Just as Qi Mu got off the plane and set foot on B City once\nmore, the wind was cold like a knife as it whizzed past his face. He tightened\nthe wool scarf around his neck and took a taxi back to his apartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Initially, Qi Mu considered purchasing a car, but for the\ntime being, there was no need to contemplate the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If he really had the honor of becoming Professor Akkad\u2019s\nstudent, then he would leave for Paris. He would not stay in the city for long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next day, when Qi Mu returned to the B City Symphony\nOrchestra, there was no special reception from the other members. They all\ncongratulated him on his success at the Centennial Celebration. Only Du Sheng\u2019s\ngaze stared at him, profound, then took him to Tan Lao\u2019s lounge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tan Lao was always serious and old-fashioned. Like others\nfrom his era, he was almost traditionally conservative, but he had a vision and\nexpectation that strove for innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His lounge\u2019s layout was simple. Apart from a few chairs at a\ntable and an old desk, there were only a few trophies and pennants the\norchestra had won decorating the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu opened the door and directly entered. Tan Lao was in\nthe middle of looking over the next season\u2019s repertoire, but after seeing Du\nSheng and Qi Mu come in, he set the pile of papers aside. He looked up and\nsaid, \u201cXiao Qi, ah. This time, S City\u2019s performance was quite good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because the orchestra had been busy, Tan Lao did not have\nthe change to go to S City. However, ever since the concert, several magazines,\nand other insiders had praised the performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Naturally, Tan Lao saw the re-broadcast on Huaxia CCTV last\nnight. Though hearing it over the system was far from seeing it in person, Tan\nLao believed the entire performance was excellent, and the ending had successfully\nsuppressed the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu\u2019s eyes dipped in a smile, \u201cThank you for the praise,\nTan Lao.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tan Lao was also not roundabout. He said bluntly, \u201cYou\nshould have gotten in yesterday, but I got a call from Wen Jun. I hear. . . you\nmet with Master Farrell Louis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu understood what Tan Lao and Du Sheng had called him\nout for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He did not deny it. He smiled with a nod, \u201cYes, I met Master\nFarrell yesterday. He told me that he wanted to recommend me to Master Reed\nAkkad as a student.\u201d He added, \u201cMaster Akkad is currently a professor at the\nNational Conservatory of Music in Paris.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although Tan Zheng Hui already knew from his conversation\nwith Zhu Wen Jun, he still felt both sad and relieved to hear it from Qi Mu\u2019s\nown mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sad, because if Qi Mu went to Paris, he would barely return\nto B City a handful of times a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But relieved because this child would finally begin his\nstudies and train under the master musician, Reed Akkad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tan Lao did not speak, but Du Sheng, who sat to his side,\nsmiled, \u201cXiao Qi, I did not expect there to be good news from you going off to\nS City. When I found out, I thought I had heard wrong! You must cherish this\nopportunity, ah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a gentle smile, Qi Mu said, \u201cDu-ge, you\u2019re thinking too\nfar ahead. Mr. Farrell just took back my albums to have Professor Akkad listen\nto them. I haven\u2019t necessarily been accepted as his student yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Du Sheng shook his head. \u201cSince Mr. Farrell has already\nspoken to you about it, he is naturally quite sure. You cannot give up this\nopportunity, you must go. It\u2019s already unbelievable that Reed Akkad is a\nprofessor, you can\u2019t be like last time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He referred to Qi Mu\u2019s rejection of Professor Karl\u2019s offer,\nbut this time, Qi Mu had already made up his mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the past six months, he had learned and grown a lot.\nHuaxia was his motherland, but what he needed now was to learn even more and make\nhimself stronger. So he could better develop Huaxia\u2019s classical music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPlease, rest assured, Du-ge. If I have the honor, I will\nseize it.\u201d After a pause, Qi Mu looked at Tan Lao and said, \u201cTan Lao, you don\u2019t\nhave to worry about me. I know what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tan Lao had long been watching Qi Mu\u2019s growth. He looked at\nthe handsome young man standing before him and felt that this youth had changed\na lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was none of that suborn rebelliousness in his memory,\nthat offensive speech and behavior. Now, Qi Mu was like warm jade. Although the\nlight had converged, people could still see the magnificence of this treasure\nat just a glance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a long while, Tan Lao finally sighed, \u201cXiao Qi, the\nfirst performance of our tour next month. . . you will replace Lao Du.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It took time for Qi Mu to comprehend what he meant, but when\nhe did, his fingers clenched tight, and he asked, \u201cTan Lao, you mean. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tan Zheng Hui, who always kept a stern expression, slowly showed\na kind smile. He nodded. \u201cYou\u2019ve been in the orchestra for five months, and\nyou\u2019ve rehearsed for so long. You have the chance to be a concertmaster, and\nyou won\u2019t? What can you do as assistant concertmaster?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The content was a reprimand, but Tan Lao\u2019s tone was soft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said it easily and casually, but for Qi Mu\u2019s ears, it\nstunned him in place. Qi Mu did not dare believe his ears, but his hearing was\nperfect, and he could not even pretend to wave away Tan Lao\u2019s words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou really. . . want me as concertmaster for the first\nround!?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu couldn\u2019t believe it and asked again, but Tan Lao\u2019s\nexpression darkened, and he asked, \u201cWhy not? You don\u2019t have the confidence?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu immediately smiled and shook his head, saying\nconfidently, \u201cNo, I do! You can rest assured, I will perform well!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tan Lao smiled and let him go practice after a few more\nwords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the quiet lounge, with only Du Sheng and Tan Lao in the\nroom, the old-fashioned man suddenly lost the tension in his body, and he gazed\ninto the distance without focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Du Sheng sighed, \u201cTan Lao, I\u2019m afraid Xiao Qi really will. .\n. go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tan Lao nodded but did not speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t sign a long-term contract with him precisely because\nof this, but I didn\u2019t expect this day. . . to come so fast. It\u2019s only been half\na year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When he recruited Qi Mu to the B City Symphony Orchestra,\nTan Lao had used personal connections to sign a temporary contract with him. As\nlong as there was three-months notice, either party could terminate the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The official contract was for three years. But Qi Mu was in\nthe prime of his life right now, the perfect time to grow and learn. Tan Lao\ndid not want to restrict him to the orchestra in such a crucial period, so he\nhad given him such a special contract. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, no one thought that it would be put to use so soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a while, Tan Lao looked at Du Sheng and scolded with a\nsmile, \u201cWhat? You\u2019re not happy Xiao Qi is going to Paris?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Du Sheng immediately retorted, \u201cWhere? Aren\u2019t you afraid\nyou\u2019ll be sad? Who doesn\u2019t know how old you are, yet you\u2019re so partial to Xiao\nQi. You\u2019ve given my position to Xiao Qi already.\u201d Du Sheng\u2019s words lacked any\njealousy, just a laughing joke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tan Lao\u2019s eyebrows rose. \u201cI know I favor him, but who are\nyou to speak? Don\u2019t you guide him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a few more laughs, Du Sheng left the lounge. Alone in\nthe silent room, Tan Zheng Hui stared at the list in his hand without saying a\nword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some time later, a sigh echoed in the lounge, but it was\nlight and soon dissipated in the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since Qi Mu was confirmed as concertmaster for the first\nround of performances, the entire orchestra\u2019s rehearsals began once again. Many\nmembers were happy to congratulate Qi Mu on the opportunity, but at the same\ntime, they knew that it meant he was leaving the orchestra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But no one took the initiative to bring it up and instead,\nthey rehearsed, dutiful as always.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Half a month later, just when he thought perhaps he wouldn\u2019t\nget to go to Paris after all, Qi Mu received a call from Farrell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the phone, Farrell first apologized and said Professor\nAkkad\u2019s temper was too eccentric. The man wouldn\u2019t call him personally, but he\nalso brought good news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAngel, Reed really likes your music. Especially once he heard\nyour \u300aLiang\nZhu\u300b,\nhe decided to take you on. Qi, You know, Reed has such a bad temper! He\nlistened to your albums and put off replying to me for two weeks! Today, I\u2019m\nhappy to tell you\u2014\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAngel, come to Paris!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When he got the news, Qi Mu was packing up his violin case to\nhead home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was such an overwhelming, indescribably complex\nemotion swelling in his heart that he didn\u2019t care too much when he heard the\nname \u201cAngel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was. . . Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There. . . Reed Akkad would be his teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There. . . He would encounter several of the world\u2019s top\nclassical musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There, it was Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Six months, he\u2014\u2014half a year!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He could go back!<\/p>\n\n\n\n