Chapter 80 (2/2)

The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra was one of the top symphony orchestras in Britain. Their style tended to be romantic, graceful, and gentle. After five symphonies were played in one evening, thunderous applause broke out several times, and at the end of the event, an encore was performed.

The BBC Philharmonic’s concert wasn’t held at the Golden Hall but in another hall of the same building. However, when Qi Mu walked into the Musikverein again, his heartstrings pulled tight, an indescribable emotion flooding his being.

This was the last place he went in his former life.

The three-store building stood for more than 200 years, allowing numerous classical music maestros to perform and spread their music to the world. It had the world’s best music hall, the Große Saal—— which has collected countless virtuoso from all over the country.

Qi Mu hastened to maintain his composure and didn’t show any emotion in front of Akkad. He accompanied his mentor to greet many of the man’s old friends. Akkad also introduced Qi Mu to these world-renowned masters, expanding his contacts.

With such a famous mentor, this represented Qi Mu’s inheritance of his master’s various contacts and factions in a way.

The next day, Akkad took Qi Mu to visit a world-renowned cellist. The three of them chatted for a long time at the virtuoso’s house. Akkad let Qi Mu leave on his own in the afternoon as he needed to talk more with his friend.

Qi Mu smiled and said goodbye to Akkad and the cellist then left the building.

It had been four days since he first stood in the quiet streets of Vienna, and this was the first time since his arrival he was finally alone and could move freely.

He looked at the clear blue sky, unclear how long he stood there before recovering. After looking around, Qi Mu figured out where he was. He found the nearest subway station he was familiar with and took the line he had taken for over a decade.

The scenery leaving the subway was one he was so familiar with. The sights and sounds were engraved in his soul, and he stood there for a long time in a daze.

The dessert shop still looked like it did eight months ago with the owner’s favorite tulips placed in front. The owner of the small cafe on the opposite street preferred to move his lounge chair to the front of the shop in the afternoon, however, and basked in the sun.

Qi Mu took a step and moved forward. In a short while, a piano-like sound came from the side of a small building. A little boy, who didn’t have much talent in piano, still practiced every day. He never made any progress.

Qi Mu’s pace grew faster and faster. When he turned a corner and saw the house he had lived in for more than a decade, he stopped. He wondered whether he should go forward or turn back.

It took him a while to walk to the side of the apartment, then he stopped again.

The young man leaned against the brick wall. Because it was in the sun for quite a while, it was warm. He looked up and stared at the dark window on the second floor of the small building.

Qi Mu stared and remained silent until the sun set. Night came, and he still didn’t move. He didn’t go forward, he didn’t leave. It was as if he fondly remembered a past he couldn’t rewind. There was no way to save anything from it.

About half an hour later, Qi Mu finally heaved a long, heavy sigh and said to himself with a bitter smile, “It’s all over. . . it’s impossible to return.”

He turned and left.

Just as he turned away, a black Bentley parked nearby slowly followed his path.

Once the young man left, the window opened, and a handsome face appeared in the dark night.

Min Chen’s eyes narrowed, and he stared in that direction for a long time.

Ten minutes earlier, he saw Qi Mu on the street. He wanted to say hello, but he noticed he was staring at the apartment across the street. Unknowingly, the words he wanted to say died.

That. . . was Lu Zi Wen’s apartment.

He waited until he saw the familiar young man enter the subway, then Min Chen turned away and said in a low voice, “Let’s go.”

The driver, still unaware, started the engine without asking anything.

In the dimly lit car, the man pressed his long finger against his phone screen several times, and before long, he received a reply.【Are you already busy with the orchestra yet? I was just strolling around. Since we’re both in Vienna, there is time for us to meet.]

After Min Chen replied with an affirmative, they exchanged a few more texts then said, “Good night,” to each other.

He looked out the window at the golden night of Vienna, and his eyebrows furrowed for a long time before he sighed——

Since you were just strolling around, why…

Why did you stare at that apartment for so long with that expression?