King of Classical Music 195

The air in the quiet car was dark and still. There was no sound coming from inside but noise filtered in from outside as a quiet background, gently breaking the freezing silence. 

In fact, there were many things to recall, having long forgotten the sadness and pain of that year. Just as Qi Mu remembered all of that from his previous life, he also remembered Geneva College’s financial aid program. Even though it prevented him from paying high tuition costs, he still had to work part time during every break and even play in the square for funds. 

Geneva’s winter was very cold. The wind was freezing as it blew across from Lake Geneva. The lake was clear and blue, and the wind blew cold and hard across it. Regardless, a young, black-haired boy still stood next to the stone carving in the center of the square every weekend to play.  

——After a year and a half, Qi Mu could not endure the torture of winter. He found a part-time theater job. In addition to working part-time at a restaurant, he finally had a stable source of income. 

“There were always many proud white swans on the lake beside Swan Square. If we have the opportunity, we can go to Geneva and have a look. There was a snow-white swan that was always close to me. I named it Nanally.”  

Qi Mu was very calm as he spoke about his life at the Geneva Conservatory of music. With a gentle smile on his white face, he missed those beautiful, innocent days. 

Qi Mu completely ignored how hard his life was in the past as he spoke, but Min Chen knew how difficult it was for a poor, lonely student to live in the Geneva Conservatory of Music!

“You just joined Bai Ai when I graduated, right? Bai Ai happened to perform in Bern, and I wanted to listen, but I got approved to perform in Wei Jiao, so I had to go to Vienna instead of Bern…” 

In the dimly lit car, the young man still narrated with a soft voice and a calm tone. The tears he shed over the death of his adoptive parents had already dried up. He spoke as easily as if he were discussing someone else, rather than his own life. 

Min Chen looked down at Qi Mu’s slender fingers and gently rubbed his thin calluses with his fingertips. He rubbed them patiently, never growing tired of it. 

When Qi Mu let out a laugh and ended his confession with, “I also believe in destiny,” Min Chen pursed his lips. After a long time, he lowered his head and asked softly, “What was it like?” 

Qi Mu was taken aback. He asked, “What?” 

Min Chen raised his eyes, looking at the smiling young man with a complex expression. Word by word, he asked, “The Golden Hall’s Backstage… How did you feel?” 

Such a straightforward question didn’t startle Qi Mu. The corners of his lips rose again, revealing a calm and gentle smile. “That original feeling… I’ve forgotten it. It should’ve been very painful. I thought about a lot of things in the beginning, but the only thing I thought about at the end was… I haven’t played  the 《Blue Danube》, even though we rehearsed for such a long time.” 

Yes, in the last moment of his painful suffocation, the last thing he remembered turned out to be the unplayed 《Blue Danube》.

Even Qu Mu hadn’t anticipated such an answer. 

After responding, Qi Mu didn’t open his mouth again. Suddenly, he felt himself being pulled. By the time he could have reacted, he’d fallen against a warm, spacious chest. 

Min Chen exhausted all his strength hugging his beloved. In surprise, Qi Mu wanted to break free, but the arms around his waist curled tighter.  

Min Chen lowered his head and whispered, “Don’t look up.” 

Qi Mu was startled. 

“Don’t… look at my face right now.” 

The light-colored eyes widened. In the dark car, Qi Mu was taken aback for a long time. Finally, he reached out and hugged the man back. By coincidence, a car with high beams drove past, lighting up the small space between them. 

Though Qi Mu hadn’t seen it, Min Chen’s eyes were like a deep, ancient pool. At a glance, no one could have ever seen the bottom. There was a strong, terrifying storm stored deep within his irises. One touch was enough to make it erupt.

As he said, his face was really ugly then. He didn’t want his beloved to see it, he shouldn’t see such anger. 

After the sinner got his retribution, Qi Mu had forgotten the pain he felt when he suffocated and died, but Min Chen couldn’t forget what he saw in the morgue——

A pair of purplish red, bloody hands with their fingernails ripped off! This pair of hands, most valued by their owner, had been left to grind and break against the carpet because of unspeakable pain!

Not enough, this really wasn’t enough!

For the first time, Min Chen felt that he was too soft-hearted. The person who committed such a heinous crime was not worthy of forgiveness!

That kind of pain and despair couldn’t be alleviated by ten fingers!

It really wasn’t enough!

……

After hugging for a long time, Qi Mu calmed completely. He looked up at Min Chen. By then, Min Chen had hidden away the terrifying expression in his eyes, and there seemed to be no other abnormality. 

Qi Mu smiled. “I’m lucky to have met you in this life.” 

Min Chen looked at Qi Mu for a long time before parting his lips. “It’s my luck.” 

Their voices fell and no one spoke anymore. Min Chen looked down at the young man’s clear, brilliant eyes, like he was the most brilliant gem in the world. 

They looked at each other for a long time. No one knew how long had passed. Min Chen leaned down slightly, but he hadn’t moved. Qi Mu suddenly hugged him and gave him an affectionate kiss. 

This kiss was sudden and hot, the strong emotion behind it enough to dispel all darkness. The two hugged each other tightly. With the dark windows blocking out the Berlin night, the two lovers shared a kiss of love and compassion. 

Although he had two lifetimes, Qi Mu had always been shy. He didn’t grow up in Huaxia, but he possessed the introverted charm of the nation’s backbone. He rarely released his inner feelings. And now, the tip of his tongue entangled with Min Chen’s and invaded him, drawing out his familiar breath. 

Decadent kisses filled the car as mouths moved with each other. When the man tasted a trace of salt, he was stunned. He slowly released the young man in his arms and saw only then that his tears were spilling over, revealing unprecedented vulnerability. 

Gasping, Qi Mu raised his eyes and said, “Min Chen… What should I do when you aren’t by my side?” Although he was still smiling, his eyes were turning red. He would never forget the white cloth that covered his parents’ faces. 

All the people who loved him left one by one. It took him three years to trust someone, and it resulted in his death. 

Now, he once again put aside everything and opened himself up again. However, Qi Mu wasn’t afraid Min Chen would betray him, but he was terrified… this person would leave him like his parents. 

With his teeth clenched, Min Chen answered the question with the warmest hug he could manage. “I’ll never leave you, even one second before you decide you don’t want me… Qi Mu, I’m here, waiting for you forever.” 

The man gently kissed his lover’s eyelids. Such a dragonfly kiss burned unrestrained, growing like a monsterous fire in a prairie. 

As soon as they entered the apartment and closed the door, the lovers who had been separated for months couldn’t help kissing. In the cramped hallway, ambiguous, obscene breathes permeated the atmosphere. The young man uttered moans from his throat, accompanied by the man’s heavy breathing…

When their love reached its climax, Qi Mu held Min Chen’s neck and whispered, “I love you… Min Chen…”

The man’s deep voice reverberated like a cello, “I love you too…” 

The Berlin night was quiet and beautiful, hiding countless beautiful love stories. The geographical distance could be changed, but the spiritual distance at that moment was nonexistent. 

When the first ray of sunshine lit the eastern sky, Min Chen’s handsome brow frowned slightly and he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the young man next to him, sleeping soundly. He quietly moved around him then padded from the bedroom. 

After a while, the phone at Daniel’s house across the city started ringing. The blond orchestra manager answered the call angrily, saying, “Auston Bertram, you’d better have a very convincing argument to wake me up at six in the morning! Do you even know what time it is? Do you know you…” 

“Daniel.” The man’s low voice interrupted Daniel’s next words. After knowing each other for more than ten years, Daniel knew the towering anger hidden beneath the calm voice, almost comparable to an active volcano. 

No!

This was worse than an active volcano!!!

Daniel suddenly woke up. He sat upright and asked, “Min, what’s wrong? What happened?” 

“There’s a very annoying person in the Tuckerman Prison.”

Daniel reacted at once. “You mean Luo Yusen? Haven’t you asked someone to deal with him?” 

“I don’t hate him now.” 

Daniel was frightened. “What? You don’t have him anymore? Why did you suddenly change your mind? He only began to suffer six months ago. Why did you suddenly…” 

“Daniel, the phrase life isn’t better than death… Do you know how to write it?” 

Daniel’s voice stopped abruptly. He only heard the man’s cold-blooded voice on the other end of the line, “I don’t want to touch this matter again. Daniel, this matter will trouble you. Thank you.” 

As soon as the voice fell, the line was cut. 

Daniel looked at the blackened phone screen in horror. After a long time, he shook his wife beside him and asked, “Baby, could you pinch me… Haven’t I woken up yet? I heard Auston say he’ll trouble me… and say thank you?! God, this has to be a dream… Ahhhhh, baby, it hurts! You pinched too hard!”