MTMIO Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Deer Yunxi Likes—

Chapter 9: The Deer Yunxi Likes—

In the afternoon, Lu You rode her scooter to the Grand Theater parking lot, arriving just after 5:15 PM.

A girl was standing at the entrance, talking on the phone. She was tall, with a striking, doll-like exotic beauty. Her sculpted features had a bright, naturally refined look.

Lu You rode past the girl, and as their eyes met, she heard the girl speaking fluent Chinese into her phone.

“Mom, I’ll call you back later, okay?”

The girl’s tone when saying “Mom” had the texture of sweet red bean soup with glutinous rice balls.

One could tell they had a very good relationship.

After parking her scooter in the shed and propping it up, Lu You subconsciously glanced back at the girl after hearing that “Mom.”

She saw the girl walking straight towards her.

“Sister, I…” The girl hesitated.

Lu You lightly raised her eyebrows, waiting quietly for her to continue.

“I, could I take a picture of it?” The girl pointed to the scooter between them.

A milk-coffee colored Vespa, without any decoration, looked like an ordinary electric scooter.

Although she didn’t understand what there was to photograph, Lu You moved aside and said, “Go ahead.”

The girl took two pictures of the scooter with her phone. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lu You taking off her helmet and subtly adjusted the angle, including her in the photos.

Putting away her phone, the girl thanked her, “Okay, thank you, sister.”

Scratching her hair, which had been flattened by the helmet, Lu You walked to the scooter, put the half-helmet into the seat compartment, and asked, “Are you mixed-race?”

“Yes! My mommy is Chinese.”

Lu You nodded, took out her phone to check the time, and prepared to leave.

“Sister!” the girl asked, “Can we exchange contact info? I’m also very interested in motorcycles, but I’m not old enough to ride yet.”

Lu You lightly raised her eyebrows.

Both because her Vespa hadn’t been mistaken for an electric scooter, and because of the girl’s age. She looked young, but she hadn’t expected her to be underage.

Reluctant to disappoint the pretty young girl, Lu You changed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, “Sure, how old are you?”

“Thirteen!”

After scanning the code to add each other as friends, Lu You said she had something to do and turned to leave.

The girl ran up beside her from behind and asked, “Sister, are you also going to listen to the open rehearsal for the concert?”

“Yes.”

“Do you live nearby?”

“No.”

The girl was silent for a moment, then asked, “Will you come to the official performance next Sunday?”

“Haven’t decided.”

“Come and listen! The lineup is very strong! It’s conducted by Caroline. Do you know Caroline? The famous German violinist, the most outstanding female conductor of our time! Isn’t she amazing! The orchestra’s concertmaster, Yun Zhu, who is also collaborating, was once her most outstanding student. Yue Yunxi, who is also performing, is remarkable too. She’s a triple threat cellist who has achieved great success in solo performances, chamber music, and symphonic music.

And Zhong Shuyun! You must know her…”

Of course, she knew her. Her playing had the style of Argerich and was known as the “High Priestess of the Piano World.” She was one of the most influential of the world’s top ten female pianists, and her favorite pianist.

Before coming, Lu You had searched the Grand Theater’s official blog and saw the promotion for the official performance.

One reason she decided to come to the open rehearsal was for Zhong Shuyun.

Walking down the hallway leading to the rehearsal hall, the girl received a phone call and stopped in place.

Lu You walked straight ahead, hearing the girl once again use a soft, sweet tone to call the person on the other end “Mom.”

She didn’t know if her ears were too good, or if the girl’s clear voice was too penetrating, but even though she was a few steps away, she could still hear what the girl was saying.

“It was my idea, okay, I apologize to you. I shouldn’t have hidden it from you. I just wanted to see my sister…”

Nearing the rehearsal hall, musical sounds and voices leaked out from the slightly open door, gradually drowning out the girl’s voice.

The Grand Theater had only mentioned the open rehearsal in the comments section, with few likes, so she thought there wouldn’t be many people. But the audience seats were almost full.

It seemed like university students from music schools had come as a group to listen.

Lu You found an empty seat in the back row and sat down, first looking at the piano on stage.

Zhong Shuyun was sitting in front of the piano.

She was in excellent shape and maintained her figure very well. From her figure, you couldn’t tell she was forty years old.

Lu You turned her gaze to the front row of the cello section.

The air conditioning in the concert hall was turned up high. Yue Yunxi was wearing a light gray, thin suit. It had shawl collars and a pearl-chain cinched waist. Under the hem, an apricot-colored long skirt spread out, and the cello was placed between her legs.

Her head was slightly tilted, highlighting the long, elegant lines of her neck. Her dark hair was casually swept to one side, naturally curling into elegant arcs, making her cheeks appear even fairer than snow.

She was different from everyone else. Like a floral oil painting with bold strokes and rich colors, just sitting there was enough to attract most people’s attention.

For example, the two girls sitting to Lu You’s left had been chatting about Yue Yunxi since she came in and were still going on:

“I’m telling you, last time I saw a video of Yue Yunxi playing ‘Flight of the Bumblebee,’ someone actually commented that Yue Yunxi’s level was mediocre.”

“Are you kidding me? Not to mention the two top music schools fighting over her, all the great cello masters are fighting to take her as their apprentice. Wait, ‘Flight of the Bumblebee,’ they must be seeing my goddess’s hand speed and having their defenses broken.”

“Exactly!… Damn! I can’t look directly at my goddess bowing and fingering.”

“Ew~ What are you thinking about?”

“It’s not my fault. Have you seen that interview? She slipped up and revealed her sexuality.”

Lu You, who had unintentionally heard gossip, raised her eyebrows.

It was like declaring that the Wanchai Pier isn’t that straight. Unexpected, but not entirely surprising.

On stage, Caroline raised her baton, and the whole audience went silent. The two female students also quickly stopped talking.

Lu You sat up straight and listened intently to the music.

Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

It was known as the most difficult piano work in the world to play.

The performance was intermittent due to coordination issues. Only in the last fifteen minutes was the first movement presented completely.

Like flames flickering under velvet-like snow, leaping, rolling, twisting lightly, gradually rising from a small spark, tragically burning in the desolate wind, flickering between extinction and existence in lonely arpeggios…

At the end of the rehearsal, applause thundered throughout the rehearsal hall.

On stage, Yue Yunxi raised her thin eyelids and scanned the now-boiling audience, searching for a familiar figure.

Suddenly, her gaze froze.

Unlike the students who were applauding and waving, Lu You was sitting quietly, looking down at her hands resting on her lap.

She seemed to be isolated from the excitement, her back bending with a hint of despondency.

She used to be able to play Rachmaninoff’s compositions with ease; her piano teacher had excitedly grabbed her hand and said she was a talented seed; the judges predicted she would become a shining star in the piano world…

All of that had become a thing of the past.

The person who should have been shining brightly on stage could only sit high in the audience, looking up at others.

Yue Yunxi felt as if she was being choked, her heart aching so much she could hardly breathe.

Feeling someone looking at her, Lu You straightened up, met Yue Yunxi’s gaze, and smiled, waving to her like the students in front.

After a moment of stunned silence, the tinge of sorrow on Yue Yunxi’s face seemed like the thin mist scattering at the beginning of the cold dew season, revealing the hibiscus blooming on the branches, displaying a touch of beautiful delight.

Lu You’s movements gradually slowed down, and she blinked twice.

Why doesn’t someone who looks so beautiful when they smile not smile more often?

–

After the hall was cleared, Lu You walked around to the stage door to wait for Yue Yunxi to finish packing up.

She hadn’t been standing there for two minutes before another figure appeared beside her.

The mixed-race girl sidled closer like a crab, touched her nose with her fingertip, and said with a smile, “What a coincidence, sister.”

Lu You thought, “She’s been following me the whole way. How could it not be a coincidence?”

Considering the little girl’s feelings, she didn’t expose her and asked, “Aren’t you going home?”

“Like you, I’m waiting for someone.”

The girl chatted, finding topics to talk about, tilting her head the whole time, her eyes glued to her.

Feeling uncomfortable from being stared at, Lu You couldn’t help but say, “Is there something on my face?”

It would have been better if she hadn’t asked. Not only did the girl not restrain herself, she got even closer.

A teasing female voice came over, “If you get any closer, you’ll be kissing her face.”

Following the voice, two people walked over. The taller woman with blonde hair and blue eyes was the conductor, Caroline.

The other, with a half-tied wolf-tail mullet, was carrying a violin case. The mint green case had a gradient cloud and jade bamboo pendant attached. She was the orchestra’s concertmaster. Her name was Yun Zhu, as introduced in the promotion.

After hearing her say that, the girl quickly straightened her head, then trotted over and threw herself into Caroline’s arms, “Teacher!”

Lu You was astonished.

She hadn’t expected the girl and Caroline to be so close.

Remembering the girl’s excited tone when introducing the performance lineup, she suddenly understood. No wonder the girl was so proud when talking about Caroline’s achievements.

While she was dazed, Yun Zhu had already walked up to her.

Yun Zhu tentatively asked, drawing out the sound, “Lu—?”

Lu You instinctively turned to face Yun Zhu, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes. She wondered how Yun Zhu knew her last name, but quickly calmed down and didn’t respond.

Getting her answer from her expression, Yun Zhu smiled, “Ms. Lu, the cello section is having a small meeting. She asked me to tell you to wait a little longer.”

So, Yue Yunxi had told her. Lu You nodded to indicate she understood.

Caroline, having finished talking with the girl, moved to Yun Zhu’s side and asked with eager curiosity, “What is the Lu in Ms. Lu’s name? The Lu as in ‘road’?”

Her strange tone was mixed with a northeastern accent. Yun Zhu couldn’t help but laugh, waving her hand and saying, “No.”

“Not that Lu.” The mixed-race girl echoed.

Lu You frowned and looked at the girl.

It was so strange, how did they both know her name?

At the same time, Yun Zhu also glanced at her, her eyes subtle, and smiled meaningfully, drawing out the sound:

“It’s the Deer Yunxi likes—”