"You must be tired," Yan Feng held me, gently stroking my hair.
"I'm fine, just seeing you during today's performance made it better," I left his embrace and tossed the windbreaker onto the sofa.
"Don't you like me showing up?" he said softly, with a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"It's not that. Your sudden appearance always distracts me," I took a bottle of water from the fridge, unscrewed a glass bottle of mineral water, and took a few sips. The ice-cold, sweet liquid with hissing bubbles slid down my throat, relieving the thirst brought on by alcohol. I held the bottle and examined it carefully, "This water is really good."
"Got it. I'll make sure to let you know in advance next time. This is San Pellegrino; you can drink it every day when you go to Germany. Europeans like sparkling water; there's rarely still water. Actually, Americans do too." Yan Feng smiled, sat beside me, took the water, and had a sip.
"Is that so? I haven't had this kind of water when I was in Warsaw."
"I haven't been to Warsaw. Maybe they don't like things from Western Europe. I went to Berlin with my parents and my brother when I was very young. Berlin is a great city. You went to Hanover in September, and these two cities are not far apart. Germany has a well-developed high-speed rail system. I remember there are many excellent restaurants in Berlin; I must take you to eat there."
"Tell me the names of the restaurants first, I can go by myself," I grabbed the water back and took another sip.
"Don't you want me to come to Germany to see you?" he seemed a bit disappointed.
"Germany is far from Taipei and New York," I held the glass bottle in my hand, rubbing the bottle cap continuously.
"It's okay; I have at least four days off every month, and I'll give them all to you," he held my hand, placed the glass bottle on the table, and his soft lips approached. I instinctively opened my lips, but he just lightly pecked and pulled away, "Why didn't you reply to my text today?"
"After the performance today, there was a celebration banquet. It was important, and I couldn't delay it."
"I heard from Dai Yanzhi that the representative of the world's largest classical music record company is also there now. You don't have to worry too much. With your reputation, your image, and your performance today, they'll be scrambling to sign you. You're a big fish, truly belonging to the vast ocean."
"You mean a Kun, right?" I gave him a teasing look.
"Haha, yes. That's what I meant," he chuckled. "I was referring to your 'place'"
"Hey, can you be more serious? Don't embarrass yourself by calling yourself the ocean. I'm going to take a shower. It'll be quick."
He stood up too. "Even jokes don't work. You're really an unpredictable Xi Xi," he said. "Let's shower together."
I held him back, trying to stop him.
"We've showered together back in Beijing."
"That was you sneaking in last time. Not this time, I'm really tired today. Let me be alone for a while."
"Okay. But it's already past one, I have to wait for you to finish before I can shower."
"Fine, fine, you're really stubborn." I couldn't resist him, let go of his hand, and turned towards the bathroom.
Maybe I was still resentful that he intruded into my work unexpectedly, or maybe I hadn't yet gotten used to being completely open with him. I've always seen bathing as a kind of purification; the flowing hot water cleanses my soul thoroughly. Perhaps subconsciously, Yan Feng and I were always in the shadows, impure. Even if Beethoven is great, he never stood on a fair stage as a homosexual. Thinking about this, Yan Feng's hands grabbed the shirt tucked into my trousers, yanking it out as if tearing away all my reservations. I took over from his hands, crossing them to hold the corners of the shirt, flipping it from bottom to top, and casually threw it into the corner of the bathroom. He turned on the shower to the maximum, letting the hot water soak his pure cotton long sleeves and linen trousers.
"All my clothes are wet, hahaha. Looks like you'll have to help me schedule dry cleaning tomorrow," Yan Feng laughed heartily.
What does a fair stage matter? There, I've already received countless flowers and praise. I've been etched into their hearts like Beethoven, celebrated as a genius. But in the vast and lonely sea under the night, I am that sincere and free Kun, treating the nightly rain as a gift from the sky to the sea and dreams. Just like my private musical world, solitude is my eternal freedom.
"You remind me of 'Raindrops'," I lifted his clothes, kissing every inch of his body without hesitation.
"Chopin's Prelude? I haven't heard you play it yet," he said, breathing slightly heavier.
"The day after tomorrow, Osaka. I'll play it for you," I replied, tilting my head to continue kissing him.
Yan Feng is slightly taller than me, his body more robust. Kissing him, I lowered my head slightly, and countless droplets traced the contours of his muscles, outlining beautiful curves. The water flowed along the muscles of his abdomen, irrigating the fertile field, shimmering under the ceiling's spotlights.
"Tomorrow?" he urgently asked, his breath almost catching.
"Tomorrow, I have a meeting with Dezhi. In the afternoon, I'll take the Shinkansen to Osaka," I held him, burying my head in his chest.
"I've already bought tickets to Osaka for tomorrow," he said, a playful glint in his eyes.
"You knew early on; Dai Yanzhi must have told you. Why ask me then?" I lifted my head, looking into his eyes.
He didn't answer, instead lightly tugging my hair and kissing my lips passionately. At this moment, no words were needed. His hands caressed my waist, naturally sliding down to my legs, coming around to my back. I felt the growing warmth between his legs, rubbing against my buttocks. With the flowing hot water, he slowly entered my body.
"Xi Xi, Ye Xi, do you love me?" he asked me hysterically.
"I love you."
"I am Yan Feng. Are you in love with Yan Feng?"
"I love you, Yan Feng," I could barely speak.
"You're like the wind, capricious and unpredictable," he whispered, "I want to make you unable to leave me, unable to resist my body."
"Ah, more gently," I tried to turn my head to see his face clearly. His cheeks had streaks of water, mixed with droplets falling like tears, and I couldn't tell if it was his tears or the shower's water.
"Let me love you thoroughly. Whether it's Beijing, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hanover, Berlin," he forcefully moved with the names of these cities, once, twice, ...six times. I had to stifle my voice; he grabbed my hair with one hand, the other supporting my waist. In that moment when I tilted my head back, I felt my soul escaping, uncontrollably moaning loudly.
"Or somewhere else. Hell, River Styx, Void, Earthly realm," he entered and exited among these ethereal places, once, twice, ...five times, "or heaven."
As he mentioned heaven, our bodies trembled violently, his breath stopped, and a warm stream burst within me. He held onto me tightly, his hands cutting off the water flowing through my body. It wasn't until he took a deep breath and slowly released his grip that his body withdrew from mine, and the warm water flowed over me again. He began to wipe my body expressionlessly, squeezing some shower gel and gently applying it to my back.
"This is rare, both of us reaching that moment at the same time," he said, still with an expressionless face.
"You hurt me just now," this was the first time he had done this, and I wondered if he was venting his dissatisfaction with me in our intimacy.
"I'm sorry, Xi Xi. Don't say you want to be alone again. I'm afraid you'll disappear from here the moment you turn around," he held me.
"Alright, because I care about you, having you appear in my workplace can throw me off balance."
"Not today. You are always perfect, shining."
"That's because of the stage lights. Thanks to those lights, I have a focal point; otherwise, you sitting there would really disturb me."
"Without the stage lights, you still shine."
"Don't say that. You're the big star; you'll become famous soon. Classical music is still niche."
"Pop music, tacky," he let go of me, squeezed out some more shower gel, and applied it to himself.
"Haha. But it's popular."
"Okay, you win. Just had a meeting with the company today. They said the publicity for the concert is doing well, and album sales are soaring."
"'Beethoven's Rival.' I listened to it the first day I got it," I laughed.
"Don't laugh at my humble creation."
I kissed him and said, "It's beautiful. I like it."
We rinsed off the foam, put on our bathrobes, and slid into the crisp white sheets. I casually grabbed the phone by the bedside lamp, 1:30 a.m. I confirmed the alarm clock time for tomorrow morning and set it to vibrate mode.
"No need to check the alarm clock; I've scheduled a morning call for the room."
"It might wake you up. You can sleep a bit longer."
"It's okay. I was planning to go CD shopping today, had a whole day of meetings, and didn't get the chance. I'll go early tomorrow, and in the afternoon, take the Shinkansen to Osaka."
"Alright, let's get some sleep."
"Mmm... mmm," he said those two words, and then there was silence.
That night, I had a dream. A beautiful girl with butterfly wings fluttered in front of me. I thought of Psyche from Greek mythology, the goddess of the soul, who is said to be more beautiful than Venus. Part of the soul slipped away from the body, I told myself in the dream. If Yan Feng took it away, then he took it. It was the most enchanting experience in the world.
"Mr. Yeh, would you like some coffee?" Chen Hanwen tapped my shoulder.
"She just asked you the same thing. You have to take care of yourself these days, don't overwork," Dai Yanzhi said, smiling. He emphasized the word "overwork."
"Okay, thanks. A latte, please." I looked at Chen Hanwen, then shot Dai Yanzhi a stern glance when she turned to get the coffee.
"There was a business banquet funded by the Suntory group yesterday, it went on very late. I'm very tired," I covered my mouth, whispering to him.
" Haha, Mr. Ye, is this your first time in Japan? There might indeed be many things you're not used to. Tokyo's wind is strong, and it's quite dry," said Mr. Clementi, the President of Suntory's Asia-Pacific region. The German translator sat between him and me, glancing back and forth between us. "We highly value the opportunity to negotiate and sign a contract with you. I attended your performance yesterday, and your talent not only shone brightly but sparkled like a star. Signing with you will undoubtedly help us expand our market in the Asia-Pacific region. I saw Japanese girls going crazy for you yesterday. I'm not familiar with Japanese celebrities; they said you resemble someone?"
"Takuya Kimura," Chen Hanwen entered the meeting room carrying two bags of coffee.
"Haha, indeed, there's some resemblance," Dai Yanzhi chuckled.
"Haha, exactly," colleagues from the music association nodded, sharing amused glances.
"Takuya Kimura, who is that?" I was a bit perplexed, unsure who to direct my question to.
"Just a moment, let me show you his photo." Chen Hanwen handed us our coffee and then opened her laptop, pushing it toward me.
"Oh," I felt a bit awkward, unsure of what to say.
"It's precisely this opportunity. The public has a great affinity for you, and this is the image we want to help you create in the future. An elegant Eastern piano prince with handsome looks, impeccable piano skills, and a sophisticated and elegant demeanor," Chen Hanwen said in English, and I could understand most of it.
"Yes, we see significant commercial potential in you," Clementi added. "Oh, of course, we also want to maintain the seriousness and elegance of classical music. So, your image is poised and elegant."
"I don't really care about image building. As long as it allows me to play the piano, and secondly, not excessively hyped," I said coldly.
"Mr. Ye means that his focus is on piano technique, and for the packaging and promotion, it depends on the company's needs," Dai Yanzhi added, explaining.
"May I ask Mr. Clementi, what specific business plans do we have next, promotions, and record arrangements? Our colleagues in China will assist Mr. Ye in arranging. Soon, our domestic economic company will be established, and we will be Mr. Ye's economic team, so we will be responsible for the contract as well," Lin Su asked.
"This year's plan includes collaborations with magazines and print media to help with promotion. So, Mr. Ye will need to cooperate with photoshoots and interviews. Additionally, for the album, we are currently considering starting with Liszt. Although Mr. Ye gained fame for playing Chopin, NHK in Japan has already released recordings of his Chopin piano competition. Therefore, we don't want to directly compete with them. We've conducted some background research on Mr. Ye and found that his interpretation of Liszt is unique. Moreover, Mr. Ye achieved third place in the Liszt Piano Competition at a very young age," Chen Hanwen explained.
"Yes, many pianists playing Liszt sound like they are forging iron in a foundry. They emphasize piano technique so much that it overshadows the delicate handling of musical phrases. We believe that if we can infuse Mr. Ye's delicate emotions into Liszt's performance, it will be a success of softness overcoming strength," Mr. Clementi added. "Basically, this year's main promotional and album goals are like this. We hope to sign a contract with Mr. Ye until 2010, a five-year contract. Do you have any objections? As for next year's promotions, concerts, and album arrangements, we will provide a detailed plan in October this year."
Dai Yanzhi, Lin Su, and I exchanged glances, and then I looked at Dai Yanzhi.
"I'll be continuing my studies in Hanover in September. I can't guarantee that I'll be working in the Asia-Pacific region for the next five years," I looked at Chen Hanwen, then at Clementi, explaining in English. I noticed the translator staring blankly with wide-open eyes.
"That's not a problem. We are aware of your academic pursuits, and we are in contact with your future professor, Valdiel. As long as we can gather for about six months of work during breaks, it should be sufficient. Don't worry too much; we won't force you to compromise your studies," Clementi replied.
"That's great. Haha," Dai Yanzhi laughed as he listened to the translation explaining it to him.
"Yes, sure," I smiled and nodded.
"We heard that your company is also in contact with another Chinese pianist who is currently studying at the Curtis Institute of Music in the United States. Is it Lu Song?" Lin Su asked with a determined tone.
"Haha, we can't comment on that. All our contacts with artists who haven't formally signed are considered business secrets."
"You told the Suntory Foundation about signing with Mr. Ye last night. Your argument doesn't hold water," Lin Su displayed a triumphant smile.
"Haha, Mr. Lin Su is really sharp," Chen Hanwen couldn't come up with a response.
"Because we are determined to succeed," Clementi said with a steady smile, "Take a look at the contract. You don't need to worry about the money; we'll make sure you're satisfied. Our concerts have the best resources, not to mention the venues. Don't even think about getting venues that De Zhi can't secure. Moreover, the appearance fees for each concert are the highest. We've also made the greatest effort in maximizing the album income for Mr. Ye and the team."
"The advertising part is entirely up to you, and we won't impose any restrictions. It's all benefits that our company can help you gain," Chen Hanwen added.
"We received the contract before coming to Tokyo, and we feel there's room for negotiation in the profit-sharing aspect," Lin Su said.
"Of course, we understand. De Zhi is the best classical music record company globally, and your offer is not low. We just hope for more respect for Mr. Ye. If there's no room for negotiation in terms of price, could we consider reducing the number of performances? This way, it would ensure he has more time for practice and study. He is truly a unique pianist in history," Dai Yanzhi said in a more soothing tone.
I thought about the meeting before coming to Tokyo, where Dai Yanzhi, Lin Su, and other colleagues from the Music Association rehearsed many times. Each person portrayed different attitudes, with them being indifferent, while I could only play the role of a high-minded artist, releasing signals akin to rejection. They played the roles of capturers, engaging in the well-known tactic of feigning indifference to capture interest.
De Zhi was a record company I had known since my childhood as a piano prodigy. Countless top performers dreamt of entering De Zhi, yet today, I could adopt a posture of rejection, allowing Dai Yanzhi and the others to negotiate. I wasn't interested in the money; it was enough to buy a Ferrari, a Rolex, no, two Rolexes. The extra one, I wanted to give to Yan Feng. That would be sufficient.