The spring breeze streaked across the campus"s lawn, betweenParis" buildings, and through their exquisite architecture. The national conservatorywas filled with students. Some played the trumpet, some the violin, the musicwas elegant, forming a unique atmosphere.

A handsome man walked the white cobblestone path up to thecollege. He wore sungla.s.se, and his lips were thin. His expression was cold,but he held a bag of chocolate in his right hand.

"That person looks familiar. . ."

"Who? Oh my G.o.d, it is familiar. . ."

". . . Doesn"t that. . . look at bit like Mr. AutsonBertram?!"

"How could that be? Bai Ai came to Paris to perform, but Mr.Bertram isn"t conducting. The guest conductor, Mr. Charles Littis, is incharge. Mr. Bertram probably didn"t come to Paris!"

"Yeah. . . how could Mr. Bertram possibly be here? . . ."

. . .

Some students whispered in surprise when they saw the manwalking up. None of these whispers escaped Min Chen"s ear, but he continuedforward calm.

——This kind of behavior made everyone guess "This man isdefinitely not Mr. Bertram."

But, halfway to the building, he suddenly stopped and turnedto look at a girl standing under the shade of a tree and practicing seriously.

The girl"s hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she hadfreckles dotting her face. She was focused intently on her songs. It was one ofhis, but her skill had a few. . . deficiencies and she kept fumbling. Herdelicate face was damp with anxious sweat.

With a sigh, Min Chen walked over and stated, "In the thirdsection of 《Constance》, there"sa problem with your finger technique. If you change the strings, you"ll reduce thedifficulty, but. . . the effect will be poor."

His low, magnetic voice carried over the quiet lawn. The girllooked up in amazement and stared at him with fright. The students scatteredaround them were confused and turned to look at him as well. When they saw himunder the shadow of the tree, Min Chen merely removed his sungla.s.ses andextended his hand to point at the girl"s fingers.

Perhaps a conductor could endure terrible music for a while.But if a composer were to hear his own song being played like this, even forMin Chen, it was unbearable.

The moment Min Chen removed his sungla.s.ses, everything was silentfor a moment. The next, chatter exploded——

"Oh my G.o.d, it"s really Mr. Bertram! Lily, I was right, itis him!"

"G.o.d! How did Mr. Bertram get here? Come!"

"Aaah. To get to see Mr. Bertram, I"m so lucky!"

. . .

This mayhem caused by Min Chen"s arrival in the violindepartment spread throughout the entire college. Although Reed Akkad was one ofthe world"s best musicians, he was a little less famous, and the most importantthing is. . .

Min Chen is so handsome!

No matter the country, people with excellent looks. . . itreally was an advantage!

When Min Chen pushed aside Professor Akkad"s lounge door, theproud, awkward little old man snorted and was too lazy to look at him. Heturned and pointed his b.u.t.t towards the door.

Min Chen: ". . ."

Min Chen set the Veffdebruge gift back next to ProfessorAkkad and sat casually on the soft to the side. His dark eyes narrowed, and hesaid, "Reed, I haven"t seen you in a long time."

Akkad"s answer was chilly, "Haven"t seen you, haven"t seenyou. You meet my students downstairs and get surrounded by lovely schoolgirls."

Min Chen: ". . ."

His phoenix eyes flashed with a hint of a smile. In the faceof old friends, he naturally understood the man"s personality. He pushed thechocolate gift bag forward with a finger and said solemnly, "I came today toask something of you."

Akkad blinked at the bag. Then he hurried and stuffed it intohis desk drawer. He looked over at him. "If you have something, say it. I don"twant to play with an orchestra right now. If you want to invite me over to play,it goes without saying, Min."

Reed Akkad had recently had a change of heart and wanted toteach a student. Min Chen naturally knew and had come over because of that.

"I wanted to recommend a student for you. His skill is good,and he"s diligent enough. More than enough to consider."

Min Chen"s tone was calm. He knew Akkad was looking for astudent, and he had come with a personal recommendation. It was naturally watertight.

But. . . to his surprise, Akkad actually shook his head andsaid decisively, "No."

Min Chen jerked forward in surprise, "Why? He"s good, and hehas a keen understanding of the violin."

Akkad reached into the drawer and took out the bag ofchocolates. He sat it on the table and reluctantly showed it to Min Chen. "Min,it"s not that I doubt you, but. . . do you see this bag?"

The handsome man across from him rubbed his brow. He turnedto look at Akkad"s hands. There was a Veffdebruge gift bag.

"What about it?" Min Chen asked.

Akkad shook his head and said, "This is what my student boughtfor me this morning. Min, I just took a student this morning. He"s a great kid.I have little experience teaching. It"s impossible for me to take two students."

Akkad"s word was a surprise. Min Chen only listened as hecontinued. "Look, the boss of Veffdebruge is your fan. You don"t need to waitfor a bag. My lovely little student? He has to get up two or maybe even threehours early to wait. He"s a good boy, Min. I won"t give him up just for you."

In the past thirty years, Min Chen had never been rejectedbefore. Especially. . . in the cla.s.sical music world. No one doubted his ears,and as long as he made the recommendation, they would stand at the top of themusic scene.

This was a first.

However, it was impossible to force Akkad to change studentsjust for his sake. He sighed and understood he was a step too late.

The two moved on to talk about the next concert. When thesun set, Min Chen finally rose and took the custom sungla.s.ses from the neck ofhis coat. Before he could put them on, he suddenly stopped.

He looked at Akkad and said, "Reed, I believe in yourvision. Your student must be excellent. Can I have the honor. . . what is hisname?"

Akkad thought about it for a while then smiled around amouthful of white teeth, "He"s called Xiao Qi."

"Small seven. . . ?" Min Chen whispered then didn"t worryabout it anymore. He nodded, "Well, Reed, I will see you later."

Akkad suddenly remembered something and hastened to shout, "Waita minute, Min! Do you still have tickets for the day after tomorrow? I"d liketo take my student to hear it, but your concert"s tickets are always hard to grab."

Min Chen only hesitated for a moment then nodded, "I"ll haveDaniel send you tickets tomorrow."

Akkad nodded with a smile.

When Daniel heard what he"d said to Akkad, his blue eyes widenedin disbelief. "Auston!!! I asked only a few days ago! When I went to give you tickets,what did you say? You said you had no friends to come, so I didn"t need to keepthem!"

"Now there is!"

Daniel was too surprised, or perhaps too crazy, and directlycalled out, "Auston!"

Min Chen looked at Daniel, calm, and answered, "If Iremember. . . if it"s for my family, there"s always three seats reserved?"

". . ." Daniel was speechless. "Family. . . you want Akkad andhis student. . . to sit in the same box as you?"

As the permanent lead conductor, the second-floor box wasfree for Min Chen at every Bai Ai concert if he wished. It was independent andsecluded, but it could comfortably accommodate four people.

Min Chen usually never liked to use these privileges, b.u.t.this time. . . it surprised Daniel. He whispered, "Min, even if the other guyis Reed Akkad, you don"t have to do this? I thought you"d never use it in yourlife."

Paris"s sunset was a gentle glow. Min Chen raised his headand looked to the distant west. The purple-red clouds rendered the sky abeautiful garden of Eden. The scene was magnificent, and even Min Chen couldonly stand and stare for a while.

"He thinks. . . hisstudent is better than Qi Mu? I"d like to see him too. . ."

Daniel touched his head and asked, "Eh, Min? What did yousay? What are you looking at?"

"It"s nothing." He shook his head and whispered, "Remember,I"m going to send Akkad an invitation tomorrow."

Daniel forgot about what Min Chen just said to himself andclutched his head in pain. "Oh my G.o.d. . . I really don"t want to see Akkad. That stinking old man! Every time, helaughs at my beautiful hair! He dares to say I have too little, that I"ll go bald!He must be jealous of my thick hair!"

Min Chen: ". . ."

Under that same sunset, Qi Mu put everything away in hissmall apartment. Afterward, even the fridge was packed full.

Once everything was done, he laid on the soft sofa and said,"Tomorrow. . . I will attend college officially. . ."

"I don"t know. . . what will it be like? . . ."

Translator(s): Bet

Editor(s): Bet