Europeans have always been the type to be calm and enjoy the\nsilence, to dislike disturbing the peace and quiet. This manifested even in\nParisians. Paris was quiet and empty in the night. Only the rustle of leaves\ncould be heard after dark, making the entire city melodious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the college to Qi Mu\u2019s apartment, it was only two\nblocks. It was pretty close, but right now, Qi Mu felt it was a long ways away.\nHe walked side by side with this man who, for some reason, suddenly appeared in\nParis, and it slowed his pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu wanted to ask why he was here, but he remembered. . . in\ntheir texts the past few days, he had mentioned he didn\u2019t need to be present at\nthe next two concerts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So. . . if he wanted to travel Europe, he was free to do so\nnow?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu didn\u2019t know what to say, so he looked ahead at the road\nlit by the moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first rain of spring had fallen a few days ago, and the\ntemperature wasn\u2019t that low in the evenings, but Qi Mu still wore an extra\nscarf\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had always been afraid of the cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSpring in Paris has always been good,\u201d The man\u2019s voice rang\nout in the quiet street, and Qi Mu turned to look at him in surprise. Min Chen\ntilted his head up a little to look at the dim moon and whispered, \u201cI like the\nspring in here, it\u2019s quieter than in Berlin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This kind of conversation confused Qi Mu. After thinking for\na while, he came to an epiphany, \u201cSo. . . you came to Paris for this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen calmly nodded in affirmation: \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu laughed, \u201cI\u2019ve never seen spring in Berlin, I don\u2019t\nknow what it\u2019s like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although there was a faint smile on his face, Qi Mu thought\ninwardly: So he came to Paris for spring.\nFor a second there. . . I thought he came looking for me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There was a smile in Min Chen\u2019s dark eyes. He nodded and\nblackened his industrial city without hesitation, \u201cIn Berlin, the air is\nterrible this time of year. Un. . . not as good as Paris.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu had never been to Berlin during spring before, so he\nnodded along, \u201cI see. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen nodded, \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n . . . You\u2019re going to\nget slaughtered by all the Berliners!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think spring in\nLondon is too. Right, speaking of London, I heard Bai Ai\u2019s concert was a\nsuccess. I saw \u300aClassical\nParis\u300b\u2019s\nreview and the special introduction by the \u300aVoice of France\u300b. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once he changed the topic, the awkward atmosphere faded a\nbit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When they arrived downstairs at Qi Mu\u2019s apartment, he felt\nas if the time had passed too quickly and he hadn\u2019t gotten the chance to talk\nmuch. But, looking at the time, it was quite late. He laughed and waved his\nhand, \u201cSince we\u2019re both in Paris, we can contact each other more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen tucked both hands into the pockets of his trench coat\nand nodded, \u201cyeah, good night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu smiled, \u201cBe careful on your way back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bright moon overhead was slowly covered by a dark cloud,\nand only two or three pedestrians walked the narrow street. The beautiful young\nman smiled and after saying a few more words turned and went into the building.\nThe other man watched him go upstairs but still didn\u2019t leave right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen tilted his head up and watched the window of Qi Mu\u2019s\nroom in silence. The lights flickered on inside, and the darkness just outside\nwas lit up as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He himself didn\u2019t know why. . . he had suddenly come to\nParis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He remembered wanting to know what Qi Mu had been doing all\nthis time, so he rushed over to find the answer. But in that dark corridor,\nwhen he saw the youth\u2019s slender back, he felt as if \u201cfinding the answer\u201d was no\nlonger important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At first, he had found the younger man\u2019s violin a little\nfamiliar, so he paid special attention to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Later, he found out Qi Mu\u2019s sound was identical to that man,\nso he devoted all his attention to this strange anomaly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When, in fact, before last year, Min Chen didn\u2019t even know\nthe person he had spent years looking for. . . was called Lu Zi Wen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The seemingly insignificant help he received from that\nperson in his childhood was engraved deeply in his heart. When he finally found\nhim, he was surprised to learn the other man had already become the deputy concertmaster\nfor the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. So Min Chen decided to\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n Give him a hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He recommended Lu Zi Wen to Mr. Dorenza and helped him with\nthat grand performance with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But before he could even think of what to say when they met,\nit became impossible. Then, he met someone with the exact same violin as Lu Zi Wen.\n. .<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There were a lot of thoughts in Min Chen\u2019s head, but on the\nsurface, he still wore an indifferent expression. He looked at the bright\nwindow overhead and wondered how long it had been, then abruptly turned and disappeared\ninto the dark alley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Qi Mu woke up the next day, he went downstairs with his\nviolin and saw a familiar figure. He froze for a moment then walked over and smiled,\n\u201cMin Chen? What a coincidence?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen shook his head under the warm sunshine of that\nspring morning, \u201cUnfortunately not, I was waiting for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen didn\u2019t seem to notice his speechlessness and raised\nhis left hand to look at his watch. \u201cIt\u2019ll be 8 o\u2019clock in thirty minutes. If\nyou don\u2019t go now. . . won\u2019t you be late?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu still didn\u2019t know why he was at his apartment, but he did\nknow he needed to get going. He walked while he spoke, \u201cIt\u2019s alright. Professor\nAkkad is in the United States for an event. He won\u2019t be back for another few\ndays. It doesn\u2019t matter if I\u2019m a little late.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It only took ten minutes to get to the conservatory, but Qi\nMu had to get breakfast, so it naturally took more time. His pace was quick as\nhe went, but he didn\u2019t expect Min Chen to follow him all the way there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu smiled as he received the bread from the baker uncle\nthen walked alongside the German conductor. \u201cMin Chen, did you come to find me\nfor something today? I\u2019ve been busy with the assignment Teacher gave me, so I\ndon\u2019t have much time.\u201d Qi Mu suddenly remembered, \u201cThat\u2019s right, have you had\nbreakfast yet? Want some?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen self-consciously took a croissant from the box in\nQi Mu\u2019s hand and took a bite. \u201cIt\u2019s still Paganini\u2019s \u300aNo. 24\u300b?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu nodded, \u201cYes. Teacher gave me two weeks, but. . . it\u2019s\nalready been a week, and I haven\u2019t gotten the whole song down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As they talked, they passed a flower shop. The blonde\nflorist handed a sunflower she had cut just that morning to Qi Mu and glanced\nat Min Chen. In a furtive whisper, she asked, \u201cSeven. . . who is this? Your\nfriend?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu turned the sunflower to one side, and his lips quirked\nup into a gentle smile, \u201cYes, he\u2019s my friend, Vina.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The young girl looked at Min Chen shyly for a few moments\nthen smiled and handed him another sunflower, one that had just bloomed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen took the flower in surprise, but Qi Mu had already\nexchanged a few words with the girl and stepped away towards the college. He explained,\n\u201cVina has the mentality of a seven-year-old girl, but she\u2019s very kind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUn, she\u2019s cute.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu smiled, \u201cShe will only give flowers to the people she\nlikes. It looks like she likes you a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This stunned Min Chen, and his steps halted. \u201cThen she. . .\nalso likes you a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu laughed and didn\u2019t continue chasing the topic. \u201cBy the\nway, do you have business with the college? I might be busy, but if you need\nsomeone to show you the way, I can ask Dylan. Dylan is a Swiss violinist who practices\nnext door. He\u2019s studying now, but he practiced the piano for a long time. You\u2019re\nhis idol.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The piano department was well known throughout the world. And\nmost of these privileged people respected Auston Bertram highly, in other words.\n. . Min Chen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen, who was only 31 this year, already stood at the\ntop of the piano world. When he served as a judge at Xiao Sai several years\nago, countless young pianists jumped at the chance to sign up, and it made\nquite the splash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have nothing to do. I just wanted to come take a look. I\ncan listen to your \u300aNo. 24\u300b. . . at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen\u2019s plain tone made Qi Mu turn to look at him again. The\nman stared straight ahead, calm, like the man really was just going to wander\naround and listen to him play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A strange thought flashed through Qi Mu\u2019s mind, but before\nhe could discern what it was, it disappeared without a trace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He didn\u2019t think too much about it. Qi Mu smiled, his eyes\nforming into crescents. \u201cOh? You want to hear. . . my \u300aNo. 24\u300b?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen raised an eyebrow when he saw the young man\u2019s \u201cbad\u201d\nsmile. \u201cUm? Yes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell. . . then you must give me more advice!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Min Chen: \u201c. . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu was not stupid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since he wanted to listen to his violin so much, then. . . he\ncan also give a few pointers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Really, it\u2019s killing two birds with one stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n