Time flies when immersed in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the time Qi Mu felt he had found the inspiration for the\nadaptation, it was already a week away from Akkad\u2019s deadline. The Berlin Philharmonic\nOrchestra\u2019s concert in London was long over and another great success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bai Ai\u2019s concert was held at the Royal Albert Hall, the\noldest concert hall in England, and Bai Ai\u2019s musicians performed enthusiastically,\ngiving their audience a thrill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Qi Mu logged into the Danube Forum to check on the\nlatest news, he found that 17 of 20 posts on the front page were about the\nconcert!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People gave a technical review of the concert, from the song\nselection to the adaptation and the scores themselves. And at the end, they all\nremarked: \u201cA lucky thing to be in London this month!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ain\u2019t that the truth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, there was the European Tour premiere of the Vienna\nSymphony Orchestra, then the Berlin Philharmonic. It was good news for\nclassical music enthusiasts, especially the ones that got to listen to two\nhigh-level concerts in a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010I went to the show in Paris, and Mr. Charles is an excellent\nconductor. But, after listening to the London concert, it\u2019s clear. Even though\nthe songs were the same, and the arrangement didn\u2019t change, I felt they were\ntwo entirely different concerts. It was that wonderful!\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This post received hundreds of replies, and the original\nmade it to the top comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu scrolled down and saw many agreed with this post:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010Yes, Mr. Bertram\u2019s style is not that different, but it\nchanges the entire concert. How to say it. . . God, I can\u2019t even describe it!\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010Mr. Bertram and Mr. Littis are both Bai Ai conductors, and\ntheir styles lean towards classical orthodoxy. But. . . Mr. Bertram feels solemn\nwhile Mr. Littis is romantic.\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010Exactly! You took the words right out of my mouth!\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010So. . . Mr. Bertram isn\u2019t that amiable then?\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When someone said that as the hundredth reply, no one responded\nfor a while. Then an unknown daringly ran up and said: \u3010Our conductor is gentle\nand kind. He. .. he never gets angry when he\u2019s conducting our rehearsals! Really!\nHe just. . . He just seems a bit cold! Hmph!\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then, several people rushed to ask: \u3010Is this person from Bai\nAi?\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010God, you dare to reply. . . Let me guess who you are?!\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010Good thing this is an anonymous forum. Otherwise, I would\nbe worried about that buddy\u2019s safety.\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Comments like this were not in the minority. Since there was\nsuch a fierce gentleman, countless people debated over the passionate discussion\non the anonymous poll question\u2014\u2014 \u201cWhich conductor do you think has the worst\ntemper?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu just laughed and didn\u2019t pay attention to it anymore.\nHe turned to the second page and was surprised to see a familiar name\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3010Violinist Sheng Yan Hui from Huaxia will hold a solo\nrecital at the Munich Conservatory of Music!\u3011<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu hadn\u2019t seen Sheng Yan Hui for half a year, but he\nheard that Sheng Yan Hui followed Professor Karl and participated in many\ncompetitions to won awards. He gradually gained relative fame in Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu thought for a bit, then responded with \u201cLooking\nforward to it,\u201d and paid it no further mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a spring night. The moonlight was silent and dim,\nshining onto the empty streets. There was not a sound in a small apartment, its\nbusy resident having already fallen into a peaceful sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, just across the strait in London, the members of\nBai Ai held a celebration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some were doing something sneaky with their mobiles, and\nsome were toasting each other to celebrate. Of course. . . No one dared hold a glass\nto their silent conductor who sat alone in the corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christole came over with a reluctant Daniel. He smiled and\nsaid, \u201cMin, the performance tonight was great!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel was helplessly to add, \u201cCheers, Min!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That day Daniel saw Min Chen stand in the rehearsal hall and\na murmur a few words to himself, he thought: \u201cThis guy must have been possessed by a ghost.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though he handled the orchestra and rehearsals usually,\nDaniel had known Min Chen for over ten years\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was something wrong with Auston!<\/p>\n\n\n\n He had no idea what had happened, but he knew this damn\nfellow was not right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen raised his glass and tapped it against Christole\u2019s\nthen Daniel\u2019s and took a sip. Christole was a gentle and amiable person so he\ncould laugh and chatter with Min Chen and Daniel easily. But before long, he\nleft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Outside the large window, London\u2019s beautiful night view scrawled\nacross the horizon. The Thames River flowed gently in the dim light, and the\nbridge was illuminated by many lights, making it look inlaid with gold. It was\nmagnificent from afar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen held his slender glass\u2019 stem, looking out the\nwindow. He frowned, pondering something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel couldn\u2019t help himself. \u201cMin. . . What\u2019s the matter\nwith you lately? You\u2019re not like yourself. You\u2019ve never been so quiet. . . Okay,\nno. You\u2019re usually quiet but not to this extent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen didn\u2019t reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For a while, Daniel was rooted in the same place, not sure\nwhat to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few minutes later, Min Chen slowly turned his head and\nasked, \u201cDaniel. We\u2019ve known each other for over a decade. In your opinion. . .\nwhat kind of person am I?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel gawked. Then he said, \u201cVery talented, very strong,\nalso very\u2014\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBe frank.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel snorted. \u201cYou\u2019re a stingy, poisonous fellow and you\nalways say things with a deadly expression. If I hated you, I\u2019m sure I would be\ndisinclined to manage you for my whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After venting a little, Daniel smiled as he said, \u201cBut. . . You\nare good this way. At least, you always do things face-to-face and are never\nsneaky. Of course, it would be better if you were a little more like Mr. Dorenza,\ngentler to the younger generation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen\u2019s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He thought of his and\nanother person\u2019s opinion about himself and asked in a whisper, \u201cI\u2019m not. . .\nkind to the younger generation?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel stared at him with wide eyes. \u201cNot only that! You don\u2019t\nbother to give young people a glance if they didn\u2019t grow to your expectations.\nThey are obviously talented, but you still ignore them. When Christole was\nstill in Munich College, I wanted to recruit him in advance, and what did you\nsay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel frowned and thought for a moment. Then he clapped his\nhands in recollection and said, \u201cYou said\u2014\u2014\u2018He\u2019s gifted but not strong enough,\nnot interested.\u2019 If I hadn\u2019t insisted on cultivating Christole, when Mr. Devala\nleft, where would you find a new concertmaster?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Faced with these words, Min Chen didn\u2019t reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel thought his words caused some kind of damage so he scratched\nthe back of his head and said, \u201cBut. . . You\u2019re not that bad. Min, you can be\nconsiderate, at least, for the most part. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHelp me book a ticket to Paris tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlso understanding and. . . Wait, what? What did you say?!\nRight now?!!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen nodded: \u201cYes, now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDamn it! Who said that you\u2019re understanding? You\u2019re the\ndevil! Do you know how many people go from London to Paris every day? Where do\nyou want me to find a ticket? You\u2019re a demon, a demon!!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel\u2019s roar resounded over the western restaurant near the\nThames River. His curses melted into the running water and vanished into the\ndark night along with the never-ending current.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The night in London was quiet and beautiful, and soon after,\nit was already the start of another beautiful day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu took his violin and entered the practice room again. This\ntime around, he had some inspiration, so the satisfied Akkad praised him throughout\nthe day and encouraged him to continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To seize this hard-won inspiration, Qi Mu practiced until\nthe sun set and only then packed up. The full moon climbed lazily into the\nnight sky, and Qi Mu turned to lock the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Qi Mu was to remove the key from the look, he heard\nsteady footsteps behind him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The college had been closed for quite a while, and even the\nsky was dark. He was the only person left in the entire violin department. The\nsound of footsteps made his heart go tight, as the scenes of horror movies he\nhad seen over the past few decades flashed through his mind one by one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu clenched his fist and looked around, \u201cWho\u2019s there?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n After he spoke, he saw the other figure and Qi Mu blanked in\nsurprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under the sound-activated light in the hallway, the tall,\nhandsome man stared at Qi Mu in confusion, wondering why the youth was so nervous\nnow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After a while, he tentatively asked: \u201cIs it. . . me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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