When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 233: Chapter 96: Top Performer of the 1960s Art Troupe (35)

Xia Zhaoyun had it a bit easier than the others; He Qingran brought her lunch upstairs.

After eating, she sat at the piano and played through the piece. After a morning of refinement, the music’s soul sprang to life. It felt as if it was no longer controlled by her fingers, ready to leap out and run wild through the world.

”Ranran, we’re going to need your help again,” Xia Zhaoyun said with a smile, counting on her fingers. ”We need to record the score, and the girls have to add their voice-overs. It’ll take quite a few sessions.”

He Qingran poked her on the forehead. ”Yunyun, are you being formal with me? Forget about our friendship for a second—the troupe is taking this show so seriously that they’d require every department to help you anyway.”

Xia Zhaoyun pursed her lips and pulled He Qingran’s hand away, chuckling. ”Of course not. I’m just giving you a heads-up. After we finalize the choreography this afternoon, I’ll revise the score a few more times and add the spoken lines.”

”Tomorrow, I’ll lead them through their stretches, and then we’ll need to start recording.”

He Qingran nodded. ”Deal. After my morning broadcast, I’ll bring my gear over to your piano room. The acoustics are better in there.”

That afternoon, the girls’ creativity was completely unleashed. The dance sequences they designed clearly reflected their characters’ professions while also being elegant, beautiful, and powerful. They were full of dramatic tension and vividly fleshed out each character’s personality.

Just before four that afternoon, they had finalized the choreography for all eighteen people.

Everyone had been on high alert, and now, exhaustion hit them suddenly. They drooped their heads, one after another, like flowers wilting in the sun.

Xia Zhaoyun smiled and gathered them around. ”Let’s call it a day for the dancing. Take a half-hour break. Grab a pen and paper, listen to the music I’m about to play, and write an internal monologue for your character.”

Everyone instantly perked up. ”Instructor Little Xia, do you mean that when we record the music, our lines will be recorded too?”

Xia Zhaoyun nodded. ”That’s right. But just like your dancing, your voices need to be expressive and varied to bring out your characters’ personalities.”

”It doesn’t have to be flowery, but it must fit the character’s profession and be memorable for the audience...”

This time, everyone worked alongside Xia Zhaoyun until eight o’clock, when they finally finished all the creative work.

Everyone felt their days were fulfilling and exciting, full of promise. They were discovering that working and living with such dedication could fill one’s entire being with happiness and joy.

Xia Zhaoyun wondered why He Qingran hadn’t brought her child over today and started to feel a little worried. After saying goodbye to the girls, she hurried outside. When she reached the doorway, she saw a tall, familiar figure standing there, half-shrouded in the dim yellow light and half-swallowed by the inky night.

A smile touched her lips as she jogged over to him, tilting her head up to look at him.

It had only been two days, but she’d been so busy she’d lost all track of time. Seeing him now, in the flesh, she finally understood the meaning of ”a day apart feels like three years.”

Huo Tianhao let out a low chuckle, delighted by her sweet, joyful expression. He gently smoothed her hair, which had become a fluffy mess after a long day of overthinking, before his hand slid down to take hers.

”Tianhao, what are you doing here?” she asked, her face growing warm as his large, strong hand enveloped hers.

A gentle summer evening breeze, carrying the intoxicating scent of flowers, swirled around them, lifting their spirits.

Xia Zhaoyun pursed her lips in a soft smile. ’This must be it,’ she realized, ’the unique joy and peace of a woman in love.’

”I missed you, so I came,” Huo Tianhao answered directly.

Xia Zhaoyun bit her lip and shot him a look, glancing around self-consciously.

As it turned out, the girls, who had supposedly rushed off with their washbasins to bathe, were actually crouching nearby, watching the show.

Caught, they emerged, laughing and nudging one another as they called out in bright, cheerful voices, ”Hi, Instructor Little Xia! Hi, Little Hero Huo!”

Xia Zhaoyun’s face turned beet red with embarrassment, but Huo Tianhao simply smiled graciously and nodded. ”Hello, everyone.”

The girls weren’t brave enough to linger; just saying hello to him was a feat in itself. They all laughed and scurried away.

Afterward, all the way from the showers back to their dorm, they gossiped about the romance between Instructor Little Xia and Little Hero Huo, declaring them a match made in heaven.

For a moment, neither Xia Zhaoyun nor Huo Tianhao spoke. They simply held hands and walked slowly toward home.

”You...”

”You...”

A classic trope, playing out in real life. Xia Zhaoyun broke the silence with a laugh. ”I wrote you a letter. Did you get it?”

They were walking through the grove in front of the arts troupe complex. The dense trees blocked out the hazy lights from outside, creating a small world of their own where even the sound of their breathing was crystal clear.

Huo Tianhao tightened his grip slightly, pinning her gently against a tree trunk. He pressed his forehead to hers. ”I read it. That’s why I came. I missed you so much it was unbearable, so I rushed over the second I got off work.”

He gazed at her greedily for a few seconds before pressing in close, seeking to relieve the overwhelming sense of longing.

His kiss was possessive and powerful. Under the relentless barrage, Xia Zhaoyun quickly lost herself, clinging to him weakly and letting out soft whimpers of playful protest.

Huo Tianhao felt like he was drinking poison to quench his thirst. Instead of abating, his longing for her only grew, making him wish he could devour this woman who seemed to be melting in his arms.

Suddenly, he clamped a hand over her mouth, wrapped his other arm around her, and pulled her behind a thick, old tree, concealing them completely in the shadows.

Xia Zhaoyun blinked.

Huo Tianhao’s lips brushed her ear as he whispered, his voice barely more than a breath, ”Someone’s here.”

A moment later, two indistinct figures approached, one following the other. They wandered for a bit before stopping in the very same spot Xia Zhaoyun and Huo Tianhao had just occupied.

”Aunt Yuan, why did you ask me to come out so late?” The speaker was Jie Xiaoqin.

Xia Zhaoyun recognized the voice immediately.

Master Yuan looked at the graceful young woman before her, a soft feeling in her heart. She reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind the girl’s ear. ”Little Qin, things have been so hectic at the troupe lately. I haven’t had a chance for a proper chat with you.”

”Has training been exhausting? I’ve seen you in the practice room until late every night.”

Jie Xiaoqin smiled and shook her head, her voice filled with girlish excitement. ”Not at all, Aunt Yuan! I’m not tired in the slightest. In fact, I’ve been so happy lately.”

”I’ve been with the arts troupe for three years, and this is my first time as the lead dancer in such a major production. Plus, we have a real shot at placing in the top three and winning a big prize!”

”Thank you so much!”

She then bowed deeply in a gesture of sincere gratitude.

Master Yuan quickly pulled her upright. ”Silly girl, I didn’t do much. I just gave you a few pointers now and then. This opportunity came because of your own hard work. The instructors saw your dedication.”

Jie Xiaoqin smiled, pursing her lips, and said in a low voice, ”I know that you had something to do with Xia Zhaoyun not becoming our group’s lead dancer, Instructor. If you had been a little more lenient with the requirements, I... I’d probably still be a backup dancer right now.”

Master Yuan didn’t deny it. She patted Jie Xiaoqin’s shoulder. ”Xia Zhaoyun has talent and the right attributes, but she’s proud and aloof. She doesn’t know how to seize an opportunity even when it’s served to her on a silver platter.”

”In that case, it’s better to give the opportunity to someone who actually needs it. For someone like her, one more or one less chance to be the lead dancer doesn’t matter. But for you, it’s a completely different story!”

Master Yuan spoke in a grave, heartfelt tone. ”Little Qin, you have to remember this. People like us are ordinary in every way. We can’t change that. The only things that will keep you from being eliminated are diligence and a bit of necessary cunning.”

”This is a rare opportunity, so you must seize it. The Central Political Department only scouts for new talent nationwide once every four years. But an artist’s prime is fleeting, so there’s also a smaller, city-level selection every two years. Barring any surprises, they’ll be recruiting new people this year, but the number of spots is extremely limited.”

”Little Qin, if you can lead your team to a top-three finish this time, I will do everything in my power to get you a spot in the August City Arts Festival. And you’ll be the lead dancer, I promise!”

”Su Bai Meng’s choreography is among the best in the business. She’s been preparing for the August festival for a very long time.”