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墨書 Inktalez
The next morning, Qiluo Ling got up early. She spent two hours thoroughly cleaning the entire house. Although she was exhausted and sweating, looking at the shiny tables and chairs and the spotless floor brought her an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
She rushed into the bathroom to take a shower. After bathing, she rested on the sofa for a few minutes and dug out the business card of the music critic Cheng Yuping from the innermost layer of her bag. She dialed the mobile number on the card. The phone rang for a long time without anyone answering. Just as she was about to give up, someone picked up the call.
"Hello, this is Qiluo Ling."
"Who?"
"Qiluo Ling, the one who sat next to you on the plane."
There was a pause on the other end for a few seconds, as if recalling the scene at that time.
"I remember now, hello," the other party said politely.
"I would like to meet with you to discuss some questions about music. I wonder if you are available?"
"Oh," the other party thought for a few seconds and said, "I happen to be free tomorrow morning. Where shall we meet?"
"It mainly depends on where is convenient for you. I'm flexible."
"Then let's meet at the café across from my house," the other party suggested after thinking for a moment.
The next morning, Qiluo Ling took a taxi to the café that Cheng Yuping had mentioned.
This café was located on the second floor of a commercial shopping center, with a relatively large terrace connecting the second and third floors. Sitting on the terrace in the warm autumn sunshine, sipping coffee while reading a book should be quite pleasant.
Before long, Cheng Yuping appeared at the entrance of the café. She wore a sleeveless green floral bohemian long dress that reached her calves. The high-waisted dress was fitted at the top and loose at the hem, exuding femininity. Combined with her tall stature and beautiful features, she stood out as a striking sight in the crowd.
"You look beautiful," Qiluo Ling couldn't help but compliment.
"Thank you!"
Cheng Yuping adjusted her dress slightly and elegantly sat down.
The waiter approached, and Qiluo Ling ordered a Mocha Coffee, while Cheng Yuping requested a Cappuccino.
Before long, the waiter brought over the two cups of coffee.
"Do you need sugar?" Cheng Yuping asked.
Qiluo Ling smiled and shook her head, "I prefer pure coffee; the original flavor has a mix of bitterness, acidity, and sweetness."
"I'm the exact opposite. I like flavored coffee with milk and sugar; just a hint of coffee's bitterness is enough for me. That's how I enjoy my coffee," Cheng Yuping said, quickly stirring the cream and sugar with her thumb and index finger around the small metal handle.
Qiluo Ling took a sip of her Mocha Coffee, the rich aroma combined with a slight bitterness flowed slowly down her tongue to her heart, with sweet and sour notes swirling in her mouth.
"Can you tell me what your work mainly involves in music?" Qiluo Ling asked.
"My job is in mass media, primarily writing essays and prose based on popular music, mainstream music, and significant musical phenomena," Cheng Yuping replied.
"I remember you mentioned that you are knowledgeable about classical piano, right?" Qiluo Ling asked.
"Of course. I've loved playing the piano since I was young, especially classical piano," Cheng Yuping said calmly after taking a sip of her coffee.
In the café, a clear piano piece gradually filled the air. She recognized this piece called Whispers of Flowers.
In the adjacent seats, some customers left while others took their places.
"What's up? Are you also interested in classical piano?" Cheng Yuping asked.
"Yes, I'm quite interested now," Qiluo Ling nodded.
The waiter brought two strawberry-flavored cake pops, saying that today was the shop's anniversary and they were specially offering them for free to customers.
"Now can you tell me what you wanted to discuss with me?" Cheng Yuping asked after taking another sip of her coffee.
"It is like this, I have something I would like to ask you for help with." Qiluo Ling looked at her sincerely.
"What is it? I don't know if I have the ability to help," she replied.
"I would like you to help me find something," Qiluo Ling said, pretending to be calm.
"What is it?" Cheng Yuping put down her coffee and looked at her seriously.
"I am looking for a classical sheet music."
"Who composed it? Who performed it?"
"As for the composer and performer..." Qiluo Ling lowered her head and took a sip of coffee, "I have only seen them in my dreams."
"What?" Cheng Yuping looked at her with a strange expression, unable to take her eyes off her, then said, "Can you express what you mean more clearly?"
"You might think it's absurd for someone to search for music they have only heard in a dream, which seems unbelievable to normal people."
The ice cream in the paper box on the table was slowly melting, and the vibrant strawberries on top were gradually sinking into the thick cream.
"Since you have heard it in a dream, how can you be sure that this sheet music exists in reality?" Cheng Yuping asked.
"I can't explain this reason, but I firmly believe that this piano piece must exist in reality."
"Why are you so sure?" Cheng Yuping gazed deeply at her.
Qiluo Ling held a spoonful of ice cream and said, "I have a kind of intuition. My intuition tells me that searching for this sheet music is something that has been arranged beforehand, as if it is my mission."
The two fell silent for a long time.
"Do you not believe what I am saying? Or do you doubt my mental state?"
Cheng Yuping did not directly answer the question but replied in a gentle tone, "It's not that I don't believe you; I just find your logic a bit strange. You seem sincere and not like someone who is lying, but you also don't speak like a normal person. First of all, you assert the existence of this Sheet Music solely based on intuition, which raises doubts."
"What do you think about the subconscious?" Qiluo Ling pondered for a moment and asked.
"I have read Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams. According to his theory, the subconscious is composed of various repressed or forgotten emotions, desires, and motivations, losing its connection with normal communication systems and language rules, making it almost impossible to enter a person's conscious and rational level. The appearance of dreams is an expression of subconscious desires; of course, this expression is not straightforward but rather modified and disguised."
Cheng Yuping glanced at her and continued, "Rather than saying that dreams are predictions of the future, it would be more accurate to say they are recollections of past experiences. Dreams revive those repressed and rejected subconscious desires from past experiences, especially from childhood."
"I understand your point clearly. According to Freud's theory, the reason I have such dreams is not a mysterious phenomenon; rather, it can be analyzed psychologically based on his subconscious theory. In his youth and middle age, Freud sought to explain mysterious phenomena through non-mystical means. He often relied on his subconscious theory. In fact, he had a hope that one day all omens, telepathy, miracles, and other phenomena could be categorized within our subconscious mental processes without shaking the foundations of his theories too much."
"Yes," Cheng Yuping nodded.
"However, Freud's stance on mysticism has always given a consistent impression." Qiluo Ling's tone shifted as she continued, "In his later years, his views on mystical phenomena seemed to change. He believed that the explanations provided by psychoanalysis could not deny the existence of mystical phenomena. In Psychoanalysis Revisited, he expressed his new viewpoint: psychoanalysis cannot provide direct answers to the most interesting questions regarding the objective reality of such matters. Later on, in some of his psychoanalytic cases, he even revealed the mystical aspects of things that originally had no mystique through psychoanalysis. He concluded that dream interpretation and psychoanalysis assist in understanding mysticism. It is through this method that unknown mystical matters become known to people."
Cheng Yuping was taken aback and after a long pause said, "Even if I believe what you're saying—and you are speaking the truth—how do you plan to find it? Who knows how many unknown classical Sheet Music pieces exist in the world? The chances are as slim as finding a needle in the ocean."
"I know this task is extremely difficult. However, the most important thing is that I know the name of this Piano Piece."
"What is its name?"
"Devil's Sorrow."
Cheng Yuping dropped the handle of her spoon into her coffee cup with a crisp sound.
"Why is it called that? Does it have something to do with demons?"
Qiluo Ling shook her head and said, "I do not know the origin of the title."
Cheng Yuping remained silent, moved her coffee cup aside, and slowly scooped ice cream with her spoon while seemingly contemplating something.
"If you feel uncomfortable, then let's forget it!"
"No, no, it's not a matter of discomfort," Cheng Yuping continued, "I am considering how to use the resources at my disposal to help you find some clues about the Sheet Music."
"Thank you so much! I really don't know how to repay you."
"You are too polite; there's no need to repay me because I don't even know if I can help you find any clues. That aside, personally, I am very curious about how a piece of piano Sheet Music from a dream is so important to you that it seems to have enchanted you into searching for it in reality."
"I can only say that it is an unparalleled Piano Piece, at least among the pieces I have heard."
"Is it that beautiful?"
"Yes, it resonates so deeply within me that listening to it gives you a sort of illusion."
"What kind of illusion?"
"It feels as if you are transported back to a moment in the past, or perhaps a moment from the past comes to your side."
After saying this, Qiluo Ling seemed a bit dazed, casting her gaze outside the coffee shop.
"Alright, I will do my best to help you search," Cheng Yuping nodded thoughtfully.
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