200: Chapter 198: Fortunate to Have Each Other.
200: Chapter 198: Fortunate to Have Each Other.
When Gao Yang said that Yelena was his girlfriend, the clerk who received him shrugged and said, “Perhaps I misspoke.
Having such a girlfriend, you’re the lucky one.”
Gao Yang smiled and said, “Indeed, being favored by a beauty is quite fortunate, but can you tell me why you can’t sell the violin to me?”
The clerk looked apologetic and said, “Sir, we can’t sell you this violin, and it’s not personal against you.
In fact, we don’t target anyone in particular.
Let me first introduce you to this violin.
It is a work of the Italian luthier Stradivari from 1724.
As someone outside the field, you might not have heard the name, but let me put it this way, a Stradivari violin is the dream of every violin master.
Moreover, a Stradivari violin isn’t just an instrument; it’s also a valuable antique.
Stradivari’s works, as long as they are well-preserved and playable, are all valued at at least a million.
And this violin was bought by the violin master Isaac Stern in 1963.
Since then, it has always been Stern’s performance violin.
When Mr.
Stern passed away, he willed this violin to our shop to sell, and specifically to sell it for the original price he paid.
The money from the sale of this violin will be donated to a charity fund, but there’s a condition for buying this violin.
The player who uses it must be a young artist, and their artistic achievement must match the violin’s stature.
Sir, if this violin were auctioned normally, the starting bid should be over 1.2 million US dollars.
Personally, I predict the final bid would be at least over 2 million US dollars.
Established masters cannot buy it, and young people either don’t meet the criteria or can’t get a master’s judgment.
Therefore, this violin has been here for a long time.
Unless you can prove you are worthy of this violin, we can’t sell it.”
After hearing the clerk’s lengthy explanation, Gao Yang felt there were indeed reasons why they couldn’t sell it.
After all, buying this violin was akin to stumbling upon a great deal; that was secondary.
More importantly, the person who could buy this violin would be recognized by the music world.
Although the shop had reasons not to sell casually, Gao Yang still remembered the longing look in Yelena’s eyes when she saw the violin.
In an instant, he made up his mind; he had to buy this violin, even if it meant stealing it.
“Sir, how is the buyer’s qualification judged?
There must be some criteria,” he asked.
The clerk smiled slightly and said, “It’s simple.
Approval by two violin masters at the same time would suffice, and the two gentlemen standing next to you both qualify.
The one gentleman is a professor from the Juilliard School, and he certainly has the authority to judge.
The other one is equally qualified.
It’s rare for both of them to be together, but today, you happened to encounter them.”
When the clerk pointed to the two old men who were chatting, Gao Yang was speechless.
No wonder Yelena was so excitedly greeting them.
It turned out these two inconspicuous old men were some sort of maestros.
However, the frustrating part for Gao Yang was, even with two qualified judges present, it was no use if he had known earlier that things would align so coincidentally, he would have had Yelena try the violin, no matter how slim her chances of qualifying to buy it were.
After a deep sigh, Gao Yang said with a sullen face, “I was planning to surprise my girlfriend, but now it seems I should have asked her to try the violin.”
The clerk shrugged, unable to help, and said, “Indeed you should have let your girlfriend try.
Unfortunately, Jack Contohoof is leaving the United States today, and he is just here to change a string in our shop.
It will be fixed soon.
So I guess your girlfriend would have to apply in advance to our boss if she wants another chance to try the violin.
However, you’re in luck; the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is close by, so there might be a chance, but it depends on luck.
As you know, having at least two violin masters together at the same time is truly rare.”
Gao Yang was filled with regret.
He said urgently, “It seems impossible to surprise her now, but can you give my girlfriend a chance to try it?
I will go and bring her back immediately.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but that’ll depend on whether Jack Contohoof agrees.
I suggest you ask him directly,” the clerk replied.
Just as Gao Yang was about to ask Jack Contohoof if he could wait a moment, Contohoof suddenly said, “Young man, did you just say that girl was your girlfriend?”
Gao Yang nodded eagerly, “Yes, sir.
You might have heard our conversation.
May I ask if you could give an extremely talented girl a chance and wait just a moment?”
The other violin master, standing beside Jack Contohoof, suddenly asked, “What’s your girlfriend’s name?”
“Yelena.”
“Her full name.”
“Yelena Yura Ivanova.”
“What’s your name?”
After hesitating for a moment, Gao Yang still answered honestly, “My name is Gao Yang.”
The old man nodded and said, “It seems you are her boyfriend, a Huaxia man named Gao Yang, no mistake.
Not many of Yelena’s classmates know her full name, as she doesn’t wish to tell them, but especially the male students, they all know her boyfriend’s name is Gao Yang.
Are you engaged?”
Gao Yang opened his mouth in surprise and stammered, “Ah?
Ah!
You know me?
How, how is that possible?
What are you talking about?”
The old man shrugged his shoulders, a smile on his face as he said, “I am Yelena’s teacher.
I made a point of looking at her admission records, which is how I know her full name.
And the reason why I know of you is because you’re a celebrity.
Let me put it this way, since Yelena enrolled, she has already gotten into fights twice, or rather, she’s already sent two poor admirers to the hospital, all because of you.
It all started because the men pursuing her mentioned you.
Ha-ha, you’re like the common enemy out of a legend, especially after Yelena officially announced her engagement to you, waiting only for graduation to get married.
I suppose there would be a long queue of people wanting to punch you.”
Gao Yang was completely dumbfounded.
His mouth hung open, but he couldn’t say a word.
As he watched Gao Yang’s dazed face, the old man chuckled again and said, “Yelena is the most talented and hardworking student I’ve ever seen.
She often says that her dad and boyfriend risked their lives to earn her tuition, so she won’t allow herself any slack.
I don’t know what you do for a living and I don’t intend to pry, but I suspect you undertake very dangerous work.
Young man, you and Yelena are very lucky, truly fortunate to have each other.”
Gao Yang subconsciously nodded, but he quickly came to his senses and hurriedly said, “Sir, since you think so highly of Yelena, could you give her a chance?
I really want to buy this violin for her because I know how much she longs for it, and I also believe she deserves it.”
Yelena’s teacher nodded and replied, “I think so too.
If I had the privilege to choose, then it would be Yelena.
I am very certain of this, and I offer my personal integrity as a guarantee.”
The clerk attending to Gao Yang immediately said, “Certainly you have the right, but we need both masters to make the choice.”
Yelena’s teacher looked towards Jack Contohoof with a smile, and Jack Contohoof pointed at the violin and said to the clerk, “If you confirm that I am also qualified to judge, then sell the violin to him.
As a matter of fact, I was just about to say that.”
Yelena’s teacher had an air of inevitability about him, as if he had always known that Jack Contohoof would make that choice, while the clerk attending to Gao Yang was utterly astonished and asked, “Sir, of course you have the authority to judge, but have you heard any of the girls play?”
Jack Contohoof nodded and said loudly, “Of course, I’ve heard her play twice.
Once during a Juilliard School student orchestra performance and once during her solo.
I’m old, but I can clearly remember this girl’s name because she left a very deep impression on me.
She’s been the greatest discovery of my trip to America.
Her violin already has a soul.
With more polish, she will definitely be a master.
Personally, I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this violin than her.”
Both masters had made their judgments, and the person being judged wasn’t even present.
The clerk promptly nodded and said, “Understood, though the boss isn’t here, I am authorized to make this decision.
If both gentlemen can provide a written statement, then the violin will belong to Miss Yelena, of course, provided that this gentleman can pay six hundred and twenty thousand US dollars.”
Gao Yang was ecstatic and nodded repeatedly, “Of course, of course I’ll buy it.”
After Gao Yang had finished speaking, he remembered that he didn’t have enough money on him.
He had three hundred and sixty thousand US dollars, exactly half of what was needed.
However, there should be a branch of a Swiss Bank everywhere, but surely there must be one on Wall Street in New York.
“Sir, I don’t have enough money right now, but I can get it immediately.
Can I pay half upfront as a deposit?”
The clerk smiled and said, “No need for such trouble, as long as your girlfriend doesn’t give up the violin, you can just complete the payment within a month.
After all, we need to give young people time to raise funds.”
Gao Yang immediately said, “Wait for me, it won’t take a month, I’ll bring the money back quickly.
Oh, and is cash payment okay?”
“Sorry, because it’s a large payment, we can only accept checks, credit card payments, or bank transfers.
If needed, we can provide you with an account number.”
Upon hearing bank transfer, Gao Yang remembered that all he needed to do was make a call, provide his account number and password, and he could transfer the money to any account.
So Gao Yang immediately said, “Bank transfer, right away.”(To be continued.
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