Seven, I hope that one day¡­ You can take my ce, surpass me, and reach the realm I haven''t been able to." In the quiet violin room, a bright and intense ¡¶Infinity¡· resounded. Every note was smooth, without any blemish. Even when it reached a dozen notes per second, Akkad still moved his fingers to press where they should. He was a very old man, but those hands of his weren''t stiff at all. On the contrary, they yed the piece smoothly. Qi Mu watched Akkad as he yed. It was hard to see his movements, but Qi Mu''s hearing told him he would finish in at least 3 minutes and 40 seconds! When the difficult, neck-breaking piece ended, Qi Mu turned to the clock to check the time. His eyes widened. He blurted, "3 minutes and 33 seconds!" At this, Akkad smiled smugly, then frowned. He shook his head and sighed, "I really, really, really am old, ah. 33 seconds! Oh, Seven, don''t be this slow in the future." Qi Mu: "¡­" Professor, if anyone else had heard you, you''d be attacked, ah! Only half a year had passed since Qi Mu came to the Paris'' National Conservatory of Music. He remembered the first time they met, and how his mentor deliberately made things hard for him. He also remembered what it was like, strolling around Paris with the old man. But now¡­ It''s time for him to graduate. After Akkad told Qi Mu to y ¡¶La Campane¡· once more, he took Qi Mu''s graduation certificate from his score folder. Akkad asked for the certificate from the dean the night before. The bright red ink looked soft to touch, but when Qi Mu touched the smooth paper, the thin graduation certificate seemed heavy. Raising his head to look at the young man, Akkad smiled and said, "What are you doing? You''ve already graduated. You don''t have toe here anymore, you know!" Qi Mu woke up from his trance and immediately replied, "Professor! There are still two months left in the semester. I can apany you in Paris until the end of the year, and then¡­" "What can you do with me? I''m just an old man. Europe is so big and Paris is just a small ce. If you don''t want to go to Vienna yet, then go to Berlin and find Auston. Don''t waste your time with me here." Akkad waved his hands impatiently, then added, "Oh yeah, Seven. I asked Lance to help find an apartment for you in Vienna the other day. You can go see it in a few days." Stunned, Qi Mu hurriedly said, "But Professor, actually I¡­" "No nothing, Little Seven. I know your thoughts. But for the next decade or two, I just want to find a quiet ce to live out my life. And you have to work hard, you know!" Qi Mu continued, "But professor, actually, for Vienna¡­" "Little Seven, I understand your feelings. But¡­ You have to work hard. Just send me the invitations for your concertster and that will be enough for me." "¡­¡­" "I''ve said this before a lot of times that I hope you will keep your rtionship with Auston a secret until you''ve made some aplishments. But now, I think there''s no need for that. You can handle it however you like." "¡­¡­" "You must work hard in Vienna, got it?! You''re not allowed to get part-time jobs. Practice six hours a day, understand? I''m not pressuring you for nothing but no one can be great at something without practice. Do you think Auston can do what he did without practicing every day?" "¡­¡­" "Little Seven¡­ Why aren''t you saying anything?" Letting out a long sigh, Qi Mu smiled helplessly, "Professor, what I wanted to say is¡­ I have a house already in Vienna. So I don''t need Mr. Lance to worry about it." Akkad: "¡­¡­" Under Akkad''s re, Qi Mu grabbed his violin case and was mercilessly kicked out by the tsundere maestro. Afterwards, Qi Mu could only knock on the door and call, "Professor,e to my house for dinner tonight." After a lengthy pause, only a cold "Hmm" came in response. That¡­ meant he agreed, right? Qi Mu chuckled and walked to the college''s orchestra. When Qi Mu entered the rehearsal room Dn specifically ordered him to find, he saw all the students who were supposed to be in ss filling the room, focusing on something. All the membersughed at Qi Mu''s surprised expression. Then, before he could react, a happy, yet gentle, ¡¶Farewell Symphony¡· resounded. Thebination of the strings and woodwind melody was like a spring breeze caressing his face, putting Qi Mu in a trance. This was the piece he led the orchestra with in their concert. It was soft, with a beautiful melody. In the fourth movement, at Kawaguchi''s smile, one student after another left their seats to give Qi Mu a big hug. When thest note ended, Kawaguchi and Angelo stepped forward together, each giving Qi Mu a hug along with their heartfelt blessings. Once they had finished giving their well wishes, Qi Mu turned around and saw nearly a hundred people from the orchestra smiling at him, even the instructor. Everyone was standing in their position, with one seat next to Angelo left empty. "Seven! Congrattions¡­" "Happy graduation!!!" Qi Mu''s heart warmed, and he stood for a picture with the rest of the orchestra. A group of people from the orchestra pulled at Qi Mu and said that they were going to work hard to have a chance to see him in the future. The girls with delicate minds were sad, but they kept a smile on their faces and sent blessings in Qi Mu''s way. After saying goodbye to the orchestra members and having dinner with Akkad, Qi Mu packed up and boarded the ne to Vienna. Through the window, he looked at the city shrouded under the clouds¡­ Only the shadow of the Eiffel Tower confirmed that he flew over Paris. Qi Mu lived there for eight months, during which he met a lot of interesting friends and improved his skills. He met Reed Akkad, who was totally different from what he had expected, a teacher who was very good to him. The eight months passed very quickly. Zheng Wei Qiao had hoped that Qi Mu would return to Huaxia after his graduation, but¡­ Qi Mu knew that it was time. He quickly packed his things and went to Vienna. Taking the subway from the Vienna International Airport, he arrived at Min Chen''s house and stepped inside with the keys he was sent. The house was frequently aired out, so Qi Mu only had to do a little clean up. After that, he didn''t take much time to rest. Instead, he took the subway to Lance''s house. Qi Mu lived there for ten years in hisst life, so he was much more familiar with Vienna than he was with Paris. When he breathed the air of Vienna, tinted with flowers in the breeze, he felt like he was home¡ª¡ª Vienna had been waiting for him for a long time. Qi Mu had already visited the maestro''s house with Akkad, so it didn''t take long for him to gain permission to enter. Lance was happy to see him, giving the young man a hug and a smile as soon as he entered. "Seven, thest time you came to Vienna, I didn''t think it would be long before your return, but. . . I didn''t expect it to be so soon!" Lance personally poured a cup of warm water for Qi Mu, but the temperature in the room was so high, Qi Mu had to take off his coat. He politely took the cup as the old man went on, "I found you a ce nearby, but Reed said you''ve already found a house. Is the traffic convenient?" Qi Mu nodded. "It is. Thank you, Mr. Lance." The old man nodded and added, "Well, since you''ve found a ce, then I won''t bother you. You''ve just arrived, so you can take your time to get familiar with Vienna. I know that Palisade Theatre Orchestra will be looking for a concertmaster next month. The theatre orchestra is a bit small, but you''re also young. You can gain experience and grow from there, they''re very skilled." Qi Mu knew the theatre. Opera houses and concert halls could be seen anywhere in Vienna, you could hardly take a few steps without seeing at least two of them. The Palisade Theatre was regarded as second-tier amongst the theatre orchestras in Vienna. The first-tier belonged to the Vienna National Opera House, a powerhouse. On the second-tier, there were five or six well-known orchestras, including the Palisade Theatre. Usually there would be several opera performances each week, apanied by a special orchestra. Of course, there were also several ssical concerts, but those were fewer than the opera. Akkad once said that Qi Mu was born at the best but the worst time. In thest decade or two, practically every major orchestra was already logged. Their concertmasters were usually young. Even the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra changed their concertmaster to a young one seven or eight years earlier. And Qi Mu had a very clear goal, not to be a soloist, but a violinist in an orchestra. Therefore, Lance''s suggestion was very reasonable. He would start as the concertmaster of a small orchestra, umte experience, then find an opportunity to enter a major orchestra. But¡­ Qi Mu held a different opinion. "I''m sorry, Mr. Lance. I had some thoughts for my future before I came to Vienna." At this, Lance was taken aback. He asked, "Well, young people will have their own ideas. It''s good that way. Seven, if you don''t mind, can you tell me what you had in mind?" The maestro really was good-tempered. Qi Mu was very grateful for what he did, but¡­ he had his own n. cing his cup on the tea table, Qi Mu looked up at him, his gaze serious. "Mr. Lance, I heard¡­ There will be an audition for a deputy concertmaster the day after tomorrow?" Qi Mu''s words shocked Lance to silence. Finally, he asked, "Seven, you mean¡­ The audition for the Vienna Symphony Orchestra?" Lance frowned. "Evra''s orchestra is really good but¡­ There was an ident with his deputy concertmaster justst year. For this recruitment audition, the internal struggle within the orchestra will be even more intense. And you, as an outsider¡­ I''m afraid it won''t be easy for you to enter their orchestra." Smiling, Qi Mu said, "Mr. Lance, whether I will seed or not¡­ I would like to try." Seeing the young man''s confidence, Lance nodded. "Well, you''re still young. It''s good to have such a drive. Then, Little Seven, go to the audition the day after tomorrow. Evra and your teacher are old friends. Although they won''t be easy on you, they won''t embarrass you." Qi Mu smiled again. After answering Lance''s concerns about his life in Vienna, they had dinner together. Their table was full ofughter. Being able to exchange experiences with such a gentle master was Qi Mu''s favorite part of the visit. ¡ª¡ªDon''t tell Akkad that. If you do¡­ Remember to say that he''s also good-tempered. The moon was already high in the sky by the time Qi Mu left Lance''s house. Taking out his mobile phone, Qi Mu made a call to a man in Berlin. After a simple, "I''m in Vienna", he ended the call. The cold moon shone over the street, bathing it with silver light. The young man''s back looked thin in the darkness. If a certain man had seen it, he might be angry that the youth hadn''t been eating well. Qi Mu raised his head to look at the moon in the sky. He couldn''t help but chuckle. This time¡­ He was back for good. He would attend the recruitment audition for the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. He would only feel relieved when he solved it all, personally. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 128 Oops! Looks like you just read thest chapter! Thank you so much for reading! Whether you¡¯re waiting for the next update, or it¡¯s time to try something new, why don¡¯t you join us on or take a look at our other projects:
Lin Zizheng sat on one side, an incessant tensity griping his heart. It turned out that the immortals really could fly. He stared at the three people in front of him, his gaze finallying to rest on the figure clothed in white; Qin Mo. Despite the fact that Qin Mo had yet to speak a single word to him, he''d already be aware that there was something distinct about him. Although he''d only ever been taught by his mother from a small book and though he did not know much, he was still certain that he knew that that person just standing there alone, possessed great beauty. If all immortals bore this manner, he thought, then even if he had to undergo a thousand hardships, he would be an immortal.
After hearing this, Zheng Wei Qiao paced. "You. . . Did you eat something weirdtely? Qi Mu ate another piece of toast, thought a bit then said rhetorically: "Marijuana?" ". . ." Well, he really did eat something weird. But this thing. . . It was an excellent bad thing to eat!
Pa! The judge mmed his hand onto the table angrily. Bitter and hateful, he said: ¡°Lord An Yuan was walking on the right path. He did not provoke or anger you. Why did you kick him down the cliff and obstruct his fate?! A month after he would have gone to find the mysterious old man who would be able to pass on internal power to him. The turning point of his fate was soon to arrive¨C¡± The more he spoke, the more ardent he felt. Suddenly he took a deep breath and pointed at Han Changsheng''s nose, spitting. ¡°You! Speak, why did you kick Lord An Yuan off a cliff to his death!¡± ¡ª¡ª Demonic Head Han Changsheng hadmitted the first mistake in the ways of acting as a viin: Getting rid of the protagonist before he could be powerful.
J¨« Xi¨£o ¨­u touched his ears and paws, and they were both very warm. He was already seriously injured yesterday and had spent the entire night in the wild. It was only to be expected that he was feverish. J¨« Xi¨£o ¨­u rummaged through the medicine kit to find a thermometer. A cat¡¯s mouth could not hold the thermometer. Previously, J¨« Xi¨£o ¨­u had gauged their temperature by pushing it into the anus. She took the thermometer andid the leopard t on her legs, preparing to follow through. The thermometer only just touched its sphincter when the leopard cub probably guessed what she was going to do. She did not know where he found the strength to violently struggle in her arms. His fore paw suddenly swung down, and his blue eyes red ferociously at her, glimmering with anger.
Chapter 129
A young man leaned his back against the wall and listened to the violin echoing in the corridor. Luo Yu Sen yed Bach''s ¡¶Partita for Violin No. 2. The piece was monophonic with a three-beat dance melody. It was general in terms of skill, but had high requirements for emotion. Qi Mu listened casually for a few minutes. When the part where it was slightly difficult came, he was a bit shocked. Once the song reached the high tide, he couldn''t help butugh. "Luo Yu Sen, ah¡­ It''s been a year, but why haven''t you improved?" Luo Yu Sen, who was pretty smart and talented, had managed to muddle his way to the seat of the deputy chief of the second violin group. At the very least, he wasn''t a mediocre musician. But, calling him stupid wasn''t wrong either. He spent six years in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, yet still didn''t know that Evra was fond of Bach. It was only when Luo Yu Sen took the initiative to ask Qi Mu about the conductor''s preference in his previous life that he found out. And Qi Mu gave that information freely. But Luo Yu Sen¡­ Won''t you just add fuel to the fire by ying so sloppily? If you can''t y Bach well, then don''t y Bach. y another piece, and you might have a better chance at getting the deputy concertmaster seat. Qi Mu straightened up and left. He only wanted to see if Luo Yu Sen had made any progress during the past year. After all, the man was also a member of the orchestra. If he did, it was very likely that Evra would promote him. But Luo Yu Sen disappointed Qi Mu, stagnating at his current level was his limit. Soon after he returned to the preparation room, Luo Yu Sen arrived to take his stuff. All of the orchestra members ignored him, but Luo Yu Sen was used to it. Wearing a fake smile on his face, he approached Qi Mu. "Qi Mu, I haven''t seen you for a long time. I''ll wait for you after the audition and¡­ Let''s go for a meal together? After all, it''s hard to meet a fellow countryman in Vienna." Qi Mu smiled. On the surface, it was polite, but his tone was very perfunctory. "My turn is towards the end, so I''m really sorry but you don''t have to wait for me. I''m going to have a meal with Mr. Lance at his ce, I''ve already made an appointment." Hearing the name "Lance", Luo Yu Sen''s eyes widened but he quickly hid it. "Okay, I will contact youter. We both live in Vienna anyway, we can meet anytime." Luo Yu Sen''s tone was warm, as if he was talking to a friend he had known for many years. Qi Mu said a few more words, then Luo Yu Sen left. Qi Mu stared at the man''s back as he left, sighing in his head. When you heard Mr. Lance''s name¡­ Were you tempted? The most important thing in the music world isn''t how many people you know, but¡­ How strong you are. When it was Qi Mu''s turn, most of the musicians who turned up for the audition were gone. He went to the center of the rehearsal room and saw¡ª¡ª Evra, the orchestra''s chief conductor, Jacques, the concertmaster and Ms. Caroline, the orchestra''s music director. After listening to Qi Mu introducing himself, Ms. Caroline looked at him in surprise, then asked, "You¡­ Your name is Qi Mu? Oh, you''re Akkad''s student?" Qi Mu answered gently, "Yes, Ms. Caroline. I''m Professor Akkad''s student." The aplished music director with short haircut nodded. Frankly, she said, "Okay, you can y now. What is your repertoire for today? We''ll only give you 10 minutes and you can y any piece of your own choosing." Qi Mu was used to Caroline''s straight-to-the-point character so he said, "I''m ying the fifth movement of Bach''s ¡¶Partita for Violin No. 2¡·." As his voice faded, Evra, who wasn''t paying much attention, suddenly turned to look at him. After observing him, the grumpy conductor asked, "Who told you I like Bach? Lance or Reed?" Qi Mu shook his head. "Neither, Mr. Evra." The young man''s voice was very sincere, his tone firm and certain. His light eyes, focused on Evra, were so sincere that it looked like he''d never lied in his life. Evra nodded. "Okay, then. You can y now. I hope¡­ You can y my favorite Bach." Both Jacques and Caroline turned to Evra in surprise. Expressionless, Caroline stared at the young man. Although Evra didn''t look any different from the usual, they both knew¡­ ¡ª¡ªThat was the first time he''d said that all day! Before Qi Mu, some auditioners had also mistakenly chosen Bach''s works as their repertoire. Evra never responded to any of them, he was toozy to evenment on their performances. But now¡­ He was looking forward to this young man''s performance! Caroline and Jacques immediately turned serious. Their gaze fixated on Qi Mu. Under the dazzling light, the young man put his violin on his shoulder. His posture was straight, forming a beautiful line with the violin. From the visual aspects alone, Caroline and Jacques couldn''t help but think¡ª¡ª ¡ºI give him full marks.¡» The next moment, they werepletely immersed in the deeply sorrowful sound of the violin,pletely forgetting their visual appreciation. The fifth movement of Bach''s ¡¶Partita for Violin No. 2¡· had another tragic nickname¡ª¡ª ¡¶Chaconne¡·. The Chinesenguage was truly broad and profound. When Qi Mu first heard the Chinese nickname, ¡¶Qia Kong¡·, he was instantly overwhelmed. All he could feel was, "Just like a dream, it''s all empty." Bach was a typical ssical musician, loyal and religious. His works always had solemn religious elements mixed in. But the piece ¡¶Chaconne¡· was quite an exception. Bach married twice in his life. His first wife died before he was 35 years old. The next year, Bach married his second wife. This doesn''t sound romantic, but¡­ Bach used the piece ¡¶Chaconne¡· to turn this love eternal. This piece was Bach, mourning his wife. This kind of feeling seeped deep into the bone. He integrated years of love into one piece. Expressing his yearning for his lover, their memories together, and the grief of separation, he shares how it feels, to never be able to see her again. The youth''s fingers gently pressed on the strings. For Jacques, who came from a well-off family, such an excellent imitation of a Stradivarius violin wasn''t so valuable in his eyes. But, he was surprised to find that the sound it produced could render him full of tears. The soft, gentle melody poured out of the violin, like a man crying out in sorrow. Every beat expressed grief as deep as the sea; full of pain until the very end, it could only finish with a silent sigh. The difficulty of this piece was general, but the feelings it wanted to express were rich. Only one person performed the piece before Qi Mu. At the end of their performance, Evra didn''t bother to spare them a nce. Jacques just sneered and didn''tment. Only Caroline had a good temper and told the person to wait for their notice. There was noparison. Even if there was¡­ It was too big of a difference! When Qi Mu yed thest note, Evra raised his head. He looked at the young man keenly, looking as though he could read his mind. The next moment, he sighed. "Lance said that you were a very skilled violinist. I think he''s wrong." "Your skill is nothing short of breathtaking." Evra''s voice resounded in the rehearsal room. Qi Mu just smiled and listened as the old man continued, "I thought you would be like the great Paganini, with all the dazzling, fancy skill butcking in emotion. But today¡­ I''ve decided I like your Bach very much." Qi Mu bowed politely. "Thank you for yourpliments, Mr. Evra." "Oh! Little Seven," Falling in love with the young man''s music, Evra called Qi Mu his nickname. "I really am shocked that you have such a good grasp on ¡¶Chaconne¡·. To be honest, your style reminds me of someone. You''re very simr, but your violin is much more mature than his." Qi Mu was shocked when he heard this, but Evra continued, "He¡­ He was the person whose position you''re applying for. Not only was he skilled, his music was packed with delicate emotion." "You mean Lu?!" Caroline eximed. Jacques looked at the youth with aplex expression. Qi Mu smiled calmly as Evra went on, "Yes, I''m talking about Lu, Caroline." Then he turned to Qi Mu and said, "There was another person who yed this piece before you today for the auditions. The way he yed was verymon, without a professional tone. He didn''t understand what Bach wanted to express, it really disappointed me." Qi Mu suddenly said, "I don''t know who you''re speaking of, Mr. Evra¡­?" "Oh, it was a violinist of our orchestra." Evra replied tly. On his side, Jacques sneered and added, "Yeah, that guy hasn''t improved one bit even after so long, has he? Other than his eptable skills, his understanding of music itself is terrible." Caroline, on the other hand, reprimanded him. "Jacques, no matter what, Luo is a member of our orchestra." Jacques just spread his hands, no longer saying anything. Mr. Evra was toozy toment anything on Luo Yu Sen. He looked at Qi Mu and said, "Little Seven, your teacher called mest night. Although he didn''t quite agree with youing to our orchestra¡­ He wanted me to listen to your violin and give you a fair judgement. And now, I think¡­ even the violinists after you won''t be able to surpass your performance. You are worthy of getting the first ce in this audition." For such a high evaluation, Qi Mu could only say, "You tter me, Mr. Evra." But then, Evra shook his head. "But Little Seven, it''s precisely because of this¡­" "That I''m sorry, but I can''t appoint you as our deputy concertmaster." Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn Bet: Sorry about the false update guys. Just a few things going crazy back here.
Chapter 130
Let alone Qi Mu, even Caroline and Jacques were shocked with the sudden refusal. Caroline frowned. "What''s the matter, Evra? Since you admit that Qi Mu is the most skilled, why do you say it''s impossible for our orchestra to hire him as our deputy concertmaster?" In the whole orchestra, only Caroline would dare to speak to Evra in such a manner. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her blue eyes were full of reprimands. Every symphony orchestra would have their own music director and chief conductor. Usually, both positions will be held by the same person. Min Chen, for example, was both the music director and the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. But with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the chief conductor was Evra, while the music director was Caroline. That being the case, only Caroline had the right to question Evra''s decision. And when the two most influential people in the orchestra started arguing, Jacques couldn''t say anything. Evra asked seriously, "Caroline, do you really want to bring Seven into our orchestra?" Caroline replied with an affirmative, "Of course! Since he''s the most skilled, why can''t we hire him? Evra, do you think Qi Mu is too young? Don''t you like young people most? The average age within our members is 32 years old. You don''t have to worry about Qi Mu being too young." At this, Evra shook his head. "No, Caroline. Of course I wouldn''t reject Qi Mu because of his age. However, it is absolutely impossible for me to hire him as our deputy concertmaster." After a pause, Evra added, "Reed wanted me to be fair and just so I honestly admitted that his student is the best. But, if you hire Little Seven as the deputy concertmaster, then¡­" "It''s unfair to the orchestra!" Qi Mu was shocked, Caroline even more so. She forgot what to say for a while. Evra sighed, then turned to Qi Mu onstage. "Seven, I admit that you have excellent skills. But, it is because you''re so skilled that I can''t hire you. In your opinion¡­ Does an orchestra needs a deputy concertmaster who can surpass the actual concertmaster?" As soon as he finished, Jacques coughed. Evra narrowed his eyes at this, "What''s with the coughing? Do you think you can surpass Qi Mu''s ¡¶Chaconne¡·? Do you think you can y ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡· as wonderfully?" The video on Youtube had spread all over the ssical music circle in Europe. Evra wasn''t so rigid that he couldn''t ept new things, so he had heard Qi Mu''s performance of ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡· at the Heldentz. Of course, even if he hadn''t seen it, Akkad never failed to show off his student''s superb skills so Evra never had the chance to miss it. Under Evra''s questioning, Jacques''s dark skin turned red. Sheepishly, he said, "Okay, Mr. Evra, that hurts me." With that, he gave Qi Mu a bad re. Jacques wasn''t a saint. Evra praised Qi Mu, so of course he was jealous. Moreover, he was never an open-minded person. And Qi Mu knew another thing just by looking¡ª¡ª Even if he did get to enter the orchestra, Jacques would ignore him. Evra sighed. "All in all, I don''t want a deputy concertmaster who can suppress the concertmaster, Little Seven. And, although Jacques isn''t a nice guy, he is skilled. I have no ns to rece him¡­" "Hey, Evra, I''ve known you for more than a decade, can you not hurt my feelings like this!" Evra ignored the plump, dark-skinned man and went on, "So Little Seven, it is as your teacher thought. You''re not suitable as a deputy concertmaster¡­ Being the concertmaster for a small orchestra is better for you than being the deputy concertmaster of a big orchestra." Qi Mu couldn''t get angry at such a solid reason. He epted Evra''s apology politely, receiving countless des from Jacques'' re and an apologetic hug from Caroline. However, Qi Mu slowed down before leaving the stage. A curious smile appeared on his fair and handsome face. He asked softly, "By the way, Mr. Evra¡­ You said that someone performed ¡¶Chaconne¡· before me today. If I may ask, who shared the same luck as me?" Before Evra could speak, Jacques sneered. "His name is Luo Yu Sen, the deputy chief of our second violin group. He''s very generic and his skills are eptable. I didn''t expect him to y a pure emotional piece, yet make such a mess out of it." Evra nced at Jacques and sighed. "Although I don''t like to air the dirtyundry of my orchestra to the outsiders, Jacques is right. I thought Luo''s ¡¶Chaconne¡· was like mudpared to Little Seven''s, when I first heard it. But now¡­ Well, it''s just a piece of shit." Both Caroline and Jacques burst intoughter. Qi Mu''s eyes narrowed slightly and the corner of his lips curled up. Then, he frowned. "Since¡­ This Luo Yu Sen''s skills are unsatisfactory, then why is he the deputy chief of your second violin group?" The remark brought Jacques'' and Caroline''sughter to a halt. Qi Mu bowed politely and left the rehearsal room. Caroline turned to Evra, puzzled. "Evra, if Qi Mu didn''t say it, I would have forgotten that Luo''s level is a bit misaligned with our orchestra. I remember that you wanted to dismiss himst year. Why did you let him stay as the deputy chief of the second violin group till now?" Facing Caroline''s question, Evra sighed with embarrassment. "Caroline, you should know the nature of Lu and Luo''s rtionship, right? That tragedy happened when I was hesitant to renew his contractst year. When Luo came to me, he was in a lost state. I was afraid the man wouldn''t be able to stand it if I gave him another big blow." Although Evra has a bad temper, he was much more persistent than Dorenza when it came to caring for talented people. From the average age of the orchestra members, it was obvious that he liked young musicians. He thought they had a lot of room for improvement. When the topic turned to Lu Zi Wen''s ident, Caroline could only give up and stop talking. Jacques, on the other hand, sarcastically remarked, "Lost state? Oh, Mr. Evra, do we really know the same Luo Yu Sen? Why do I feel¡­ There were too many suspicious things with Lu Zi Wen''s death?" Caroline yelled, "Jacques! Don''t talk nonsense!" "Was it really nonsense?!" Evra fellpletely silent, abandoning what he wanted to say. Jacques sat up straight and said, "You can ask any member of the orchestra. Who didn''t doubt Lu Zi Wen''s cause of death?! Who knows what happened in those two hours. Luo Yu Sen said he left before Lu Zi Wen''s asthma attack. Do you really believe him?!" "But¡­ The police investigated." Caroline''s voice was a little hesitant. Jacques smiled sardonically. "Those police officers¡­ Who knows what''s going on with them." After a short while, the ck man bowed his head and sighed. "Sorry, Evra, Caroline¡­ I was a little emotional just now. I really don''t like that Luo Yu Sen guy. His smile is just¡­ too hypocritical." "I understand, Jacques," Caroline said, nodding. "You''d better change your attitude. You were so jealous just now that you looked like you''d tear Qi Mu apart." Jacques pursed his lips and stopped talking. Just as the next applicant was about to enter the room, Evra finally spoke. "¡­Even you think the identst year was suspicious, Jacques?" Jacques froze. He turned to look at Evra, only to see the man looking at the ground, eyebrows furrowed, and lost in thought. Before he could ask, the next applicant entered the room with their violin. The audition for deputy concertmaster of Vienna Symphony Orchestra¡­ was still on-going. For some things, as long as you nt a seed of doubt, the seed would take root. When it did, it would sprout, then grow into a towering tree. Qi Mu only needed to fertilize and water it. Everything else was bound to develop smoothly. Now that he had the time and opportunity¡­ He would push the matter forward. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn Kuro: Happy New Year, guys! And I know some of you might have noticed that the concertmaster of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra has changed names. Yeap, my fault. It was tranted as Jasper at first, but then I remembered the name Jacques existed. I am so sorry everyone!!!
Chapter 131
Evening fell as Qi Mu left the headquarters of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Carrying his violin case, Qi Mu easily found the nearest subway station and soon arrived downstairs at Lance''s house. He was very familiar with Vienna and already knew which turns he should take at each junction and which train he should get on. When he arrived at Lance''s house, the amiable maestro was cooking. Seeing the old man expertly fishing a juicy steak from the pan, Qi Mu quickly took out a te and helped serve it. Lance smiled and the two soon set their dinner on the table. At the end of their delicious dinner, Lance, ever the gentleman, politely wiped his lips with a white napkin. If this was a meal with Akkad, Qi Mu was sure the table will be piled up with choctes. If it was with Farrell, he would be questioned about his daily life with the maestro''s concern. But unlike them, Lance was a gentleman who abided by conservative manners. He didn''t bring Qi Mu to his violin room until all the dishes on the table were cleaned up. A violin was ced vertically in the tidy room. The window was opened, facing the street. Through it, he saw a charming view of Vienna. "Little Seven, it''s been a while since Ist heard your violin. Thest time was at your concert in Paris." Lance pulled a score stand to the center of the room and ced two pieces of music one on top of the other, saying, "You yed ¡¶E Minor¡· and ¡¶Devil''s Trills¡· in this roomst time. Although I''m not your teacher¡­ I really want to hear what the pieces will sound like if you y them now." Qi Mu looked at the scores on the stand, then smiled at Lance. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Lance. I am honored to have the opportunity to y these pieces for you again." The old man nodded. Before long, a melodious and gentle ¡¶Violin Concerto in E minor¡· resounded in the small room. The sound was soft, but the tone was cheerful and bright, Lance couldn''t help but smile and appreciate it. When the piece was over, Qi Mu didn''t stop. Instead, he yed a short passage to link it directly to ¡¶Devil''s Trills¡·. The two pieces with distinctly different styles were connected so skillfully and naturally, it shocked the maestro. When ying the pieces, Qi Mu didn''t even look at the scores. Most musicians practiced for many days before their performance to ensure a good show and strengthen their memory. But¡­ There were always some exceptions. Min Chen, for example, didn''t even need to read theplete score, as his excellent ears memorized the sounds for him. Qi Mu, on the other hand, strengthened his memory by long-term procedural learning so he could memorize long scores. It was a habit he kept from his previous life. If it was an obscure piece, he might need to look at the scores intermittently. But for widely spread pieces that had been engraved into his head like ¡¶E Minor¡· and ¡¶Devil''s Trills¡·, he could y without trouble. Once the performance ended, Lance praised him with a loud "Bravo". As the only audience, he expressed his appreciation with rigorous apuse for the outstanding performer. "I haven''t seen you for half a year. Listening to those pieces again, Little Seven¡­ I''m really d you''ve grown." The old man sat on the sofa and sighed, "When I listened to your music half a year ago, I felt a slight resentment behind it. But now, the only thing I can feel is¡­ Well, joy." The word "joy" shocked Qi Mu that he asked, "Master Lance, did you say¡­ joy?" Lance nodded and exined, "Little Seven, you have to believe that a person''s state of mind will change along with their experience. You from half a year ago and the you from right now are very different. For instance¡­ Are you in love, Little Seven?" Blush spread from Qi Mu''s cheeks to his ears, his whole face tinted pink. Qi Mu coughed awkwardly and whispered, "Mister¡­ Mr. Lance. Why did you say that?" It was so obvious, there was no need for him to answer. Lance had already figured it out. With a faint smile, he said, "You have a joy that only love could bring. Little Seven, I think¡­ She must be a lovelydy, isn''t she? Did you meet her in Paris?" Qi Mu: "¡­" "Oh, Little Seven. Although I''m not your teacher, I''d be happy if you were willing to introduce your lovely little girlfriend to me." Qi Mu: "¡­" Min Chen was preparing to board a ne to London at Berlin''s Tegel Airport when his eyelids suddenly twitched. Holding a small bag in his hand, Daniel asked, "Hey, Min. Why are you stopping all of a sudden?" The "lovely little girlfriend" nodded then stepped on the ne in one smooth motion. Countless stars shone in the dark sky. A silver ne flew from Berlin to London while a handsome young man stepped out of an apartment, violin case in hand. Qi Mu was on the phone, hanging up after saying, "Send it tomorrow." Before he could put away his phone, a text came from a certain man. There were only a few words on the screen, but he couldn''t stop himself fromughing¡ª¡ª Min Chen: ¡¾I''m in London.¡¿ Qi Mu strolled as he thought of a reply, then said: ¡¾You''ve just arrived? The tour will start in a few days. Please rest early.¡¿ After a pause, Qi Mu decided to send another text: ¡¾I went to an orchestra''s recruitment audition today.¡¿ After about five minutes, the other man didn''t reply but called his phone instead. Slightly surprised, it took Qi Mu a moment before pressing the answer button. "Min Chen?" It was noisy on the other end of the line. Qi Mu could hear multiple people chattering about where to have fun before turning in for the night. Daniel was shouting, "Oi, take your room cards first, you little bastards." The man''s low and maic voice stood out against the background noise. "Which orchestra?" Qi Mu walked to the subway station''s entrance, his phone in hand. "The Vienna Symphony Orchestra. They''re recruiting for the deputy concertmaster, so I thought to give it a try. But¡­ Guess what happened?" Hearing this, Min Chen halted for a beat. Then, Qi Mu heard him walking, and the background noise started to fade. Min Chen gently sighed, then said, "You got first ce." The bleak autumn wind blew into the subway and Qi Mu couldn''t help but tightened his coat. He smiled helplessly and said, "You guessed it. Mr. Evra, their chief conductor, admitted that I''m the best among the applicants but it didn''t help me much." Qi Mu swiped his subway pass card, while the man on the other end of the line hesitated. Finally, he asked, "You didn''t want to go there?" Qi Mu shook his head. "I want to¡­ The others had no opinion on it, but Mr. Evra declined my offer." Thinking of how helpless he looked onstage, Qi Mu squinted. He paused, then added oil and vinegar to the story, "Mr. Evra said he would never hire me as their deputy concertmaster. Well, I was very sad about it. Now is when you shouldfort me." Min Chen froze."¡­" Qi Mu couldn''t hold back hisughter. "Well, I lied to you. Mr. Evra thinks that I''ve surpassed their concertmaster, Jacques. The orchestra couldn''t hire a deputy concertmaster who''s better than the concertmaster. I''m not particrly obsessed with getting into the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, anyway, so it''s no big deal¡­" "Don''t be sad." Qi Mu''s words halted on his tongue. Stunned for a long while, he was still in a stupor when a subway train passed in front of him. After a long time, he asked in a low voice, "Was I sad?" Min Chen''s low and maic voice came through the speaker, "You were." Staring at the bright lights in the subway station, Qi Mu asked, seemingly to himself, "Was I really¡­ sad?" What Akkad said was true. In this "worst" era, an outstanding violinist would always meet the biggest problem in their life; they were too excellent. In this era, perhaps more ordinary people would have it easier. When Evra rejected him, Qi Mu epted it with a smile. Though he realized that¡­ His future was uncertain. As Evra said, an orchestra doesn''t need a deputy concertmaster who surpasses the concertmaster. Even in Paris, when Hooke wanted to invite him to join the New York Philharmonic, Boswell vetoed the proposal, as he regretfully informed Qi Mu afterward. Excellence had be a hindrance. It was as if there was a huge, boundless wall stretching out in front of Qi Mu. He didn''t know how to ovee it. "Things will get better, Qi Mu." Min Chen''s sigh resounded in Qi Mu''s ear. "Soon, you will get your chance. I believe¡­ The time wille very soon." Thest few words made Qi Mu asked, "What do you mean?" Instead of answering his question, Min Chen said, "Dorenza is also in Vienna these days. He talked to me about you the other day. Wei Ai''s tour this year will be postponed for two months because their deputy concertmaster will retire soon." Qi Mu''s eyes widened in shock. It took him a long time to say, "Is it Mr. Anthony? I don''t know at all¡­" A smile in his voice, Min Chen whispered, "Dorenza told me in private. It should be¡­ in the next six months." Walking to the nextne, Qi Mu leaned against the wall and whispered, "Do you think I can get into Wei Ai?" Min Chen didn''t deny, just replied with a soft hum. The roaring sounds of the subway drowned the young man''s whisper. Qi Mu''s smile didn''t fade until he arrived at his station, even after hanging up the phone. With his violin case in hand, he stepped into his apartment. He felt lost, just for a moment¡­ Strength, after all, was the best protection in the world of ssical music. In London, a handsome, elegant man slowly put down his phone. He looked out the window, over the bustling nightlife. His gaze was pointed east¡ª¡ªThe direction of Vienna. Did he want his beloved to go to Wei Ai? Yes, but not as the deputy concertmaster. As¡­ The concertmaster. Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Dark
Chapter 132
The recruitment for Vienna Symphony Orchestra''s deputy concertmaster came to an end. The audition set up a small wave in Vienna''s ssical music circle, and the orchestra ended up hiring a Russian violinist who wasn''t a member of their new deputy concertmaster. Even the members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra didn''t expect their conductor would hire a new member, and as the deputy concertmaster at that! Many members expressed their dissatisfaction, but all of them fell silent after Evra rebuked them, "Work to surpass the new guy first, then you can strive for the deputy concertmaster''s seat!" This contradiction made a small ssh, hitting the shore making no waves. Some members were still vexed. Naturally, Luo Yu Sen was one of the most resentful among them. Two days after the audition, he went to Evra''s lounge three times. On the third visit, the man didn''t let him enter¡ª¡ª Because the guy was too annoying. Later, it was even more difficult for Luo Yu Sen to see Evra. Not because the man was too tired to bother dealing with him, but because of a letter Evra received. The seemingly ordinary letter was delivered from the post office to the small mailbox at the orchestra''s headquarters on the third day after the recruitment audition. "To Mr. Evra" was printed on the front of the envelope. Other than that and the postmark, it waspletely nk. When the staff in charge got the letter, they were quite surprised. After all, there were very few people who sent letters tomunicate anymore. Even if they did, it would be by express delivery. But the staff was still responsible, and they put the letter on Evra''s desk so he could read it once he started his day. When Evra arrived at nine o''clock that morning, he caught a glimpse of the bulging letter as he hung up his suit jacket. The letter was really fat, at least a centimeter thick. Taking a moment to weigh it in his hand, Evra carefully opened the letter after confirming only papers resided inside the envelope. Reading it¡­ Evra sat frozen in shock. He stayed in his lounge, never leaving for the entire morning. The sender was really careful. The envelope was made ofmon yellow kraft paper and the letter itself was printed on ordinary A4 printer paper. The letter wasn''t written but printed. Even if Evra attempted to check the paper, he would find¡­ No trace of others except for the fingerprints of the postman, the staff, and himself. There were probably over ten thousand words on the letter. One-third of it was a penance to God and the rest¡­ left Evra shivering in cold sweats. The sender imed that they had the honor to work at the Golden Hall the former year and had always been proud of it. But then, they quit their job and wouldn''t step inside the Musikverein''s building, for fear of being exposed. But they felt ufortable, keeping such big secrets in their hearts. After months of self-reproaching, they visited a church and confessed to a priest. But when they saw that the evil-doer was still atrge, they decided to let the truthe to light at the risk of their life. The sender narrated in very simple words what happened on a certain night. The sender said they didn''t witness Lu Zi Wen''s death with their own eyes, but when they passed the main preparation room, the door wasn''t closed. And as a result¡­ He heard a quarrel. The quarrel escted into a fistfight. They wanted to step in and stop the fight, but when they heard the word "drugged", they thought it was too dangerous. They left quickly, without doing anything. Within two hours of the incident, they heard of Lu Zi Wen''s death. They didn''t know how Lu Zin Wen died or whether it had something to do with that man. But he knew¡­The man drugged Lu Zi Wen just before he went on stage. They told Evra the truth of the matter, hoping that the upright and earnest maestro would make his own judgment on how to deal with it. As someone whose name wasn''t worth anything, they didn''t want to be involved in such a dangerous matter. After writing the letter, they felt free, without self-me. Maybe they would have a good dream that night, for the first time in ages. The sender might have had a good dream, but Evra was absentminded all day long. He even handed over the rehearsal to Jacques. It was evening by the time Evra finally calmed down. After spending the day hesitating, he finally made up his mind. Once he decided, Evra clung to it. He immediately used the contacts he umted over his years to find out who sent the letter. Unbelievably, the answer he got was "Sorry, we really couldn''t find the person". The other party was too cautious. This wasn''t the behavior of a person as insignificant as they imed to be. The investigator said, "Mr. Evra, ording to my observation, this person is very likely an experienced professional. For example¡­ a private detective, maybe?" Unable to discover the sender''s identity, Evra couldn''t help but doubt the letter''s content. He thought: Maybe¡­ The letter was just a baseless usation, a rumor? Maybe Luo Yu Sen didn''t drug Lu Zi Wen? Luo Yu Sen said that he left before Lu Zi Wen fell sick, and you actually believed him?! Jacques'' words shed in Evra''s mind. After hesitating for a long time, he finally decided to talk to Luo Yu Sen in his lounge. Luo Yu Sen was very surprised when he heard that Evra invited him to his lounge after several days of being turned away. With Evra''s permission, Luo Yu Sen entered the lounge full of expectations. As soon as he entered, the old man''s attitude ttered Luo Yu Sen. The once cold conductor asked him about his recent violin practice with great concern and gave him encouragement, involuntarily rxing him involuntarily. From Luo Yu Sen''s perspective, they talked happily for more than an hour. Luo Yu Sen thought that maybe, Evra had recognized his strength and might want to promote him in the near future. Thinking of this, Luo Yu Sen couldn''t stop himself from smiling triumphantly. Before he could think further, Evra sighed. Emotionally, he said, "Oh, Luo. Seeing you young kids, I can''t help but think of a genius I met when I was young." Surprised, Luo Yu Sen asked, "Mr. Evra, I wonder who you''re talking about¡­?" "Well, he was a genius that went astray. He was the deputy concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, he was only in his early 30''s. It wasn''t easy for him to get to where he was, but he wasn''t satisfied with it, and began to crave for the concertmaster''s position." It confused Luo Yu Sen. Evra continued, "So, he orchestrated a dirty trick on the concertmaster in their next performance, but was found out. From then on¡­ he could no longer go anywhere in the ssical music world." Suddenly froze in his seat, Luo Yu Sen smiled stiffly. "This man is despicable, Mr. Evra." With a heavy sigh, Evra said, "That''s right. See, he had a bright future, yet he sacrificed the efforts he made for more than a decade for just a few moments of glory. It was a big mistake!" After a pause, Evra harped on, "How do you think he administered the drug?!" Evra emphasized the word "drug", watching Luo Yu Sen''s face. After exchanging a few more words, Luo Yu Sen left the lounge dispiritedly, leaving the maestro alone in the quiet room. In the voiceless silence, the ticking of the clock filled the room. When the hour bell rang, the gray-haired conductor slowly calmed. His face turned dark. Having lived for over 60 years, the fleeting panic in Luo Yu Sen''s eyes couldn''t escape Evra. Clenching his fist, a bad feeling bloomed in Evra''s mind. Finally, he sighed. A single sentence reverberated in the quiet lounge¡ª¡ª "Maybe¡­ Jacques was right?" Qi Mu had just finished rehearsing at the Palisade Theatre Orchestra. He had only joined the orchestra two days earlier but was already influenced by the warm, united atmosphere. Maybe the Palisade Theatre Orchestra wasn''t as famous as Wei Ai or the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, but they didn''tck any excellent musicians. As Lance said, Qi Mu would be able to train himself there, so he can transform from a good violinist to an excellent concertmaster. The Palisade Theatre Orchestra was in a lull period,cking a skilled concertmaster. The orchestra to improve in a short time, and Qi Mu also needed to hone his skills in half a year. Both of their objectives were in tandem, so under Lance''s rmendation, Qi Mu joined the orchestra as their concertmaster. Although the contract he signed with the orchestra was only for half a year, Qi Mu regarded the orchestra as a ce where he would remain for a long time. After two days of practice, he became familiar with his post and already felt his growth. It would take a while to enter Wei Ai, but Qi Mu wasn''t in a hurry. Qi Mu received a text message shortly after he left the theatre. Reading the densely packed screen, the corner of his lips curled up. He then sent a short text message: ¡¾It''s fine, as long as it''s been sent. Now¡­ Let''s just wait.¡¿ The recipient replied with a short, "Yes, sir." Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Dark
Chapter 133
The poll on the Danube forum was mostly a joke. Although Evra was honored with the second ce of "the conductor with the worst temper" category, when people spoke about the maestro in private, they said¡ª¡ª "Mr. Evra is a very honest and upright conductor. Unlike his free and unrestrained music style, he is a very serious person." Once he began to have suspicions, regardless of probability, he took the investigation seriously. And from this investigation¡­ A lot of things came to light. Before starting the investigation, Evra didn''t realize that so many members of the orchestra disliked Luo Yu Sen. Very few of themmunicated with him, some going so far as to purposefully exclude him, right under Evra''s nose. When the maestro asked Jacques about it, the man sneered and said, "Mr. Evra, none of us think Luo Yu Sen is a man of virtue. Personally, I didn''t like Lu Zi Wen much, but I was sad when he died. As I said before, are there so many coincidences in this world? The police might believe it, but we all couldn''t quite convince ourselves that it had nothing to do with Luo Yu Sen." Although Evra also had his doubts on Lu Zi Wen''s death, what puzzled him was that no matter how he tried, he still couldn''t figure out¡ª¡ª Who in the world bailed Luo Yu Sen out when he was in custody. At first, he thought Luo Yu Sen was only called in for questioning. But when he heard that the man was taken into custody as a suspect, he knew one thing for sure. With Luo Yu Sen''s ability, it wouldn''t be that easy for him to clear the suspicion. However, not even Evra could figure out who stood behind Luo Yu Sen. When the Vienna Symphony Orchestra was about to start their tour, Evra called Luo Yu Sen to his lounge and gave him a thick contract. At first, Luo Yu Sen was happy when he saw the neatly bound document, wondering if he would get a promotion. However¡­ When he saw the contents, Luo Yu Sen''s handsome face grew pale. In disbelief, he shouted, "No! Mr. Evra, what have I done wrong? Why do you want to dismiss me?!!!" Evra answered coldly, "Luo, there are some things that I won''t spell it out. But on the reason for your dismissal. I wrote that your skills aren''t keeping up with those of our orchestra. Your contract with the orchestra shouldst for another year, so I''ll pay for the liquidated damages with my own money. You don''t have toe tomorrow." Luo Yu Sen couldn''t ept such a simple reason. "Mr. Evra! Even if I''m not suited for my current position, that doesn''t mean I should be dismissed like this! I did nothing wrong, why should you dismiss me?! I don''t agree, I''ll file aint at the orchestra''s members meeting!!!" Evra sneered at this, he didn''t want to spare any effort for the hypocrite. "Luo Yu Sen, you''ve been in the orchestra for six years, so I won''t humiliate you. I''ll tell you something, you''d better not dream of doing anything in Vienna again¡­ No, as long as I''m here in the world of ssical music, there will be no ce for someone as dirty as you!" Evra''s tone was t, but his words turned Luo Yu Sen pale. A bad premonition rose in his mind but he put it aside. "I¡­ I don''t know what you''re talking about¡­" Lou Yu Sen stammered. Smiling mercilessly, the maestro said, "Luo Yu Sen, if not for the fact that there''s no evidence¡­ Do you still think I''ll let you stand here freely? I''m afraid you don''t know what kind of ending that deputy concertmaster of New York Philharmonic had thirty years ago, but I can tell you his current situation¡­" "Separated from his family, he''s a scorned man!" Luo Yu Sen stood frozen, unable to say a word. He already figured out that Evra knew something. When he wanted to exin himself, Evra''s casual threat beat him down. At the beginning of the day''s rehearsal, the orchestra members were surprised to see Luo Yu Sen packing up his belongings. He left the headquarters in a daze. All the members pointed at the man''s bleak figure. They didn''t know what happened, but when they saw him leaving with his belongings in his arms, they all had a feeling¡­ This man¡­ was fired?! Their concertmaster, Jacques, asked Evra about it. The answer he got was that Evra was adamant about firing Luo Yu Sen. He was even paying the liquidated damages with his own money after discussing with Caroline, their music director. Caroline was helpless, she had to agree with his decision, while the stubborn conductor kept the real reason for the dismissal to himself. Although Jacques didn''t know what had stimted Evra, he was thrilled with Luo Yu Sen''s dismissal. To celebrate the departure of an eyesore, he treated a few of the members to dinner that night. When they arrived at the door of the Palisade Theatre, wanting to listen to an opera, one cellist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra said, "You don''t know, right? The Palisade Theatre has been full for the past two weeks!" As soon as Jacques heard this, he was curious. "Their attendance was good before, but it wasn''t full, right? What are they ying? Is it ¡¶Romeo and Juliet¡·? Haha." Another cellist said rather mysteriously, "Haha. Jacques, you really don''t know, huh? They changed their concertmaster recently. Their style''s shiftedpletely, their sense of music seems to be much stronger than before." As soon as the man finished talking, the first one quickly added, "He didn''t tell you enough. I know¡­ the new concertmaster is very good. Before entering the Palisade, he had quite a reputation in Europe''s ssical music circle. He was even known outside it." Jacques had his own suspicions. The pudgy ck man gulped and asked in a whisper, "¡­You''re not telling me that¡­ I actually know the concertmaster, right?" The two members looked at each other, urging the other to answer. Finally, one of them said, "Yes! Jacques, do you know that he took part in our recruitment for the deputy concertmaster?!" Jacques: "¡­" Well, let me tell you what Evra said to your concertmaster¡ª¡ª Jacques, can you y ¡¶Chaconne¡· better than Qi Mu did? Can you y ¡¶Dance of the Goblins¡· as wonderfully and excellently as he did? Looking up at the word ¡¾Concertmaster: Qi Mu¡¿on the left side of the poster, Jacques stepped back in silence. Awkwardly, he said, "How about¡­ We don''t watch the opera?" Shaking their heads, the group dragged the portly man inside. "We''re already here, so of course we have to go in!" Jacques: "¡­" Trantor(s): Kuro Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Dark
Chapter 134
The Palisade Theatre''s western opera was one of the very best in Vienna. The opera house had a preference for Mozart, especially the famous ¡¶The Marriage of Figaro¡· which had been showing for a month and was critically acimed. Jacques thought it was likely that¡¶Romeo and Juliet¡· would be released because the orchestra once said that they won''t perform the touching opera publicly. So Jacques spected this was the reason why the opera house was full, since the performance would p the public in their face. But the reality disappointed Jacques. The opera still opened with ¡¶The Marriage of Figaro¡· , and the night''s performance was still¡­ ¡¶The Marriage of Figaro¡·. Jacques took his seat in the exquisite hall with his friends from the orchestra. Though not very big, the Palisade Theatre could amodate more than 500 people. Their second floor was among the best in Vienna, decorated with gold pirs and a religious-themed painted ceiling. It had the retro style of medieval Europe. The folks from the Vienna Symphony Theatre got seats in the centre of the hall. The symphony orchestra, already blocked by half the stage, was also blocked from view by the audience sitting in front of them. The excitement from the audience subsided by the time the performance started. The opening wasposed of loud counts by the protagonist, Figaro. His baritone turned the audiencepletely silent, immersing them in the world of opera. One of Mozart''s three best operas, ¡¶The Wedding of Figaro¡· was of theedy genre. Figaro, the servant was about to marry his beloved maid, Susanna. However, the Count was enchanted with Susanne''s beauty and sought to restore Droit du seigneur, a legal right that had long been abolished. Under such circumstances, Figaro cooperated with the Countess and asked Susanna to write a bold and passionate love letter and deliver it to the Count, asking for a rendezvous in the small garden at night. The Count arrived to hold the woman tightly in the dark, but found himself scolded, only to discover¡ª¡ª The woman in his arms was his own wife! While also aedy, there was no tragic character in this as there was in another of Mozart''s works, ¡¶Don Giovanni¡·. Even the amorous and lustful Count ended up swearing to his wife that he would never do such a thing again. The whole y began with a rapid violin, sounding like birds flying in the sky, almost inaudible to the audience. After that, a melody from the woodwind group joined in, apanied by the rest of the orchestra. The magnificent atmosphere created by the orchestra made peoplefortable, unable to stop themselves from being immersed in the music. When the two arias in the prelude ended, Jacques, sitting in the middle of the back row, pped his hands andmented, "Wait¡­ Is this really Palisade Theatre''s ¡¶Figaro¡·?!" A member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra smiled and said, "How''s that, Jacques? Do you think their sense of music has be stronger? Their orchestra has improved their control over the rhythm and emotion. I''m sure you know that a good concertmaster or conductor can always use their skills to influence the orchestra." Another member immediately followed with, "That''s right. Just like you and Mr. Evra leading our orchestra''s improvements. By the way, Jacques¡­ Their concertmaster is Qi Mu. What kind of music did he y when he auditioned for our orchestra?" Jacques: "¡­ You¡­ What''s with all these questions?!" Seeing the man inexplicably getting angry, the others just shrugged their shoulders and began to focus on the first act. What they didn''t notice was that Jacques'' face was both red yet pale, as if being pped by an invisible hand. Jacques'' face was swollen. In order to find faults in the guy who caused it, Jacques ignored the beautiful, high-spirited songs and concentrated on the apanying orchestra instead. As the concertmaster of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Jacques wasn''t mediocre by any means. When he heard a familiar sound in the violin group, the ck man sneered and thought, Let''s see how well you can perform! The next moment, however, left Jacquespletely entranced with the melody. The violin was sometimes low and soft, gently touching the strings. Other times, it was fiery and tough, expressing an unyielding, loyal love. Under the guidance of the violin, the melody that the orchestra produced was like riding a roller coaster, full of ups and downs, infecting the audience. At the end of the y, Jacques couldn''t stop himself from apuding. One of the other orchestra members mused, "Oh, Jacques, you think this performance is good, right? Shall wee again tomorrow?" Jacques, who instantly stopped pping: "¡­" Why in the world had he pped?! He was totally apuding the theatre orchestra''s excellent performance! Damn it¡­ He apuded for that precocious brat! He must have been possessed by a ghost!!! In front of the stage, the folks from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra left with a smile (except Jacques), while backstage, the fair-skinned youth packed up his stuff. He nned to leave early. In the crowded and noisy space backstage, the members of the orchestra happily greeted their concertmaster. "Oh, Little Seven! Tonight''s performance was still great, keep it up!" "Hey, Little Seven. Are you joining us for the celebration tonight? We''ve already booked a box at Delizi?s Hotel!" "Little Seven, don''t leave early today. Let''s celebrate together!" Qi Mu chuckled at their antics. After regretfully declining their invitation, Qi Mu left the opera house alone through the back door with his violin case in hand. The bleak,te autumn wind seemingly having a mind of its own, darted into thepel of the youth''s coat. He felt as if he was drenched with a basin of cold water. Tightening the scarf around his neck, Qi Mu heard his mobile phone ring. Looking at the name shing on the screen, he pressed the answer button. "The show''s over?" Qi Mu was tired after the performance, so he hired a cab home. After getting in, he smiled as he talked to the man on the other end of the line, "Yes, just now. You have quite the timing." After a pause, he asked, "It''s noon in America now, right? Is it cold theretely?" "New York''s weather is fine. The sun is bright so it''s only a bit cold." The man''s deep and maic voice came into Qi Mu''s ear from across the Antic Ocean. "You should keep yourself warm and take a good rest after this opera season." The temperature in the taxi was several degrees warmer than it was outside. Qi Mu was taking off the scarf on his neck when he heard Min Chen saying that. Pausing to smile, he said, "Keep warm¡­ You know, I''m wearing the scarf you sent from Stockholm. It''s really warm." The man apparently didn''t expect to get such a reply. After a pause, he said, "Do you¡­ Want me to send another pair of gloves?" Qi Mu: "¡­" After a moment, he chuckled and said, "It doesn''t feel quite as moving if you buy it. If you hand-make it, I might consider it." Then, Qi Mu waved his hand and said, "Well, I''m just joking. If you knit a pair of gloves for me, then you really will be my "little girlfriend'', as Mr. Lance said." "Little Girlfriend" Min Chen: "¡­" They kept the conversation in whispers. When the taxi arrived at Qi Mu''s apartment, the "little girlfriend" reluctantly said "Good Night", and the busy youth hung up the phone. Key in hand, Qi Mu was about to open the door when his phone buzzed again. Clicking the text open, it said: ¡¾Luo Yu Sen went to Zayev.¡¿ Shocked, Qi Mu replied: ¡¾Keep waiting.¡¿ The other side replied with a "Yes, sir" and fell silent. Qi Mu calmly opened the door and began to prepare the night''s midnight snack. Things were developing just as he nned¡­ This was for the best. The air outside the window grew colder in New York. Inside the room, the air was still as warm as spring. Bai Ai would start their show in New York the next day. Taking out a sheet of information, Daniel went to find a certain man during the rare lunch break of theirst rehearsal, only to find the man looking out the window in a silly manner (Daniel''s perspective). "Min, here''s some information for you to check. Do this first so that things won''t pile up tomorrow." Min Chen casually nced over the document, then threw it back to Daniel. "The third paragraph of the second section needs to be revised. We can''t stay in Japan for that long." Daniel nodded, but before he could see the part that needed mending, he heard someone hesitantly say, "Daniel, help me¡­ Buy some wool." Daniel: "¡­Huh?!" Concealing his emotions, Min Chen solemnly said, "Buy me some wool yarn." Daniel: "¡­" After a moment, he smiled and waved his hand. "What wool yarn? Don''t tell me you want to knit, yeah." Daniel''s tone was full of jest but Min Chen nodded and said, "Yes, I want to knit gloves for Qi Mu." Daniel: "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­" How should I say¡ª¡ª You want to knit him a scarf!!! That wasn''t right, it''s¡­ "You want to knit him a pair of gloves!!!!" Min Chen smiled and mused, "Can''t I?" "¡­Can." "Well, then go find me some." After thinking, Min Chen added, "I can do it on the flight." Daniel, who found it impossible to imagine the image of the man, knitting in the first-ss cabin: "¡­" Trantor(s): Kuro TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 135
The news that The Vienna Symphony Orchestra''s second violin group deputy was dismissed made a ssh in the ssical music world. It wasn''t everyday that a deputy of the second violin group of a world-ss orchestra was fired without a clear reason. The surprising thing was, not many music newspapers reported the news. Evra put several magazines under pressure before making a report on it, obviously not willing to draw attention to the matter. When Luo Yu Sen went to Zayev, he still didn''t know that he was dismissed. The two found a remote ce to sit in a quiet cafe. Almost no one could hear their conversation, courtesy of the location. Zayev frowned. "Why did Evra fire you?" Three days after being dismissed, Luo Yu Sen''s face was haggard. Coupled with his disheveled hair, he cut quite the sorry figure. "Evra¡­ Seems to know about us." As soon as the words fell, Zayev''s eyes widened and he shouted, "Impossible! How could Evra know? If he did, do you really think you can sit here being all well now? Even if you don''t know who Evra is, do you think I don''t? If he knew you drugged Lu Zi Wen, he would have exposed it!" Luo Yu Sen shook his head. His tired eyes shed with resentment. "Evra said he didn''t have any evidence, so he made the excuse that my skills aren''t on par with the rest of the orchestra. Damn it, he even told me not to dream of rejoining the ssical music world from now on¡­" While he spoke, Luo Yu Sen broke down and covered his face. "Mr. Zayev, what should I do?" Zayev was speechless for a while. After a few moments, he asked, "What did he mean by¡­ Don''t dream of rejoining the ssical music world from now on?" Luo Yu Sen clenched his fingers tightly. "I went to an audition for a small orchestra the day before yesterday and they rejected me even after I passed the audition! Yesterday, I sent my resume to two British orchestras and they sent it back to me directly! Mr. Zayev, Evra has been in the ssical music world for a long time, he is really¡­ powerful!" Luo Yu Sen''s eyes were bloodshot as he looked at the man opposite him. "Mr. Zayev¡­ I''m desperate. Evra meant his words! I can only rely on you now, so please help me!" Although Luo Yu Sen said that, Zayev, the person he put his hopes on, withdrew his hands from the table. He leaned back, wearing a tangled expression. "¡­You said he has no evidence, right?" Luo Yu Sen was a little surprised. "Yes, he has no evidence. I have no idea where he got the news from that he was so firm in his decision to dismiss me! Mr. Zayev, please help me!" Luo Yu Sen reached out to hold Zayev''s hands as he spoke, but unexpectedly, Zayev leaned back. His hands were left grasping the air. Luo Yu Sen froze on the spot. He panicked, having a sudden realization. Zayev looked at him calmly and said, "Evra''s connections in the circle are really wide. If he really wants to block you, then there''s nothing I can do. Then¡­ How about I rmend you as a tutor to a music conservatory? With your qualifications, you should be able to be a permanent professor in ten years. Evra''s hands couldn''t reach that far so you can go there." Luo Yu Sen''s expression turned cold. "Mr. Zayev, I''m only 35 years old¡­ And you want me to go there so early in my life? I can still work in an orchestra for at least another 20 years!" Zayev shook his head ruefully. "But Luo, as you can see, Evra won''t give you that opportunity." "¡­Did you forget who caused me to fall like this?" Luo Yu Sen''s tone turned gloomy and hoarse, making Zayev a little ufortable. He shrunk his neck and said, "Luo, it took me a lot of effort to bail you out. Do you think¡­ A simple case of drugging Lu Zi Wen so he couldn''t perform which turned to his idental death could be linked to me?" Luo Yu Sen clenched his fist and said, "But Mr. Zayev! It''s clear that you caused it! You told me that you would make me Vienna Symphony Orchestra''s deputy concertmaster, which is why I did it in the first ce! I''ve kept quiet from the beginning, but now that you''ve crossed the river, you want to burn the bridge?! Are you not afraid that I''ll expose everything¡­" "Luo Yu Sen." Zayev''s voice was eerily calm as a sly smile graced his aged face. "Even if you expose it¡­ Everyone will know that I only wanted you to hinder Lu Zi Wen, not¡­ kill him." Luo Yu Sen was bbergasted. "You¡­ I didn''t kill him!" "Is that so? You know how he died. If I didn''t cover you, I don''t think you''d be sitting here right now, won''t you? Don''t you think¡­ I''ve paid enough for you?" As soon as the conversation was over, Zayev picked up his coat and stood up to leave. cing a 100€ on the table, he tapped the table with his fingers and said, "Luo Yu Sen, I will ask my assistant to give you Aarhus Conservatory''s information tomorrow. I am familiar with the dean and he will not refuse you for Evra." Luo Yu Sen raised his head slowly and looked at the man, smiling like a gentleman. "This is¡­ thest thing I can do for you. Luo Yu Sen, cherish this opportunity." Luo Yu Sen was frozen in his seat even after Zayev left the box. He clenched the 100€ bill tightly, a year''s regret turning into tears, drenching his face¡ª¡ª "Ziwen¡­ Ziwen, I really didn''t mean to kill you. I really didn''t¡­ Zayev! Yes, it''s all him!!! I didn''t mean¡­ to hurt you. You died of an asthma attack, it has nothing to do with me¡­" The remorse carried the denial of his own sin. Luo Yu Sen left the cafe around half an hourter. What he didn''t know was that just two minutes after he left, an ordinary looking foreign man dressed as a waiter walked into the box he had upied. That evening, Qi Mu received a small, unique- looking bug. He plugged it and listened for a while. When he heard a certain someone''s tearful confession, he was slightly surprised. He couldn''t say what he felt, then. There was no hatred, perhaps. He just inexplicably thought that Luo Yu Sen''s life was funny¡­ You can still deceive yourself now? In a way, the man was pathetic. After listening to the bug''s contents, Qi Mu sent a text to Charles. He wrote that he hoped Charles would tip off Evra, "Luo Yu Sen is acting very restless recently" and let a small music magazine make a report on "a private meeting between Wei Ai''s concertmaster and the former deputy chief of the second violin group of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra." About two dayster, Qi Mu saw the report in a shifty tabloid. Thanks to the strong musical influence in Vienna, gossip in the entertainment circle was sometimes not as interesting as that of the ssical music circle. After finishing all his work, Qi Mu asked Charles to keep the recording and not make anymore moves. Too much work might lead to mistakes, so¡­ It was best to let the wise and upright Evra do all the hard work. When there''s a chance¡­ Maybe I will treat the man to a meal? ¡ª¡ªWas Qi Mu''s thought. A month after entering the Palisade Theatre Orchestra, Qi Mu has fully integrated himself into the family. Although the orchestra was indeed inferior to the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Wei Ai, and New York Philharmonic, in general, Qi Mu understood the necessary factors of being a concertmaster. Qi Mu was the concertmaster for more than a month when he was with the college''s orchestra before. But, because students were busy even in their spare time, they rarely rehearsed together. He only had the gist of it but never fullyprehend and experienced the responsibility of a concertmaster. "Little Seven, I didn''t expect you to be so proficient with ¡¶The Marriage of Figaro¡·. Our recent performances have been very wonderful!" The resident conductor of their orchestra was a brown-haired Jewish man. He appreciated Qi Mu''s skills a lot and it was him who first agreed to invite Qi Mu to the orchestra. Qi Mu shook hands with the conductor and smiled. "Thank you for yourpliment, Mr. Wace. I will continue to work hard." A gentle and polite young man would always be easily liked. And so, the whole Palisade Theatre Orchestra, including the conductor were all fond of their lovely, young concertmaster. It happened that the orchestra''s once-a-week celebration dinner was that evening. Qi Mu didn''t refuse their invitations this time. When the group left the party, Qi Mu walked out with his violin case in hand. The cold wind sobered him up. After a moment, a certain man who always had a knack for good timing¡­ Made a phone call. Trantor(s): Kuro TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 136
Entering November, the air in Vienna was chilly and bleak. Where London and Paris had warm, humid sea breezes, Vienna wasndlocked. With such cold, dry air, the temperature plummeted as soon as night fell. Holding his violin case in his right hand, Qi Mu pulled his sleeves down to his fingers, scarcely keeping them from being frozen by the cold. When Qi Mu received a phone call from the man, his low voice already carried a hint of hoarseness from the wind. "Min Chen." Min Chen frowned. "Have you caught a cold?" Perhaps because he also thought his throat was sore, Qi Mu was nning to take a cab home instead of the subway. But for some reason, no taxi stopped for him, even though he stood by the street for a long time. Qi Mu coughed softly, trying to moisten his throat. His voice turning more normal, he said, "En, it seems to be getting colder. Everyone in the orchestra attended tonight''s party and we ended it a bitte, I might''ve caught a slight cold." Worry flickered through the man''s voice. "Go back early and keep yourself warm. There''s a convenience store just a block away from the apartment. You can buy some ginger and boil it in a tea to drink." Finally, after great difficulty, Qi Mu managed to hail a cab. Quickly getting in, he smiled and said, "En, it''s nothing big. A little cold, at most. The season just changed, so it''s normal to catch a cold. A few people in the orchestra have already caught colds, so don''t worry so much." "¡­But, I will still worry." The voice was low and mellow, yet it rang like a bell in Qi Mu''s heart, stunning him. It took him quite a while to give the driver his address. When he spoke again, he unconsciously softened his voice, "En, I know. I''ll take good care of myself." Even so, the man on the phone was still dissatisfied. "I''m in Japan now, about to board the flight to S City. We will perform at the S City Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall tomorrow. Do you want me to bring you anything? I''ll be staying in Huaxia for three days, so it''s no problem." After thinking for a moment, Qi Mu said, "I don''t think I need anything. But please send my regards to Uncle Zhu and Auntie Cheng of the S City Symphony Orchestra." "Okay." Qi Mu barely spoke again in the next 20 minutes, as the domineering man told him that he should not speak when his throat was ufortable. Reduced to only "Yes" and "Okay" as responses, the youth''s voice softly rang in the quiet taxi. The most he spoke was just two words¡ª¡ª "No thanks." After Qi Mu paid the fare and left the cab, the man realized, "I just remembered¡­ There should be a car in the underground garage. You can use it. The key is in the second drawer by the door." Entering the apartment, Qi Mu sighed as the warm air blew over him. He pressed the elevator button to the top floor, then said, "You forgot, I don''t have a driver''s license yet. I''ve been busy ever since I came to Europe so I couldn''t find the time to take the test." Min Chen was silent for a beat before saying, "I will ask Daniel to find a driver for you." Qi Mu: "¡­" Trying to fight off hisughter, Qi Mu said, "Don''t be ridiculous. Vienna isn''t that big, I don''t need a driver." To prevent the man from saying anything else, Qi Mu rattled the keys in his hand and added, "I have to hang up, going to open the door." Hearing the words "hang up", Min Chen was at a loss. With a trace of disappointment in his tone, he said, "I have to catch my flight too." It was easy to hear his dissatisfaction. Qi Mu looked up, thinking before he spoke. "If I remember correctly¡­ S City is your third-tost location for this tour, right? The second-tost stop is¡­ Vienna?" "Yes." The man''s mellow voice was like a cello reverberating in the quiet doorway as Qi Mu closed the door. In the rich darkness, Qi Mu was in no hurry to move. He smiled and said, "We haven''t seen each other for a long time, Min Chen. I miss you very much." After a good while, the man said, "I miss you, too." Even though the bustling airport was so loud, the words "I miss you, too" filled Qi Mu with joy. For him, it was the best sound he had heard in his life. He still didn''t turn on the light. Standing in the dark and leaning against the mahogany door, he said, "Practicing alone in the piano room these days¡­ I always thought that the piano room was too big. It''s too lonely for just one person." "Four days left." Qi Mu smiled and nodded. "En, four days left¡­ Then you will be back?" "I owe you a concert." "Yes¡­ You owe me a concert." Neither of them spoke again after that. Only when Qi Mu heard Daniel calling Min Chen in the background, did he remember that the man was currently about to board the ne. Feeling an impulse, Qi Mu said, "¡­Come back soon." Not expecting his words, Min Chen was silent for a beat before saying, "I will." After hanging up the phone, Qi Mu leaned back against the door and looked up at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts. The ceiling was just like the room, painted in simple ck and white with smooth lines to outline the modern style of the Bauhaus. Such a style was really like that man. Always so simple and elegant, and no extra words are needed. A simple "I miss you" was enough to make Qi Mu''s heart beat faster. He stayed like that for a long time, before turning on the light and taking a shower. The apartment¡­ was really big. Perhaps, with one more person, it might feel a little smaller. Just as he was about to flip the switch on themp before going to sleep, Qi Mu froze. "It''s already been¡­ two months since Ist saw him?" The soft sight of the young man reverberated in the quiet room, full of wonder. While Qi Mu was sleeping peacefully, the members of Bai Ai were stepping foot into Huaxia, ready to start their third-fromst performance of the year. On the other side of Vienna, Evra looked at a gossip column in a tabloid. His study was silent as he was lost in thought. "¡­Luo Yu Sen and¡­ Zayev?!" Although the old man kept up with current affairs, he liked to spend his free time in the evening reading newspapers, especially those about music. Vienna had a very strong musical atmosphere. It was difficult to find an entertainment newspaper in the newsstand, but if he wanted to find a ssical music newspaper¡­ They had them by the dozen. Each day, Evra read seven to eight newspapers. From the most widely distributed one, to this humble one. If he wasn''t paying attention, he would have missed this small news. Before reading the report, Evra never would have connected Luo Yu Sen with Zayev. Never. One was Wei Ai''s concertmaster, while the other was the second violin group''s deputy chief. The two shouldn''t have any connection with each other, let alone¡­ With Evra''s understanding of Zayev, he was not a guy who likes to mingle with young people. In the spacious study, a lone yellow light shone dimly. The gray-haired old man had already taken off his conductor suit. In his pajamas, Evra looked like a grandfather next door. His fingers clenched the newspaper tightly, forming countless creases in the paper. After thinking for a long time, Evra took off his sses and rubbed his temples. Although he was old, his mind was still active. It hadn''t dulled at all. After a brief hesitation, he decisively made a phone call. When he heard the surprise from the other end of the line, he sighed heavily and said, "Dorenza, yes, it''s me, Evra. There''s a thing¡­ I need to tell you face-to-face¡­ Yes, it''s hard to say it on the phone, I have to see you in person¡­ Do you have time tomorrow afternoon? Okay, I''ll go to your orchestra. What''s going on? Well, in fact¡­ It has something to do with a letter I received¡­" Alone study, Evra made an appointment with Dorenza. He realized the truth, the hidden truth behind everything. It was veryplicated but the truth was¡­ He couldn''t believe it. "Maybe¡­ I have to ask Dorenza. s¡­" His heavy sigh was trapped in the study. When Evra got up and left, he flipped off the light, watching as the room darkened. The darkness swallowed every secret hidden inside the space. But¡­ Evra didn''t intend to keep the secrets buried forever. When a life was involved, especially a young one, it was impossible to ignore. Trantor(s): Kuro TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 137 When Dorenza saw Evra entering his lounge together with Zayev, he went to the old man for a hug and said, "Evra, it''s been a while! You rarelye to me even though we''re in the same city. What made you stop by today?" They were familiar with each other, so when Evra came, he didn''t bring any gifts. He just spread his arms and smiled. "Isn''t Wei Ai about to start this year''s global tour? Of course, I have to see you before you leave." To speak more with his old friend, Dorenza asked Zayev to leave first after joking around for a bit. Before he left, Evra made a joke with Zayev, making the atmosphere in the lounge quite harmonious. But as soon as Zayev closed the door, Evra''s face sank. With his back facing Evra, Dorenza poured water for him. So when he turned around and saw his old friend''s face, he was stunned. Sitting on the sofa beside him, Dorenza asked, "So, Evra, was there something you needed to tell me?" Evra took the ss of water but didn''t take a sip. Instead, he put the ss on the table. He looked solemnly at Dorenza, watching as he slowly sat up straight as if realizing¡ª¡ª Something severe was about to happen. Instead of answering, Evra pulled out a thick letter and handed it over to him. "My old friend, this thing¡­ I don''t know how to tell you. But I think you will understand once you read this letter¡­" "That is why I came in person." Though it was a thick letter, Dorenza didn''t spend much time reading it. Especially for the first third of the letter, he read hurriedly and didn''t pay it much attention. But once he got to thest two-thirds of the letter, Dorenza slowed down, reading several sentences more carefully than others. As he read the letter, the gentle maestro was shocked. After a while, he asked, "Evra¡­ You fired the second violin group''s deputy because¡­ He drugged Lu Zi Wenst year?!" The concert had stayed vivid in Dorenza''s memory all this time! Before going on to the stage, the polite child came to greet him, and he wished him luck, but such a tragedy urred before the concert even ended! Evra shook his head, handing him a newspaper. "No, Dorenza. Look at¡­ This report." Receiving one shocking news after another, Dorenza was overwhelmed. After reading the letter and the report, he and Evra had a long, heated discussion in his lounge. When the sunset and the night fell, the gentle conductor clenched his fist and finally admitted, "You know, Evra, I''ve noticed¡­ Something Zayev did a long time ago. It''s just, now that you tell me that he''s involved with Lu Zi Wen''s death, I really¡­" "But Dorenza! How could you not believe it?! I have about a 90% grasp on the whole drugging situation, the only thing Ick is the exact evidence! Right now, it''s very likely that it was Zayev who orchestrated the whole thing, so why won''t you start to investigate?!" "¡­Evra, I¡­" "Dorenza, I know you''re a kind-hearted person, and you don''t want to doubt people, but this involves¡­ Someone''s life. When you came to our orchestra to invite Lu Zi Wen as your concertmaster, I thought you brought him an opportunity. I never thought¡­ It would lead him to his death." "I don''t me you, Dorenza. Your intentions were good. I believe Lu Zi Wen respected you a lot. But¡­ His death wasn''t an ident. It was murder! Are you really willing to let him die without justice?!!!" Silence spread in the conductor''s lounge. A long time passed before Dorenza''s firm voice resounded, "Evra, I understand. I¡­ We will investigate Zayev''s past thoroughly." "I owe this to Lu¡­" "I owe him the truth!" Chapter 138 For the rest of his life, Zayev would never forget¡­ Dorenza''s expression that day. Albert Dorenza, the chief conductor of Wei Ai, was one of the four most sessful conductors in the world. As famous as he was for his strength, he was just as famous for his kind and gentle heart. Even when the orchestra made a mistake during a formal performance, he wouldn''t get angry. Instead, he would pause the performance and encourage the orchestra to restart. Zayev was in his fifties. He had been a member of Wei Ai for 20 years and served as the concertmaster for a decade. In the orchestra, although the members knew Dorenza held the most power, they also knew that Zayev was the secret leader. "It''s not enough to use a soft heart to deal with others," Zayev once evaluated himself, "How can an orchestra function without someone harsh, to get things done? Since Dorenza doesn''t have the spirit to do it, I must. So, as Wei Ai''s¡­ What''s the name again? Ah, right! As Wei Ai''s Bismarck, I will be the one to manage everyone!" Whether or not the famous figure would vomit in his grave when he heard such praise was unknown. Zayev never paid any attention to Dorenza''s views. After all, excluding the rehearsals and the performances, the man held rxed management over the orchestra. He hoped that they could develop freely. Provided the secret was well-kept, Dorenza would never be suspicious. "Dorenza is really a good man." Zayev said this with a little meaningful smile. However, the good man had his lips tightly pursed when he called Zayev to his lounge. Zayev''s heart beat harshly in his chest as he asked, "What''s the matter, Dorenza? Are you in a bad mood today? Maybe you should take a rest tomorrow and let me handle the rehearsal. You have a bad expression on your face¡­" Dorenza raised his head slowly after hearing Zayev''s voice. His eyes were bitter cold, like a knife cutting straight into Zayev''s heart. His gaze was without a trace of vitality, as if¡­ he was looking at a dead man! Taking a step back in horror, Zayev fell to his knees. He began to doubt whether this man was the same Dorenza that he knew! Before Zayev could think any further, Dorenza raised his hand and lifted a golden pen from his desk. Zayev''s eyes followed the movement of the pen, watching as Dorenza held it in his hand, before¡ª¡ª With a sharp flick, the pen shot down and broke against the desk''s surface with a loud thump!!! That was his birthday gift to Dorenzast year!!! "Zayev, I really don''t want to see you right now." After a slight pause, Dorenza continued, "No¡­ I don''t want to see you ever again!" The voice was as if it came from the South Pole, an icy wind across a dense, eerie forest. Zayev trembled in fear. After a few moments, he asked, "Dorenza, what''s the matter with you?! What did I do? You should¡­" "Zayev, I always thought that people who loved ssical music could never be so vile." Dorenza''s always smiling face was expressionless. "More than 30 years ago, I made a mistake. Moss drugged someone before a performance and he fell. I was the one who rmended him to the New York Philharmonic, and that regret will stay with me for the rest of my life." More than 30 years ago, the deputy concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic drugged the concertmaster before a performance and got away with it¡­ Until he was exposed by an informant, an insider. The brilliant deputy concertmaster never made it to the stage again, but what no one knew was¡­ It was Dorenza who rmended him to the New York Philharmonic. "Zayev, because I rarely doubt people, I helped the child when he asked me. I was enthralled by his beautiful violin. I didn''t expect him to have such a terrible mind. But now, I didn''t even see¡­" "You, Leon Zayev, are far more terrible than Moss ever was!" From the moment he saw Dorenza''s dark expression, Zayev already knew what was happening, but he still tried to dodge it. "Dorenza, I don''t understand what you''re talking about. What have I done¡­" "Why did you want to kill Lu Zi Wen?" Stunned, Zayev said, "Kill Lu Zi Wen? Dorenza, who told you that?! I haven''t done anything like that. How could I? In the two months that we rehearsed with him, me and the orchestra all liked him. You know that, Dorenza! I liked Lu a lot, how could I harm him?" Dorenza stared coldly at Zayev, keeping his silence. Zayev continued, with agitation, "I liked that kid, Dorenza and you know that! He was a very gifted child, and polite, at that. I think he''s a malleable talent, I never even got the chance to train him, how could I kill such a gifted child¡­" "How dare you say that?!" Dorenza mmed his palm against the desk and rose to his feet. Before Zayev could respond, he picked up a thick stack of letters and threw them on the man''s face. Shocked, Zayev wasn''t able to react for a beat. Once he returned to his senses, he heard Dorenza say, "See for yourself! Did you really think you''d never get found out?!" "Zayev, God is always watching! If you didn''t want anyone to know, then you shouldn''t have done itto begin with!" In the deadly silence of the lounge, Zayev picked up the letters scattered on the floor. As he read¡­ His expression grew dark, before finally turning red. He stood up and said, "Dorenza! Do you believe me or them?! Do you really think I''m that kind of a person¡­" "Shut up!" Dorenzapletely subverted Zayev''s cognition. He was still a gentle person, but the man''s anger made Zayev''s heart tremble as if he was experiencing an earthquake. He felt that¡­ If he said another word, the man would break him to pieces! "Now you can get the hell out of here. You''d better not let me find evidence of you murdering Lu Zi Wen. If I do¡­ Your end won''t be so kind as being kicked out of Wei Ai and the ssical music world." "Evra canpletely destroy Luo Yu Sen''s future, but you''re different from him. I can''t do the same to you¡­ But mark my words, Zayev! No matter what orchestra might ept you even after knowing about you drugging another member, then that orchestra¡ª¡ª" "Will never be able to step foot in Vienna!" "You, get out of Vienna and nevere back!!!" After a long while, Zayev grabbed the corners of the desk and said, "Dorenza, what are you talking about? Kicking me out of Wei Ai? How could you drive me out? We''ve known each other for more than a decade, and I''ve been here for more than two! Dorenza¡­" "I don''t want to see you anymore." Dorenza''s voice was t. After he spoke, he no longer paid any attention to Zayev. A few minutester, security personnel came to collect him from the room. In just a few moments, only Dorenza was left in the empty lounge. The enraged old man slowly copsed. After a long while, he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, apletely different man than he had been only moments earlier. "Lu¡­ I''m really sorry¡­" "I hope your spirit in heaven will be more at ease¡­" "But I have no evidence. I couldn''t find anything¡­ If I had known how ugly he was, I wouldn''t have¡­" A harsh Dorenza with sharp edges was still the same, gentle and kind Dorenza. Even if it wasn''t his fault, he med himself. He drove himself to the edge to get justice for the poor child. While there were truly despicable people in the world, some were kind enough to shine light amidst the darkness. The members of Wei Ai shared the same thought. When they all saw Zayev being driven out from the orchestra by the security personnels and his belongings being thrown out, every member of the staff received a small envelope. The envelope was very thin and it concealed something which was made of stic. Judging from the size¡­ It might be a USB stick. Evra had just hung up a phone call when he received the envelope. From his phone call, he heard that Dorenza had driven Zayev out of Wei Ai and let out a heavy sigh. When he received the envelope with a USB stick in it, Evra was surprised for a moment, before he finally¡­ Plugged the USB stick into theputer. Once he did, he hesitated. A pop-out window with only one audio file sprang up. Dorenza and Evra were dumbfounded before¡­ Clicking on the file. Chapter 139
When the police knocked on Luo Yu Sen''s door, he was packing up, nning to wait in Sweden until things settled down. After Zayev abandoned him, Luo Yu Sen didn''t want to cause amotion by fighting with him. But Zayev''s words rang true. When the story came to light, though Zayev incited the action against Lu Ziwen, it would be him who was suspected for murder! Without Zayev''s backing, Luo Yu Sen could already see what would happen to him. He refused to give up. Going to Sweden was only a temporary n. Luo Yu Sen would never give up his desire to return to the orchestra. The deputy concertmaster of Wei Jiao''s seat must be his, that was what Zayev''s promised him! Even when he was escorted to a police car, he didn''t realize what had happened until he arrived at the police station. Zayev shared the same fate. In the recording, although Zayev said he never told Luo Yu Sen to murder Lu Zi Wen, the resulting death was an indirect effect of his instructions. The police couldn''t just let him go. They needed to interrogate him. ¡­.One might wonder, why were the police so motivated? Because they were driven by Dorenza and Evra! "Please discover the truth and bring the criminals to justice!" Dorenza said. "Give them the punishment they deserve. Isn''t this a homicide case? We hope it can be settled quickly." Evra was more direct. Zayev had been in the European ssical music circle for decades, umting dozens of connections, so he anticipated some kind of warning from them. But such connections were not worth mentioning whenpared to Dorenza, who was a Viscount! Qi Mu wasn''t surprised at all when he discovered that Luo Yu Sen and Zayev were taken in by the police. Instead, he thought Evra moved quite slowly. ording to what Qi Mu knew of Evra''s personality, the hot tempered maestro would have contacted the police the night he received the recording. But, it wasn''t too slow either. At least he would have the chance to see the case unfold while he was still in Vienna. While Qi Mu was calm and almost indifferent, the entire music circle in Vienna exploded! With solid evidence, Evra didn''t suppress the media this time around. Within an hour after Zayev''s and Luo Yu Sen''s arrest, the first one to respond was the Vienna music circle''s evening news¡ª¡ª ¡¶Wei Ai''s concertmaster is a murderer?! The mystery surrounding the death of Wei Jiao''s former deputy concertmaster!¡· The next morning, all the major newspapers and magazines published reports on the incident. Many of them even said, "The tragic death of Wei Jiao''s former deputy concertmaster in the Golden Hall''s preparation room a year ago wasn''t an ident. It was a murder under the deliberate instruction of Leon Zayev, Wei Ai''s concertmaster! Last night, the reporter travelled to the Vienna police station to get an interview rting to the incident¡­" ¡¶The cancer of the ssical music world, the dark secrets behind Leon Zayev!¡· ¡¶Leon Zayev: A shame! Murder for benefit in the ssical music world!¡· ¡¶Amidst the hatred between two deputies of Wei Jiao, Luo Yu Sen is suspected to be a murderer!¡· ¡­¡­ Out of ten reports, six used the name Leon Zayev while only a couple used Luo Yu Sen. The former was much more known than thetter, after all. In order to create hype, Luo Yu Sen could only step aside. When Qi Mu rose to do some morning exercises, he flipped through the newspapers without actually reading them. When he walked through the streets, he could hear people arguing, expressing their shock¡ª¡ª "God, really?! Mr. Leon Zayev is really a murderer?!" "How could this be? Did you get the wrong person, Adrian? It was only a few months ago when west heard Wei Ai''s performance!" "It really is Wei Ai''s concertmaster. The reports said he''s suspected of instructing a deputy chief of Wei Jiao to drug someone. It caused that person¡¯s death!" "How could this be¡­" ¡­¡­ All kinds of exmations could be heard along the streets of Vienna. Even when Qi Mu arrived at the Palisade Theatre with his violin case, none of the orchestra members remembered to practice. Instead, they discussed the shocking event. "Is this really how 2016 is going to end? I can''t believe it''s Mr. Zayev¡­ No, Zayevwould actually do such a thing!" "Where did you get the news? I just read the report from ¡¶The Voice of Music¡·, they said because Mr. Dorenza appreciated Lu Zi Wen and might even promote him to be Wei Ai''s deputy concertmaster that Zayev acted out." "Really? What kind of a threat does a neer possess to Zayev?" "You''ve never listened to Lu Zi Wen''s violin, have you? Although the ident happenedst year, I got the rehearsal''s ticket the day before. I heard his Blue Danube, he was a really brilliant violinist!" "Oh¡­ That really happened?!" "Haha, you don''t know anything, do you? Zayev was worried Lu Zi Wen would be a threat to his position. He''d been Wei Ai''s concertmaster for more than a decade. As long as there wasn''t an issue, his position shouldn''t change." A member of the trumpet group nced around covertly, then whispered, "One of my former ssmateses from a very rich family. His violinskills are only average, but how could hepare to our concertmaster? He''s been showing off to the rest of our ssmates sincest year." A member of the violin group asked curiously, "Showing off? What do you mean?" "He said he could be the deputy concertmaster of one of the world''s top orchestras!" Hearing this, everyoneughed. Even the deputy concertmaster of Palisade Theatre Orchestra made fun of himself, "Come on, even I''m only suitable to be a member of a top orchestra. But, the deputy concertmaster? I better go dream of something else. I think only our Little Seven is good enough for that. Right, Little Seven?" Walking over with his case in hand, Qi Mu nced around the members and smiled helplessly, "I wouldn''t say that." After they joked around, the members quickly asked the trumpeter, "Hey, Niall, you haven''t finished your story yet. Go on!" Niall sniggered and continued, "We didn''t believe it before, how could he be a deputy concertmaster for a top orchestra, at his skill level? But then he quit schoolst year! Rumor has it, he had a special tutor and he improved a bit. But, judging by his violin when we met a few days ago, tch, it doesn''t sound like it improved at all." "Stop stalling, get to the point!" "Well,ter a ssmate revealed that his family bought a rtionship with a member of a top orchestra a year and a half ago. He agreed that as long as he was skilled enough, he could be the deputy concertmaster of a top orchestra. I heard that¡­ they paid this much!" Niall held out his palm as he spoke. Qi Mu''s eyebrows raised. "500,000?" Niall, however, shook his head. "No! It''s 5 million euros!!!" Everyone gasped. Even Qi Mu was shocked. He didn''t expect someone would actually pay 5 million euros for a deputy concertmaster seat. Of course, what made him even more surprised was that¡ª¡ª Zayev did that kind of thing in the dark! "We didn''t know which orchestra it was before, we only heard that it was either an Austrian or a German one. Say, there are only a few top orchestras in the world, and the best in Austria and German are Wei Ai, Bai Ai, and Dresden. We all think it''s among those three, plus Wei Jiao. But now, I guess anyone could tell which one it is." Niall stopped at that and didn''t go on, but the other members understood. They didn''t need to say the name of the orchestra, everybody knew it. All musicians and orchestras of Vienna very clearly understood Dorenza''s reputation. When the maestro learned of such dirty things happening in his orchestra, wasn¡¯t he enraged enough to tear Zayev to pieces? Even Wace, their orchestra''s conductor, knew what happened in Vienna. It might be why everyone in the Palisade Theatre Orchestra was absent-minded during the rehearsal that day. An hour before they clocked-off, Wace gave them a holiday. "You guys probably won''t be able to focus after all this. Well, actually, I''m going to visit Dorenza right away. That poor old friend of mine, I''m afraid he''s not feeling well now." In response, the members said their condolences. "Send him our regards, Mr. Wace." "You mustfort Mr. Dorenza." "Mr. Dorenza is so pitiful." After Mr. Wace angrily bellowed, "You little shits!", they allughed and went their separate ways. The day''s rehearsal was over. Carrying his violin case and saying goodbye to the other members of the orchestra, Qi Mu walked alone to the nearest subway station. As he walked, he thought he should ask Charles to keep up with the trial. Byte autumn, the Vienna air already carried a chill, even with the sun''s rays warming thend. Likely due to the temperature, not many people lingered in the streets. Those that were around moved quickly. Qi Mu looked at the gray ground in deep thought. He crossed a street and walked a few more steps, only to hear a low, maic voice behind him¡ª¡ª "Young gentleman, you seem to have lost something." The voice struck him in the deepest level of his heart. Each word he spoke lingered in Qi Mu''s ears each night. Pausing, he turned back. Trantor(s): Kuro TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 140
The sun set slowly in the west, its round shape huge against the surrounding buildings. The sunlight cast a golden backdrop over the world, turning the man''s tall figure even hazier. Most of Min Chen''s face was blocked by the ck hat he was wearing. The shadow cast by the brim of the hat obscured his eyes, that were slightly squinted in a smile as he looked at the young man. Qi Mu stared back at him, stupefied. Reaching out, he took the youth''s right hand and slipped a bag into it, whispering, "Young gentleman, you forgot this, and¡­ your boyfriend." ¡­¡­ When Qi Mu got into Min Chen''s car, he chuckled and yed with the bag in his hands. "I didn''t expect you toe back so early. Isn''t your flight tomorrow? I was going to pick you up." With one hand gripping the steering wheel, the man said, "Well, it''s supposed to be tomorrow, but the performance in Huaxia went smoothly, so I left early." After a pause, Min Chen added, "Zhu Wen Jun and Cheng Ting Wen asked me to bring you a message. They hope that you can grow quickly and don''t forget to go back to Huaxia." Hearing this, Qi Mu couldn''t help but chuckle. "Well, I''m nning to go back next month when the orchestra is on a holiday." Qi Mu then asked a few questions about the tour. The Palisade Theatre was close to Min Chen''s apartment, but the road was jammed with traffic. After driving for ten minutes, they could see the towering building''s silhouette but unfortunately, they wound up in another traffic jam. Qi Mu looked at the long queue of vehicles and sighed. "Alright, subways are much faster than driving sometimes. I didn''t expect Vienna would have such a terrible traffic jam. I thought I could only see such wonderful scenes in Huaxia." After a pause, Qi Mu suddenly remembered something. "By the way, what did you bring me?" As he spoke, Qi Mu raised the small ck gift bag in his hand. The edge of the bag was outlined with silver thread and small crystals were iid every few centimeters. The bag''s texture was simple, yet luxurious, but was unmarked by a logo. When Qi Mu first received it, he thought it was a gift the man bought from some shop. But when he opened the package, there were only two simple things inside¡­ They looked like tube-shaped things made of wool. It could''ve been a scarf, but no scarf was that round. It could also have been a hat, but it wasn''t big enough. After thinking for quite a while, Qi Mu suddenly had an epiphany. "You bought me a wrist guard?!" Min Chen: "¡­" After a while, Min Chen said, "It''s gloves." His voice was deep and dull, projecting his endless aggrieved emotions. Qi Mu, on the other hand, was carefully observing the four attached tubes that looked like elk''s antlers. He failed to notice Min Chen''s tone. When he heard that they were gloves, he was stunned. "Min Chen, were you duped? How could they be gloves? There''s nowhere to put your hand!" ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ "You must have been cheated. How are they even packaged in such a high-end gift bag? They must have been very expensive, weren''t they? Why didn''t Daniel help you check them and let you buy such strange things?" ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ "Well, where did you buy them? If they''re expensive, then let''s return it. In fact, let''s return them right away¡­ Uh¡­" The ck Porsche stopped in front of a red light. The moment the car stopped, the man in the driver''s seat leaned over and caught the youth¡¯s lips in a kiss,pletely swallowing his words. The kiss came so suddenly and fiercely that Qi Mu didn''t have the time to react. When he returned to his senses, he was clinging to the man''s chest while Min Chen curled his arms around his back. The exchange was so heated and intense that the air inside got warmer. Thanks to Vienna''s 80 second red lights, by the time Min Chen settled back in his seat and stepped on the elerator again, Qi Mu''s cheeks were dyed red. He was in a daze. Of course, the most important thing was¡ª¡ª He stopped talking. The car stopped downstairs in the basement carpark. In the well organizedmunity, there were no strangers, so there were very few people walking in the streets. Qi Mu was about to unlock his seat belt and get out of the car when a warm hand covered his. Looking up, Qi Mu encountered a deep and dark pair of eyes. With a dull tone, Min Chen said, "They''re gloves." After a slight pause, he added, "They''re a very, very good pair of wool gloves." Qi Mu, in a daze: "¡­?" "They''re precious. They have crossed over three continents, passed two oceans, taken first-ss flights, entered the conductor lounge of the world''s top concert hall and most importantly¡­" Min Chen suddenly stopped and Qi Mu asked, "Most importantly?" The man''s phoenix''s eyes drooped and Min Chen murmured, "¡­Nothing." Most importantly¡­ I knitted them! Qi Mu looked perplexedly at the man''splicated expression. The two didn''t get out of the car. Min Chen took the gloves out of the gift bag and carefully put them on Qi Mu. The gloves had three openings. The biggest one was on the wrist and the other two were for the fingers and the thumbs. The one for the left hand fit quite nicely, albeit a bit big, but that didn''t make much difference. But when Qi Mu tried the one for the right hand, the tip of his thumb got stuck. Qi Mu''s fingers were slender and long, the fact that his thumb couldn''t slide into ce meant that the person who made them was¡­ extremely inept. Min Chen, on the other hand, was still very enthusiastic with the gloves. Staring fixedly at the small hole, he tried to make it bigger with his fingers. But how could a thin wool thread stretch so easily? Min Chen gave up after trying for quite a while. Taking his hand, Qi Mu murmured, "These gloves¡­ Did you make them yourself, Min Chen?" The man ced so much value on the gloves that Qi Mu knew something was wrong. Despite being made of high-end, expensive materials, they were so poorly made, he could barely stand to look at them. He guessed that¡ª¡ª Min Chen made them himself? Faced with the question, Min Chen''s hands froze. He shook his head softly. "Not me." After a pause, he added, "Daniel." Daniel shot with rage, half the globe away: "¡­" Seeing the man''s awkward response, Qi Mu was even more sure of his guess. If the man said he bought it, Qi Mu could still force himself to believe it a little. ¡­Although he didn''t think anyone would sell such ugly gloves that they couldn''t even wear. But, Qi Mu wouldn''t believe that Daniel made them. Qi Mu once saw Daniel skillfully sew a button that fell off from a shirt. Coupled with his doubt that Min Chen would actually let him wear something that Daniel made¡­ It was absolutely impossible, alright! But the guy was proud, so Qi Mu could only smile charmingly and say, "Mn. It wasn''t you, definitely not you." Min Chen, coaxed like a child: "¡­" Although the gloves weren''t exactly wearable, Qi Mu still put them on, but¡ª¡ªhis fingers couldn''t go through the holes where they were supposed to go. They took the elevator to the top floor. A TV in the elevator broadcasted the big event in Vienna. Min Chen had just arrived in Vienna that afternoon, and he had been busy with the tour that he didn''t pay attention to what happened in Vienna. Seeing the names "Leon Zayev" and "Luo Yu Sen" on the screen, the man''s eyes narrowed dangerously. He remained silent. Qi Mu looked at the screen casually, not bothering to pay attention to it. Entering the apartment, they were instantly met with the warmth of the heater. Together, they took off their scarves and coats, standing before the coat rack as they hung their clothes. Their actions were fluid and natural, as if they''d done it countless times before. "I was going to buy the groceries tomorrow, so there''s not much at home today. Is a simple dinner okay?" "¡­Home?" Min Chen''s voice was a little low so Qi Mu didn''t quite catch it. "Huh? What did you say?" Min Chen swallowed his emotions and shook his head. "Nothing." Qi Mu didn''t mind it much. "Well, I''ll make something easy and quick. Do you want to help me¡­? Well, forget it. I want to eat Chinese food instead of Western tonight." Qi Mu wouldn''t sugarcoat his words when it came to the man''s ability to cook Chinese food. Qi Mu turned around and stepped into the kitchen while Min Chen leaned against the doorway and quietly watched his beloved. With his thin lips slightly curled up in a smile, the man''s cold face appeared softer. He felt good. Just now, Qi Mu said¡­ Home. Yes, it''s home. Trantor(s): Kuro TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Ayn

Kuro:

Thank you so much for your support!

Ayn:

This chapter just made me feel so warm!
Chapter 141
Soon after Min Chen flew to Vienna, S City was addled with heavy rainstorms and lightning strikes. Numerous flights were dyed, leaving countless passengers groaning at the airport. The members of Bai Ai were among them, stranded in the S City Daniel made a phone call to learn about the situation in Vienna. He knew they probably had to stay at the HongQiao Airport for another four to five hours, so heforted the members of the orchestra. Unlike their chief conductor, he let the members move freely. His headache saw no end. Eyes glued to his phone, Christole eximed, "Wei Ai¡­ Hah?!" Running over, Daniel asked, "What is it, Christole? What happened to Wei Ai?" Christole showed his phone''s screen to Daniel, disying the ¡¶Sound of Vienna¡·''s app interface. At the top, a bold, red headline read¡ª¡ª ¡¶The Concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is suspected of murder and has pending charges against him in the Vienna court.¡· Looking at the headline, Daniel was somewhat at ease. Recalling the letter he sent a few months ago, he expected a harsh oue. He just didn''t think it would be this, and just a month before Wei Ai''s tour at that. He was pretty sure it was Dorenza''s doing, as it was tricky to handle it all so quickly. But¡­ "Zayev is a murderer?!" "He''s only suspected of it," Christole exined, reading the article. "It is said that he instructed someone to drug a young violinist,but I don''t know how that would cause the violinist to die." After a brief discussion, they shifted their attention elsewhere. The case was still under investigation. It wasn''t like they could do anything about it. Both Leon Zayev and Luo Yu Sen''s reputations had beenpletely destroyed. Even Zayev, who had been running one of the world''s best orchestras, would have no chance to turn a new leaf. He couldn''t, not after being involved in a drugging and murder case. The ssical music world was a world of strength. It had some muddy waters, but it wasn''t dirty and rotten enough to tolerate such filthy viins. No matter the circle, every group had to have a bottom line. Zayev and Luo Yu Sen had gone well past it. Clustering at the windows, the Bai Ai members watched the dark clouds and raging winds. While the Bai Ai membersmented their bad luck, Zayev and Luo Yu Sen were being held in police custody. They had endured dozens of hours of questioning and were starting to show signs of mental copse. Suffice to say, the police didn''t normally interrogate suspects so aggressively, but¡­ it depended on the target. After learning that his deputy chief''s seat had been sold for 5 millions, Dorenza was enraged. He used all the connections he had to teach the two scums a lesson. Luo Yu Sen, after basking in the interrogation room''smp for more than 20 hours, was about to copse. He hadn''t gotten a wink of sleep. Everytime he tried, the officer in charge reprimanded him. But, that was when he could try to sleep. The bright white light kept him up, making his thoughts fuzzy. The officers kept repeating the same things. "Did you kill him?" "How did you kill him?" "Say it now and you might have a chance to reduce your sentence." "You took his medicine, right?" When thest question was thrown to him, Luo Yu Sen rose from his stupor.Shaking his head vehemently, he said, "No, no, no, I didn''t take his medicine! I never did that! He died just like that, it wasn''t me! It had nothing to do with me!" The policemen in the interrogation room looked at each other, then nodded. Zayev, in another interrogation room, wasn''t any better. At first, he insisted, "I''m waiting for mywyer. I''m not saying anything until mywyer arrives." The pathetic Zayev didn''t realize that under Dorenza''s influence, hiswyer had long since resigned from his position as Zayev''s personalwyer in a cold sweat. He didn''t dare to meddle in the case, even at the risk of paying the penalty for breaching the contract. At first, the officer ignored Zayev, but finally said, "I''m sorry, nowyer sent us a notice." After that, the officer proceeded to interrogate Zayev ording to the method they used against Luo Yu Sen. Zayev was more than two decades older than Luo Yu Sen, so he didn''t have the same kind of energy. Zayev''s legs had already turned soft by the time he first entered the interrogation room. After being interrogated for more than 10 hours, Zayev finally copsed and told them everything he knew. And in his testimony, he pushed all the me onto Luo Yu Sen. It was only after the officer questioned him about the bribes he took that he realized that his career waspletely over. They should be thankful that Austria was a benevolent country. There was no death sentence, the worst punishment was life imprisonment. They would be locked up for the rest of their lives. When Luo Yu Sen walked out of the interrogation room with sweat dripping down his back, he felt lucky that he changed his nationality to an Austrian. If he hadn''t, he would face a death penalty. But, Luo Yu Sen¡­. Sometimes, living is far more tortuous than dying! When Qi Mu cleared up the dishes and began to wash them, the man who''d been eating like a freeloader finally found his conscience and rose to help. Looking at the long, slender fingers gently rubbing oil stains on the dishes, Qi Mu felt funny. Leaning against the cupboard, he said, "So from now on, I will cook and you will do the dishes?" Min Chen scrubbed some particrly sticky grains of rice and nodded. "I''m very good at washing dishes." His tone was faintly proud, as if wanting some praise from the young man. But, Qi Mu didn''t know how to praise. He started helping his adoptive parents with household chores when he was around six in his past life, and even then, he did more than this. Qi Mu directly ignored the "Praise me" messages the man was giving off and began to tidy the room. As he was straightening up the room, Min Chen rinsed thest bowl with water and rested it on the disinfection rack. The apartment was equipped with a dishwasher, but¡­ Min Chen felt a little empty doing nothing. When Min Chen left the kitchen in search of Qi Mu, he found the young man wiping the piano in the piano room. The piano was actually very clean. Bright moonlight shone from the window, casting a metallic lustre on the piano board. Seeing the man entering the room, Qi Mu wiped the center of the board and said, "Actually, I was nning to rest tonight and clean the room tomorrow, because you were supposed toe back tomorrow night. I didn''t expect you to return early." Qi Mu was rtively independent. He didn''t like peopleing in and out of his house. Min Chen noticed, so he dismissed his maid early on. But now that he saw the effort it took the young man to wipe the piano board, he regretted the decision a bit, thinking: Isn''t this piano¡­ too big? Well, I should''ve bought a smaller one. Looking at the young man wiping down the 9 foot Steinway, Min Chen wanted to cry. Min Chen stopped Qi Mu from continuing. He took the cloth from the young man''s hand and put it aside. Under Qi Mu''s surprised gaze, he led the youth to sit on the piano stool with him, holding his hands. The ck and white keys shone brightly under the moonlight. Qi Mu still stared at Min Chen, his eyes wide in surprise. Anyone who sat in front of such a grand piano couldn''t help but hold their breath. Min Chen brought his hands to the keys, then covered them with Qi Mu''s. Qi Mu''s palms were a little smaller than Min Chen''s, but their fingers were almost the same length. Qi Mu frowned, then asked, "What is it?" "You told me to hold a separate recital for you, in this room." Because of the tight space and their posture, Min Chen''s deep and maic voice reverberated in Qi Mu''s ear. The warm exhtion brushed his ear, tingling Qi Mu''s senses. Qi Mu finally remembered the words he impulsively uttered in his apartment in Paris. After thinking about it, he smiled helplessly. "Your recital goes on for more than two hours. Are you sure you can y them all right now?" "No¡­ Not all of them." Surprised, Qi Mu looked at the man, only to see Min Chen staring at him with a focused gaze. "Recently, there''s a melody that''s been stuck in my head. It''s short, but it''s the most beautiful sound I''ve ever heard." Qi Mu''s eyes widened, "You have a new piece?!" Min Chen gently nodded. "Yes. I''m a little busy right now, but I will finish it once I''m free." Qi Mu nodded. Looking at his hands on Min Chen''s, he didn''t know whether tough or cry. "Yes, it''s good that you have a new piece, but I can''t y the piano. Even if you put my hands on yours, I couldn''t keep up with your speed, Min Chen." "It doesn''t matter. The piece is an adagio, a very slow adagio." "Really?" There were twomps in the room. One was a crystal chandelier at the center of the room. It shone brightly, lighting up the entire space once it was switched on. The other was on the wall, still bright, but dim inparison. Qi Mu didn''t turn on the chandelier when he entered. Looking at the man''s deep eyes under the dim glow, he was bewitched into agreeing to the ensemble. The next moment, his fingers followed Min Chen''s, gently pressing the keys. Trantor(s): Kuro TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 142
"It''s title is¡ª¡ª" "¡¶The twilight in the moonlight¡·." In the dim room, the man''s sweet, rich voice resounded in Qi Mu''s ears. The next moment, the piano''s clear sound filled the room. It was a gentle adagio. Each key corresponded to a soft, singing tune. The tone was low and melodious, akin to a sea breeze on a moonlit night. Even the ending tremolo was ethereal. Min Chen was right. This adagio was really slow, so slow that even Qi Mu could follow and keep up with his fingers. Even in his first life, Qi Mu had never yed the piano. This was his first time. He watched as his fingers danced across the ck and white keys. It was so fascinating, he couldn''t help but get excited. Under his fingers were Min Chen''s calm and steady ones. If Qi Mu''s fingers were like a child''s first steps, there was no doubt¡­ Min Chen''s fingers were like a man standing on top of the world. At first, Qi Mu only felt the novelty of ying the piano. But as the piece went on, he began to immerse himself in the music. In the soft, beautiful melody, he saw a brilliant beam of moonlight. As clear as water, the world was shrouded in its cold glow. However, a long, narrow ribbon split the world in two, the dividing line between sea and sky. The setting sun gradually sank, but hung firmly over the sea, dyeing the vast sky with its dazzling light. Looking as if they were puffs of steam, the clouds lingered over the distant sea. The two wonders that shouldn''t coexist, moonlight and twilight. But, they were both present, silentlypeting. However, neither was more brilliant than the other. They only enveloped the world below in their masterful scene. The melody stopped but Qi Mu was so immersed, he didn''t return from his reverie. After a long time, he grabbed the man''s arm and looked up to him. Softly, he asked, "Twilight in the moonlight?" Min Chen met his gaze and nodded, then whispered, "Yes, it''s ¡¶Twilight in the Moonlight¡·." Qi Mu had always been smart. If he wasn''t, he wouldn''t have been able to live so peacefully in the orphanage. If he wasn''t smart, he wouldn''t have been able to keep what was left of the inheritance from his adoptive parents when they passed away. And if he wasn''t smart enough, he wouldn''t have been the deputy concertmaster of Wei Jiao by the virtue of his own strength. Such a name, and such feelings brewed into the melody, inexplicably reminded him of several memories. In the end, Qi Mu couldn''t stop himself from smiling. "You seldom write such a soothing piece, Min Chen. You used to pay more attention to skills, like your ¡¶D Major¡· that waspletely for professional musicians." At this, Min Chen elegantly raised an eyebrow. He was very interested in hearing the youth''s evaluation of him. "Although your music style varies, you still retained the German style of ssical music. In fact, your music is still dominated by it. It''s very orthodox, formal, and magnificent. But this ¡¶Twilight in the Moonlight¡·, I think¡­ you''ve made a great change in your style. If Mr. Lyon heard the melody you just yed, he might write a long and colorful review on it." Having finished the short, unfinished piece, Min Chen gently held Qi Mu''s waist with his left hand. With his right hand still resting on the keys, he looked at the young man and said, "I was inspired by something and came up with this song. I saw my Muse Goddess on a moonlit night, though¡­ God cast the wrong gender." Of course Qi Mu knew what he meant. Raising his eyebrows, he said, "Oh? How pitiful your Muse Goddess is. Why don''t you find another one?" Seeing the young man pretend to be angry, Min Chen smiled, then shook his head. "But it''s him that I want, not a goddess." "But he doesn''t need you." As soon as his voice fell, Min Chen pulled Qi Mu''s waist forward, until he fell into his warm chest. Raising his head, Qi Mu saw Min Chen with his lips slightly curled up. He murmured, "Really?" With this question, a warm, familiar breath swept across Qi Mu''s lips. After several months of separation, seeing the man again and meeting him with such a passionate kiss, it was impossible for Qi Mu to not be moved. Sitting sideways on the ck stool, he wrapped his arms around the man''s waist and responded to the kiss. Min Chen''s left hand tightly wound around Qi Mu''s waist while his right hand caressed his hair. The tip of his tongue swept through a familiar space, sucking against his lover''s with each breath. When he got a response, the temperature instantly rose. The rhythm between their lips and tongue created an ambiguous sound in the quiet piano room. In such a dim environment, Qi Mu felt his mind gradually dulling, until only the man he loved was left in his sight, and they¡­ They hadn''t seen each other for a long time. Such warmth, such tolerance, such love that was as deep as the ocean, he was unable to restrain himself. He even acquiesced the man to the next step. (For theplete version of this chapter, please refer to the Author¡¯s Note.) Qi Mu rested on top of Min Chen, hugging him gently and exchanging warm kisses. Min Chen carefully kissed the corner of Qi Mu''s ears, kissing away the physiological tears overflowing from the intense pleasure. They kissed as embraced each other, gradually slipping into another heated love affair. When Qi Mu woke the next day, he was promptly folded by the pain in his waist. "Cough¡­ It hurts¡­" Feeling like he''d been run over by a car, Qi Mu copsed on a soft pillow and opened his eyes in a daze. For a moment, he couldn''t react. Only when the familiar footsteps padded in from the doorway did he wake again. Instantly, he grabbed a pillow and hid his face in it. As soon as he stepped inside, Min Chen saw a ck head of hair burying itself like an ostrich. "¡­" Love and lust were truly evil! Thinking of how he had fallen under lust and made those ambiguous sounds, Qi Mu almost copsed. How could that kind of sounde from his throat?! Well¡­ It wasan illusion, it had to be! "Have some food, I made porridge." The man''s voice was low and helpless. The soft quilt Qi Mu was lying on suddenly sank and he shifted, expressing his reply in action. I''m not eating, absolutely not! Seeing the young man''s actions practically screaming, "I won''t move this pillow even if I die", Min Chen smiled softly, still holding the porridge for Qi Mu. After some thought, he said, "Well, you need to rest a bit. So I called the Palisade Theatre this morning to ask for a leave for you, and your conductor, Wace, happened to answer¡­" Qi Mu stiffened. Min Chen continued, "Well, he asked me who I was and I said I was Auston Bertram. He sounded surprised, then asked what happened, and I told him¡­" "What did you tell him?!!!" Throwing the pillow aside, Qi Mu stared at the man with wide eyes. With great foresight, Min Chen grabbed the pillow and ced it on the edge of the bed. Offering the small bowl in his hand, he whispered, "Well, I lied to you. I told Daniel to do it, I didn''t call the Palisade, myself." Qi Mu: "¡­" Although the young man still wore an expression that said, "I don''t want to pay any attention to you", at least he was agreeing to eat his porridge. Handing the spoon over, Min Cheng caught sight of his pale face and he frowned. In a whisper, he asked, "Is your behind ufortable?" Qi Mu choked on the porridge. "Cough, cough, cough¡­" Finally, Qi Mu gnashed his teeth and said, "It''s fine, but there''s some pain in my waist." After the second round, Qi Mu was quite groggy. He vaguely remembered Min Chen carrying him to the bathroom to clean him. After that, he thought there might''ve been a third round, which he couldn''t bear to think of¡­ Qi Mu covered his face with his hands. He swore to himself that he wouldn''t pay any attention to Min Chen for the entire day! But Min Chen''s next words left him mortified. "By the way, when he heard about you, Lance called your phone. It was a little over half an hour ago. He called three times and I answered thest one." Qi Mu had a bad premonition. "¡­What happened then?" "He asked me what happened to you," Min Chen continued, looking calm. "I told him you weren''t feeling well." "He asked me if I was taking care of you and I said I was. Then, he asked when I returned and I said yesterday. Finally, he asked why you weren''t feeling well and I said¡ª¡ª" Min Chen''s face was nk. "Because your little girlfriend is back." Qi Mu: "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­" Trantor(s): Kuro TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn

Author:

In fact, there''s 7000 words in this chapter! Come andpliment me! I wrote for a long time but could only put 3000 words here QAQ

Kuro:

Sorry guys, I really couldn''t handle tranting smut so we got Empress and Bet doing that chapter, huge and heavy apuse for them! Kofi too, if you''d like. Thank you so much guys for helping me out, I really need to get my time management under control.

Bet:

Monday¡¯s update is going to be the ¡°other half¡± of 142. Keep your eyes peeled. ??
Chapter 142 part2
NSFWThe omitted piece from 142 below. Beware.Content Min Chen''s tender kisses fell between Qi Mu''s eyebrows. Each was delicately ced like he held something precious in his arms. He kissed every inch lovingly, and the young man''sshes brushed against his skin, feather-light. He pressed his lips to Qi Mu''s ear and stroked his tongue along the younger man''s earlobe, teeth nipping the edge. "En¡­" Qi Mu''s sensitive skin flushed a brilliant red. He''d never been so thankful he hadn''t turned on the lights. At least¡­ the man couldn''t see his scarlet cheeks. Min Chen continued to nibble at his ear, his hands sliding low on his waist. His thin sweater offered meager resistance to his touch, rubbing against his skin. Every caress warmed his body, intensifying his sensitivity. Faint murmurs escaped Qi Mu''s lips, "Hmm¡­ mmm¡­" Min Chen''s dexterous hands slid the sweater up Qi Mu''s thin waist and along his bared flesh. Curiously, a finger brushed his right nipple and kneaded into it. "Mmm¡­" He quickly sealed Qi Mu''s soft moan with his lips. The light was dim, and Qi Mu''s eyes squeezed shut, but despite, or perhaps due to, the darkness, he felt Min Chen''s hands on his chest all the more clearly. "Ah¡­" The roughened tips of Min Chen''s fingers teased his sensitive skin, drawing yet another moan from him, but before it could be released, the man had already swept him into another kiss. By the time he was let go, Qi Mu was breathless. Somewhere along the way, Min Chen had stripped him of his shirt. Something warm and wet touched his chest, and his eyes blew wide open. Min Chen was bent over him, licking and sucking at his nipple. "Nnn¡­ Min Chen, be gentler¡­" Min Chen grasped his hip in response, and tingling pleasure pooled in Qi Mu''s chest. As the touch lightened, crisp, numbing delight swept to his brain along teased nerves. The man''s hand slid low to curl around his length, and he continued to lick sweet, red bites into the most vulnerable parts of Qi Mu''s body. "Hnnn¡­ Min Chen, lighter¡­" Precum dribbled from the tip of his length as everything only increased his sensitivity, and Qi Mu leaned back against the piano keys. They were cold in startling contrast to the heat pressed against his front, but all his sensory attention was focused south where Min Chen touched, stroked, and kneaded him. "Enn¡­ Min¡­ Min Chen¡­" Dizzy from the stimtion, he grabbed hold of Min Chen and dragged him closer into another hot kiss to seal away the uncontroble urge to moan. Saliva escaped their mouths from the desperation of their kiss, and both their skin flushed an ambiguous, bright color. Their breath lingered in the sparse distance between them, Qi Mu was all the more helpless in Min Chen''s hands. His low, unrestrained moan faded into a deep whine. The kiss had started with him, but it did not end with him. Min Chen''s long fingers dipped low and teased his balls. He rolled them gently, and the fatal pleasure rolled up Qi Mu''s spine and his eyes threatened to roll back in his head. "Ah¡­ Don''t¡­ mmm¡­" And they were kissing again. He could only groan helplessly as Min Chen rubbed, tugged, and thoroughly teased the most sensitive part of his body. The pleasure built there, steady and strong, until white delight emerged in totality. "Ah, ah¡­ ah¡­ ah. Ah! ¡­" It had grown too much too fast, and his release sttered so high a few drops reached Qi Mu''s chin. White shed against white, but he was in no state of mind to notice as his tongue blindly darted out to lick it away. Min Chen''s eyes darkened above him as blood surged into his lower body. This time, it was impossible to stop. Qi Mu, who had released once already, regained his awareness and lifted his gaze to look at the man that held him. He was stunned, for a moment, at what he saw in those deep eyes, but then he smiled and reached for him. There, Min Chen was already hot enough to scorch, but through the thin cloth, Qi Mu''s fingers tentatively traced his shape. Qi Mu was a little surprised at first, then he became a little eager to please. The bench was long, about a meter and a half, and when Qi Muid down on it, the leather chaffed against his sensitive back. Min Chenid over him in the opposite direction and Qi Mu''s fingers gently caressed the man''srge, engorged cock. Despite it being so close to his face, he couldn''t see it clearly in the dim light, but he could feel it¡ª¡ª It throbbed. If I turn on the light, I''ll know what it looks like¡­ Qi Mu considered it, and heat flooded his belly. He shivered, suddenly understanding what Min Chen intended to do. His soft, hot mouth wasn''tparable to his rough fingers, and the intense pleasure of being enclosed in such a tight, warm ce had Qi Mu feeling faint. Hazily, unconsciously, he followed Min Chen''s scent to mimic his actions. He swallowed thickly and opened his mouth. "Hmm¡­" Min Chen froze above him. He could hardly believe the soft touch of Qi Mu''s tongue, but the increasing pleasure building in him washed away the surprise. He stretched a little and coated one hand in lubricant then stroked along the insides of Qi Mu''s thighs¡ª¡ª Probing in without warning! Qi Mu stiffened at the sudden intrusion, but Min Chen''s deep voice coaxed, "Rx¡­ ah¡­" He tried to soften his muscles, but neither did Min Chen let him go so easily. He slowly retracted his finger and plunged it back in, stroking along Qi Mu''s insides. At the time, Qi Mu had no idea he was searching for something. All he knew was the gradual shift from awkward intrusion to steady pleasure. His throat seized up. The younger musician stroked Min Chen''srge erection with his fingers. He couldn''t fit it in his mouth, and only the tip of his tongue could roll over it as he teased it with his hands. Min Chen''s musk filled his nose and mouth, and Min Chen''s mouth returned to his erection as he stretched Qi Mu wider. Qi Mu couldn''t help his contented moan. He pulled off Min Chen''s shaft, which was coated in transparent fluid. Like a lotus root, a thread connected it to the corner of his mouth. He couldn''t tell if it was precum or more saliva, but it didn''t matter. "Ah¡­ softer, Min¡­ lighter, ah¡­" Suddenly, Qi Mu seized from head to toe. His toes curled, eyes wide, and sparks flew along his spine as Min Chen swallowed his entire length. Min Chen returned to his senses at the shrieking groan and prodded Qi Mu''s half-erection. At Qi Mu''s response, he pressed into him with his fingers, one quickly doubling, then a third, and a fourth¡­ Each drag of his fingers was an imitation, a mockery, of intercourse, strong and intense, stroking each point within. Qi Mu could hardly handle the man anymore and copsed onto the piano bench, groaning. Just as Qi Mu thought he was about to reach another orgasm, already flutteringly light¡ª¡ª Something split him in two straight to his core. "Ah¡­ ugh, hnnn¡­" The painful cry eased the urgency of Min Chen''s erection, almost withering. Even with intense preparation, four fingers could notpare with a penis. Min Chen settled in, nestled inside Qi Mu''s delightfully warm passage, and frowned, stooping to kiss the young man''s shuttered eyes. "Does it hurt¡­?" In all honesty, the shock of painsted for only a moment, more for stretching so suddenly. When Min Chen drew out, Qi Mu only felt a strange emptiness. Especially as Min Chen''srge cock dragged over his sweetest spot. Qi Mu shivered and clung to him tighter. "No¡­e back, ah¡­ harder¡­ ahhhh¡­" With that kind of encouragement, Min Chen''s eyes darkened, and he pushed back in. Every thrust in forced him as deep as he could reach, and every time he pulled out, the tip rested at Qi Mu''s entrance, suckled by his lover''s contracting desire. It felt more and more like deadly pleasure, drawing the strength from Qi Mu''s body, and he copsed into Min Chen''s embrace. That fatal taste of ecstasy built on the tip of his tongue, on the tip of that engorged penis. "Ah¡­ Ah¡­ Ah¡­ There¡­ I''m almost there¡­." Prostate rubbed red and raw from the friction, his pleasure swelled from within, and his body softened, making each plunging thrust all the smoother. Min Chen kissed the man under him, tender as his deep thrusts were powerful. He despaired, for a brief moment, that no one had turned on the light. Each tug of his erection dragged Qi Mu''s hole outward, and each time he thrust back in, it caved with him. The sound of his thrusts were abrupt in the quiet piano room, but they were too immersed in lust to care. "Unnn¡­ Min¡­ Min Chen¡­ Ah¡­" "Qi Mu¡­ nnn¡­" "Ah, ah¡­ Ah, ah, ah¡­" Nearing his end, Min Chen pulled him up and flipped them over. The shift numbed Qi Mu from top to bottom. He clung to Min Chen''s shoulder. "Mmmm!" Min Chen uttered a sigh of satisfaction and held Qi Mu''s waist, easing him up then down again. At first, he was gentle, but each thrust grew in force. Under the easy influence of gravity, his entire length was swallowed by Qi Mu''s small hole and stroke that incredible sea of sparks. Qi Mu held him feebly, voice lost in a low groan. His erection rested against Min Chen''s waist, precum glossing his skin. His back, undted with disaster, each squelch adding to the ambiguous melody. In, out. In, out. This one, primitive motion took away all of Qi Mu''s resistance. On the next fatal thrust, he moaned. "I want to¡­" he gasped into Min Chen''s eat, "Nnn¡­ I want to¡­ Min¡­ ah¡­" The man''s thrusts only grew fiercer. "We¡­ together, un¡­" "Min¡­ ah, ah, ah, Min Chen¡­" "Qi Mu¡­ Mm¡­ I love you¡­" "Un¡­ I love you¡­ Ah¡­ Ah¡­ Ah¡­" With another high-pitched groan, white erupted from Qi Mi''s lower body and sttered their chests. His intestines, too, seized around Min Chen''s length, constricting it. Min Chen uttered a guttural hum, and his semen coated Qi Mu''s insides. "Nnnn¡­" Qi Mu trembled with the intense heat, waves of pleasure wracking his brain. The experience entirely separate from his ejaction shuddered through him, and he copsed onto Min Chen in a heap. He groaned as Min Chen''s breaths came in rough pants against his ear. Min Chen didn''t pull away for a long time, letting his softening erection press against Qi Mu''s stimted prostate. Only after his hole started overflowing did Min Chen pull out and let everything flow down Qi Mu''s white thighs. Trantor(s): Empress TL Check: Bet Editor(s): Bet Proofer(s): Empress

Bet:

Today¡¯s is a bitte because of this one¡¯s¡­ scandalous nature. Bear with us. (And, okay, so if anyone¡¯s followed DPB, you know I cannot stand the mushy parts of romance. There was lots of screeching.)
Chapter 143 When his old friend entrusted his beloved student to him, Lance ensured that he took good care of Qi Mu. Besides, Little Seven was a lovely child, so when he came to Vienna, Lance watched over him with a careful eye. When Wace said that Qi Mu was ill, naturally, he called to ask. But his first call wasn''t answered, and neither was the second! Only on his third call did someone finally answer. It wasn''t easy to get the call connected but when it got through¡­ Lance was shocked by the person who answered. Because of family matters and his health, Lance faded out of the ssical music circle as early as a decade ago. In the beginning, he still performed a few times, but he rarely did so as ofte. He just stayed in Vienna peacefully in his old age. However, the name Auston Bertram didn''t escape him. To be honest, while he had heard of this king of the new generation, he didn''t pay much attention to him. When this man suddenly appeared in Qi Mu''s home and spoke with him, he suddenly realized¡ª¡ª "Little Seven''s little girlfriend is back and he''s still there?! This is a problem!" At noon that day, Lance went to Qi Mu''s house carrying arge bag of fruits, cereal and nutritional products with him. When he was downstairs, he was quite stunned. It was a high-endmunity, located at the center of Vienna. It certainly wasn''t cheap. He''d had Qi Mu''s address for a while, but he didn''t pay enough attention to it. Now that he was there for the first time, he subconsciously thought, "Little Seven¡­ is quite rich?" When he reached the top floor and saw the man at the door, they stared at each other for a while before he smiled and said, "Hello, Auston Bertram. I''m here to visit Little Seven." After he answered Lance''s call, he didn''t expect the old man to visit Qi Mu in person. But his behavior touched him a bit, as it meant that the old man really cared for Qi Mu. Min Chen politely led Lance to Qi Mu''s room, where he was surprised to see the old man. After hearing Lance''s intention, Qi Mu was very moved and talked a lot with him. "Mr. Lance, I''m really fine. Sorry for troubling you to visit me in person." Lance smiled and shook his head. "Little Seven, since your teacher entrusted your care to me, I have to do it well. I''m relieved to see you''re fine. You need to take care of yourself, the seasons are changing now. I heard many people caught a cold, did you catch a cold too?" Feeling the pain in his backside, Qi Mu calmly smiled and said, "It seems so, Mr. Lance. My throat is a bit sore." As he spoke, he red at the man sitting at his side. Min Chen kept his head down with a thick face, focusing on peeling an apple. His face was calm as his fingers moved, and after a short while, a cleanly peeled apple rested in his hands. He''d already washed it before Lance came, so after he finished peeling it, Min Chen offered the apple to Qi Mu. But the next second, Qi Mu handed the apple over to Lance and said, "Mr. Lance, would you like this apple? It''s very sweet." Min Chen: "¡­" After knowing Qi Mu for a while, Lance was familiar enough that he didn''t refuse. "Thank you very much, Little Seven. But it seems to have troubled Auston." "No trouble, none at all," Qi Mu said, "He ys piano a lot, so his fingers are extremely dextrous." Min Chen: "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­" But I cut it for you, humph! Although he was haughty and wanted to be spoiled, under the young man''s threatening re that screamed "Do you want to do it or not?", Min Chen had no choice but to deadpan, "Well, I can do it. I can also cut it into the shape of a flower." "Oh? Really?!" Lance was interested while Qi Mu only smiled. Auston Bertram, nicknamed "The King" of the ssical music world, was like a virtuous housewife now. Like waving his baton and ying the piano, his hands cut the apple into a flower. Lance was very surprised. "It''s really beautiful!" Min Chen puffed out his chest, waiting for the young man''s praise. "Well, this is very simple for him. There''s not much to say." Min Chen: "¡­¡­" After chatting for a bit, Min Chen was sent away to clean the apartment while Qi Mu apanied Lance to tour the apartment. Lance was a nostalgic man whose house was designed in the style of medieval Europe. He rarely saw such a modern Bauhaus styled home. Therefore, he was really interested in taking a look from every angle. When they arrived in front of a tall, mahogany door, Qi Mu said, "Mr. Lance, this is the piano room. I''ve practiced here since I came to Vienna. You cane in and take a look." Mr. Lance smiled and nodded. "Okay, Little Seven." The beautiful young man gently pushed the door open. The bright yet gentle sunlight shone through the crack of the door. The golden sunlight was like ayer of tulle, covering the room and the man cleaning the piano. Qi Mu: "¡­¡­" Min Chen: "¡­¡­" "Bang¡ª¡ª" Before Lance could see clearly, Qi Mu hurriedly mmed the door close. Under the inexplicable eyes of the old man, Qi Mu smiled stiffly and said, "Mr. Lance¡­ There were a lot of things ced here a few days ago that need to be sorted out before anyone cane in." Lance: "¡­¡­?" You just said you practiced here everyday¡­. Qi Mu gritted his teeth. "Let''s go and take a look at other ces." Lance: "¡­.Yeah." Outside, the young man continued to take the maestro on a tour of the house. Inside, the man calmly worked with a wet towel. The fingers that were supposed to only y the piano were carefully wiping the very thin seams along the piano keys, clearing away some possibly condemning evidence inside. You gotta clean up the crime scene. And since he chose the piano room¡­ he would bear the consequences. Wiping the stool, Min Chen thought, How about putting the cover down while doing it? Well¡­ let''s try itter when we have the chance. Lance left after lunch. Before leaving, he told Qi Mu in a lot of words to take care of his health, leaving Qi Mu feeling touched. But, when he stepped one foot outside the door, Lance suddenly remembered, "Oh, yes, Little Seven. Why didn¡¯t I see your lovely little girlfriend?" Min Chen instantly froze, quietly looking at the young man by his side. Qi Mu''s smile slowly brightened. Under Lance''s confused gaze, he suddenly pulled Min Chen¡¯s arm and said, "Mr. Lance, actually¡­ he''s my little girlfriend." The excited "little girlfriend" Min Chen: "!!!" The frightened Lance: "¡­!!!!!" The atmosphere inside the house was truly romantic. Looking at the match made in heaven, Lance deeply felt the malice of the universe. He had been single for many years. After giving his blessings to Little Seven and his little girlfriend¡­ cough, little boyfriend, Lance hurriedly left, not wanting to be hurt anymore. After the door closed with a click, the room fell into dead silence. The young man casually shook off the man''s hand and sat on the sofa, his lips no longer curled up in a smile. He then gently kneaded his waist with his right hand to relieve the pain. After hesitating for a while, the man went to Qi Mu and helped him massage his waist to please him. As he did, he whispered, "Is it painful?" "Of course!" Seeing the young man''s childish behavior, Min Chen couldn''t help butugh, "Well, since you''re in pain, then¡­ Take another day off tomorrow?" Qi Mu: "¡­¡­It doesn''t hurt anymore." The two young lovers whispered together in the spacious apartment. The atmosphere was warm and beautiful, and although the young man still wore an angry expression, his voice leaked the love within. Once he returned home that night, Lance wrote a passage in his diary. ¡ºTo my dear Christina, It''s been a good day today, how is your day in heaven? I told you that Little Seven was ill today, but it''s just a byproduct of love, so you don''t have to worry. He''s a clever child. I saw his¡­ boyfriend today. It''s that Auston Bertram I told you about a long time ago. They are both talented and sensible children. I am very pleased with them and sincerely wish the best for them. Maybe Little Seven didn''t notice it, but when I stepped into that house, the tender, considerate, and extremely meticulous care made me understand something. Tina, when I saw them, it was like looking at us. I used to look at you with those eyes, just like how Auston looks at Little Seven. I couldn''t hide my deep love. It''s been years since Ist thought of it. I hope you''re doing well in heaven. Your Lance.¡» Chapter 144 By the end of the year, several things were happening in Europe¡¯s ssical music circle. Almost all the major orchestras had some kind of gossip. Of course, the scandal involving Wei Ai and Wei Jiao stole the spotlight and had blown up in Vienna and the rest of Europe, with little signs of slowing. Just when the me was about to extinguish, news came out that Leon Zayev publicly sold the position of deputy chief for Wei Ai. After a brief respite, it was suddenly made clear that Luo Yu Sen had been isted by the members of Wei Jiao. The scandal was nearly the on thing musicians and fans'' minds when a clear stream suddenly flowed onto the magma-coverednd¡ª¡ª Bai Ai was about to begin their second tost tour! The scheduled concert had to be postponed for a week because of their a day and a half dy in S City. One day was the equivalent of 24 hours of rehearsal to get familiar with their repertoire. Each repertoire was different, so one day was valuable rehearsal time. In the Golden Hall, every performance had to be booked in advance. So when Bai Ai had to postpone their performance, the concert hall who got their hall fully booked ced their schedule a weekter. Fortunately, theirst concert would be held on their own turf, in the Berlin Philharmonic Hall. Otherwise, they''d have much more trouble. After resting for a whole day, Qi Mu got up early and went out to do his morning exercises. He also made hisst payment to Charles along the way. After receiving the confirmation message from him, Qi Mu deleted the private detective¡¯s number andpletely buried the matter in his heart. Qi Mu didn''t ask Charles to do anything illegal, just to find out the truth. As a private detective, Charles abided by professional ethics and conducts, so he would keep everything secret. Even if it waster known that he asked Charles to do those things, Qi Mu had a clear conscience that¡ª¡ª What he investigated was the truth. Even the police found more concrete evidence, didn''t they? When Qi Mu returned home, the rice porridge in the rice cooker had already turned soft. He scooped out two bowls of porridge and left the kitchen. Only then, he saw the handsome man had finished showering and was sitting at the dining table, looking at himself. Qi Mu raised his eyebrows and stepped forward, "You''re awake?" Min Chen arranged the chopsticks and spoons, then spoke, his tone wilting, "You didn''t wake me up." The previous night, Qi Mu promised Min Chen that he would wake him up before his morning exercises. But that morning, he rose before the sky was bright and went out quietly without any intention of waking Min Chen. Hearing this, Qi Mu''s hands stopped, then he smiled helplessly. "I woke up too early this morning, so I didn''t want to wake you. I promise to wake you up everyday after this, okay?" The man replied with a soft humph and Qi Mu coaxed him with a few more words. He promised he would cook for the proud, yet charming guy after he returned from the theatre that evening. Only then did he stop sulking. While eating light dishes with the porridge, Qi Mu told Min Chen about the Palisade Theatre, smiling as he did. However, he didn''t notice the man who kept responding to him in a low voice was looking at him with a deep and obscured gaze. In fact¡­ Min Chen woke up the moment Qi Mu did. He felt that the young man was deliberately moving quietly, as if he didn''t want him to notice, so he yed along. He already had some guesses in mind why. Min Chen''s eyesight was pretty good but in the foggy morning, he couldn''t clearly see the corner of the building from the top floor. So, he took out his prescription sses that he hadn''t used for ages and watched as the young man stood before the ATM machine at the end of the street. His eyes narrowed, Min Chen made no mention of it. ¡­That thing should be over now? During Qi Mu''s usual morning routine, Min Chen made several phone calls and began to take over the matter that Qi Mu thought has been solved. When Min Chen sat at the dining table and saw the young man''s natural, warm smile, his heart trembled. He understood now¡ª¡ª Qi Mu had left it behind. However, while Qi Mu waspletely relieved, Min Chen was the opposite. Most people knew Auston Bertram as a tolerant gentleman, elegant and polite to everyone. But only a few who were familiar with him like Daniel and Qi Mu knew¡­. The man was verypetty. When Daniel first came to Bai Ai for an interview, Min Chen was the assistant conductor at that time. On that day, the former conductor was taking Daniel to the rehearsal hall for a tour and Min Chen was demonstrating a piece for a violinist. Min Chen was excellent with piano, but his violin¡­ wasn''t ttering. Anyway, at his level, whether or not he could enter Bai Ai with his violin skill need not be said. Therefore, after hearing Min Chen''s violin, Daniel politely said, "Mr. Laurent, this violinist''s skill is quite average. He seemed to have made a mistake in this ¡¶Symphonie Espagnole¡·just now." Laurent shook his head. "Daniel, don''t you recognize him? That''s Auston Bertram, he''s our assistant conductor. He''s not in the violin group." "Oh my God, I didn''t recognize him!" Daniel said that quietly, but he forgot that a certain man had excellent hearing. So when Min Chen bullied him for a whole year afterwards, Daniel couldn''t help but ask, "Auston, you bastard. What did I do?" Min Chen converged his gaze and calmly said, "My violin is very good." Even after a year, Min Chen could still remember a single word. As for Luo Yu Sen and Leon Zayev, Min Chen had already recorded their names on his list. How could the word "arrested" settle everything? He would never forget the cold winter that year when he went to a mortuary as a friend. He didn''t dare to open the white cloth, but one pale hand fell away from the cloth. The hand was stiff and pale and all fingertips were bruised blue. The messy fingertips, the broken skin and fingernails, they were all imprinted in his memory, forever there. What kind of desperate pain would make a violinist hurt his fingers like that?! Looking at the youth''s bright, gentle smile, Min Chen converged his gaze, hiding his intense emotions behind his deep eyes. The victim no longer cared but¡­ he did! Because this was his beloved. Those people had no right to hurt him! "Are you really going to the Palisade Theatre with me now? I think it''s better for you to meet with Daniel at the Musikverein first, or I''ll just reserve a seat for you in the evening. Would you like to listen to our performance tonight?" Qi Mu didn''t notice the man''s deep gaze. He smiled while taking another bowl of porridge for them both and added, "Our ¡¶The Marriage of Figaro¡·is quite good. I think it''s not bad, but not quite as good as Mr. Farrell''s Don Quixote." Min Chen''s thin lips curled up in a slight smile, the emotions in his eyes quickly swept away. Raising an eyebrow, he said, "Better than Farrell?" Qi Mu : "¡­Don''t!!!" After a warm breakfast, the two stood in the wardrobe and put on coats for their outing. About to wrap a scarf around the youth''s neck, Min Chen stopped when Qi Mu suddenly said, "Ah, I bought you a birthday present and forgot to give it to you!" Min Chen''s pupils shrank. "Present?" Qi Mu nodded softly and took out a small gift bag from apartment. Taking out its contents, he sighed, "I bought it in Paris, but I could only give it to you now. I thought it would be quite meaningful but¡­ Compared with your wrist guards, I mean, your gloves, it doesn''t seem to be so meaningful." Min Chen''s thin lips pursed, but his heart was screaming. They are gloves! Gloves! Gloves! Qi Mu didn''t mind the man''s awkward expression. Taking out the metal bracelet from the gift bag, he gently sped it on Min Chen''s left wrist. He then took another one and fastened it on his right hand. "You can only buy these beads in Paris and Vienna." Chuckling, Qi Mu rubbed the jewels on the metal bracelet. "After we go to other ces, we can string beads from those ces as well. When I was in college, I heard many students say that they often bought a pair for their lovers, representing the memories of the time they spent together. They''re not expensive but they''re very meaningful." Qi Mu was greeted with the man''s broad, warm chest. "Yes, it''s the time we spent together." Before setting out, Min Chen reached out for Qi Mu''s waist and gently kissed his lips. And when they went out, they each went in separate directions. The Palisade Theatre was very close by, so it was better to take the subway than face a traffic jam. When Qi Mu stood on the subway''s tform, he suddenly felt cold. So, he took out the wrist guards¡­ Oops, no. The gloves. The delicate bracelet that adorned Qi Mu''s slender wrist and the funny looking wool gloves protected his hands from the wind. After entering the theatre and catching everyone''s attention with the gloves, Qi Mu just waved his hand and said, "My lover made them. Lovely, aren''t they?" The crowd then burst intoughter. "Little Seven, your girlfriend is so cute." The cute little girlfriend, who had just entered the Musikverein, sneezed heavily. Chapter 145 Even after more than half a month, ¡¶The Marriage of Figaro¡· showed no signs of slowing as audiences continued to pour in the Palisade Theatre, buying tickets for the performance. In the early winter nights in Vienna, the moon already hung high in the sky and retro-style buildings stood like castles from medieval times. Dozens of people entered the theatre, waiting for the opera to start. "Locke, I didn''t expect you to listen to ¡¶Figaro¡·!" "Haha, Des, I never thought I''d see you. Didn''t youest week? Why are you here again?" "Hey, didn''t you guys share your tickets on Facebook the other day? Why are you guys here again?" Two middle-aged men looked at each other, then tactifully smiled and walked into the theatre side by side. As long as the opera was good enough, it always attracted an audience to watch it over and over again. Even if the singer sang the same track, the different asions brought out something new for the audiences. And the Palisade Theatre''s recent progress was obvious to all, particrly their orchestra apaniment. They were sometimes as majestic as the thunder, sometimes as sentimental as a lover''s whisper. Just listening to the apaniment was worth the money. Even a famous music critic in Vienna, Schaffer, gave high praise to the Palisade Theatre''s ¡¶The Wedding of Figaro¡·in the ¡¶The Voice of Vienna¡·, saying, "The orchestra improved at an amazing speed. Their cooperation, adjustment, and sensitivity to music are all growing rapidly. This is an unforgettable ¡¶The Wedding of Figaro¡·. They hide behind the actors, but without a doubt, they''re all hidden heroes!" When Daniel arrived at the theatre, he stood in front of the beautiful European-style building and nodded. "I''ve only seen the Palisade Theatre once, but it''s quite a big theatre, Christole." Stepping out of the car, Christole smiled helplessly."Daniel, the Palisade is one of the famous private theatres in Vienna. Their opera has always been excellent." Daniel nodded, then turned to the other man. "By the way, Min, where''s the ticket?" In the dark night, a handsome man with deep facial features stood on the side of the street, his eyes closed. He was dressed in a ck, custom-made suit, tailored to fit his figure perfectly. Most of his face was obscured in the darkness, making it hard for anyone to recognize him. "No ticket for you." After a pause, Min Chen turned to Christole and said, "Christole, don''t bother with him." Daniel immediately retorted, "Nonsense! When Little Angel sent the tickets, I clearly saw there were five of them! The rest of the orchestra didn''t daree with you, so you dragged me and Christole along! I haven''t listened to Little Angel''s violin for a while. You, give the ticket right now!" Min Chen raised his eyebrows, but before he could speak, Christole helplessly said, "Auston, I don''t think Angel wanted you to sit alone and leave the other four seats vacant. He sent you five tickets, after all. The opera is about to start. Let''s go, shall we?" The battle ended with a peacemaker and Min Chen reluctantly went into the hall with Daniel and Christole. The opera was starting up when they got in, so the only light sources were the dimly litmps on the walls. Thus, they entered the hall unnoticed. After a long opening bell, the remaining lights in the theatre flicked out and the hall fell dark. Even Daniel stayed silent after the opening bell, waiting for the opera to begin. The first sound they heard was a soft violin. The beauty of the string instrument was vivid in the darkness. After the wind instruments joined in, the curtain opened and the stage lit up as the actors began to perform. When the first track ended, Daniel whispered, "The singing is good, but it''s not good enough for people to fill the theater for half a month. The orchestra is really good, though. What do you think?" "The string instrument group yed well, the woodwind is a bitcking," Christolemented with a smile. Daniel then turned to the man at his other side. "Min, what do you think?" "It''s good." After a pause, the man added, "The concertmaster is the best." Daniel: "¡­" Don''t praise your Little Angel all the time! You wanna die, ah?! Although Daniel didn''t have much musical background, he studied piano and ordion for more than a decade. As Bai Ai''s agent, he was also influenced by the excellent music in his years of service. Therefore,pared to many other simple fans, he was more qualified toment on the opera. If Daniel could hear the orchestra''s excellent performance, then Christole could hear the different instruments even better. When he pointed out that the string instruments were good, what he was implying was, "the violin group is really good". Of course, Christole could only hear the instruments together from his position, but Min Chen¡­ He had already found the violin he''d been waiting for from the beginning. Thest time he heard the youth''s violin was in Paris. Back then, they both stood on stage together as they yed ¡¶Spring Sonata¡·. The sound of the piano and violin whispering to each other still rang in his ears. But now, the youth already had the ability to lead an orchestra by himself. He performed such a beautiful, moving melody. He was progressing rapidly¡­ No, he was improving too quickly! Even the stoic Min Chen was deeply shocked by this horrifying speed. He felt a heavy pressure in his chest. When the ssic tracks ended, Daniel gave an apuse. At the end of the opera, a chorus of "Bravo"s echoed from the back of the audience hall before a roaring apuse. While apuding, Daniel praised, "Christole, their performance is really good. It''s at the level of the Vienna National Opera, don''t you think? I haven''t heard such a skillful ¡¶The Wedding of Figaro¡· for so long. It''s very beautiful." Christole nodded. "Yes, the singing was good. Moreover, by the second act, the orchestra apaniment was excellent, making the opera as a whole even more outstanding." After a slight pause, he smiled and added, "If Angel is the concertmaster of this orchestra, then¡­ I might be feeling some pressure." Hearing this, Daniel raised an eyebrow. "You''re worried that he might surpass you someday?" Christole replied, "You think that day is still very far away?" Daniel''s understanding of string instruments was average. "Little Angel is only 22 this year, while you were 25 when you joined Bai Ai. To surpass you back then, I think Little Angel could''ve done it in a year or two. But the current you¡­ it''s absolutely impossible. Don''t think so little of yourself, Christole." Not refuting Daniel''s words, Christole smiled and nodded under the hall lights. Then, he looked at the man sitting opposite of him. In a short moment, the chief conductor and concertmaster of Bai Ai reached a consensus¡ª¡ª That day might not be so far away. They must work harder. At the end of the performance, the audience chanted a warm chorus of "Encore". Since they were so enthusiastic, the Palisade Theatre Orchestra and the actors performed another ssic. Min Chen didn''t stay for the encore. Before all the lights were turned on, the three quietly left the hall. Daniel and Christole went back first while Min Chen nced at the signposts, then at the path to the Palisade Theatre''s backstage. Seeing the backstage entrance before him, he took a step closer, when¡­ He was stopped. The security guard between the front entrance and the backstage entrance eyed him suspiciously, seeing only half his jaw, as most of his face was hidden beneath a ck mask. ¡­Dressed up like a thief, he was definitely not a good person! A tall, burly security guard sternly called, "Sir, this is a workers only area. Please turn back." Hesitating, Min Chen looked up at the man and whispered, "My¡­ friend works with the theatre''s orchestra. I''m picking him up." The security guard hesitated, then shook his head. "Then please wait for your friend outside, sir." With a particrly long sigh, Min Chen took off the mask, his gaze cold. With a calm tone and an elegant, noble temperament, he said, "I''m Auston Bertram and I have an appointment with Mr. Wace, the conductor of the orchestra." The moment he took the mask off, the security guard''s eyes widened. Then, he frowned and doubtfully asked, "Begging you pardon, sir. But¡­ who is Auston Bertram?" Min Chen, whose face was a little painful at the moment: "¡­" Outside the opera hall, an indifferent-looking man and a burly security guard stared at each other in a deadlock. Finally, a staff member of the Palisade Theatre passed by and broke the silence. "Au¡­ Au¡­ Mr. Auston Bertram?!!!" Min Chen nodded and calmly said, "Hello. I want to go backstage to find a friend." "Ah¡­ Sure!!! Please follow me!!!!" cing his hand on his chest, Min Chen then politely bowed to the confused security guard and said, "You are very dedicated." Then, he then strode away with his long legs, following the staff member. Look, it''s not that I''m not famous! It''s him that knew too little! Humph! Chapter 146 As the concertmaster, Qi Mu led the members of the orchestra alongside Wace to bow to the audience before going backstage. As soon as he entered the backstage, he was stunned by the crowd of people around a person. As he got closer, he heard¡ª¡ª "Bert¡­ Mr. Bertram, I love your ¡¶Night Tsunami¡·. Can I get your autograph?" "Mr. Bertram, the concert you conductedst year in Berlin is a particr favorite of mine. Can I have your signature?" "Mr. Bertram, actually¡­ I''m a big fan of Christole! Can you please give him my regards and admiration? I am Karlov, from the Palisade Theatre Orchestra." ¡­¡­ Sometimes you could hear someone''s praises before you even saw their face. Qi Mu stood outside of the crowd with his violin in hand, unsure whether to join them or leave. Just as he hesitated, one of the woodwind group''s member noticed him and shouted, "Hey, Little Seven is here, Little Seven is here!" Under everyone''s surprise, the crowd split in the middle for Qi Mu to pass, just like how the sea parted for Moses. The crowd parted to reveal a cold and indifferent-looking man, sitting in front of a makeshift table. He turned to Qi Mu. On that tabley a jumble of notebooks, autograph books, and crumpled papers from who-knew-where. Before Qi Mu showed up, Min Chen had already signed arge portion of them. Once Qi Mu arrived, he flexed his wrist, then flourished "Min Chen" onest time. Min Chen didn''t stay for the encore, so when he went backstage, the musicians and the actors were still onstage. When the encore was over and the musicians went backstage, Min Chen was standing in front of a wall, looking at the orchestra''s records. To use an inappropriate metaphor, when the first member of the orchestra found this "intruder", their eyes lit up with a bright green sh,plete with an rm ring in their head. They stood frozen to the spot. The first person stopped, then followed by the second, third, and fourth¡­ Then, someone eximed, "Mr. Auston Bertram?!" The rest was history, resulting in the scene Qi Mu nowid eyes on: Min Chen as meat in front of dogs. Before Qi Mu could say anything, at one of the most awkward moments, one of the violinists said, "Little Seven, you didn''t tell us you knew Mr. Auston! My favourite is Christole! Humph, I won''t talk to you all day tomorrow!" The next moment, someone else joined in, "Right? I also like Mr. Bertram, super like! Little Seven, you''re not so loveable anymore! I won''t talk to you tomorrow!" "Me too, I''ll ignore you tomorrow too, Little Seven!" "Me three, count me in. Little Seven, how could you even hide this from us, you bad guy!" ¡­¡­ After such a remark, naturally others followed. Qi Mu suddenly found himself with no one to talk to tomorrow. Raising his hands in defeat, he said, "Yes, yes, yes, it''s my fault¡­ I''ll leave you guys alone tomorrow, then?" In unison, the crowd called, "No way!!!" Qi Mu: "¡­" This partial treatment is too obvious! After the members all dispersed, Min Chen greeted Wace and chatted for a bit before leaving with Qi Mu. The Palisade Theatre was a local theatre, with most of their promances made on-site, so Min Chen was unfamiliar with both the theatre and the orchestra. The howling of the wind tore through the streets of Vienna on the cold winter night. Underneath the foot, the ground was covered in a dusting of snow,making the world look cold with only a nce. When Qi Mu and Min Chen left backstage together, the wind made the youth shrink his neck back into the warmth of his wool scarf, despite the parking lot being only 500 meters away. Qi Mu was very fond of the scarf, as Min Chen sent it specially for him when Bai Ai went to Stockholm. ording to Min Chen, his mother often visited the shop to have scarves and gloves made, and their skill was always astounding. "Cold?" Min Chen whispered his question, seeing his lover''s ufortable expression. Qi Mu raised his head to look at the other man and saw that he was only wearing a thin coat, his hands resting leisurely at his sides. His face calm, he didn¡¯t seem to feel the cold at all. Seeing the man''s harsh expression, Qi Mu suddenly had an epiphany. Of course ice won''t be afraid of the cold! Regardless of his funny thought, Qi Mu smiled and said, "Well, it''s not that cold, just my hands¡­" Mentioning his hands, Qi Mu suddenly stopped, then quickly took out a pair of gloves from his pocket and slipped one of them on. "I forgot these gloves you knitted for me. Although they looked like wrist guards, they were very warm. By the way, aren''t you cold?" Seeing that the young man was about to put on the other glove, Min Chen quickly grabbed it and wore it on his right hand. Under the youth''s puzzled gaze, he reached out his left hand and held Qi Mu''s cold right hand. With his lips slightly curled up in a smile, he said, "I''m afraid of cold so¡­ it¡¯s my glove now." Qi Mu: "¡­" You could ask before putting the glove on! Although he felt it was funny, Qi Mu didn''t loosen his grip on Min Chen''s hand. It waste at night, so the lights were dim on their way to the parking lot, and few people lingered on the streets. Qi Mu bravely took the man''s hand. Feeling the warmth emanating from his hand, even Qi Mu''s heart was warmed. "Speaking of gloves, when I came to the orchestra today, many of the members teased me about it." Min Chen raised his eyebrows. "Teased?" "Well, they said¡­ ''Little Seven, your gloves look so nice, very lovely.'' " After a pause, Qi Mu smiled and continued, "So I said, ''Of course, my lover knitted them for me, how could they not be lovely?'' " Min Chen''s fingers slid against Qi Mu''s palm as he tightened his grip. Just as they reached the parking lot, Qi Mu stopped walking. Giving the man a smug smile, he asked, "Do you know what they said?" Min Chen frowned as he thought. After a moment, he said, "Very lovely?" Qi Mu shook his head, but then nodded, saying, "It''s that, but their exact words were¡ª¡ª''Little Seven, your girlfriend is so cute!'' " Seeing the corner of the other man''s lips twitch, Qi Mu''s gaze turned gentle as he recalled the sight of him backstage. Qi Mu knew his lover was afraid of causing trouble for him, so he sat quietly and signed dozens of signatures. He didn''t like noisy ces, but he still responded politely to each question and even remembered the names of those who sent their regards to Christole and others. Thinking of it all, Qi Mu felt warmth flowing from his heart to his blood vessels and eventually, his entire body. Even the cold wind couldn''t dispel the heat. Qi Mu couldn''t refrain from smiling. The next moment, he stood up on his tiptoes and dropped a kiss on the man''s thin lips. After a brief moment of intimacy in the dark, a bright smile colored youth''s face. With a gentle tone, he said, "I think¡­ ''My girlfriend'' really is very cute and I love him, very, very much." Surprise shed in Min Chen''s eyes as he looked down at his lover. Curling his arms around his waist, he kissed him tenderly. In the secluded parking lot, the two handsome men embraced each other as they kissed. Their kiss was gentle and tender, like handling a very precious, fragile treasure. The Vienna night carried the rare chill of Europe over them. But, as long as they have each other, the cold would never bother them.* The squeaking of the headboard hitting the wall filled the bedroom of a high-end apartment alongside the low moans from the younger man and the heavy breathing of the other man. When the sun rose from the horizon with brilliant light, they weed the dawn with a smile and Qi Mu took a walk with a certain "big dog". They walked past the Sch?nbrunn Pce, the St. Stephen''s Cathedral and around the Danube River, watching the ripples on the blueke. After the morning exercise, Qi Mu set out for the Palisade Theatre while Min Chen went to Bai Ai''s rented rehearsal hall. Before leaving, Qi Mu suddenly had a thought. "The theatre will start our month-long holiday tomorrow. It''s just in time, and I''m free, so can I go see your rehearsal tomorrow?" Min Chen straightened his sleeves and replied, "Yes." Without thinking too much on this, the youth kissed the man and headed out first¡ª¡ªHe needed to catch the subway, after all. What Qi Mu didn''t know was those words of his, "I''ll go see your rehearsal tomorrow", was a death sentence for the members of Bai Ai. " of the second violin group, do it again. Do you need me to ask Christole to show it to you?" "Richard, do you think you''re ying r? Do you need me to teach you how to y?" "Matthis, did you drown your brain in the Danube river? Fast, fast, fast. Do you even know how to write the word ''fast''?" ¡­¡­ The members of Bai Ai : "QAQ!" We''re obviously already very good, ah. Conductor, you''re just nit-picking, right now!!! There is only one concertmaster in the whole orchestra, ah. There''s no way we can y as well as Christole!!!! Chapter 147 The chilly winter came quietly. The Danube River, as narrow as a jade belt, was coated in thin mist. Although it wasn''t frozen, the chill could be felt just by looking at the white water. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, as the country''s top orchestra, was located in a retro European building on the banks of the Danube River. The white marble column held up a grand arched gateway, and the Baroque vige was full of emotion, vividly reflected in every small sculpture. It was almost the end of the year. Naturally, Wei Ai had to prepare its own global tour. Half a month ago, a huge scandal swept over the entire city of Vienna, even the world''s ssical music circle, but it still couldn''t shake the great status it had in the industry. In addition to theck of a qualified chief violinist, the whole orchestra was lively, without any change¡ª¡ªthere may still be changes, but the smiles of many members were more sincere. The tour would start the next day. After today''s rehearsal, members were packing their things and making final adjustments. In Dorenza''s lounge, there was an unexpected guest. "Dorenza, we''ve known each other for decades. I don''t want to hide it from you. I think it''s better for the orchestra to find a new chief as early as possible." Anthony, the deputy chief of Wei Ai who took over Zayev''s post, currently served as the temporary chief of the orchestra. Anthony was seventy-two years old. Even in the world of violinists, he was still an old musician. His hair was gray, his face was wrinkled, and traces of the years were obvious. Although he was still healthy, he could no longer adapt to the long rehearsals of the orchestra. Before Zayev''s ident, Anthony decided to retire from the orchestra and be a free violinist. Hearing this, Dorenza sighed and helplessly said, "Anthony, an excellent chief violinist is not so easy to find. Can you give me more time?" Anthony understood Dorenza''s predicament, but he still shook his head and sighed. "Dorenza, I know my level. If I had been able to lead the band ten years ago, I would have been happy and worked harder. But, Dorenza, I don''t have such a strong body now. I think¡­ I think I can only give you another three months. I''m afraid I can''t bear the work, pressure, and degree of the chief." Be the chief of Wei Ai? That was every violinist''s dream. But, Anthony knew he didn''t have the strength and perseverance to be the chief of the band. For, the greater the honor and the higher the position, the more arduous the task and the duty. In the quietmand room, Dorenza fell silent for a long time. Finally, he gave the answer. "Well, Anthony, within three months, I think I will find a good deputy chief for you to share your task. I hope you can stick to it and guide him into being the chief, which will be better for our orchestra." Anthony thought about it and agreed. The Danube flowed slowly outside the window, as it did thousands of years ago, witnessing the recements of the world''s top orchestra. Chapter 148 The cafe was brightly lit yet quiet. After Bai Ai''s members finished their afternoon tea break and went to rehearse again, they greeted Qi Mu and Christole at the front door. And after a while, there were only the two left in the quiet cafe. Qi Mu was there as a spectator, after all. He didn''t need to do anything for the rehearsal. However, Christole could take rest at will. So, they both chatted in the cafe for a while. Christole was a mild-tempered man. He noticed that Qi Mu was not familiar with Bai Ai as early as his first visit to the orchestra, so he thoughtfully created opportunities for Qi Mu to engage with the orchestra''s members. Qi Mu felt quite at ease when talking to such a good-natured person. "¡­So, Christole, your favorite is Wieniawski? I didn''t expect that, I listen to you a lot and you often y Mendelssohn and Sarasate, you seldomly y Wieniawski." Although Christole''s facial features weren''t outstanding, he was very pleasing to the eyes. Especially when he smiled, he looked even more pleasant, "Well, I like his music a lot but it''s a pity¡­ Little Seven, I''m not proficient with it." Every musician knew their skills and what they were good at and not good at. For example, Qi Mu yed Paganini the best. The difficult techniques were just like a child''s y for him. Another example was Evra, whose specialty was Bach''s. He couldn''t control music that was heavy with solemnity. Qi Mu nodded. "Um, but Christole, your violin is really great. I like your music from early on." "Thank you for your appreciation, Little Seven. I also like your music a lot." They talked for a while. Just as they were about to end the pleasant conversation, Christole''s mobile phone suddenly vibrated. Picking it up in surprise, a helpless, doting smile lit his face after reading the message. Seeing this, Qi Mu suddenly had a conjecture. After Christole finished replying to the text message, Qi Mu smiled and asked, "You look really happy, all of a sudden. Christole, if I may ask¡­ was that your lover just now?" After a moment of shock, a trace of loss shed on his face. Quickly hiding it, he smiled and replied, "You guessed wrong, Little Seven. It was my good friend. It seems that he just returned to Europe, so he sent a text to tell me about it." Qi Mu looked somewhat surprised at the gently smiling man. When he looked closely, it truly seemed that he was in a good mood, as if nothing had happened. Without thinking too much about it, Qi Mu went back to the rehearsal hall with Christole. Christole presided over the afternoon rehearsal while Qi Mu carefully jotted down important points in his notebook. The experiences would not only help him in his violin career, but he could also use them in the Palisade Theatre Orchestra. Bai Ai was really an excellent orchestra. Each of the members yed their positions appropriately and brilliantly. In the evening rehearsal,the third movement of a piece ended in a great momentum. Even the picky Min Chen raised his eyebrows in surprise. He was amazed by their excellent performance. Qi Mu wrote down thest point in his notebook with flourish. Just then, he was also shocked by the ¡¶Symphony No. 9¡· ¡ª¡ª Even if it was just a rehearsal, the orchestra performed outstandingly. It was no wonder the orchestra was crowned with the title of "The World''s Best Orchestra". Before the concert the next day, Qi Mu selected a dark purple tie for his lover with great care. This was the first time Qi Mu attended Min Chen''s concert after they got together. More than four months ago, they encountered Akkad, who was hell bent on after just a few days of them being together. And, right now, Qi Mu was carefully tying the tie for his lover withser-focused eyes. No matter how experienced a maestro was, when it came to performing, it was always a battle of attention, even on a small stage. Let alone this performance, which was held in the Golden Hall. The dark purple tie was tied smoothly and neatly. The noble-looking man watched with eyes half-lidded as Qi Mu attentively helped him fasten the tie and clip on the tie clip, then smooth it between his index and middle fingers. Min Chen''s eyes narrowed slightly and he said, "You''re nervous." Qi Mu didn''t deny it. With his thin lips slightly curled up in a smile, Min Chen added, "Even more nervous than I am." After all the preparations werepleted, Qi Mu looked at the smiling man and raised his eyebrows. "It''s not me who''s performing. Why would I be nervous?" Min Chen just smiled and avoided the topic, "I will go back to Berlin tomorrow and have a performance the day after. The schedule is quite tight." After a pause, he added, "I''ve already made Daniel book the ticket. Qi Mu¡­ go back with me." The voice was deep and maic, it sounded so loud in the quiet clothing room. Deliberately toning down his voice, he was like a charming demon of the deep sea. At the moment, Min Chen intentionally leaned forward, making his voice ring in Qi Mu''s ears. With Qi Mu''s hearing, he can hear the other man''s deliberate moves. Pushing Min Chen to the side, he didn''t know whether to cry orugh. "You''ve already bought the ticket, can I say no? Well, the show is about to start. You''ll bete if you don''t go now." As Min Chen went down to get the car, Qi Mu put on his thick wool scarf, thinking, Was I¡­ really nervous, just now? He actually might be. In his previous life, apart from being the deputy concertmaster of Wei Jiao, Qi Mu never had a chance to step foot in the Golden Hall. Now, he really felt nervous for Min Chen, even if he was only an audience for this performance. Thinking about it, Qi Mu suddenly remembered the Little Princess in the Swiss Bank and his light colored pupils shrank. When he got off the elevator, his gaze was firm and determined, having already made the decision for his future. His life was just getting started and the first step was to¡ª¡ª Get back the Little Princess. Chapter 149 Qi Mu only stayed in Berlin for a day after Bai Ai''s tour in Berlin ended, then left the city afterwards. When he said goodbye to the sullen man at the airport, Qi Mu looked at him and helplessly said, "Alright, alright. You only took half the day off, you need to go back early. You and Daniel need to deal with Bai Ai''s matters before Christmas break, right?" In the bright, vast airport, tourists from all over the world hurried on their way. Min Chen stood before the security checkpoint in his light ck coat with narrow phoenix eyes drooped down, looking at Qi Mu attentively. Thetter blinked innocently, as if saying, You''re the one who''s busy, not me. With a long sigh, Min Chen said, "Take care of yourself. I heard the temperature in Paris has dropped." Qi Mu smiled, then raised the end of the scarf hanging down his chest, "I''ll just wrap up in this." Since they were in public, they just hugged each other for a long time before finally separating. Before leaving, the man covertly put a bunch of keys into the youth''s pocket. When Qi Mu got the text message after boarding the ne, he really didn''t know whether tough or cry. Min Chen: ¡¾The keys are in your pocket. Take care of yourself in Paris. ¡¿ ¡­¡­ Paris, with its temperate marine climate, was always humid and warm even in winter. The temperature never reached below zero. The silver nended steadily at the Charles de Gaulle Airport and when Qi Mu stepped on the ramp, the salty sea breeze brought with it the breath of the English Channel, making him smile. ¡­And you said the temperature in Paris had dropped? Even Berlin wasn''t as warm as Paris. This was the first time Qi Mu returned to Paris after he graduated. Two months had passed, but when Qi Mu walked in the Charles de Gaulle Airport, he felt as if he had never left. Qi Mu took the subway to the station nearest to the Paris National Conservatory of Music. He came with only a small suitcase so he brought it along with him to the college. Walking through the streets of his old neighborhood, the owner of the ¡¸Love you¡¹ bakery was surprised to see him suddenly appear there. After a brief conversation with the owner, they took the opportunity to stuff him with a baguette. When Qi Mu passed the flower shop, the shy florist Vina excitedly offered him a bunch of sunflowers. After Qi Mu thanked her, she added one white lily still wet with dew and handed it over to Qi Mu. When Qi Mu arrived at the gates of the Paris National Conservatory of Music, he carried a baguette and his suitcase in his left hand and a bouquet in the right. The elegant fragrance surrounded the youth and the warm winter afternoon sunshinepleted the beautiful scene. At the time, the college was on its lunch break, so a few people milled on the spaciouswn. When Qi Mu approached the violin department, several students greeted him in surprise and excitedly weed him back. Reaching the long corridor, Qi Mu took out the choctes he bought early on. Even during the lunch break, melodies could be heard from the tutors'' music rooms. When Qi Mu passed by Dn''s music room, he heard the Swiss boy ying Schubert''s ¡¶Serenade¡· . The boy had obviously improved his skills in the past two months. He could now control the trill and treble transition more smoothly. Qi Mu didn''t want to disturb Dn¡¯s practice, so he went straight to Akkad''s music room at the end of the corridor. He hesitated when he got there, but finally opened the door. Looking at the hopelessly empty room, Qi Mu sighed and turned to the lounge. When he reached it, he heard the soft,fortable sound of a violin. After knocking and waiting for permission to enter, the door opened with a squeak. The handsome young man stood at the door with a smile on his face. The light wrapped him in gold as delicately as a cicada''s wing. Akkad immediately stopped the record. He looked at the man standing at the door and his eyes slowly widened. After a few moments of silence, he grumbled, "You came to Paris without even informing me¡­ How outrageous." Although his words were admonishing, his eyes were watery. Seeing the old man''s appearance, Qi Mu''s frown gradually eased. Smiling, he offered the bag of choctes in his hand and said, "Professor¡­ I''m back." Now that they had reunited, they each had a lot to talk about. Not mentioning Luo Yu Sen and Zayev, Qi Mu told his mentor about his experience in Vienna. When he heard that Qi Mu was the concertmaster of the Palisade Theatre Orchestra and that the opera was fully booked for a month, Akkad raised his eyebrows. "Little Seven is doing well, ah. Why didn''t that Lance fellow mention this to me? That guy is really irresponsible!" Qi Mu didn''t know whether tough or cry. "Professor, Mr. Lance helped me a lot. He personally introduced Mr. Wace to me. Otherwise, how else could I enter the Palisade Theatre so smoothly?" Although his lovely student said good things about Lance, the old Akkad still made a note of it in his mind. As the mentor and the disciple chatted, the sun started to reach the western horizon, the sky outside the window dyed it in the colorful sunset. However, Qi Mu couldn''t stay in Min Chen''s apartment in Paris, because when Akkad saw his student carrying his suitcase, he invited him to stay at his ce. In his words, "You cancelled your rent a long time ago. Instead of spending money on a hotel room, just stay at my house! By the way, Little Seven, what shall we have for dinner tonight?" In fact, Qi Mu already nned to spend more time with his old teacher, so he wouldn''t stay at a hotel anyway, let alone stay at Min Chen''s apartment. Taking his luggage and following his teacher to the parking lot, he heard Akkad''s words and couldn''t help butugh. "Professor, whatever you want to eat¡­ I''ll cook it for you, alright?" Akkad acted humble, saying, "No, you''re a guest after all¡­" "Professor, I''m your student, so you can''t treat me as a guest!" With that, Akkad ate a delicious, home-made Chinese meal. , , and some basic filled his stomach. All of these made the old professor smile so wide, he even ate three bowls of rice. The next day, Qi Mu and Akkad repeated the routine they had when they had first met. The two carried their heavy DSLR cameras, passing the Eiffel Tower, Chateau de Fontainebleau, the Arc de Triomphe de l¡¯¨¦toile andstly, Louvre. Qi Mu took countless photos of the familiar, beautiful ces and sometimes even asked passers-by to take some of him and Akkad. In the photos, the grey-haired man smiled so wide, his eyes were curved into crescents while the handsome young man beside him smiled happily. More than half a year had passed since Akkad first forced Qi Mu to do it all. Back then, he couldn''t let himself gopletely and looked awkward and ufortable in every photograph. Today, Qi Mu found only relief and contentment in the activity¡ª¡ªThe taste of freedom lingered over the beautiful sky, it didn''t even need a Statue of Liberty. At the end of the two-day holiday, Qi Mu sat on a stair step and watched the doves flying in the square. A cool breeze blew and a dove suddenly took off, blocking the sun with its back. It was amazing, the way the light streaked around it. "Little Seven, what kind of chocte do you want?" Akkad''s voice woke Qi Mu up from his reverie. Turning to the old man, he smiled and said, "I''ll have some dark chocte, professor. You used to say that when your heart is bitter, keep your mouth sweet. I''m very happy these days, my heart is really sweet, so I need to neutralize it." Seeing the young man remembered his words, Akkadughed and took a small dark chocte from the gift bag he kept with him most of the day. They sat on the steps for a long time. When the setting sun casted a gold light on the Eiffel Tower, Qi Mu looked at the beautiful scenery he¡¯d been missing. In a low voice, he said, "Professor¡­ You told mest month that you took in a new student." Qi Mu stopped there and didn''t go on. After a long while, Akkad hummed softly and said, "Well, yes. But, she asked for a leave to go home. That little girl really cares for me, she cooks delicious meals for me every day!" Hearing this, Qi Mu turned to Akkad and saw the old man looking up at the sky, unable to hide his pride. Qi Mu couldn''t ignore the loss that was deeply buried in his eyes. The moment he left Paris, he felt¡­ Professor won''t ept any more students. Akkad was 70 that year and it was very taxing to teach students. To be honest, Qi Mu was also surprised when he was told that this maestro epted him as a student. After that, Qi Mu made a good effort to manage his time and seize opportunities to keep Akkad from worrying. For many violinists, death was the end of a long music career. Few would have great students and pass on their mantle, further enhancing their status. Resolutely taking in a student towards the end of his life, let alone taking in Qi Mu, not many musicians would allow it to happen. Akkad had a bad temper and was quite rebellious. However, he decided to devote his efforts to teach a student for thest time in his life. Not many maestros possessed such sentiments. Cultivating a student, guiding every single detail in their techniques, opening his connections, and even traveling around for the student, all of those things could exhaust an old man. Bitter dark chocte filling his mouth, Qi Mu finally looked at his mentor and softly said, "Professor, would you like to¡­ leave Paris with me?" Chapter 150 The clear, blue sky was divided into two hues by the sun gradually setting in the west. One side was still the beautiful blue, as if it was filled with more than a burst of vitality, while the other was old, rendering the faint golden yellow in the brilliant clouds. The top of the Eiffel Tower stood right between the boundaries, symbolizing the two sides of the choice. The pigeons in Ares Square still pped their wings tirelessly, one by one, flying up and down. After catching sight of them, the grey-haired Akkad shook the pigeon food in his hands and watched as they descended. After his question remained unanswered for a long time, Qi Mu said, "Professor, Paris is a good ce, but¡­ You are so lonely here. Your life has ten, twenty, or more years, yet. I can apany you and provide for you." Akkad''s wife died early, leaving him without a child. When Qi Mu was in college, Akkad went back to Turin to take care of his nephew''s funeral arrangements. The old man''sst rtives were also dead. In Qi Mu''s heart, since his teacher didn''t want to ept any other students, then he would treat him as his father. He apanied him well, spent what was left of the old man''s time with him, and let him enjoy the Spring Festival. But, in Akkad''s mind, it was obviously not like that. He shook out all the pigeon food in his hand and calmly said, "Paris¡­ It''s a good ce. It''s very romantic and beautiful. I''m afraid it''s a heaven in every girl''s heart." Qi Mu didn''t return to his mind for quite a while. "Professor, what did you say?" "Little Seven, do you know where I like best in my life?" Thinking of the words he just said, Qi Mu tentatively replied, "Is it Paris?" But, Akkad shook his head and said, "No, it''s not Paris. Nor Turin, not even New York where I lived for more than twenty years of my life, or Vienna." After a pause, he softly said, "My favorite ce is where Alice is." Qi Mu shuddered, unable to speak for a while. Alice Akkad, the name of his professor''s wife. Qi Mu had never met her, since she died of illness when Akkad was young. Since then¡­ Akkad had never married anyone else. "47 years ago, when we were first married, we came to Paris for our honeymoon. Alice said she liked it very much, that it was beautiful and quiet here. This is her favorite Fontainebleaupce." Akkad''s voice was very calm. "Every girl has a princess dream. Alice said that when she saw Fontainebleau pce for the first time, she felt that¡­" "This is her castle." "I grew up with Alice, and when I was very young in the slums, I built a pce in the sand with her. She said it wasn''t her castle. She wanted Fontainebleau, but¡­ where could I pile up a Fontainebleau pce?" The old man''s hoarse voice sounded in the open square, and Qi Mu''s fingers slightly tightened. He whispered, "Professor¡­" "Forty years ago, when she died, I was performing with NHK Symphony Orchestra at the Boston concert hall. At the time, it was a cold winter, right? She told me a month earlier in a telegram that she had a small cold, but not a serious illness." Akkad''s voice was a little choked, and Qi Mu lowered his eyes. He couldn''t bear to look at his expression. "In fact, it''s not a serious disease. Tuberculosis was treatable at the time, but Alice didn''t want to disturb me and let me finish my first global tour safely¡­" Akkad''s voice abruptly stopped, and Qi Mu reached for him. Unlike his great musical achievements, Akkad was a small, thin, old man. He patted his student''s shoulder, but his body was straight. He said, "Little Seven, your professor likes Paris very much. Here, I can walk on the street quietly by myself. It''s as if I see myself and Alice when I see young people hugging and kissing." Qi Mu still didn''t want to give up. "Professor, but you are alone¡­" "Little Seven." Akkad''s eyes were slightly red, but his tears didn''t fall. He looked at his student carefully and said, "One can have many pursuits in life. You think your professor is very lonely, but I don''t think so. Here, I feel like Alice is right beside me. She is a beautiful princess, waiting for me in the Fontainebleau pce." "Little Seven, no one in the world will be waiting for you forever. I asked you to cherish your feelings for Austin because¡­ you have this opportunity to be together and have happiness." "If someone asks me now if I regret not going back to Turin to see Alice because of the tour, then I would say that I have never regretted it. This is the choice Alice made for me, and I will never question her." "But, Little Seven, if someone asked me¡­ Whether I wanted to be a world-famous violin master Reed Akkad or a Reed Akkad belonging to Alice, I would want to belong only to Alice." "Everyone''s choices are different. Alice made a choice for me 40 years ago. Now¡­ Let me make a choice for her. You still have a long way to go, and a lot of time. When you reach the Golden Hall''s stage, remember to send an invitation to your professor, and I will be very happy as your professor." ¡­¡­ After returning from Ares Square that night, Akkad personally cooked a rich dinner for Qi Mu, with only the vor of Italian Turin chocte. Qi Mu smiled and yed several pieces for his professor and asked for his praise, receiving several warm remarks from him. "Very good, not bad! You didn''t forget any of your homework in Vienna. Remember to work hard, understand!" Their time to meet was always short. Qi Mu spent a whole day helping hiszy, awkward professor clean the house. On the morning of his fifth day since arriving in Paris, he stepped on the ne to China alone, due to Akkad''s reluctance, and left the beautiful city. The ne took off, and both the Eiffel Tower and the Fontainebleau Pce shrunk into tiny dots. When Qi Mu pulled up the window cover, he looked at the long, jade belt, The Seine River, and couldn''t help but curve his eyes into crescents. He had said that he wasn''t lonely. Didn''t he dy his final departure at the airport as long as he could?? The professor was so difficult! Along the way, Qi Mu spent the long journey lingering over the taste of dark chocte as the blue sky and white clouds passed outside the window. When he got off the ne and arrived at the China Capital Airport, B City was still in its early morning hours. In such a quiet, unmanned night, the traffic on the streets was sparse. Qi Mu quickly reached the apartment building by taxi and opened the door. This time he didn''t go into his original apartment, because his house was up for rent in B City, he had no choice but to walk to the neighbor''s house next door and live there. As for the rent¡­ he could help Min Chen clean the house? Because of the Jetg, Zheng Wei Qiao didn''t carry the steamed bun soymilk to Qi Mu, when he returned to B City, until the next morning. As soon as he stepped inside the door, Zheng Wei Qiao stayed on the spacious porch. He had no idea that it was just the next room over and a ce of charm and beauty. Qi Mu took the breakfast from Zheng Weiqian''s hands, then looked at his face of "Am I in the wrong room?", he reached out his hand and shook them in front of Zheng Wei Qiao with a small smile. He said, "Brother Zheng, Min Chen seems to have bought the other two single apartments on this floor and the upper floor, then asked the designer to make a connection between them. So, this house is a little bigger than the one I used to rent." Zheng Wei Qiao: "¡­. ah, oh, is that so¡­." This is not a little bigger! If he had a different perspective, theyout of the two apartments would be like, "Min Chen squeezed his Little Seven into living in a corner," okay! Qi Mu didn''t understand Zheng Wei Qiao''s expression. While drinking soy milk, he smiled and asked, "Yes, Brother Zheng, why don''t I see sister-inw?" Zheng Wei Qiao pulled up a stool and sat beside Qi Mu saying, "Your sister-inw is taking care of her health during pregnancy recently, and I made her go out. But, Little Seven, although you just returned to China, I may not be able to apany you anymore for now. You also know your sister-inw is about to give birth, and I will always be with her." Qi Mu nodded understandingly. "Okay, Brother Zheng, you should apany your wife more. I brought you specialty gifts from Vienna, Berlin, and Paris. There shouldn''t be any contraindications for pregnant women, you can take them back to try with your wife." Zheng Wei Qiao took the gift bag that Qi Mu rested on the coffee table. Looking at the other bags, he asked, "Little Seven, do you still want to give gifts to Lao Tan and the others?" "Yeah, I''m going to the B City Symphonic Orchestra this afternoon. I haven''t seen them for a long time, and I brought them gifts, too." "Oh, that''s how it is¡­." Zheng Wei Qiao urged him for a few more words, then went back before lunch. ording to his words, "I have to cook for my wife." Although Qi Mu didn''t think Zheng Wei Qiao could cook a "meal", he had no choice but to cook a little millet porridge and let Zheng Wei Qiao take it home. So even if¡­ they had nothing to eat, they still had the porridge, right? It was only 3 pm when Qi Mu finished unpacking his luggage, so he went to the symphonic orchestra in B City carrying various sizes of gifts. Just after he reached the building, he saw a few young, beautiful girls standing by the door. They were chirping on an unknown topic. Qi Mu took a step back. After a moment of hesitation, he continued to move forward. Due to the cold north wind of B City, only a few leaves were left hanging from the withered branches of the Chinese parasol trees. A beautiful young man moved up the steps to the gate of the B City Symphonic Orchestra. At that moment, he slightly raised his head and spotted a young girl on the side. The next second, he heard a crying exmation¨C ¡°Eh? !!! Little Seven? !!!¡± Chapter 151 Qi Mu had never signed so many signatures. Carrying all the specialty gifts in his right hand, he took the girls'' pens with great difficulty and signed their books, papers, and even clothes. Just after signing one, another book came. Although there were only five or six girls in the group, Qi Mu signed his name more than ten times. When he finished thest signature, Qi Mu smiled and nodded, handing the pen back to a girl with short hair. He whispered, "Thank you." Just that simple "thank you" had her round face blush bright red, just like an apple. She said, "Little Seven, you should keep working hard in the future! I''ve seen your videos on YouTube. They''re amazing!" Others opened their mouths but hesitated, while few still spoke naturally. "It''s just, Little Seven, your violin is so beautiful! I used to dislike ssical music the most, but now I have so many albums." "We will continue to support you! We all like your violin very much!" "Little Seven, you must keep on ying, we''re all backing you!" ¡­. Just as Qi Mu smiled to send away the girls from the B City Symphony Orchestra, Du Sheng walked out of the building. As soon as he saw Qi Mu, he called out in shock, "Little Seven!" Hurriedly running over, he said, "Ha ha, I didn''t expect to meet you here. Come in with your brother Du." With that, Du Sheng grabbed hold of some of the packages in Qi Mu''s hands. When they entered the building together, the heating made it feel just like spring, so Qi Mu couldn''t help but loosen his scarf a little. Seeing Qi Muing, the resting members of the orchestra gathered excitedly around him. "Little Seven, let me show you brother Li! He grew tall, really tall!" "Lao Li, don''t talk nonsense. Xiao Qiming is thin now. Is he not eating well in Europe?" "I heard that Little Seven graduated. Now, he''s the Chief of the Palisade Theatre Orchestra in Vienna! Little Seven, you are really promising, but don''t forget to take good care of yourself. Look at your cheeks, they''re all sunken!" ¡­¡­ The familiar members smiled and talked with Qi Mu, who politely reminisced with them. Even after nearly a year''s separation, there was no strangeness between them. After they spent a long time talking andughing together, Qi Mu shared the gifts he brought. And after a while, Tan Lao heard the news and walked out of themand lounge. When Qi Mu met this conductor again after a long time, the members of the orchestra were a little more serious. But, when Tan Lao asked Qi Mu some gentle questions, everyone continued tough, and the atmosphere grew very harmonious. That night, Qi Mu, Tan Lao and Du Sheng got together and had a simple meal. After drinking some wine, Du Sheng didn''t have the aura of the orchestra leader at all. Instead, he hooked his arms around Qi Mu''s neck and kept asking, "Does Little Seven have a girlfriend?" and "Our Little Seven is so handsome, surely many girls must like him and chase after him!"¡­ Qi Mu couldn''t helpughing and crying about these questions. That afternoon, he learned from Du Sheng and members of the orchestra that the girls who had cornered him in front of the orchestra were all his fans. Qi Mu had been away from China for so long, but his fanbase was still growing. People all over the world knew there was a wall in China. Inside the wall were a vast number ofizens waiting to feed, and outside it were Facebook and Youtube¡­ Even if there was an invisible, towering wall, it couldn''t resist Chinese Inte users in pursuit of "freedom". Manyizens who could scale the wall often downloaded videos from foreign websites and reuploaded them on the Chinesework to feed the hungryizens. There were only a few videos with over a million hits on Youtube, so the video of Qi Mu''s open-air performance in Vienna was naturally uploaded on the Chinese video website. Once it started circting¡­ It was unstoppable. ¡¶The Dance of the Goblins¡·was a piece of music whose beauty could be seen with the naked eye. It was the skill of dazzling beauty and the superb imitative tone. Even a ssical musicyman can explore its beauty beyond the boundary of music. What was more, in Du Sheng''s words, "Little Seven, you are growing more and more handsome!" Many people who originally came for the snapshot of the young musician on the thumbnail were impressed by the violinist''s exquisite performance. Many audiences who knew his background were filled with emotion for the handsome young man''s performance. Before leaving China, Qi Mu had a big fan club. After he left, though, the size increased, rather than decreased. In just half a year, it had grown to arge scale. If Qi Mu had a special agent or studio, this power was his starting capital in the future. However, in the face of the banter from all the members of the orchestra, Qi Mu replied, "Thank you very much for your love, but I think I may not be a solo violinist for decades." In that regard, the members of the orchestra could only feel a moment of regret. You know, if Qi Mu left the orchestra and nned to work alone, those fans were all his own backup team! Of course, people had their own aspirations, but Qi Mu didn''t feel any pity. By the end of the dinner party, Du Sheng was already drunk. Qi Mu took him to a taxi, and when he turned around, he saw Tan Lao, stereotypically serious as always. He looked him up and down carefully. The eyes seemed to see straight through him, so Qi Mu couldn''t help standing upright.. After a long time, Tan Lao sighed and said, "You have a girlfriend." It wasn''t a question at all, but a firm affirmation. Qu Mu was shocked, then he smiled and shook his head. "Tan Lao, I don''t have a girlfriend." Tan Lao frowned. "I''ve lived for more than 60 years, and you think you can hide it from my gaze?" In the dim glow of the street light, the young man wore a thick coat, standing straight. He wore a beige wool scarf around his neck to block the cold wind. If you looked carefully, you could see a small "7" was embroidered on the bottom of the scarf. Qi Mu gently smiled. "Tan Lao, I have a lover, but¡­ he''s not a girl." The answer shocked Lao Tan. He didn''te back to his senses for five minutes. In a hurry, he wanted to ask "What is not a girl?". Suddenly, though, he saw the young man''s lips curl up into a happy, content smile. "Mr. Tan, I love him very much and he loves me very much. Life is short. We don''t want to be bound by secr ideas, and I don''t want to lose him. I hope you can understand¡­" The words "life is short" engraved themselves in Tan Lao''s heart, as if they were deeply branded. He was silent for a long time, but finally nodded. "You should take good care of yourself, Little Seven¡­ and live a good life, understand!" "Yes," Qi Mu said, a smile still on his face. When Tan Lao drove him down to his apartment, he looked at the high-rise building with brilliant lights. Suddenly, he had a sh of inspiration and asked, "By the way, Little Seven, didn''t you stop renting the house here? When will you rent it again?" Under the bright moonlight, the young man''s delicate eyes shone like fairies. Raising his eyebrows, he asked, "Isn''t it¡­ I didn¡¯t tell you this before, right Mr. Tan? I live in my lover''s house. His room is right next to my old house." After a pause, he seemed to think of something more. The smile on his face only grew more brilliant. "By the way, my lover is Min Chen." Tan Lao: "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­" Chapter 152 The early winter of B City was much colder than that of Paris. Siberian wind shrouded the city, coating it in ayer of bitter cold. Once people stepped free from the pleasant warmth of their home or the sun, they could do nothing but shiver. Qi Mu stayed in B City for another day, then left for S City. His holiday was only for a month in total, then he would return to Vienna before Christmas. Now he had less than two weeks left before the end of his holiday, so he needed to hurry. Just after arriving at the S City airport, Qi Mu saw Zhu Wen Jun and his wife. They''d been waiting for a long time at the airport. Smiling, he gave them a big hug, then said, "Uncle Zhu, Aunt Cheng, why are you still here in person?" Zhu Wen Jun, in his forties that year, groomed himself well. Wearing a light grey overcoat, he looked much younger than his actual age. Hearing Qi Mu''s words, his eyes shed a dark color, but were hidden by his sses. Zhu Wen Jun reached out his hand and pushed up the sses on the bridge of his nose, saying "Little Seven, I haven''t seen you for a long time. Of course we had to pick you up when you came to see us in S City." While talking, Zhu Wen Jun took Qi Mu''s suitcase with great enthusiasm, surprising him. Cheng Tingwen, wearing makeup, snorted from her nose, then nced dismissively at her good-for-nothing husband. She said, "Little Seven, don''t worry about him. He wouldn¡¯t be like this if he had something to ask you, would he?" Together, the three walked to the parking lot. Qi Mu frowned a little. Smiling with embarrassment, he said, "What do you want me to do? Aunt Cheng, you don¡¯t have to tease me, how could Uncle Zhu ask something of me?" Cheng Tingwen looked at her husband as if she was disgusted, then said, "Just listen to him about this, Little Seven." Hearing this, Qi Mu''s handsome white face shed a puzzled look. He turned to Zhu Wen Jun, who stood on the other side of the car. Looking at the elegant chief conductor of the S City Symphony Orchestra, he noticed his eyes were¡­ Deep. ¡­So he did have something to ask! When they reached the car, Zhu Wen Jun finally put his thoughts together and exined the situation one piece at a time. At first, Qi Mu thought there was something wrong with the orchestra''stest concert and needed his help to perform onstage. But, to his surprise, Zhu Wen Jun said, "Little Seven, there will be a new Huaqing Cup national violinpetition soon, did you know?" Hearing this, Qi was shocked. Fastening his seatbelt, he looked up at Zhu Wen Jun in the driver''s seat, just to see him looking back. In the bright rearview mirror, their eyes met. After thinking for a long time, Qi Mu helplessly said, "Uncle Zhu, if I remember correctly, Huaqing Cup¡­ only those under 20 canpete? I am 22 this year, I may not be able to participate." Zhu Wen Jun: "¡­" Cheng Tingwenughed out loud, "Little Seven, you misunderstood me. How could you think your uncle would misremember your age? He didn''t want to invite you to participate in thepetition, but¡­" uttering a sound, she nced at Zhu Wen Jun, whose face was a brilliant red in the driver''s seat, then continued, "He wants to invite you to judge thepetition." As soon as her voice fell, Qi Mu was stunned. Then he got the reason from Zhu Wen Jun. It turned out that Huaqing Cup was usually hosted by the Huaxia ssical Music Association, or B City and S City ssical Music Association in turns. This year, it was the S City ssical Music Association''s turn. Zhu Wen Jun, as the vice chairman of the association, had undertaken the organization work for thepetition. Zhu Wen Jun, as the chief conductor of the S City Symphony Orchestra, had no doubt in his ability. Therefore, thepetition ended smoothly from the initial audition stage to the preliminary stage. Three dayster, it would be the second stage, and then the final would be held. Zhu Wen Jun handled the matter properly without any mistakes. He even considered the weather conditions. Who knew that just when he finished making final preparations for the judges and contestants three days before thepetition, something big would happen to one of the judges. Because it was a youth violinpetition, in addition to three rtively authoritative and heavyweight music masters, two of the five judges were talented young masters. Qi Mu also knew that Wang Zheng, who worked with the orchestra during the centennial celebration, would be there. Although Wang Zheng was an outstanding pianist, he also had made some aplishments in violin since childhood and had won some awards. After thinking for a long time, Zhu Wen Jun finally picked another young violinist in Hong Kong. Although the violinist was a little older and hadn''t won any well-known awards, he was quite popr among the young people, so he could barely be nominated as one of the judges. But, to Zhu Wen Jun''s surprise, after calcting the weather and transportation, he never considered that¡ª¡ª One of the judges would fall ill! The violinist in Hong Kong City suddenly had multiple stomach aches two days earlier. When he went to the hospital, they said his long-term drinking and smoking caused a cyst in his stomach, which needed to be removed as soon as possible. The excision¡­ he''d be recovering for ten days, which wasn''t good. Zhu Wen Jun waspletely worried. The candidate was already hard to find, but now he had an ident. Why wouldn''t he be worried? When Zhu Wen Jun received Qi Mu''s call, he learned he was going to visit him in S City. It was a small thing to visit, but it was a big deal for Little Seven toe there! Although most of Qi Mu''s fans gathered in B City and didn''t usuallye to S City, Zhu Wen Jun had heard countless words like, "Ahhhh, Little Seven!", "Little Seven''s fingers are so beautiful!", and a little girl saying, "Oh, the screen is so dirty, let me lick it clean!" Zhu Wen Jun and Cheng Tingwen had borne a musical family, with an older son who devoted himself to ssical music. However, their younger daughter was totally uninterested in music. Even when she was an adult and had the right to make her own decisions, she sometimes didn''t even bother listening to the S City Symphony Orchestra''s concerts. However, such a little girl, who was not interested in ssical music at all, happily bought one of Qi Mu''s albums. She even learned how to climb over the wall and go to foreign websites to search for Qi Mu''s video! Even my daughter is like this. What is Little Seven like, amongst the young people? Although it wasn''t very kind,pared with Little Seven, Zhu Wen Jun really thought that the original violin judge was just a scum ofbat effectiveness! When Qi Mu listened to Zhu Wen Jun, he put down his chopsticks and looked at the man, wearing an expression of "Little Seven, you would never refuse me, would you?" After thinking about it, he said, "Uncle Zhu, although I''m honored that you could invite me¡­ My qualifications are still too shallow, I''m afraid I can''t¡­" "No! Little Seven, you''re perfectly qualified. Last night, Mr. Tan was very proud to tell me you became the chief of the Palisade Theatre Orchestra in Vienna, and that you cooperated with the Symphony Orchestra in Dresden, and you were invited by the New York Philharmonic before, and your qualifications are not shallow at all!" After a pause, Zhu Wen Jun recalled, "I remember Tan always saying, ''Of course, my family, Little Seven, is the most powerful, and your stupid son can''t match him at all!''" Cheng Tingwen''s face turned dark. She gave her husband an elbow. Qi Mu: "¡­" It turned out that¡­ In Lao Tan''s heart, he had such a great image? But, even so, Qi Mu hesitated. "Uncle Zhu. I''ve never been the judge of apetition, so this will be the first time¡­" "No, Little Seven, I believe you have the ability to appreciate music. You just need toment on the yers'' music and give scores from your cognition." After a pause, Zhu Wen Jun pushed the sses up on his nose and smiled. "Little Seven, there are so many good young people among those who have reached the semi-finals. Like you, they are the pirs of the future of the Chinese ssical music industry. In fact, I''m also a bit selfish. That is, I hope you can see these children and give them some advice, so they can grow and be better artists." Qi Mu was shocked and looked up at him. He saw the elegant, middle-aged man looking at him, his eyes deep and inclusive, as if looking at a beloved generation of growing hope. Any reservations he had, he could no longer admit.Looking down at his warm, simple meal, he finally sighed and said, "Uncle Zhu, even if I wanted to refuse you¡­ I have eaten Aunt Cheng''s dishes, so I can''t refuse. You''ve fed me, so I must repay you. Well, Aunt Cheng, your stir-fried tomatoes and scrambled eggs are delicious. Cheng Tingwen was very happy to put more food into Qi Mu¡¯s bowl with her own chopsticks, just to show how much she cared. "Little Seven, Eat more if you like the food. Child, why did you lose so much weight in Europe? Didn''t you eat well there? Let me tell you, the pizza and sandwiches or whatever they have, will never be tastier than our ribs with honey sauce, shredded pork with garlic sauce, and hope pepper chicken, eat more!" Qi Mu nodded very obediently. On the side of the dining table, Zhu Wen Jun looked at the cute scene and slowlyughed. Seeing the smiling child before him with such deep eyes, warmth spread from his heart to his body along his blood vessels. After thinking about it, Zhu Wen Jun smiled and said, "Little Seven, I just thought of something. Now that I think about it¡­ Maybe it''s a prophecy." Qi Mu''s hand, holding green vegetables, suddenly stiffened. Looking up in confusion, he asked, "Uncle Zhu, I don''t know what you said¡­?" "Do you remember what Master Ferell said half a year ago?" In his heart, Qi Mu felt a trace of his mistake. "¡­" "As he said, you are indeed like an angel!" Qi Mu: "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­" Can. I. Please. Take. Back. On. Agreeing. To. Judge!!! Chapter 153
The winter sun painted S City in a golden shimmer. S City''s Concert Hall sat at the intersection of two streets in the shape of an L. It was Huaxia''s first seated concert hall, which still boasted of the original European design. It even bore the same navy blue and light beige exterior as 80 years ago. The building was divided into a performance hall, a concert hall, a multi-functional hall, and many other rooms. The multi-functional hall was often used to holdrge and smallpetitions, medium-sized performances, and even product presentations. Qi Mu and Zhu Wen Jun arrived at the multi-functional hall an hour before the Huaqing Cup was due to begin. The Huaqing Cup was the grandest ssical musicpetition in Huaxia, and the Huaxia authorities established the cup to stimte the domestic development of ssical music. The sphere of thispetition covered the piano, violin, cello, etc. Among them, the piano and violin sections garnered the most attention. As a temporary judge, Qi Mu did not interact with the other judges much before arriving. After taking his ce, though, he spotted a familiar face. They stared at each other, stunned. Qi Mu politely held out the other man''s chair and spoke with a smile, "Wu Lao, long time no see." Although he was old, Wu Lao was still hale and hearty. He sat and nodded. "En, it''s been a long time, Qi Mu." Then, he asked, "You went to Vienna¡­ how was it?" At that, Qi Mu couldn''t helpughing and exined his affairs in Europe. There was a total of five judges for the semi-final round of the Huaqing Cup. As Zhu Wen Jun had said, they wereposed of three older and two younger musicians. The other young musician¡ª¡ªWang Zheng spotted Qi Mu as he entered and waved happily, but when he sat down, Wang Zheng didn''t dare act imposingly. The judges were arranged in the form of "3 + 2", with the three older musicians distributed with the two younger ones between them. Sitting at Wang Zheng''s left was the chief judge¡ª¡ªWu Sheng Tao. While Qi Mu and Wu Lao continued to chat, Wang Zheng slowly rxed. He looked at the youth at his side with a warrior''s gaze and thought in his heart: Little Seven! You can conquer even Wu Lao; you are a god amongst men!!! As this "godly man" had calmed Wu Lao, who had the worst temper, the jury''s atmosphere was naturally harmonious. When the first yer stepped onstage, several people listened earnestly, and even Qi Mu was shocked. The fourteen-year-old boy yed a section of Kreisler''s ¡¶Praeludium and Allegro¡·. As an eighth-level piece, the song''s difficulty was average, but it showed the skill of the musician. Without a doubt, thepetitor performed it very well. Qi Mu generously gave a high score of 8.5 and a fair evaluation. Throughout the morning, several contestants met the fate of elimination, while other performances really impressed Qi Mu. These young powers of Huaxia that Zhu Wen Jun wanted him to see¡ª¡ª They were quite strong. The Huaqing Cup was supported by Huaxia officials, so both Huaxia MTV and S City TV stations were broadcasting live. Luo Zheng Jie was S City TV''s gold producer who is responsible for the live broadcast. Before taking the task, Luo Zheng Jie had not expected the ratings of thispetition to be too high. Of course, not that they were expected to be too low, but somewhere in the lower middle. Nevertheless, out of professionalism, Luo Zheng Jie tried his best to publicize the event and spent real money on it. The money was spent, but it had. No. Effect. The previous live broadcast, on the preliminary rounds, had ratings so low, Luo Zheng Jie began to doubt life. He did not expect¡­ This semi-final round! Ah, you said reality shows were the hottest thing, Director, you said we should make a reality show¡­ This time, at the semi-final broadcast, Luo Zheng Jie went to the broadcast room as always to direct the live show. The usual host opened, the leader''s speed was, as usual, they introduced the judges as usual, as usual¡­ Wait a minute! This was not as usual at all!!! Staring at the handsome young man on the judge''s panel, Luo Zheng Jie''s eyes were round, and it took a minute for him to snag the staff member next to him. "Xiao Chen, this young man¡­ who is he? How can he sit as a judge? He wasn''t a judge in Hong Kong City¡­ Where''s David?" The female staff member followed Luo Zheng Jie''s direction, and her eyes widened. She eximed, "Eh?!!! How can that be Little Seven?! Wasn''t that David who refused to lower his head?! When did it be Little Seven? Ah ah ah, ah!!!" The S City TV station crew: "¡­¡­" Sister Chen, pay attention to image, to your image, ah! Seeing his own right-hand bing so excited, Luo Zheng Jie felt his heart thump loudly in his chest, and a row of gold ingots drifted across his eyes. He waved his hand andmanded, "Xiao Zheng, get the Weibo group to write up a topic and put out¡­ Little Seven''s participation in ourpetition." "Xiao Li, what are you waiting for?! Adjust the stand. Alongside the contestants and Wu Lao, save that third position for Little Seven!" "Xiao Wang, go inform the publicity team. Have them create a topic, create a topic! Got it?!" As amercial producer seeking benefits and avoiding disadvantages, Luo Zheng Jie seemed to see how director Tai would praise him tomorrow. They say, "Beauty is justice," and by Xiao Chen''s reaction, this Little Seven seemed quite famous¡­ This was a gimmick! It might even be possible for the ratings to break 0.8! Luo Zheng Jie smiled, his eyes narrowing to slits as he fantasized about the bonus director Tai would give him tomorrow. But Luo Zheng Jie didn''t expect¡ª¡ªthe ratings to break more than 0.8! The ratings opened like a plug-in, from 0.5 all the way to 1, then 1 to 1.1, 1.2, 1.3¡­ Finally pausing just before breaking through 2, stabilizing at 1.9!!! Luo Zheng Jie, paralyzed with surprise, looked around, "Say¡­ Say! Who¡­ who miscalcted my ratings?!" The S City TV station staff stared back with innocent eyes: "Mr. Luo, the ratings are all calcted by theputer! Who uses manual calction?!" In the live broadcast room, there was terrible silence then three secondsugher, a burst ofughter lifted to the sky¡ª¡ª "Ha ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha, don''t leave everyone! Let''s feast tonight!" "Long live, Mr. Luo!" "Hahaha, Mr. Luo''s the most handsome!" "Mr. Luo is simply a god!!!" Qi Mu naturally did not know of the happenings in the TV station''s broadcasting room. He smiled and sent away a cute 8-year-old boy. Then, Qi Mu turned to the next contestant and paused. Qi Mu: "¡­¡­" What look is this, what look is this, what look is this¡­ The next yer was a pretty girl. She looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, holding a beautiful violin, and had her hair up in a high ponytail. She strode on stage, and while walking¡­ Stared at the young man in the judges¡¯ panel! Her gaze never strayed! Realization shed in Wang Zheng''s eyes, and he whispered across, "Little Seven, is this¡­ a fan of yours?" Qi Mu chuckled. "Most likely¡­ yeah¡­" Despite living for so many years, seeing her green eyes staring at him, he could not cope with the desperate look of "Little Seven~ Look at me~ What are you afraid of!" written in her gaze. The girl walked to the center of the stage, slowly stopped, then looked at the judge''s panel¡­ Cough, to be precise, looked at Qi Mu. She restrained her gaze, bowed, then announced, "Good afternoon judges, my name is Zhu Wen Jing. I''m going to perform today, the first movement of Min Chen''s ¡¶Violin Sonata No. 9 in D major¡·, the ¡¶Constance March¡·." Qi Mu could already feel his scalp tingling at her gaze, but he was still startled at hearing the familiar name. Looking at her with surprise, she onlyughed, set her bow to the strings, and started to y. At the first pull of her bow, the brisk, intense notes of the violin burst across the quiet stage. They jumped, dancing, and the violin grew heated as if in an army march, and the atmosphere warmed at once. The Huaqing Cup had arge age-difference and hadpetitors from 6 to 20 years old. So, on this stage, even in the semi-finals, Qi Mu could hear the different levels of performance. For example, the first contestant''s ¡¶Praeludium and Allegro¡· wasn''t that difficult, but Min Chen''s ¡¶Constance March¡· was already at performance level. When the girl first stepped on stage, Qi Mu was a little¡­ "amazed," but when she yed, Qi Mu found that she was probably the best of the performances so far. In the end, herplicated skill gained apuse from the judges and the audience. The scoring began on the other side, and when the first three, including Wang Zheng and Wu Lao, gave high scores, Qi Mu nodded thoughtfully. He turned to the girl on stage, who was staring at him with stars in her eyes and leaning forward with anticipation andughed. "Your ¡¶Constance March¡· is great. I rarely hear such a brilliant ¡¶Cons¡·. Your spato skills are proficient, and the left-handed pizzicato was done very easily, I think¡­ you''re worth 9.5 points." After that, Qi Mu did not say anything more. He had a hunch, if he said much more, he was afraid something terrible would happen. Qi Mu didn''t expect that having tossed this burden to thest reviewing veteran, Wang Lao would smile and say, "I really like your ¡¶Cons¡·, it''s rare to have such strength at your age. Little girl, can you talk about why you took the violin path?" Qi Mu on the judging panel: "¡­¡­" We are in a violin contest! We are not trying to touch the whole country, Wang Lao!!! Luo Zheng Jie in the broadcast room: "Hahaha, Wang Lao is awesome! Topic, make it a subject line!!!" The girl on stage happily received the microphone handed to her by the host, lifted her head, and looked straight at Qi Mu, her green eyes glowing. Qi Mu: "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­" Trantor(s): Bet TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn Author:Little Seven~ Look at me~ What are you afraid of~~~ 2333333333 Double 11 has arrived! Bet:I apologize for the irregrities in the updates recently! Things should stabilize from here on out. Thank you for sticking with us! Unfortunately, it''s been forever and a half since I''ve tranted anything. Here''s to hoping Teo, Empress, and Ayn salvaged my verbiage!
Chapter 154
The dazzling spotlights illuminated the stage, and in the center, the pretty girl held her violin in one hand and the microphone in the other. She smiled and said, "Judges, thank you for the evaluation. I really like the ¡¶Constance March¡·too." This opening was still normal. She looked at Wu Lao in the center of the panel. "Professor Wu, thank you for your suggestions. I will pay more attention to vibrato in the future and practice more." Wu Lao nodded in satisfaction. The girl turned to Wang Lao. "Master Wang Lao, I started ying the violin when I was four years old. Although it wasn''t my choice then, I like it now, and the violin has always been the most beautiful and meaningful sound to my heart." There was a round of apuse in the auditorium, then the girl said, "Music needs to be persistent. Anyone who persists can be sessful, butst year, I was stuck in a rut. I felt like I couldn''t break through my limits until¡ª¡ª I heard a concert." By the time she had finished speaking, her gaze was fixed on Qi Mu. Qi Mu: "¡­¡­" "I was honored to apany my parents to a live concert during the S City Symphony Orchestra''s 100th celebrationst year¡­" In the broadcast room, Luo Zheng Jie immediately said, "Time for our city''s orchestra to get some publicity! Stand one, draw closer!" The little girl continued, "I was shocked at the time. It turns out the ensemble and symphony orchestra achieved such a magnificent effect. Mr. Wang Zheng, I find your ¡¶Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor¡· very nice, and I respect you very much!" Wang Zheng, who hadn''t expected the conversation to turn to him, touched his head, taken aback. "Ah, thank you for your appreciation." Some contestants had expressed their opinions before, but few had mentioned their favorite musicians. The most respected sat on the jury, so this topic was too difficult! Luo Zheng Jiemanded, "Quickly, have the publicity team start a topic with the majorizens¡ª¡ª the most beautiful violinist of the Huaqing Cup came for the piano judges, breaking through the limits of instrument types¡­" "Mr. Qi Mu, actually¡­ I like your music the most!" "Breaking through the limits of instrument types¡­ ah?" Luo Zheng Jie had yet to finish speaking when he heard the girl continue. On that dazzling stage, the girl in a white dress seriously said, "Mr. Qi Mu, I used to listen to your performances at the Menuhin Violin Competition as a child. You were always what my parents and teachers taught me to strive for. Butst year, I really took you as my life goal." Qi Mu nodded along with a smile, then the girl said, "I really liked the ¡¶Liang Zhu¡· you yed at the 100th anniversary. You also yed the ¡¶Constance March¡· I chose for this semi-final. Your violin is gentle and delicate, but even the lowest melody is optimistic and positive. I really like you!" The handsome young man nodded gently and said mildly, "Thank you for your appreciation. I was also very honored at the time to cooperate with the S City Symphony Orchestra. I hope you will continue to work hard in the future." Qi Mu''s reply was neither humble nor overbearing. He didn''t exalt himself and sessfully encouraged the other violinist. The girl on the stage nodded excitedly, wearing an "I''ll definitely practice the violin for twelve hours every day" expression. Wang Lao, to the side, nodded with a smile. "That is a good goal to have. Child, you have to work hard. I will give you 9.5 points." Except for that episode, the semi-finals went smoothly. Amidst the "sarcastic" seniors, Qi Mu could no longer bear it and begged for mercy again and again. And in the live broadcast room, Luo Zheng Jie watched the steadily rising ratings as if foreseeing his bonus! Broadcasting a ssical musicpetition to this point wasn''t easy to do!!! Who had ever seen a non-entertainingpetition break through the ratings of 1?! No! Luo Zheng Jie was tearful. In his heart, he sent a silent penance to the bold girl and Qi Mu sitting on the judges'' panel. The results of this round were no surprise. The lovely girl that yed the beautiful ¡¶Constance March¡· won the well-deserved first ce and was issued the certificate by Wu Lao himself. When the certificate was issued, the girl was somewhat deted and looked enviously at the third-ce winner¡ª¡ª who received the certificate by Qi Mu''s hand. Wu Lao''s face shuttered and said quietly, "Little girl, I remember you''re a student at the S City Conservatory of Music? If you take my ss next year, you''d best be careful!" The little girl burst into tears: "QAQ!" That being said, in the end, Wu Lao took the girl by the shoulders pityingly, and everyone took a picture together. Under the apuse of the audience, the semi-final round of the Huaqing Cup came to an official end, and the top six sessfully advanced to the finals. The championship would be decided in two weeks. Once the TV broadcast ended, the girl rushed up to Qi Mu and asked for his signature. He smiled and signed a word of encouragement above and his name below. The girl hugged the book tightly and repeatedly uttered, "Do your best" and "I''ll always support you." When Qi Mu left the stage and was about to leave the concert hall, he hadn''t walked but a few steps when he heard someone call out behind him, "Err¡­ Qi Mu!" Turning to the voice, Qi Mu looked back in surprise. He saw someone approaching and narrowed his eyes as he tried to remember the name of the man he hadn''t seen in over a year, "Sheng Yan Hui?" Steadily walking toward him was Sheng Yan Hui, whom Qi Mu had met in the participation of the . Now, Sheng Yan Hui wore a gray suit and silver sses. There was no rashness or astringency as there was a year ago. He seemed to have be an outstanding musician, but when he saw Qi Mu, he couldn''t help the flush of his ears. "En, yes¡­ it''s me." Qi Mu was unaware of his strife and nodded with a smile. "Long time no see, Sheng Yan Hui. Have you graduated from the Munich Conservatory now? Why are you back in Huaxia?" Sheng Yan Hui walked up to his side. "I still have half a year of sses left, but I''ll be graduating soon. Professor Karl thinks I needed to gain more experience, so I came to Huaxia to organize a quartet." After a pause, he added, "You''re heading out¡­ shall we go together?" Qi Mu nodded, smiling, and the two left the concert hall together. "A quartet¡­ seems over the next six months, you''ll be giving small performances?" Qi Mu thought about it and said, "That''s actually quite good. There aren''t many people in a quartet, and it''s easier to control the music and gain experience." At his approval, Sheng Yan Hui agreed immediately, "Yes, I also think so¡­" The two talked as they walked towards the gate. About ten meters from the door, the night breeze slowed Sheng Yan Hui''s pace, and he said quietly, "Actually Qi Mu, your performance at the Paris Philharmonic Hall¡­ I was there." Qi Mu asked in surprise, "Huh? You went? Why didn''t you tell me?" Sheng Yan Hui''s throat was tight, and he struggled tough. "I was also very busy at the college, there was no¡­ I didn''t want to bother you. You performed very well, really!" Qi Mu smiled, "Thanks. I haven''t heard your violin in a long time, but I believe, to have Professor Karl''s approval, you''re also excellent!" The splendid concert hall lights shone against the young man''s ck hair and spun it in shades of gold. His expression was set in a smile, and his tone was gentle and casual enough to make people feel close. But Sheng Yan Hui knew, this person¡­ He was already high enough that people had to lift their heads to look at him. Before going to see Qi Mu''s concert, Sheng Yan Hui had also worked with the Munich college''s orchestra and appeared in the Munich Daily''s music section. After arriving at the college, Sheng Yan Hui practiced hard every day because there was always a young man''s back in his mind. The one who had defeated him with such strength in that . He really wanted to reach his level, see his surprise, and receive his blessing with a smile. But when he listened to that concert in Paris, Sheng Yan Hui finally learned¡ª¡ª This person and himself, the gap between them only continued to grow. This person had such outstanding talent and strength, did he even put in more effort than he did?! There was a saying: There are people who are more talented than you are, who work even harder than you. After a friend at the violin department of the Paris National Conservatory said the Xiao Qi of Professor Akkad''s house practiced at least eight hours a day, Sheng Yan Hui was silent. He found his teacher and hoped to go out sooner to improve his perspective. "Then, I will take the subway back, Sheng Yan Hui, want to go together?" The other man''s pleasant voice interrupted Sheng Yan Hui''s thoughts, and he shook his head. "My hotel''s in the other direction, should I drive you back?" Qi Mu shook his head with a smile, "You said the other direction, I won''t trouble you. We''ll have a chance to see each otherter. I hope you can form your quartet!" Sheng Yan Hui was frozen in ce under the hazy moonlight, watching the youth walk away. He had a hunch tonight¡­ it was probably the closest he would ever get to this young man in his life. If he didn''t speak now, he was afraid he would never get the chance! Sheng Yan Hui took a heavy step forward and called, "Qi¡­" His voice faded into silence, and his eyes widened in horror as he watched a handsome, tall man walk around the corner of the concert hall with a disgruntled expression. While Sheng Yan Hui was stunned, he watched Qi Mu spot the man. He was obviously surprised, but he was happy to see him. Qi Mu hugged him, and the two walked forward together. Sheng Yan Hui couldn''t hear what they were saying, but he had never seen such a gentle expression on the youth''s face. As if seeing the best thing in the world, there was a joy that could not be concealed. Sheng Yan Hui silently lowered his hand and watched the two depart. Not far off, Min Chen nced back at Sheng Yan Hui, phoenix eyes squinting a little, but the youth beside him, still surprised, said, "Why did youe to S City without telling me? How long were you waiting by the door?" Trantor(s): Bet TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn Bet:Should I coo at Min Chen or light a candle for Sheng Yan Hui''s white moonlight? ??Ayn:Coo at Min Chen ??
Chapter 155
In the deep, dark night, a sea of lights dotted the city, rendering the sky bright-red, almost like daylight. Walking under the marble columns of S City''s Concert Hall, Qi Mu put his hands in his coat pockets and smiled. "If I stayed inside a little longer today, were you going to wait for the entire time?" After a momentary pause, he added, "S City''s night wind is still cold." Pulling along a ck suitcase, it seemed like Min Chen had just arrived from Berlin. He looked at the young man casually, his lips curving into a small smile. "Wait a while longer? En, when the time came, I''d make you warm me up." Qi Mu asked, "Warm? How would I warm you?" "Put my hand in yours and use your body temperature to warm me up." Even saying such brazen words, the man still carried an air of calm. It was like he was simply discussing "what we ate tonight." Qi Mu''s ears were already red, feeling shy for the cheeky guy. Opposite them, the lights of a car came down the road. Qi Mu narrowed his eyes. "Actually, it doesn''t matter if you''re afraid of the cold." Min Chen looked at him in surprise. "What?" "You use just a bit of ice to make braised hooves, although¡­" As he spoke, Qi Mu pulled up Min Chen''s left hand and carefully looked over it. Then, clicking his tongue twice, he added, "Although there''s not much meat on this hoof, it still has powerful muscles. It should still feel tender when chewed." Min Chen: "¡­¡­" Qi Mu put down his "hoof" and smiled teasingly. The youth''s face was amusing, his expression so different from the past, it made Min Chen''s eyes darken. After a while, he gave a cold snort and said, "You were chatting with him." The two were walking toward the subway entrance, so Qi Mu didn''t hear it clearly. "What did you say?" Min Chen''s lips pursed. "You were chatting with him." "¡­ Who did I chat with?" "The man just now." Qi Mu realized he was referring to Sheng Yan Hui. Helplessly, he said, "Please, remember you''ve heard his performance before? When I was in B Cityst year, Tan Lao and Du-ge organized a private indoor concert. He also yed the violin." Unexpectedly, Min Chen just snorted, "No impression." Qi Mu: "¡­ His name is Sheng Yan Hui." "Don''t remember." His tone was decisive. "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­" You can remember a score as thick as a book, but can''t remember Sheng Yan Hui''s name!!! Sighing softly, Qi Mu exined, dumbfounded, "I just met Sheng Yan Hui. We haven''t seen each other in over a year, so I chatted with him a bit." He suddenly realized, "Wait a minute. I was talking to Christole and Daniel earlier, why didn''t I see you?" Anger written across his profound face, Min Chen said, "He''s interested in you." Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± From which eye did you see that, ah! Min Chen seemed to read his mind, "I saw it with both eyes!" Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Having no patience for the guy suddenly overtaken with jealousy, Qi Mu directly shifted the topic, "Ah, did you book your hotel tonight? You suddenly came over, so surely Daniel booked something for you. I want to go back to Vienna the day after tomorrow, and I''m going to see Wu Lao tomorrow." After a moment, Min Chen whispered, "Daniel didn''t book a room." He added shortly after, "His work efficiency is terrible. He said S City hit peak tourist season, and it''s difficult to find one." Qi Mu: "¡­¡­" After hesitating for a long time, he said, "You always have Daniel take the me, is that really okay?" Min Chen: "He doesn''t mind." "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­" But I really care! Though he said so, Qi Mu didn''t actually intend to let the guy stay in a hotel for two nights. The two lovers hadn''t seen each other for a long time (a week), and one just traveled half the globe. Traveling from Berlin to S City was exhausting. The other had listened to music all day and was also mentally exhausted. They were both tired. So they simply refreshed themselves, said "Good night," and flicked off the lights. Of course, that was the best-case scenario. But, three seconds in, Qi Mu pped away an outstretched "hoof." Deadpan, he said, "That''s enough, I have to visit Wu Lao tomorrow morning, go to bed early." Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a long time, his voice lost authenticity as he said, "Is Wu Lao more important, or am I?" Qi Mu didn''t even think about it. "Wu Lao is more important." Min Chen, struck in the heart: "¡­¡­" Qi Mu slowly adapted to the dim light and looked at the depressed face on the other pillow and chuckled. Holding out a finger, Qi Mu tapped the other man''s eyebrows. His finger slid along the bridge of his nose and dropped to rest on Min Chen''s lips. Finally, he whispered, "You''re more important." That frozen face softened, and Min Chen hummed back, curling his arms around Qi Mu''s waist. As he''d said before: he was going to use Qi Mu''s body temperature to warm up. Min Chen had always been an upromising person, and look¡­ was it not sessful now? While visiting Wu Lao the next day, Qi Mu brought several gift bags. Min Chen conscientiously carried the two heavy ones, and that made Qi Mu swallow back the words he''d initially wanted to blurt: "Will you stay at the hotel?" Wu Sheng Tao was a lifetime honorary professor at the S City Conservatory of Music and had a pivotal position in the Huaxia ssical music industry. He''d written several songs and etudes that had be the test repertoire for young violinists in Huaxia. They were famous even amongstposers abroad. Qi Mu spoke with Wu Lao during the Huaqing Cup and decided to visit. But, when Wu Lao saw a familiar figure trailing after Qi Mu, he was slightly startled. Then, he watched the two of them step inside, his gaze serious. Wu Lao''s home was amon two-story building in the S City, but the interior colors were warm, and Qi Mu could feel the familial atmosphere as soon as he entered. Xiao Chen, Wu Lao''s personal assistant, was also there. He poured them a pot of tea then left the room. Closing the door in his wake, he took with him¡­ the uninvited guest. Min Chen sat on the sofa, watching the young man opposite him. The other man said, "Mr. Min, hello. I wasn''t expecting to see you here." His posture was decent, and hisnguage was gentle, without a hint of mischief. Having rarely encountered a young man with suchposure, Min Chen''s eyes shed. He nodded. "Hello." "Care for a cup of tea?" Min Chen took the teapot from him. Outside the study, the two chatted politely. Min Chen skillfully carried the conversation. And, inside the study, Qi Mu spoke with Wu Lao. The young man''s smile was like a spring breeze, and the old man''s face slowly softened. When Qi Mu left the study, and the two nned to leave, Xiao Chen sent them out with enthusiasm. As they walked to the entrance, Min Chen''s steps stalled. Turning to the capable young man, he asked, "Just now, you know my concerts very well, excuse me¡­ are you a fan?" Xiao Chen froze, then smiled and shook his head. "I really like Mr. Min''s music, but¡­ I prefer Xiao Qi''s violin." To Qi Mu''s surprised eyes, Xiao Chen pulled out several albums Qi Mu had coborated on from his room. He even had the German opera ¡¶Don Giovanni¡·, which surprised Qi Mu. This was no longer the level of an ordinary fan! This was a super fan! Min Chen, who had been robbed of a fan for the first time, held no traces of anger. After leaving Wu Lao''s house, he even praised, "His ability isn''t much worse than Daniel''s. If he trains well, he could be an independent orchestra agent in the future." Qi Mu smiled and shook his head. "I believe Mr. Chen won''t leave S City. Wu Lao''s son died in a car ident 20 years ago. He adopted Mr. Chen and treats him like a son. I think¡­ Mr. Chen won''t leave Wu Lao." At that, Min Chen said nothing more. When they reached the nearest subway entrance, Qi Mu stopped waiting for Min Chen to ask and posed, "You''re not curious what Wu Lao and I were saying in the study?" Trantor(s): Bet TL Check: Teo Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn
Chapter 156 At that, Min Chen asked, ¡°What did you talk about?¡± Min Chen still looked calm. Qi Mu smiled. ¡°Are you really curious?¡± The handsome man raised his eyebrows and quietlyughed. ¡°If you want to say, I¡¯ll listen.¡± The implication being, if he didn¡¯t want to say, he wouldn¡¯t force him to, because¡­ he trusted Qi Mu. Qi Mu¡¯s face softened a bit, and the two walked into the subway together. He briefly summarized his conversation with Wu Lao as they went. In fact, the talk had been quite simple. The center of their topic had been that little princess¡ª¡ª¡ºEdith¡». The original had wanted to sell the priceless violin a few years ago for money to go drinking and drag racing. But, if he wasn¡¯t going to sell his little princess, well, Wu Lao and the others were unlikely to fight against it. The original had sold his parents¡¯ house in S City before, but ¡ºEdith¡» had more meaning. It was a token of love between the original¡¯s father and mother. In the beginning, it was at a violin exhibition. Qi Mu¡¯s mother and father had met while visiting ¡°Edith.¡± After the two were married, Qi Mu¡¯s father spent a lot of money to buy it at an auction. Though it could be said to be shelved, never to y again, it was still a very important violin. This time, Qi Mu came to Wu Lao to test the elder¡¯s attitude towards ¡°Edith.¡± He wanted to let the beautiful relic be heard to the world under the identity of ¡°Qi Mu.¡± It wouldn¡¯t fade away in the cold safety of a bank, but shine its light unto the world. And Wu Lao¡¯s attitude was clear. At first, because Qi Mu was too rebellious, they didn¡¯t want the unskilled child to sell it for drinking money. But, the Golden Hall was just a symbol, now Qi Mu could go directly to the Swiss bank and take it out. But, in the face of the answer, Qi Mu refused directly. In Wu Lao¡¯s study, he had smiled at that serious old man and sincerely said, ¡°Wu Lao, I will take ¡ºEdith¡» back with my own strength. I hope she can sing the most beautiful notes under the world¡¯s eyes. And, the Golden Hall¡­ is very suitable.¡± Wu Lao was clearly satisfied with Qi Mu¡¯s answer. As he left, Wu Lao had especially encouraged him. Min Chen raised his eyebrows, ¡°A violin called ¡ºEdith¡»?¡± Qi Mu nodded. ¡°En, yes, it¡¯s called ¡ºEdith¡». Wu Lao showed me her picture, and she is an exquisite violin. Her lines are slender and elegant; she should be from a famous brand.¡± After a moment, Min Chen sighed. ¡°If I remember correctly¡­ Christole also has a violin given to him by a friend, it¡¯s called ¡ºBurnell¡». I think it was produced in the same year as your ¡ºEdith¡».¡± Qi Mu halted. Looking at Min Chen in surprise, he said, ¡°You mean¡­¡± The man nodded, his tone helpless, ¡°It¡¯s very likely¡­ they¡¯re a pair of violins.¡± Every time a violin maker made a violin, it consumed a lot of time and effort. In such a situation, it was challenging to make two violins at the same time, but these two, ¡ºEdith¡» and ¡ºBurnell¡» were exceptions. His aplishments on string instruments weren¡¯t on par with Qi Mu and Christole, but that didn¡¯t mean Min Chen hadn¡¯t studied the violin. Christole owned ¡ºBurnell¡», but he seldom yed it. He took it out and yed it at a New Year¡¯s concert, but Min Chen hadn¡¯t seen it since. Afterward, Min Chen hadn¡¯t cared much about the matter. Instead, Daniel was the one to check into the violin. He¡¯d whispered in his ear all day for a month afterward in horror, ¡°Oh my god, Min! Can you believe it! That ¡ºBurnell¡» was auctioned at the sky-high price of 1.15 million euros. Oh God, why didn¡¯t I touch it when Christole took it out¡­¡± Daniel was too annoying to listen to, so Min Chen had also looked into ¡ºBurnell¡» and discovered it was created at the same time as ¡ºEdith¡». Qi Mu was caught between hysterics and tears. The world was really too small. He didn¡¯t expect Christole to own the violin counterpart to ¡ºEdith¡». After thinking for a while, Qi Muughed. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Later, when I take ¡ºEdith¡», Christole and I can have a two-person ensemble and use the two violins.¡± Qi Mu pulled out the key to open the hotel door. He pushed it open, but he hadn¡¯t even turned on the light when something touched his waist. In the next second, his back was pressed against the door. Qi Mu raised his nk eyes, but it took a moment for him to recover. In the darkness, Min Chen¡¯s voice seemed toe straight from the depths of hell, alluringly seductive, ¡°If you and Christole have a double ensemble, then I also want¡­¡± His warm breath brushed Qi Mu¡¯s ear as Qi Mu¡¯s eyes adjusted to the darkness. He rejoiced at not having managed to turn on the light¡ª¡ª at least his red ears wouldn¡¯t be seen. The environment was perhaps too quiet, and the distance too close, and his voice was a bit hoarse. ¡°Min Chen, do you want to have a double ensemble with me? But your violin is really¡­¡± Qi Mu didn¡¯t have the heart to continue. Min Chen¡¯s violin wasn¡¯t all that bad. He at least could be regarded as an ordinary member of Bai Ai. During his interview with Bai Ai, the examiner could have pulled him in without a thought. Butparing Christole¡¯s violin to Min Chen¡¯s¡­ If the former was a natural sound, thetter was barely passable. Qi Mu coughed lightly and concealed his smile. But Min Chen had sharp ears. He pursed his lips, and his dark eyes steeped in the darkness. He lowered his voice, ¡°I want to ensemble with you.¡± Qi Mu replied quietly, ¡°I remember we¡¯ve yed one before, like¡­ Paganini¡¯s ¡¶Etude No. 24¡·?¡± Min Chen¡¯s tone was decisive: ¡°Doesn¡¯t count, no one heard.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a while, he said, ¡°Professor Akkad and Dn would cry.¡± Min Chen pursed his lips, ¡°Too few people.¡± Qi Mu thought about it. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, that other time, the college evaluated our ensemble of Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶Spring Sonata¡· in front of many people. You really scared me that time. Ensembling without rehearsing¡­ that¡¯s the first time I¡¯d done something like that.¡± ¡°But, you yed well.¡± That sentence, Min Chen didn¡¯t say it. He looked down at the young man in front of him, peering into his clear eyes, and whispered, ¡°I want to open with a¡­ piano and violin ensemble.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s eyes blew wide open, his surprise unconcealed. To open a concert with Min Chen, what a privilege it was! This man, who was toozy to even open his own show with his piano, wanted to ensemble with others? It was simply impossible to pass up! After thinking, Qi Mu smiled. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s have a concert. Once I get ¡ºEdith¡», then we¡¯ll open. By then¡­ you¡¯ll have finished writing ¡¶Twilight Under the Moon¡·, we¡¯ll y that one together.¡± The pleasant voice filled the quiet room with this answer that was just too gentle, and Min Chen¡¯s chilled eyes softened. Moonlight shone in from behind him, coloring the youth¡¯s eyes as bright as amber. Min Chen bowed his head and pressed his lips to Qi Mu¡¯s. At the familiar softness, he didn¡¯t want to let go. This kiss was so affectionate that though he clearly remembered he had to catch a ne the next day, Qi Mu gradually sank into the other man¡¯s rich warmth, shyly responding. Their heated breath filled the empty hotel room, and when Qi Mu woke the next day, he grabbed the closest thing at hand¡ª¡ª a pillow and threw it at the abominable man. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I had to return to Vienna and needed to go to bed early!!!¡± Min Chen dodged the ¡°death pillow¡± and innocently pouted, ¡°I¡¯m packing.¡± He raised the clothes in his hands, crumpled rather than folded, and stuffed them into the suitcase. Qi Mu: ¡°¡­ Stand still, I really won¡¯t kill you.¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­ You couldn¡¯t bear it.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°You¡¯ll see if I¡¯m reluctant!!!¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chapter 157 On the ne to Vienna, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t be bothered to even throw a nce at the man beside him, rubbing the slight soreness at his waist. He was already kind enough not to elbow him, but to ask him to care? The blue sky and white clouds outside the window bore witness to the handsome man thoughtfully serving hot coffee to the young man beside him. In return, the young man snorted softly and took the provided air meal, then sat it on the small table. Despite the exchange, the young man still refused to look at him. Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a while, he leaned over, ¡°You¡¯re not angry, you¡¯re not angry, you¡¯re not angry.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± A momentter, Min Chen repeated, ¡°You¡¯re not angry, you¡¯re not angry, you¡¯re not angry.¡± Qi Mu was thoroughly amused, ¡°I¡¯m angry!¡± There was a smile in Min Chen¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not angry anymore.¡± No matter how firm the idea was in Qi Mu¡¯s head, when he saw this man¡¯s ¡°you can¡¯t bear to be angry with me¡± expression, itpletely vanished. He chuckled, ¡°If your fans saw you like this¡­ what would they say?¡± Min Chen raised his eyes and asked rhetorically, ¡°Don¡¯t you appreciate me more?¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a few seconds, Qi Mu said nkly, ¡°There¡¯s a bug on your shoulder.¡± Immediately, the man straightened, his eyes solemnly wide. He didn¡¯t dare breathe too loudly. Min Chen kept a calm look on his face, but demanded, word by word, ¡°Where. Is. It¡­.¡± Qi Muughed loudly, ¡°How are there bugs on a ne? You¡¯re thinking too much¡­ eh¡­¡± Then, Qi Mu leaned in, ¡°Angry?¡± Expressionless, Min Chen said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­ Really angry, ah?¡± ¡°¡­ No.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s mouth twitched a little, and he helplessly sighed, ¡°Actually really angry.¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡­¡± The long voyage was spent exchanging the two sentences, ¡°You¡¯re angry¡± and ¡°No.¡± It was evening by the time they arrived in Vienna. Gorgeous rays of sunlight dyed the sky in magnificent shades of purple, while the air¡¯s floral fragrance made the city feel lively as if it had yet to enter winter. Min Chen imed he was angry, but when Qi Mu secretly took his hand between the seats, he just leaned over and yfully rubbed his cheek against Qi Mu¡¯s hair like arge dog. The two gathered their luggage and took the shuttle to their apartment. As they walked, Qi Mu remembered, ¡°Is it okay if you don¡¯t go back and deal with Bai Ai¡¯s affairs? Though the members took a holiday two weeks ago, I remember Daniel, Christole, and you didn¡¯t have one.¡± Min Chen shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s been mostly dealt with. Daniel will email me the important information.¡± Qi Mu didn¡¯t ask any further questions, and, together, the two got off the shuttle at three streets away from Min Chen¡¯s apartment. They had to walk the rest of the way. In a city so filled with ssical music, Min Chen raised the cor of his coat and donned his sunsses, covering his face. Even so, they¡¯d just taken two steps when they heard a cry from behind, ¡°Good¡­ good heavens! It¡¯s you!!!¡± Surprised, Qi Mu turned around to see a middle-aged woman carrying a vegetable basket, staring at them in shock. In the next second, she rushed over. Qi Mu reluctantly took two steps aside, intending to let the fan get closer to her idol, but when he took a step aside, so did the woman. Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Are you Little Seven?! I¡¯ve heard your ¡¶The Marriage of Figaro¡· at the Palisade Theatre before. It was great! The best ¡¶Figaro¡· I¡¯ve ever heard! God, I didn¡¯t expect to see you on the street! What to do, what to do¡­ I didn¡¯t bring pen and paper¡­¡± Qi Mu took the pen Min Chen silently handed over, still surprised. He wrote his name on a piece of paper and smiled, ¡°Thank you for your affections. I¡¯m honored to bring you wonderful music. Thank you for your support.¡± The woman became even more excited, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be even more lovely up close, ah! Child, work hard! I like you, I will always support you!¡± After a few more words of thanks, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Err¡­ You really came for me, not for him?¡± He still found it a little challenging to look at the man beside him. The middle-aged woman nced at Min Chen and asked, ¡°Who is this man, ah?¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± When the two men took up their suitcases and continued home, Qi Mu¡¯s handsome face was helpless. He shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect my performance at the Palisade Theatre to attract any fans¡­¡± When an orchestra performed with an opera, they yed in the shadows under the stage like heroes behind the scenes. ¡°Your performance was excellent,¡± the other man¡¯s melodious voice said from beside him, ¡°She really likes your music.¡± That startled Qi Mu, but heughed and said, ¡°You think too much. If that person recognized who you were just now, I doubt they would have asked for my signature at all.¡± Along the narrow street, the man paused. Realizing he¡¯d stopped walking, Qi Mu turned back. Under the glory of the setting sun, Min Chen¡¯s profound face seemed a little more defined than usual. He shook his head. ¡°No. Your music is no less than mine.¡± The young man¡¯s light eyes widened. Then, after a long while, he smiled. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Not inferior to yours.¡± Qi Mu changed the topic, ¡°Well, what should we eat tonight? There¡¯s nothing prepared, so we could eat hot pot? En, let¡¯s eat hot pot¡­¡± The dim light lengthened their shadows, making the dark silhouettes meet ambiguously on the t road. Min Chen stared at the youth beside him, and his lips curled into a quick smile. He just¡­ really wasn¡¯t lying. The young man¡¯s violin had unknowingly reached his level and wasn¡¯t inferior to him at all. In the near future, he would stand under the brightness of a thousand lights and let the entire world look up at him. Palisade Theatre, after a month-long Christmas vacation, finally ushered in another training period. Qi Mu had been a part of the theatre for almost four months, and those four months had made him very popr in the orchestra. Even Wace joked, ¡°Little Seven, you¡¯re the youngest of our orchestra, or¡­ could you be our mascot?¡± That day, Little Seven finally remembered the ¡°disgrace¡± that was being called ¡°the mascot & Little Angel.¡± He shook his head righteously and said, ¡°Mr. Wace, I think that name is unsuitable for me. I¡¯m 22 years old this year.¡± Wace regretted not getting to call him that again, but a few members that overheard would often call him so in private. Even if Qi Mu tried to stop it, they would already retort with¡ª¡ª ¡°Little Seven, don¡¯t be so humble!¡± ¡°That¡¯s Little Seven. How cute is our mascot, cute as my baby!¡± ¡°Hey John, your son¡¯s only three this year!¡± ¡­¡­ In such a lively atmosphere, the sense ofziness slowly dissipated. Within an hour, they were invested in their regr daily rehearsal. They had an early Christmas vacation because the PalisadeTheatre sent out invitations on Christmas Eve every year for a grand symphony concert. They treated it as a review of care for the past year. Ordinary theater orchestras provided music for operas, but that didn¡¯t mean the orchestra couldn¡¯t also hold symphonic concerts. Although they are unable topete with Wei Ai, the world¡¯s top Symphony Orchestra in Vienna, the PalisadeTheatre orchestra was also first-rate and had a good reputation. Every year, the Palisade Christmas Eve concert attracted arge audience. The event was majestic and was sure to be a grand show. The repertoire that year was roughly the same as previous years, with songs such as ¡¶Ave Maria¡·, ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡·, and ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·. Though the songs were the same, the performers had changed dramatically! Most of the audience who received the invitations were surprised to find out that the year¡¯s symphony concert was using the new concertmaster, and not the old concertmaster that just retired! The influence of a concertmaster on a concert was second only to the conductor. He led the entire first violin group and all the string instruments and could affect the performance of the whole orchestra. Many of the audience looked forward to this performance, but what they didn¡¯t know was, the Palisade Theatre at this time¡­ Was arguing¡­ Chapter 158 The Palisade Theatre¡¯srge conference room spanned about 100 square meters. Inside the conference room, dozens of the theater orchestra members and opera actors could sit, discuss, and provide suggestions for the theater¡¯s following schedule. And now, since that evening, the room has entered a fierce state. The party represented by the music director, Greer, and the party represented by the conductor, Wace, argued ceaselessly. ¡°Wace, I understand what you¡¯re saying, but it isn¡¯t feasible! I¡¯ve never heard of an orchestra that gave up the vocals of ¡¶Ave Maria¡·! Yes, I¡¯ve heard ¡¶Ave Maria¡· with a violin solo, but do you dare say that that kind of ¡¶Ave Maria¡· is more outstanding than one with a vocal apaniment?!¡± Encountering these issues with the performance, Greer was flushed with anger. Wace hastily answered, ¡°Oh no, Greer! Don¡¯t you think because we¡¯ve performed ¡¶Ave Maria¡· for over ten years, we need some improvement this time? Our theater is developing, it¡¯s time for innovation!¡± ¡°Yes! We have to innovate, but give me a better suggestion!¡± Determining the repertoire for the Christmas Eve concert led to the disagreement between conductor Wace and music director Greer. The former belonged to the school of innovation and believed the orchestra could not go on like this. There had to be change and improvement! Therefore, Wace suggested they give up the vocals when ying Schubert¡¯s ¡¶Ave Maria¡· this time. However, thetter was conservative and thought ¡¶Ave Maria¡· without vocals could not portray the same solemn performance and would be the failure of the Christmas Eve concert. It would do nothing to improve the situation. The two argued for over half an hour, and neither would yield. This was the first time Qi Mu had seen Wace so agitated. The French gentleman was entirely without his usual grace, keeping firm to his ideas. A few members of the orchestra spoke, but when it came to giving up the vocals or not, the discouraged members also joined the ¡°war.¡± The musicians yed the violin with such elegance in the past, but when it was time to decide the repertoire, they bitterly fought. It bore no resemnce to their usual joking demeanor. A regr si, ah! If they made the wrong choice and didn¡¯t have the best results, what would they say?! Watching the situation grow bigger and bigger as several members grew angry, the orchestra¡¯s first trumpet, Nelly, turned to Qi Mu and sighed. ¡°Little Seven, how do you see this turning out¡­? I think Mr. Wace¡¯s idea is good, we do have to change something, but Mr. Greer is also right. If this change has a bad effect¡­ ah, what good will this do!¡± Qi Mu was equally helpless. ¡°Nelly, I don¡¯t know how to choose, it really is a difficult decision.¡± Nelly naturally knew before Qi Mu spoke, there was no way to decide for sure. She could only shake her head. ¡°Ah, this meeting will go on for a long time. If there was a sound that could rece the vocals, it¡¯d be great! Mr. Wace and Mr. Greer would be satisfied.¡± Qi Mu froze. His light eyes widened, and he frowned a little. Then he suddenly said, ¡°Nelly, you¡¯re brilliant! I think I know what to do!¡± The confused Nelly: ¡°Eh?! I didn¡¯t say anything, Little Seven¡­¡± ¡°I really want to thank you,¡± Qi Mu answered with a smile. Then, he turned to Wace and Greer, who were in the midst of a cold war. Standing, his voice rang with rity, ¡°Mr. Wace, Mr. Greer, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll listen to me, but¡­ I have a good idea.¡± Everyone turned to look in Qi Mu¡¯s direction. Qi Mu took a deep breath, slowly let it out, then spoke his thoughts, ¡°Actually, I think¡­¡± ¡°So, you took the matter unto yourself?¡± Over the phone, Zheng Wei Qiao sighed heavily. ¡°Little Seven, don¡¯t increase your burden like this. You are still young, it¡¯s not good to put yourself under so much stress!¡± Qi Mu carried his violin case in one hand and pressed the elevator button, caught between tears andughter as he said, ¡°Zheng-ge, I didn¡¯t put much stress on myself at all. I agree with Mr. Wace¡¯s ideas that an orchestra needs an adaptive spirit. After thinking for a bit, I decided to use the violin solo to rece the vocals.¡± Zheng Wei Qiao¡¯s voice was frustrated, ¡°Little Seven, your idea is good, but now, your weight in this concert is so heavy, isn¡¯t that added pressure?¡± The elevator climbed floor by floor, and Qi Mu watched the shing numbers, smiling, ¡°En, but Zheng-ge, this is also a challenge for me. I haven¡¯t had much pressure since I graduated, and you know, if people getzy, their skills will rust.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a moment of silence, Zheng Wei Qiao said quietly, ¡°Little Seven. Even if it means you¡¯rezy, do you want your Zheng-ge to live?¡± They said a few more words, then Qi Mu hung up the call that spanned over half the earth. Taking out his key, he opened the apartment door but was surprised to find the room dark and empty. The sun set early during Vienna winters. Even though it was already dark, it was only just after five. Qi Mu shook his head to clear his confusion, then changed his shoes. Setting his violin case in the music room, he heard the sound of a key in the door. Leaving the music room, he called, ¡°When I first came back, I was wondering why you were gone. Where did you go?¡± Min Chen was surprised for a moment. He was slightly slow to change his shoes but returned to normal swiftly. He raised a hand and the stic bag in it. ¡°Bought dinner. Today, the orchestra affairs ended quite early?¡± Since Min Chen had been to the Palisade Theatre before, Qi Mu strictly forbade the man from taking another step inside¡­ Well, he was still allowed to watch the show, but he was never allowed backstage again! Since Min Chen¡¯s visit, the other members hadughed and teased Qi Mu, saying, ¡°Little Seven, how do you know Mr. Bertram?,¡± ¡°Little Seven, I heard Mr. Bertram doesn¡¯t make a sound even when he¡¯s eating, is it true?¡± Qi Mu answered them seriously. Though Min Chen didn¡¯t speak or make much noise while eating, he still made chewing sounds! But the fans would wear ¡°Little Seven, you¡¯re lying¡± expressions. Facing such ¡°mentally disabled¡± fans, Qi Mu felt that if they were told Min Chen was actually an ordinary person that ate and drank, they would all cry in unison, ¡°No! Little Seven! How could Mr. Bertram be like ordinary people!¡± ¡­¡­Fortunately, he still kept Min Chen¡¯s bug-fearing secret under wraps. Taking the bag from Min Chen, Qi Mu arranged the delicate, yellow packages on the table. Getting tableware from the kitchen, Min Chen listened as Qi Mu spoke, ¡°This afternoon, we discussed what we¡¯ll perform at the concert. Since we finished early, I came back first.¡± Min Chen handed Qi Mu chopsticks and asked casually, ¡°¡¶Ave Maria¡·,¡¶The Blue Danube¡·¡­ What else?¡± Qi Mu looked up at him in surprise. ¡°Another¡¯s the ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡·.¡± He paused and asked, ¡°Have you heard the PalisadeTheatre¡¯s Christmas Eve concert before?¡± Min Chen¡¯s narrowed phoenix eyes were smiling. He shook his head. ¡°No.¡± At the youth¡¯s surprised expression, he chuckled, ¡°¡¶Ave Maria¡· is a must-have at many orchestra¡¯s Christmas Eve concerts, and ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·¡­ well, are the Viennese so paranoid as to be terrified of Strauss, as if he were god? I didn¡¯t expect the other song to also be Strauss¡¯. What a terrible obsession, ah.¡± Qi Mu chuckled, ¡°If the Viennese heard you, they¡¯d beat you.¡± Min Chen raised an eyebrow indifferently, ¡°Not afraid, my lover will protect me.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­ Recently, I feel you are particrly annoying.¡± The handsome man nodded. ¡°En, only my wife can beat me.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Under Qi Mu¡¯s disgusted eyes, the simple dinner was quickly over. While dining, Min Chen, who was thought by the members of the Palisade Orchestra to ¡°not make even a sound at dinner,¡± acted elegantly with excellent dining etiquette. He didn¡¯t make a sound. But after the meal, the thick-skinned music master directly swept the lunch box into the bin. A sh of realization hit Qi Mu. ¡°¡­ You deliberately went out to buy dinner tonight to escape the responsibility of washing dishes?!¡± The man stiffened his broad shoulders and turned his head to say expressionlessly, ¡°I would never do something that dirty. Never.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± If not, why act so serious! That¡¯s not what your expression says! In this leisure time after their meal, the young man practiced his violin in the music room. The man leaned against the smooth piano lid with one hand, gazing at him. His dark, deep eyes reflected the youth¡¯s thin back. Min Chen slowly frowned. ¡­ Did he really just go out to buy dinner? Perhaps only he knew. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 The Palisade Theatre was an ancient, Romanesque-styled building that stood in Vienna for nearly 100 years. Throughout the continuously changing musicians and actors, many loyal viewers considered it their favorite theater for life and visited every week to listen to the opera. Those people were the pirs that supported the PalisadeTheater for a hundred years. For them, even on Christmas Eve, the members of the theater orchestra insisted on ying a high-level concert to disy their level of excellence. Therefore, the intense practice was absolutely necessary. In the bright rehearsal hall, the melodious music rang clear. The trombone rumbled, the string instruments sang like flowing water, and it all came together soothingly, bringing to life the beautiful, moving sound that was unique to Strauss. ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡· was divided into a prologue, four small waltzes, and six parts at the end. Almost every part had two themes. The former is bright and cheery, and thetter is passionate and intense in sharp contrast with each other. It was a warm ensemble. The music quieted, and the conductor raised his baton and turned his head to the left of the podium. Qi Mu looked up and smiled at Wace, a bright sound flowing from the violin under the youth¡¯s fingers. It was clear, bright, and soft. The Palisade Theatre¡¯s concertmaster sessfullypleted the music piece at the conductor¡¯s will. The whole orchestra yed neatly under their leadership. Even for rehearsals, no one in the orchestra dared to make a mistake. Even the woodwinds, the ones most prone to mistakes, were as stable as if they had trained a hundred times. When in fact¡­ This was only their first rehearsal! Nearing the end of the song, the musicians directed the first seat of each group. Stepping off the conductor¡¯s tform, Wace turned to Qi Mu. ¡°Little Seven, when Lance introduced you to me, you were great! Your violin was gentle and delicate. I really couldn¡¯t believe such a young person could have such powerful force!¡± Without waiting for Qi Mu to respond, the other members of the first violin groupughed, ¡°Mr. Wace, our Little Seven has been for over four months. How can you only discover he¡¯s simply unscientific now!¡±¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. When I saw Little Seven, I thought¡­ When I was 22, I also organized a small band in my hometown. Several people were ying, right?¡± ¡°Arnie, you¡¯re pretty good, ok! When you were 22, you all graduated. I was still being scolded by my tutor all day long in college!¡± ¡­¡­ Listening to them rant, Qi Muughed. Wace frowned. ¡°When he introduced Little Seven to me, Lance said he was an emotional child, that he felt the emotions behind the music. Even then, I didn¡¯t think Little Seven could deliver such an excellent ¡¶Ave Maria¡· in a week.¡± Praised to that extent, since Qi Mi didn¡¯t have a face thick enough to serve as national defense, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a little embarrassed. He coughed, ¡°Mr. Wace, everyone in the orchestra is outstanding. It was through this ensemble with everyone that I could grasp this ¡¶Ave Maria¡·.¡± ¡°Little Seven! You are so humble! I believe, by the concert next week, you and the orchestra can y the most memorable ¡¶Ave Maria¡·!¡± Faced with Wace¡¯s praise and the orchestra¡¯sughter, Qi Mu could only ept the kindness of hispanions. Just when he thought this outburst would end, a voice sounded out in the crowd, ¡°That¡¯s right, Little Seven, this invitation, should we make a Q version and print your image on it as mascot?!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s¡­¡± very suitable. ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s a great idea! The orchestra always uses such rigid invitations, not very energetic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Mr. Wace, can we redesign the annual invitation letter?¡± ¡­¡­ The entire group roared in agreement. Wace looked at Qi Mu with a ¡°Rest assured, I know what to do¡± nce. While Qi Mu was feeling relieved, Wace calmly said, ¡°Our invitations are indeed too rigid, they should be improved. But I think¡­ the orchestra mascot is a bit too much, right?¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Who¡¯s the mascot! Wace thought for a while. ¡°If we¡¯re sending invitations to young children, should a mascot doll be included? Make a little rabbit called ¡®Seven.¡¯ It¡¯s consistent with the image of Little Seven, and it¡¯ll promote the cute image of our orchestra.¡± Wace turned, ¡°Little Seven, what do you think?¡± Qi Mu¡¯s mouth twitched a little. ¡°Mr. Wace, I think this is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s decided!¡± ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± ¡°Great suggestion. I¡¯m sure the young audience will like this Little Seven rabbit!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Who¡¯s a rabbit!!!! Inside the PalisadeTheatre¡¯srge rehearsal hall, everyone wasughing. Only the handsome young man had tears in his heart. The next time he had to write his resume, his job title would be¡ª¡ª ¡¶My Career as The PalisadeTheatre¡¯s Mascot¡·. While everyone in the theatre was delighted, half the city away, in the Vienna Supreme Court¡¯s courtroom No. 1, the atmosphere was solemn. The trial proceeded with little suspense. Very few cases were allowed into the first courtroom of the Vienna Supreme Court, which could amodate arge audience. But today, there were countless public media specialists in attendance, along with numerous cameras, waiting for the final oue of the two prisoners. Many of the reporters gathered at the front of the gallery, for the front row seats were already full of people with important identities. For example, the chief conductor and music director of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Albert Dorenza, and the chief conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Evra. These people were all big names in the ssical music world. Every one of their concerts would be sold out, attracting countless fans. Today, they were all gathered together for the finale of this case. Zayev and Luo Yu Sen both hung their heads in disgrace as they were escorted up, neither daring to look up at the people in the gallery. Zayev looked directly at the judge, not letting the reporters take pictures of their embarrassment. When the judge knocked the gavel, the room immediately fell silent. The clerk stood up and read the cold, ruthless testimony and other details of the case with an expressionless face. When he read, ¡°The suspect Luo Yu Sen took the victim¡¯s asthma medication,¡± the clerk nced coldly at the dark-haired man standing in the center of the court, then continued to recite. The courtroom was silent. After the clerk finished reading aloud, and the procedures werepleted, Luo Yu sen and Zayev had nothing to refute. The judge, who had always been fair and just, looked at the two guilty criminals below the stage. The disgust and contempt in his eyes were impossible to hide. The judge had tried many violent murders, but for him, these criminals were no better than those disgusting murderers! This was Vienna, one of the most beloved ces in the ssical music industry. Beautiful music could be heard all the time at the ends of every street in the city. There were statues of great musicians in every square! But, in such a ce, such terrible and disgusting sins were bred! A talented young violinist lost his precious life, because of these two prisoners¡¯ jealousy and selfishness! How much beautiful music had the world lost! What kind of talent had the world lost! How could two people who love music, possiblymit a crime so atrocious! Many people didn¡¯t know the judge of this trial was privately a fan of Wei Ai and had also loved the music of its chief Zayev. But, if the judge had liked his music before, he hated the man standing in the middle of the courtroom that much more! This was sphemy! This was ruthless sphemy against music! You were unworthy of the beauty of music the day you picked up the violin! The gavelnded heavily. After the relevant regtions were read, the judge, who was upset, sneered. For the first time in his life, he destroyed his image of selflessness and impartialness inw enforcement and selfishly said, ¡°I really can¡¯t understand. How could there be such a viin as filthy as you in the great world of ssical music!¡± The gallery immediately erupted in noise as countless reporters wrote and filmed. This was the headline! The always impartial judge, angry in court! The judge continued, ¡°You are the shame of Vienna; you are the shame of ssical music! I cannot believe you picked up a violin and yed such beautiful music this year. I¡¯m afraid that behind that false beauty lies a rotten swamp! Austria is a benevolent country without the death penalty, which I have never regretted until this moment. You cannot erase the sins with which you have desecrated the ssical music of the entire world!¡± ¡°But in this moment, I can only regretfully announce Lyon Zayev, imprisonment for 5 years and 31 days; Luo Yu Sen, imprisonment for¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°71 years and 20 days!¡± Luo Yu Sen immediately shouted in horror, ¡°I am unsatisfied! I am unsatisfied! Why should I¡­¡± ¡°Silence!!!¡± The judge¡¯s cold eyes made Luo Yu sen flinch back suddenly. He looked at the gaunt man nkly, ¡°If there are objections, please file an appeal!¡± ¡­¡­ In a panic, Luo Yu Sen shouted in disbelief, and the whole trial came to an end. Dorenza, sitting in the front row, felt the relief of a burden on his shoulders. He spoke with his old friend, Evra, while the reporters swarmed out the door after the angry judge. ¡¶Voice of Vienna¡· reporter Jake walked out the door a little slower. He spotted a man wearing sunsses in his peripheral vision and felt a trace of surprise. There was an inexplicable sense of familiarity, but he quickly turned to chase the judge again. In thest row of the gallery, no one spotted the handsome, elegant man with slightly lowered eyes staring at the already empty court. His thin lips pursed, and he whispered, ¡°71 years and 20 days¡­¡± Well, many things could happen. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Qi Mu barely maintained a calm smile the entire afternoon rehearsal as he tried to persuade Wace and the other members to give up the unrealistic idea of a rabbit mascot. Just as Mr. Wace looked as though he would relent, Nelly, the trumpet¡¯s first seat, ran over and handed a small book to Mr. Wace. ¡°Mr. Wace, I learned how to paint when I was little. Though it isn¡¯t particrly good¡­ what do you think of this cute little rabbit? It¡¯s as cute as Little Seven!¡± In the book drawn was a chubby, round, little rabbit with long ears, a short tail, andrge, wet eyes. Even through the paper, it tickled the itch of one¡¯s heart and could only be described as¡ª¡ª Meng God! Wace nodded. ¡°Oh God, Nelly, you have such excellent drawing skills! This cute rabbit Little Seven is awesome! Let¡¯s make it the mascot. Before the concert, send it out on the invitations!¡± Nelly nodded vigorously. Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mr. Wace, do you remember who just said he would reconsider¡­ This mascot Little Seven was discussed throughout the orchestra¡ª¡ªand yes, it was directly called Little Seven¡ª¡ªsuch as what color it should be. Qi Mu tidied his things in silence to get as far as he could from this ce where right and wrong were inverted. He had an ominous hunch that if he stayed, something terrible would happen. Just as he stepped out of the theater¡¯s side door, Qi Mu received a call from Min Chen. Shortly after, he stepped into Min Chen¡¯s car. ¡°How did you think ofing to pick me up today?¡± The handsome man held the steering wheel in one hand and looked at the young man in the passenger¡¯s seat. A smile shed in his dark eyes, and he whispered, ¡°Remember what day it is today?¡± Qi Mu was stunned, ¡°Your birthday? Impossible. Isn¡¯t your birthday in the spring?¡± ¡°¡­Think again.¡± Qi Mu ced his violin case in the back seat and furrowed his brows in thought. ¡°It has nothing to do with me. So¡­ what day is it?¡± Min Chen said, ¡°It¡¯s been a year since we met¡­ and 23 days.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a speechless moment, he said, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything 23 days ago¡­¡± Min Chen¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Makeup today.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Can this stuff be made up! ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood today.¡± There was a hint of joy in the man¡¯s low voice that had Qi Mu looking at him in surprise. A dim streemp shed past the window and cast shadows on the man¡¯s handsome face. Min Chen said with a smile, ¡°Today¡­ I am in a good mood. Exceptionally good.¡± Without him saying anything, Qi Mu had already noticed from his soft expression. He asked cooperatively, ¡°Oh? Why are you feeling so good today?¡± ¡°No reason. Just exceptionally good.¡± Min Chen stopped at a red light and turned to look at the young man beside him, lips curled in a small smile. ¡°En¡­ I want to have a candlelight dinner outside.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re not going to do the dishes again today?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The beautiful, romantic atmosphere copsed instantly. Min Chen¡¯s mouth twitched, and he sat back in the driver¡¯s seat. Seeing him grow awkward, Qi Mu felt weird and helpless. He took the other man¡¯s hand and patted it, hoping it would make the man¡¯s expression better. Seeing the other man¡¯s face, somehow, the cute rabbit that Nelly had drawn came to mind. Qi Mu smiled. ¡°In two days, I¡¯ll give you a gift¡­ en, something simr to you. You can call him ¡®Little Chen Chen¡¯.¡± En, that rabbit wasn¡¯t Little Seven, but Little Chen Chen! Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Afterughing for a bit, Qi Mu suddenly recalled, ¡°There are no dishes tonight, but you left yours in the sinkst night! They must be cleaned when we go back tonight! Little Chen Chen! Cough¡­ I gave it away.¡± Min Chen, pretending to understand nothing: ¡°¡­Wash tomorrow.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°No, it¡¯s been dyed by a day already. Must be washed today!¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯ll be backte, you can¡¯t bear to keep me up that long.¡± Qi Mu smiled. ¡°Not at all. I am very, very willing.¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡­¡± So¡­ they said marriage was the tomb of love? Look, they haven¡¯t even married yet, and someone was trying to shirk the duty of washing dishes! As time went on, how could this be good! Of course, although he said so, Qi Mu¡¯s heart softened. He said tentatively, ¡°There are a bunch, so¡­ I¡¯ll wash with you?¡± Min Chen agreed happily, ¡°Ok!¡± That night, after a romantic candlelight dinner, the two men went home, put on aprons, and washed the dishes in the kitchen. One carefully washed the tableware, and the other wiped them dry with a cloth. When Min Chen handed Qi Mu thest spoon, he took the small, porcin spoon and wiped it intently. He¡¯d just finished putting it away when he lifted his head, but before he could speak, his gaze was caught in a pair of deep, fateful eyes. Startled, he smiled, ¡°Looking at me so hard, is there something on my face?¡± The precious man shook his head and reached around Qi Mu¡¯s waist. ¡°Watching my lover.¡± Qi Mu raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not tired of watching?¡± ¡°Never tired of watching.¡± Qi Mu could only close his eyes in a smile at that and quietly hum. In the cool, Bauhaus-styled kitchen, though it was decorated in only ck and white, it seemed very warm. The cold wind outside shrieked and railed against the ss, but it couldn¡¯t disturb the two lovers. Qi Mu ced the tableware in the cab and turned to Min Chen, asking, ¡°When does the ne leave the day after tomorrow?¡± ¡°Ten o¡¯clock.¡± Qi Mu nodded. ¡°Ok, I should be able to drop you off at the airport before I go to the theater.¡± Min Chen nodded, ¡°Great.¡± After the two cleaned up a bit, they turned off the kitchen lights, but momentster, the lights in the music room turned on. This certain someone that previously said he ¡°won¡¯t stay upte,¡± sat on the piano bench and started ying ¡¶Ave Maria¡·. The thoughtful Little Seven could only cooperate and y the violin part. Why was he suddenly so excited? Min Chen was happy! His good mood, why was it so good? That 71-year sentence¡­ well, it was more than enough time for someone to suffer in prison. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Three dayster, Qi Mu received the little rabbit called ¡°Seven,¡± and immediately wrote the words ¡°with love¡± on the rabbit¡¯s gift tag with a red pen. He sent it via express to Berlin. There were only a dozen days left before the Bai Ai¡¯s New Year concert. Aside from Christmas Day, which Bai Ai would take off, they were all intensely rehearsing for the New Year concert. On Qi Mu¡¯s side, Palisade Theatre¡¯s rehearsal had entered its final stages and was preparing for the encore. The entire orchestra cooperated tacitly and, while it may not have achieved the thick, metallic tone of Bai Ai, and while it might be impossible to have the elegance of Wei Ai, they still had the brightness unique to Palisade Theatre. It was reflected most vividly during thest rehearsal before the concert. After the practice came to an end, Wace was so excited he ran down from the conductor¡¯s podium to give Qi Mu a big hug. The young man hugged the over-excited conductor who chattered on, ¡°Little Seven! I foresee a sessful performance tomorrow night! That ¡¶Ave Maria¡· just now was amazing!¡± Qi Mu nodded. ¡°En, Mr. Wace, I believe so too. Your adaptation will be phenomenally sessful!¡± The next night, countless people arrived before the huge marble arch in front of the Palisade Theatre. A new red carpet ran from the top of the second-floor stairs down to the street entrance. The magnificent theater was lit by countless dazzling lights, and it was a very lively Christmas Eve there. To one side of the gate, an invitation checkpoint was established. The older audience handed over their invitations with familiarity, thinking this was the same as before. After checking their invitations, they entered the theater directly, but were surprised to receive a cute rabbit! Thedies who preferred small animals even eximed, ¡°Oh god, what a cute rabbit!¡± When Qi Mu secretly looked at the front desk from behind the curtain, he saw almost everyone in the audience ying with their cute little rabbits. Nelly, who happened to walk by, said, ¡°Ah, Little Seven! It seems many people like our little gift this time. They said we have a heart!¡± She said happily, ¡°It¡¯s good to be liked by the audience. I think¡­ they will treat our theater¡¯s mascot¡ª¡ªrabbit Little Seven, very well!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡­¡­ After half an hour of lively chatter in the audience, a harsh bell rang, and the hall calmed down. The yers of the first group walked out from the left of the stage to warm apuse. The musicians of the Palisade Theatre filed out and sat in their seats. Taking his violin, Qi Mu stepped on stage and, with Wace, led the orchestra in bowing to the audience. Under the thunderous apuse of the audience, the orchestra members sat down one after the next. Only Qi Mu still stood at the left of the conductor¡¯s podium, looking down at the dark shadows. The past four months, he had always sat under this stage and apanied the dazzling actors on stage. And now¡­ He wasing up! The orchestra¡¯s sound grew denser, and Wace¡¯s baton flicked upward, producing silence. Qi Mu turned and looked at Wace. The two nodded, and Qi Mu¡¯s soothing violin filled the hall in the next moment! Palisade Theatre¡¯s Christmas Eve concert¡ª¡ª Had officially opened! Chapter 161 Chapter 161 The magnificent song filled the theater¡¯s music hall. Brilliant lights focused on the stage, highlighting the famous opera¡¯s orchestra. Dozens of people sat in neat rows. The small violin, medium violin,rge violin¡­ all pulled their bows; the small and medium trumpet, trombone, r¡­ they, too, all yed together, and the forceful but not entirely solemn ¡¶Ave Maria¡· rose melodiously. As an early representative of ssical romanticism, ¡¶Ave Maria¡· was one of Schubert¡¯s songs. The master was born in Vienna, the music capital, and achieved his life¡¯s glory inside the city. Many people knew Mozart¡¯s life was short; he lived for only 35 years, but he left behind thousands of world-famous songs. Few people knew that Schubert lived¡ª¡ª For only 31 years. In those very short 31 years, this grandmaster of music wrote over 600 songs, 18 operas, 10 symphonies, and more. God was never fair. He preferred his beloved humans and devoted endless effort into geniuses such as Mozart and Schubert, letting them bring such heavenly music to the world, only to pity them and bring them back to heaven early. And this ¡¶Ave Maria¡· had inherited the love the Vienna people had for the waltz. Its melody was gentle, like a mother gently touching her child¡¯s cheek, delicate and soft; it was like the rocking of a small cradle. The older audience of Palisade Theatre, who had listened to ¡¶Ave Maria¡· for over a decade, were naturally familiar with the song. They even understood that Wace liked to insert a small piece with the first violin section at the end of the first part, and they also knew the female vocals were unique to the Palisade Theatre. But this time, no one expected¡­ the concertmaster would refuse to take his seat! An older gentleman sitting in the front row pulled a face and looked through his thick sses at the young man standing on stage, not ying his violin. He was gray-haired, and he had both the hands sped on a cane in front of him. If anyone in the theater saw him, they would all exim, ¡°Oh! Dear Mr. Delonte!¡± Delonte was a loyal member of the Palisade Theatre¡¯s audience, a born and bred Viennese. He starteding to the Palisade Theatre at his parents¡¯ knee when he was four and had enjoyed their performances each week since then. The older gentleman was in his 70s, and his body wasn¡¯t fairing well. Even he didn¡¯t know how many times he hade to the theater, but he was here now as an old man. His seniority even overtook that of Wace¡¯s. And right now, Delonte¡¯s eyes were fixed on the young man slightly to the left on the stage. Over the past few months, the theater orchestra¡¯s performances were quite good, but though he rarely saw the newly appointed concertmaster, Delonte couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit suspicious about Qi Mu. Such a young child, could he really serve as the Palisade¡¯s concertmaster? And now, this adaptation of ¡¶Ave Maria¡· made Delonte pay even more attention to the handsome young man. He wanted to see how capable this child who looked weak enough to tip over in the wind was, and what kind of ¡¶Ave Maria¡· he would produce! Delonte¡¯s gaze was scorching hot, but Qi Mu hardly noticed it. He listened carefully to every voice of the instruments behind him, from the subtle timpani furthest from him to the violins closest to him. Wace¡¯s baton dipped, and with another slide of the string instruments¡¯ strings, Qi Mu raised his hand and set his bow on his own. He looked up at Wace beside him. Encouragingly, Wace looked down at him. Suddenly, the clear, pleasant voice of his violin rang out! At the appearance of the small violin¡¯s sound, the audience was surprised as the vocals faded away and admired the voice of the concertmaster¡¯s violin. Light descended from above the clouds to bathe the earth in love, but beyond the brilliant voice, was ayer of pain. The repeated treble suppressed this pain and hid it behind optimism, bringing happiness. The entire orchestra was apanied by this beautiful sound. If the orchestra sounded like a child singing, the solo violin was like a gorgeous woman singing a beautiful song with the most charming smile on her lips as her arms reached out in a hug. No matter how cold-blooded someone was, they couldn¡¯t help being moved at this ¡¶Ave Maria¡·. This was the result of Schubert¡¯s hard work. Though short, it made people happy. This was the ensemble of the Palisade Theatre¡¯s cheerful sound, which gave people the most unforgettable joy. This was the young concertmaster standing at the forefront of the orchestra, performing such a wonderful and moving sound on his violin! Below the stage, everyone was immersed in this beautiful fantasy, unable to draw themselves from it. Only Delonte, sitting in the front row, slowly loosened the edges of his frown and offered a small smile of praise. No wonder the choir that had stood behind the orchestra for years suddenly disappeared¡­ This violin¡¯s voice was being used instead of vocals! This adaptation was truly outstanding and very difficult! The human voice wasn¡¯t an instrument and easily disyed the ups and downs of emotion. An entire choir only expanded that a hundredfold, far from the simple effect of ¡°1 + 1 = 2¡±. But¡­ this child¡¯s violin wasparable to a choir! Carefully listening to the music, Delonte nodded, his pupils trembling. The orchestra grew too fast! They used the most suitable music to y such a moving ¡¶Ave Maria¡· with their concertmaster! Such progress, Delonte hadn¡¯t seen it in all his 70 years! This made him the only person to have changed the orchestra¡­ Delonte stared at the young man standing on stage. Was it because of him?! If a concertmaster was skilled on his own, they could only be excellent. But if a concertmaster could change his entire orchestra, then he was extraordinary! If this child really brought such change to the orchestra, Delonte wanted to keep the child there forever. Unfortunately, he also knew such a good child needed a more powerful stage. There was only so much Palisade could give him¡ª¡ªso Palisade couldn¡¯t keep him. But, Delonte smiled gently. This is fine, this is fine. This child had already given such a great start to this orchestra. Maybe a few years after he passed away, the theater would grow even better! It was a pity he may not see the day¡­ In the concert hall of the enthralling music, the orchestra yed its final note, and the entire room fell quiet. Only the soft, gentle voice of the single violin stood at the forefront of the hall. Like a spring breeze, it blew away everyone¡¯s hearts. When the moving melody finally ended, the audience remained shocked. With the help of his cane, only an old gentleman with a head of white hair sitting in front of the crowd stood and pped. Shouting vigorously, he called, ¡°Bravo!¡± Immediately, roaring apuse shook the roof! Where the lights converged, Qi Mu and Conductor Wace smiled and shook hands, bowing together to the audience. Even after Qi MU returned to his seat as concertmaster, the apuse continued for five more minutes. Though the apuse had ceased, the audience was all the more excited. Now they expected the orchestra to bring them apletely different performancepared to the prior years! No one knew what effect the next ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡· would have! If Schubert was the pride of Vienna, then the Strauss father and son were undoubtedly their most respected! This ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡· by Johann Strauss II was the bedside music of many listeners. Even in Vienna¡¯s cafes, restaurants, squares, churches¡­ this beautiful waltz could be heard everywhere. On stage, Wace lifted his baton, and the familiar violin sounded. Light notes roamed the concert hall, like children ying in the streets, and the audience couldn¡¯t help raising the corners of their mouths. The active little ones waved their fists, clutching their rabbits. After the prologue, the music¡¯s seriousness gradually steepened, painting a magnificent scene for the audience. It brought everyone to medieval Europe hundreds of years earlier, with the great emperor waiting on his throne and young men and women across the country dancing in congrattions to him. This was the most ssic Vienna waltz, endless but lively, solemn but brisk, rich with the passion of Vienna¡¯s people. It depicted the beautiful picture of the Austrian emperor taking the throne. This was the music of their own Austrian people, and the audience smiled as they listened. Many even gently tapped out the melody on their armrests. When the familiar song ended, they needed no leading to stand and apud in unison, giving their joy and excitement to the fantastic orchestra! If ¡¶Ave Maria¡· brought them unexpected surprises, this ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡· tempered their excitement and allowed them to calm for thest song. On stage, after the apuse of the audience, Qi Mu looked up at Wace. The youth¡¯s finger pressed on his violin strings. The audience held their breath as one. This was, yes¡ª¡ª ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·! Chapter 162 The waltz* was called ¡°waltz¡±* in English. Transliterally, that is waltz*. *This uses the Chinese word Waltz, then the English word Waltz, and finally, the Chinese pinyin for the English word Waltz. As dance music, waltz tunes were melodious and brisk. Since its development in the 18th century, it had taken on a variety of forms. Among them was Vienna¡¯s¡ª¡ªthe origin of the most traditional waltz. Initially, Mozart wrote the fifty short but intricate ¡¶Three German Dances¡·, then Schubert built upon them and wrote over 200 famous waltzes. Strauss and Son made further improvements and the Vienna waltz walked onto the world¡¯s stage, bringing this warm, jubnt dance style all over the world. The Viennese loved the waltz. How much did they love it? Most likely, if any concert by Vienna¡¯s local orchestras didn¡¯t include at least two waltzes, the concert was a failure. ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· was the most true to the Vienna heart. ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· was originally ¡¶On the Beautiful Blue Danube¡· and was known as Austria¡¯s second national anthem. Its tone was beautifully coordinated, and the notes were rich and varied. Every musical note seemed to be a shining wave on the Danube, brilliant as diamonds. Such a well-loved song had to be yed beautifully. But, because even a junior high performance could be considered extraordinary, it was even more difficult to shine! The more popr the piece, the harder it was for the audience to feel the music¡¯s highlights. The entire Palisade Theatre rehearsed ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· every afternoon so their sound was dignified, but unchanged, for the older audience. Now, the subtle sound of the violin filled the splendid music hall. Everyone drew their bows quickly, and a spring breeze blew over the Danube river waiting for dawn to awaken the city. Most of the audience¡¯s attention was focused on the young man at the front of the orchestra. This young man who stood beside the conductor¡¯s podium now sat with eyes slightly lowered and focused on his left hand. His left hand, slender and thin as it was, danced rapidly along the violin strings, but his right drew his violin bow with careful precision, filled with nervous expectation. Over the past month, the Palisade Theatre had featured a full stadium. Many of the repeat audience knew there were many among them that had contributed to the ticket sales. And now, their ears listened to the beautiful music while their eyes focused on the youth on stage. Oh, this kind of audio-visual feast for the senses was phenomenal! No wonder the tickets were sold out, ah! While blonds flooded most of Europe, this young, Chinese man with dark hair and eyes was like a clear stream, giving off the subtle, elegant, oriental beauty. The young man was handsome with delicate features, had a calm temperament, and wore a noble expression. People couldn¡¯t help but like it! Not to mention, he yed such wonderful music! In ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·, the second waltz should have been an ensemble in B-t; it was the beautiful, gentle tones of girlsughing and ying under the Alps. But in Wace¡¯s adaptation, just after the theme in A, the entire orchestra fell silent and only the flute yed softly as apaniment. To the surprise of the audience, a light, cheerful violin sounded out! The young man and his dancing violin bow gave a very different ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· with dazzling skill! The original ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· wasn¡¯t a very difficult waltz, almost anyone that had studied the violin for more than three years could y it. This song wasn¡¯t meant to suppress musicians with extreme difficulty, but to gift the beautiful melody to everyone. But right now, the difficulty of the violin bow¡¯s leaping disy had the audience in an uproar! They stared at the young man ying so intently and conscientiously. His fingers seemed to have a life of their own, dancing like butterflies. Although his left hand remained simple, the difficulty of his bow hand was amazing!.Without giving the audience time to adjust, the next moment¡­ The young man¡¯s left hand plucked at the violin strings! This left-hand pizzicato could already be regarded as performance level. They had never seen such dazzling skills! No¡­ they had never seen anyone y ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· in such a dazzling way! The lightness that should have been provided by the trumpet was this time yed by Little Seven and didn¡¯t seem abrupt at all. Instead, it was softer and more moving. It matched the softness of the girls. The enthusiasm that should have been performed by the trumpet was reced by the violin¡¯s dancing bow which also brought out the girls¡¯ coyness! Such a brilliant change was impossible to deny. Everyone could only listen, dumbfounded, and watch! A ten-year-old girl with round eyes looked at the most outstanding big brother on stage and tugged her mother¡¯s sleeve, whispering, ¡°Mommy, this doesn¡¯t seem like ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·¡­¡± ¡°Hush!!!¡± The young mother immediately covered her daughter¡¯s small mouth and continued to listen. After the song ended, she sighed and went to release her hand, but felt something cool drip onto the back of her hand. She looked down, ¡°Oh god! My darling, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry, mommy still loves you!¡± ¡°Waaaa, Mommy wants to listen to ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· more than she wants me¡­¡± This was just a small episode in the audience. When the young mother handed the theater¡¯s little bunny doll to her daughter, she abruptly stopped crying with a hup. The mother couldn¡¯t help but think: the Palisade Theatre has such foresight!!! Under the stage, everyone stood and apuded together. On stage, Qi Mu and Wace exchanged a hug and smiles, bowing to the audience. When Wace stepped down from the conductor¡¯s podium, a light, crisp ¡°Encore¡± sounded from the audience. Under that leadership, the cry for an encore rolled like the tide and swept over the entire concert hall, up to the ceiling! Wace turned his head and looked at Qi Mu. The young man raised the corners of his mouth in a gentle, confident smile, then they walked back to their ces. Qi Mu returned to the concertmaster¡¯s seat. Wace turned and bowed to the auditorium, then¡­ raised his baton! The cry for encore gradually subsided, the entire crowd was unable to restrain their joy, and waited for this orchestra to bring forth another surprise. And obviously, Strauss¡¯s ¡¶Tales from the Vienna Woods¡· did not disappoint. Its passionate melody and bright tune brought the concert to a perfect end, gaining endless apuse. Many music critics, who had originally thought of it as a necessary task, now went back to write a music review, having forgotten their initial intentions. The old, repeat audience were even more excited about the orchestra¡¯s progress. They were delighted. There were even some older gentlemen like Dnte who had visited this theater for decades and had red eyes. For such a special Christmas Eve concert, they got to see the theater¡¯s future and how it would continue to grow better and better, still! ¡ª¡ªEven if they couldn¡¯t witness its glory when they were long buried underground, they still stood on this earth! In the spacious concert hall, the audience spoke as they left, all smiling happily. When they exited the theater, they didn¡¯t care about the cold outside. This was the most wonderful Christmas Eve concert they had ever heard. For the first time, they truly felt that they loved the theater. It was the happiest thing in the world. Backstage, the musicians returned with their scores and only the staff remained to tidy the chairs, violin racks, and the conductor¡¯s stand. When Qi Mu and Wace returned together, a red sea encircled them. Cries of joy rejoiced, ¡°Mr. Wace, Little Seven! Happy Christmas Eve!!!¡± Wace smiled and pulled out his own mascot¡ª¡ªrabbit Little Seven, from his pocket. He squeezed its long red ears and smiled, ¡°Lovely children, I also wish you¡ª¡ªHappy Christmas Eve!¡± After a pause, the gentleman added, ¡°I want to thank you for your hard work this time. It was your diligence that paid off this sess tonight, you¡¯re all heroes!¡± The orchestraughed. Wace waved the rabbit Little Seven in his hand. ¡°I want to say with our lovely Little Seven, thank you for your hard work this time!¡± Wace tugged on (rabbit) Little Seven¡¯s arms and gave a shy expression. Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Wace brought on a boom of ¡°ying games with Little Seven.¡± After the concert, though everyone had been ying tirelessly, they were interested. Only Qi Mu¡¯s mouth twitched a little as he took a few steps away, not wanting to associate with this group of people. But he hadn¡¯t quite managed to sneak away when the orchestra agent walked in from the outside lounge and shouted, ¡°Hey guys! Just now I saw an important, important, guest outside! Do you know who?¡± Qi Mu was surprised. Only Waceughed, ¡°Liet, don¡¯t tease everyone. Is it our old critic friend, Julian?¡± Liet shook his head mysteriously andughed, ¡°No no no, not Julian. Julian just hurried back to write a music review. He has ten thousand words to write about the concert tonight! Now, standing outside this door¡­ well, Nelly, it¡¯s someone you like very much! Hint¡­ it¡¯s a conductor¡­¡± Nelly screamed, ¡°Oh my god!!!¡± Chapter 163 When Dorenza entered the Palisade Theatre¡¯s backstage, it caused quite amotion. Compared with the time Min Chen snuck in, Dorenza¡¯s arrival surprised the entire staff, and they excitedly approached him to take photos. As one of the four great conductors of the world, Dorenza¡¯s fame and prestige scarcely surpassed Min Chen¡¯s. But, if it was in Vienna, while casually walking down the street, if one was to ask a citizen, ¡°Do you like Mr. Bertram or Mr. Dorenza more?¡±, even if they were a loyal fan of Min Chen¡¯s, they would hesitate for only a moment before answering¡ª¡ª ¡°I prefer Wei Ai¡¯s Mr. Dorenza!¡± Yes, because he was the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s chief conductor, Albert Dorenza! Wei Ai is Vienna¡¯s most prized orchestra. As long as he is the conductor of Wei Ai, he is the most respected musician in the hearts of all Austrians! Of course, as a loyal fan of Dorenza, Nelly was undoubtedly the most excited out of the whole orchestra. Blushing, she took a photo with him and sessfully obtained Dorenza¡¯s signature as well. Even the freckles on her face danced with delight. After themotion his entrance caused had begun to calm, Qi Mu followed Wace into the conductor¡¯s lounge and talked to the visiting master musician. The quiet, tidy lounge only had the barest office utensils, since Wace was frugal and simple. His lounge was as clean and refreshing as he was himself, and there was nothing superfluous. When the three people entered the lounge to chat, Qi Mu specifically asked Nelly to bring a pot of hot water from the pantry, and only then did the three men sit and pour tea. It had been over a month since he saw Dorenzast, and Qi Mu smiled as he poured a ss of water for the gentle master. While passing it over, he listened to Wace say, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Mr. Dorenza. I didn¡¯t expect you at our Christmas Eve concert tonight. I¡¯m truly honored!¡± In addition to the tickets sent to the audience of prior performances, the Palisade Theatre sent invitations to several famous European masters and critics. Of course, there weren¡¯t usually many that came on a night as important as Christmas Eve. Most people preferred staying by the warm fire, spending time with family. It was genuinely unexpected to Wace that Dorenza would attend the show. After a quiet ¡°Thank you¡± to Qi Mu, Dorenzaughed a little and answered, ¡°Just call me Dorenza, dear Wace. I came to the Palisade half a year ago and heard your ¡¶Don Giovanni¡·. It was a wonderful opera!¡± Wace smiled, ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± The two exchanged a few more words, then Dorenza turned to the smiling young man and said, ¡°Long time no see, Little Seven. When Lance said you wereing to the Palisade Theatre¡¯s orchestra, I didn¡¯t expect you to grow so much in the four months you¡¯ve been gone! What emotion!¡± Wace naturally knew Qi Mu¡¯s teacher was Akkad and that Akkad had a good rtionship with Dorenza. It was only a matter of course that Dorenza knew Qi Mu. A bright smile appeared on the young man¡¯s handsome face, and he nodded. ¡°Mr. Dorenza, long time no see. I heard Wei Ai just ended a tour the day before yesterday. Unfortunately, I¡¯ve been busy rehearsing for this concert, so I had no time to listen.¡± Dorenza smiled and shook his head. ¡°If you like, when the recordinges out in a couple of days, I can show it to you, Little Seven.¡± He paused and turned to Wace again, ¡°Wace, the concert tonight was great. I¡¯m d I came and got to listen to such wonderful music. However, I actually came tonight¡­ with a harsh request.¡± Dumbfounded, Wace nodded politely. ¡°If I can help, I will do my best.¡± Dorenza smiled gently, then nced at Qi Mu. ¡°Actually¡­ this matter is rted to Little Seven.¡± Then, to the surprise of Qi Mu and Wace, Dorenza pulled a letter from his pocket and handed the bulging envelope to Qi Mu. Opening the letter, Qi Mu¡¯s eyes widened as he took in the densely packed letters on the stationery. This was a long letter penned with a feather quill and ink and written on a parchment letter paper. There was a fiery red wax seal on the outside of the envelope. As if it is still burning, above the print was a delicately scripted surname. Against the pale stationery, he recognized the name. Before receiving the letter, Qi Mu never knew Akkad¡¯s writing in German was so beautiful. He had never thought that, even far off in Paris, his teacher would thoughtfully offer a way out for him and bother to write such a long rmendation letter. In fact, ording to the rtionship between Akkad and Dorenza, it just needed to be said that Qi Mu would participate in the recruitment for Wei Ai¡¯s deputy concertmaster. However, for Akkad to write a formal letter as ¡°Reed Akkad,¡± it showed how much he loved and valued his student. This softened Qi Mu¡¯s heart, and he missed the stubborn little old man even more. ¡­ Really, doing such a thing was cheating! Wace read the letter and was stunned for a while, but came to understand. His eyes drifted back and forth between the smiling Dorenza and the shocked Qi Mu before finally settling on the concertmaster they had had for over four months. After looking at Qi Mu for a long time, Wace said, ¡°Little Seven, congrattions! I think with your strength, you will definitely be a great deputy concertmaster for Wei Ai!¡± As soon as those words were spoken, the implication was that he agreed to expire the half-year contract. Qi Mu would not be forced to stay. In fact, when Lance signed the contract with the Palisade Theatre on Qi Mu¡¯s behalf, it was only for half a year. At the time, Lance was worried Qi Mu might encounter a better opportunity and couldn¡¯t sign a long-term contract. And Wace had thought: in half a year, the music schools will be graduating arge number of outstanding students. He¡¯d fancied a good student before. The half-year deadline just allowed him the buffer time to consider more candidates. Wace, at the time, didn¡¯t expect the young child to be so excellent! When he listened to Qi Mu¡¯s ¡¶Bell¡· by Paganini, he just thought this child¡¯s level was good. But after rehearsing with Qi Mu for a few days, he discovered the child¡¯s most valuable ability wasn¡¯t his outstanding violin skills, but his cooperation with the orchestra! Based on ¡°having excellent violin talent,¡± this was an even deeper level of talent! Not to mention, this kid was really too hard on himself! Even Wace, who had seen countless musicians, had to admit, when he arrived early at the rehearsal room and saw Qi Mu seriously ying the scores alongside the second violin group, he was shocked at the child¡¯s efforts! At the time, it wasn¡¯t even dawn yet. The score wasn¡¯t one the child needed to y, but he was studying hard for the whole orchestra, all for the best performance! Qi Mu was definitely an excellent concertmaster. The night¡¯s sess also proved this to Wace. Simultaneously, it suggested that the child needed arger stage, that he should go to a more powerful orchestra and have even greater opportunities! He was still young! With lots of thoughts weighing his heart, Wace looked at the one sitting opposite to himself, at Dorenza and eximed with a smile, ¡°Dorenza, although I¡¯ve only spent four months with Little Seven, I really wanted to rmend him to you. He¡­ is a really good child! If you skip over him, you will definitely regret it!¡± Dorenza nodded. ¡°Yes, Wace. I have always known Little Seven is an excellent child.¡± He paused and exined, ¡°Actually, since Zayev was fired¡­ I think you know already? Yes, I fired Zayev, and now Wei Aicks a good concertmaster.¡± Sighing, Dorenza continued, ¡°After Zayev left the orchestra, Wei Ai had the deputy concertmaster, Anthony, temporarily take over the position. But, Anthony isn¡¯t young, and it¡¯s difficult for him to bear such heavy responsibility. I wanted to recruit a deputy concertmaster over the next few months, then¡­ together with Anthony, develop an outstanding concertmaster.¡± When Dorenza said this, both Qi Mu and Wace understood at once. Wace eximed, ¡°God! Are you recruiting for a concertmaster?!¡± Dorenza nodded. ¡°Correct. Although, we can only call it the deputy concertmaster for the public recruitment tomorrow. In fact, I hope to make him Wei Ai¡¯s best concertmaster within three months.¡± Dorenza looked at the surprised young man and said, ¡°Little Seven, I believe you have the strength, and now¡­ I need to borrow you from my dear Wace.¡± Qi Mu was still stunned. ¡°Mr. Dorenza, I still have over a month¡¯s contract left with the Palisade¡­¡± ¡°Little Seven, I think you should seize this opportunity.¡± Qi Mu had yet to finish when Wace interrupted. ¡°The Palisade Theatre is pleased to have had such an outstanding concertmaster as yourself these past four months, and I deeply feel the progress of our orchestra, but now¡­ How could I stop our dear Little Seven from moving on to arger stage?¡± Pupils trembling, Qi Mu turned to look at Wace. He returned the look with a gentle smile and encouraging eyes, but¡­ Qi Mu still didn¡¯t know how to answer. Wace continued, ¡°Little Seven, don¡¯t worry about the orchestra. Everyone will be happy for you to get such a good opportunity!¡± There were no words to convey his thoughts, and he had no idea how to start. Qi Mu clenched his fingers and touched a small, fluffy thing in his pocket. Drawing it out by a ribbon, Qi Mu saw a little bunny twirling in the air with round eyes. It was very cute. Qi Mu smiled and tugged the two little arms of rabbit Little Seven and, shaking a little, looked at Wace. ¡°I, with rabbit Little Seven, want to say to Mr. Wace¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Thank you for your care all this time. I gained a lot, I definitely won¡¯t let you down.¡± ¡°The Palisade Theatre¡­ is my favorite theater!¡± After a long conversation, Qi Mu learned more about the recruitment from Dorenza, then sent the prestigious conductor out the theater¡¯s doors alongside Wace. Some curious members of the orchestra secretly hid behind the pirs and watched the master leave with heavy hearts. Before leavingpletely, Dorenza suddenly paused and turned to Qi Mu. ¡°Little Seven, I heard your ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· today, and it was very touching! Your ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· is one of the best I¡¯ve heard, and it made my hesitation fade away.¡± Qi Mu whispered, ¡°Thank you,¡± but Dorenza hadn¡¯t finished yet. ¡°But Little Seven, your violin¡­ it reminds me of a dead friend. His ¡¶The Blue Danube¡· is as affectionate and romantic as yours. I think when he hears this piece you¡¯ve yed in heaven, he will also be very happy.¡± Qi Mu naturally understood who Dorenza was speaking of and nodded gratefully, but Doenza pulled another letter from his pocket. Though he was stunned again, Dorenza only smiled and said, ¡°I only just remembered to take this out now. Actually, Little Seven¡­ I have a letter here, another rmendation.¡± Qi Mu took the thick letter in surprise. Dorenza¡¯s voice was thick with emotion as he said, ¡°Thest time Min and I recognized talent was over a year ago. I never expected him to rmend another excellent violinist so soon. Min¡¯s letter is also well written. Little Seven, if you are interested, after the meetings start next week, give me this letter again.¡± Holding the heavy letter in hand, Qi Mu watched Dorenza¡¯s back as he walked away. Under the dim light, the young man¡¯s figure stood alone. Cool wind blew from every direction, but he couldn¡¯t feel the cold. The letter in his hand was as hot as a fireball, enough to keep him warm. The two letters, the two people who were sincere toward him. Absence¡­ really made the heart grow fonder, ah. Chapter 164 Berlin,te at night. When Min Chen and Daniel had just walked out of the Bai Ai building, Min Chen received a call. Once the lovey-dovey call ended, the blond, blue-eyed orchestra agent who waited in the harsh wind had pale cheeks, messy hair, and a pitiful expression on his face. Min Chen raised his eyebrow in surprise, ¡°You didn¡¯t leave?¡± Daniel, who had waited for over half an hour, said, ¡°Today, my car¡¯s in the shop, ah! Okay, we¡¯re taking your car!!!¡± Min Chen nodded calmly. The chill-free guy walked towards the parking lot alongside the blond who was about to freeze into a popsicle. While they walked, Daniel asked, ¡°Was that Little Angel?¡± Min Chen gave a soft, ¡°En.¡± Daniel pursed his lips, thinking, ¡°If I remember right, today is the Palisade Theatre¡¯s Christmas Eve concert? I don¡¯t know how Little Angel performed¡­ but it must be great. Ugh, there was no way to listen to Little Angel¡¯s symphony thanks to this overtime. Oh, God, why am I so miserable!¡± Daniel mourned to the sky. The handsome man beside him looked in the direction of Vienna but said nothing. Daniel felt pity¡­ then just regret. Even on Christmas Eve, when everyone in Bai Ai got the day off, they still had to work. The night stretched on, deep and endless. The charming, dark sky nketed Berlin. Though the wind blew and the winter was cold, the heart was warm. Daniel shouted, ¡°Hahahaha, go home to see your baby,¡± and a ck European car roared down the street, driving to distant ces. Qi Mu, who was far away in Vienna, had already returned to his apartment after the day¡¯s concert. He¡¯d discussed with Wace and decided not to immediately announce that he was leaving, but when he arrived the next day, many members secretly peered at him. Once they noticed him looking, they quickly turned away. Seeing his delicate brow furrow, Nelly didn¡¯t wait for Qi Mu to say a thing before she walked over. ¡°Little Seven¡­ are you really going to leave the orchestra?¡± Qi Mu froze. ¡°Nelly, where¡¯d you hear that from?¡± Nelly deted. ¡°Mr. Dorenza came backstage yesterday, and you and Mr. Wace chatted with him for so long¡­ Wei Ai announced the recruitment for a deputy concertmaster today. Little Seven¡­ are you going to leave?¡± Nelly raised the magazine in her hand as she talked, the first thing on the cover¡ª¡ª ¡¶Wei Ai¡¯s Deputy Concertmaster Recruitment Begins!¡· At that point, Qi Mu finally understood why everyone was looking at him with such sad eyes. There was nothing left to hide. Originally, he and Wace nned to announce it the following week, but since it had reached this point, Qi Mu exined everything. At first, the orchestra had just guessed with roughly 70-80% certainty, but Qi Mu¡¯s affirmation cemented their views. Despite their red eyes and tear-stained cheeks, the emotional members smiled as they hugged Qi Mu, blessing him to be Wei Ai¡¯s deputy concertmaster. ¡°Little Seven, I believe in your strength, you will seed!¡± ¡°Little Seven, I especially like Anthony from Wei Ai, you must get in, ah!¡± ¡°Little Seven, you¡¯re awesome. Wei Ai, ah! That¡¯s the dream of my heart. You must help explore the way first, so I cane next! Hahahaha, joking¡­¡± ¡­¡­ The farewellssted for some time, up until Wace entered to see such a scene. After Qi Mu¡¯s exnation, he smiled. ¡°Little Seven, now that everyone knows, let¡¯s take the day off. It¡¯s Christmas, after all. It¡¯s tiring to have everyone rehearse the new opera today. So let¡¯s say farewell to Little Seven!¡± As soon as his words fell, the orchestra cheered. On such a day, all the members familiar with local ces rmended various interesting ces to visit. Qi Mu, who¡¯d spent nearly ten years in Vienna hisst life, never thought about such things. It turned out that there were many fascinating venues in the city. For example, the ring statue of Beethoven was many children¡¯s favorite ce to y hide-and-seek. And, the Schumann gardens was a popr gathering ce for couples. Once the day of ying was over, and everyone had shared arge meal, they smiled and said their goodbyes. This time, the women couldn¡¯t help it, they held their cute Little Seven mascots tightly and sent their blessings along with their reluctances, one by one. Qi Mu could only smile gently. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving Vienna. I wille back often to see everyone, and I still have to listen to everyone¡¯s rehearsal of ¡¶Tosca¡·! Well¡­ Virginia, you won¡¯t go out of tune just because I¡¯m not here, right?¡± The error-prone Virginia suddenly blushed and mumbled, ¡°Little Seven, you¡¯re too mean, not cute at all! How could I be out of tune? Impossible, impossible!¡± Seeing Virginia resemble a cooked lobster, everyoneughed. With such livelyughter, the day¡¯s ¡°Farewell to Little Seven¡± event sessfully closed its curtains. Watching the members as they walked away, Qi Mu slowly lowered his head and looked into the distance. ¡°How are your preparations for the interview going?¡± Wace took it upon himself to ¡°escort Little Seven home.¡± The two walked toward the parking lot together. ¡°Mr. Dorenza has a wide range of preferences, I really don¡¯t know which track he will choose, but I believe you can seed.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Wace. I will definitely work hard.¡± Qi Mu smiled. ¡°Mr. Wace, I¡¯m very happy today. I¡¯m fortunate to have been with you all this time, and it¡¯s been such a good time, I will never forget it all my life. Palisade Theatre is a lovely ce!¡± Wace teased, ¡°In that case, Little Seven, how about staying?¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Pffft, just kidding. If you dare give up this opportunity, Virginia, Nelly, and I will chase you out with brooms!¡± Suddenly, the image of the orchestra¡¯s dozens of members holding brooms and chasing him out the entrance of the theater came to mind, and Qi Mu couldn¡¯t helpughing and begging for mercy. This was a cute orchestra, and the people there were simple and kind. They were unforgettable for Qi Mu. Many yearster, after the Palisade Theatre had reced the conductor and several other members, Qi Mu woulde with Min Chen to listen to ¡¶The Marriage of Figaro¡·. Although the people had changed, the music was as delicate and gentle as always, and Qi Mu would say to Min Chen, ¡°Palisade¡¯s progress has be even more obvious. Here, I was touched by the opera, and I think, soon, the name Palisade will be world-renowned for sure.¡± Over the next five days of preparation, Qi Mu practiced several pieces seriously. Wace said Dorenza had a wide range of preferences, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any particr style or type of music he liked. Therefore, he could not give Qi Mu any advice on what to practice. However, Qi Mu knew that despite his gentle temperament, Dorenza¡¯s favorite was Beethoven. Although he¡¯d only spent a few months with the maestro in hisst life, it was those like Luo Yu Sen who couldn¡¯t figure out that Evra liked Bach even after six years. Some people were careful, while some were careless. Qi Mu had discovered that although Dorenza yed different records during his breaks, of all his collections, only Beethoven¡¯s wasplete. When there was a break, and the violin division randomly yed the song ¡¶Fur Elise¡·, Qi Mu had asked Dorenza¡¯s evaluation of the song. He had shaken his head andughed, ¡°Beethoven is still better suited for strong, violent tunes. Even for this ¡¶Fur Elise¡·, he cannot disguise his stubborn character. Lu, I personally don¡¯t like this song.¡± You say, who would think that the good-tempered Dorenza would like the ill-tempered Le Saint Beethoven? But, when Qi Mu practiced Beethoven¡¯s few violin concertos on the first day, he had yet to practice for long when he received four phone calls. His proud teacher awkwardly said, ¡°Hmph, Little Seven, are you practicing? ¡­ Teacher hasn¡¯t heard you practice Beethoven. Have you tried any recent exercises? ¡­ What, what intentions? There aren¡¯t any. I just want you to practice more! ¡­What, Dorenza likes Beethoven? Nonsense! Opening the backdoor for students¡­ cough, no, no, no, does my student need to go through the back door!!!¡± Lance said mildly, ¡°Little Seven, although Dorenza hopes to directly recruit you as deputy concertmaster, you have to take this seriously. If you don¡¯t perform well enough, he will give up on you entirely. By the way, have you researched any of Beethoven¡¯s music? Remember to practice more, I remember Dorenza liked him very much.¡± Farrellughed, ¡°Oh, Angel! I didn¡¯t expect you to be stolen away by Dorenza. I¡¯m so sad! Although I regret you can¡¯te to us, Angel, that Dorenza is also good. You have to follow him well, don¡¯t forget to practice Beethoven. That guy likes Beethoven! Haha!¡± After hanging up those three calls, after a moment, his phone rang again. Picking up almost in tears, he said, ¡°Okay, I know I have to practice the violin well. I will aim for the best in the interview, Beethoven is my top priority, don¡¯t worry. And¡­ Bai Ai¡¯s morning training is over already?¡± Min Chen, whose words were snatched away before he¡¯d even said anything: ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a long time, he said quietly, ¡°En, morning rehearsal is over. There¡¯s another hour before afternoon rehearsal.¡± Qi Mu set his violin back in its case and walked toward the window. One wall of the music room was designed to be a window seat. When the thick screens were pulled apart, bright sunlight would enter the house. In winter, there was very little harsh sunlight. Qi Mu narrowed his eyes involuntarily, but the corners of his lips lifted as he teased, ¡°Then you have to work hard. I heard Daniel say you worked overtimest night until past nine. If you don¡¯t sleep at midnight, Santa won¡¯t put gifts in your stocking.¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡­¡± With a burst ofughter, Qi Mu said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m kidding you. Wei Ai¡¯s recruitment interview is on the 31st. I probably can¡¯t go see Bai Ai¡¯s concert¡­ Min Chen, I haven¡¯t heard Bai Ai¡¯s New Year concert in two consecutive years now.¡± There was a long silence over the phone, then the man¡¯s voice sounded, ¡°I¡¯ll send you the recording.¡± Qi Mu smiled, eyes curling, and nodded. In the quiet music room, the youth¡¯s quietughter and soft whispers filled the air with infinite tenderness and longing. ¡­¡­ Five dayster, Wei Ai¡¯s deputy concertmaster recruitment officially began! Chapter 165 The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is the city¡¯s most famous orchestra. Its headquarters is directly located in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in the Musikverein building, next to the beautiful golden hall. The orchestra has hundreds of members and has even established a membermittee. The members decide all the major events, making them both fair and democratic. Unlike the deputy recruitment of Wei Jiao, Wei Ai attached great importance to this recruitment session, and an ordinary registration would not be epted. The applicants had to have a rmendation letter from a relevant musician, and only after a careful review would they even be qualified to register. Because everyone within Wei Ai knew, this time¡­ they were selecting the concertmaster. The orchestra¡¯s concertmaster was the most important person besides the conductor. To some extent, being Wei Ai¡¯s concertmaster wasn¡¯t much worse than Dorenza¡¯s position. There was only one concertmaster while there were three conductors, and Dorenza was just the Chief Conductor. Faced with such a significant event, Wei Ai¡¯s members had to pay attention. When Qi Mu arrived at the Musikverein building with his violin case. In addition to the media reporters who restricted ess to the buildings, there were only five or six other violinists who came to the selection. Countless reporters took photos. They would spot a participant and stop them, then throw questions at them until their heads were spinning. Qi Mu looked at the congested group of journalists with his mouth curved in a smile and took a deep breath. He stepped forward a few paces and was spotted by a sharp-eyed reporter. ¡°Ah! Are you holding a violin?! Are you also applying for the Wei Ai deputy concertmaster position today?!¡± The beautiful man had a calm smile as he shook his head. ¡°I am a member of Wei Ai¡¯s second violin group, Little Seven.¡± His fluent German was elegant. His expression was calm. The reporters nodded one after another. There were hundreds of members within Wei Ai, they could hardly be expected to recognize everyone. Then, the reporters created a path for Qi Mu. He passed through the gates leisurely when a reporter suddenly eximed, ¡°Eh, I just remembered! Isn¡¯t that¡­ Qi Mu! I interviewed him in Paris before. Damn, did hee to apply for the position?¡± The reporters descended into a wave of wails, but the man in question had already entered Wei Ai¡¯s headquarters with a smile on his face. Guided by a staff member, he stepped into the lounge to prepare. Wei Ai¡¯s recruitment session was an organized, formal affair, and each participant had their own prep room, just in case something happened. After Qi Mu took his violin out of its case and wiped it down with rosin, a male staff member with a nk expression brought in a lottery box. Qi Mu randomly selected a paper and looked down. There was only a simple track name written on the white scrap. The staff observed him and said, ¡°Mister, you¡¯re the third performer. Please prepare this song. After the second performance is over, I wille to the lounge to find you.¡± Qi Mu smiled. ¡°Alright, thank you, Roman. Just call me Little Seven.¡± Roman was a bit surprised to hear his name, but he nced down at the ID hanging around his neck and smiled at Qi Mu. With this, the cold, estranged expression faded from his face, and he became quite friendly. Roman left Qi Mu alone in the spacious prep room. He looked down at the note in his hand and said, helplessly, to himself, ¡°If it¡¯s this piece¡­ then even if I didn¡¯t practice it, it shouldn¡¯t make any difference, right?¡± Qi Mu had prepared over a dozen of Beethoven¡¯s pieces over the past five days, but he never thought his luck would be so good to select such a well-known song. If he hadn¡¯t even practiced this song, it would go without saying Dorenza would be disappointed. Much else, Qi Mu was afraid even Dn wouldugh at him. En¡­ still, what good luck. Sometimeter, the melody spilled out of the preparation room. While the soundproofing kept the violin from spilling into the room next door, Roman, standing by the door, nodded appreciatively. When it was Qi Mu¡¯s turn on stage, he bowed to the audience, then looked up and found all five of the judges in the front row were his old acquaintances. In the middle was the Chief Conductor, Dorenza. The gentle maestro nodded at him. On either of Dorenza¡¯s sides were the two other conductors; the second conductor Colin Motl and the third conductor Nazyat Pavlovsky. To the far left was the temporary concertmaster, Anthony, and on the far right was Wei Ai¡¯s agent, Tuckerman. These five represented the top crust of Wei Ai and the entire orchestramittee. The most important thing Qi Mu remembered was¡­ he seemed to get along well with these five people in hisst life? The lineup for today¡¯s audition was indeed a good thing because he believed the next piece he yed would definitely make them happy. After a polite bow, Qi Mu introduced himself with a smile, ¡°Mr. Dorenza, Mr. Motl, Mr. Nazyat, Mr. Anthony, and Mr. Tuckerman, I am Qi Mu. The song I¡¯ll y today is the third movement of Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡·.¡± There was no unnecessary drivel in his concise opening remark, and this young man¡¯s capable appearance made the orchestra agent look at him more closely. This was the kid Dorenza mentioned? Well,pared with the first two that began to introduce their past achievements as soon as they started speaking, this was good. Tuckerman nodded. ¡°Good, Qi Mu, we just listened to two sonorous songs in a row, you must make this cheerful.¡± Qi Mu nodded. The corners of his mouth raised a little. The first two participants selected sad songs? Today, it looked like his luck was really too much. Putting aside any further nonsense, after Dorenza¡¯s ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Qi Mu tugged along the bow of his violin, and the first note burst free. With the first light note, the entire concert hall was filled to bursting with spring flowers and fresh grass. The intoxicatingly earthy scent of spring touched the audience, as was the rare ease and joy of Beethoven. The ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡· was Beethoven¡¯s only violin concerto. Alongside Tchaikovsky¡¯s and Brahams¡¯ ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡·, and Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡¶Concerto in E Minor¡·, they were collectively known as the four major violin concerts of the world. And as the first to be deemed worthy of the four concertos, it was also known as¡ª¡ª The world¡¯s king of violin concertos. Dorenza once said he didn¡¯t like Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶Fur Elise¡· because, to him, although the piece tried its best to express the inner longing with its most beautiful, euphemistic tune, it was stillced with Beethoven¡¯s stubbornness. But, this ¡¶D Major¡· was an exception! Songs that could be called the kings of music were few. They were tested for hundreds of years, performed by hundreds of famous maestros, conductors, and eventually won everyone¡¯s recognition and praise. Beethoven was sad and indignant, but ¡¶D Major¡· was joyous. Like a zing me, it condensed the best feelings of the world between four small violin strings. Every note was like an angel¡¯s voice, the very sound of God! And now, during this superb and skillful performance, this third movement caused the second conductor, Motl, to furrow his brows. If Dorenza liked Beethoven the most, then Motl¡¯s favorite was Mozart. Motl believed Beethoven was a musician who wanted to express his emotions too much, and his music was alwaysden with strong sorrow, depressing the audience. Of course, had Motl never heard ¡¶D Major¡·? That was impossible. But, he had never heard someone y ¡¶D Major¡· so vicariously! He watched the young man¡¯s slender fingers press back and forth on the strings, each one repeating its theme, and every note seeming to pour from the stage. The melody was brisk, and the sun was bright as it shone upon the youth, reflecting the vigor and vitality that only the young had. Everyone in the world could understand Beethoven¡¯s grief. But Beethoven¡¯s pleasure was only understood by a few. The musician was born into poverty, and his parents passed away when he needed them the most. He was struck hard and encountered setbacks on the road of love. The maestro remained unmarried his entire life, and when sickness struck him down in hister years, Beethoven passed away in pain. When Beethoven passed, all the schools in Vienna closed, and nearly 20,000 people attended his funeral to send him to his eternal slumber inside the earth. Engraved on his tombstone was an inscription by the Austrian poet Grillparzer¡ª¡ª ¡ºWhen you stand before his coffin, you should not feel discouraged. What you should feel is not despondency, but a noble spirit; the only thing we can say about such a person is: He had a great career.¡» This was Beethoven, a person who was once considered by Lance as simr to Qi Mu, but was nowpletely different. And in this moment, if Lance were to listen to Qi Mu¡¯s ¡¶D Major¡· again, he would not believe that this child could feel so rxed and happy¡ª¡ª The pleasure to be free from sadness and pain. Without seeing the deepest darkness, how could one understand the brightest light? Qi Mu¡¯s eyes lowered, and with a flip of his hand, the tune turned into a long, beautiful overtone. Hepleted a smooth, four-string exchange, and three scales of melody flowed out! Motl, sitting under the stage, felt his hand gradually pull into a fist. He stared nkly at the young man on the stage. He¡¯d clearly just heard the moan of a crying cub, but why now¡­ Could it be this exciting? Could it be, he had always misunderstood Beethoven? The ¡¶D Major¡· had never been a purely happy song, as it hid the most profound of emotions behindughter. It ced Beethoven¡¯s rare positivity and happiness in its listeners¡¯ ears?! What kind of tolerance was this! The fierce song entered its climax, each note trembling and leaping aside, each difficult legato sounding easily under the bow. The rhythm was wonderful and clear. Then¡ª¡ª The song plummeted sharply! Even Dorenza suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the youth on stage in horror. Chapter 166 When Qi Mu was still in Huaxia, he once heard Zheng Wei Qiao tell a joke: Loved by millions, you¡¯re an idol superstar; loved by thousands, you¡¯re a leader; loved by hundreds of millions¡­ oh, it turns out you¡¯re just money! Although it was a casual statement, it illustrated a truth¡ª¡ª If someone as good-tempered as Dorenza could be stabbed in the back by Zayev, what about anyone else? As the king of the violin, Paganini had many fans all over the world. Some even loved him as a legend to chase their entire lives. Of course, many people hated this master, thinking that though he had wonderous skills, his violincked affection. This was nonsense. After all, music from hundreds of years ago could not be perfectly preserved. Only the notes and critics of listeners in the past told the legend of the small violin maestro. There were two main difficulties one faced ying the violin: skill and emotion. Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡· was a song filled with emotion. Even those who didn¡¯t understand music could experience the happiness and satisfaction that came from the violin piece. Many would even think¡ª¡ª ¡ºListening to this song draws me out from the deepest depths of my misery until I¡¯m cloaked in happiness.¡» However, this ¡¶D Major¡· couldn¡¯t be considered a difficult song. In the hands of a professional violinist, it could only be regarded as average difficulty. It didn¡¯t have manyplicated techniques. Expressing emotion was enough to reflect the song¡¯s beauty, was anything else needed? ¡°Icing on the cake¡± was easy to say but difficult in practicality. Many had adapted the song over the years, but few were truly phenomenal. Most were almost identical to the original song, without much improvement. To adapt a song, the adaptor had to have a deep understanding of the song and have both an excellent ear for music and the skill enough to aplish it. Therefore, those who could adapt a song were masters of music, such as the superior, small, or great violinists, and so on. Of course, in an orchestra, usually the conductor and the concertmaster handled this job. For example, Qi Mu and Wace discussed and nned his adaptations of ¡¶Ave Maria¡· and ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·. But now, it was already impossible to involve others with this ¡¶D Major¡·. Sitting in front of the stage, Dorenza¡¯s waist straightened. He leaned forward a little, gazing attentively at the young man ying on stage. He focused all his attention on his ears and didn¡¯t miss even the slightest movement. But now, the youth was ying too fast. When Dorenza heard the second section, he had a realization and whispered, ¡°The second movement¡¯srghetto?!¡± To his side, Motl was stunned. The elements of a piece of music were divided into nine aspects, including rhythm, melody, harmony, intensity, etc. Within rhythm, there was another element of speed. When creating a song, musicians often marked symbols on the score to tell yers how fast to y the song. Generally, these symbols were Italian and from the slowestrgo and adagio to the moderate moderato up to the faster allegro and presto. And just faster than thergo, was the¡ª¡ª ¡ºLarghetto. ¡» There were three movements in Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶D Major¡·. The first was a slightly slower paced allegro, the third was an allegro, and the second was arghetto. This second movement was the most lyrical piece of the entire song. It was an ensemble of the r and the violin, providing a gentle temperament to let the audience rx. But, this melody yed by Qi Mu could not be called arghetto. It had exceeded even the speed of an allegro and became a presto! Only Dorenza could pinpoint what this melody was when elerated ten times its speed. Everyone else thought when the second movement sped up, it became unexpectedly enthusiastic! The passionate, violent melody came from such a small hole in the violin. The young man¡¯s slender fingers had be phantoms, moving across the strings rapidly, yet his right hand with the bow leaped across them even faster! Five notes¡­ no! It felt like dozens of notes were drawn from the violin with a single pull of his bow! Simply speeding up the rhythm wasn¡¯t an eptable adaptation, because sometimes the melody wasn¡¯t suitable for high speeds. Sometimes, the melody required adding or omitting a few notes. So right now, though the second movement was altered, if one listened carefully, it remained true to the original melody by Beethoven. Even if it was more headed and cheerful than even the third movement, everyone felt as excited as they did seeing a beautiful sunrise! It was more climactic than the climax! Obviously, it intercepted the original climax of the third movement, but the melodies that were now connected weren¡¯t awkward at all. Instead, it felt seamless, almost as if to make the audience doubt: was it¡­ that Beethoven had such ideas from the beginning, wanting to see if the future generations would unearth his intentions? Listening to such enthused music, Dorenza¡¯s tightly furrowed brow slowly evened out. His eyes still fixed on Qi Mu, his confusion was reced with deep appreciation. And it wasn¡¯t just Dorenza! Motl, Nazat, Anthony, Tuckerman¡­ All the judges couldn¡¯t help but smile. They never believed age was a factor on whether someone was a good musician. Mozart performed on stage at the age of four. Schubert wrote hundreds of ssics before he was 31. Auston Bertram wrote his first etude at 9, and Christole won the Paganini violinpetition when he was 14. One might cry, why was God¡¯s heart so crooked? Such a violinist with outstanding strength and excellent ability, how could they also be so handsome on top of it all?! It blew their minds right out of the sr system!!! On stage, Qi Mu naturally had no idea that everyone listening to this was in a mess. After making the second movement so rapid, he used a beautiful scale to bring the melody back down to the original speed. When the song ended, even Qi Mu was slightly breathless, his forehead covered in a thinyer of sweat. Although he had such ideas and tested it in the lounge, once he was to perform his own adaptation, Qi Mu spent twelve minutes thinking about whether his absolute pitch could ensure the temperament¡¯s harmony. After a few seconds, Qi Mu took a deep breath and smiled at the people beneath the stage. His eyes met Dorenza¡¯s, and he heard a loud ¡°Bravo!¡± Qi Mu turned in surprise to find Motl, the second conductor, looking at him seriously. He stood up and apuded. Under his leadership, the other four alsoughed and pped along. Even the two staff members by the door (including the rigid and serious Roman) apuded appreciatively. If not for the circumstances at hand, he was almost afraid they would cry out ¡°Encore.¡± Qi Mu bowed in full courtesy, and Dorenza looked up at the young man with satisfaction. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve finished, may I call you ¡®Little Seven¡¯?¡± Dorenza looked at the four judges beside him and saw that they nodded. ¡°It¡¯s over now, there¡¯s no need to avoid suspicion, Dorenza.¡± So Dorenza continued, ¡°Little Seven, before you yed, I was held hostage by these nasty fellows. They wouldn¡¯t even let me say one word to you, they thought¡­ I would favor you, maybe give you a hint?¡± At Dorenza¡¯s helpless look, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t helpughing aloud. Nazat, having been quietly listening until then, quipped, ¡°Dorenza, don¡¯t deny it. A few days ago, who brought Betram¡¯s and Akkad¡¯s rmendation letters? Who strongly rmended Qi Mu be directly recruited as deputy concertmaster at thest orchestra meeting? You said it just yesterday. Don¡¯t think you can just omit the recruitment interviews if you get rmendation letters from Farrell and Lance again.¡± Dorenza smiled and spread his hands, saying to Qi Mu, ¡°Little Seven, look. These stubborn guys don¡¯t believe in your strength at all. I told them repeatedly how well you performed at the Palisade Theatre. That even Auston could prove it!¡± Qi Mu never imagined Dorenza had attempted to ¡°omit the recruitment interview and directly recruit him,¡± but right now, hearing it, he couldn¡¯t help feeling touched. Dorenza had heard several performances by Qi Mu and even received the album Akkad sent, but even if Qi Mu used his own strength to pass the interview, his behavior was risky. If Qi Mu wasn¡¯tpetent, it would demolish Albert Dorenza¡¯s reputation! A conductor that could not even distinguish which sound was good from the bad? You can pack up and get out! Qi Mu smiled. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Dorenza. I believe you didn¡¯t give me a hint at all.¡± Motl said helplessly, ¡°I clearly put five Mozart songs in the box, why have three people drawn Beethoven?¡± The orchestra¡¯s concertmaster, Anthony,ughed, ¡°Luck. Mr. Dorenza¡¯s luck has always been good.¡± After a few moreughs, Dorenza looked at Qi Mu and said, ¡°Little Seven, the third movement you just adapted amazed us. Now I have to ask, why did you choose to adapt it like that? I hope you can give me a reasonable answer, otherwise¡­¡± ¡°I will represent the great Master Beethoven and cruelly reject this adaptation.¡± Chapter 167 Speaking the sentence, Dorenza¡¯s face gradually fell as he watched the youth onstage. The master conductor, recognized for his good temper, seldom wore such a solemn expression. At the moment, he looked sincerely at Qi Mu. Although he didn¡¯t say anything else, he had a feeling that he was waiting for his answer. After hearing Dorenza¡¯s words, the other four judges turned their heads to Qi Mu. They were curious about what inspired the youth to make such a moving melody. Qi Mu nodded calmly. ¡°Mr. Dorenza, I was surprised to draw ¡¶D Major¡· this time. I don¡¯t need to speak much on its poprity. In fact, I admit that I know every note of the piece by heart. If you asked me to y it on the spot, I would have no problem.¡± The youth¡¯s frank words made the orchestra¡¯s concertmaster, Anthony, smile as he waited for Qi Mu to continue. ¡°In fact, I thought long ago¡­ Why have an Allegro after a Larghetto? It¡¯s such a big contrast, it made me feel weird when I practiced it for the first time.¡± Qi Mu had thought so for a long time. In fact, a very long time. Before he entered the Geneva Conservatory of music in hisst life, Qi Mu had more contact with Mozart, Menuin, Heifitz, and the music of other maestros. Back then, he was rtively young, unable to grasp their deep emotion. After entering the conservatoryter on, he had more contact with Beethoven¡¯s music. At the same time, he also had contact with the ¡¶Violin Concerto in D major¡·. When Qi Mu first entered the college in hisst life, he felt that,pared to his ssmates, he had too much to do. What hecked wasn¡¯t talent or diligence, but the advantages brought by family background and other reasons. So, he doubled his efforts to fill in the gaps in a year. At the same time, in the high-intensity study of the violin, he had questions about the ¡¶D Major¡·. A lot of young violinists first experienced ¡¶D Major¡·by practicing each movement individually. But when the official performance came, most would have an orchestra apaniment, with no chance to y the three movements continuously. But, Qi Mu didn¡¯t have much leisure time in hisst life, so when he first came into contact with the tune, he practiced diligently for more than seven hours, ying through all the three movements. In doing so, he discovered¡ª Moving from an allegro immediately to arghetto was really an awkward thing, ah! It wasn¡¯t so obvious with the orchestra¡¯s apaniment, but without it, the change was so abrupt that he didn¡¯t understand it at the time. Qi Mu studied the piece for a long time in hisst life, but he never understood it very well. However, now that he had an absolute sense of sound, he suddenly realized that maybe¡­ there could be even greater gains from adapting the song? Generally speaking, onlyposers and conductors could adapt a piece harmoniously, because their good ears and control over each note were beyond the scope of ordinary musicians. Qi Mu, of course, hadn¡¯t been trained in that field, but that didn¡¯t prevent him from adapting the song¡ª Because he had absolute pitch. After hearing his answers, the jury was surprised. The concertmaster, Anthony, asked again, ¡°Did you really only n to adapt this song today?¡± After Qi Mu confirmed it again, even the second conductor Motl sighed and said, ¡°Well, after decades of training, my sense of sound is absolute, but even I can¡¯t adapt Beethoven¡¯s music in such a short time¡­¡± The third conductor, Nazat, joked, ¡°If anyone had an innate absolute pitch, it would be Auston Bertram.¡± After a fewughs, Dorenza looked at Qi Mu onstage, still calm and solemn. Slowly, slowly, he smiled, then nodded. ¡°Little Seven, your mind is very delicate. I¡¯m shocked you can pay so much attention to such a small rhythm problem. Perhaps Beethoven¡¯s original symphony is more magnificent, but I personally think that your violin solo is more passion-inspiring.¡± After a pause, Dorenza smiled and said, ¡°Little Seven, thank you for bringing us this wonderful ¡¶D Major¡·. I wonder, would you like to have a good dinner with me on this wonderful New Year¡¯s Eve? You are wee to my home!¡± Qi Mu was stunned when he heard the words, and light shed through his heart as he reacted, suddenly realizing: Dorenza admitted him?! But then, the handsome young man shook his head and replied with a smile, ¡°Thank you for your invitation, Mr. Dorenza, but I¡¯m going to spend the new year with Master Lance tonight.¡± Hearing this, Dorenza said nothing more. He had his own wife and children to celebrate with, while Lance was alone in Vienna. It was a good thing that the child had the intention to apany him. As Qi Mu started to leave, he opened the door to the concert hall only to hear Tuckerman jokingly say in his wake, ¡°So¡­ We held such a grand recruitment meeting, and we finally chose Qi Mu as the deputy chief? Hey, Motl, don¡¯t stare at me. Do you think someone would y a better tune than his ¡¶D Major¡·? I don¡¯t believe it! Where there are so many geniuses in this world, can they really all be focused on our Wei Ai recruitment meeting?¡± Just as Qi Mu stepped out, Anthony said, ¡°No, Tuckerman. In fact, today¡¯s recruitment meeting isn¡¯t a waste. It has another advantage, at least¡­ It let me really see the child¡¯s strength. I think that after I leave the orchestra, the child will definitely take the members of the orchestra and lead Wei Ai to a new height.¡± After a sigh, Nazart smiled and said, ¡°This is really an era of talents! Anthony, I really think we were born decades too early. In this era, there are Auston Bertram, Christole, Jenny, and Qi Mu. How young they are and how old we are! But, it¡¯s the happiest thing to witness their rise. I believe that Qi Mu, as a child, will be the next Christole!¡± Hearing this, Qi Mu¡¯s steps paused, and he turned to look at Nazart in surprise. The Russian conductor evenpared him with Min Chen, Christole, and Jenny, the chief of the Symphony Orchestra in Dresden. Such evaluation was too high for the current Qi Mu. But, the next second, Dorenza¡¯s wordspletely shocked him. ¡°My dear Nazart, do you think this child will only be the next Christole? There may be a second Christole in the world, but please believe me, I think¡ª¡± ¡°There will never be a second Qi Mu in the world!¡± Bright, gentle sunlight shone down through thending window of the Friends of Music Association building, gilding the youth¡¯s ck hair in a golden edge. As the light shone down, his eyes slowly opened, and Qi Mu stared at the virtuous conductor in the concert hall. But, the conductor seemed to smile slightly in his direction. The next moment, the door closed with a click. But, Dorenza¡¯s voice echoed in Qi Mu¡¯s ear for a long time. It would be a famous saying in Wei Ai many yearster¡ª¡ª ¡ºThere will never be a second Qi Mu in the world! ¡» Chapter 168 On 31st December of 2016, the recruitment for Wei Ai¡¯s deputy concertmaster officially came to a close. Numerous reporters rushed towards Dorenza and the others that walked out of the Musikverein. All kinds of microphones were shoved at Wei Ai¡¯s executives, but Dorenza kept his peaceful temper and just smiled gently, ¡°The result of today¡¯s recruitment will have to wait until the orchestra members¡¯ meeting confirms it. Once the personnel is finalized, I will be sure to inform you as soon as I can.¡± A particrly witty journalist suddenly asked, ¡°It¡¯s just the confirmation, then¡­Mr. Dorenza, have youpiled the final candidates for the deputy concertmaster?¡± Dorenza shook his head and chuckled, ¡°I feel that every candidate is strong and it¡¯s very difficult for me to choose. I might give you the answer by the end of tomorrow¡¯s New Year¡¯s concert.¡± After that, Dorenza left the Musikverein under the escort of Wei Ai¡¯s security personnels. On the other hand, Qi Mu left from another exit, avoiding the reporters with ease, wearing a white baseball cap. With Dorenza attracting attention just by being present, even Qi Mu looked overdressed. When Qi Mu arrived at Lance¡¯s home, the gentle maestro had already prepared a sumptuous dinner. This made Qi Mu quite abashed, as he felt he should have returned earlier and helped prepare dinner. Seeing the youth¡¯s guilt, Lance smiled gently and said, ¡°Little Seven¡­I don¡¯t think we would have the time to prepare for dinner if we started now. It¡¯s 4: 32 already, are you sure we could make it?¡± While saying this, Lance switched on the TV and turned up the volume. Lance¡¯s house was simple and decorated in a retro style. His television was an old type, the one with a big bulk on its back which should be a model from twenty or so years ago. However, he had two excellent stereo systems, Qi Mu had experienced it before. The sound was a loud roar in his ears. After dinner, Qi Mu put the leftover food into the microwave and waited for the concert to broadcast. Right then, both of them sat in front of the TV, watching the magnificent concert hall gradually fill with people and turn from noisy to calm. When the female host introduced the grand ssical music concert to the audience in fluent German, Qi Mu started pouring a cup of ck coffee for Lance. He heard the maestro say, ¡°I sat here every year and listened to the same words by the host every year. Little Seven, when will we actually go and listen to it live?¡± Qi Mu was stunned for a moment before nodding, ¡°Okay, Mr. Lance. Let¡¯s go to Berlin to watch the concert live next year with Teacher, all three of us together.¡± The Berlin Philharmonic New Year¡¯s concert was different from the Vienna Philharmonic¡¯s. The former was usually held in Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall at 4:00 to 5:00 p.m on December 31st, weing the new year with beautiful and moving music while thetter gave a brilliant performance at the Golden Saal at 11:00 a.m, on January 1st. Right then, Qi Mu was watching Bai Ai¡¯s New Year¡¯s Concert at Lance¡¯s house. The apuse never stopped once the orchestra members stepped on the stage. When Christole also came up, a handsome man with his back straight also came up with him and bowed to the audience. Then, the voice of the beautiful female host rang again, ¡°Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s New Year¡¯s Concert is still being lead by Mr. Auston von Bertram, the chief conductor of the orchestra along with Mr. Christole Shlott, their concertmaster. This year¡¯s performance will be Hindemith¡¯s ¡¶Third Symphony¡·¡­¡± Qi Mu had known that man¡¯s track list a while ago, but now that he listened to the repertoire again, he was surprised to discover that the man who always evaded the norm would actually end the New Year¡¯s concert with the solemn ¡¶Pathetique Symphony¡·! Qi Mu can¡¯t help but be reminded of the fact that a year ago, this man also yed the majestic ¡¶Destiny Symphony¡· to end his tour with Bai Ai on Huaxia, which was of course, ¡°out of the norm¡±! Qi Mu couldn¡¯t refrain himself from mumbling, ¡°Who would actually y ¡¶Pathetique¡· on New Year¡­¡± But Master Lance shook his head and said with a smile, ¡°Maybe Auston can conduct apletely different ¡¶Pathetique¡·? Little Seven, let¡¯s listen first.¡± Qi Mu nodded gently and before long, the orchestra finished tuning their instruments. After Min Chen and Christole looked at each other, the conductor¡¯s baton gently rose and a fierce sound erupted. The Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall suddenly went silent and only the struggling sound of violins was heard, giving the audience goosebumps! The first piece was Hindemith¡¯s ¡¶Third Symphony¡· followed by Dvorak¡¯s ¡¶vonic Dances¡·¡­ The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s timbre was purely zing, like purest metal nging, without a trace of any other noise. The tubas boomed, trumpets roared in a linger, the cellos whimpered and the violins screamed. Each sound seemed to have been divided into countless fragments and entered the audiences¡¯ ears, flowing to their hearts. Someone oncemented on Bai Ai¡¯s music: ¡ºThey have pure metallic timbre, the most orthodox and ssic tune. No one in the world could surpass Bai Ai on the stage of symphony music, just like no one dares to deny that Beethoven was the most worthy to be king of ssical music!¡» The symphony music flowed one piece after another from the stereo. In the spacious living room, neither of the two made any movements, just enjoying the wonderful music together. Until the ¡¶Pathetique Symphony¡· resounded. When he heard a segment of the piece, Qi Mu looked at Lance in surprise. Lance also looked back at him and nodded with a smile. Sure enough, as Lance said, since Min Chen dared to perform Tchaikovsky¡¯s ¡¶Pathetique Symphony¡· as the closing piece, it was naturally impossible for him to perform a run-of-the-mill piece. By the end of the sad yet hopeful ¡¶Pathetique¡·, the whole Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Concert Hall ushered in a warm apuse. Before the TV, Qi Mu and Lance also pped their hands. Emotionally, Lance said, ¡°It¡¯s really a pity that I didn¡¯t go to this year¡¯s concert, ah! Little Seven, Auston is really a genius. I think that in the next 50 years, no one will dare to adapt ¡¶Pathetique¡·.¡± Qi Mu nodded with a smile. He nced at the cold-looking man on TV, his eyes soft, ¡°Mr. Lance, I also like this ¡¶Pathetique¡·. It¡¯s sad but not deste, painful but not full of despair. It¡¯s a really good piece.¡± When it came to outstanding musical works, Qi Mu¡¯s praise always came from the bottom of his heart. He would never be biased just because the conductor andposer was his lover. Therefore, when he said he liked this version of ¡¶Pathetique¡·, he was really proud of Min Chen. After the concert ended, Qi Mu helped Lance take the food out of the microwave. Slowly pouring red wine into Lance¡¯s ss, the two continued their interrupted dinner. At the dinner table, Lance asked Qi Mu about Bai Ai¡¯s concert with concern, asking whether Min Chen had informed Qi Mu about anything in advance. After Qi Mu answered the questions one by one, he said, ¡°Auston always surprises his audience and gives us plenty of expectations!¡± After the twoughed and exchanged another few more words, Lance suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, did Dorenza tell you when you¡¯re going to go to the orchestra?¡± Hearing this, Qi Mu cut the steak in his te and it took him a while to reply. With a smile, he looked up at Lance and asked, ¡°Mr. Lance, you¡­How did you know I passed the audition? Mr. Dorenza said he would not make a decision until the general assembly of the orchestra agreed.¡± The white-haired old man shook his head with a smile, ¡°I have been busy cooking delicious dinner in the afternoon and had no time to talk to Dorenza. But Little Seven, I believe in your skills. Did you¡­Did you fail?¡± Facing the old man¡¯s kind smile, Qi Mu didn¡¯t conceal anything and directly told him everything that happened that afternoon. After hearing that Qi Mu had adapted Beethoven¡¯s work, he was surprised and asked Qi Mu to y it once for him. After listening to Qi Mu¡¯s performance, Lance sighed and said, ¡°Little Seven, I once told your teacher that your skills surpassed mine, but you¡¯re slightly inferior in the emotional understanding. However, I think your third movement of Beethoven¡¯s¡¶D Major¡· haspletely surpassed me. I¡¯m afraid even your teacher couldn¡¯t y this piece as ardently as you do, even if he returned to his highest point.¡± Qi Mu shook his head at such a high praise and said, ¡°Mr. Lance, this is just a momentary inspiration.¡± In return, Lance also shook his head, ¡°Little Seven, inspiration is also a facet of talent, and talent is strength. I believe that Dorenza was really happy when he heard your Third Movement. No wonder he excitedly told you to report to the orchestra right after their New Year¡¯s concert tomorrow. He¡¯s really looking forward to your arrival.¡± Qi Mu left Lance¡¯s house with the gifts and albums the old man gave him. It was nighttime and the moon hung dimly in the sky. The streets of Vienna were quite deserted, few people went out on New Year¡¯s Eve, even the usually crowded subway was quite vacant, as only few seats were upied. When Qi Mu returned home, he felt a rare sense of loneliness. Huaxia was seven hours ahead of Vienna, and Zheng Wei Qiao and Tan Lao had already wished him a happy new year several hours earlier. However, the apartment was sorge that it made him feel he was too small and helpless. After putting his violin in the piano room, Qi Mu didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he sat on the stool before the piano. Pulling up the piano key cover, he pressed gently on the ck and white keys. Although the sound produced didn¡¯t turn into a melody, the Steinway¡¯s pure and superior quality timbre made the sound beautiful. When Qi Mu pressed the thirty-fourth note, his phone rang. Qi Mu immediately answered it and heard a deep and maic voice, calling his name, ¡°Qi Mu¡­¡± Chapter 169 When Min Chen just started speaking, there was noise in the background of the call, and Qi Mu could faintly hear Daniel¡¯sughter. After a while, Min Chen seemed to have gone away to find a secluded ce. Only the man¡¯s soft breaths and the hiss of electrical current could be heard from the phone¡¯s speaker. Qi Mu stopped ying the piano. With a soft smile, he asked, ¡°Is the celebration over?¡± Min Chen gently nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to send the others home with Daniel and Christole. Today is New Year¡¯s Eve, and they are going home for dinner and reunion.¡± After hearing this, Qi Mu leaned on the edge of the piano and curiously asked, ¡°The rest of Bai Ai¡¯s members have gone back¡­ What about you? I remember hearing Daniel say that your parents lived in Berlin, do you want to go back?¡± Only a dim wallmp was lit in the music room, but the moonlight filtering in from the French windows was even brighter than it was. Qi Mu only listened to Min Chen¡¯s gentle ¡°Um,¡± and waited for him to continue, ¡°After sending the others back, I will also go home.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°Did you not spend the New Year Countdown with Lance?¡± ¡°Mr. Lance never goes to bed after 11 o¡¯clock, so I didn¡¯t want to disturb him. By the way, guess what I was doing just now? Well¡­ I will allow you to ask for a hint.¡± Min Chen raised his eyebrows and took the opportunity to prompt him. ¡°Where are you?¡± A smile shing in his light-colored eyes, Qi Mu calmly said, ¡°I am in the music room.¡± Min Chen thought for a moment and said, ¡°You¡¯re not practicing the violin.¡± Hearing this, Qi Mu was stunned. Subconsciously, he asked, ¡°Why do you say I¡¯m not practicing the violin?¡± ¡°You answered the phone in only a second. I think¡­ You¡¯re not practicing the violin.¡± Qi Mu shrugged helplessly when the man discovered his trap and avoided the topic. ¡°Well, guess what I¡¯m doing?¡± After a lengthy silence across the line, Qi Mu thought that he wouldn¡¯t answer. He only heard the man¡¯s voice affirmatively analyzing, ¡°The phone is very close to you. There are only two possibilities: first, you are holding it in your hand; second, you had it at your fingertips.¡± Hearing this, a surprised smile lit Qi Mu¡¯s face. ¡°Continue, Min Chen-Holmes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing else in the music room, and you don¡¯t like ying with your cell phone. So¡­¡± Min Chen trailed off, and Qi Mu¡¯s curiosity was suspended. He couldn¡¯t believe it. The man could guess that he was ying the piano just then. But, the next second, Min Chen chopped the nail and sliced the iron on his path. ¡°Just now, you were standing in front of the window, holding your mobile phone, just about to call me.¡± After a pause, he calmly added, ¡°You miss me.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­Shameless?¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Calling Min Chen always made Qi Mu feel like he met a whole new person. For example, someone who was really arrogant, and someone who was narcissistic to a point. Considering that the thick faced, narcissistic man was the conductor who had just produced a brilliant symphony onstage, Qi Mu really felt that God had made a mistake. He¡¯d thrown some talents that shouldn¡¯t belong to the man at the wrong target. Qi Mu took his cell phone and continued to chat with the shameless man. When Min Chen needed to send the Bai Ai members away, he hung up the phone. Within minutes, Qi Mu received a text message. Min Chen: ¡¾Go to bed early, don¡¯t wait for the countdown. Happy New Year ahead of time¡­ Next year.¡¿ With a smile, Qi Mu said: ¡¾Happy new year, our next year together.¡¿ Despite that, what happened all day made Qi Mu excited. How could he sleep so easily? When he heard the big clock in the center of Vienna ring 12 times, there was a burst of cheering throughout the city, even on the 27th floor. He couldn¡¯t help sending another text message before midnight. ¡¾I can¡¯t sleep. Why didn¡¯t you ask me whether I passed the recruitment meeting for Wei Ai today?¡¿Then, Qi Mu put down his cell phone. Just as he was anticipating the man to reply the next morning, his cell phone suddenly hummed and started to vibrate. Qi Mu picked it up in surprise. Min Chen: ¡¾I believe in you. Go to sleep quickly, and I¡¯ll go to Wei Ai tomorrow. ¡¿The simple sentence, ¡°I believe in you,¡± calmed Qi Mu¡¯s restless mood. Looking at the short text on his cell phone, he could practically see the man in the dark, solemnly replying to the text message. The young man¡¯s lips curled upwards. He said, ¡°Good night,¡± and soon fell into a deep sleep. In the dark, quiet bedroom, on the wide, 2-meter bed, only a thin young many on one side. Alone, he slowly slipped into his sleep. Although he was the only person, he didn¡¯t feel lonely. Still, he tightly hugged the pillows on either side of him, sleeping sweetly. The next day, Qi Mu took Dorenza¡¯s invitation letter and immediately listened to Wei Ai¡¯s New Year¡¯s concert. Instead of leaving through the gate like other audiences, Qi Mu went backstage of the Friends of Music Association building under the leadership of the staff. He entered a preparation room that was both familiar and unfamiliar. He was familiar with it because it was thest ce he saw before he died, and unfamiliar because of the people in there who had faces lit with weing smiles. Everyone hid behind Dorenza to smile at him, but did not dare to cross the ¡°terrifying moat (of Dorenza)¡± by even half a step. Just after a grand concert, Dorenza didn¡¯t even wear his tuxedo, so he stood directly backstage to wee Qi Mu. As soon as they met, he gave Qi Mu a big hug and smiled as he said, ¡°Little Seven, it¡¯s great to see you here! From today on, we are a family. When we met with the orchestra members yesterday afternoon, everyone in Wei Ai saw your video from the recruitment meeting. We almost all passed your recruitment decision. On behalf of everyone, I want to wee you!¡± As he spoke, Dorenza gave Qi Mu a warm hug. But, before he released his hand, he heard Anthony cough twice and say, ¡°Dorenza, when do we need you to represent us? It¡¯s a great pleasure for Little Seven toe to our big family. Let¡¯s wee him together!¡± ¡°Yes, Dorenza, I¡¯m looking forward to today.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Little seven, I thought you were a lovely child ever since I spoke to you at thest celebration!¡± ¡°Little Seven, it¡¯s good that you can join us. I really like your ¡¶The Dance of the Goblins¡·, and the third movement of the ¡¶D Major¡· yesterday was also very, very good!¡± ¡­¡­ Originally, Dorenza wanted all the members of Wei Ai to give Qi Mu a big hug as a way to wee him into the Wei Ai family. Who knew that under the leadership of his ¡°bad demonstration¡±, the Wei Ai members who ¡°didn¡¯t need him to represent them¡± came forward one after another, each one needing an individual wee hug. Qi Mu hugged the lovely, gentle members, then looked at Dorenza, who was also helpless. If there was a good tempered conductor, he was it. If you were in Wei Ai¡­ You had to hold Little Seven? The conductor¡¯s cold, piercing eyes have long been looking through my heart, okay! After formally meeting with the orchestra members, Qi Mu followed Dorenza and Tuckman, the orchestra¡¯s agent, to Wei Ai¡¯s conference room to get his offer of appointment. Generally speaking, the formal appointment time was one to two years, depending on the specific strength of the musicians. After all, sometimes the orchestra developed too fast, and the musicians couldn¡¯t keep up with its rhythm, so they could be mercilessly abandoned. In order to pursue the best music, everyone could only keep improving and striving for more. Qi Mu originally thought that he should get a one-year employment contract. After all, he just joined the orchestra, and even got the position of deputy chief. In a few months, he was likely to be promoted to chief. Such a cautious and important matter should make Wei Ai¡¯s senior management think more about it. But what Qi Mu didn¡¯t expect was the handwritten marks on the letter of appointment reading, ¡°18 months¡±! Not two years, not one year, but 18 months! In such a medium time, Qi Mu was not given a two-year employment contract because he was still young and didn¡¯t have enough qualifications. The other reason was that Dorenza took into ount the excellent strength of the child¡¯s violin and his unlimited future. On the first page of the contract, the name Eberg Dorenza had been signed on the left, with a space on the right for Qi Mu to sign it. Qi Mu looked at the handwriting a few more times in disbelief. His eyebrows creased slightly. ncing up at the smiling Dorenza, he asked, ¡°Mr. Dorenza, it¡¯s really 18 months?¡± You know, when Christole, Bai Ai¡¯s violin chief signed the contract with Bai Ai, he only got an employment term of one year, and he also got the appointment letter for deputy chief! On the contrary, although Qi Mu was signing for the appointment letter of deputy chief, there was a small line left at the bottom¡ª¡ª ¡ºThe transfer of relevant personnel shall be decided by voting at the orchestra general meeting. ¡» It was very likely that Qi Mu would be removed from the position of vice chief, to be¡­ chief! Listening to the young man¡¯s tentative words, Dorenza chuckled, ¡°Little Seven, please believe your eyes. This is the timeline that all members of the orchestra have unanimously decided to pass. You can turn to the back of the employment letter, and there are four or five pages with each member¡¯s autograph.¡± After hearing his speech, Qi Mu quickly turned back. Sure enough, after the detailed agreement, there were several pages with the signatures of all the members of the orchestra. Wei Ai was a democratic and fair orchestra. Naturally, such a major matter must be recognized by the members of the orchestra. By that time, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t believe it anymore and understood what happened. ¡°Mr. Dorenza, thank you for your trust, thank you for the trust of the orchestra.¡± ¡°I will try my best not to let everyone down!¡± That night, Qi Mu took the thick agreement and carefully looked over it. He read every word, and was moved by the inclusiveness and openness of the orchestra. Wei Ai had given him trust, and naturally, he had to pay it back! The next day, Qi Mu sent his signed agreement to the Friends of Music Association building. When the three-day New Year¡¯s holiday ended, the handsome, beautiful man stood in the spacious entrance. He carefully traced thepel of his jacket with his fingertips. His eyes were full of confidence, and his delicate, ink-dyed eyebrows were full of expectations for the future. His posture was straight and elegant, drawing everyone¡¯s gaze. After confirming that he was ready, Qi Mu picked up the violin box and opened the door. In a sh, the golden sunlight filled the room, symbolizing a beautiful tomorrow. Chapter 170 As for the world¡¯s top symphony orchestra and Austria¡¯s national treasures, Wei Ai had gathered the best ssical music talents in the world. In the process, it captured the hearts of tens of millions of music fans with its delicate, gentle timbre and lingering, romantic melodies. When the orchestra announced the name of its vice chief in early 2017, people all over Austria and even the world didn¡¯t expect that the orchestra over 100 years of age would choose such a young person as its new deputy chief. If they were told that Qi Mu had been the chief of violin in the Palisade theater for half a year or that he¡¯d gotten full marks in every school assessment of the Paris National Conservatory of music, those fans wouldn¡¯t care at all. Compared with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, those honors only showed that the young violinist was excellent, but not necessarily qualified to be Wei Ai¡¯s deputy chief and lead the orchestra onwards. Even some of Wei Ai¡¯s senior fans had already noticed the young man¡¯s position in Wei Ai wasn¡¯t as simple as deputy chief. Anthony, the current interim chief, was too old to stay in the orchestra for long. The outside world spread rumors, with major newspapers and magazines carrying out detailed reports and analysis on the matter. Some minor media sources even began staking groundless ims, making the matter even more confusing. But now, Qi Mu didn¡¯t care. Dorenza was worried about Qi Mu visiting the orchestra for the first time, so he sent his right-hand assistant, Roman, to help Qi Mu get familiar with the Friends of Music Association building and the training and performance venues rted to Wei Ai. Qi Mu¡¯s handsome face showed a smile when he saw the tall, cold-faced Roman again. He held out his hand and said, ¡°Long time no see, Roman. Today, please show me around to help me understand the environment. Thank you very much.¡± A good-looking and polite young man was naturally able to catch the favor of others. Especially during the deputy chief recruitment meeting, where Roman was the person who led Qi Mu into the preparation room. Therefore, he rxed his stiff expression a bit and began to show Qi Mu around. In one day, Qi Mu toured the whole Friends of Music Association building. From its oldest collection room to itsrge and small concert halls, the building was simply a history of ssical music. It had precipitated a deep, profound musical atmosphere. Qi Mu had been in the building for two months in his past life. At that time, he was busy just trying to get familiar with Wei Ai¡¯s rhythm andplete the cooperative rehearsal. So, at that time, he only used to hang around in the lounge, rehearsal hall, concert hall, restaurants, and a few other ces nearby. He didn¡¯t explore much. That day¡¯s visit let Qi Mu really understand the magnificent building and look forward to his own life for the next year and a half. After the afternoon tea, Roman took Qi Mu to the rehearsal hall where Wei Ai¡¯s members often practiced. Qi Mu opened the door and went inside. Before seeing the musicians rehearsing onstage, Qi Mu heard a melodious and soothing ¡¶Little Doves Waltz¡· The music was light and moving, like a group of doves walking in the sunlight of Prague Square, fluttering their wings and dancing happily. The sound of stringed instruments was neat and elegant, while the wind instruments were solemn in their strictness. The chief of the orchestra, Anthony, led the orchestra ensemble. Only when the song was over did he discover Qi Mu¡¯s arrival. ¡°Oh, Little Seven! Have you already toured?¡± Qi Mu turned to look at Roman, who showed him faithfully around the building. Roman pulled at the door with his hand and nodded gently to him. After understanding the meaning of the other party¡¯s intention to retire, Qi Mu looked at Anthony with a smile and said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Anthony, I toured the whole building. By the way, were you ying the ¡¶Little Doves Waltz¡· just now?¡± Anthony stood onstage and nodded to Qi Mu. ¡°You heard it right, Little Seven. We were just ying ¡¶Little Doves Waltz¡·by Old John Strauss. Afternoon tea just finished, so we nned to use ¡¶Little Doves Waltz¡·to adjust the atmosphere.¡± Hearing such an answer, Qi Mu didn¡¯t know what kind of expression to give. Old John Strauss naturally referred to the father of the Strauss father and son. Different from the taboo of the Chinese people, the father and son, both great musicians, bore the same name. It forced theter generations to give the titles of ¡°the old one and the young one¡± to distinguish them. Min Chen once said that Austrians had an almost fanatical preference for the waltz, especially for Strauss and his son. Originally, Qi Mu thought he was exaggerating. After all, in the Palisade Theatre, only at thest rehearsal in the afternoon would he finish the day¡¯s practice with ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·. But¡­ take a look at the representative of Austria¡¯s orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra! They even yed a Strauss waltz to celebrate the end of tea!!! The members of Wei Ai naturally didn¡¯t understand Qi Mu¡¯s helplessness. He also liked the waltz, but Qi Mu certainly wasn¡¯t as crazy as Wei Ai¡¯s members. As soon as he stepped onstage, he heard a fat, redhead man sitting on the outer edge of the orchestraugh and say, ¡°Little Seven, you¡¯re so unlucky! We just finished a waltz, then we¡¯ll have a single hour of training for each instrument group.¡± ¡°Yes, Little Seven, it¡¯s a pity that you didn¡¯t participate in such wonderful music!¡± ¡°By the way, Little Seven, at the Christmas Eve concert at the Palisade Theatre, I heard Dorenza say that you yed ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡·and ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·! I¡¯d like to suggest that we have another waltz, okay?¡± As he spoke, the trumpeter stood up and looked at all the others in the orchestra. Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Others responded, ¡°Well, choose ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡·or ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·and we¡¯ll y it together at the end of the afternoon rehearsal!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Did Vienna use ¡¶The Blue Danube¡·for every orchestra to finish rehearsal?! Why did he never do this in Weijiao before!!! However, Qi Mu didn¡¯t refuse the trumpeter¡¯s good intentions. When he first came to the orchestra, it would be best to get along well with everyone. At the time, ying a straightforward ensemble would not only help him quickly integrate into the orchestra, but also understand how he should ept or reject the orchestra. Without affection, Qi Mu directly took his little violin out of its case. He simply began tuning the violin, and before wiping the rosin, he heard Anthony praise, ¡°That violin is so beautiful, Little Seven.¡± Qi Mu was a little stunned. At the time, some members of the first group of violins recognized his violin. ¡°Is that an imitation of the Stradivarius style violins? It¡¯s really beautiful!¡± Qi Mu nodded. ¡°Yes, this is an imitation Stradivarius violin.¡± While Qi Mu was applying the rosin, members of the orchestra had a heated discussion on several of the only surviving Stradivarius violins that could be yed in public. Some even directly mentioned the name of ¡°Cannon¡±, a well deserved treasure in the world of violins. Listening to the members¡¯ conversation, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He didn¡¯t care too much about the ¡°Cannon¡±. After all, his teacher had yed the violin, so he didn¡¯t feel that it was too far away. Qi Mu thought of the safe in the Swiss bank, where Edith was silently sealed for four or five years. Now that he had arrived at Wei Ai, it was almost one step away from the stage of the Golden Hall. Just thinking about it, Qi Mu already finished wiping the rosin. He tentatively yed a few notes on the violin strings, then looked up at Anthony. All the while, the members of the orchestra discussed amongst themselves. Anthony walked up to Qi Mu and smiled as he said, ¡°Little Seven, I¡¯m not going to y next. I¡¯m going to put you in charge of leading the orchestra. But, since it¡¯s your first time ying with Wei Ai, I¡¯m going to give you a little taste of conductor on behalf of Dorenza. It¡¯s not such a great experience, but I hope it can enlighten you.¡± Qi Mu nodded gratefully. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Anthony. I¡¯ll pay attention.¡± Anthony smiled peacefully, and he started to talk about ¡°What it would be like if I could touch the Cannon in my lifetime¡±. After the whole staff had finished their dialogue, Anthony looked at Qi Mu, who sat in the deputy chief¡¯s position. For a moment, the beautiful, moving voice of the violin rang out. Chapter 171 After hearing Qi Mu¡¯s concert with the Palisade Orchestra, Dorenza continued to emphasize how great he was for the Wei Ai members when he arrived. ¡°It¡¯s apletely different ¡¶Ave Maria¡· and ¡¶Blue Danube¡·! My friends, I swear to the great Strauss that I have never, ever in my life heard such a great interpretation of Blue Danube. Perhaps only young people full of vigor and passion can make such great changes!¡± Of course, verbal praise, alone, from Dorenza would never make the members of the orchestra understand how different this version of ¡¶Blue Danube¡· was. What¡¯s more, the Palisade Theater¡¯s Christmas Eve¡¯s concert was just a performance dedicated to their old audience. They didn¡¯t record the performance so they wouldn¡¯t know how it went. But they weren¡¯t in a hurry. Isn¡¯t Little Seven here now? Why should we worry about not hearing that version of ¡¶Blue Danube¡·? With that thought, the members of Wei Ai were all prepared because a concert that earned so much praise from Dorenza could hardly be a normal performance. But, never in their life would they expect¡­ The moment Qi Mu¡¯s violin sounded, it was like water drops falling into the sea, perfectly integrated into the sound of the rest of the violins! It wasn¡¯t abrupt or out of ce, rather, the violin seemed to be a harbinger of spring,plete with morning dewcing the flowers. It was impossible to say that the sound was not moving! If anyone says so, then their conscience would have definitely disappeared. But¡­ How the heck did you actually manage such a feat?!!! This was the first time we have cooperated, okay?!!! You¡¯re even better than the people who have worked with us for years!!!!! The elegant andposed melody filled the hall and the wind section, especially the trumpets, roared jubntly while the strings instruments moved like rippling water, full of tender romance. Under the leadership of their new deputy concertmaster, the melody of the first violin group was soft and delicate, flowing in harmony. Even the violinist sitting next to Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help but learn from their new deputy concertmaster. They changed the simple, long harmonics to a few short harmonics. The slight change made Anthony on the podium look at Qi Mu in shock. Just listening to Qi Mu¡¯s skillful violin was enough to surprise him. Qi Mu was able to integrate his sound into the orchestra¡¯s sound right off the bat, but when he noticed that the child managed to directly affect Mary¡¯s (one of the violinists) sound, he was shocked beyond words. A genius! An absolute genius! He didn¡¯t even need a rehearsal topletely integrate his sound with the orchestra and he can even match his style to apanion¡¯s and make it even more exquisite. Everyone can only sigh when faced with such a talented person! No wonder Dorenza so seriously rmended Qi Mu at the orchestra¡¯s meeting. Only now did Anthony understand Mr. Dorenza¡¯s intention. Little Seven is so talented. Mr. Dorenza really has vision!!! Dorenza, who had no idea about what was going on in the rehearsal, looked at a music score in his lounge and sneezed heavily. It was not surprising that Anthony misunderstood the whole thing. Dorenza, himself, didn¡¯t expect that Qi Mu could cooperate so seamlessly with the orchestra in one go. But, this wasn¡¯t a performance. No one could perform this seamlessly with an orchestra they have never worked with before. Even Akkad had to have a test run once or twice when working with a new orchestra. However, Qi Mu just went on the stage and conquered all the members of Wei Ai with a wonderful ¡¶Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz)¡·! At the time, Qi Mu, who had no idea that he had conquered Wei Ai¡¯s members and gained their trust, had his eyes drooped to look at his left hand on the fingerboard. His beautifully slender fingers pressed on the strings. Under the dazzling stage light, they looked like jade carvings. Different violinists have different habits. For example, Farrell often had his eyes closed when ying to immerse himself in the rich emotion of his piece, while Akkad always frowned with a bitter expression on his face. Although Qi Mu didn¡¯t frown like his mentor, he liked to watch his fingers on the fingerboard. To be precise, he preferred to watch as his fingers pressed on the strings, as if he could see the beautiful notes flowing from them. It made him happy. A magnificent and splendid ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡·yed in the spacious rehearsal hall. The warm melody and passionate tune caused the hall to look as if it was trembling from the resonance. When the piece ended, Qi Mu put down his bow. With aplicated expression, Anthony asked, ¡°Little Seven¡­ Tell me, have you listened to us ying this piece hundreds of times before performing this with us¡­?¡± Qi Mu was a little surprised at the sudden question. Just when he was about to say he hadn¡¯t, a voice came up from behind him. ¡°Mr. Anthony, have you forgotten that we¡¯ve never recorded ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡· at all?!¡± Soon, another voice joined in, ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ve recorded Strauss¡¯ pieces lots of time but we rarely performed ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡·. If I remember correctly, that son of a bitch Zayev wasn¡¯t good at this elegant and solemn piece?¡± At the mention of that particr name, a wave of disgusted hiss resonated in the whole orchestra. Several senior members of the orchestra who were close to Zayev were dismissed by Dorenza as early as Zayev¡¯s expulsion. Therefore, both on the surface and in the dark, everyone in the orchestra got along happily. They no longer cared about offending certain people. Naturally, Anthony also was reminded of Zayev¡¯s deeds and tutted with a disgusted expression before looking at Qi Mu. He changed the topic. ¡°Then, Little Seven, don¡¯t tell me this is the first time you listened to our ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡·¡­¡± Qi Mu recalled his memories a little before finally saying, ¡°Mr. Anthony, this is really the first time I heard¡­¡± Although he has rehearsed with Wei Ai a lot of times in his previous life, he had never heard their ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡·. Anthony, who felt like an NPC in a FPS game sighed, ¡°Well, are all young people nowadays this excellent? I thought that only Auston Bertram, who had perfect pitch and top-notch talent can make people feel the powerlessness of a mortal. I didn¡¯t expect you would be the same¡­ Oh, yes, Little Seven. You also have perfect pitch, right?¡± Now that the other part has given him a solid reasoning, Qi Mu readily epted it. ¡°Yes, Mr. Anthony. Because I¡¯ve listened to Wei Ai a lot of times before and also because of my hearing, it¡¯s easier for me to incorporate my sound with the orchestra¡¯s.¡± Wei Ai¡¯s members: ¡°¡­¡± Are you sure you¡¯re not the chosen one?! Even a rocket isn¡¯t as fast as you!!! Qi Mu didn¡¯t notice the burning gazes of the other members at all. After pondering for a moment, he said, ¡°Mr. Anthony, in fact, I think that in the third part of the second movement, I didn¡¯t synchronize well with the orchestra. It seems that we haven¡¯t mastered the timing in the pause of the trumpets. We need more practice.¡± Anthony, who had just gained a second life as an NPC but was shot dead once again: ¡°¡­¡± He didn¡¯t hear anything wrong in the part Qi Mu mentioned¡­ After the brief episode, the orchestra began the practice session with their respective instruments groups. After all, other than having the whole orchestra in an ensemble, a piece can only be performed neatly when all of the respective instruments groups have mastered their own parts. At that time, the members of Wei Ai were very happy to have this lovely young man as their deputy concertmaster. An adaptation of Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶D Major¡· already showed them the outstanding skills the young man had. The repeated assurance from Dorenza and the joint rmendations by both Akkad and Auston Bertram gave them plenty of expectations for their new deputy concertmaster. They weren¡¯t left disappointed. In the past few decades, Wei Ai, like Bai Ai, had been one of the top orchestras in the world. However, the crown of the ¡°Number One Orchestra¡± had been always in Bai Ai¡¯s hands, ever since they had Karajan, the maestro of thest century. They performed with infinite glory ever since. Especially in recent years, with the addition of Christole as their concertmaster, even more people thought that Bai Ai is the world¡¯s number one orchestra. Zayev was skilled. Among the world¡¯s top violinists, he was even further among the top. But,pared to the gifted prodigy, he didn¡¯t have an advantage, considering his experience. Let alone that, his skills seemed to have declined in recent years. This was also one of the reasons why Wei Ai¡¯s members chose Qi Mu fearlessly. Under the bright spotlights, the handsome young man set aside his violin and started tomunicate with the members of the orchestra. The members of the first violin group happily introduced themselves to the young deputy concertmaster while Qi Mu was taken back to memorize the names he already knew from his past life with a smile. On the first day of Qi Mu¡¯s arrival at Wei Ai, the members of the orchestra were left with an unforgettably wonderful and harmonious ¡¶Emperor Waltz¡·. They needed change, a new breath of fresh air, they needed¡­ (The author has something to say: Innovation and transformation!) And all of these, maybe this young man would bring it to them. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Once the new year began, the world¡¯s major orchestras grew busy. The previous year, they drew up their n for the new year, but at the year¡¯s start, many things still needed to be handed over. Even though Qi Mu was the deputy concertmaster of the orchestra under Anthony, he had to start handling cumbersome matters. The orchestra¡¯s concertmaster needed not only superb technical strength but also an incredible depth of understanding regarding the orchestra¡¯s level and the best style of control to utilize with them. The concertmaster and conductor had to use the same style, that which was most familiar to the orchestra, and the concertmaster had to understand the needs of their orchestra. With every music selection, regardless of the orchestra¡¯s distribution, he needed to know what to do. Qi Mu gained incredible insight in his month of study. Before his rebirth, his task was to lead the orchestra in their daily rehearsals and help both the ever-busy Evra and Jacques, who was often idle. But now, he led the rehearsals in the morning and developed strategies with Anthony in the afternoons. Such intensity was exceptional pressure for anyone, and even Dorenza worried whether Qi Mu could bear it. But, he couldn¡¯t let the young man rest, since his time with Anthony was quickly running out. Qi Mu needed to take over his full duties as soon as possible. Despite everything, Qi Mu did notin. When Roman came to the Wei Ai building early in the morning, he always found Anthony¡¯s lounge lit by a dim, yellowmp. Even before the sky had brightened, the handsome young man would already be sitting there, flipping through Wei Ai¡¯s previous materials for who knew how long. The old-fashioned Roman, who had always been stubborn, couldn¡¯t help mentioning it to Dorenza. And when Dorenza heard how hard the child was working, he could only sigh. ¡°Roman, I always thought that child had a talent that surpassed ordinary people. What really touched my heart and made me recruit him wasn¡¯t his talent, but his diligence and hard work.¡± Dorenza paused, then smiled and continued, ¡°The scariest thing in the world is those who have exceptional talent but still work hard. They are the true masters. Roman, you have to believe it¡¯s a hardworking person that controls the world, after all. Do you think Auston Bertram isn¡¯t working hard enough? No, I saw him as a child. At the time, to study a score, he sealed himself in a music room for ten days and nights. This world will always belong to them. Only by working hard can we reap more rewards.¡± During the month, Qi Mu was like a thirsty sponge, madly absorbing information about Wei Ai¡¯s previous performances. It took over half a month to listen to each musician¡¯s sound during rehearsal and record their characteristic style and ws. Each orchestra had its own music style. By then, Qi Mu had worked with many orchestras. The Vienna Symphony had a smooth tone and was orthodox. B City¡¯s Symphony Orchestra had a strong melody, like a man¡¯s vocals. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s style was gorgeous, and they had a high tone. And the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra¡­ Was elegant. It expressed the most orthodox and beautiful sound of Vienna to the fullest extent. During the nonstop rehearsals, Qi Mu perceived something, but the inspiration quickly disappeared. Wei Ai¡¯s training continued endlessly, and they passed the timefortably. In a few months, they would prepare for the Europe tour and it would be really busy. The Wei Ai interior was calm and light with no ups and downs, but the voices of the media outside never stopped. Recruiting a young man as Wei Ai¡¯s deputy concertmaster was unprecedented. Before that, Wei Ai was recognized as the world¡¯s top orchestra, the only one that didn¡¯t use a young concertmaster. And now, although Qi Mu was just a deputy, no one knew where the rumor ¡°this deputy concertmaster will soon be promoted¡± had spread. Various media vyed to interview the outstanding young man. Unfortunately, though they disguised themselves to try and get into the high-endmunity where Qi Mu lived, they were all stopped by the sharp-eyed security. After repeated provocations, the security staff had good tempers and didn¡¯t beat them. Rather, their criminal tools¡ª¡ªhats, scarves, sunsses, and pizza (yes, someone attempted to enter using the guise of delivering pizza) were all confiscated. They were strictly prohibited from entering again. Qi Mu walked to work early in the morning and returned veryte. Therefore, he never met any of the reporters. But, after a month of siege and interception, some of the crooked reporters grew resentful. When Dorenza spotted the newspaper ¡¶Vienna Music of the Day¡·¡¯s headline ¡¶Wei Ai¡¯s Deputy Concertmaster has a strong background to live in such a safeguardedmunity¡·, the gentle-tempered musical master finally burst into intolerable mes. In the ¡¶Vienna Daily¡·, he stated¡ª¡ª ¡ºWei Ai values the talent and potential of musicians. It¡¯s impossible to work behind the scenes otherwise! In two months, Wei Ai¡¯s European tour will begin. All our fans are invited to witness Wei Ai¡¯s changes!¡» No one dared to provoke Albert Dorenza¡¯s status in Vienna, or even in all of Austria. So the ¡°Wei Ai¡¯s Deputy Concertmaster Disturbance¡± gradually subsided with this statement. At least, no one dared to discuss the matter in the open. Instead, some fans began looking forward to the ¡°change¡± Dorenza mentioned. Under the winter¡¯s mild sunshine, the handsome youth led the orchestra for theirst practice of the morning. Once the short etude was over, Qi Mu set down his violin and heard an exmation from one of the members, ¡°Oh, Mr. Dorenza! Are you taking over the rehearsal after afternoon tea?¡± Since there were no performances scheduled yet, Dorenza only participated in rehearsals for an hour each day. More time was spent thinking about the next event¡¯s program, venue and other arrangements. Dorenza smiled. ¡°Dear friends, go and enjoy your tea! I¡¯ll take your lovely deputy concertmaster for a while. Anthony will take his ce.¡± A wail erupted across the orchestra¡ª¡ª ¡°Why are you taking away our lovely Little Seven, Mr. Dorenza? What are you going to do to him?!¡± ¡°After tea is over, I also n to discuss ¡¶Carnival of Venice¡· with Little Seven!¡± ¡°Mr. Dorenza, send back our Little Seven soon!¡± When they had an approachable and good-tempered conductor like Dorenza, everyone was close to him. They shared such a warm atmosphere that they could joke amongst themselves. Dorenza naturally didn¡¯t get angry and smiled, promising to send back their Little Seven soon. Then, he took Qi Mu into the conductor lounge. Qi Mu didn¡¯t speak even after taking a seat on the sofa and Dorenza sighed solemnly. ¡°Little Seven, I must apologize to you. Wei Ai¡¯s affairs are so busy right now, I never noticed there were reporters hassling you and questioning your position. I spoke in the ¡¶Vienna Daily¡·, but if you think there¡¯s something I should do, I¡¯d be very happy to do it.¡± Dorenza handed over a thick newspaper as he spoke. Only then did Qi Mu understand the purpose of the conversation. He took the newspaper and read carefully for a long time, then he smiled and shook his head. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Dorenza. In fact, I wasn¡¯t very troubled. They doubt me because I haven¡¯t shown them my strength. Just as you said to me at the beginning, I want to have confidence in myself. I believe that when I show them my violin, they will definitely recognize me.¡± Dorenza nodded approvingly at the youth¡¯s confident vigor. ¡°Little Seven, during the tour, we will stagger our time with Bai Ai and the Dresden orchestra. I¡¯ve discussed with Motl and the others this morning. We will start inte March, and I¡¯ve chosen Brussels as our first stop.¡± Qi Mu nodded lightly. Dorenza continued, ¡°I believe you¡¯ll definitely prove your strength then and shut those boring guys up.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s eyes smiled. After thinking for a while, he said, ¡°Mr. Dorenza, since there¡¯s still two months until the tour, is our program set? If you tell me in advance, I can also make some preparations earlier.¡± Unexpectedly, after his question, Dorezna frowned. ¡°Little Seven, actually¡­ regarding this issue, we¡¯ve been discussing for a week and still no decisions have been made. For the past three years, our genres have been simr. There have been no challenges or breakthroughs. I wanted to try something different this year, but it¡¯s a pity. We haven¡¯t found the key yet.¡± Qi Mu also frowned as he listened to Dorenza. He listened as the conductor continued, ¡°If you could make some adjustments that aren¡¯t entirely divorced from our romantic style, that would be good.¡± Jolting with inspiration, Qi Mu¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Mr. Dorenza, you want to make some changes that won¡¯t alter Wei Ai¡¯s traditional style?¡± Dorenza nodded, ¡°Yes, Little Seven. That would be ideal.¡± In the brilliant light, the youth¡¯s ck hair gleamed with a golden halo, and he smiled. ¡°Mr. Dorenza¡­ I have an idea.¡± Trantor(s): Bet Editor(s): Empress Proofer(s): Ayn Chapter 173 Chapter 173 The white clouds floating in the blue sky and Berlin¡¯s cold weather gradually dissipated by the beginning of February and the humidity and warmth that only belongs to the spring are slowly returning to thisnd. The Rhine River was sparkling beautifully under the sunlight and the Bai Ai¡¯s headquarters which was located by the river had its reflection cast on the water, making the building seem warmer, somehow. Like Wei Ai, Bai Ai also had various small andrge scales performance all over Europe in the first half of the year, which was also an important period of work for them. In early January, they decided on the cities and rted performances for this year and right now, they¡¯re in hard rehearsal mode. The spacious and concise rehearsal hall was still maintaining the Bauhaus style of interior design, a ssic for Bai Ai. A magnificent melody reverberated for a long time throughout the rehearsal hall. On the stage, the conductor¡¯s right hand suddenly halted and the sound of the trombone also stopped, following the movement. The conductor¡¯s left hand raised gently and the beautiful melody of the violin immediately followed. When Qi Mu arrived at Bai Ai¡¯s rehearsal hall, he could hear Beethoven¡¯s¡¶Destiny Symphony¡· being yed with both emotion and momentum. A man stood tall in the center of the stage like a por tree, like the emperor in a pce. His imposing demeanor guided this majestic orchestra called ¡°Bai Ai¡± in this ¡¶Destiny¡·. The music climbed higher, and the emotions burned hotter. When it finally reached its peak, it slowly fades, like a warrior who is struggling to strike at the end of fate, riding on the song of victory at the dawn of hope. This intense and gradually gentling melody expressed total joy. A song like ¡¶Destiny Symphony¡·, Bai Ai had rehearsed countless times and all the members cooperated harmoniously. Even the emotions climbed to the precipice under the leadership of their conductor. Faced with such a majestic ¡¶Destiny¡·, Qi Mu apuded. The crisp apuse filled the quiet concert hall, and it was only then did someone notice his arrival. Christole looked at the young man standing in the doorway of the hall in surprise and beside him was Min Chen, who was thest one to see Qi Mu. Since his back was to the audience, Min Chen turned around, and finally found the young man who had suddenly visited. His narrow eyes widened, and he quickly said, ¡°Christole, guide the next rehearsal.¡± Then he stepped off the stage and walked over to the young man he hadn¡¯t seen in many days. Qi Mu smiled and opened his mouth to say, ¡°That ¡¶Destiny¡· just now was excellent,¡± but just as the words ¡°just now¡± fell from his lips, the man wrapped a firm arm around his waist, and he was hauled out of the room like a kidnapping. Qi Mu was dragged along the entire way and didn¡¯t understand what was happening until he was pulled into Min Chen¡¯s conductor lounge. He wanted to ask, but he heard a loud ¡°bang¡ª¡ª¡± as the door mmed shut, and he was pulled into a tight hug. The man¡¯s powerful arms wrapped tight around Qi Mu¡¯s waist, and he buried his face in Qi Mu¡¯s shoulder, breathing out heavily. Qi Mu was too surprised to react at first, then he stretched out his arms and hugged him back. He smiled helplessly, ¡°You scared me, I thought something serious happened.¡± The man¡¯s voice rang dull in his ear, ¡°Something serious did happen. We¡­ haven¡¯t met for 43 days.¡± Qi Mu was still reeling from that revtion when Min Chen loosed his hold on the violinist¡¯s waist, and looked down at his beloved. The next second, Qi Mu raised his head to kiss him, and Min Chen deepened it. The taste of each other felt strange, but at the soft feeling of their lover¡¯s touch, the familiarity and longing buried deep in their hearts could no longer resist overflowing.Pressing the younger man against the cold wooden door, Min Chen gently but hurriedly kissed his lips. The movement between their lips and tongues was rhythmic, ambiguous, and lingering. In the small space, the temperature rose. When Qi Mu pulled back, his cheeks were flushed and he gasped hard for breath. Pressing their foreheads together, Min Chen whispered, ¡°You came to Berlin, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°I wanted to do the same you used to do¡­ it¡¯s a surprise for you.¡± The man was speechless for a moment, then finally sighed and said, ¡°As long as I can see you, it¡¯s the biggest surprise. Wei Ai¡¯s tour rehearsal should¡¯ve started. When will you go back to Vienna?¡± Qi Mu breathed slowly, his arm still holding Min Chen¡¯s waist. At the time, he slightly leaned back against the smooth panel of the door. Looking up at Min Chen with a smile, he said, ¡°The flight is at just past 6 in the evening, and the rehearsal will continue tomorrow. I came to Berlin today because of something.¡± Stunned, Min Chen asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m with Mr. Tuckerman. We came to Berlin to invite a musician.¡± Then, Qi Mu gave a full ount of his purpose foring to Berlin.Dorenza and the others hoped that Wei Ai could make some breakthroughs in their tour around Europe, but it was better not to change the orchestra¡¯s most essential music style. This problem had haunted them for a long time, but Qi Mu found a trace of abnormality from Wei Ai¡¯s performance materials in recent years. So at the time, Qi Mu suggested to Mr. Dorenza, ¡°Mr. Dorenza, why can¡¯t we invite a pianist with a rigorous style but more inclined towards ssical Romanticism to add color to our tour? I found that in the past three years, Wei Ai rarely cooperated with other pianists who weren¡¯t from Austria, but I think we can invite a pianist to y with the orchestra and make this tour a tour of piano concertos.¡± When Mr. Dorenza heard the word ¡°piano¡±, he opened his eyes wide in surprise. After listening to Qi Mu, he immediately nodded and said, ¡°Good! We haven¡¯t invited pianists to cooperate with the orchestra for a long time. It seems that Zayev, that bastard, once had a bad time with some pianist? God, how many disgusting things did that bastard do that I¡¯m only finding out about them now? Okay, Little Seven, thank you for your advice. I think I already know how to do it. So all we need is¡­ Which pianist should we invite?¡± ¡­¡­ After listening to the youth¡¯s narration, Min Chen calmly closed his eyes and asked in a low voice, ¡°You came to invite me?¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡± Qi Mu was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, ¡°How could we invite you? You¡¯re not qualified to be on our invitation list.¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Seeing the man¡¯s face practically screaming, ¡°I want to be on the candidate list, I want to be on the candidate list!¡± Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help butugh. He said, ¡°Okay, okay. Your style is very simr to what we want. If you can be our concerto pianist, it would be the best option. But, Min Chen, don¡¯t forget¡­ You are Bai Ai¡¯s conductor and resident pianist. If you cooperate with us, who will lead Bai Ai on the first half of this year¡¯s European tour?¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡± After a while, he asked, ¡°I¡¯m more suitable than that guy?¡± Stunned for a long time, Qi Mu understood who ¡°that guy¡± was. Punching the shameless man¡¯s chest with tears andughter, he nodded and said, ¡°Yes, yes, you are more suitable than him, alright?¡± After hearing this, the handsome, elegant man was satisfied. Then, he said, ¡°Since you¡¯re going to invite him this afternoon, I can go with you. I¡¯m familiar with Berlin, and I can drive you and Mr. Tuckerman.¡± Min Chen and Mr. Dorenza were close friends, so he asionally visited Wei Ai and was familiar with Wei Ai¡¯s orchestra agent, Tuckerman. Hearing this, Qi Mu agreed. ¡°Well, Mr. Tuckerman should be waiting for me in the coffee shop near Bai Ai. I originally nned to leave after meeting you. That¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s go together.¡±After getting the chance to go along with the youth for half a day, Min Chen calmly curled his lips into an imperceptible smile. As he and Qi Mu walked downstairs, he said, ¡°You still have a lot of weight in Berlin. That master is also a famous pianist. If you are there, she may be more likely to agree to our tour. You know, it¡¯s not easy to tour around Europe.¡± Hearing this, Min Chen suddenly remembered, ¡°Who are you going to invite?¡± Qi Mu subconsciously replied, ¡°Master Julie Adlitt.¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­¡± The man stopped for a moment and didn¡¯t go any further. Qi Mu turned his head in surprise and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±In the warm, bright sunshine, a rare crack appeared on Min Chen¡¯s cool, calm face. His voice solemnly said, ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll take you to the intersection and¡­ You go find Julie Adlitt yourself.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­You know her.¡± It was an affirmative sentence. Min Chen: ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­.You know her!¡± A little guilty, Min Chen: ¡°¡­.A little bit. I don¡¯t know.¡± Of course, the young man wasn¡¯t worried about what the man had to do with a 50-year-old pianist¡­ Cough, cough, that would be an abnormal rtionship. But, he was very curious about what made the always-calm guy be so surprised suddenly and panic? A few days earlier, a female member of Wei Ai and her husband lost their tempers on the phone. Qi Mu pretended to be sad and spoke with a bad heart, ¡°You can¡¯t tell me? So you still have things you can¡¯t tell me. Min Chen, you really let me down. I never thought it could happen¡­¡± ¡°Julie Adlitt is a big fan of mine.¡± Qi Mu, who didn¡¯t expect this answer at all: ¡°¡­¡± Looking ufortable, Min Chen nced back and said, ¡°She¡¯s a¡­ crazy, crazy fan.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 174 Chapter 174 The cold wind of thete winter drifted from the banks of the Rhine River. With a damp smell, it lowered the already bitter temperature by several degrees. The sun had lost its vitality at noon and currently shone gently and somewhatzily, barely maintaining the ground temperature. When Qi Mu arrived at the maestro¡¯s house, he finally understood what kind of creature the ¡°crazy¡± fan was. When she saw Qi Mu and Tuckerman, Ms. Julie Adlitt kept her demeanor as a maestro with a graceful air. However, when she saw Min Chen standing behind Qi Mu, obviously unwilling to show himself, the pianist suddenly rushed up and hugged Min Chen. Qi Mu: ¡±¡­¡­¡± Mr. Tuckerman: ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Oh, my lovely little Auston! How long since youst came to see me? What a bad child, Auntie Julie missed you so much!¡± As soon as she pulled the now stiff man into the room, Ms. Julie patted Min Chen¡¯s head and said, ¡°Come in. Just yesterday, Old John came to my music room to do some maintenance on my piano. Let¡¯s y a song to celebrate our reunion after a long separation!¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­Actually, we just met at Bai Ai¡¯s New Year¡¯s Concert, Julie.¡± Hearing this, the dignified and calm maestro immediately widened her eyes. ¡°My God, we haven¡¯t seen each other for more than 30 days, then. Little Auston, you¡¯re too much! I talked to your mother the day before yesterday, you haven¡¯t held a recital for a long time!¡± Qi Mu, who was speechless on Min Chen¡¯s behalf: ¡°¡­¡± Obviously, thiszy guy held a recital justst year, Ms. Adlitt! Qi Mu spent more than three hours at the maestro¡¯s house, of which, only half an hour was spent to invite the maestro to participate in Wei Ai¡¯s tour for the season. Julie naturally agreed, as it was an honor to cooperate with Wei Ai. Not to mention¡­ ¡°My super cute Little Auston came to invite me in person, of course I won¡¯t refuse!¡± Min Chen, whose eyes silently drooped, ¡°¡­¡± Although Qi Mu didn¡¯t understand exactly how this awkward, arrogant, stingy, petty man was suitable for the words ¡°super cute¡±, he still sympathized with Min Chen for a bit. Because in the next two hours, Ms. Julie asked the poor sap to y more than a dozen pieces! Even the time for drinking was dismal! To quote Ms. Julie, ¡°My lovely little Auston, I¡¯m afraid it will take a long time for us to meet again before my next trip to Vienna. I like your Chopin the most. Let me see in your mother¡¯s stead if you have beenzy.¡± All in all, when he and Min Chen left Julie Adlitt¡¯s house, Qi Mu clearly felt the handsome and tall man walked out of the gate with the speed of a rocket, as if he had oil on his feet and wished for a pair of wings. At this, Qi Mu no longer felt the urge to tease the man. Instead, he said, ¡°Ms. Julie sure is, well¡­ crazy.¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­She and my mother are good friends.¡± Qi Mu was shocked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I grew up under her eyes.¡± After a pause, Min Chen added, ¡°It was also because of her that I learned to y piano.¡± Qi Mu finally understood why Min Chen was so docile in front of Ms. Julie that he didn¡¯t even dare to look her in the eyes. Well, maybe¡­ Maybe this guy was cute as heck when he was a kid! Qi Mu asked with a smile, ¡°By the way, when I went to your housest time, why did I not see your pictures? Did you never take any?¡± The man¡¯s beautiful phoenix¡¯s eyes suddenly widened for an instant before returning to normal. Min Chen then replied, emphasizing every word, ¡°I. Never. Take. Any. Pictures.¡± His tone and voice were calm, too calm. But it being so calm made people¡­ notice it was unusual. Qi Mu raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Well, you definitely are.¡± ¡°¡­.No!¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re not that far from Ms. Julie¡¯s house so how about going back for a chat?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a while, when Tuckerman came down with the contract, Min Chen quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll show you when there¡¯s a chance.¡± Before Qi Mu could respond, he quickly walked away. With surprise in his voice, Tuckerman asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Auston?¡± Qi Mu¡¯s lips twitched before he replied, ¡°Maybe he went to get the car¡­¡± ¡°Oh, what a considerate person! If not for him, we would have a lot of trouble in Berlin. Ms. Julie rarely went on tours in recent years and her epting our invitation had a lot to do with Auston. What a good man!¡± Tuckerman dered under the warm sunshine. Looking at the red-haired man¡¯s face that screamed ¡°Auston is a good man, yes, a very good man,¡± Qi Mu sighed deeply, as if looking at his formerly naive self. ¡­So the question was, what exactly made him think that the petty and prudent guy was a very, very good man? Qi Mu flew back to Vienna after his very short trip of ten hours in Berlin. He received a text message from a certain someone as soon as he got off the ne. Reading the text, Qi Mu¡¯s ears turned red and he resisted the urge to put the other party¡¯s number into his cklist. Min Chen: ¡¾Your bracelet fell off on the car¡¯s seat. Well, you should still be in Vienna when I¡¯m going there next so I¡¯ll give it to you then.¡¿ Qi Mu: ¡±¡­¡­¡± Why did he drop his bracelet at such a location, you ask? It¡¯s because a certain someone decided to do some not-for-kids stuff a few seconds after Tuckerman got out of the car!!! After replying to the text with a simple ¡°Haha¡±, Qi Mu and Tuckerman went to Wei Ai¡¯s headquarters to hand the contract over to Dorenza. Dorenza was quite surprised to see the matter wrapped up so quickly. He also happily told Qi Mu that the day he and Tuckerman left for Berlin, he and Anthony discussed the list of concertos they will be performing next. Everything seemed to be on a good start. Once they found the right string, the yarn ball unraveled without much effort. ¡°Little Seven, thank you so much for your suggestion! With Julie¡¯s joining, I think our concerts will be very sessful! I can¡¯t wait for that day to arrive. Let¡¯s rehearse together for the next month, I believe we can perform our best!¡± Qi Mu nodded with a smile, ¡°Okay, Mr. Dorenza. Will the rehearsal begin tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes! We will begin our rehearsal for the tour tomorrow!¡± ¡­¡­ Eleven concerts in a row would, of course, cost a lot in terms of manpower and material resources. Wei Ai had to tour the entirety of Europe in the span of just two months. It was a great pressure for everyone involved. Qi Mu had gone on several tours with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra before. At first, he couldn¡¯t get used to traveling around the world on such a rushed schedule. Sometimes the time differences between the cities were too jarring to him. Other times, he couldn¡¯t get used to the ce itself and it affected his performances. But now, Qi Mu had made some preparations and the only thing left to do was to rehearse his ying. Even if they can rehearse a few days before the concert starts, the effect was far below what they could do when they started rehearsing early on. So, when Dorenza announced at the orchestra¡¯s general meeting the next day that they would begin rehearsing for their next tour, there were some sighs and even whispers of, ¡°There goes our rxing holiday¡­¡± In response, the good-tempered Dorenza said, ¡°After this tour, we can have a half a month holiday. My dear Charlie, the second stop is your hometown, Manchester. London is not in our schedule this year so you can go home and get together with your family after the concert.¡± Charlie, who was muttering and groaning, immediately nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Yes, Mr. Dorenza. I will do my best in the rehearsal!¡± At the same time, in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra¡¯s headquarters hundreds of kilometers away, everyone gathered in the conference hall for their general meeting. Daniel coughed twice before saying, ¡°Our tour is about to start in less than half a month. The first stop is Vienna. So, until then, we must seize the time to rehearse and work hard¡­Yup, this is normal!¡± As soon as his words passed over the crowd, there was a greatmotion in the hall. ¡°Oh my God, I have to work overtime again¡­¡± ¡°Well, even if Daniel didn¡¯t say that, we¡¯d still have to train until after 5 anyway. But, why did our first stop suddenly be Vienna? Isn¡¯t it always London or Paris before?¡± ¡°Who knows? Oh, by the way, it seems that Angel has be Wei Ai¡¯s deputy concertmaster, it¡¯s amazing! We should be able to see him in Vienna this time, right?¡± ¡°Oh, Little Angel is such a lovely child! Although I haven¡¯t seen him for a long time, he brought us gifts when he came to the orchestra to visit the conductor yesterday. So sweet!¡± ¡°Exactly. I must talk to Little Angel when I go to Vienna this time. I should be able to find him at the Wei Ai¡¯s headquarters¡­¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± A low and maic voice rang out and the whispers in the hall instantly vanished. All of them turned to look at their iceberg of a conductor. Min Chen¡¯s gaze swept over all of them before he whispered, ¡°Vienna is the first stop. You need to focus on rehearsing, you won¡¯t even have the time to go out.¡± Everyone else: ¡°¡­¡± The heck? Just say what you mean straight up! It¡¯s tantly obvious you don¡¯t want us to see Little Angel!!! Min Chen ignored the using eyes of the members of his orchestra and their whispers. ¡°Conductor is so bad, he wants to take Little Angel all for himself.¡± ¡°Right? When Little Angel brought us gifts yesterday, he wanted to take them. Fortunately, Vic was sharp to catch that.¡± ¡°Ah, is that why he red at Vic yesterday evening?¡± Instead, Min Chen looked out the window and watched as the sun set and the cold of the winter passed over the city. At this time, Qi Mu also looked out the window, somehow connected to the other man. When all the members of the orchestra began to move to their positions, he took his violin and walked onto the stage of the rehearsal hall. On the conductor¡¯s podium, Dorenza looked at his concertmaster and deputy concertmaster with a smile. His gentle gaze lingered on Qi Mu before he lifted his baton. Instantly, a beautiful and melodic ¡¶Waldstein Sonata¡· burst out in the hall! Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Generally speaking, there were one or two resident pianists in charge of the orchestra¡¯s daily rehearsals and performances. Because not many pianists have signed contracts with the orchestra, only performance contracts, they didn¡¯t always attend the orchestra¡¯s rehearsals. At that time, the resident pianist yed the role of their recement. Sometimes, even the resident pianist division would cooperate with the orchestra for grand performances. Dorenza previously said that Julie had not participated in many performances in recent years, but when she epted Wei Ai¡¯s invitation, she arrived in Vienna from Berlin after just three days. The elegantdy, dressed in a clean, ck suit, looked full of vitality. She did not appear like a 50-year-old at all. Only the tiny lines around her eyes indicated the passage of time. When Julie came to the orchestra, it happened that Tuckerman, the orchestra¡¯s agent, led her into the rehearsal hall. The master came suddenly, without notice, so Matt, the resident pianist of Wei Ai, was already ying with the orchestra and rehearsing the¡¶Waldstein Sonata¡· After seeing Julie arrive, Matt was not a bit sad. Instead, he rose and quickly gave up his seat, stammering, ¡°Ms¡­. Ms. Julie, you¡­ Please sit down quickly! I¡­ I¡¯m leaving now!!!¡± After a beat, she looked up to Matt and said, ¡°Thank you, little friend. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°My name is Matt!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Matt quickly turned around and ran away. He soon disappeared behind the curtain at the edge of the stage, not even a shadow remaining in his ce. Qi Mu was surprised to see Matt¡¯s panic-stricken appearance, and only heard Anthony say, ¡°I forgot that Matt¡¯s idol was Ms. Julie. He was really happy when we confirmed that we would invite her, so he took the initiative to y in ce of her in recent rehearsals.¡± Qi Mu nodded and looked at thedy sitting behind the piano. She spoke calmly to Dorenza on the conductor¡¯s stage. Her manner was calm and imposing, and she precipitated the demeanor of the master pianist. Qi Mu couldn¡¯t imagine how that person touched Min Chen¡¯s head less than a few days ago and took a bite of ¡°Little Auston¡±. After speaking with Droenza, Julie turned her head and met Qi Mu¡¯s gaze. The demure and generousdy showed him a gentle smile. A little dumbfounded, he nodded and smiled in return. After a moment, Dorenza said, ¡°For the next month, Ms. Julie will rehearse with us. We should hurry and arrange the music as quickly as possible.¡± After that, he looked down at Julie and said, ¡°Thank you, Ms. Julie, for devoting such time to our orchestra. I really appreciate it. I will ask Tuckerman to find a hotel for youter and arrange for you to stay.¡± However, Julieughed and shook her head. ¡°Mr. Dorenza, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. I¡¯ve found a ce to stay.¡± After a few more words, Dorenza said no more. He pressed the score into the stand and began a new round of rehearsal. This rehearsal was a little different from the one just before. With Julie joining in, Qi Mu finally understood why Dorenza and Motl insisted on inviting her to perform in Wei Ai¡¯s pianist concerto tour. Julie Adelitt had studied the piano since she was five years old. At the age of 19, she won second ce in Xioasai (the first suspension of Xiaosai in those years). She even cooperated with the world¡¯s top orchestras such as Wei Ai, Bai Ai, New Zend, and so on. Three years ago, she won the national top ten medal of honor awarded by the German government. The master¡¯s life was colorful and magnificent, just like a chapter of history. When Julie became famous, the global feminist movement was on the rise. Countless women took to the streets to seek their equal and just rights. Among them, Julie was one of the most famous representatives. She had be a representative of women¡¯s ssical music and had made outstanding contributions to women¡¯s increasingly equal status. Like Ms. Julie¡¯s righteous and awe-inspiring personality, the sound of her piano was straightforward and majestic, with German rigor and feminine tenderness. Under Julie¡¯s fingers, ¡¶Waldstein Sonata¡·was like a woman running through darkness to meet the light. From within the clear, soft voice of the piano, a woman softly sang, consistent with Wei Ai¡¯s desire to maintain the original romantic tone, but still make some changes. Since they rehearsed in advance, the orchestra made only a few minor mistakes, while Julie yed the entire¡¶Waldstein Sonata¡·like a flowing stream. She cooperated with the orchestra in tacit agreement, with almost no gap between their sound and her own. At the end of the song, Dorenza pointed out the mistakes and asked several musicians to pay more attention to emotion, strength, and rhythm. Facing Julie, he smiled and said, ¡°Julie, I haven¡¯t seen you for many years. Your¡¶Waldstein Sonata¡·is still so good!¡± Julie shook her head slightly. ¡°Oh, Dorenza, you don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve yed your eight songs several times at home these past two days. If I failed here, though you aren¡¯t as cold-blooded and spiteful as my lovely little Austen is, I couldn¡¯t allow myself to make such a mistake.¡± Hearing this, Dorenza smiled. ¡°In fact, Austin is a good person, but sometimes he is a little paranoid and not tactful enough¡­¡± ¡°Dorenza, how can you say that about my little Austin? What a lovely and kind child he is!¡± Dorenza: ¡°¡­¡± Qi Mu: ¡±¡­¡± Didn¡¯t you just say that Min Chen was cold¡­ So, you can¡¯t possibly guess a woman¡¯s thoughts! ¡­¡­ With Julie joining them, the whole day¡¯s rehearsal was faster than before. Except for Dorenza asionally making stops to guide the musicians¡¯ mistakes, the rest of the rehearsals went very smoothly. Qi Mu had long been used to Dorenza¡¯s good temper. Compared with his previous time in the Palisade, if it was just a mistake in the rhythm, Evera might have just endured it and red at the person who caused it. But, if someone blew their note¡­ Oh my god! Evra was about to roar! And, what about Dorenza? ¡°Oh, my dear Liza, I think you need to check your mouth. Don¡¯t make such a low-level mistake in the future.¡± Well, Julie, where on earth did youe from? In front of Dorenza, Min Chen was a man of love and kindness, ah! After the heavy, intense rehearsal, it was finally time for a tea break. Sitting in Wei Ai¡¯s coffee shop with a cup of milk, Qi Mu waited for Anthony. While he was waiting, he didn¡¯t realize he was waiting for an unexpected guest, as well. ¡°May I sit here?¡± The dignified and quietdy smiled at Qi Mu. Stunned for a moment, Qi Mu nodded gently, ¡°Yes, Ms. Julie.¡± As soon as Julie put down her coffee cup, Qi Mu rose very gentlemanly and drew her chair for her. She was surprised for a moment, then offered her thanks. When they both took their seats, she said, ¡°Thest time I saw you and Tuckermane to my house, I was wondering¡­ Is this the young deputy chief that Wei Ai is so famous fortely?¡± Hearing what she said, Qi Mu smiled but didn¡¯t speak. Then Julie went on, ¡°Little Seven¡­ Oh, let me call you Little Seven. I saw that¡¯s what the members of the orchestra called you. Little Seven, I¡¯m very impressed by the way you spoke and behaved in my homest time. Kids your age don¡¯t seem to likemunicating with us old guys, but you¡¯re an exception.¡± When he heard her call herself an ¡°old guy¡± Qi Mu couldn¡¯t helpughing. He said, ¡°Ms. Julie, you are still very young. You have a heart full of vitality.¡± When a beautiful young man praised them so sincerely, fewdies could resist growing soft hearted. So, Julie looked at the young man before her, let her eyelids droop, then sighed and said, ¡°Well,pared with you lovely, young children, I am old. But, Little Seven, when I was sitting next to you just now, I could hear the voice of your violin. It¡¯s a very youthful voice. You have goodmand of the vibrato.¡± ¡°Thank you for yourpliment, Ms. Julie¡­¡± After a long and leisurely afternoon tea time, Qi Mu finished the conversation with Julie. As Anthony walked to the familiar table with his coffee, he found his seat upied. Before he could react, he heard Tuckerman calling, ¡°Anthony, maybe you could ask Julie to talk to Little Seven. Maybe he¡¯ll get something different.¡± So, during that time, no one bothered Qi Mu and Julie. When the orchestra was about to start rehearsing again, Julie smiled and said, ¡°It was so nice to chat with you, Little Seven! I seldom see such a clever child as you, and you spoke with me for such a long time.¡± ¡°Ms. Julie, it¡¯s a great pleasure to speak with you.¡± Qi Mu was sincere. The pianist had rich experience and broad vision. It was veryfortable to speak with her. ¡°You¡¯re so cute, Little Seven. You are the second loveliest child I¡¯ve ever seen. The first is my little Austin. You don¡¯t know, but when he was a child, he was just like a little angel. Every time he saw me, he would run up and hug my thigh, then he¡¯d shout, ¡°Aunt Julie, Aunt Julie, I want to eat sugar!¡± It was so passionate!¡± Qi Mu, who couldn¡¯t imagine that image at all: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a pity that little Austin became so cold. He¡¯s not as cute as he was as a child. When he was little, he looked so cute when he bit his fingers. His mother and I took a lot of pictures of him!¡± The curious Qi Mu: ¡°Oh? Lots of pictures?¡± ¡°Yes, they are all very handsome photographs, but as a child, Austin always had a runny nose, eh¡­ It really destroyed the beauty of the pictures. But, I¡¯ll show you when I have a chance.¡± Qi Mu, who had been holding back his smile to the point where he couldn¡¯t help it: ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, Little Seven, can you tell me where I¡¯m going to live? I¡¯m not so familiar with Vienna. Lovely Little Seven, will you help me?¡± Qi Mu collected himself and said, ¡°Ms. Julie, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something like Rosen Avenue.¡± ¡°¡­ Rosen Street?¡± Qi Mu felt a touch of familiarity. ¡°Well, it¡¯s number 1114.¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­ It¡¯s number 1114?¡± ¡°Yes, number 1114. Please show me the way, Little Seven, I am really unfamiliar with this ce!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­ Okay, no problem, Ms. Julie. I¡¯m¡­ It¡¯s a pleasure.¡± It¡¯s a pleasure to live with you, in the same apartment!!! Chapter 176 Chapter 176 That evening, Qi Mu brought Julie to her temporary residence. When he saw her stopping just a floor below his residence, he let out a sigh before smiling under her surprised gaze. ¡°I live upstairs, Ms. Julie.¡± When Qi Mu called Min Chenter, he was surprised to learn that Min Chen¡¯s mother owned the apartment downstairs. Originally, she bought the unit with the intention of living close to her son. However, she was always busy flying all over the world and only went to Vienna once or twice after all this time. So, it¡¯s very likely that she lent the house to Julie. Since they were very close friends, lending a house or two was no big deal. After listening to Qi Mu¡¯s story, Min Chen thought for a bit before saying, ¡°Julie has a good temper and is also a nice person. You should be able to get along well with her, as you two will travel a long way together.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been talking to Ms. Julie all day long today.¡± Qi Mu did not hesitate to shower Julie with praises and when talking about the maestro¡¯s first rehearsal with the orchestra today, he got even more excited as he spoke about how seamlessly she cooperated with the orchestra. ¡°Choosing Ms. Julie as our guest for this tour was the greatest decision!¡± Min Chen: ¡±¡­¡­¡± Halfway through Qi Mu¡¯s babbles, he asked in a whisper, ¡°Am I not better than her?¡± The corner of Qi Mu¡¯s lips twitched slightly and after a moment of silence, he nodded. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, you¡¯re better and much, much, more suitable than Ms. Julie, okay?¡± After getting a satisfactory answer, Min Chen chatted a few more minutes with Qi Mu before ending the call. When Qi Mu got up the next day to start his morning work-out, he met an elderlydy wearing sportswear outside the door before he could even step out of the house. Qi Mu froze for a moment before asking in a surprised tone, ¡°Ms. Julie?¡± The 50-something-year-old woman was sporting a skillfully tied ponytail, giving her a refreshing temperament. She said, ¡°Little Seven, I already said yesterday you can call me Julie like Auston does.¡± After a slight pause, she observed Qi Mu¡¯s outfit and added, ¡°Are you going out for an exercise?¡± Qi Mu was wearing light gray sportswear. The color didn¡¯t diminish his youth but instead enhanced his beauty in simplicity. Coupled with the towel hanging on his neck, if he wasn¡¯t about to go on an exercise, what else was he about to do? Cook? Qi Mu replied, ¡°Are you going out too? I¡¯m familiar with this area so if you don¡¯t mind, do you want to join me?¡± ¡°Oh, Little Seven, that¡¯d be great!¡± In the following days, Qi Mu had friendly and in-depth exchanges with his new neighbor. Every morning, the two would jog together around the Danube River and experience the cold wind gradually warming up. Sometimes Qi Mu would make some soy milk and buns, treating Julie to breakfast at his house and sometimes the maestro would treat him to rich western breakfasts. After that, they would go to Musikverein together and return to the apartment in the evening together. The passing days were so regr that gradually, the kind and wise elder figure integrated into Qi Mu¡¯s life. Julie could be his mother at her age, but her temperament wasn¡¯t old-fashioned at all. Her views were refreshing and her temperament was up-to-date. Her opinions on some things amazed Qi Mu. ¡°Do you know that Ms. Julie likes Marvel?! I actually loved Spider-Man when I was a kid but I thought people of her age would prefer Lego bricks!¡± Min Chen: ¡±¡­¡­¡± ¡°Also, apparently, Julie knows Ennd¡¯s reputation as the Dark Cuisine Empire. A few days ago, Lancaster from the trumpet group brought, what was it¡­Ah, he brought grilled fish and apple pie to the orchestra. It wasn¡¯t nice for us to refuse his kindness so we took it, but the taste was really ¡®delicious¡¯¡­¡± Min Chen: ¡±¡­¡­¡± ¡°And Julie is also physically healthy, she doesn¡¯t look like someone in their fifties at all. I remember when you first went to exercise with me in the morning, you couldn¡¯t even eat after that. But Julie is very rxed, she told me she routinely exercised in the mornings for years.¡± Min Chen: ¡±¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, Julie¡­¡± ¡°Qi Mu!¡± The man spoke through gritted teeth and Qi Mu¡¯s chatter came to an abrupt end. Letting out a surprised ¡°Um¡±, Min Chen¡¯s in tone with a sense of loss resumed. ¡°These days, every single of your calls are about Julie. And you call her Julie now. Didn¡¯t you used to call her Ms. Julie?¡± Confused, Qi Mu asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me to get along well with her and that I can call her by her name?¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of silence, Min Chen added, ¡°I¡¯m your boyfriend.¡± His tone sounded likeining about something. Qi Mu raised an eyebrow and replied with a smile, ¡°So?¡± ¡°So let¡¯s talk about what great things Auston Bertram did today.¡± Holding back hisughter, Qi Mu replied with a serious tone. ¡°But I have no interest in the Little Auston who always had a runny nose.¡± Min Chen: ¡±¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s talk about why Little Auston loved candy so much when he was a kid? Or how Little Auston cried and vowed that he would never eat candy again after he got cavities. Let¡¯s talk about Little Auston who loved¡­¡± ¡°Qi Mu.¡± The man¡¯s baritone that was like a bass was so pleasant that Qi Mu was silenced by it. The tall, handsome man stood against the floor-to-ceiling ss window of the music room under the bright and gentle moonlight. He seemed to be able to see the person who was thousands of miles away just by listening to his voice from the speaker. The person he had been missing every day for so long was just as he was, standing in his lonesome by the window, looking at the same moon. ¡°I miss you so much.¡± The words touched Qi Mu. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Yeah, I miss you too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to Vienna in a week.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m leaving Vienna in two weeks as well.¡± Min Chen¡¯s low, maic voice at night sounded even more distant than usual. ¡°I will bring your bracelet and¡­ myself.¡± The mischievous side of Qi Mu suddenly resurfaced as he quipped, ¡°Are you bringing Little Auston?¡± ¡°Do you want to see Little Auston?¡± The man seemed to be suppressing hisugh, his low voice reverberated from the speaker. Qi Mu noticed something was off, but he couldn¡¯t quite catch it. He inadvertently asked, ¡°What, I can¡¯t see our lovely Little Auston?¡± With the static noise from thework added, Min Chen¡¯s low and maic voice sounded like a fine red wine in Qi Mu¡¯s ears. ¡°Well, yes. However long do you want to see him¡­ Well, you can look at him long and hard all night, and slowly.¡± Qi Mu, whose cheeks suddenly ming red: ¡°!!!¡± ¡°Min Chen, you don¡¯t need toe here, you scoundrel! Keep your ass in Berlin!!!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- The days full of rehearsals always passed in a sh. Although rehearsals were quite challenging, about a week before their tour started, the members of the orchestra felt that time passed by so quickly. In a blink of an eye¡­ it had been more than a month since Julie first joined them! This was not the first time Julie Adelitt cooperated with Wei Ai. Except for Dorenza, Anthony, and other older members, Wei Ai had changed a lot over the course of three decades. The members back then had been reced by younger generations and their sound was more vibrant. During the orchestra rehearsals, Julie sat under the stage with Dorenza, sharing some anecdotes from decades ago. As they talked, her eyes inadvertently turned to the handsome young man on the stage. At this time, Qi Mu led the rehearsal with the two violin groups under Anthony¡¯s guidance. Anthony sat alone and almost never spoke while Qi Mu paid attention to each of the groups¡¯ sounds and gave his advice in an organized manner. His tone was gentle and his advice was appropriate and sometimes even pointed out what the members¡¯cked. ¡°Little Seven, thank you so much!¡± A female violinist from the first violin group smiled. ¡°I finally understand why Mr. Dorenza looks at me sometimes. It turns out he wanted me to y a little softer. s, Mr. Dorenza is too gentle sometimes. With you here, I believe we can improve!¡± The handsome young man replied with a bright smile, ¡°Cortana, I think Mr. Dorenza must have thought you would discover this by yourself. He wanted to give you more opportunities to improve, which is why he didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡­¡­ Onstage, the youth listened to the violin groups with a gentle and rigorous attitude, while under the stage, Dorenza discovered Julie¡¯s attentive gaze on Qi Mu. With a smile, Dorenza asked, ¡°Julie, do you like Little Seven, too?¡± Hearing the question, Julie nodded. ¡°Little Seven is a very lovely child. He¡¯s very sensible and earnest. Dorenza, I haven¡¯t seen a child like him who¡¯s obviously gifted but who never cks off for so many years. He loves violin and ssical music dearly.¡± ¡°I appreciate Little Seven a lot.¡± After a slight pause, he added, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something I haven¡¯t announced yet, but there¡¯s been a rumor about it outside. I want to tell you that the rumor is quite urate. Anthony is going to retire and Little Seven is going to be Wei Ai¡¯s new concertmaster and my trusted assistant.¡± When she heard that Anthony was going to retire, she was keenly aware that something was afoot. So, when she heard, ¡°Little Seven is going to be Wei Ai¡¯s new concertmaster¡±, she gasped before saying, ¡°A 23-year-old concertsmaster, and for Wei Ai, at that?¡± ¡°Yes, Little Seven is 23 and is going to be Wei Ai¡¯s concertmaster,¡± Dorenza confirmed. After a long silence, Julie sighed. ¡°Although I think Little Seven is qualified to be the concertmaster, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so courageous as to appoint a 23-year-old for this position, Dorenza. You know, even Christole only became Bai Ai¡¯s deputy concertmaster at 23 and concertmaster when he was 25!¡± Hearing that, Dorenzaughed and exined, ¡°Actually, Julie, all of the members of the orchestra have already recognized the fact that Little Seven will be their next concertmaster. What you saw this month is only the tip of the iceberg, he¡¯s that good. Believe me, you will find his strength soon, he¡¯s dazzling.¡± A few momentster, Dorenza added, ¡°By the way, Reed, Farrell, Lance, and Auston all yed important roles with their rmendation letters. It¡¯s those letters that made the orchestra more confident in Little Seven¡¯s strength.¡± Julie paused before asking, ¡°You said Auston wrote a rmendation letter for Little Seven?¡± Dorenza didn¡¯t think of anything wrong with it and naturally answered, ¡°Yeah, Auston wrote a 12 pages letter of rmendation. His wording was precise and the tone sincere. It¡¯s a very solemn rmendation letter.¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Qi Mu and Ms. Julie left the Wei Ai building together that evening and took the subway home. Stepping out of the subway station, the warm and humid March breeze off the Danube river brushed by them, the air fresh off the running river. There were few pedestrians on the clean, spacious street. Qi Mu walked through a familiar intersection and spotted the top floor of his apartment in the distance. Dozens of cargo ships moved slowly along the Danube River, eithering or going into the distance, almost symbolizing a cycle. Carrying his violin case, Qi Mu recalled Min Chen¡¯s phone call that afternoon. He¡¯sing tomorrow¡­ Qi Mu thought to himself. Before he could think of it any further, Ms. Julie¡¯s smiling voice rang out, ¡°Today¡¯s weather is perfect, Xiao Qi. I didn¡¯t expect the temperature to rise so much. Does the weather here always change this quickly?¡± As April approached, the cold winter no longer cloaked Vienna. Even with the cor of her coat unbuttoned, Julie didn¡¯t feel a hint of cold. Qi Mu nodded, ¡°Yes, Julie. Vienna has its four distinctive seasons. The winters aren¡¯t as cold as Berlin¡¯s, and springes quicker as well. You¡¯ve already noticed it, I think?¡± Julie opened her coat a little. She was over 50, but when she wore such young and foreign-styled clothing, it didn¡¯t seem abrupt at all and was rather harmonious, as if that was how she should have been. ¡°Speaking of Berlin, I remember from over a month ago when you and Tuckerman invited me. Oh, that seems to be such a long time ago. I¡¯ve been in Vienna for over a month now!¡± After a pause, Julie pretended to look at the young man next to her casually. Her eyes were deep, and she spoke with a serious tone, ¡°I remember when you came to my house with Auston, Little Seven. You and Auston. Remember?¡± Without noticing the solemnity in Julie¡¯s voice, Qi Mu remembered the man he hadn¡¯t seen since. If Min Chen wanted to visit Vienna from time to time, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but Qi Mu had no time to spare to spend with him. Qi Mu had alreadypressed his sleep to six hours to maintain his mental state, and he was even more unlikely to ask for leave to visit Berlin. He needed to get familiar with Wei Ai¡¯s affairs faster and better to take the burden off Anthony¡¯s hands as soon as possible. At the thought of the maning to Vienna, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help feeling softer and less defensive. The young man¡¯s delicate, white face showed a trace of sentimentality as his lips curled upwards. He whispered, ¡°Min Chen and I met the year beforest. We¡¯re quite familiar.¡± The young man¡¯s tender expression made Julie¡¯s eyes open wide. Quickly, she covered her surprise, and in the next second, she spoke with a smile, ¡°Bai Ai will start touring in a few days. I remember the first stop is Vienna. We should get together.¡± Qi Mu realized Julie didn¡¯t know he lived in Min Chen¡¯s house. He soon understood it was Min Chen¡¯s mother who forgot to mention it when she borrowed the house. But this was a good thing. He didn¡¯t have to exin why he lived in Min Chen¡¯s house¡­ No wonder it had been so long, and she hadn¡¯t asked. Qi Mu paid little attention to it and didn¡¯t reveal anything else. However, Julie, who had plenty of experience, had already seen something. She just pretended to speak to Qi Mu with a smile, biding away his suspicion. Once they reached Julie¡¯s door, Qi Mu smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning, Julie.¡± The dignifieddy slowly dropped the smile from her face and looked at the youth before her. Her gaze wasplex and helpless; then she smiled again. ¡°Little Seven, did I tell you¡­ You¡¯re actually very good at lying.¡± Qi Mu was startled by her words and could not answer. ¡°Little Seven, since I joined the women¡¯s rights movement when I was 17, and my career with organization became too busy, I had no time to spend on love. I never got married. For me, the piano is my love, and Austin is my child. I watched him grow up, but I can¡¯t see through him. However, Little Seven¡­ I can see through you.¡± ¡°You look very capable and prudent, but in fact, you are a pure child. I once said a month ago that you were a lovely child, that besides Austin, you are the most lovely child in the world. But now, I¡¯m starting to feel that you are more lovely than he is.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s fingers trembled slightly. He already understood something. The elegantdy nodded to him with a smile, then softly said, ¡°Little Seven, I¡¯m d that the person you chose is Austin. A child like you eitherpletely distrusts orpletely believes in others. I know Austin very well, and he is a good boy. Although he looks a little cold and distant, he will treat you very well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have children. Auston is like my child, and now I¡¯m happy to have a child such as you around!¡± ¡°Little Seven, from the bottom of my heart¡­ bless you!¡± As her voice dropped, Julie stretched out her arms and gave him a big hug. Facing this great woman¡¯s embrace, Qi Mu was slightly stunned, but overwhelming warmth surged into his heart. ¡°Julie¡­ Thank you.¡± Gentlyforting the youth in her arms, even if he was taller than she was, Julie seemed to be a gentle, kind elder, holding her child. After a while, she leaned forward to Qi Mu¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to make it public for now, naturally, you have your own ideas, but don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell Anna about this, although I think she will like you very much¡­¡± Stunned, Qi Mu slowly nodded. Anna Bertram, Min Chen¡¯s mother, also had a Chinese name, Min Sijing. Although this world-renowned photographer had the word ¡°jing (quiet)¡± in her name, she was happy to run around the world and take magnificent, meaningful pictures. She couldn¡¯t be quiet for even a moment. Qi Mu had never met her before. Even Min Chen said that his mother was only sure to be in Berlin at Christmas and in China during the Spring Festival. Otherwise, even if someone said, ¡°Now the Bertrams are tracking and photographing a group of maned dogs on the African savanna,¡± Min Chen wouldn¡¯t doubt it. Thinking of his mother-inw¡­ Cough, thinking of his future mother-inw, Qi Mu felt a deep sense of powerlessness. It was said thedy had inexhaustible energy. Even Austin Bertram was afraid of her. It was conceivable that¡­ This was ady to be afraid of. After saying goodbye to Julie, Qi Mu told Min Chen about it. Min Chen didn¡¯t worry too much about her and even asked, ¡°Are you afraid to meet my family?¡± Giving a dry cough, Qi Mu answered stiffly, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a rumor¡­ Cough, that your mother is very courageous?¡± ¡°¡­Courageous?¡± ¡°Uh, very imposing?¡± ¡°Imposing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± With a long sigh, Min Chen asked helplessly, ¡°Where did you hear this rumor?¡± ¡°¡­Everyone in the world has heard the name Min Sijing.¡± Solemnly, Min Chen said, ¡°Three men talking makes a tiger.¡± Qi Mu was surprised. ¡°You use idioms!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m good at Chinese.¡± ¡°Is there anyone else like you, who can just speak German and switch to Chinese?¡± The voice on the other end of the line was silent for a moment, then rang out with a smile, ¡°Qi Mu, I like Chinese words very much. I like them more than the words of any othernguage in the world. When I first learned it, I thought, how can there be such a beautifulnguage in the world?¡± Qi Mu was stunned for a moment, then chuckled and asked, ¡°Do you have a favorite sentence? What is it?¡± ¡°That sentence is¡­¡± ¡°I love you.¡± Qi Mu¡¯s pale eyes gradually widened. In the end, he didn¡¯t know how to describe the soft and greasy feeling in his heart. He could only use one sentence to express it. ¡°Min Chen, has anyone ever told you¡­ you¡¯re good at talking?¡± The man on the other end of the line showed his answer directly by action. ¡°No. I only speak to the people I love.¡± ¡°I was going to wait for you to spend a few nights in the study after you arrived in Vienna tomorrow. Now, I think¡­ Well, you¡¯re allowed to go back to your bedroom and kneel.¡± On the other end of the phone, the man suddenly chuckled. Even if he couldn¡¯t see his appearance, Qi Mu could imagine that his deep, dark eyes must reflect Berlin¡¯s rare few stars. They were so bright that he missed them deeply. Min Chen¡¯s voice came out like a sigh, ¡°Yes, my Little Wang.¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 After arriving in Vienna, Bai Ai went directly to Musikverein, where a medium-sized hall had been reserved for their rehearsals. Naturally, they arrived early. Not every rehearsal hall in the building would be free whenever they needed it, so every orchestra that arrived would receive a different hall than the one they used thest time they visited. Unfortunately, Bai Ai¡¯s rehearsal hall was far away from Wei Ai¡¯s exclusive rehearsal hall. If one wanted to make an analogy, it was like the legendaryn Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. But they were in the same building, after all. By the time Bai Ai arrived at the rehearsal hall, the news already spread amongst Wei Ai¡¯s members. Probably because they had just entered a new term, the average age of Bai Ai¡¯s members was 30 years old, which was ten years lower than Wei Ai¡¯s. Which was why, when many fans madements like ¡°It¡¯s like beauty and musicality coexisting!¡± about Bai Ai, the members of Wei Ai went¡ª¡ª ¡°Tut, what ssical music needs is temperament. Tem-per-a-ment! Got it?¡± ¡°We were far more handsome than they are now, right, Joe? I was Wei Ai¡¯s little prince!¡± ¡°Back off. I¡¯m the most handsome one, okay?¡± ¡°Hoho, who was it that worshipped Mr. Bertram so much that he went to Berlin and returned in the middle of the night before every New Year¡¯s concert and got scolded by Mr. Dorenza?¡± ¡­.. Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help butugh at the members of Wei Ai teasing each other. In such an orchestra, where the members had worked together for a decade or more, everyone knew each other very well and got along splendidly. Moreover, Qi Mu was indeed a bit young in the orchestra, so everyone tacitly looked after him like older siblings. Qi Mu¡¯s life in Wei Ai can be described as that of a fish in water. Unlike when he first entered Wei Jiao where he had to pay attention to interpersonal rtionships, Qi Mu could now spend his time fully rehearsing and practicing to improve his own skill and the orchestra itself. In fact, this was exactly what the orchestra wanted Qi Mu to focus on. They chose this child as their deputy concertmaster andter, their concertmaster, so they observed his skills with the violin, as well as his potential and diligence. ¡°Ah, Little Seven is really diligent. It¡¯s tea time now and he¡¯s still reading the score.¡± ¡°What do you know? Little Seven is already reading the r¡¯s section score, okay!¡± ¡°Gosh, wasn¡¯t Little Seven reading the cello group yesterday? He¡¯s already on the rs?¡± ¡­¡­ To sum it up¡ª¡ª ¡°Our family¡¯s Little Seven is so wonderful!¡± Before the members of Wei Ai could continue their conversation, a tall, handsome man appeared at the cafe¡¯s door. Taking a nce in the quiet cafe, he soon found the youth he was looking for by the French window in the corner. The warm sunshine in the early spring was like a golden veil, shining through the floor-to-ceiling window and directly on Qi Mu, making his figure appearing quite ethereal. Perhaps for convenience, Qi Mu had his now longer hair tied with a thin ck stic. Some strands of hair still slipped loose, framing his face and making him look even more delicate and alluring. Min Chen seldom saw Qi Mu being this focused and dedicated. The young man sat with his back straight while holding a ck fountain pen in his hand, reading the score attentively and marking some notes on it. He was the most attractive when he was focused. Min Chen hesitated for a moment before he finally decided to interrupt this beautiful tableau. Qi Mu was surprised when he saw Min Chening. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± He closed the folder as he spoke and said with augh, ¡°Julie was just talking about you, I didn¡¯t expect you toe now. Let¡¯s go find her.¡± Qi Mu left the cafe with Min Chen without dy to look for a certaindy who was both elegant and dignified. After they left, the originally quiet coffee shop customers immediately boiled over once they returned to their senses with widened eyes¡ª¡ª ¡°Oh, my God! What the hell did I see just now? What the hell? Did Mr. Bertram take away our Little Seven just like that?¡± ¡°This is not fair! That¡¯s our Little Seven! And why did Mr. Bertram take our Little Seven as soon as he came?!¡± ¡°Exactly! Even I don¡¯t have the heart to disturb Little Seven when he¡¯s reviewing the score, yet Mr. Bertram actually just went up to him! He¡¯s a demon!¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey, aren¡¯t you Mr. Bertram¡¯s fan? Why are you calling him a demon now?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand! Little Seven is my favorite, Mr. Bertram is just my one-sided admiration!¡± Everyone else: ¡°¡­¡± So they preferred the new and discarded the old. Typical men¡­ Qi Mu had no idea what was going down in the cafe. He and Min Chen searched for a while before finding Julie in the conductor lounge, having a conversation with Dorenza. Seeing Min Chen, the elegant woman immediately gave him a big hug and said, ¡°Oh, my dear Auston. We haven¡¯t seen each other for more than a month. Give your Auntie Julie a hug.¡± Min Chen went a little stiff before he slowly raised his hand and patted Julie¡¯s back. ¡°Well, hug¡­ There you go.¡± Seeing this, Julie¡¯s grin grew wider and she reached out to ruffle the man¡¯s ck hair. ¡°Oh, my dear Auston. You¡¯re so cute!¡± Min Chen, whose hair had been turned into a chicken coop: ¡°¡­¡± After that, Dorenza happened to have something to discuss with Qi Mu so Min Chen and Julie left first. As he left, Min Chen threw Qi Mu a meaningful nce and Qi Mu nodded naturally after seeing it. Min Chen called him early that morning when he was still in Berlin, saying he had something to discuss with Julie. So, now was just the time for it. The door of the lounge gently closed, leaving behind only Qi Mu and Dorenza in the peaceful room. Qi Mu wasn¡¯t too restrained with the maestro. He pulled out the chair Julie was using and sat with his back straight. Across the mahogany table, Dorenza said with a smile, ¡°Little Seven, you came just at the right time. We¡¯re going on the tour in another week and there¡¯s something I want to talk to you about.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª During the afternoon rehearsal, Wei Ai practiced the first few symphonies they would perform in Brussels while Bai Ai got familiar with the venue before the members were assigned to their hotel rooms. When Qi Mu and Julie left Musikverein, they saw a ck Bently parked on the side of the road just after taking a few steps. The Bentley¡¯s window slowly went down, revealing Min Chen¡¯s beautifully-carved, elegant face. ¡°Oh, my dear Auston!¡± With that cry of surprise, Julie rushed over to the car and sat in the back seat while Qi Mu went to the front passenger seat with a smile. When the car arrived at their apartment, Julie was surprised to see Min Chen going up with Qi Mu and asked, ¡°Auston, you¡¯re going to Qi Mu¡¯s for a visit?¡± Qi Mu was about to answer with, ¡°It¡¯s actually Min Chen¡¯s,¡± but before he could do so, Min Chen gave an affirmative hum before saying, ¡°Yes, Julie. I have something to talk to Qi Mu about today. I¡¯ll go back to the hotelter.¡± Julie didn¡¯t probe any further and went to her door after saying goodbye to them. Only when they entered the apartment did Qi Mu blurt out, ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Min Chen calmly raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Julie that this is your house?¡± ¡°If she knows I¡¯m going to live here during these few days, she¡¯ll be ¡®very happy¡¯ and we¡¯re going to be ¡®very not happy¡¯,¡± The man exined seriously before adding, ¡°Julie is very energetic and she can often think of things no one else would ever.¡± Qi Mu could only reluctantly agree with such an answer. That was indeed the case. Once when he and Julie were going through their morning exercise, Qi Mu, a young man, was already out of breath yet Julie was still chatting with him energetically. ¡ª¡ªTo put it simply, she had an energy that didn¡¯t match her age. After returning home, Qi Mu made a simple dinner and sat down at the table. While serving the glutinous rice porridge, Qi Mu asked, ¡°What did you talk about with Julie this afternoon? It doesn¡¯t seem serious since she behaved normally all afternoon.¡± Min Chen picked up vegetables to put in the young man¡¯s bowl, but his hand staggered a bit before he calmly answered with, ¡°I told her I love you very much and you love me too. She said she could see that and warned me to be good to you or suffer her wrath.¡± Qi Mu didn¡¯t believe it. Seeing the young man¡¯s disbelief, Min Chen¡¯s lips curled up in a faint smile before he spread his hands and said, ¡°I also want to ask, what exactly did you do to make Julie so fond of you in just a month? Before this, she would never let me go easily but today, she just ruffled my hair and didn¡¯t do anything else.¡± Qi Mu looked at Min Chen up and down before saying, ¡°Seems like you miss being doted on by Julie?¡± Min Chen: ¡±¡­¡­¡± After a long while, Min Chen solemnly and earnestly said, emphasizing each and every word, ¡°Please, I ask of you, by all means, at all costs, ept Julie¡¯s love.¡± Qi Mu: ¡±¡­¡­¡± After dinner, the two cleaned up the table and the dishes. While collecting the chopsticks, Qi Mu said, seemingly casually, ¡°Oh, yes. Since you¡¯re back, there¡¯s something I know you¡¯re really itching to get to.¡± After a slight pause, he looked up defiantly. ¡°You can get to it right away. Are you happy?¡± Min Chen was somewhat bewildered for a moment before raising an eyebrow and asked, ¡°You want to look at Little Auston?¡± Qi Mu: ¡±¡­¡­¡± ¡°Roll your ass back to Berlin!!! I¡¯m talking about doing the dishes! Doing the dishes! You hear that? Doing the dishes! What the hell is in your head?!!!¡± Min Chen? Rolling his ass back to Berlin? Of course that was impossible. Min Chen knew his beloved¡¯s weakness, Qi Mu was a ¡®knife mouth, tofu heart¡¯ kind of a guy. So after pretending to be pitiful and selling his misery for a while, Qi Mu still had to watch ¡®Little Auston¡¯ for the whole night, even though he was reluctant to do so at first. When Qi Mu got up the next day, the man was still inside him. He moved forward, trying to disconnect them, but the man followed him. Qi Mu wanted to smack the shameless man with a pillow, but Min Chen grabbed his wrist. ¡°¡­.You weren¡¯t asleep?¡± ¡°If I was still sleeping, you would kill your husband.¡± ¡°¡­.I will really kill you, trust me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Pulling the young man straight into his arms, Min Chen threw the pillow that was blocking the way under the bed and whispered in Qi Mu¡¯s ear. ¡°I¡¯m leaving in two days. We haven¡¯t been together for more than two months. Qi Mu, I miss you.¡± He rubbed against Qi Mu¡¯s ear for good measure. Such a seductive action made Qi Mu blush, especially when he found the thing inside him had the tendency to swell! ¡°You go out first¡­¡± ¡°No. Little Auston misses you too.¡± ¡°¡­.Min Chen, I read a book on Chinese Heart Sutra a few days ago. There is a sentence in it that I really like.¡± A cold smile appeared on the youth¡¯s face and Min Chen was taken aback. He involuntarily gulped. Then he heard Qi Mu say, word by word, ¡°Cut off the root of evil and throw away evil thoughts. Ump¡­¡± Min Chen sealed the young man¡¯s lips with a kiss. After that, he demonstrated to Qi Mu that evil thoughts can only be shared between two people. See, this is a happy thing. How can it be ¡®evil thoughts¡¯, ah! Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Bai Ai¡¯s symphony concert was still held in the Golden Hall that year. Ladies and gentlemen from all over the world dressed in formal attire as they stepped onto the red carpet leading to the Friends of Music Association building. They looked forward to entering the world-renowned concert hall. Dorenza took advantage of his position to give each member of Wei Ai a ticket to Bai Ai¡¯s concert. The ticket looked like a thin card, but everyone knew how important the ck stamping card was¡ª¡ª It was an invitation letter that many music fans could only dream of! Although many members of Wei Ai chanted, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to Bai Ai¡¯s concert,¡± and ¡°The first stop of their performance is at our front door, this is naked provocation! I won¡¯t listen to it!¡±, on the evening of the performance, those who refused to attend the concert during the day all appeared at the entrance of the concert hall in formal clothes. ¡°Charlie, didn¡¯t you say that whoever listened to who was a dog?¡± ¡°Bark, bark, bark!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± When the concert began, Qi Mu sat on Droenza¡¯s right-hand side. They spoke to each other in low voices. For the professionals, listening to Bai Ai¡¯s concert wasn¡¯t only for the appreciation of ssical music, but more importantly, to improve their own experience from the other side¡¯s staffing, music style, and the performance of the repertoire. At the time, Qi Mu didn¡¯t care who the conductor was. As Wei Ai¡¯s deputy chief, it was urgent for him to learn from Bai Ai¡¯s concert. So when Min Chen looked down at him, Qi Mu simply turned his head and whispered, ¡°Mr. Dorenza, there are 11 people in Bai Ai¡¯s first violin group¡­.¡± Min Chen: ¡±¡­¡­¡± After the members of Bai Ai¡¯s orchestra bowed and thanked the audience beneath the stage, they began to y Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶Destiny Symphony¡·. If they dared to start with ¡¶Destiny¡·, they had to have the strength topete with ¡¶Destiny¡·. In the magnificent concert hall, the auditorium was silent, but the sound on stage was extremely loud, with an overwhelming vigor, roaring through the concert hall.The French horn zed with the music of life, and the string instruments yed quickly and tensely. Everything seemed to be weing the tense turning point, trembling for life! This piece of music was already familiar and imprinted in the hearts of the audience. As it grew closer to the climax, many people even flushed with excitement, waiting for the rion call of the heroes to liberate themselves. They could defeat the shackles of fate! Bai Ai¡¯s music style was as elegant as ever. Their polished metallic timbre added a lot of color to the resolute song, making it even more indescribable and majestic. From Qi Mu¡¯s point of view, there was no way to see the expression of the man on the conductor¡¯s stage, but from the other side¡¯s vigorous conductor, he felt that the man was fighting the behemoth of fate. The piece was even more wonderful than when he heard it in the Bai Ai rehearsal hall a month ago. The powerful moral made people move to avoid its edge, but also experience the dazzling and admirable emotion. With all its beauty and peculiarities, this was the best group in the world¡ª¡ªthe Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. After ¡¶Destiny¡·finished, they yed ¡¶Jupiter¡·, ¡¶Paris¡·¡­ Every time the music sounded, it was like the God of music waving his wand on stage, sharing the sounds of nature that belonged to God with the world. At first, Qi Mu still tried his best to analyze the size of the concert sensibly, to understand ¡°Why arrange such a sequence?¡±, ¡°Why let the second violin group y this section?¡±, and so on. In the end, though, he immersed himself in the infinite sound of music and forgot his original task. Once all four symphonies finished, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help pping. He sighed, ¡°Mr. Dorenza, I forgot to analyze Bai Ai¡¯s concert. I was so careless.¡± However, Dorenza just smiled and shook his head. He said, ¡°Little Seven, if you can always enjoy this concert rationally and seriously from an objective point of view, then this concert has value for us to learn from experience. Austin has made great progress. Compared withst year, even I was shocked by his ¡¶Jupiter¡·, not to mention you? You are still young, it¡¯s all a matter of course.¡± Although Dorenza said so, Qi Mu still felt that he had many shorings to improve. Therefore, after the concert ended and Min Chen and Qi Mu returned home, before Min Chen could hang his coat on the rack, he heard the serious voice of the youth behind him, ¡°Min Chen, can you exin some things about the four pieces tonight?¡± Slightly startled, Min Chen didn¡¯t react for a moment. ¡°What?¡± Qi Mu raised his head, his beautiful face full of solemn expression. ¡°I saw Bai Ai¡¯s progress tonight. There¡¯s still a gap between me and Christole, but there is not so much time left for me to take over after Mr. Anthony retires. Can you help me review the concert tonight?¡± Min Chen: ¡°¡­All four?¡± ¡°Yes, all four symphonies.¡± He also felt that his request was a little overwhelming. Sighing helplessly, Qi Mu said, ¡°You are leaving Vienna tomorrow morning. It¡¯s really a bit too busy. In fact, just one symphony will do.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The man¡¯s low maic voice interrupted the young man¡¯s next words. Qi Mu looked up in surprise and saw that the cool, elegant man now had slightly raised the corners of his lips and reached out to take him into his arms. Pressed into his chest, Qi Mu suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do. He only heard the other party¡¯s extremely gentle voice say, ¡°My love wants to make progress. As your lover, I shall definitely satisfy this small request.¡± A warm current surged into his heart. Qi Mu wrapped his arms around the man¡¯s thin waist and whispered, ¡°Min Chen¡­ Why are you leaving again tomorrow¡­¡± ¡°Because I have to go quickly, so you can chase meter.¡± Qi Mu couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°Then I have to follow up faster.¡± Over the next five hours, the two sat on the piano bench in the music room and reviewed Bai Ai¡¯s concert. From the first song¡¶Destiny¡·to thest song, ¡¶Trout¡·, the man¡¯s slender fingers moved smoothly and vividly against the ck and white keys. The beautiful notes flowed gently out. Sometimes Qi Mu would suddenly understand something, then quickly get up to pick up his violin and practice. Most of the time, though, he listened to Min Chen¡¯s performance carefully, feeling that he was very small. In the end, he archived every small adaptation, what emotions were expressed and the different effects it achieved. Every conductor had their own style of music. In fact, Qi Mu realized that¡­ He liked Austin Bertram¡¯s style most of all. Just like what Professor Karl said two years earlier: your music style is very simr to Austin Bertram. Yes, his violin style was really simr to this man¡¯s style, and he tried his best to pursue the perfect melody, rigorous solemnity, and magnificence with the most perfect, critical eyes to understand the ssical, orthodox sound. It turned out he liked him the most from the beginning¡­. When he yed the third movement of ¡¶Trout¡·for the second time, Min Chen felt his shoulders sink. The movement of his fingers on the keys suddenly stopped. He turned to see that the young man was too tired to go on and had fallen asleep on his shoulder. With a gentle gaze as quiet as the deep sea, Min Chen gently took the paper and pen in the young man¡¯s hand to write some notes, then picked him up. He brought him to the bedroom andid him gently on the big, soft bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Min Chen didn¡¯t speak. He just watched the younger man sleeping soundly. The white nket made Qi Mu¡¯s cheeks look even more chipped down. Min Chen knew that in the two months he¡¯d been away, the young manpletely threw himself into his busy schedule. He was already thin, but he lost even more weight. ¡°You worked too hard¡­¡± Little more than a murmured sigh, Min Chen leaned down and pressed a kiss to Qi Mu¡¯s pale forehead. At that time, the sky was coated with ayer of marble white. The morning sun struggled to climb into the sky, its golden light already prating the clouds and giving the horizon a golden edge. Min Chen stretched his hand out to pull up the quilt for the young man. After cleaning the room, he took the suitcase and gently pushed open the door to leave. After the solid wooden door closed, the house grew quiet. The golden sun finally broke past the horizon, coating the world in ayer of brilliant gold. Qi Mu woke up at noon. Min Chen left the note for him to find on the bedside table. In flowing Chinese characters, he wrote, ¡¾I asked for leave from the orchestra for you. Have a good rest. Don¡¯t get any thinner. Min Chen.¡¿Looking at the handwriting on the note, Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help putting it on his heart. It was as if he could still feel the residual warmth of the man this way. Min Chen had already worked hard, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t stop there. Qi Mu spent the whole day recuperating his body and regaining his energy. The next day, he went to the orchestra again to participate in rehearsal. A week of dazzling time passed. When the members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra arrived in Brussels, Belgium, Qi Mu stood before the grand door of the La Monnaie theater and looked up slightly, as if he had already seen the performance of Wei Ai the next night. It was his first official performance since he entered the orchestra. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Brussels, Belgium. The bright, full moon hung in the sky. A statue of a majestic knight with the vicissitudes of having watched years worth of history stood at the entrance of the theatre. The statue held a gpole which it directly pointed towards the sky, showing unstoppable ambition and pride. La Monnaie was the oldest and best theatre in Belgium. Located at the capital of the country, Brussels, the theatre was like a magnificent jewel that decorated the beautiful city. This opera house has hosted numerous operas and symphony concerts over the course of 300 years since its opening in 1700. This was the best temple of music in Belgium, and tonight, music fans from all over the country gathered here to enjoy the audio-visual music feast brought to them by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra from another country. The hall, which could hold 1100 people, gradually filled up. The well-dressed audience waited for the concert to begin. This was the first time Qi Mu stepped on Brussel¡¯s soil. Clearly there was only Germany between Austria and Belgium but in the past ten years, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra had never performed in this country. Qi Mu heard of the famous opera house La Monnaie a long time ago and the building was also one of the eight most beautiful opera houses in the world. When Wei Ai entered the theater for rehearsal, he finally experienced it. The opera house really lived up to its name. The interior of the La Monnaie concert hall was divided into five floors. Seating for the audience to listen to the concert hall was on the upper four floors. The magnificent decoration and the luxurious medieval Gothic architectural style made the sound effects still marvelous even after hundreds of years. ¡°Every time Ie to La Monnaie, I think it¡¯s really beautiful here!¡± Carl, from the first violin group, said, ¡°Little Seven, look at the sculpture on the pir over there. It¡¯s carved with the statue of the Virgin Mary. I found it after looking for a long time.¡± Qi Mu rubbed rosin on the bow of his violin and looked up at Carl¡¯s finger. Heughed and nodded, ¡°Well, it really seems to be a statue of the Virgin Mary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so extravagant!¡± With a burst of emotion, everyone felt that the time to perform was growing closer and closer. Some members stood behind the curtain and waited to y. Qi Mu, as deputy chief, naturally went to Anthony¡¯s side. The kind old man turned to look at the young man beside him and asked, ¡°Little Seven, aren¡¯t you nervous?¡± The handsome young man held a violin in his hand, standing calmly amongst the crowd in the background. There was no timidity on his fair and delicate face, as if the stage was no different than Wei Ai¡¯s reversal hall. There was no difference in his demeanor. Qi Mu smiled wryly. ¡°Mr. Anthony, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m a little nervous, but I believe in the strength of the orchestra more.¡± With a smile, Anthony said, ¡°So you don¡¯t believe in yourself, Little Seven?¡± After a pause, Qi Mu slowly curved his lips upwards and gave a calm, confident smile. ¡°Anthony, the person I believe in most on the stage must be the conductor, and then¡­ myself.¡± Anthony once told Qi Mu a long time ago that a sessful chief must haveposure in the face of danger. Onstage, the chief needed to obey the conductor¡¯s orders most. However, if there was a big mistake that even the conductor couldn¡¯t solve, the chief should help him correct it. Even if it ordered the entire orchestra to stop and start again, it was better than having aplete trainwreck. Listening to Qi Mu¡¯s words, Anthony nodded approvingly. When the concert officially began, he finally understood¡ª¡ª It turned out the child wasn¡¯t lying, he really had this amount of self-confidence. There was still a certain gap between rehearsal and a formal performance. In a concert hall with better acoustics, any subtle sound would be infinitely amplified. Anthony, who stood closest to Qu Mu, was the one who could hear his sound the best. The sound of the violin was delicate and soft, and the gap between the conversation with the piano was smooth and natural. Even when the rhythm of a note in the violin group was slightly faster, the child reacted quickly to reverse it to avoid making more mistakes! If this wasn¡¯t crisis-free, then Anthony really didn¡¯t understand the term. Sitting in front of Anthony was the master pianist, Julie Adlitt. Her ying was soft, yet strong, passionate, and gentle. Behind Anthony stood Qi Mu, the young deputy chief of Wei Ai. His ying wasced with stubbornness and anticipation, as if looking forward to the arrival of dawn. Beethoven¡¯s ¡¶Waldstein¡·was also known as the ¡¶Dawn Sonata¡·. The song used the violin to shock the darkness and wee the light as dawn was about to break. Such an energetic song made Anthony feel a bit out of his ability, but he found that his lovely deputy chief helped him with a little responsibility to guide the orchestra so he could take a breath. As if he had sensed Anthony¡¯s emotion, Dorenza waved the baton in his hand and looked at the first violin group, his gaze exactly in line with Anthony¡¯s. At the time, it happened to be the piano¡¯s piece, so the chief conductor of Wei Ai and the deputy chief exchanged nces. They all knew from the beginning of this concert, the entirety of Wei Ai was about to enter a new chapter! There was only the sound of the symphony in the spacious hall. Sometimes it was gentle and smooth and other times, it was majestic and fierce. The guardian of the day was about to break the shackles of the darkness and rise from the horizon. The bright, warm piano burst out a beautiful melody along with the violin and horn, signalling theing of the dawn. Qi Mu¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. His fingers pressed on the fingerboard, making his violin sing fiercely. In his hearings, there was not only the sound of his own violin, but also Anthony¡¯s, Carl¡¯s¡­ The entire first and second violin group, the bass and the cello¡­ The entire string instruments group, the woodwind instruments group, the brass¡­ The entire orchestra! Suchplex and vast sounds poured into his mind like a tidal wave, forming a wonderful echo. Qi Mu had carefully read the scores for each instrument group in the orchestra and he could already envision what kind of sound would appear in the next second! Yes! This was it! Next was the trombone! Exploding in three! Next up was the bass! Singing low and a bit muffled! ¡­¡­ The spotlight was always on the three people on the stage ¡ª¡ª The conductor, the pianist and the concertmaster. But Grant, a famous Belgian music critic sitting on the first row, was surprised to discover he could hear the clear, sweet sound of a violining from behind the front stage, blocked by the piano! The violin was full of vitality. Every vibrato and pizzicato were handled masterfully and beautifully, as if it was a sacred sound gifted by God! This wasn¡¯t Wei Ai¡¯s concertmaster, Anthony¡¯s violin. Such a youthful and vigorous violin had an unstoppable momentum. Even if there was something trying to suppress its magnificence, the only thing it did was show the gap between them! Once¡¶Waldstein Sonata¡·was carried out until the end in the concert hall, the audience immediately burst into thunderous apuse at thest note, giving the most sincere praise to the great orchestra. Grant was very curious about the person ying the violin with such natural ease behind the piano. Unfortunately, Dorenza didn¡¯t give him any chance to ponder it, as the next moment, Chopin¡¯s ¡¶Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor¡· suddenly started. Followed by ¡¶Military Polonaise¡· and ¡¶Heroic Polonaise¡· ¡­ Passionate and enthusiastic repertoire resounded one after another, sessfully igniting the atmosphere in the concert hall and reaching the climax by thest piece! The melody from the symphony orchestra still reverberated in the concert hall, along with the echoes of the piano. The series of fierce melodies continues one after another, making the audience excited and unable to extricate themselves from it even for one moment. Grant couldn¡¯t stop himself from pping his hands vigorously to one of the world¡¯s top orchestras with a smile. Sure enough, Wei Ai never disappointed. The conductor brought surprise after surprise! After that burst of thunderous apuse that didn¡¯t seem to end, someone started shouting, ¡°Encore!¡± ¡°Encore, encore, encore!¡± ¡°Encore, encore, encore!¡± The shouts were uniform, as if organized to bring the roof down! At this time, even Grant couldn¡¯t help himself from joining the audience so Dorenza came back on stage with a smile. He bowed deeply to the audience along with Julie and Anthony and then¡­ Under everyone¡¯s shocked gaze, Julie left the stage, leaving the piano! There were four pieces of piano concerto¡­ and for thest encore, she was not ying one?! Everyone was surprised to see the sudden changes on the stage. Many audience members came to see Julie Adlett, but the outstanding piano concerto suddenly ended. This was something most of them didn¡¯t expect. While Grant frowned in shock, another eight members of the staff came up and moved the heavy, nine-foot Steinway piano off the stage. When the shield in form of the pianopletely disappeared, Grant looked expectantly at the position, but when he saw the person who had kept him ying a guessing game for such a long while, his eyes widened in surprise¡ª¡ª It was such a young child?!!! Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Therge, ck piano was pushed off stage, presenting Wei Ai¡¯s first violin group to the audience. For any orchestra, though there was no objective difference between the instrument groups, everyone knew even if there wasn¡¯t a second violin group, double bass, trombone, or r groups¡­ An orchestra couldn¡¯t exist without the first violin group! For it was the soul of an orchestra! The violin, known as the queen of musical instruments, was the most important of any orchestra. Alongside the piano and ssical guitar, she was also amongst the world¡¯s three major musical instruments. Wei Ai¡¯s first violin group originally had twenty-two members. Excluding Zayev, who had just been expelled, there should be twenty-one left. However, Grant noticed the strangely familiar face of a Chinese person amongst the twenty-two people before him! The well-known critic considered him for a while then realized: this was Wei Ai¡¯s new deputy concertmaster! After another moment of consideration, he thought of something else¡­ Just then, could that exquisite instrument have been yed by this child? But, he remembered from an introduction in a magazine that this young man was less than 25 years old! If Grant knew Qi Mu had only just turned 23 this year, he would bepletely shocked. A 23-year-old violinist could perform at Wei Ai¡¯s concert with no less skill than the concertmaster himself. This wasn¡¯t a joke from God?! Dorenza did not give Grant anymore time to think. He nced at Anthony, smiled at the dark-haired youth next to his concertmaster, then turned to the audience and announced, ¡°Next is¡ª ¡¶Explosions Polka¡·!¡± A roar of apuse burst from the audience. Once it had ceased, Dorenza raised his baton, looked at thest drummer on the outskirts of the orchestra, and then¡ª ¡°Bang!!!¡± Explosive drumming ignited ¡¶Explosions Polka¡·! On the radiant stage, this orchestra at the top of the world yed briskly. The flute leisurely floated in the air, the French horn rattled, the r chimed, and the drums¡¯s rumbling continued to increase the explosive rhythm. Its intensity was frightening but it was impossible for anyone to feel anxious. Because the violin¡¯s warmth filled the air and touched the audience¡¯s ears with joy and delight. They couldn¡¯t help but smile with how happy they were! Strauss and his son had iparable talent when it came to the waltz. It was never incorrect to assign the title ¡°Kings of Waltz¡± to their name. ¡¶Explosions Polka¡·, like Johann Strauss¡¯s other waltzes, was light and airy, like elven spirits had danced into the Golden Concert Hall. Waltz was a style of music that made people smile. When a waltz began to y, no beautifuldy or handsome man could hesitate to take up a partner. No one would refuse to dance! Waltz had such magical charm, Austrians had been addicted to it for hundreds of years. Everyone in the theater wore soft expressions, fully immersed in the melody, but the master critic in the first row was an exception. Grant was in his sixties and as a national treasure music critic in Belgium, he only wrote reviews on the world¡¯s top orchestras such as Bai Ai, Wei Ai, and New Ai. However, it had be increasingly difficult for him to find things to describe and convey things that he had not already said countless times over the past sixty years. In fact, when Grant entered the La Monnaie De Munt theatre today, he hadn¡¯t expected much. He had simply epted Wei Ai¡¯s invitation to sit in the first row with an attitude of ¡°let¡¯s just go listen to the first show of Wei Ai¡¯s tour this year.¡± Wei Ai had made considerable progress over the years, butpared with Bai Ai¡¯s vigor, it seemed almost cliche. Grant had attended Wei Ai¡¯s New Year Concert and he had to admit that the orchestra hadn¡¯t suffered any losses due to Leon Zayev¡¯s absence. Rather, they actually moved forward, but¡­ That didn¡¯t mean Wei Ai deserved another review from him for another three years. Until this concert. One person¡¯s difference might seem small, but that didn¡¯t mean one great musician couldn¡¯t change an orchestra! The first time Auston Bertram conducted Bai Ai created a whole new Bai Ai¡­ This performance made him believe that one person¡¯s sound could change an entire orchestra, or even the whole world! For some reason, such a sentence suddenly appeared in Grant¡¯s mind. It was something he wrote in his critique of Bai Ai¡¯s concert eleven years ago. Now, as he listened to Wei Ai, he seemed to see in this young, handsome deputy concertmaster the same young, handsome second conductor of Bai Ai eleven years ago who was now Bai Ai¡¯s primary conductor¡ª Min Chen! As a national level critic, Grant naturally had an impable ear and a sense for sound that most people could never hope to match. He could clearly hear that young man¡¯s violin was like that of the rivers flowing down from high mountains into a quiet valley. It wasn¡¯t lonely, though. Alongside it, birds chirped and flowers bloomed, making ¡¶Explosions Polka¡·all the more lively and joyful! This young man¡¯s technique was also superb. His vibrato was already refined to the extent of a single finger¡¯s tremor, and his bow jumping was impably precise! Grant had no doubt this young man could y a wonderful Paganini¡­ for this performance was breathtaking! Thus, a passage appeared in the evaluation of Wei Ai¡¯s concert written by this harsh music critic. In that eloquent review, he described Wei Ai¡¯s entire concert with a new kind of atmosphere, which he called¡ª Hope. In the extra time, Wei Ai performed ¡¶Explosions Polka¡· and¡¶Hungarian March¡· by Berlioz. These two passionate pieces did not extinguish the audience¡¯s enthusiasm, and on the contrary, made the apusest for over ten minutes. Onstage, Qi Mu bowed with the orchestra in thanks. His expression wasposed and unperturbed. There was no change in his handsome face, but if one observed closely, they would find the fingers holding his bow trembling a little. Sweat seeped from the palm of his hand. Though it was early spring and the night was not very warm, yet Qi Mu¡¯s hands were sweating. It¡¯s not that he wasn¡¯t nervous, but that he was used to dealing with all things with a sober mentality and refused to be defeated by such emotions. Under the warm apuse, Wei Ai exited the stage in an orderly fashion. Qi Mu had just arrived backstage and hadn¡¯t found a ce to stand when he was suddenly pulled into a hug. An excited voice said next to his ear, ¡°Oh, Little Seven! How wonderful! DId you hear that? The apuse hasn¡¯t ended yet!¡± ¡°Little Seven! I didn¡¯t expect you to perform so well! Is this really your first time working with arge orchestra?¡± ¡°I was so scared I almost fainted when I identally got off beat! Thanks for bringing me back, Little Seven!¡± ¡­¡­ These guys, only moments ago acting like perfect little gentlemen anddies on stage, immediately ¡°showed their true colors¡± and mored around their deputy concertmaster, encouraging and congratting each other. Anthony eventually came over to scold them and they dispersed. Qi Mu was finally liberated. He carefully ced his violin in its case but Anthony began to speak before he could set the bow into ce, ¡°Little Seven, I heard Carl was off beat in ¡¶Waldstein¡· just now. Did you correct him?¡± Qi Mu smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes. Carl slowed down half a beat in the fifth section. It wasn¡¯t a big deal. I was worried he was a bit nervous, so I pulled him back.¡± He said it lightly, as if it were something insignificant, but Anthony knew how difficult it was to coax a musician on stage and ease him back into the ensemble so quickly! His satisfied and admiring eyes stayed on the youth¡¯s face for quite some time. ¡°Little Seven, you¡¯re so modest I don¡¯t know how tomend you. How shall I reward you?¡± This was Qi Mu¡¯s first time hearing someone ask him ¡°How can I reward you?¡± to his face. He thought it over carefully and asked, ¡°¡­ Could you let me listen to your record of Master Karajan¡¯s cooperation with Wei Ai from a century ago?¡± ¡°No way! That shouldn¡¯t even need to be said!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡± You asked what I wanted! At his helpless expression, Anthony could see his lovely little grandson, who was also handsome¡­ well, he was obviously not as beautiful as Little Seven, of course, but he was cute all the same! He thought for a while and smiled, ¡°By the way, Little Seven, did you know there¡¯s a custom in Wei Ai¡­¡± Qi Mu was taken aback by the subject change and shook his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± He had never had the opportunity to perform with this orchestra in his previous life. As it was his first time in either life, he didn¡¯t know there was any such strange rule. Anthony smiled and said, ¡°Little Seven, you¡¯ve entered the orchestra and yed with us for the first time. Of course, there must be amemoration¡­¡± His voice heightened and he said to the other members, ¡°Hey, everyone, when do you say Little Seven should perform tonight?!¡± After his voice fell, the entire backstage exploded! ¡°God! I forgot it was Little Seven¡¯s first time performing with us in public?! He has to perform!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, let Little Seven perform quickly!¡± ¡°Hahaha, I don¡¯t know if Little Seven can perform so soon! Wouldn¡¯t that set a new record for us?!¡± ¡­ The more he listened, the more Qi Mu felt he had heard those words before? Anthony turned to look at him and joked, ¡°Little Seven, we¡¯re not bullying you. Every member of the Wei Ai has to perform ¡¶Perpetual Motion¡· after their first performance. If you can finish it in 3 minutes and 33 seconds, no problem. But if you exceed that time¡­¡± ¡°Little Seven! I want your autograph. My niece loves you!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t steal my line. I don¡¯t even want Little Seven¡¯s signature. I want a hug! Damn it, I didn¡¯t even get to hug Little Seven just now.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey, Dora, your sons are both older than Little Seven. Why do you, an older woman, want to eat Little Seven¡¯s tofu?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I? I just think Little Seven¡¯s cute, what about it?!¡± ¡­ Qi Mu listened to them chatter on and Anthony smiled, ¡°Three minutes and 33 seconds isn¡¯t all that much trouble for you, Little Seven. I heard when Christole entered Bai Ai, he yed this song during the interview. They¡¯ve been tormented by his performance all these years. If no one can break his record, won¡¯t Wei Ai always be lesser than their Bai Ai?¡± Although he said that, Anthony didn¡¯t have much sympathy in his voice. He was already thinking of what he wanted to ask of his deputy concertmaster. Once the performance exceeded the time frame, he would have to agree to a request from all the members present. Of course, it had to be something immediately achievable and it couldn¡¯t deliberately embarrass him. Under the dazzling light, the young man¡¯s handsome face looked divine. It was impossible for anyone to look away. The background noise gradually faded. Qi Muughed, ¡°Three minutes and thirty-three seconds?¡± Anthony felt it was too much to embarrass such a lovely child. ¡°Or¡­ 3 minutes and 35 seconds?¡± ¡°No, if we¡¯re going to break Christole¡¯s record, we won¡¯t change the time.¡± Wei Ai stared in a daze as Qi Mu said calmly, ¡°Alright¡­ 3 minutes and 33 seconds.¡± Chapter 182 Chapter 182 When Dorenza left the lounge, he encountered a strange sight¡ª¡ª In the bright, spacious backstage prep room, a handsome young man stood by the middle table, carefully putting his violin away. Around him, all the members of the orchestra stared in horror and astonishment. Each stood side-by-side in a circle three meters wide, leaving an empty space around him in the middle. Dorenza looked around in surprise and finally found Anthony. He walked over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Anthony? You just hugged and congratted Little Seven one by one, why are you crowding around him now? It can¡¯t be like this, Anthony, Little Seven is a sensible child. What did he do¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Dorenza!!! Not a human!!!¡± Dorenza, who was not a human: ¡°¡­¡± The orchestra member who interrupted Dorenza realized that his words were a little ambiguous. He immediately borated, ¡°No, no, Mr. Dorenza, I mean that Little Seven is too scary! He¡­ He, he, he went as far as 32 seconds! 32 seconds! Is this still human!!! This breaks thews of physics, this is not normal!!! My previous record was still 36 seconds!¡± ¡°Charlie, don¡¯tpare with Little Seven. Some people are so angry.¡± ¡°That is, 32 seconds is not the record of an average person, okay! That¡¯s the record of a world-ss master, alright? ¡­¡­ Listening to their murmurers, Dorenza vaguely remembered something. Before he could fully recall it, Anthony sighed, ¡°Oh, Dorenza. You didn¡¯t see it just now. At our request, Little Seven yed the song ¡¶Perpetual Motion¡·, which we use to embarrass neers by holding Christole¡¯s record over their heads.¡± Qi Mu with excellent ears, standing not far away: ¡°¡­¡± Did you also know that this was a very, very difficult new person¡­ Anthony continued, ¡°We thought we could make fun of Little Seven, but we didn¡¯t expect¡­ Well, if only you had seen it. He was so fast, but every move was urate. Although I haven¡¯t seen the video of Christole¡¯s interview with Bai Ai, I didn¡¯t think Little Seven would y worse than him. But¡­ He¡¯s actually one second faster than him.¡± Originally, Dorenza wanted to me Anthony and the others for using this sort of boring thing to ¡°embarrass the neer¡±, but when he heard that Qi Mu actually surpassed Christole¡¯s record, he looked at him in surprise. Qi Mu returned his gaze evenly. The handsome young man had no way out and creased his brows helplessly. He said, ¡°Actually, Mr. Anthony, I practice¡¶Perpetual Motion¡·every day when I go home. When I graduated from the National Conservatory of Music in Parisst year, my teacher yed ¡¶Perpetual Motion¡·once for me. At that time, he hoped I could surpass his record.¡± Anthony certainly knew who Qi Mu¡¯s teacher was. He was Reed Akkad, one of the world¡¯s greatest violin yers! This meant that Akkad intended not only for his student to surpass his record time in ¡¶Perpetual Motion¡·, but to be the most dazzling violinist in existence! That was the most outstanding violin master of thest century! That was the master called the ¡°Contemporary Paganini¡±! Anthony never expected that Akkad had such deep hopes for his student. It was possible that it was not just hope, but¡ª¡ª Confidence! Anthony looked at the young many before him with aplicated expression on his face. He felt such profound powerlessness, like an oing wave had pushed him outside the current. But, in addition, he felt more of a faint regret and deep happiness. He regretted that he did not have many years to see excellent young people like Qi Mu and Christole shine in the ssical music world. He was also d that he could witness their rise and help their skill reach a peak in this era. Qi Mu didn¡¯t know what Anthony was thinking. In fact, he just regretted that he still couldn¡¯t break his teacher¡¯s record this time. At the age of 29, Reed Akkad set his personal record of ¡¶Perpetual Motion¡·at 3 minutes and 32 seconds. When Qi Mu practiced each day in the music room, he could only achieve this result at best. He couldn¡¯t move forward. Although Akkad was better atplicated patterns than speed, his ¡¶Perpetual Motion¡·ytime was not as great as that of Master Farrell, another one of the world¡¯s top three violinists. Master Farrell yed with a time of 3 minutes and 30 seconds! Qi Mu sighed in his heart and thought, Sure enough, am I a bit too tender? Well, I still need to practice more! If Wei Ai¡¯s members knew what their deputy chief thought at that moment, they would vomit three liters of blood and cry, ¡°God is unfair!¡± You call that too tender?! Then what could they call it? Don¡¯t think about them¡­ even Christole would cry! On the afternoon of the second day after the concert, the Wei Ai members packed their bags and set off for Manchester, which was separated by the English Channel. The blue sea and sky made the whole world look like a nice azure blue outside the aircraft¡¯s windows. Qi Mu held his chin in one hand and gazed out at it all. ¡­ Now, shouldn¡¯t Bai Ai¡¯s tour be in Mn? That evening, Mn. At the setting sun¡¯s bidding, gorgeous shades of deep purple crept over the endless horizon and stained it with love. The whole sky glowed a light red unique to early spring. Under such a sky, Mn, embraced with green fans, became a well-deserved shade of emerald. On the top floor of a towering skyscraper, huge floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the charming sunset. Sitting in the corner of the cafe, Min Chen lowered his head and stirred his ck coffee. Before him, Christole reported minor problems during that day¡¯s rehearsal. They would perform that night. Even if there was a real problem, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal. Therefore, Christole couldn¡¯t say more than a few points. But a momentter, their blond orchestra manager rushed over and said with a smile, ¡°Min, Christole, have you seen Belgium¡¯stest ¡¶National Pce of Music¡·?¡± Daniel shook the thick magazine in his hand. Christole smiled, ¡°¡¶National Pce of Music¡·? It seems to be the 30th today, they should release a new issue in the next few days, but I haven¡¯t read it yet.¡± ¡¶National Pce of Music¡·was Belgium¡¯s top ssical music magazine and even had a certain influence throughout Europe. It was every musician¡¯s dream to appear in such a magazine. Christole once received an exclusive interview with it when he first became Bai Ai¡¯s chief. Although Christole was a little confused, Min Chen looked up at Daniel and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Last night, Wei Ai¡¯s tour in Brussels just finished.¡± Daniel nodded and smiled. ¡°So¡­¡± With that, Daniel ced the thick magazine on the table. Min Chen looked down and saw the cover of the magazine. It was a scene of Wei Ai when he was ying¡ª¡ª Dorenza held his baton high and Julie mmed the piano¡¯s keys¡­ It was a pity that the young man Min Chen wanted to see was blocked by the piano, making him unable to see clearly. Therefore, Min Chen¡¯s interest came to an end. After all, it was national for the ¡¶National Pce of Music¡·to introduce Wei Ai¡¯s performance in Brussels. But, for them to report on Wei Ai¡¯s deputy chief? It was impossible. Seeing that Min Chen didn¡¯t seem to be interested in opening the magazine, Christole curiously took it and flipped through it. A few minutester, he looked up in surprise and said, ¡°Auston, I seem to have¡­ Found the Little Angel¡¯s profile?!¡± Deep eyes suddenly shed open and Min Chen quickly set down the coffee cup in his hand. Christole immediately handed over the magazine. He carefully looked at the page, read over the nearly 1,000 words, and finally lingered on the author¡¯s name for a long time. With a smile, Daniel said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe that the Wei Ai review was written by Grant himself. He hasn¡¯t written a music review for Wei Ai in three years, right? It seems that Wei Ai¡¯s performancest night was really a sess.¡± ¡°Daniel, why do you seem so happy about Wei Ai¡¯s performance?¡± He asked. Daniel immediately straightened his face. ¡°Ahem, I am happy for the Little Angel, it has nothing to do with Wei Ai!¡± As soon as the words fell, Daniel began tough, and Christole smiled helplessly. Bai Ai and Wei Ai were both amongst the world¡¯s top orchestras. Although there were always some people who wouldpare the two, and even their own members would secretlypete, they honestly shared a good rtionship. At least, when Auston, a cold guy who didn¡¯t know how to talk, used to go to Dorenza, Bai Ai¡¯s members never saw him being sacked and beaten to death by the members of Wei Ai. But now, after seeing that Wei Ai had made great progress, in fact, Bai Ai¡¯s heart was very happy. Their old opponents once again issued a challenge¡­ naturally, they were unwilling tog behind! For a moment, Min Chen gently put down the coffee cup, got up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go have onest rehearsal.¡± Daniel was taken aback but said, ¡°God, there are only three hours to the performance and you want to have another rehearsal?! Everyone will be exhausted, okay? I guarantee once the concert is over, they¡¯ll be so tired they¡¯ll pass out!¡± The handsome, elegant man raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°They won¡¯t want to wait to rehearse.¡± Suspiciously, Daniel asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I will tell them Wei Ai is about to catch up.¡± Daniel: ¡°¡­¡± After a while, he whispered, ¡°Then they¡¯ll be crying to practice as soon as possible¡­ Auston, you are so bad. You devil, corrupting their hearts!¡± Only rivals could motivate one another to grow together. The sensation of having an opponent right on their tails, especially Bai Ai, was one Min Chen had missed for a long time. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Manchester, Rome, Geneva¡­ Over the span of 15 days, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestrapleted four stops in the first quarter of their 2017 European tour. On the morning of April 15th, the world-ss orchestra arrived in Paris, preparing for the second-tost concert rehearsal of the tour. As soon as he set foot in Paris, Qi Mu put away his luggage at the hotel reserved by the orchestra. No matter where he performed so far, Qi Mu had always stayed with the members of the orchestra, so even if someone secretly left him arge set of keys while he was in Vienna, Qi Mu didn¡¯t want to stay outside the hotel. And now, in Paris, Qi Mu wanted to go out alone for the first time. When Qi Mu passed on his intent for the evening to Dorenza, Dorenza said, ¡°Oh, Little Seven, are you going to see Reed?¡± Qi Mu didn¡¯t conceal anything at all, ¡°Yes. My teacher and I haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time, and I heard his back has been acting up recently. I wanted to take the opportunity while I¡¯m here in Paris to see him.¡± Dorenza smiled gently, ¡°Okay, Little Seven. How could I stop you from going to see your teacher? I also haven¡¯t seen Reed in a long time. Why don¡¯t we go see him together?¡± Mr. Dorenza and Professor Akkad were old friends, and it wasn¡¯t unusual for them to visit each other. Qi Mu agreed. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s go see Teacher together, Mr. Dorenza. I think Teacher will be very happy to see you too.¡± Just after Qi Mu finished speaking, someone shouted, ¡°Hey, Little Seven, Dorenza, are you going to see Akkad?¡± The two turned their heads in surprise and saw Anthony approaching. ¡°God, I like Akkad very much. I met him at a concert in Newcastle a few years ago. Little Seven¡­ can you bring me with you?¡± Brow furrowed slightly, Qi Mu thought for a while then nodded. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± The other members of Wei Ai who had been eavesdropping all along immediately exploded¡ª ¡°I also admire Mater Reed Akkad too! I want to go, I want to go too!¡± ¡°And me! I like Master Akkad¡¯s¡¶Devil¡¯s Thrill¡· the most! It¡¯s simply music of the gods!¡± ¡­¡­ Starting with Anthony, more and more members of Wei Ai raised their hands one after another, wanting to meet the world¡¯s top violinist. But Dorenza steeled his face and said sternly, ¡°Reed is not in good health. Too many of us going is only going to disturb his rest. Little Seven, Anthony and I will go together. You all rest in the hotel.¡± Dorenza was rarely so solemn and serious, but the members of Wei Ai knew their conductor was correct. There were too many people that wanted to visit and they would only disturb him. They could only ask Qi Mu to pass along their love and blessings to Master Akkad. When the three arrived at Akkad¡¯s home, the master was seated at a dining table itching a cup of hot cocoa. After he noticed the threeing, he was surprised but immediately weed them into his small living room. Pouring another cup of hot cocoa and two cups of water in the kitchen, Akkad ced the cocoa carefully in front of Qi Mu then the other two cups carelessly before Dorenza and Anthony. After these ¡°polite¡± necessities, Akkad didn¡¯t pay any further attention to his old friend or Anthony to the side. He focused on Little Seven, studied him up and down for a long time, then raised his head and barked, ¡°Thin!¡± His tone was displeased. Qi Mu shook his head, caught between tears andughter, and said, ¡°Teacher, Wei Ai is on tour. I have to walk around a lot, so I lost a bit of weight.¡± Unexpectedly, Akkad snorted. He pointed at Anthony and said, ¡°Look at Anthony. Why is he not thin at all? I think he¡¯s fatter than three years ago by quite a lot!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡± Teacher, if you say that to Anthony, he¡¯ll be sad¡­ ¡°Master Akkad, you remember me?!¡± Anthony¡¯s overjoyed voice interrupted Qi Mu¡¯s thoughts. He turned and found the usually serious concertmaster was excited. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m Anthony. We met at the London concert in Newcastle three years ago, Master Akkad!¡± Akkad deigned a faint ¡°hm¡± to Anthony , who was so excited his face was flushed scarlet, then turned to his lovely student. ¡°So, Little Seven! Why are you so thin? Don¡¯t you know how to eat good food when you¡¯re away?!¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡± Mr. Anthony, are you still Teacher¡¯s loyal fan¡­ ¡°Little Seven, listen to Teacher. You young people should put their bodies first! You¡¯re not even 80 jin (88 pounds) right now, are you?¡± Qi Mu¡¯s eyes widened, and he retorted, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m over 65 kg (143 pounts) now!¡± ¡°What!!! You¡¯re only 65 kg right now?!!!¡± Akkad turned his horrified expression to Dorenza who was smiling all the while and demanded, ¡°Dorenza, how have you tortured our Little Seven? 65 kg, 65 kg¡­ just how light is that!!!!¡± Dorenza, who looked like he¡¯d been shot, smiled innocently: ¡°^_^¡± Then Akkad went on to say lots of things like: ¡°Little Seven, you have to take care of your body. If you dare lose more weight, Teacher won¡¯t see you again,¡± and ¡°You know what, you have to eat three bowls of rice every day starting tomorrow,¡± and ¡°No, no, no, you have to eat at least one steak every day!¡± And by the time he was finished, it was alreadyte and the sun had already begun to set outside the window. Since Wei Ai had to rehearse the next morning, the three of them didn¡¯t stay any longer. When they went to the door, Anthony took Akkad¡¯s hand and said excitedly, ¡°If you have time, you muste see our concert the day after tomorrow!¡± Akkad merely nodded and said calmly, ¡°Little Seven is there. Of course I will go.¡± Knowing Anthony only wanted to continue nattering on with his affection, Dorenza dragged the old man away and left the teacher and student alone. Standing at the door, Qi Mu handed over the invitation letter in his pocket. The invitation to Wei Ai¡¯s concert was light beige with fine patterns outlined in golden thread. Akkad epted the letter and stared at the handsome youth in front of him. After a long time, he sighed. ¡°Little Seven, you became the deputy concertmaster of Wei Ai at this age. This puts a lot of pressure on you and gives you a lot of responsibility.¡± In the quiet corridor, Akkad¡¯s voice echoed. Qi Mu nodded solemnly. ¡°Teacher, I will work hard. I never use my age to avoid responsibility. I will do my best.¡± Akkad gave Qi Mu a meaningful look then sighed. ¡°Teacher knows you¡¯re a hard-working child, but sometimes you put too much pressure on yourself. You¡¯re thinner than when you left Parisst year. Isn¡¯t it painful for Auston to see you like this?¡¯ Qi Mu couldn¡¯t help smiling at the sound of that name. He shook his head. ¡°He also wants me to eat more, but Teacher, I¡¯m not very thin. You worry too much. It¡¯s not that much pressure.¡± Qi Mu said it lightly but Akkad knew how hard he¡¯d worked as a student. He reached out and rubbed Qi Mu¡¯s hair. ¡°Ok, Ok, I can¡¯t control you from Paris. But if Teacher sees you looking so thin next time¡­ Well, I¡¯ll make you look good!¡± Qi Mu tilted his head and asked, ¡°Teacher, what¡¯s the standard for not too thin?¡± Akkad thought for a moment. ¡°Your height¡¯s about 183 centimeters (6 feet)¡­ then, Little Seven, shouldn¡¯t you weigh about 80 kg (176 pounds)?¡± Qi Mu: ¡°¡­¡± Teacher, your ¡°not thin¡± and other people¡¯s are totally different! The teacher and student spoke for a while longer, then Anthony¡¯s shout came from downstairs. Qi Mu went to say his goodbyes but before he could speak, Akkad suddenly said in a low voice, ¡°The day after tomorrow, I will go see Wei Ai¡¯s concert. Little Seven¡­ don¡¯t let Teacher down.¡± Qi Mu was taken aback but then he smiled, ¡°Teacher, I will work hard.¡± Paris was as peaceful as ever. An old man stood at his window, watching the taxi carrying his student away. He squeezed the letter in his hand, nervous with anticipation. His student was finally going to give him a grand performance! ¡­¡­ Two days passed in a sh. On the night of Wei Ai¡¯s concert, Akkad took out a neatly stored suit from his wardrobe. He ironed the ck suit, tied his tie, and gelled his hair. Dressed up, the entric and arrogant little old man disappeared. Standing in his ce at the bottom of Paris¡¯s Philharmonic Hall was an elegant, charming old gentleman. He gazed at the oversized poster on the wall and his gaze lingered on the words ¡°Deputy Concertmaster: Qi Mu¡± for a long time. Then, finally, he stepped forward and moved into the concert hall! Tonight, the second-tost stop of Wei Ai¡¯s 2017 European tour officially opened! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!