At the end of classes on their first day, Akkad gave Qi Mu a\ntask: develop all the pictures they took over the past few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, this was strange from the start. Now with digital technology,\nit was rare to find a full-frame SLR camera like his professor\u2019s that still\nused tape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although Qi Mu didn\u2019t understand, he went and developed the\nhundreds of photos. Then he sat and looked through them all, the beautiful scenery\nand rare shot of himself laughing, and his heart trembled. . . Now, he\nunderstood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad mentioned he lived like the dead, refusing to let\nhimself go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So. . . his teacher dragged him around to play so he could\nlet go a little?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A vulnerable smile touched Qi Mu\u2019s lips, warmth swelling in\nhis chest. His teacher might be old-fashioned, eccentric, and temperamental, but.\n. . he was cute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He carried the photo album to the music room and saw Akkad sitting\non the sofa with a few scores in hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The large windows faced south, and the warm sunlight\nfiltered through the glass, giving the room a subtle glow. Qi Mu walked over\nand set the album on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad hardly acknowledged him aside from opening the album to\nrandom pages. He looked up at Qi Mu, \u201cWell, Small Seven\u2019s photography and\ndevelopment skills are good, we\u2019ll go out and play some.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu, caught between tears and laughter, suggested, \u201cTeacher,\nI do not understand. . . how about you take a picture later?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSmall Seven, I\u2019ll let you take a picture of me, are you\nstill not happy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two laughed then Akkad set aside the album and looked at\nhim. His expression was stern as he stared at the youth opposite him, \u201cWhen you\ndeveloped them. . . what did you feel?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu\u2019s lips curled at the corners, and he replied, \u201cYes, I\nfelt. . . I was forced to play so much to make teacher happy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After repeating \u201cDon\u2019t care about the child\u201d three times in\nhis heart, Akkad snorted. \u201cFeel good about yourself. I have a song here. You\nshould be familiar with it, but after a couple weeks, I hope to hear a\ndifferent version.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu sighed in relief, \u201cTeacher, what song is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad handed him the score he had set side, and Qi Mu opened\nthe cover. When he saw the name, he stilled. He looked up at Akkad in amazement\nand saw his teacher wore a terrible smile as he spoke, \u201cPaganini 24, the 24th Capriccio.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pure white cover had a single white character\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u300ai\u300b<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Farrell recommended Qi Mu to Akkad, he had emphasized, \u201cThe\nboy\u2019s skilled. His grasp for rhythm and tone is incredibly accurate, especially\non a Paganini song. His technique was beautiful and smooth, his perception is\nunique and creative.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for Qi Mu, when Farrell mentioned Akkad\u2019s name, his\nfirst reaction was: \u201cthe contemporary Paganini.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad recorded many albums in his life, an among them, his\nrecording of the \u201c24 Caprices\u201d was the most outstanding. The Master often played\nthe 24 songs at concerts, and the depth of his feelings toward Paganini\u2019s rhapsodies\nbrought him to the pinnacle of his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But. . . Qi Mu didn\u2019t understand one facet of Akkad\u2019s words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTeacher. . . A different version? You want me to adapt this\nsong?\u201d Qi Mu could only ask this after thinking about it for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad nodded. \u201cDidn\u2019t I say it at the end of Bai Ai\u2019s concert\nlast week that I wanted you to practice adapting a song? This is the first. I\nhope to hear an innovative 24th Capriccio, unlike anything I\u2019ve heard before.\nSmall Seven, you will have to integrate yourself with this song, and in two\nweeks, show me what you pull out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This kind of task was difficult, but Qi Mu was not afraid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sun\u2019s golden light poured through the window onto the\nface of this young man. Qi Mu nodded, his tone brisk, \u201cAlright, Teacher, I will\nwork hard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu was excellent with Paganini\u2019s songs\u2014\u2014something many\npeople knew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, being good did not mean he was proficient at every\nsong. Unfortunately, he was only familiar with the 24th Capriccio. If Akkad wanted\nhim to play it, he could immediately, but. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asking him to make an adaptation, that was a bit embarrassing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Especially because it was so familiar, if he closed his eyes,\nthe melody of the song rang in his ear. It was a ferocious obstacle in his path\nto adapt it. For a long time, he didn\u2019t know what to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The situation was so stagnant that he left the music for two\ndays, took it up every now and then to practice, but he still had no idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was most likely too immersed in the music and could not pull\nhimself away from it. The next evening, when he returned to his apartment, he rubbed\nhis hair dry as he walked out of the bathroom and heard his phone buzzing. Qi\nMu picked up his phone and found six texts and a missed call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu opened the last message and was surprised to see the\nsender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen: \u3010What happened? Reply quickly.\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu checked the time on the next message. It was sent three\nhours ago\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen: \u3010How are you?\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another half an hour later\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen: \u3010Are you busy?\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After another half an hour\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen: \u3010Qi Mu\uff1f\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The last two were almost at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010\uff1f\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010What happened\uff1f\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Half an hour later, Min Chen directly called him, but Qi Mu\nwas in the shower and didn\u2019t hear it. Qi Mu didn\u2019t know the man was patient\nenough to send so many messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He smiled and texted back: \u3010Sorry, I was thinking about a song all\nafternoon and didn\u2019t even notice my phone vibrating. I\u2019m not doing anything.\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not long after, there was a reply: \u3010Hmmm.\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another came a moment later: \u3010What song?\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu thought about Akkad\u2019s original task and said: \u3010Paganini\u2019s\n24th Capriccio. Teacher wants me to innovate it.\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu canceled the vibration on his phone and continued towel\ndrying his hair. He looked in the mirror and thought: . . . When did my hair get so long?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n He didn\u2019t get to linger on that thought for long, as his\nphone suddenly rang. Qi Mu jerked a little in surprise and grabbed his phone. He\nchecked the flashing name and picked up the call. \u201cMin Chen?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The man\u2019s magnetic voice passed over the line all the way\nfrom distant London, \u201cHmmm. Is the adaptation demanding?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu wasn\u2019t expecting the question and laughed a little, \u201cTeacher\ndidn\u2019t have any requests other than giving him something new in two weeks. I\nhaven\u2019t a clue, and it\u2019s been two days. I don\u2019t know about demanding but. . . probably\nhigh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen was silent for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the other didn\u2019t intend to reply, Qi Mu added, \u201cI\u2019m a\nbit lost on how to start. I\u2019ve adapted songs before, but never a classic track.\n. . I\u2019m a little hopeless.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After a moment of silence, Min Chen\u2019s quiet voice asked, \u201cIs\nit convenient for you now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu looked around and smiled in reply, \u201cI\u2019m at my\napartment, it should be?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, I happen to be in a music room.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m at the house in London, there\u2019s a music room here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n Various rumors he had heard from members of the Vienna\nSymphony Orchestra flashed through Qi Mu\u2019s mind, specifically: there were over\na dozen Steinway nine-foot grand pianos in the Bertram family. At first, he had\nthought it was a joke, but. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n To have a music room with a piano in London as well. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s possible to have over a dozen, ah. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not noticing the strange silence, there were a few crisp\nsounds of a piano over the line then Min Chen said, without waiting for Qi Mu\u2019s\nresponse, \u201cThe piano version of 24th<\/sup> Capriccio is famous. If it\u2019s\nconvenient for you, listen to this version first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu thought of declining but suddenly recalled what Akkad\nsaid. \u201cMin Chen has that point, the one\nyou\u2019re missing.\u201d<\/em> So he accepted the other\u2019s kindness and smiled, \u201cAlright,\nI\u2019m afraid I must trouble you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After a moment, the rapid notes of a piano spilled from the\nphone\u2019s speaker. They leaped like the steps of a dance, twisting dramatically between\ntension and confrontation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu could envision the man on the other side of the phone,\nhis fingers dancing over the black and white keys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because it was transmitted over the line, there were some\ndeviations in the sound, but even then, it couldn\u2019t weaken the elegance of this\npiece\u2019s music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After Liszt adapted Paganini\u2019s 24th<\/sup> Capriccio for\nthe piano, it became a favorite for many piano prodigies. Liszt was the crazy\nmaster of illusion, and his skill on the piano spanned across the era, earning\nthe disdain of his peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact. . . Min Chen could also be regarded as someone who\nliked to show off his skill, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n He remembered \u300aThe Night Tsunami\u300b the\nman had played at Hong Kong Disneyland. At the time, the man\u2019s slender fingers\nfly over the piano\u2019s keys as though they were born for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was a beautiful portamento, and it pulled Qi Mu from the\nmemory. Shortly after, the short 24th<\/sup> Capriccio ended, and silence\nremained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe piano and violin are a bit different, but there are\nstill. . . some things in common. If you have questions, call me any time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu\u2019s face broke into an uncontrollable smile, \u201cAlright.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teacher really was being playful, ah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Look at Min Chen, how zealous, how kind, ah!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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