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In the face of this sudden situation, Zheng Wei Qiao was also perplexed. He looked at Qi Mu and whispered, “If you place first. . . I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing.”

The scores of this competition were selected by a number of judges, and it did not favor Professor Karl though he was the main judge. Now that Professor Karl had said this, it was obvious that his score for the second place was higher than the first. However, after combining with the other judge’s scores, the result dissatisfied him.

In fact, Qi Mu was also deeply surprised by this.

He looked at Professor Karl with a complicated gaze. After a while, he sighed, “Professor Karl has always been eccentric. . .”

Zheng Wei Qiao unconsciously wanted to blurt out the question, “How do you know he’s eccentric?” but when he saw Qi Mu slight frown, he was a little stunned and swallowed his question.

On the stage, Professor Karl started to announce the first place: “The first place is a very down-to-earth and deeply-rooted child. His 《E Minor》 amazed me. He is——”

Zheng Wei Qiao unconsciously held his breath.

Qi Mu, however, looked down slightly, because he already knew the result.

“He is Sheng Yan Hui!”

Sheng Yan Hui who was sitting in front of Qi Mu, did not understand what had happened until the people around him congratulated him. As soon as he got up and ready to go up on stage, he seemed to have realized something and turned to look at Qi Mu with a complicated expression.

Under the dazzling lights, half of Qi Mu’s face was illuminated. He curled his lips into a smile and said, “Congratulations, Sheng Yan Hui.”

Sheng Yan Hui’s mouth opened and closed but he went to the stage without saying anything.

After giving the first prize to Sheng Yan Hui, Professor Karl said into the microphone, “The second place has excellent skills and can play Paganini to such a degree. This is rare even at the Munich Conservatory of Music. He is——”

“Qi Mu.”

In the applause of the whole hall, Qi Mu calmly walked toward the stage. At this time, Sheng Yan Hui and Zhao Zheng Wen, the third place winner, were standing beside Professor Karl, as if to welcome him as the second place winner.

He reached out to take the crystal cup handed over by Professor Karl. He hadn’t yet said thank you, when he heard the bearded man whisper, “Long time no see, Qi Mu. Do you wish to study with me in Munich?”

“. . .”

Qi Mu’s accepting the crystal cup still for a moment, then he asked, “Professor, wasn’t it the first place who would have this opportunity?” In order to be considerate towards the man’s poor grasp on Chinese, he especially spoke in English. “You see, I’m only second.” As he spoke, he shook the crystal cup in his hand.

Professor Karl wrinkled his thick eyebrows and said: “Who says only one person is allowed?”

“. . .”

At this time, the lead speech had already begun. On and off the stage, other than Qi Mu and Professor Karl who were whispering to each other, the other people listened attentively to the speech.

Qi Mu casually looked at Sheng Yan Hui under the lights, then whispered, “Professor Karl, Sheng Yan Hui will be a good student. At his age, his level is very high and I think even in Europe, it is first class. If you accept him as an apprentice, it will not be a mistake.”

Who expected that the bearded man to eat an iron scale and refuse to let go, “However, your skill level is higher than his. Your last song was low in level but I know that wasn’t your true skill. Munich Conservatory has resources you couldn’t believe, child. You can’t develop in China, you must go abroad to study.”

“Thank you for your kindness, Professor Karl. But my age has not yet reached the point where I have to rush into a college but Sheng Yan Hui. . . he can’t wait.” Qi Mu looked up at the big and burly man, and with a firm look, he asked, “I want to ask you. If I were in first place, would you accept the second place?”

Professor Karl froze, then shook his head and said, “No.”

“Well, this is really a joke by God, Professor Karl. I happen to be the second place so why would you break the rule?” Qi Mu spread his hands and smiled, saying, “Professor, I would like to be your student but I don’t want you to make an exception this way. To tell you the truth, your style doesn’t suit me, and you know it.”

Professor Karl nodded in embarrassment.

“Believe me, if your student is Sheng Yan Hui, then you will be like Romeo and Juliet—— ‘love at first sight’.”

For a long time, Professor Karl seemed to be thinking about this. And finally, a simple and honest smile appeared on his face which was obscured by his thick beard. He nodded approvingly and said, “It’s a pleasure to chat with you, Qi Mu. Ah, it’s a pity you don’t want to be my student. Your style. . . it’s a bit similar to him.”

Qi Mu was frozen, then he asked reflexively, “Who?”

Obscure German flowed from Professor Karl’s mouth, leaving Qi Mu stunned.

It wasn’t until the competition was over and Zheng Wei Qiao was driving him to the B City Symphony Orchestra that Qi Mu recovered. He turned to look out of the window. Through the clear glass, he saw the blue sky that was actually a rare occurrence in B City. It was as if it was just as blue anywhere in the world.

“Auston Bertram. . .”

“Xiao Qi, what did you just say?”, Zheng Wei Qiao asked. “Even though you got second place, that’s already great. After all, you haven’t touched the violin for so many years. Having restored your skill to this level is already very good!”

Qi Mu withdrew his gaze from the window. He nodded with a smile and said, “Zheng-Ge, you don’t need to comfort me. I’m already very happy.”

Zheng Wei Qiao observed Qi Mu for a while, confirming that he really was not disappointed before turning around and continued driving. On the other hand, Qi Mu slowly wrinkled his eyebrows and, after a while, his lips suddenly curved.

Bertram was the name of a German aristocratic family and one of the four Dukes. The person with this name owned numerous assets which were accumulated over hundreds of years. But, unfortunately, after World War Two, the family was no longer as glorious. It was said that their assets had shrunk by more than half.

But even so, it was still a giant in Germany’s upper-class society.

And this generation’s Duke of Bertram, the poor man had no heirs to take his title. For some reason, the new Duke was no longer of Germany nationality. Aside from the name of “Auston Bertram,” the man had a more widely known name——

Min Chen.

Thinking of this name, Qi Mu’s smile became even more helpless.

This was the first time the name Min Chen was mentioned to him after his rebirth. If it wasn’t for this, he would almost forget the scene in the Golden Hall’s lounge. Before he closed his eyes for the last time, the scumbag Luo Yu Sen deliberately said this name to provoke him.

“My style. . . is similar to him?” These whispered words spoken to himself were drowned out by the sound of music in the car. Qi Mu thought for a while, then laughed and shook his head, “His music style and mine. . . how could it be similar?”

At this moment, in Berlin, which was half the world away.

The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra enjoyed the reputation of “The best in the world” because of its members. From the world-class orchestra to the world-renowned concertmaster, and even the enviably excellent conductor, no one could ever pick out a single mistake when it came to this orchestra.

This orchestra inherited the rigorous and solemn characteristics of the Germans. They performed every piece perfectly to make people feel like it was God’s work. The same orchestra, with different conductors, would have different styles.

If someone asked what Min Chen’s style was?

The Vienna royal-level music newspaper 《The Voice of Vienna》 once evaluated this in just two words——

Perfect.*

*Perfect is two characters.

It was like bringing both the harsh and delicate German characteristics into full play. In their concerts, under Min Chen’s command, everyone could only feel that this song could only be played this way. With this kind of emotional rendition, this kind of instrumental match, this kind of rhythm control.

Now, the rehearsal of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra was ringing with the roar of the soul. When the song was over, the man at the podium showed a slightly satisfied expression. He looked around the orchestra and everyone present before saying, “Tomorrow is the last rehearsal, you guys. . . Are you ready?”

The man’s low, magnetic voice spread out from the podium. It was certainly German but his voice made the people find it similar to the sound of a mellow cello.

Everyone nodded and said, “Ready.”

After years of cooperation, Min Chen was also very confident in these members. He nodded satisfactorily and turned to the concertmaster.

The latter immediately stood up and said, “Then the day after tomorrow we will start our global tour of the year and these two days will be used for preparations. Our first stop is London, then we will go to Paris, New York, Tokyo, Singapore, and Berlin. Finally, we will go to the capital city B in Huaxia. Everyone got that?”

Everyone said “Hmm” in unison.

The concertmaster heard this, then turned to the man standing on the conductor’s podium and said with a smile, “Min, do we need to continue today?”

The handsome, indifferent man shook his head gently and after a while, the people packed up and left the rehearsal room.

At this point, the blond man who had been watching for a long time came forward. He smiled and patted the other man on the shoulder. “Min, the last tour of this year is about to start. What do you think of B City as our last stop?”

The lights gathered on the stage illuminated the man, enhancing the depth of his features. He glanced at the blond and asked, “Daniel, how’s the preview for tomorrow’s rehearsal?”

“. . . Do you want even me to do this?!”

“Are you not my agent?”

“. . . Yes.”

“So, how is it?”

“. . .”

Seeing Daniel scratch his head and look away. Min Chen’s dark eyes slowly closed.

How did they end up going to B City. . .

In fact, he didn’t know.

He just felt that it is time to go back.

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Translated by Kuroshinji, edited by Betwixted.