Chapter 25 (1/2)

“Tan Lao, the concert you organized this time was really good! Really, really good!”

“Du Lao your last 《Canon》 with Wang Lao and Li Lao was great! It has improved!”

“Is this your B City Symphony Orchestra’s Xiao Qi? Well, Chen Lao said his skills were good. Listening to him today, he’s indeed worthy of his reputation, ah!”

. . .

Some musicians talked and laughed with Tan Lao before leaving. There were also some people who would pretend to look at Qi Mu and carelessly laugh as they said, “B City’s Symphony Orchestra has a handsome mascot. No wonder my daughter has been talking about your concerts lately.”

The face and mascot Qi Mu: “. . .”

Sending off such a large number of people tired him out even if he was young. Furthermore, the guests loved to tease and make fun of him, which only made Qi Mu raise his focus to 120,000 points to answer politely.

The temperature in B City would drop below 10° C (50° F) at night in November. The light from the street lamps was cast over the ground like a layer of frost and the cold air turned white. A crescent moon hung in the sky, and the city’s brilliant lights shone into the sky, dyeing it a magnificent rose red. There were no stars in sight.

In the beginning, Qi Mu only wore his performance suit, but when he was sending off the last few people, he had no choice but to wear his coat to protect himself from the overwhelming cold. The jacket was unlike his usual style and temperament, and he felt that the color was too bright and noticeable. However, he was helpless as it was the thickest in his wardrobe.

Style before practicality, that was the original’s motto.

When he saw that bright red figure, Min Chen’s steps faltered. After a while, he started walking again, and he raised his Phoenix eyes to look at him. The red coat offset the youth’s bright face, and under the lighting, even the smallest hairs on his face were visible.

Artistically speaking, red was the most eye-catching color. When looking around in a crowd, red was the rarest color to find.

It was too flamboyant, and few people could control it.

As luck would have it, Qi Mu was one of those few.

His skin was white, and Min Chen didn’t know whether it was from cold or if it had always been that way. He soon realized it was the latter. His gaze passed over the young man’s delicate face and finally paused on the youth’s fingers that were half-hidden in his sleeves. Then he looked up at Qi Mu.

Qi Mu slowly opened his mouth and said, “I. . .”

“Oh god, Oh my god! Engelchen, you look so beautiful in red. How?” Daniel declared enthusiastically, “I have never seen anyone who could wear red so well. You really do surprise people, Engelchen!”

The interrupted Min Chen: “. . .”

The face/mascot/Xiao Tian Shi/Xiao Qi: “. . .”

Befitting the reputation of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra’s ace agent, Daniel’s sighing in admiration lasted for only a moment. He turned to Tan Zheng Hui and Du Sheng and said in awkward Chinese, “This concert. . . Really successful. . . Me, I’m glad to have come again!”

Min Chen expressionlessly cast a sidelong glance at Daniel and said, “It’s not come again, it’s come.”

Daniel: “. . .”

I don’t understand whatever you say anyway!

Knowing that in the land of Huaxia, Daniel may as well be considered “illiterate,” Min Chen didn’t bother responding to him again and instead turned to the others. He nodded gently and said, “The concert was excellent, and so were the performances. Thank you for your invitation.”

While praising Qi Mu, Daniel was speaking in German, and Tan Lao was too old to start learning even English. Although Du Sheng was proficient in English, he couldn’t understand German. So neither of them knew that Xiao Qi, their family’s mascot had a new nickname: Engelchen/Xiao Tian Shi.

But, both of them listened carefully to Min Chen’s words. Tan Lao smiled, nodded, and said, “It’s an honor to have you. Thank you, Min Chen.”

Min Chen had always been a good communicator, even with people he wasn’t familiar with. He nodded politely and each minute detail of the movement was like a gentleman in medieval Europe. Even though there was no expression on his face, Tan Lao didn’t feel uncomfortable.

“In the finale, Tchaikovsky’s op. 48 《String Serenade》 was excellent. The termination part of the third movement was a bit fast on the second violin. I think it will be even more exceptional if you could improve that.” Min Chen made it sound like a casual comment, but Du Sheng cast aside his relaxed smile and listened attentively.