Just as Qi Mu got off the plane and set foot on B City oncemore, the wind was cold like a knife as it whizzed past his face. He tightenedthe wool scarf around his neck and took a taxi back to his apartment.
Initially, Qi Mu considered purchasing a car, but for thetime being, there was no need to contemplate the issue.
If he really had the honor of becoming Professor Akkad"sstudent, then he would leave for Paris. He would not stay in the city for long.
The next day, when Qi Mu returned to the B City SymphonyOrchestra, there was no special reception from the other members. They allcongratulated him on his success at the Centennial Celebration. Only Du Sheng"sgaze stared at him, profound, then took him to Tan Lao"s lounge.
Tan Lao was always serious and old-fashioned. Like othersfrom his era, he was almost traditionally conservative, but he had a vision andexpectation that strove for innovation.
His lounge"s layout was simple. Apart from a few chairs at atable and an old desk, there were only a few trophies and pennants theorchestra had won decorating the room.
Qi Mu opened the door and directly entered. Tan Lao was inthe middle of looking over the next season"s repertoire, but after seeing DuSheng and Qi Mu come in, he set the pile of papers aside. He looked up andsaid, "Xiao Qi, ah. This time, S City"s performance was quite good."
Because the orchestra had been busy, Tan Lao did not havethe change to go to S City. However, ever since the concert, several magazines,and other insiders had praised the performance.
Naturally, Tan Lao saw the re-broadcast on Huaxia CCTV lastnight. Though hearing it over the system was far from seeing it in person, TanLao believed the entire performance was excellent, and the ending had successfullysuppressed the audience.
Qi Mu"s eyes dipped in a smile, "Thank you for the praise,Tan Lao."
Tan Lao was also not roundabout. He said bluntly, "Youshould have gotten in yesterday, but I got a call from Wen Jun. I hear. . . youmet with Master Farrell Louis."
Qi Mu understood what Tan Lao and Du Sheng had called himout for.
He did not deny it. He smiled with a nod, "Yes, I met MasterFarrell yesterday. He told me that he wanted to recommend me to Master ReedAkkad as a student." He added, "Master Akkad is currently a professor at theNational Conservatory of Music in Paris."
Although Tan Zheng Hui already knew from his conversationwith Zhu Wen Jun, he still felt both sad and relieved to hear it from Qi Mu"sown mouth.
Sad, because if Qi Mu went to Paris, he would barely returnto B City a handful of times a year.
But relieved because this child would finally begin hisstudies and train under the master musician, Reed Akkad.
Tan Lao did not speak, but Du Sheng, who sat to his side,smiled, "Xiao Qi, I did not expect there to be good news from you going off toS City. When I found out, I thought I had heard wrong! You must cherish thisopportunity, ah."
With a gentle smile, Qi Mu said, "Du-ge, you"re thinking toofar ahead. Mr. Farrell just took back my alb.u.ms to have Professor Akkad listento them. I haven"t necessarily been accepted as his student yet."
Du Sheng shook his head. "Since Mr. Farrell has alreadyspoken to you about it, he is naturally quite sure. You cannot give up thisopportunity, you must go. It"s already unbelievable that Reed Akkad is aprofessor, you can"t be like last time."
He referred to Qi Mu"s rejection of Professor Karl"s offer,but this time, Qi Mu had already made up his mind.
In the past six months, he had learned and grown a lot.Huaxia was his motherland, but what he needed now was to learn even more and makehimself stronger. So he could better develop Huaxia"s cla.s.sical music.
"Please, rest a.s.sured, Du-ge. If I have the honor, I willseize it." After a pause, Qi Mu looked at Tan Lao and said, "Tan Lao, you don"thave to worry about me. I know what to do."
Tan Lao had long been watching Qi Mu"s growth. He looked atthe handsome young man standing before him and felt that this youth had changeda lot.
There was none of that suborn rebelliousness in his memory,that offensive speech and behavior. Now, Qi Mu was like warm jade. Although thelight had converged, people could still see the magnificence of this treasureat just a glance.
After a long while, Tan Lao finally sighed, "Xiao Qi, thefirst performance of our tour next month. . . you will replace Lao Du."
It took time for Qi Mu to comprehend what he meant, but whenhe did, his fingers clenched tight, and he asked, "Tan Lao, you mean. . ."
Tan Zheng Hui, who always kept a stern expression, slowly showeda kind smile. He nodded. "You"ve been in the orchestra for five months, andyou"ve rehea.r.s.ed for so long. You have the chance to be a concertmaster, andyou won"t? What can you do as a.s.sistant concertmaster?"
The content was a reprimand, but Tan Lao"s tone was soft.
He said it easily and casually, but for Qi Mu"s ears, itstunned him in place. Qi Mu did not dare believe his ears, but his hearing wasperfect, and he could not even pretend to wave away Tan Lao"s words.
"You really. . . want me as concertmaster for the firstround!?"
Qi Mu couldn"t believe it and asked again, but Tan Lao"s.e.xpression darkened, and he asked, "Why not? You don"t have the confidence?!"
Qi Mu immediately smiled and shook his head, sayingconfidently, "No, I do! You can rest a.s.sured, I will perform well!"
Tan Lao smiled and let him go practice after a few morewords.
In the quiet lounge, with only Du Sheng and Tan Lao in theroom, the old-fashioned man suddenly lost the tension in his body, and he gazedinto the distance without focus.
Du Sheng sighed, "Tan Lao, I"m afraid Xiao Qi really will. .. go."
Tan Lao nodded but did not speak.
"I didn"t sign a long-term contract with him precisely becauseof this, but I didn"t expect this day. . . to come so fast. It"s only been halfa year."
When he recruited Qi Mu to the B City Symphony Orchestra,Tan Lao had used personal connections to sign a temporary contract with him. Aslong as there was three-months notice, either party could terminate the agreement.
The official contract was for three years. But Qi Mu was inthe prime of his life right now, the perfect time to grow and learn. Tan Laodid not want to restrict him to the orchestra in such a crucial period, so hehad given him such a special contract. . .
But, no one thought that it would be put to use so soon.
After a while, Tan Lao looked at Du Sheng and scolded with asmile, "What? You"re not happy Xiao Qi is going to Paris?"
Du Sheng immediately retorted, "Where? Aren"t you afraidyou"ll be sad? Who doesn"t know how old you are, yet you"re so partial to XiaoQi. You"ve given my position to Xiao Qi already." Du Sheng"s words lacked anyjealousy, just a laughing joke.
Tan Lao"s eyebrows rose. "I know I favor him, but who areyou to speak? Don"t you guide him?"
After a few more laughs, Du Sheng left the lounge. Alone inthe silent room, Tan Zheng Hui stared at the list in his hand without saying aword.
Some time later, a sigh echoed in the lounge, but it waslight and soon dissipated in the air.
Since Qi Mu was confirmed as concertmaster for the firstround of performances, the entire orchestra"s rehearsals began once again. Manymembers were happy to congratulate Qi Mu on the opportunity, but at the sametime, they knew that it meant he was leaving the orchestra.
But no one took the initiative to bring it up and instead,they rehea.r.s.ed, dutiful as always.
Half a month later, just when he thought perhaps he wouldn"tget to go to Paris after all, Qi Mu received a call from Farrell.
Over the phone, Farrell first apologized and said ProfessorAkkad"s temper was too eccentric. The man wouldn"t call him personally, but healso brought good news.
"Angel, Reed really likes your music. Especially once he heardyour 《LiangZhu》,he decided to take you on. Qi, You know, Reed has such a bad temper! Helistened to your alb.u.ms and put off replying to me for two weeks! Today, I"mhappy to tell you——"
"Angel, come to Paris!"
When he got the news, Qi Mu was packing up his violin case tohead home.
There was such an overwhelming, indescribably complexemotion swelling in his heart that he didn"t care too much when he heard thename "Angel."
There was. . . Paris.
There. . . Reed Akkad would be his teacher.
There. . . He would encounter several of the world"s topcla.s.sical musicians.
There, it was Europe.
Six months, he——half a year!
He could go back!
Translator(s): Bet
Editor(s): Bet