King of Classical Music 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 the last time they visited. Unfortunately, Bai Aiโ€™s rehearsal hall was far away from Wei Aiโ€™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 Aiโ€™s members. 

Probably because they had just entered a new term, the average age of Bai Aiโ€™s members was 30 years old, which was ten years lower than Wei Ai’s. Which was why, when many fans made comments like โ€œItโ€™s like beauty and musicality coexisting!โ€ about Bai Ai, the members of Wei Ai wentโ€”โ€”

โ€œTut, what classical music needs is temperament. Tem-per-a-ment! Got it?โ€

โ€œWe were far more handsome than they are now, right, Joe? I was Wei Aiโ€™s little prince!โ€ 

โ€œBack off. Iโ€™m the most handsome one, okay?โ€

โ€œHoho, 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 Yearโ€™s concert and got scolded by Mr. Dorenza?โ€

โ€ฆ..

Qi Mu couldnโ€™t help but laugh 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 Muโ€™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 relationships, 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 and later, their concertmaster, so they observed his skills with the violin, as well as his potential and diligence.

โ€œAh, Little Seven is really diligent. Itโ€™s tea time now and heโ€™s still reading the score.โ€

โ€œWhat do you know? Little Seven is already reading the clarinetโ€™s section score, okay!โ€

โ€œGosh, wasnโ€™t Little Seven reading the cello group yesterday? Heโ€™s already on the clarinets?โ€

โ€ฆโ€ฆ

To sum it upโ€”โ€”

โ€œOur familyโ€™s Little Seven is so wonderful!โ€

Before the members of Wei Ai could continue their conversation, a tall, handsome man appeared at the cafeโ€™s door. Taking a glance 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 black elastic. 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 black 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 Chen coming. โ€œYouโ€™re here?โ€ He closed the folder as he spoke and said with a laugh, โ€œJulie was just talking about you, I didnโ€™t expect you to come now. Letโ€™s go find her.โ€

Qi Mu left the cafe with Min Chen without delay to look for a certain lady 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 eyesโ€”โ€”

โ€œOh, my God! What the hell did I see just now? What the hell? Did Mr. Bertram take away our Little Seven just like that?โ€

โ€œThis is not fair! Thatโ€™s our Little Seven! And why did Mr. Bertram take our Little Seven as soon as he came?!โ€

โ€œExactly! Even I donโ€™t have the heart to disturb Little Seven when heโ€™s reviewing the score, yet Mr. Bertram actually just went up to him! Heโ€™s a demon!โ€

โ€œHey, hey, hey, arenโ€™t you Mr. Bertramโ€™s fan? Why are you calling him a demon now?โ€

โ€œYou donโ€™t understand! Little Seven is my favorite, Mr. Bertram is just my one-sided admiration!โ€

Everyone else: โ€œ…โ€

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, โ€œOh, my dear Auston. We havenโ€™t seen each other for more than a month. Give your Auntie Julie a hug.โ€

Min Chen went a little stiff before he slowly raised his hand and patted Julieโ€™s back. โ€œWell, hugโ€ฆ There you go.โ€

Seeing this, Julieโ€™s grin grew wider and she reached out to ruffle the manโ€™s black hair. โ€œOh, my dear Auston. Youโ€™re so cute!โ€

Min Chen, whose hair had been turned into a chicken coop: โ€œ…โ€

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 glance 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 wasnโ€™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, โ€œLittle Seven, you came just at the right time. Weโ€™re going on the tour in another week and thereโ€™s something I want to talk to you about.โ€

———

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 black Bently parked on the side of the road just after taking a few steps. The Bentleyโ€™s window slowly went down, revealing Min Chenโ€™s beautifully-carved, elegant face.

โ€œOh, my dear Auston!โ€

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, โ€œAuston, youโ€™re going to Qi Muโ€™s for a visit?โ€

Qi Mu was about to answer with, โ€œItโ€™s actually Min Chenโ€™s,โ€ but before he could do so, Min Chen gave an affirmative hum before saying, โ€œYes, Julie. I have something to talk to Qi Mu about today. Iโ€™ll go back to the hotel later.โ€

Julie didnโ€™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, โ€œYouโ€™re lying!โ€

Min Chen calmly raised an eyebrow and said, โ€œHmm?โ€

โ€œWhy didnโ€™t you tell Julie that this is your house?โ€

โ€œIf she knows Iโ€™m going to live here during these few days, sheโ€™ll be โ€˜very happyโ€™ and weโ€™re going to be โ€˜very not happyโ€™,โ€ The man explained seriously before adding, โ€œJulie is very energetic and she can often think of things no one else would ever.โ€

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.

โ€”โ€”To put it simply, she had an energy that didnโ€™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, โ€œWhat did you talk about with Julie this afternoon? It doesnโ€™t seem serious since she behaved normally all afternoon.โ€

Min Chen picked up vegetables to put in the young manโ€™s bowl, but his hand staggered a bit before he calmly answered with, โ€œI 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.โ€

Qi Mu didnโ€™t believe it.

Seeing the young manโ€™s disbelief, Min Chenโ€™s lips curled up in a faint smile before he spread his hands and said, โ€œI 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 didnโ€™t do anything else.โ€

Qi Mu looked at Min Chen up and down before saying, โ€œSeems like you miss being doted on by Julie?โ€

Min Chen: โ€โ€ฆโ€ฆโ€

After a long while, Min Chen solemnly and earnestly said, emphasizing each and every word, โ€œPlease, I ask of you, by all means, at all costs, accept Julieโ€™s love.โ€

Qi Mu: โ€โ€ฆโ€ฆโ€

After dinner, the two cleaned up the table and the dishes. While collecting the chopsticks, Qi Mu said, seemingly casually, โ€œOh, yes. Since youโ€™re back, thereโ€™s something I know youโ€™re really itching to get to.โ€ After a slight pause, he looked up defiantly. โ€œYou can get to it right away. Are you happy?โ€

Min Chen was somewhat bewildered for a moment before raising an eyebrow and asked, โ€œYou want to look at Little Auston?โ€

Qi Mu: โ€โ€ฆโ€ฆโ€

โ€œRoll your ass back to Berlin!!! Iโ€™m talking about doing the dishes! Doing the dishes! You hear that? Doing the dishes! What the hell is in your head?!!!โ€

Min Chen? Rolling his ass back to Berlin?

Of course that was impossible.

Min Chen knew his belovedโ€™s weakness, Qi Mu was a โ€˜knife mouth, tofu heartโ€™ kind of a guy. So after pretending to be pitiful and selling his misery for a while, Qi Mu still had to watch โ€˜Little Austonโ€™ 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. 

โ€œ….You werenโ€™t asleep?โ€

โ€œIf I was still sleeping, you would kill your husband.โ€

โ€œ….I will really kill you, trust me.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€ฆโ€

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 Muโ€™s ear. โ€œIโ€™m leaving in two days. We havenโ€™t been together for more than two months. Qi Mu, I miss you.โ€ He rubbed against Qi Muโ€™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!

โ€œYou go out firstโ€ฆโ€

โ€œNo. Little Auston misses you too.โ€

โ€œ….Min Chen, I read a book on Chinese Heart Sutra a few days ago. There is a sentence in it that I really like.โ€ A cold smile appeared on the youthโ€™s face and Min Chen was taken aback. He involuntarily gulped.

Then he heard Qi Mu say, word by word, โ€œCut off the root of evil and throw away evil thoughts. Umpโ€ฆโ€

Min Chen sealed the young manโ€™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 โ€˜evil thoughtsโ€™, ah!

Translator(s): Kuro
Editor(s): Empress
Proofer(s): Ayn

T/L Notes:

  1. ย The mythology about a pair of lovers, ended up separated by the Milky Way. Their story has been celebrated in Qixi Festival since Han Dynasty. In Japanese, itโ€™s Tanabata. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qixi_Festivalย 

AyN:

I felt Qi Mu was kinda savage in this and Min Chen is just so extra!

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Blood
Blood
May 21, 2021 1:21 pm

How i missed his PDA!! โคโคโค

Thanks for the update!! ^ ^)โ™ก

Empress
Editor
May 24, 2021 4:02 pm
Reply to  Blood

Glad you enjoyed!! Looking forward to working on this one again ๐Ÿ’–

Kimmy
Kimmy
May 22, 2021 12:05 am

Welcome back and thanks for the chapter! ๐Ÿ’•

Empress
Editor
May 24, 2021 4:02 pm
Reply to  Kimmy

Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it!!

Renkayli
Renkayli
May 22, 2021 11:43 pm

Welcome back! Hahaha! Julie is so loving. Maybe a little too loving. Poor Min Chen has to fix his image after every meeting. Also. Wow Min Chen is shameless around Qi Mu. Thank you for the chapter!

Empress
Editor
May 24, 2021 4:02 pm
Reply to  Renkayli

Uhuhu, indeed~~ I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!

roented
roented
June 3, 2021 11:37 am

The Next button didn’t turn blue and I have spent many weeks refreshing the page, ignorant of the fact that it has returned~