Chapter 131 (1/2)
Evening fell as Qi Mu left the headquarters of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Carrying his violin case, Qi Mu easily found the nearest subway station and soon arrived downstairs at Lance’s house. He was very familiar with Vienna and already knew which turns he should take at each junction and which train he should get on.
When he arrived at Lance’s house, the amiable maestro was cooking. Seeing the old man expertly fishing a juicy steak from the pan, Qi Mu quickly took out a plate and helped serve it.
Lance smiled and the two soon set their dinner on the table.
At the end of their delicious dinner, Lance, ever the gentleman, politely wiped his lips with a white napkin.
If this was a meal with Akkad, Qi Mu was sure the table will be piled up with chocolates. If it was with Farrell, he would be questioned about his daily life with the maestro’s concern.
But unlike them, Lance was a gentleman who abided by conservative manners. He didn’t bring Qi Mu to his violin room until all the dishes on the table were cleaned up.
A violin was placed vertically in the tidy room. The window was opened, facing the street. Through it, he saw a charming view of Vienna.
“Little Seven, it’s been a while since I last heard your violin. The last time was at your concert in Paris.”
Lance pulled a score stand to the center of the room and placed two pieces of music one on top of the other, saying, “You played 《E Minor》 and 《Devil’s Trills》 in this room last time. Although I’m not your teacher… I really want to hear what the pieces will sound like if you play them now.”
Qi Mu looked at the scores on the stand, then smiled at Lance. “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Lance. I am honored to have the opportunity to play these pieces for you again.”
The old man nodded.
Before long, a melodious and gentle 《Violin Concerto in E minor》 resounded in the small room.
The sound was soft, but the tone was cheerful and bright, Lance couldn’t help but smile and appreciate it.
When the piece was over, Qi Mu didn’t stop. Instead, he played a short passage to link it directly to 《Devil’s Trills》.
The two pieces with distinctly different styles were connected so skillfully and naturally, it shocked the maestro.
When playing the pieces, Qi Mu didn’t even look at the scores.
Most musicians practiced for many days before their performance to ensure a good show and strengthen their memory.
But… There were always some exceptions. Min Chen, for example, didn’t even need to read the complete score, as his excellent ears memorized the sounds for him. Qi Mu, on the other hand, strengthened his memory by long-term procedural learning so he could memorize long scores. It was a habit he kept from his previous life.
If it was an obscure piece, he might need to look at the scores intermittently. But for widely spread pieces that had been engraved into his head like 《E Minor》 and 《Devil’s Trills》, he could play without trouble.
Once the performance ended, Lance praised him with a loud “Bravo”. As the only audience, he expressed his appreciation with rigorous applause for the outstanding performer.
“I haven’t seen you for half a year. Listening to those pieces again, Little Seven… I’m really glad you’ve grown.” The old man sat on the sofa and sighed, “When I listened to your music half a year ago, I felt a slight resentment behind it. But now, the only thing I can feel is… Well, joy.”
The word “joy” shocked Qi Mu that he asked, “Master Lance, did you say… joy?”
Lance nodded and explained, “Little Seven, you have to believe that a person’s state of mind will change along with their experience. You from half a year ago and the you from right now are very different. For instance… Are you in love, Little Seven?”
Blush spread from Qi Mu’s cheeks to his ears, his whole face tinted pink. Qi Mu coughed awkwardly and whispered, “Mister… Mr. Lance. Why did you say that?”
It was so obvious, there was no need for him to answer. Lance had already figured it out. With a faint smile, he said, “You have a joy that only love could bring. Little Seven, I think… She must be a lovely lady, isn’t she? Did you meet her in Paris?”
Qi Mu: “…”
“Oh, Little Seven. Although I’m not your teacher, I’d be happy if you were willing to introduce your lovely little girlfriend to me.”
Qi Mu: “…”
Min Chen was preparing to board a plane to London at Berlin’s Tegel Airport when his eyelids suddenly twitched.
Holding a small bag in his hand, Daniel asked, “Hey, Min. Why are you stopping all of a sudden?”
The “lovely little girlfriend” nodded then stepped on the plane in one smooth motion.
Countless stars shone in the dark sky. A silver plane flew from Berlin to London while a handsome young man stepped out of an apartment, violin case in hand.
Qi Mu was on the phone, hanging up after saying, “Send it tomorrow.”
Before he could put away his phone, a text came from a certain man. There were only a few words on the screen, but he couldn’t stop himself from laughing——