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Su Wan took a sip of tea and interrupted him, "I know."
Jiang Zhi Yan raised his gaze again, and she continued, "Although I don't blame her, I won't disturb her or her family."
Jiang Zhi Yan smiled helplessly, "If that's the outcome, then why did I even say those things to you?"
Su Wan was taken aback, feeling confused by his ambiguous words.
"Since my aunt came to find you, she has already made all the arrangements, including my grandfather." He lowered his gaze, a mocking smile suddenly appearing at the corner of his mouth. "In a sense, my aunt and I are the same kind of people, trapped in that big house, always obedient, never resisting... But at least my aunt has you. I..." He trailed off, feeling like he had nothing left but an empty shell.
His last words were almost drowned out by the noise in the restaurant. Su Wan found it hard to imagine that someone who always appeared so relaxed and carefree like Jiang Zhi Yan could harbor such loneliness and despair. Memories suddenly flooded back of what Xu Chengyang had said about him and a teenage female student... Could it be...
"I'm sorry..." He unconsciously covered his mouth and coughed, speaking in a fragmented manner. "I... said too much."
Su Wan felt a bit uneasy and quickly poured a cup of warm water for him, urging, "You should really go to the hospital soon; delaying this could be serious..."
He struggled to respond, "But..."
Su Wan insisted, "I really don't mind; you should hurry."
Jiang Zhi Yan indeed felt unable to hold on any longer; his head was spinning and he felt extremely unwell. Before leaving home, he had specifically taken cold medicine, but it seemed to have no effect at all. Helplessly, he grabbed his phone from the table, stood up, and said "Sorry" once more.
Su Wan waved her hand repeatedly urging him to go to the hospital.
After watching him leave through the restaurant door, Su Wan sat back down and glanced at the menu on the table with a sigh.
What could she do? She had already ordered, so she might as well finish it all.
Before long, the waiter brought out dishes one after another until they nearly filled the long table.
Su Wan couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. How much had she ordered? She clearly only wanted a bowl of Wonton Noodles.
Just as Su Wan was about to pull out her phone to call Xu Chengyang and Yao Ye for help, a shadow suddenly passed over her as someone sat down across from her.
She instinctively raised her eyes and saw the man in front of her lightly scanning the table full of dishes. With a half-smile, he said, "I didn't expect you, Madam, to have such an appetite all by yourself."
Su Wan couldn't help but laugh, "What brings you here?"
Fu Weiheng reached for the teacup in front of her and took a sip. "Just passing by."
Su Wan replied, "Isn't this place in the opposite direction from your home?"
Fu Weiheng frowned slightly. "Just out for a drive."
Su Wan was speechless.
Su Wan asked, "Did you eat the takeout I ordered for you?"
Fu Weiheng wrinkled his nose in disdain. "No."
Su Wan hurriedly asked, "Why didn't you eat?"
Fu Weiheng replied, "I couldn't eat."
Su Wan thought to herself, why is he suddenly in a bad mood?
In truth, he was feeling restless... Knowing that Su Wan was having dinner with another man made it impossible for him to settle down. Even if that man was Jiang Zhi Yan, he felt uneasy and lost his appetite. In the end, the unopened takeout box ended up in the trash can untouched...
Su Wan pointed at the dishes on the table. "Want to eat?"
He continued to act aloof. "No."
Su Wan said, "Then I'll eat it."
Fu Weiheng remained silent.
At the end of winter, the night temperature was still chillingly low.
As Jiang Zhi Yan stepped out of the restaurant and walked to the roadside to hail a cab, he found it difficult to keep his balance.
He raised his hand to touch his forehead, which felt hot and feverish.
There was no doubt about it; he had a fever.
Just as he was about to raise his hand to hail a cab, his body suddenly swayed backward uncontrollably. In his dazed state, he seemed to see the person he had been concerned about for many years—
“Muttering…”
—
After dinner, the two of them returned to the Fu Residence as usual.
Fu Quan and Fu Yiyuan had not yet returned to the United States. Typically, they would fly back the day after the Lantern Festival, but this year, due to Fu Weiheng's performance in Yan Chuan in March—his return to the stage after many years—they felt it necessary to support him as family.
By the time they arrived at the Fu Residence, it was nearly ten o'clock. The old man usually went to bed early; after dinner, he watched television in the living room for a short while before heading to his room. Ye Yinhua and Fu Weijin were also out for a business dinner and had not yet returned.
In the living room, only Fu Yiyuan was there, watching television while fiddling with his newly acquired purple clay teapot.
Fu Weiheng and Su Wan entered one after the other through the entrance. Hearing the noise, Fu Yiyuan turned around and asked, “Back already?”
Su Wan nodded politely, but Fu Weiheng went straight upstairs without looking back. His gloomy expression startled Fu Yiyuan, who quickly asked Su Wan, “What happened?”
Su Wan was equally puzzled; the oppressive atmosphere in the car on their way back had nearly suffocated her. She glanced at Fu Weiheng disappearing around the corner of the stairs and said, “Uncle, I’ll go check on him…”
“Go ahead,” Fu Yiyuan replied.
When Su Wan pushed open his bedroom door, she found Fu Weiheng standing sideways, unbuttoning his shirt. His thick brows were furrowed tightly, and he wore an unmistakably displeased expression.
She gently closed the door behind her, set down her bag, and walked over to him. Although she felt somewhat bewildered, she still asked, “Neil… are you angry?”
Fu Weiheng shot her a cold glance; with half of his shirt buttons undone, his solid chest was partially visible before Su Wan's eyes, causing her to unconsciously swallow hard.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the man in front of her reached out and pulled her into his arms. With one hand gripping her chin, he kissed her fiercely, biting and teasing, making her tongue tingle.
After a long while, he released her lips, his hands still firmly around her waist. Breathing heavily, his slightly hoarse voice carried a hint of grievance as he said, "Su Wan, can't you coax me a little?"
Su Wan was taken aback, suddenly realizing something.
Was he jealous?
She shyly looked up at him again, raised her hand to cup his face, and took the opportunity to kiss him on tiptoe before he could regain his composure. The action was clumsy and unfamiliar.
Fu Weiheng's previously dull eyes slowly lit up with a smile. He turned and pressed her down onto the soft bed, taking the initiative.
The curtains were drawn, the lights were off, and another night of entangled intimacy began.
In March, early spring.
The continuous gentle spring rain had lasted for a week, leaving a chill in the air that was piercing.
On March 9th, under the rare warm sun after the rain, everyone eagerly awaited the Performance—
H&Y Symphony Orchestra;
Famous Chinese Violinist from Europe, Fu Weiheng;
The sound of all things reviving;
2017 domestic premiere of Yan Chuan.
That evening, the Yan Chuan Grand Theatre Concert Hall was packed to capacity.
Most people came out of curiosity about this mysterious violinist who had withdrawn from the music scene for three years. Naturally, there were also many true fans of Fu Weiheng.
That evening's performance continued to adhere to the Fu Weiheng style of appreciation, where all attendees were prohibited from bringing any electronic devices with photo capabilities, such as cameras and smartphones. The sign at the entrance clearly stated that if anyone was dissatisfied, they could receive a full refund without conditions.
After all, he Fu Weiheng never lacked for a few audience members.
Backstage at the theater
The team was accustomed to such large-scale Performance, so even as the time to go on stage approached, everyone remained calm.
Su Wan was different; although she had participated in a few competitions before, they were only small interschool contests. Moreover, today’s Performance was her first show with the group, making her naturally nervous.
Fu Weiheng probably guessed that she would be anxious. After changing into his outfit in his Lounge, he hurried over to see her.
The ordinary Lounge fell silent at Fu Weiheng's sudden appearance.
As for why Mr. Fu would unexpectedly show up here before the performance, everyone exchanged knowing glances at Su Wan, who was sitting in the corner, deeply engrossed in her sheet music.
Unsurprisingly, he walked straight toward her.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the sheet music that was facing the lights, prompting Su Wan to instinctively look up.
Fu Weiheng wore a long black suit, with a sharply pressed white shirt underneath. His black trousers accentuated his long and straight legs. His tousled hair was neatly styled back today, giving him a refreshing and elegant appearance. He looked like a handsome gentleman—serious yet masculine.
Su Wan was momentarily stunned, captivated by his striking attire.
Raising an eyebrow, Fu Weiheng crouched down to meet her gaze and gently pinched her cheek, asking, “Are you nervous?”
It took Su Wan a moment to regain her senses as she replied somewhat dazedly, “A little.”
He placed his hand on the back of her neck and gave it a gentle squeeze, speaking softly, “Just play as you usually practice, okay?”
Su Wan nodded.
“It’s fine if you make mistakes,” he added. “No one will dare say anything to you.”
Su Wan chuckled, "Using public office for private gain?"
He smiled and replied calmly, "Yes, using public office for private gain."
---
At seven-thirty, the performance officially began.
Su Wan held her violin and went on stage with everyone else. She set up her chair and adjusted her position, taking a few glances at the audience while waiting for the show to start.
The faces in the audience were all familiar.
Old Master Fu sat in the center of the front row, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, smiling and nodding at her. She smiled back and gave a slight nod in response. On either side of Fu were Fu Yiyuan, Mu Qing, Fu Weijin, and Ye Yinhua.
In the next row behind them sat Xu Chengyang and Yao Ye, who seemed to notice her looking at them. They both pointed towards her left side, signaling her to look over there.
Su Wan raised an eyebrow in confusion and turned to see what they were pointing at, only to be taken aback.
Jiang Zhi Yan was seated in a wine-red suit in the first seat on the left side near the aisle. Beside him was Jiang Yun, elegantly dressed in a black dress.
At that moment, Jiang Yun was searching for Su Wan's figure and their eyes met. Jiang Yun held her breath as she looked at Su Wan for a moment, trying not to show any emotion. However, she was unexpectedly greeted by a smile from Su Wan from afar.
Jiang Yun was momentarily stunned but felt a surge of joy inside. She nodded slightly to Su Wan and smiled back in acknowledgment.
As Conductor Joseph walked slowly onto the conductor's platform amidst a round of crisp applause, everyone held their breath in anticipation of Fu Weiheng's entrance.
A minute later, the lights in the back row dimmed, signaling something. The audience seemed to sense it and began to applaud enthusiastically while looking towards the safety exit on the side of the stage.
Sure enough, amidst the warm applause, Fu Weiheng walked out holding a violin in one hand and a bow in the other, exuding confidence and elegance.
There were murmurs of excitement from the audience as Conductor Joseph and Fu Weiheng politely shook hands. Then both led all the members to stand up and bow again to express their gratitude to the audience.
At that moment, the opening bell rang out. As the audience fell silent, a sweet official voice announced through the speakers—
"Please enjoy the first piece, the Violin Concerto 'Carmen Fantasy for Orchestra' composed by Sarasate, performed by all members of the H&Y Symphony Orchestra and the renowned violinist Fu Weiheng."
Another round of applause rose and fell. Fu Weiheng raised the violin to his chin, and everyone on stage was ready. As the conductor's hands fell, a bright melody immediately filled the vast silence of the Concert Hall.
'Carmen Fantasy for Orchestra' is a fantasy that incorporates several well-known melodies with Spanish national characteristics from the famous opera 'Carmen' by French composer Bizet. The entire piece is filled with Sarasate's distinctive and extremely challenging violin techniques, showcasing the violinist's artistry.
The piece consists of four uninterrupted sections, preceded by a brief introduction—a moderate allegro where the orchestra plays the strong rhythm of the Prelude from Act IV of the opera, 'Aragonese Dance.' The violin then enters, employing various techniques such as vibrato, string changes, tremolo, and harmonics, concluding this short introduction with a calm plucking.
Next comes the first section, where the orchestra plays the famous rhythm of 'Habanera' with a playful leap. The violin immediately joins in, fully embodying its title as the "soprano" of the instrument family in this performance.
The second section is a slow adagio, where the violin plays the melody with very soft dynamics, ending gently with a series of harmonics.
In the third section, marked as a moderate allegro, woodwinds softly play the melody of 'Sajidya Dance.' The violin then repeats this lively melody before launching into an enthusiastic display of plucking, harmonics, slides, and various complex high-level techniques.
The final section begins with the violin suddenly playing the main theme, gradually increasing in speed and reaching a fervent continuous tremolo at its climax before concluding the entire piece.
As the last strong note faded away, five seconds later, a wave of enthusiastic and uplifting applause erupted throughout the hall. Almost in unison, all the audience members stood up and cheered for this opening piece—
"Bravo! Bravo!"
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