When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 289: Chapter 112: The Top Performer of the 1960s Song and Dance Troupe (51)

”Besides, it’s not easy to make it into the top twenty out of hundreds of acts. Even if they get to the final stage, they might not necessarily catch the eye of the recruiters from these work units.”

”The higher the hopes, the greater the disappointment.”

’When it comes to her enemies, she never pulls her punches. She goes for where it hurts the most, building up everyone’s expectations to the brim, only to knock them down into the depths of despair.’

Peng Shulan blinked, a little confused. ”But why?”

’Since these work units intend to recruit dancers from the twenty performing acts, doesn’t everyone have a chance? Of course, the lead dancer has the best shot.’

’If Group One’s girls make it to the final performance, Jie Xiaoqin’s transfer would be set in stone. That’s not what Teacher Xia wants, is it?’

Xia Zhaoyun tilted her chin up slightly. ”Because they’ll give preference to choosing from among you!”

Peng Shulan was even more baffled this time. ”But why?”

Xia Zhaoyun gently poked her on the forehead. ”Don’t you all realize how exceptional you are?”

”In my choreography, every single one of you is a lead dancer. If our act gets the best reception, then any of you could be recruited.”

’She had been with the girls of Group Three for over two months now. She hadn’t just been teaching them a couple of routines. She had been helping them build a solid foundation, piece by piece, teaching them how to accentuate their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses, and drilling them on a great deal of professional knowledge.’

’At least, in her eyes, the girls of Group Three were now firmly outclassing Group One in every respect!’

Peng Shulan felt like she was dreaming. Her head felt fuzzy, her face flushed red, and the blood rushed through her veins, leaving her at a loss for what to do.

She whispered in her teammate’s ear, and soon, that girl was showing the same symptoms, passing the excitement on to the person beside her...

Ever since joining the troupe, the girls of Group Three had struggled fruitlessly before resigning themselves to their fate. They never imagined that they would one day be able to compete with Group One for resources or stand on a major stage.

They were especially self-aware and wouldn’t let Group One’s provocations sow discord, nor would they entertain delusions and absurdly start resenting Xia Zhaoyun.

Quite the opposite, they all saw Xia Zhaoyun as their benefactor and mentor.

Now, their mentor was telling them they could dare to dream even bigger—that they had a real chance of being recruited by the city’s top work units.

’We must still be dreaming!’

The Song and Dance Troupe was unusually lively today. Fifty acts were taking part in the auditions—twenty-five in the morning and twenty-five in the afternoon. But regardless of their performance time, everyone had gathered outside the main gate early in the morning.

The moment Xia Zhaoyun stepped out of the car, she spotted a tall, slender figure in the crowd.

Her eyes lit up. She ran over to Teacher Su, who was leading the group, and pointed toward Huo Tianhao. ”Teacher Su, I’m just going to have a quick word with my partner. I’ll be right back.”

Teacher Su always maintained a stern expression in public. She glanced at Huo Tianhao, then shot Xia Zhaoyun a gruff look. ”Fine, go see your partner, but don’t let it affect your performance on stage later.”

Xia Zhaoyun nodded eagerly and agreed with a smile. Amid the good-natured teasing of the other girls, she trotted toward Huo Tianhao like a graceful butterfly.

’If this era wasn’t so restrictive, she would have loved to be like the young people of later generations and just leap into his arms for a loving twirl.’

’With his strong arms, he could lift her as if she were a toy.’

Group Three was tenth in the performance order today, so to be on the safe side, they had already gotten into their costumes and makeup.

Xia Zhaoyun was dressed in black pants and an orange top, both made from a fine, flowing fabric that draped beautifully. The outfit revealed her long, fair neck, making her seem even taller and putting her exquisite figure on full display.

Her hair was tied up high, revealing a smooth, high forehead. Her already radiant features were accentuated with bold, dramatic makeup. A few red leaves of varying sizes were artfully painted on her face, making her look like an emissary of autumn who had appeared out of nowhere. She captivated everyone’s gaze, instantly sparking their envy.

She ran up to him, her eyes crinkling as she tilted her head back and smiled, calling out sweetly, ”Brother Hao, what are you doing here?”

Huo Tianhao gazed at her resplendent beauty and rubbed the tip of his nose with a bent index finger, as if to soothe the tickle of longing in his heart.

He let out a low chuckle, his voice deep. ”I missed you, so I came over.”

A hint of shyness appeared in Xia Zhaoyun’s eyes, but she smiled and asked, ”Are you going inside to watch later? We’re the tenth act.”

Huo Tianhao shook his head. Seeing the look of disappointment on her face, he quickly explained, ”I was planning to take the day off, but I got an urgent order last night. I have to go to Jin City to help a unit tune and repair some equipment. I have to leave in a bit.”

”But I definitely won’t miss your final performance!”

The only people who could attend the final performance were prominent figures in the city, or those who had very close relationships with them.

Of course, performers also received two tickets for their friends and family.

Xia Zhaoyun tucked away her slight disappointment and nodded with a smile. ”Brother Hao, your work is more important. I’ll make sure we all get selected, so you can see the fruits of all our hard work.”

Huo Tianhao couldn’t resist giving her a gentle, restrained pat on the head. ”I believe in you. I’ve reserved three tables at the state-run restaurant. You can all head over after your performance.”

”I wasn’t sure how many people are in your group, so the amount of food might not be perfect.”

He gave her a meaningful look.

He was treating her colleagues on her behalf, but he wasn’t so kind-hearted as to let Group One, with whom she had a rift, freeload off of them.

Xia Zhaoyun nodded repeatedly and chuckled. ”Three tables is a lot! Who else is so generous? Treating people is a kindness, not an obligation.”

Huo Tianhao’s eyes were filled with her. He was supposed to have left early in the morning, but he had deliberately delayed his departure by two hours just to get another glimpse of her.

”The weather’s hot, and I was worried you might get an upset stomach from cold drinks, so I arranged for someone to bring over some sodas and ice cream bars right as you get off the stage.”

Xia Zhaoyun bit her lip, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at him.

’She loved it when he doted on her like this. Being cared for so thoroughly, in every little way, was a truly indescribable form of happiness.’

Huo Tianhao patted her head again. ”Be good. I know what you want to say. You can reward me the way I like when I get back.”

”Jin City is a port city, so it has a lot of new, trendy things from the south. I’ll pick some things up for you and the kids.”

”Alright, I have to go now.”

After he said that, their gazes remained locked, neither wanting to be the first to look away.

It wasn’t until someone in the distance shouted for Brother Hao that Huo Tianhao finally steeled himself, turned his head, and walked away.

Xia Zhaoyun pursed her lips and returned to her group. With a light laugh, she told the girls of Group Three, ”Our benefactor reserved three tables at the state-run restaurant. We’ll all go together for lunch!”

The girls couldn’t help but let out happy gasps. ”No wonder our benefactor was able to marry Teacher Xia! His generosity and his supportive attitude toward your work are on another level.”