When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 158: Chapter 73: Top Sister of the ’60s Arts Troupe (12)

Huo Tianhao slipped in through the back door, finding a seat in the middle of a side section. His narrow eyes swept across the room, finally stopping on the woman in the third row wearing a sky-blue shirt and a French braid.

They were two rows apart, giving him a perfect view of her profile, which looked fair and seemed to glow even in the dim light. Without her glasses, the woman was none other than that little vixen who had toyed with him at the concert!

A cold smirk played on his lips. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she eventually spotted him.

Xia Zhaoyun rested her chin on her hand, quietly watching the other performances. Everyone was dressed exquisitely, wore practiced smiles, and recited with loud voices, clear enunciation, and deep emotion.

At this point, the judges were likely scoring based on overall impression, topic selection, emotional expression, technical skill, vocal quality, and pronunciation accuracy.

However, there wasn’t any professional training to speak of back then, so most contestants performed at roughly the same level. Something as simple as standard pronunciation was enough to stump half of them.

Xia Zhaoyun had signed up late, so her turn didn’t come until it was nearly lunchtime. By then, the auditorium was empty except for the judges and a few staff members.

Xia Zhaoyun stood up with a small smile, smoothed down her skirt, and straightened her posture before walking briskly onto the stage.

She was wearing a sky-blue shirt and a red-and-white plaid skirt. Her hair was gently tied back, with a fabric sunflower barrette clipped above her ear. The entire look was fresh, simple, and stylish.

What’s more, she was only wearing light makeup. It softened her naturally striking and sharp features, giving her a gentle, captivating, and exquisitely refined air that perfectly matched her outfit, capturing everyone’s attention.

Xia Zhaoyun had a naturally pleasant voice—sweet with a gentle, melodious quality often found in southern women, making it very easy on the ears. ”Honorable judges, and all comrades present, hello. My name is Xia Zhaoyun, and I’m from the Zhaoyang Clothing Factory...”

’Zhaoyang Clothing Factory?’

Huo Tianhao’s expression grew colder. He was about to stand up and leave, but her voice, so strikingly different from the other reciters, made him hesitate and stay a little longer.

’At the Song Family,’ Xia Zhaoyun thought, ’I certainly learned a thing or two about being cunning. I seem to have a real talent for performing.’

This time, she didn’t use any background music. She simply began to recite her piece in a soft, natural voice, as if telling a story, effortlessly captivating the emotions of her small audience.

As a veil of faint sorrow seemed to envelop her, she spoke a few lines about a love that was fated but never meant to be. The judges felt that her slender shoulders carried a burden of sorrow and world-weariness far beyond her years. They couldn’t help but feel a deeper sense of empathy and resonance with her story.

She finished the last line with a catch in her voice. A tear slid from the corner of her eye, glistening under the stage lights...

The auditorium fell silent. Then, a single, loud clap broke the stillness. The others, shaken from the spell of her performance, began to applaud enthusiastically.

Xia Zhaoyun subconsciously smiled and looked toward the person who had started the applause. Though she was in the spotlight, her eyes had adjusted to the brightness. When she saw the tall, imposing figure who had stood up, the smile on her face froze.

”Young lady, you have an excellent voice. Your performance was full of emotion and very moving. Very good. Alright, we’ve been here all morning and we’re hungry. You can go home and wait for the results,” one of the judges said, smiling and nodding at her.

Xia Zhaoyun offered a few polite words in return. She slowly picked up her bag and glanced around, but she had only taken two steps before someone blocked her path.

”Dou Niwan? Or is it Xia Zhaoyun?” Huo Tianhao sneered. ”Do you take me for a fool?”

Xia Zhaoyun frantically shook her head. She glanced at his bulging muscles and swallowed hard, terrified that he might just toss her aside with his bare hands.

She adopted a very sincere and apologetic tone. ”Sir, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have mistaken you for someone else; I thought you were the blind date my family had arranged for me. And I shouldn’t have given you a fake name just because I was so embarrassed.”

Huo Tianhao’s lips thinned into a tight line. He stared at her pretty French braid. ”Did you really mistake me for someone else, or are you just playing me for a fool again?”

Xia Zhaoyun hunched over slightly, biting her lip in frustration. ’It’s true,’ she thought. ’One lie just leads to a hundred more.’

’In his eyes, I’m the girl who cried wolf. I have zero credibility left.’

”Fine, what do you want, then?!” She had a temper of her own and couldn’t stop herself from looking up, her fox-like eyes flashing with annoyance. ”Don’t tell me you need me to admit that you really are a fool?”