Operation Red Book

As midnight approached, the thick night color retreated to the four sides of the stage, hiding the bustling and lively atmosphere.

There was only a small patch of vertical light on the huge stage, illuminating a piano and a thin boy with flaxen hair.

The shiny black grand piano is located on the left side of the stage, right at the perfect golden section point.

Sitting in front of the piano keyboard, Joshua sighed. Two strands of short hair hung down in front of his forehead, and his temperament was as melancholy and charming as a prince.

At this moment, he was sitting upright, looking calm, his eyes focused, and his slender fingers dancing flexibly on the keyboard.

Beautiful and melodious notes leaped into the air and spread throughout the empty space.

The audience under the stage was crowded, all of them enjoying this wonderful piano concert.

When Bach's piece ended, Joshua did not stop. His fingers continued to play, and the melody changed quietly in the linked notes.

Gradually, the music slowed down, and after a regular rhythm, Joshua cleared his throat and began to sing:

Think of me

Think of me

Think of me fondly

Think of me tenderly

When we've said goodbye

When we've said goodbye

Remember me, once in a while

Think of me sometimes

Please promise me you'll try

Please promise me you'll try this

When you find that

when you find out

Once again

one more time

You long to take your heart back and be free

You want to be free and refreshed

If you ever find a moment

If you ever find a moment

Spare a thought for me

Thinking of me

After a segment was sung, the lights on the top of the stage suddenly came on, and the symphony orchestra followed Joshua's piano to play a grand and majestic accompaniment. Although it was not the original version, it was still smooth and beautiful.

As soon as the brilliant interlude of the song came on, the audience below burst into cheers. They hugged their loved ones with happy smiles on their faces.

At the same time, the people crowded backstage were also moved by the music.

"Wow--"

The three children's heads were crowded together at the exit, and they kept shouting in shock.

The two older girls also came over, Christine continued to soothe Ivy's back, and Princess Constance unconsciously covered her chest.

Together with Alexander, they looked at Joshua, who was glowing on the stage. Their eyes were blurred and their lips were slightly parted. It was obvious that they had fallen in love with Joshua's singing.

We've never said our love was evergreen

We never said our love would last forever

Or as unchanging as the sea

Or like the sea, it never changes

But if you can still remember

But if you can always remember

Stop and think of me

Stop and think about me

Think of all the things we've shared and seen

Think about the things we've shared and experienced together.

Don't think about the things which might have been

Don't think about what might have happened.

"Ms. Ivy." Alexander slowly lifted Ivy's cheek and coaxed her softly, "Did you hear that? This is the song Joshua sang for you."

There were still tears in Ivy's eyes, her face was flushed, and her chest was heaving up and down.

Of course she heard it, the famous song "Think of Me" from the musical "The Phantom of the Opera". God knows how much she liked this song.

In the original drama, this song first appeared when the heroine Kristen was chosen as a substitute actress. She showed her superb singing ability and also met her childhood sweetheart whom she hadn't seen for many years.

Even the high-pitched voice of a girl was performed with ease by Joshua. He lowered the pitch a few keys and sang the lyrics in his comfortable voice, which sounded soft and gentle.

Having just been through an argument, his voice was a little hoarse and tired, and the sadness and helplessness contained in it quietly blended into the music, instantly elevating the emotional melody to another different level.

This song full of farewell does not seem to come from the opening of a happy reunion, but rather a regretful ending after the theater's chandelier falls and the Phantom is heartbroken by Christine.

An uncomfortable feeling suddenly surged into her heart. Ivy was unwilling to get up. She threw herself into Alexander's arms again, wishing that her ears could close like her eyes.

"Ms. Ivy... please don't do this..."

Alexander pushed Ivy's shoulder, but the latter refused to move.

"It's okay, Miss Ivy, calm yourself down..."

Kristen rubbed Ivy's back lovingly and rested her cheek gently on her shoulder.

A well-thought-out hug can put a friend at ease, and this is a truth Christine learned as she grew up.

"I think I was wrong, Christine..." Ivy said in a low voice, "but I don't know where I went wrong..."

"Perhaps it's because both of you are too focused on yourselves." Princess Constance suddenly spoke up.

This statement made Ivy think for a moment, and she was surprised to find that the princess was right.

"As for your quarrel just now, you always emphasized two words. Miss Ivy always emphasized 'I', while Mr. Joshua always emphasized 'me'."

"But you and I both know that all you think about is 'you'. You love each other, support each other, and care about each other, so all you think about is 'you', and 'you' comes from yourselves."

"So this leads to a problem. You always emphasize your dissatisfaction, your resentment, what you have done for the other person, and your own value."

"But you should all be aware of an obvious problem. 'You' will only deepen your prejudice against each other and deepen your unconscious arrogance. What you should say is 'we'..."

"We..."

Ivy murmured softly, she was still crying, but her thoughts had drifted into what the princess had just said.

"Ms. Ivy, please tell me what you really think. You are a wise person and you will not be tripped up by such a small matter..."

Princess Constance touched Ivy's shoulder, with a gentle smile on her face.

Ivy felt her cheeks getting hot, followed by numbness and pain all over her body.

She slowly looked towards Joshua on the stage, the mist in front of her eyes coming and going.

"Hey! I think I saw an Easter egg!"

Suddenly, Xiao Qi pointed in Joshua's direction and spoke loudly.

This sentence suddenly woke up the others.

"Where is it!" Ivy asked in horror.

"I saw it too." Luna slowly pointed towards the stage, in the same direction as Xiaoqi's finger.

"The piano! In that piano!"

Xiaojiu shouted, and everyone squinted their eyes and looked at Joshua's grand piano. The red pillar in the corner rose and fell with the keyboard. It was indeed the "easter egg" that Ivy had been looking for.

What's even more strange is that this explosive does not have a long fuse, but only a dial tied in the middle that rotates counterclockwise.

"Time bomb?" Ivy shuddered with fear. "How can such a thing exist in this era?"

"Time bomb...isn't this the new weapon that Hilda invented a few days ago?"

Alexander replied, showing a rare bit of surprise.

"I'll get it back."

After a moment of hesitation, Alexander suddenly stood up, and the three girls were so scared that they quickly pulled him down.

"No, this will ruin Joshua's performance!" Christine said in panic.

"What should we do?" The princess panicked. "Everyone here will be killed!"

Think of me

Think of me

Think of me waking

Think of me when you are awake

Silent and resigned

Quiet and submissive

Imagine me

Imagine Me

Trying too hard to put you from my mind

It's hard to erase you from my memory

On the stage, Joshua sang in ecstasy, the audience listened in ecstasy, the symphony orchestra played in ecstasy, and no one noticed the impending danger.

Ivy looked at Joshua on the stage, only to find that he was also looking at her.

He pulled the corners of his mouth, lowered his head again, and his face turned red.

Ivy was dazzled. After a moment, her eyes suddenly became clear and her voice was firm:

"I have an idea."