KOCM

206-207

Chapter 206

Berlin's June sky was clear and cloudless. The scorching summer sun shone unobstructed from the sky, warming the city below. Fortunately, the humid breeze off the North and Baltic Seas gently blew the dry heat away.

The end of June was one of Berlin's busiest times every year. Music enthusiasts from all over the world gathered there to attend a grand concert.

A vast, dense forest overtook the western suburbs of Berlin, where towering trees covered the landscape like a green roof. Under their shade, the heat of the city wasn't as unrepentant and a cool atmosphere pervaded the whole forest. It housed the famous Waldney Forest Theater.

In the spacious, flat basin, a huge white double-towered roof spread its wings like a white dove at its center. More and more classical lovers entered the basin with their tickets, slowly filling the available 22,000 seats to celebrate the music carnival.

That's right, this was the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's Forest Concert.

Since 1982, the world's top orchestra had performed an open-air performance in the forest theater at the end of each June.

Min Chen had asked Qi Mu whether the lectures at the Geneva College were often conducted outdoors and how that affected the sound quality. But, Qi Mu replied, "I haven't noticed a loss of sound quality in Bai Ai's Forest Concert?"

Yes, with modern high-tech audio equipment, even in such a vast, open basin, the beauty of music could be transmitted to every ear in the audience.

The forest was a treasure of nature to the people of Berlin and a sacred place for classical music lovers all over the world.

Since over 20,000 music fans attended every year, the Bai Ai staff specially blocked the theater's entrance to prevent accidents due to overcrowding.

Though the concert began at 7:00 pm, many tourists began entering around 2 in the afternoon. In the long queue of spectators, some carried large and small bags of food, some carried all types of picnic items, and some even carried a tent, all waiting to listen to the music.

Yes, the Bai Ai Forest Concert transcended the orthodox solemnity of the usual classical music concert. Here, the audience could take off their suits and gowns and enjoy this musical feast in the most casual way.

Perhaps because the accompanying audience all wore exaggerated clothes, a tall, black-haired young man didn't appear too abrupt in the crowd. Wearing a hat and sunglasses, Qi Mu walked amongst the audience moving step by step as he was able.

No one noticed such a thin, beautiful, young man. After all, among more than 20,000 people, how would one notice a particular Asian man? Oh god, there were so many people, it was hard to see through the crowd!

When Qi Mu came to the entrance, facing Bai Ai's dozens of security staff, he reluctantly took off his sunglasses so they could see his face. For the safety of the concert, careful security inspection was still very necessary.

Once a female staff member saw the young man's face, she was shocked and almost shouted out, "Little Angel!" But she hurriedly covered her mouth and whispered, "Little Angel, why did you enter with the audience? You can enter with Mr. Bertram, from Bai Ai's exclusive entrance."

Qi Mu and Min Chen's relationship had been spread among the members of Bai Ai early, due to Daniel's "careless" big mouth. Although it didn't spread amongst the staff, unfortunately, the husband of this staff member happened to work as a trumpet player in the orchestra. She also knew their relationship.

Qi Mu raised his hand and pulled on the brim of his hat. He put his finger against his lips with a slight smile and said softly, "Shh, I came secretly. I hope... you can keep this a secret for me."