The assessment, which was held twice a semester, was one of the most important events in the Paris’ National Conservatory of Music.

For the past two assessments, Qi Mu wasn’t nervous at all, since Akkad constantly gave him pieces to practice and didn’t give him time even to review his performance. But this time, Akkad stopped their lessons a week before the assessment.

Under Qi Mu’s confusion, Akkad explained, “Seven, you didn’t have any shortcomings that I need to point out. What you lack the most now is experience. Later, your skills will be polished step-by-step and your perception of music will grow more profound. So… You will probably surpass me.” After a pause, Akkad shook his head. “No, not probably. It should be, sooner or later, you will surpass me.”

Being held in such high regard, Qi Mu couldn’t stop himself from saying, “Professor, I’ve always admired you. You’re the violinist I revered the most. I don’t think I could ever be at your level…”

“Little Seven.” Akkad put aside the score he held and looked up at Qi Mu. Scanning his face attentively, he went on, “I’ve always believed that the world of classical music belongs to the younger generations. As my student, how could you be so unsure of yourself? This is probably your last assessment and you yourself will decide your assessment piece from your repertoire. I want to know… What kind of piece you will choose.”

After the short conversation, Qi Mu started searching his repertoire for the assessment.

Later on, Qi Mu asked Akkad if the repertoire given to him was only to enhance his confidence.

Akkad said that there were other reasons, but then again, he really wanted to see what his lovely student would choose. He wanted to see if he knew his own strength.

Of course, the piece Qi Mu chose didn’t let Akkad down——

《Spring Sonata》.

Beethoven’s 《Violin Sonata in F major》was written in his early years, it was quite different from the intense flavor in his later works. Because the first section of the piece depicted a vibrant spring scenery, it was called 《Spring Sonata》 by the later generations.

This piece wasn’t very difficult, especially when compared to his previous pieces during the last two assessments. But, Akkad was satisfied with his choice and gave Qi Mu a whole week to practice.

Music can be classified in two ways; skill and expression.

For the former, Akkad believed Qi Mu has no obvious shortcomings. Even if he reached a bottleneck, it was a bottleneck that most people wouldn’t even reach in their life.

Regarding the latter, it just so happened that Lance, Akkad’s good friend, had arrived in Paris from Vienna a few days earlier to visit. As a violinist with delicate passion and firm control on the emotions he displayed, Lance expressed his surprise when he saw the aggression in Qi Mu’s music start to fade. It had dissipated so much so that his music began to clear.

Though 《Spring Sonata》 seemed “ordinary,” it was rich in nuance. It was perfect.

To get a better understanding of the piece, Qi Mu enlisted Langston from the piano department to help him.

《Spring Sonata》 was a piano and violin ensemble, after all. If it were just violin alone, Qi Mu would have a hard time mastering it in such a short time.

Seven days passed quickly as he practiced. By the time Qi Mu was finally ready for the assessment, it was already the day before the event.

Half a year had passed since he came to the college. Qi Mu even remembered the first time he arrived, pulling his luggage and stepping inside the gate. He remembered how Akkad deliberately made things hard for him in the audition.

… Eight months had passed. Those were already things of the past.

On the evening of the day before the assessment, Qi Mu and Akkad carefully cleaned the violin room. Of course, it was Qi Mu who did the cleaning, Akkad just made more garbage——eating chocolate.

Eight months had passed and Akkad still enjoyed eating chocolate. Qi Mu didn’t like sweets much, but under Akkad’s influence, he started to eat a piece every day.

When asked why he liked chocolate so much, the maestro would always reply, “Because I’m from Turin!”

That night, after Qi Mu finished polishing the last glass, Akkad handed him a piece of chocolate. Qi Mu didn’t take it. Instead, he smiled and said, “Professor, I already had one this morning. You can have that one for yourself.”

Holding a delicate box of chocolates in his left hand, Akkad shook his head. His tone serious, he said, “Seven, do you know… Why I like chocolate so much?”

Qi Mu blinked, his lips slightly parted. Reflexively, he wanted to answer, “Because you’re from Turin?” but, seeing his mentor’s deep, clouded eyes, he only shook his head. Finally, he said, “I don’t know.”

Akkad pointed at the vast sky outside the window.

Qi Mu had wiped the floor-to-ceiling glass window clean, leaving no blemishes. Looking out, Qi Mu could see the moon quietly floating in the endless night sky. The moon was bright, like a halo, paling the stars that appeared.

“I like chocolate because… It’s like the moon. It can drive out all the darkness.” Akkad’s voice was low and hoarse, but he went on, “Little Seven, I’ve been through a lot of things in my 70 years of life. I lived until I reached this position, but I’ve gone through a lot of painful experiences, as well. Since life is so hard… Then why can’t we make it a little happier?”

Seeing him so morose, Qi Mu didn’t know how to respond.

“You’re fine. You put some sugar in your coffee. Auston has always liked his coffee black, no sugar. There are two types of people that take their coffee like that. The first is someone who’s had a smooth life without any storms. Their heart is sweet enough that they don’t need any sweetener. The other…”

“They prefer to swallow the bitterness into their stomachs. They’re not good at expressing their feelings. They will share their joy with you, but not their pain. Such people will have a hard life when they’re with someone who doesn’t understand them.”

Akkad smiled, then continued, “Little Seven, I don’t want you to be like Auston. But, when you’re together, I want you to try to understand him more. Love is never just one person’s affair. I missed it in this life and you… Don’t be the same.”

Qi Mu nodded heavily.

The thought that Akkad’s love for sweets was due to the bitterness in his life has never crossed Qi Mu’s mind. Then again, the maestro came from a poverty-stricken family. With no prestigious background, he had been able to climb his way up until he gained the reputation he currently has. He had experienced unimaginable hardships.

Compared to his mentor, Qi Mu felt that he was lucky. At least… He had a lover now. He wasn’t like Akkad, whose lover had a grave illness, yet still chose to hide it from him and in the end, it made him unable to see her final moments.

Qi Mu’s heart was heavy, thinking of her untimely demise. He distracted Akkad with a few different conversations, drawing him from the deep throes of his mourning before taking his violin case and leaving.

Once he was home, Qi Mu immediately gave Min Chen a call. He didn’t answer but returned it not long afterward. Hearing Christole’s and Daniel’s voice in the speaker, Qi Mu realized, “You’re still rehearsing?”

Bai Ai’s world tour was starting in two weeks, so Min Chen had been very busy with the preparation.

The man’s deep, rich voice flowed through the speaker. “Yes, there was a little problem tonight and we were delayed for a bit.” After a pause, Min Chen remembered, “Tomorrow is the third assessment, right?”

Turning on the light in his room, Qi Mu said, “Yes, it’s tomorrow. I did tell you I’m playing 《Spring Sonata》, right? Unfortunately, the review won’t be recorded, otherwise I would send one to you.”

Aside from the fact that 《Spring Sonata》 really suited the current version of him, Qi Mu also chose it because of a record he received the previous week.

Before leaving Paris, Min Chen told Qi Mu that he would ask Daniel to send the recording of his recital to him. Daniel was efficient, and Qi Mu received the recording three days later.

In the private piano recital, nearly all of the pieces were Chopin’s, but a few were Beethoven’s. Only 《Spring Sonata》 was quite unique; it was not a simple piano piece.

When Qi Mu listened to the piece, he felt as if he could see a pair of thin hands, flying across the black and white keys, depicting the liveliness of spring.

Right now, he was no match for the man. But if it was this piece, Qi Mu believed…

He could play at the same level.

They didn’t talk for long that night, as Bai Ai was still rehearsing. Min Chen was sorry that he couldn’t come and listen to Qi Mu’s last performance at the college since he would be rehearsing. But, he encouraged Qi Mu, saying he will perform more beautiful symphonies on the next tour.

After they hung up the phone, Christole stared at the calm, composed man under the stage in surprise. He said, “Min, you gave the orchestra a day off tomorrow… Isn’t that why everyone is so peppy, rehearsing this evening?”

When Bai Ai’s members heard this, they all started to whisper——

“What?! We don’t get a day off tomorrow?!”

“Impossible… We’re supposed to have all of tomorrow off.”

“We’re going on a tour soon. If we don’t get a day off now, we won’t have any time for it later!”

Listening to the members “whispering,” Min Chen’s face was expressionless. He gently nodded and asked, “Did I say that you won’t get tomorrow off?”

Christole smiled helplessly, “But, just now, didn’t you tell Angel… That you’re rehearsing tomorrow?”

“Shhh…” The man placed his slender index finger against his lips, and their corners curled upwards. “Do you know… What a surprise is?”

Christole: “…”

Well, he thought, Angel might not be surprised tomorrow. Instead, he would be…

Frightened.