Chapter 60 (2/2)

——Min Chen secretly thought.

Under the dim lighting, no one realized the man who had always been cheeky now had red ears. He coughed. No strange behavior here.

A two-hour concert was impossible to play through from start to finish without rest, so there was a fifteen-minute break in the middle. Qi Mu wanted to exchange greetings, but Akkad unexpectedly argued with Min Chen about the orchestra’s personnel configuration.

Akkad had never been a conductor, he was once the concertmaster for the Dresden Symphony Orchestra before he moved to the National Conservatory of Music.

He worked as a concertmaster of three world-class symphonies for decades of his musical career. Even if he had never commanded an orchestra, he could comment professionally on the positioning.

Akkad believed the second violin group was a bit large for this concert. Once he learned Min Chen decided the staffing, the two argued with each other.

In the end, Akkad was convinced by Min Chen’s three reasons, but by then, the break was over and Schumann’s 《Abegg Variations》 had begun.

Therefore, Qi Mu had to sit back and continue listening.

Robert Schumann was a famous German pianist and composer of the 19th century. His works were almost exclusively piano pieces. The entire world thought only the piano could display these musical pieces perfectly.

There was a time where no adaptation of Schumann’s songs into orchestral form could be found without a piano ensemble. To find a concert of five of his songs without even the hint of a piano like Bai Ai did tonight, this was a first.

After the concert had officially ended, Akkad stood and applauded enthusiastically without being stingy about his praise. “Min, I thought you would perform as a pianist this time, but I didn’t think. . . you wouldn’t be on stage at all!”

Min Chen nodded and replied bluntly, “I might go up during later performances, but for the first show, Daniel said. . . to be innovative and creative.”

That provoked Akkad’s eyebrow into rising. “The adaptation of these songs don’t tell me that Daniel Duke kid did it. He wants to let all his hair fall out, it’s impossible.” After a pause, he added, “Well, if he hasn’t lost it all already, his blond head should be bald by now.”

“Pffft. . .”

Min Chen looked over when Qi Mu laughed, and his own lips curled into a smile. “It’s my and Charles’ adaptation. Christole helped some too. In fact, what did Daniel do. . .” He deliberately drew it out, and when Qi Mu turned to look at him curiously, he was appeased.

Min Chen met his gaze and said, “He brewed coffee, hm. . . it didn’t taste all that good.”

Qi Mu almost choked on his laughter.

Akkad didn’t seem to own a humorous cell in his body. He nodded then, as if recalling something, asked, “Wait a minute. If you’re neither conductor nor pianist. . . why is your name on the poster at the entrance? Yours was the biggest?!”

At this sudden accusation, Min Chen blinked a little and frowned in contemplation. “Because. . . I am the music director?”

Akkad snorted. “You don’t introduce the orchestra, what kind of director are you?” His tone was disgusted, and his lazy glare at Min Chen was more than enough to express his disdain for “this man that had his named printed on the poster and pinned up.”

Min Chen did not care about Akkad’s contempt and nodded, his response bland, “Oh, then it’s probably because. . . I am handsome.”

Qi Mu: “. . .”

Akkad: “. . .”

“Auston! I didn’t know you were such a narcissist!”

The corners of Min Chen’s lips curled, and he raised his head, “You only just found out?”

Akkad: “. . .”

Wanting to get angry at this poisonous man, Master Akkad needed to practice some more. . . come back after another 500 years.