201: Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-Nine: Shock Without Joy 201: Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-Nine: Shock Without Joy Glolov stood at the front, his face alight with joy as he rang the doorbell.
After Natalia glanced outside through the peephole, she immediately opened the door and grabbed Glolov, lifting him off his feet and spinning around before entering the house with him.
The tall Glolov was carried into the house by the woman without any sense of incongruity.
Once Glolov had entered the house, Natalia then shouted at the top of her lungs, “Yelena, your dad and the others are back.”
Yelena walked out from the inner room, and upon seeing Gao Yang, she let out an excited scream.
Then, in just a few quick strides, she rushed up to Gao Yang and leaped onto him, tightly wrapping her arms around his neck, unwilling to come down.
Gao Yang quickly moved the violin case he was carrying to one side, just narrowly avoiding it being hit by Yelena.
Then Gao Yang had no choice but to support Yelena’s bottom with his arm to keep her from falling off, but he quickly felt something was wrong, as he noticed Glolov staring at his hand with murderous intent.
Gao Yang hurriedly cleared his throat, wishing Yelena would quickly get down from him before Glolov lost control, but instead, Yelena clung to him even tighter, making it hard for Gao Yang to breathe.
With no other option, Gao Yang whispered in Yelena’s ear, “Get down, quickly.
There are a lot of people here, and the key issue is your dad is about to lose it.”
Yelena suddenly released her grip on Gao Yang’s neck as if she had been electrocuted, her face blushing red.
After greeting Cui Bo and the others standing outside, she immediately turned and threw herself onto Glolov, hugging him briefly before shyly saying, “Dad, I’m sorry, I just, I’m really sorry.”
Yelena didn’t care how many people saw her, but it was different in front of her father, especially since in her excitement she had first rushed into her boyfriend’s arms, neglecting her father.
One could imagine Yelena’s shyness and embarrassment.
Glolov had a complex expression, as if he wanted to say something but held back.
Then, without anyone noticing, Natalia twisted his waist sharply.
Glolov immediately opened his mouth wide, grinning in pain, and said, “It doesn’t matter, my daughter has grown up.
There’s nothing wrong with that.”
After hearing Glolov’s words, Natalia finally showed a satisfied smile.
She said loudly, “Please come in, do come in.
Haven’t seen each other for a while and already feeling like strangers, huh?”
When Cui Bo and the others came in this time, they gave Natalia the small gifts they had brought, except for Bob, since they had all lived together under the same roof for a long time and were very familiar with one another.
After Natalia had put down the gifts given by Cui Bo and the rest, Glolov waved to the still-blushing Yelena and placed a receipt in her hand.
With a face full of love and satisfaction he said, “Sweetheart, your dad has always wanted to buy you a better piano.
I’m sorry it took so many years, but your dad finally bought it for you today.
Your Christmas gift, sweetheart.”
Glolov’s words triggered Yelena to start shedding tears.
She hugged Glolov’s shoulder, sobbing, “Dad, as a child, I was envious of other kids who always had their dads by their side, and even though I had a dad, I never got to see him.
But I’ve always loved you so much, Dad.
I knew you would come back to me one day.”
Yelena had barely finished when Glolov’s eyes reddened, and Natalia, too, began to wipe away tears.
Glolov embraced both Natalia and Yelena, holding them quietly for a long time.
After a while, Glolov gently patted Yelena on the shoulder, his voice soft, “All right, child, your boyfriend also got you a gift.
Don’t keep him waiting too long.”
For a long time, the relationship between Gao Yang and Yelena had been somewhat awkward, mainly due to Glolov.
As Glolov’s comrade-in-arms and brother, Gao Yang found it hard to talk openly about his relationship with Yelena in front of Glolov, and although Glolov was well aware of everything, he neither approved nor disapproved, pretending to know nothing.
The first time Glolov openly acknowledged the word “boyfriend” in front of Gao Yang and Yelena, its utterance also signified that Glolov was no longer feigning ignorance.
He was officially recognizing Gao Yang as Yelena’s boyfriend.
After a happy glance at Glolov, Yelena walked up to Gao Yang with poise and planted a kiss on his face, then hugged one of Gao Yang’s arms and smiled, “You and Dad coming back is the best gift for me.”
Gao Yang looked at Glolov and, seeing that he was still smiling, he finally relaxed.
However, he didn’t dare to kiss her back.
Gao Yang shook the violin case that he was holding in his left hand in front of Yelena and smiled, “Your Christmas gift.
I wanted to surprise you, so I guarantee you’ll love it.”
Seeing the violin case, he knew what was inside, but the important part was the violin itself, so Gao Yang was sure he could give Yelena a big surprise.
Yelena’s smile was sweet as she took the violin case from Gao Yang, and with a sweet smile, said, “I’ll like anything you give me.”
As she spoke, Yelena opened the violin case, and upon seeing the violin inside, the smile on her face immediately froze.
She looked at the violin in shock and exclaimed, “Oh my God, ‘Future Star’!”
Yelena was surely surprised, but not necessarily delighted, at least not judging by her face.
After the shock, she looked at Gao Yang in astonishment and said, “My God, I had just come back from that store, and now after I get home, this violin is in my hands.
If I’m not dreaming, then there must be a problem?
Yang, how did you get this violin, what did you do?”
Gao Yang gave a slight smile and said, “Actually, when you were at the shop, I was there.
In order not to spoil your father’s and my plan to surprise you, I didn’t let you see me.
I knew you hoped to get this violin, so after you left, Sony and I bought it.”
At a loss for words, Yelena said, “No, it’s impossible, they couldn’t have sold the violin to you.
Oh God, I hope you haven’t done anything foolish.”
Gao Yang laughed heartily and said, “Do anything foolish?
Buying this violin is your own accomplishment.
You’ve received recognition from two master violinists, which is why I was able to buy it.
In fact, I think the biggest surprise for you isn’t the violin, but the approval from those two masters.
Now that the violin is yours, don’t you want to give it a try?”
Yelena was still visibly nervous as she grasped one of Gao Yang’s hands, saying anxiously, “Yang, I’m really scared.
I really don’t want you to do anything foolish for me.
I’m sorry, I don’t doubt what you’re saying, I just can’t believe that I would be recognized by two masters.”
Waving his hand, Gao Yang laughed and said, “While there was indeed a moment when I really wanted to grab the violin, I’m not that foolish.
Don’t worry, you really have received the masters’ recognition.
By the way, you need to take a full-size photo holding this violin and then send it to the shop you visited.
Remember, it needs to be an actual-size photo.
Additionally, the signed certificates from the two masters are where the violin originally was.
They’ll display your photo and the two certificates together, for at least a year in an exhibition, while also publishing a declaration in the newspaper stating that Isaac Stern’s violin now has an owner.”
Glolov and Natalia were both shocked and delighted to hear this.
Then, in an anxious tone, Glolov said, “What are you talking about?
What ‘Future Star,’ what declaration?”
After Gao Yang recounted his experience purchasing the violin and the exact words of the two masters, he chuckled, “That’s the whole story, which is why I say that getting the violin is all thanks to Yelena herself.”
Yelena was still incredulous, saying, “The Future Star is a Stradivari creation, played by Isaac Stern for decades.
The original name of this violin wasn’t ‘Future Star,’ but Isaac Stern declared in his will that this violin can only be given to a young person recognized by two master violinists, hence the name ‘Future Star.’ The person who gets this violin will also become the ‘Future Star.’ Dad, do you know which two masters think I’m worthy?
One of them is my teacher, Zukerman, and the other is the Frenchman John Jack Contohoof, a professor at CNSMDP who only teaches masterclass students.
I can’t believe I’ve earned their approval.”
Glolov was ecstatic, muttering to himself, “I knew my daughter was the Future Star, you truly are the Future Star.
I’ve always known it.”
Still shaking her head in shock, Yelena said, “Dad, this violin is a Stradivari and costs six hundred and sixty-two thousand US dollars!
Even if I’m eligible for this violin, it’s too expensive, and its value is more as an antique.
I don’t need and can’t use such an expensive violin.
You all risk your lives as mercenaries; I can’t use such an expensive violin.
Yang, can you please return it?
Being honored is enough for me; I really don’t need to use this violin.”
Gao Yang said with a smile, “I know you love this violin, and I believe that only this violin is worthy of you.
Returning it is out of the question.
Besides, the real value of this violin is much more than six hundred and sixty-two thousand dollars, you know that, right?”
Yelena shook her head, saying, “No, the problem is that we can’t resell this violin at all, so even if the violin could be sold for ten million US dollars, it would be the same.
You’re just wasting more than six hundred thousand dollars unnecessarily.
Yang, modern violins are not worse than old ones; even if I used a modern violin, it would be the same.
We could return this violin and then you could gift me a modern one, okay?”
Although Yelena refused to accept the gift and insisted that Gao Yang return the violin, not only was he not angry, he actually felt quite relieved because he knew Yelena was not a materialistic girl.
She wasn’t happy about receiving an expensive gift for herself, nor was she excited about becoming famous for it, but she cared for him, unwilling to let him spend the money in vain.
Gao Yang truly felt relieved.
Gao Yang gently touched Yelena’s anxious face and smiled, “I wanted to see your surprised expression, not just one of shock without any joy.
Smile, don’t worry, I’m not short of money now, and in the future, I’ll only earn more.”
After Gao Yang finished speaking, before Yelena could say anything, his phone suddenly rang.
The call was from Morgan, but as Gao Yang picked up, Morgan said in a grave voice, “Gao, although I think you should give up being a mercenary, if you insist on continuing that line of work, I think you should meet someone, an agent who specifically serves mercenaries.”
(To be continued.
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