Chapter 242 - 99: Prima of the 1960s Cultural Troupe (38)
Chapter 242: Chapter 99: Prima of the 1960s Cultural Troupe (38)
After they got home and settled in, He Qingran saw her spacing out and couldn’t help but ask, "Yunyun, what’s wrong? You all performed so well tonight, so why don’t you look happy? Are you missing someone?"
Xia Zhaoyun pursed her lips in a faint smile.
Huo Tianhao had been gone for a while now. Just as he’d promised, he would make a point of calling the post office at noon on the dot every time he arrived in a new place. Before they hung up, they would set a time for their next call.
Even though he was constantly on the road, driving from place to place, he was always punctual to the hour and never once missed a call.
The two of them actually talked more on the phone than they did face-to-face. Even though he could tell her all about it when he got back, he just had to share his experiences from the road with her in the moment.
And Xia Zhaoyun, full of curiosity, would pepper him with one question after another.
Back when she was a Ghost Cultivator, she could only wander within the factory grounds, learning about the outside world through newspapers and high-tech gadgets. In reality, she had always been like the proverbial frog in the well, possessing a limited perspective and an immense longing for the world beyond.
Every one of their calls lasted at least half an hour. The phone bill alone was probably enough to eat up his entire travel subsidy for the month.
What’s more, Huo Tianhao would also buy local specialties wherever he went and mail them to her right after their calls. The first batch of packages had already arrived.
The sweetness of their romance was like a floral fragrance on the summer breeze. Word of it spread far and wide, making everyone burn with envy, jealousy, and resentment.
However, she admitted openly, "I do miss him a bit, but that’s not what I’m worried about."
He Qingran grew tense as well. "Then what is it?"
"Something feels off," Xia Zhaoyun said, pursing her lips. "During the selection, our girls performed a little *too* well. You saw the strained smiles on the faces of Group One, Group Two, and Master Yuan."
At these words, He Qingran couldn’t sit still. She began pacing restlessly around the room.
The backstabbing and intrigue you see in novels and on TV are all inspired by real life. For most people, things might not be so dramatic—just minor tiffs that are quickly forgotten.
But He Qingran had personally experienced the peril of being sabotaged by excessive praise and had also witnessed Xia Zhaoyun’s tragic past. She would never underestimate the wickedness of the human heart.
Moreover, she was well aware of how critical and displeased Master Yuan was with Xia Zhaoyun. This resentment had grown so strong it could eclipse any sense of collective honor and burn away all reason, making it highly likely that Master Yuan would act on her impulses and do something wicked in secret!
A moment ago, He Qingran had felt a sense of satisfaction seeing the stiff smiles on the faces of the girls from Group One and Group Two, but now she, too, realized something was amiss.
"If someone deliberately tries to sabotage you, won’t you be utterly humiliated in front of the entire audience? I hear the people coming to watch the performance are all leaders of every level from our factory and its affiliates, plus a lot of model workers and veteran technicians with superb skills. Every single one of them is an important figure at the factory."
"At that point, you can forget about participating in the municipal arts festival in August. You’ll probably be singled out for a public dressing-down!"
In her opinion, the perfect time to strike would be while Xia Zhaoyun and the others were on stage. That way, instead of winning honor for the factory, they would bring utter humiliation to everyone.
A scheme like that would be enough to ruin all of their future prospects.
But Xia Zhaoyun shook her head and let out a cold laugh. "They won’t. Any ’accident’ can only happen *before* we get on stage. If something goes wrong while we’re performing, the factory is bound to investigate it thoroughly. The saboteur would definitely be rooted out."
"Everyone in the troupe cherishes this chance to perform. For them, getting on stage is far more important than just making us look like fools."
He Qingran nodded, her lips pursed. "You have a point. A smart person wouldn’t put the cart before the horse."
Snatching the performance slot would be the main goal for that person—or those people. Crushing Xia Zhaoyun underfoot would just be a bonus.
Xia Zhaoyun sat in her chair, her eyes narrowed in thought. ’What could happen in the next three days that would get the girls of Group Three disqualified from performing?’
’All the ghouls and goblins will probably come crawling out of the woodwork.’
"Ranran, you should get to sleep," she said, giving He Qingran a gentle push. "I’m not the type to just sit back and wait for disaster to strike. I will definitely lead the girls of Group Three onto that stage!"
He Qingran nodded helplessly. She knew she was just worrying on the sidelines without being able to offer any real help. "Okay, but you should get some sleep soon, too. If you need my help, don’t hesitate to ask."
Xia Zhaoyun hummed in agreement. After getting ready, she lay down in bed herself. Looking at the two children sleeping like little logs beside her, she chuckled softly and leaned over to kiss each of them.