King of Classical Music

Vienna's Golden May was a season full ofmusic. The world's best orchestras performed in this beautiful city one afterthe other.

When the Vienna Symphony Orchestra finishedtheir trip all over Europe and returned to their base camp, they were warmlygreeted by the residents of the city.

That night, almost all 1000 seats were filled.The attendees ranged from classical professionals to musicians from otherorchestras to Vienna's local residents.

Among the applauding crowd, a beautiful youngman with black hair attracted some attention. When the concert was over, andthe audience started to look for this seemingly familiar young man, they weresurprised to find——

That youth left as soon as the concert wasover!

In the dark of night, the dressed-up audienceleft with a smile.

And from time to time, they spoke about theconcert and occasionally mentioned the famous figures in attendance. Thegentlemanly concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra was present, alongwith the deputy conductor of the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra, and. . . theblack-haired youth who sat in the front row with a smile on his face the entiretime.

It felt like many years had passed since thefirst time they heard the name "Qi Mu." So much time, in fact, that they didn'tremember it well, but they knew. . .

For being only 22 years old, his violin was remarkable!

It was a pity they didn't get the chance tospeak with him. Say. . . Why did he leave so early?

The Vienna Symphony Orchestra's last concertof the season wasn't held in the Golden Hall, nor in any hall at Musikverein.Instead, it was held at their own hall and was an evening full of music thatwas decisively their own style.

By the time almost the entire audience leftthe front building, a heated discussion rang out in a quiet, empty side street.

"Hey,Davey, where are you going to play tomorrow?"

"I'mgonna stay home, Kirk, you fool!"

. . .

"Melanie,let's go to the Vienna Mall tomorrow. My summer dress is calling for me!"

"Helen,you silly woman. What summer dress? My autumn clothes are waiting for me inthose beautiful windows!"

. . .

A group of people passed through thehalf-opened mahogany door. Some carried violin cases, others carried heavycello cases, but all were smiling and laughing. They made the street looklively.

They were the members of the Vienna SymphonyOrchestra.

Most of the orchestra preferred to leave viathe back door of the concert hall after their performance. Although this was anopen secret in Vienna's music industry, no one knew the alley well. It was alsoa good way for them to escape the media.

Two beautiful blondes walked out the door, andafter a moment, a handsome but cold-looking black-haired man stepped out. Hisnose leaned a bit downward, appearing rather aquiline but it also made him looka bit insidious.

Walking alone at the end of the throng ofpeople, no one paid him any attention. He was like an abandoned animal, walkingstep-by-step behind these people. He didn't walk for long before a shiny,light-colored pair of leather loafers appeared before his eyes.

A little stunned, he looked up. Before Luo YuSen could open his mouth, he was stunned to silence. His heart skipped a beat.After a while, he coughed and said, "This friend, I don't know. . . who youare?" His tone was deceptively gentle.

The elegant youth before him just smiled andexcitedly said, "Excuse me. . . are you Mr. Luo Yu Sen from the Vienna SymphonyOrchestra?"

This kid spoke Chinese!

Luo Yu Sen was stunned, and in turn, alsospoke in Chinese. "Yes, I am Luo Yu Sen. And you are. . . ?"

"Hello, Mr. Luo. When my teacher talked aboutthe Vienna Symphony Orchestra before, he once mentioned that you were the onlyChinese in this orchestra. It's amazing to be able to work in such a topsymphony orchestra. I really admire you a lot!"

The words of praise from the youth made Luo YuSen feel warmth in his heart. He couldn't help but smile and said, “Youare praising me too much, I don't know who your mentor is…”

"My teacher is Reed Akkad."

The smile on Luo Yu Sen's face froze. Helooked at the young man in surprise. The kid had an innocent expression as if nottainted by the dark side of society.

Luo Yu Sen thought for a while, then he lookedaround and said, "Master Akkad! You're awesome!" Although he said this, in hismind, he thought, Easily revealing his teacher's name. I don't know if thisfellow is either too stupid or too naive.

After listening to Luo Yu Sen's praise, theyoung man lowered his head shyly and whispered, "Actually. . . Actually, I'mnot really that good. Mr. Luo, I think your performance was good. I noticedyour violin at the concert just now, and it was very. . . " Here, the young manpaused, then he went on, "It was very exquisite and moving. There are fewChinese musicians in Europe. I'm really honored to meet you. I don't know. . ."

"Idon't know if you would give me your contact information so that I can get intouch with you and ask for your advice in the future?"

Luo Yu Sen, who was treated coldly by themembers of the orchestra for half a year, had not been adored like this for along time. Adoration was one thing; not a single member of the orchestrarespected him. And right now. . . the person who praised him so much was thestudent of Master Akkad. Not only that, this person was a beautiful anddelicate looking young man.

Not doubting him in the slightest, Luo Yu Sengave his phone number to the young man. After they walked for a bit and leftthe dimly-lit street, Luo Yu Sen realized——

He didn't even know the kid's name!

"Then. . . May I ask, what is your name?"

Under the dim moonlight, the youth's lipcurled upwards, making him look even more ethereal. He opened his mouth, andwith a mild voice, he said, "My name is——"

"Qi Mu."

When Luo Yu Sen walked away, he didn't noticethat the young man whom he had just called a fool, smiled and stared him down.

His deep eyes were neither sad nor unhappy. Heshowed no agitation, either. He was seemingly just watching Luo Yu Sen.

After a long while, Qi Mu smiled, a bithelplessly. He sighed, "Your character is still very arrogant, ah. . . Luo YuSen, you actually gave your contact information to an innocent looking youngman, and you spoke to him for so long. Should I say that you're too confidentin yourself or should I say. . . that you're a fool?"

Watching Luo Yu Sen's figure fade away fromthe corner of the street, Qi Mu shook his head gently and turned to theopposite direction.

The reason he came to Luo Yu Sen personallywas to find out——

Just whose road did he blockin the first place?

When Luo Yu Sen mentioned it in that lounge inhis previous life, Qi Mu's first suspicion was Jacques, the concertmaster ofthe Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

He was only the deputy concertmaster, but hewas invited by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and Jacques wasn't. . .

It was a major blow to Jacques.

But, all of this was just his speculation.There was no solid evidence.

Therefore, even if Qi Mu doubted Jacques,there is no way to prove it.

Letting out a sigh, Qi Mu looked up at thenight sky. Just as he did, a cloud blew from the east, blocking the dimcrescent moon.

Qi Mu looked calmly at the dark and gloomysky. It took him a long while before he finally lifted his feet and walkedtowards the subway's entrance.

If he wanted to forget and calm hisresentment, he must first solve this matter.

This was a stumbling block in his music pathand the inevitable obstacle in his otherwise future peaceful life.

『Compared to Beethoven,in fact. . . I prefer Mozart.』

——Qi Mu smiled helplessly and thought this tohimself.

Huaxia had an old saying: The mantis stalkedthe cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Qi Mu walked briskly to the subway station andon the quiet and empty street, his footsteps gentle on the stairs and vanquishedby the whistling by the train.

In the street that late at night, not even asingle person's shadow lingered. The only noise in the night was the windslowly blowing the leaves on the ground, making "sha sha sha" sounds. Therewasn't a trace of anyone on the street, only two or three cars parked on theside of the road.

One of the cars was deathly silent as if noone waited within.

But. . . after ten minutes of pitch-blacksilence, the black Bentley flicked on its headlights, illuminating the entirestreet.

In the car, a handsome man stared ahead, inthe direction of the subway.

The previous day, Min Chen learned from Danielthat the Vienna Symphony Orchestra would hold their Spring Tour's last concertin Europe that night. Somehow. . . after his busy rehearsal, he drove there.

He had the vague premonition that Qi Mu wouldbe there.

Min Chen was disinclined to ask about a lot ofthings. But regarding this matter, his patience and curiosity were getting thebetter of him.

He watched the audience leave the frontentrance in tandem until the streets were empty. He watched the members of theVienna Symphony Orchestra leaving, laughing and smiling, and watched the youngman. . . stop someone he recognized.

Eyebrows furrowed, Min Chen sighed into the boundless darkness.

This time. . . he had a question he might notbe able to solve for a lifetime.

Translator

(s): Kuro

Editor

(s): Empress, Ayn, Bet