The pale moonlight shone on Cao Baming, making his entire body appear bright.
The end of the corridor, however, was completely dark, with only the emergency exit sign emitting a faint green glow.
Katerina followed the sound of music. The dim atmosphere made one wonder who was playing the piano that had been abandoned in the hall for a hundred years.
Someone playing the piano under the moonlight, such a romantic notion, inevitably conjured images of a handsome young man or a weathered old man.
No matter who it was, their charm would be off the charts, filling one with anticipation!
The moment he stepped out of the stairwell, he saw the silhouette illuminated by the faint moonlight in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the hall in the distance.
There was a sense of familiarity, yet he couldn't quite place it.
The corridor was so quiet at this moment, it seemed they were the only two people on the entire floor.
Katerina took step after step forward, her pace quickening. The closer she got, the clearer the silhouette became.
The sound of her high heels was crisp and loud, echoing in the stairwell.
Gradually, he began to realize that the silhouette seemed to be...
"You've arrived."
Cao Baming took a step forward, initiating the conversation.
Although he hadn't been recognized yet, he had completely recognized Katerina at this moment.
The moment he spoke, Katerina gasped in surprise. Indeed.
"It's you!!?"
"Oh my god, that's so beautiful!"
Katerina was as excited as a young girl, momentarily losing herself, as if she had transformed into a fangirl, not in her current position.
With a click, the corridor lights suddenly brightened.
Cao Baming had flicked the light switch in the hall. It was already eight in the evening; without lights, conversation would be impossible.
"I never expected you to be a musical genius who was sidetracked by football!"
Katerina said happily. Under the light, her smile was so bright and innocent, as if she were truly just a student.
Cao Baming offered a few perfunctory words of modesty, wanting to quickly end the topic.
After all, he didn't know much about music, only some things related to the piano, and this was his first attempt today. It wouldn't be good if he was exposed.
Cao Baming looked into Katerina's eyes. Her gaze was already radiating a clear light, as if her heart was etched in her eyes.
At this very moment, Katerina's hormones were also soaring.
The scene she had imagined in her mind had actually come true. Cao Baming, though still in his football jersey, possessed a handsome profile, a sexy Adam's apple, a chiseled face, exquisitely enviable features, and a slightly flowing lock of hair by his ear...
When it came to looks, he could absolutely meet that standard!
"Could you... play another song for me?"
Cao Baming pondered for a moment and nodded faintly.
Playing another song was no big deal, so he began to search his mind for new music.
It was strangely peculiar, but as Cao Baming searched his mind, he found a song that was his favorite. In his memory, he had listened to it hundreds, even thousands, of times, yet he never grew tired of it.
It was Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, which was fitting for the current occasion and also what he was most skilled at.
He couldn't help but feel a touch of awe, that memories learned through the system could possess so much detail, including personal preferences and past experiences, all perceived with clarity.
Even more vivid than when he had first learned it.
Cao Baming took a deep breath, naturally placed his hands on the keys, and felt his body merge with the piano.
In an instant, the memory surfaced, and his fingers began to move, elegantly striking the keys... The clear chords once again filled the hall.
Cao Baming's face was filled with a deep, heartfelt enjoyment, immersed in the moment.
After a long while, the Moonlight Sonata came to an end.
As the final keys gently signaled the conclusion of the piece, it was as if he were being abruptly pulled back from a dream.
Katerina's face was full of enchantment. She had been deeply lost in the beautiful and melodious performance. If Cao Baming hadn't been so good-looking, she would have closed her eyes to feel it with her heart.
"So beautiful!"
When a woman is smitten, her mind goes blank. Katerina actually plopped down directly onto Cao Baming's lap.
"This piano has been here for a long time, but players of football rarely have this kind of skill. Everyone just walked past it, seeing it as mere decoration."
"I never expected, you're truly a treasure."
Cao Baming smiled faintly, feeling a sense of pride.
He hadn't thought about utilizing the other functions of the points before, but he hadn't known until now; it had opened up a whole new world!
The corridor lights one by one gradually went out, and on this romantic night, their bodies grew closer and closer.
...
The next day, the outside world continued to operate as usual.
The autumn air was filled with a sense of freshness, and the natural tranquility of the gentle breeze could be felt everywhere.
Near the club, however, there was a greater sense of heat.
With their recent matches, Arsenal had completely transformed into the most brilliant team in the football world, and the club had once again risen to prominence!
When all eyes turned towards them, everything seemed to become important, and also tense.
The higher-ups convened a meeting, with Katerina and Arteta both in attendance.
The upcoming plans were of paramount importance.
There was the Champions League in European competitions, and winning the league was equally significant. They not only aimed to secure the championship but also wanted to strive for the miracle of fifteen consecutive wins.
However, it must be mentioned that the World Cup at the end of the year was the most important competition in football. As a top team like Arsenal currently was, most of their key players were scheduled to play in the World Cup knockout stages.
Nearly ninety percent of their starting players were absolute key players for their national teams, and making the squad was a certainty.
During this period, the World Cup would inevitably attract a lot of attention, and with players' minds not fully on the league, it could easily lead to many undesirable outcomes.
So, where did the focus lie?
For the team, they needed a clear and definite goal, how to allocate their energy and time in the upcoming matches, and how to communicate this to the players.
This naturally required a head coach whose ability and prestige were of a certain height.
Arteta sat there today, repeatedly hearing the higher-ups mention this point. His heart was already quietly filled with apprehension, and his hands resting on the table were unconsciously trembling.