Chapter 9

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

The people in the theatre were repeatedly exclaiming in shock. An international master like Carl was actually taking the initiative to be friends with an unknown young girl.

“Huh?” The young girl was also stunned for a while before she reacted. “Qingli, you can just call me Qingli.”

“I wonder if you have time to discuss this song with me?” Carl hadn’t been this excited for many years. He was even more excited than when he first rose to fame after playing at the Golden Theatre.

Gu Zechuan kept his eyes on the girl who was smiling on the stage. Her eyes looked pure with her eyebrows raised and her lips curved upwards. When she spoke, her facial features moved flawlessly and she seemed to be full of life.

“To be honest, I heard this song in my dream. I just thought it was nice, so I remembered it.” The young girl gave a random excuse. Carl put his hands together and bowed to god. “Amen, did you send a little angel because you heard my prayers?”

Song Qingli looked at Master Carl whose eyes had turned wet. Perhaps it was because he was thinking of his wife and this song touched the softest part of his heart.

The man looked at the song Qingli with tears in his eyes and he couldn’t speak for a long time. After a while, he smiled. “I’ll play you a song. What would you like to hear?”

Everyone knew that it was extremely difficult to get tickets for the concerts of the international pianist Master Carl. He was a soul performer and was popular all over the world.

Song Qingli was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor that she was offered. She held both her hands across her chest and looked at him with a bright look in her clear eyes. “Dolden lake.”

“I would like to hear you play Dolden Lake.” She repeated.

Her eyes were still glowing with happiness as she spoke and Carl invited her to sit in front of the piano. Seeing that Carl was going to play the piano, the audience in the theatre immediately returned to their seats. All of them were filled with anticipation.

The notes from the piano slowly drifted into Song Qingli’s ears and her beating heart was shrouded in a ray of golden light. In her past life, during the most difficult times of her life, she had cheered herself up by humming to ‘Dolden Lake’

The notes triggered the memories in her mind.

—

They were in a foreign country and her father did not allow her to work, worried that she might be bullied.

Every time she saw her father return home with bloody palms, the young girl was beaten with guilt.

“My girl, don’t worry. I asked about school fees today. It isn’t that expensive.” Her father ate dry bread in big mouthfuls and didn’t even have time to stop for water. It was as if he had not eaten for a day. The handsome merchant that her father once was, was now gone.

“You’re still young. You shouldn’t have to worry about money. These are things that should be considered by parents. In a month’s time, I’ll arrange for you to attend one of the schools and you should be able to do whatever you like.”

Every night, Song Qingli would wake up secretly. She would flip her father’s hand over and look at the blisters on his palm and her tears would start rolling down her cheeks. Her father had never done any manual work in the first half of his life. Although they were not rich, they still had enough. He didn’t have to do manual work in order to earn money.

She didn’t want her father to bear all this alone and so she went out looking for a job without her father’s knowledge.

Song Qingli worked for the first time in her life. Since she didn’t have any documents with her, she could only work in underground workshops. However, their income was low and she often worked for free.

During one of the days when the sky was covered with dark clouds and the wind was blowing strong, a young girl walked out of a blacksmith workshop with five euros in her hand and a handprint on her face. This was the money she had earned by making a scene. She has been unpaid for most of the work that she had done earlier.

She passed by one of the crowded squares which would usually be filled with musicians, holding all kinds of musical instruments. They never cared how much they were getting paid for their music. With the musical instruments in their hands, they felt like they owned the world.

Their souls were the smell of freedom.

However, due to the heavy rain, the square was desolate and deserted today.

The rain poured onto her clothes and soon, they were soaked. She was like a drowning dog walking in the empty square, unable to straighten her back. It was the middle of summer but the cold wind in the evening was like an ice cave.

The wind was so cold that she couldn’t even hold the money and it was blown away by the strong wind.

The young girl was exhausted but she had to run after the money. She had worked hard for several days to earn this.

The five euros note fell into a paper box which was placed in front of a pianist.

Amongst the empty, desolated square, there was only one old man who was still sitting in front of his piano.

He happily played with the rain and danced with the wind.

The young girl stood in front of the piano and looked at the gift box on the ground. Her five euros fell into the pile of money and she could no longer find her note.

The old man looked up and saw a girl that looked like a porcelain doll with Eastern features. She was standing in front of the piano and sobbing softly, so the old man stopped playing.

He trembled as he stood up. He looked kind even when he staggered and his back was a little hunched. “What happened, pretty girl?”

Song Qingli did not say a thing and stared at the money inside the box. She wanted to take it back but her pride didn’t allow it. She had never been so embarrassed before.

The old man saw her predicament and bent down to pick up the paper box with great effort. “Are you facing any difficulties now? If you need money, just take it. I don’t need that much.”

The young girl clutched her pants tightly. She bit her lower lip and sobbed. Then, she looked at the old man with her red eyes. “I’m not taking your money. These five Euro belong to me and they fell inside. Grandpa, could you play a song for me? I’d like to hear something happy.”

She wanted to hear something happy because life was harsh. Her father would definitely be unhappy as well if she brought back the money so she might as well spend it.

The old man could tell that this was a stubborn girl and it made his heart ache. She must have encountered unpleasant events in this new and foreign country.

So, the old man ended up playing Dolden Lake.

The young girl remembered it ever since. She remembered it for a long time. That evening in a foreign country, where it was pouring at the square, the old man whose hair was all white and his clothes were white from washing, sat in front of the piano and played beautifully. There was a beautiful young girl sobbing next to him and the only thing between them was a tattered paper box with lots of money in it.

The young girl wiped off the tears in her eyes with the back of her hand and the old man played Dolden Lake five times repeatedly just for her. He said to her, “If it isn’t life and death, nothing else matters. Don’t cry. As long as you’re still alive, there will always be a way out.”

Song Qingli calmed down and pulled herself together. Then, she decided to face the current situation with her father. She would have to survive in order for her dreams to come true.

The music was still playing in the theatre. The girl closed her eyes tightly. In a daze, she could see the old man with a head full of white hair,enjoying himself as he played the piano.

This time, it was the young girl who had tears in her eyes but she was smiling.

The golden light above her head kept following her. Gu Zechuan looked at her for quite some time. She seemed to have an inexplicable attraction. This woman who would feign civility with him was revealing her true feelings, which was very eye-catching.