Akkad\u2019s questioning had Min Chen speechless. His fierce Phoenix eyes narrowed, then he sighed. \u201cReed, you\u2019ve played the violin for over sixty years. Do you think. . . it\u2019s possible for two people to sound the same?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stunned, Akkad shook his head. \u201cImpossible. Even in different stages of life, the same person\u2019s style and skill will make them sound different.\u201d After a pause, he asked, curious, \u201cMin, why ask such a simple question?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s profile so Akkad couldn\u2019t gauge his expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen\u2019s eyebrows furrowed, and he whispered, \u201cQi Mu\u2019s violin. . . sounds a lot like someone I knew.\u201d He added afterward, \u201cThat man was important to me. He helped me with something long ago, but he died young.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad nodded, feeling guilty, and said, \u201cI\u2019m sorry Min. . . I didn\u2019t expect that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. His music sounds very similar, and I was concerned. But I don\u2019t want to cast too much attention on him.\u201d Min Chen nodded a little and stared into the darkness ahead of them. \u201cHe\u2019s talented and diligent, so teach him properly. It\u2019s not a problem for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad was also in favor. \u201cYes, if you can continue like this, not afraid of trouble, it\u2019ll be good for a lot of potential newcomers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It wasn\u2019t much later 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The little old man stared at the handsome man sitting in the car and asked in a solemn tone, \u201cMin. That still doesn\u2019t explain why you\u2019re so good to my lovely Small Seven. . . Are you not homosexual?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This question had been tossed to the back of his mind, but now he brought it up again. Min Chen was a little stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen\u2019s dark eyes flashed with humor, and he raised them to look him in the eye. He asked blandly, \u201cOh? Did I say I wasn\u2019t gay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once Min Chen had spoken, the driver, aware of Min Chen\u2019s temper, stepped on the gas and pulled away from the curb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a quiet, empty street in Paris, a little old man dropped his coat in resentment and shouted after a beautiful Bentley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAuston Bertram! You insidious demon! You really approached my lovely student with such ill intentions! You demon!!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the violent cries behind him, the man in the car pursed his lips into a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
. . . Was he gay?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, that question would have to be directed to his future wife and what gender they were.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And if that was Qi Mu. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The brain said it wasn\u2019t reasonable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the heart. . . the heart said it wasn\u2019t wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu dialed his teacher\u2019s number and listened as the eccentric old man said in surprise, \u201cDidn\u2019t you see the email I sent you last night, Seven? Today, we\u2019re going to the Louvre so show up at nine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luckily, at least he had brought along the big full-frame SLR camera?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the River Seine, the Palace of Versailles. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the third day, the last landscape 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Numerous tourists walked along the river and, in the crowd, this pair of a handsome young man and short old man\u2014\u2014it must have looked a little weird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSmall Seven, remember to be at the music room at eight tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu was looking at the photographs but looked up, feeling out of place. It was like waiting for chocolate every day but getting a cake each day and now finally being told: tomorrow we\u2019ll eat chocolate!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014\u2014At least, that\u2019s probably what it was like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
. . . Qi Mu couldn\u2019t be blamed too much, though. He had seen so much chocolate these days and wanted a detour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTeacher, tomorrow. . . do we officially begin the course?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad raised an eyebrow. \u201cHave we not been learning these past few days?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGo to the music room early tomorrow. The school estimates the renovations should be done. Small Seven, ah, don\u2019t be surprised when you see the insides tomorrow. This is a surprise teacher has for you, haha.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu smiled. \u201cTeacher, isn\u2019t this type of thing supposed to be kept quiet until the last moment?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad disagreed, \u201cThat\u2019s an unsuccessful surprise. The surprise I prepared for you, even if you know, you\u2019ll still be thrilled, ah!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu nodded, \u201cYes, yes, Teacher, I know. I\u2019ll be amazed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This answer satisfied Akkad, and they continued walking along the embankment. Akkad pulled on Qi Mu\u2019s arm, and the student looked at his teacher in surprise, \u201cTeacher?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf I remember. . . Bai Ai\u2019s leaving Paris today?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu nodded, a little astounded. \u201cYes, Teacher. I heard they left today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These days, Qi Mu accompanied Akkad everywhere every day. He returned to his apartment late 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAh. . . Small seven, teacher\u2019s telling you to stay further away from that Auston guy. He. . . is not a good guy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu looked at Akkad\u2019s mysterious expression, \u201cTeacher, why. . . do you say that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis. . . this. . . anyway, you don\u2019t need to look for him often. He\u2019s not a good guy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s heart became awkward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anyone else was fine, but to let that cold, ill-tempered guy around his lovely student, it made Akkad uncomfortable!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After getting along these few days, Qi Mu knew his teacher had a veritable mouth. While he didn\u2019t understand why he needed to \u201cslander\u201d Min Chen, it was easy for him to follow the old man\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He smiled and bowed his head, \u201cYes, teacher, I know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, alright then,\u201d snorted Akkad in satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He didn\u2019t know, behind him, the young man described as beautiful lifted his hand to cover his smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How was Min Chen a bad guy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, teacher must be feeling playful again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Evening, London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another aircraft dropped onto the runway of Heathrow Airport. The international airport welcomed tens of thousands of passengers every day. Sometimes, even the security checkpoint lines were long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the members of Vienna Symphony Orchestra exited with their instruments, the round sunset was almost completely hidden by the horizon outside, peeking down at the people below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first stop on the Vienna Symphony\u2019s tour was London this year. This wasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seated inside, Luo Yu Sen sat alone at the end with no one to care about him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After Lu Zi Wen\u2019s death, everyone had little opinion of him. Even the police couldn\u2019t file a complaint against him, but there was a small bump in everyone\u2019s hearts they couldn\u2019t release. After all, this had to do with an actual life, they dared not think about it too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whenever the orchestra\u2019s chief, Jasper, ridiculed Luo Yu Sen in public, the other members would detour away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although Jasper wasn\u2019t good looking, his interpersonal relationship with the orchestra was still good. Between offending the former or the latter, everyone\u2019s choice was obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the last row of the bus, one person sat alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luo Yu Sen\u2019s dark eyes stared resentfully at the fat, black man sitting at the front of the bus. His gaze didn\u2019t trouble the other man at all, but he still stared. After a long time, he whispered, \u201cJasper. . . this is what you\u2019ve forced me to do. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This early spring night\u2019s sky was dark. Luo Yu Sen\u2019s finger hitting send on his mobile could be seen in the window\u2019s reflection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Afterward, he sighed with relief and sneered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou. . . just you wait for it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n