The spring breeze streaked across the campus\u2019s lawn, between\nParis\u2019 buildings, and through their exquisite architecture. The national conservatory\nwas filled with students. Some played the trumpet, some the violin, the music\nwas elegant, forming a unique atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A handsome man walked the white cobblestone path up to the\ncollege. He wore sunglasse, and his lips were thin. His expression was cold,\nbut he held a bag of chocolate in his right hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat person looks familiar. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWho? Oh my god, it is familiar. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c. . . Doesn\u2019t that. . . look at bit like Mr. Autson\nBertram?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow could that be? Bai Ai came to Paris to perform, but Mr.\nBertram isn\u2019t conducting. The guest conductor, Mr. Charles Littis, is in\ncharge. Mr. Bertram probably didn\u2019t come to Paris!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah. . . how could Mr. Bertram possibly be here? . . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some students whispered in surprise when they saw the man\nwalking up. None of these whispers escaped Min Chen\u2019s ear, but he continued\nforward calm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014\u2014This kind of behavior made everyone guess \u201cThis man is\ndefinitely not Mr. Bertram.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, halfway to the building, he suddenly stopped and turned\nto look at a girl standing under the shade of a tree and practicing seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The girl\u2019s hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she had\nfreckles dotting her face. She was focused intently on her songs. It was one of\nhis, but her skill had a few. . . deficiencies and she kept fumbling. Her\ndelicate face was damp with anxious sweat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a sigh, Min Chen walked over and stated, \u201cIn the third\nsection of \u300aConstance\u300b, there\u2019s\na problem with your finger technique. If you change the strings, you\u2019ll reduce the\ndifficulty, but. . . the effect will be poor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His low, magnetic voice carried over the quiet lawn. The girl\nlooked up in amazement and stared at him with fright. The students scattered\naround them were confused and turned to look at him as well. When they saw him\nunder the shadow of the tree, Min Chen merely removed his sunglasses and\nextended his hand to point at the girl\u2019s fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps a conductor could endure terrible music for a while.\nBut if a composer were to hear his own song being played like this, even for\nMin Chen, it was unbearable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The moment Min Chen removed his sunglasses, everything was silent\nfor a moment. The next, chatter exploded\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh my god, it\u2019s really Mr. Bertram! Lily, I was right, it\nis him!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGod! How did Mr. Bertram get here? Come!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAaah. To get to see Mr. Bertram, I\u2019m so lucky!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This mayhem caused by Min Chen\u2019s arrival in the violin\ndepartment spread throughout the entire college. Although Reed Akkad was one of\nthe world\u2019s best musicians, he was a little less famous, and the most important\nthing is. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen is so handsome!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No matter the country, people with excellent looks. . . it\nreally was an advantage!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Min Chen pushed aside Professor Akkad\u2019s lounge door, the\nproud, awkward little old man snorted and was too lazy to look at him. He\nturned and pointed his butt towards the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen set the Jeff de Bruge gift back next to Professor Akkad and sat casually on the soft to the side. His dark eyes narrowed, and he said, \u201cReed, I haven\u2019t seen you in a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad\u2019s answer was chilly, \u201cHaven\u2019t seen you, haven\u2019t seen\nyou. You meet my students downstairs and get surrounded by lovely schoolgirls.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His phoenix eyes flashed with a hint of a smile. In the face\nof old friends, he naturally understood the man\u2019s personality. He pushed the\nchocolate gift bag forward with a finger and said solemnly, \u201cI came today to\nask something of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad blinked at the bag. Then he hurried and stuffed it into\nhis desk drawer. He looked over at him. \u201cIf you have something, say it. I don\u2019t\nwant to play with an orchestra right now. If you want to invite me over to play,\nit goes without saying, Min.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reed Akkad had recently had a change of heart and wanted to\nteach a student. Min Chen naturally knew and had come over because of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI wanted to recommend a student for you. His skill is good,\nand he\u2019s diligent enough. More than enough to consider.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen\u2019s tone was calm. He knew Akkad was looking for a\nstudent, and he had come with a personal recommendation. It was naturally watertight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But. . . to his surprise, Akkad actually shook his head and\nsaid decisively, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen jerked forward in surprise, \u201cWhy? He\u2019s good, and he\nhas a keen understanding of the violin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad reached into the drawer and took out the bag of\nchocolates. He sat it on the table and reluctantly showed it to Min Chen. \u201cMin,\nit\u2019s not that I doubt you, but. . . do you see this bag?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The handsome man across from him rubbed his brow. He turned to look at Akkad\u2019s hands. There was a Jeff de Bruge gift bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat about it?\u201d Min Chen asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad shook his head and said, \u201cThis is what my student bought\nfor me this morning. Min, I just took a student this morning. He\u2019s a great kid.\nI have little experience teaching. It\u2019s impossible for me to take two students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad\u2019s word was a surprise. Min Chen only listened as he continued. \u201cLook, the boss of Jeff de Bruge is your fan. You don\u2019t need to wait for a bag. My lovely little student? He has to get up two or maybe even three hours early to wait. He\u2019s a good boy, Min. I won\u2019t give him up just for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the past thirty years, Min Chen had never been rejected\nbefore. Especially. . . in the classical music world. No one doubted his ears,\nand as long as he made the recommendation, they would stand at the top of the\nmusic scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was a first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it was impossible to force Akkad to change students\njust for his sake. He sighed and understood he was a step too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two moved on to talk about the next concert. When the\nsun set, Min Chen finally rose and took the custom sunglasses from the neck of\nhis coat. Before he could put them on, he suddenly stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He looked at Akkad and said, \u201cReed, I believe in your\nvision. Your student must be excellent. Can I have the honor. . . what is his\nname?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad thought about it for a while then smiled around a\nmouthful of white teeth, \u201cHe\u2019s called Xiao Qi.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSmall seven. . . ?\u201d Min Chen whispered then didn\u2019t worry\nabout it anymore. He nodded, \u201cWell, Reed, I will see you later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad suddenly remembered something and hastened to shout, \u201cWait\na minute, Min! Do you still have tickets for the day after tomorrow? I\u2019d like\nto take my student to hear it, but your concert\u2019s tickets are always hard to grab.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen only hesitated for a moment then nodded, \u201cI\u2019ll have\nDaniel send you tickets tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad nodded with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Daniel heard what he\u2019d said to Akkad, his blue eyes widened\nin disbelief. \u201cAuston!!! I asked only a few days ago! When I went to give you tickets,\nwhat did you say? You said you had no friends to come, so I didn\u2019t need to keep\nthem!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow there is!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel was too surprised, or perhaps too crazy, and directly\ncalled out, \u201cAuston!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen looked at Daniel, calm, and answered, \u201cIf I\nremember. . . if it\u2019s for my family, there\u2019s always three seats reserved?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c. . .\u201d Daniel was speechless. \u201cFamily. . . you want Akkad and\nhis student. . . to sit in the same box as you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the permanent lead conductor, the second-floor box was\nfree for Min Chen at every Bai Ai concert if he wished. It was independent and\nsecluded, but it could comfortably accommodate four people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen usually never liked to use these privileges, but\nthis time. . . it surprised Daniel. He whispered, \u201cMin, even if the other guy\nis Reed Akkad, you don\u2019t have to do this? I thought you\u2019d never use it in your\nlife.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paris\u2019s sunset was a gentle glow. Min Chen raised his head\nand looked to the distant west. The purple-red clouds rendered the sky a\nbeautiful garden of Eden. The scene was magnificent, and even Min Chen could\nonly stand and stare for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe thinks. . . his\nstudent is better than Qi Mu? I\u2019d like to see him too. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel touched his head and asked, \u201cEh, Min? What did you\nsay? What are you looking at?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nothing.\u201d He shook his head and whispered, \u201cRemember,\nI\u2019m going to send Akkad an invitation tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel forgot about what Min Chen just said to himself and\nclutched his head in pain. \u201cOh my god. . . \nI really don\u2019t want to see Akkad. That stinking old man! Every time, he\nlaughs at my beautiful hair! He dares to say I have too little, that I\u2019ll go bald!\nHe must be jealous of my thick hair!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under that same sunset, Qi Mu put everything away in his\nsmall apartment. Afterward, even the fridge was packed full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once everything was done, he laid on the soft sofa and said,\n\u201cTomorrow. . . I will attend college officially. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know. . . what will it be like? . . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n