Since\nthere were no serious repercussions, this crisis came and went as a simple\nmatter. Evra\u2019s strict mannerisms and his fierce criticism of Jasper made the\nentire thing akin to dropping a stone into the sea, negligible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jasper thanked Min Chen solemnly\nafterward, but the latter waved it off and answered, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter, it isn\u2019t\na big deal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Evra snorted, never wanting to pay\nattention to this abominable guy again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No wonder Farrell would say: Don\u2019t\ncompare yourself to Min Chen! This inhuman creature can kill with just words!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the hustle and bustle of Paris,\nQi Mu naturally didn\u2019t know of this \u201csmall matter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the fifth day of practice, Qi Mu\nstared at the music score of his adaptation. He laughed a little and turned it\nover, saying to himself, \u201cNow. . . I really have no ideas left. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had never done anything like\nthis in the past, especially adapting such a familiar song. These days, he had\npracticed \u300aNo. 24\u300b to the point that he could hear it in his head before going to\nbed at night. Yet, it still did not reach the level Professor Akkad desired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu practiced the song again and\nagain for the entire afternoon, hoping to find some inspiration. Of course, nothing\nappeared. After heaving a long sigh, he packed up his things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After leaving college, he would\neither head to the Seine River or the Eiffel Tower to see the scenery\u2014\u2014this was\nQi Mu\u2019s life nowadays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He wanted to find inspiration in\nthe relaxation, but the elves were being mischievous and hiding it from him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu dried his hair that evening\nand gave a rare peek at the Danube Forum. Pleasantly surprised at the speed of\nthe internet, he refreshed the front page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most popular posts were about\nthe Vienna Symphony Orchestra\u2019s performance tonight. Qi Mu had been \u201cisolated\u201d\nfrom the world the past few days and realized that now. . . Evra and the\norchestra gave their premiere concert in London already!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu\u2019s hatred at seeing the name\n\u201cVienna Symphony Orchestra\u201d had already loosened. Of course, he couldn\u2019t\nguarantee that he wouldn\u2019t break that scum to pieces next time he saw him, to\nlet him experience the same agony of suffocating to death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He read a few more posts then\nstopped paying any mind to it. About to close the page, he saw a few threads\nmarked \u201cHot.\u201d All of them introduced Bai Ai\u2019s concert that would be held in\nthree days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu suddenly realized. . . Bai Ai\nleft Paris quite a while ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He hadn\u2019t realized it had been so\nlong. . . Over the past few days, he had been in constant contact with that man\nby text, so Qi Mu didn\u2019t even realize he was on the other side of the strait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since Qi Mu arrived in Paris, he\nand Min Chen were often in contact, like friends. At first, Min Chen\naccidentally sent a text when practicing the piano. At the time, Akkad happened\nto be on the sofa nearby and saw his screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The little old man pouted, \u201cLittle\nSeven, exactly how do you use Chinese characters? The language is too\ncomplicated, who are you talking to?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu remembered. . . his proud\nteacher seemed to dislike Min Chen recently. Thus, he felt fortunate his phone\ndefaulted to Chinese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He later told Min Chen it was\nprobably best not to contact him during the day. After all. . . not only did he\nhave to practice, but he also had the temperamental Akkad beside him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was in such constant contact\nwith the man, it was strange that Qi Mu didn\u2019t know Bai Ai was holding a\nconcert in London. He studied the English text on his computer and his phone\nvibrated next to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu paused when he saw the name\nflash across the screen then laughed, \u201cWhat a coincidence.\u201d He answered the\ncall, \u201cGood evening, Min Chen.\u201d He held the phone to his ear in one hand and\nsmiled, \u201cI was just reading about Bai Ai\u2019s concert, didn\u2019t expect your call.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The man on the other side of the\nphone didn\u2019t expect such a coincidence either. Min Chen whispered in reply, \u201cChristole\nhasn\u2019t been in good health, so it was delayed a little.\u201d After a pause, he\nasked, \u201cParis isn\u2019t that far from London, do you need tickets?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu looked at a post titled \u3010No tickets for Bai Ai. God has abandoned me.\u3011 Min Chen\u2019s words were a direct contradiction, and he shook his\nhead, \u201cI\u2019m afraid I don\u2019t have time. I have no idea with that adaptation, so I\nreally don\u2019t have spare time to go out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tall, handsome man standing\noutside the orchestra\u2019s rehearsing hall frowned and asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although Min Chen said to contact\nhim if he had any difficulties, Qi Mu hadn\u2019t said anything else, and Min Chen\nmistakenly assumed everything was going smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The young man on the phone sighed,\n\u201cWhen you played No. 24, I had a rough idea, but I couldn\u2019t capture that feeling.\nI think. . . I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s because it was over the phone or something,\nbut you\u2019ve been busy lately, so I didn\u2019t tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu knew that Min Chen was leading\nBai Ai\u2019s concert in London so he would have to lead the rehearsals before the\nperformance. Min Chen wouldn\u2019t have much spare time either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu stared at the text on his\ncomputer and smiled into the phone, \u201cThank you for your help. In time, I think\nI might find that feeling Teacher wants.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After exchanging a few more words,\nQi Mu hung up, turned around and started to pick up the clothes strewn about,\ntidying up his room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What he didn\u2019t know is, under the\ncold moonlight, the handsome conductor stared at his phone with a profound\ngaze. No one knew what he was thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A blond with blue eyes rushed out\nof the rehearsal hall and found the person he was looking for. \u201cHey, Min! Who\ndid you call? Christole already gave the first rehearsal. Come!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In front of the large windows, Min\nChen turned to Daniel and asked, \u201cHas he finished?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel nodded, \u201cYes. You\u2019ve been on\nthe phone for a while. Say, Min, who on earth have you been contacting? You were\nnever like this before!\u201d Daniel seemed to realize something, and his eyes\nwidened in horror. \u201cGod, Min! You\u2019re not in love with some cute girl, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh God, it\u2019s possible. Only love\nwould make a person so blind! Only love would change you so much, you cold\nbastard! Min, quick, tell me. Which lovely lady is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen\u2019s cold eyes swept over\nDaniel, disgusted. He sighed through his nose and gave a muffled reply, \u201cQi Mu.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, her name is Qi Mu. That\u2019s a\nlovely name, just like. . . Hang on a second! Min, who are you talking about?!\nQi Mu? Isn\u2019t that Engelchen\u2019s name?! Damn, they share the same name? Oh no, who\nwill give their daughter such a name. . . Don\u2019t tell me, it\u2019s really that\nlovely Chinese angel?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel was so frightened that his\nface changed. He thought for a long while then asked tentatively, \u201cMin. . . am\nI thinking too much? Why are you so concerned about Engelchen lately? Do you\nwant to bring him into our orchestra?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen raised an eyebrow in\nsurprise and repeated his question, \u201cDo you want to bring him into our\norchestra?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel cried, \u201cMy God, Min! You\ndon\u2019t want to bring him into the orchestra?! Are you really in love with him?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a moment of impatient\nsilence, Min Chen walked to the rehearsal hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, the talkative agent was\nwrapped up in the topic and spewed things like: \u201cMin, do you like Engelchen?\u201d,\n\u201cOh no, Engelchen is a man!\u201d, \u201cBut if you like him, that\u2019s okay too. Better\nthan having no one in your life.\u201d and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel concluded his blabbering\nwith, \u201cEven if you like a man, it\u2019s better than being alone all your life God,\nI\u2019ve never seen you like anyone, even after knowing you for so many years. . .\nIt\u2019s like Engelchen was sent by God to save you, and the rest of us oppressed\nby the devil. . . yes. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel\u2019s words were drowned out by\nthe man\u2019s cold, indifferent eyes. He gulped, \u201c. . . Min?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy aren\u2019t you continuing?\u201d Min\nChen\u2019s face was expressionless. He asked in a dull tone, \u201cYou think. . . I like\nhim?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDamn it! You dare say you don\u2019t?!\nThen why are you so kind to him?! Don\u2019t think I don\u2019t know! I heard from Akkad,\nthat stinky old man said you brought chocolate and asked him to take Engelchen\nas a student!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This response was beyond Min Chen\u2019s\nexpectation. After a pause, he calmly answered, \u201cQi Mu is a good seedling, and\nAkkad is a suitable teacher for him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel was incredulous, \u201cThat\u2019s\nsomething that should be done by family! Don\u2019t say you suddenly have a good\nheart and want to sow the seed of love to the world. That\u2019s God\u2019s business, it\nhas nothing to do with you demons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen frowned and did not reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel waved his hand, \u201cOkay, okay.\nI hope it\u2019s just me thinking too much. Who told you to hold your phone and wait\nfor texts every day looking like my niece waiting for her boyfriend to call?\nI\u2019ll leave this matter alone. It\u2019s your private business anyway. Let\u2019s go and\nrehearse!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With that, Daniel hurried into the\nrehearsal hall, but after a few steps, he noticed the man who should have followed\nwas gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel turned and asked, \u201cHey, Min.\nWhat are you doing. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel\u2019s voice halted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the endless sky, Min Chen\nstood alone in London\u2019s dark night, rooted in place. The lips praised by many\nfans as the sexiest in the world were pursed tight, and his always cold\nPhoenix\u2019s eyes were blank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel\u2019s heartbeat spiked, and he\nunderstood something was happening, but. . . he couldn\u2019t quite grasp it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen tightened his fist until\nwell-manicured nails left crescent marks in his palms. After several moments,\nhe dropped his gaze and asked, quietly to himself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201dReally. . . is this so special?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n