Chapter 160

Qi Mu barely maintained a calm smile the entire afternoon rehearsal as he tried to persuade Wallace and the other members to give up the unrealistic idea of a rabbit mascot.

Just as Mr. Wallace looked as though he would relent, Nelly, the trumpet’s first seat, ran over and handed a small book to Mr. Wallace. “Mr. Wallace, I learned how to paint when I was little. Though it isn’t particularly good… what do you think of this cute little rabbit? It’s as cute as Little Seven!”

In the book drawn was a chubby, round, little rabbit with long ears, a short tail, and large, wet eyes. Even through the paper, it tickled the itch of one’s heart and could only be described as——

Meng God!

Wallace nodded. “Oh God, Nelly, you have such excellent drawing skills! This cute rabbit Little Seven is awesome! Let’s make it the mascot. Before the concert, send it out on the invitations!”

Nelly nodded vigorously.

Qi Mu: “……”

Mr. Wallace, do you remember who just said he would reconsider…

This mascot Little Seven was discussed throughout the orchestra——and yes, it was directly called Little Seven——such as what color it should be. Qi Mu tidied his things in silence to get as far as he could from this place where right and wrong were inverted.

He had an ominous hunch that if he stayed, something terrible would happen.

Just as he stepped out of the theater’s side door, Qi Mu received a call from Min Chen. Shortly after, he stepped into Min Chen’s car. “How did you think of coming to pick me up today?”

The handsome man held the steering wheel in one hand and looked at the young man in the passenger’s seat. A smile flashed in his dark eyes, and he whispered, “Remember what day it is today?”

Qi Mu was stunned, “Your birthday? Impossible. Isn’t your birthday in the spring?”

“…Think again.”

Qi Mu placed his violin case in the back seat and furrowed his brows in thought. “It has nothing to do with me. So… what day is it?”

Min Chen said, “It’s been a year since we met… and 23 days.”

Qi Mu: “……”

After a speechless moment, he said, “You didn’t do anything 23 days ago…”

Min Chen’s eyes darkened. “Makeup today.”

Qi Mu: “……” Can this stuff be made up!

“I’m in a good mood today.”

There was a hint of joy in the man’s low voice that had Qi Mu looking at him in surprise. A dim streetlamp flashed past the window and cast shadows on the man’s handsome face.

Min Chen said with a smile, “Today… I am in a good mood. Exceptionally good.”

Without him saying anything, Qi Mu had already noticed from his soft expression. He asked cooperatively, “Oh? Why are you feeling so good today?”

“No reason. Just exceptionally good.” Min Chen stopped at a red light and turned to look at the young man beside him, lips curled in a small smile. “En… I want to have a candlelight dinner outside.”

“… You’re not going to do the dishes again today?”

“……”

The beautiful, romantic atmosphere collapsed instantly. Min Chen’s mouth twitched, and he sat back in the driver’s seat.

Seeing him grow awkward, Qi Mu felt weird and helpless. He took the other man’s hand and patted it, hoping it would make the man’s expression better.

Seeing the other man’s face, somehow, the cute rabbit that Nelly had drawn came to mind. Qi Mu smiled. “In two days, I’ll give you a gift… en, something similar to you. You can call him ‘Little Chen Chen’.”

En, that rabbit wasn’t Little Seven, but Little Chen Chen!

Min Chen: “……”

After laughing for a bit, Qi Mu suddenly recalled, “There are no dishes tonight, but you left yours in the sink last night! They must be cleaned when we go back tonight! Little Chen Chen! Cough… I gave it away.”

Min Chen, pretending to understand nothing: “…Wash tomorrow.”

Qi Mu’s eyes were cold. “No, it’s been delayed by a day already. Must be washed today!”

“…We’ll be back late, you can’t bear to keep me up that long.”

Qi Mu smiled. “Not at all. I am very, very willing.”

Min Chen: “……”

So… they said marriage was the tomb of love?

Look, they haven’t even married yet, and someone was trying to shirk the duty of washing dishes! As time went on, how could this be good!

Of course, although he said so, Qi Mu’s heart softened. He said tentatively, “There are a bunch, so… I’ll wash with you?”

Min Chen agreed happily, “Ok!”

That night, after a romantic candlelight dinner, the two men went home, put on aprons, and washed the dishes in the kitchen. One carefully washed the tableware, and the other wiped them dry with a cloth.

When Min Chen handed Qi Mu the last spoon, he took the small, porcelain spoon and wiped it intently. He’d just finished putting it away when he lifted his head, but before he could speak, his gaze was caught in a pair of deep, fateful eyes.

Startled, he smiled, “Looking at me so hard, is there something on my face?”

The precious man shook his head and reached around Qi Mu’s waist. “Watching my lover.”

Qi Mu raised an eyebrow. “Not tired of watching?”

“Never tired of watching.”

Qi Mu could only close his eyes in a smile at that and quietly hum.

In the cool, Bauhaus-styled kitchen, though it was decorated in only black and white, it seemed very warm. The cold wind outside shrieked and railed against the glass, but it couldn’t disturb the two lovers.

Qi Mu placed the tableware in the cabinet and turned to Min Chen, asking, “When does the plane leave the day after tomorrow?”

“Ten o’clock.”

Qi Mu nodded. “Ok, I should be able to drop you off at the airport before I go to the theater.”

Min Chen nodded, “Great.”

After the two cleaned up a bit, they turned off the kitchen lights, but moments later, the lights in the music room turned on.

This certain someone that previously said he “won’t stay up late,” sat on the piano bench and started playing 《Ave Maria》. The thoughtful Little Seven could only cooperate and play the violin part.

Why was he suddenly so excited?

Min Chen was happy!

His good mood, why was it so good?

That 71-year sentence… well, it was more than enough time for someone to suffer in prison.

———–

Three days later, Qi Mu received the little rabbit called “Seven,” and immediately wrote the words “with love” on the rabbit’s gift tag with a red pen. He sent it via express to Berlin.

There were only a dozen days left before the Bai Ai’s New Year concert.

Aside from Christmas Day, which Bai Ai would take off, they were all intensely rehearsing for the New Year concert.

On Qi Mu’s side, Palisade Theatre’s rehearsal had entered its final stages and was preparing for the encore.

The entire orchestra cooperated tacitly and, while it may not have achieved the thick, metallic tone of Bai Ai, and while it might be impossible to have the elegance of Wei Ai, they still had the brightness unique to Palisade Theatre. It was reflected most vividly during the last rehearsal before the concert.

After the practice came to an end, Wallace was so excited he ran down from the conductor’s podium to give Qi Mu a big hug.

The young man hugged the over-excited conductor who chattered on, “Little Seven! I foresee a successful performance tomorrow night! That 《Ave Maria》 just now was amazing!”

Qi Mu nodded. “En, Mr. Wallace, I believe so too. Your adaptation will be phenomenally successful!”

The next night, countless people arrived before the huge marble arch in front of the Palisade Theatre.

A new red carpet ran from the top of the second-floor stairs down to the street entrance. The magnificent theater was lit by countless dazzling lights, and it was a very lively Christmas Eve there.

To one side of the gate, an invitation checkpoint was established. The older audience handed over their invitations with familiarity, thinking this was the same as before. After checking their invitations, they entered the theater directly, but were surprised to receive a cute rabbit!

The ladies who preferred small animals even exclaimed, “Oh god, what a cute rabbit!”

When Qi Mu secretly looked at the front desk from behind the curtain, he saw almost everyone in the audience playing with their cute little rabbits.

Nelly, who happened to walk by, said, “Ah, Little Seven! It seems many people like our little gift this time. They said we have a heart!” She said happily, “It’s good to be liked by the audience. I think… they will treat our theater’s mascot——rabbit Little Seven, very well!”

Qi Mu: “……”

……

After half an hour of lively chatter in the audience, a harsh bell rang, and the hall calmed down.

The players of the first group walked out from the left of the stage to warm applause. The musicians of the Palisade Theatre filed out and sat in their seats.

Taking his violin, Qi Mu stepped on stage and, with Wallace, led the orchestra in bowing to the audience.

Under the thunderous applause of the audience, the orchestra members sat down one after the next. Only Qi Mu still stood at the left of the conductor’s podium, looking down at the dark shadows.

The past four months, he had always sat under this stage and accompanied the dazzling actors on stage.

And now…

He was coming up!

The orchestra’s sound grew denser, and Wallace’s baton flicked upward, producing silence.

Qi Mu turned and looked at Wallace. The two nodded, and Qi Mu’s soothing violin filled the hall in the next moment!

Palisade Theatre’s Christmas Eve concert——

Had officially opened!