The\nVienna Philharmonic Orchestra\u2019s concert put a successful end to Vienna\u2019s\nconcert season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the beginning of\nJune, most of the major orchestras entered a holiday period, ending the first\nhalf of their tour. Beautiful music still lingered all across Vienna, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This capital of music was\nnever short of moving music. Walking on the streets, musical notes always\nfilled the air. Step into a roadside theatre, and a concert is always on\nstandby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even though it wasn\u2019t the\nseason for grand symphonies, some orchestra musicians took the opportunity to\nperform chamber music shows with their own small ensembles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was rumored that the\nconcertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Lyon Zayev, and the Vienna\nSymphony Orchestra concertmaster, Jacques, would join hands. They were to\nperform in a small concert hall in the Musikverein the following week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Such a combination was so\ndazzling even Qi Mu\u2019s heart skipped a beat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, he couldn\u2019t\nwatch the performance. The day after Wei Ai\u2019s concert, he was already packed up\nand ready to return to Paris at Akkad\u2019s request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Akkad\u2019s business was\nimportant and needed more time to settle. He called Qi Mu and told him he\u2019d\nfound a good substitute teacher for his lovely student.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second assessment of\nthe semester was two weeks away, so Qi Mu planned to end his trip and return to\nParis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even while at the hotel,\nQi Mu practiced his violin for four hours a day. It was inconvenient being away\nfrom home, so he needed to go back to practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After June, the weather\nbecame hot and dry. Europe during the summer was a big, hot stove. Almost every\ncity reached unbearable temperatures, and Vienna\u2019s sky was cloudless. There was\nnothing to shield them from the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu checked his luggage\nand passed the security checkpoint when he received a call from Berlin. As soon\nas the call connected, he said, \u201cMin Chen, long time no see. You called at the\nright time, an hour later, and I\u2019d already be on the flight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other end, Min Chen\ndidn\u2019t expect such a coincidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Bai Ai\u2019s ordinary\nmembers, this was their holiday. The tour season was over, so they could take an\nextended vacation. As the\nchief conductor and music director, the agent, and the concertmaster, the\nconcept of a vacation hardly existed for Min Chen, Daniel, and Christole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After their last concert,\nthey began preparing for the tour in the next quarter and those beyond that.\nThe bigger the orchestra, the sooner they planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen was busy\npreparing for the coming seasons and Qi Mu was busy packing for his flight back\nto Paris; neither had the time to contact the other. Apart from their short\ntexts before Wei Ai\u2019s concert, this was they first chance they got to talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you heading back to\nParis? Or. . . somewhere else?\u201d Even through the speaker, the man\u2019s voice was\nstill as mellow as a cello, \u201cChristole is going to hold a personal concert\nsoon. If you\u2019re interested, I can reserve a seat for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His voice was calm as if\nit were a casual remark. If he listened carefully, he could hear a trace of. .\n. restless anticipation hidden in his tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A reminder was broadcasted\nacross the airport, distracting Qi Mu. After a pause, he answered, \u201cI\u2019m going\nback to Paris, not anywhere else. It\u2019s time for me to go back and prepare for\nmy assessment. Thank you for your kindness, Min Chen. But unfortunately, I\ncan\u2019t be there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c. . .Well, okay.\u201d At a\nloss, Min Chen paused. Then, he asked, \u201cIs Reed back from Italy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Picking an empty seat, Qi\nMu put his bad on the chair next to it. He laughed, \u201cNo, Professor is still in\nTurin, handling his family matter. He told me to return to Paris first. But\nMaster Akkad said he\u2019s found a good teacher for me, but I don\u2019t know who it\nwill be. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMost orchestras are on\nvacation right now, but many solo violinists will hold concerts now too.\nThey\u2019ll probably be the concertmaster of some orchestra.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen analyzed his\nwords very carefully. Seeing such rare patience, Christole, couldn\u2019t help but\nsneak a few looks. He smiled and bowed his head as if understanding something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The young black-haired man\nwas totally unaware of Min Chen\u2019s unusual attitude towards him. After all, Min\nChen being a good person always willing to help others in need was a fact for\nhim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qi Mu nodded and said,\n\u201cWell, that might be the case. . . I don\u2019t know who it will be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two chatted for a\nwhile. And after a few moments of struggling, Min Chen coughed softly, \u201cRight.\n. . That. . . Have you listened to that recording?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A little stunned and\nembarrassed, Qi Mu cleared his throat. He said he would listen a long time ago,\nbut, contrary to his words, he never did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was too busy for it.\nBut, the most important reason was the hotel made it impossible for him to find\na good record player. Without an excellent needle and sound system, the music\non the record wouldn\u2019t sound as good as it should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was vital for Qi Mu,\nwho was very serious when it came to music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sighing, he replied\nguiltily, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I was a little busy these days, so I haven\u2019t had the time\nto listen to it. I remember there\u2019s a good record player in Teacher\u2019s lounge so\nwhen I go back to Paris, I should be able to hear it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although Qi Mu didn\u2019t\nunderstand. . . why the man was so entangled with the record, but, since he had\npromised to do it, he would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen\u2019s tone got even\nmore depressed. He only replied with a gentle \u201cUm.\u201d Even Qi Mu, with his crude\nnerve, noticed. It seemed. . . the other man was in a bad mood?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a few more\nexchanges, Qi Mu hung up and boarded the plane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the top floor of the\nBai Ai headquarters\u2019 conference room, a man who had always been cold and\nindifferent looked like he had just returned from Antarctica. He dropped ice\nall over the place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Daniel opened the\ndoor, he reflexively rubbed his bare arms. In a low voice, he muttered,\n\u201cStrange, the air conditioner isn\u2019t on. . . What kind of weather is this, why\nis it so cold?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having endured the cold\nair silently for quite a while, Christole looked at Daniel, unsure whether to\nlaugh or cry. He pointed to the man at his side. \u201cStop talking, Auston is in a\nbad mood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How could Daniel\u2019s IQ\nunderstand such a high-level secret language? He frowned, then grinned and took\na chair on the other side. \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Christole? Do you have a sore\nthroat? Then you have to take medicine!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The kind-hearted\nChristole: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Min Chen glanced at the\nguy with a low IQ and said, \u201cDaniel, you should take medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel: \u201c. . .??? I\u2019m not\nsick, why should I take medicine?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amused, Min Chen\u2019s lips\ncurled up. He shook his head. \u201cNo, you\u2019re sick. It\u2019s very serious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel: \u201c. . . ?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou left your brain at\nhome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a moment, he\nshouted, \u201cAuston Bertram!!! I want to break off with you!! You actually dare\nsay I have no brain!!! I want to resign! I\u2019m telling you, I\u2019m not waiting any\nlonger! I must resign today!!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a typical, daily\noccurrence in Bai Ai as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mild-tempered\nChristole helplessly hid his face in his hands. He sighed, silently thinking. .\n. When will God send an angel to\nrescue these poor children living in deep waters and scorching fire?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When, in fact, the angel\nChristole was praying for had already arrived!<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s just. . . The\ncoordinates were off. He actually arrived in Paris, thousands of miles away!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu dropped his luggage\nat his apartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The scent of iris and\nlilies were everywhere in the romantic city. Numerous tourists from all over\nthe world gathered there, walking on the streets and lanes, constantly taking\npictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The weather was sunny and\nbewitching. From a broader perspective, the sky was clear, as if it were being\nwashed. It eased Qi Mu\u2019s mood a lot. Without rest, Qi Mu rushed to the\nuniversity at 3 o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Akkad, the\nteacher who came to guide him was already in Paris and should be waiting for\nhim in their violin room. Although he didn\u2019t know who it was, Qi Mu very much\nlooked forward to meeting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With his teacher\u2019s harsh\ncriteria, a person who can make Reed Akkad praise them as a \u201cgood teacher\u201d must\nbe an excellent violin master. He just didn\u2019t know. . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who would come to Paris\nthis time of year?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu gently turned the\nmetal door handle of the violin room with anticipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The door opened with a\ncreak, the brilliant sunshine through the huge glass window of the violin room\nblinding Qi Mu. Pushing the door open a little, he couldn\u2019t see the room\nclearly, but heard a pleasant melody resounding\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh? Is it my little\nangel? Angel, we haven\u2019t seen each other for a long time. I really miss your\nbeautiful violin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qi Mu: \u201c. . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now. . . was it too late\nto close the door?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n