Chapter 295 - 113: The Top Star of the 1960s Art Troupe (Finale)
Chapter 295: Chapter 113: The Top Star of the 1960s Art Troupe (Finale)
A chill ran through Jie Xiaoqin. Her lips trembled. She felt that anyone who looked at her did so with disgust and fear. At the very least, Teacher Su wouldn’t even glance her way.
’The path to the Central Political Department... she had utterly destroyed it!’
’That’s right. Before they came, Yuan Pingying had repeatedly warned her to behave, not to pull any petty tricks. But Xia Zhaoyun had pushed her over the edge.’
’Their group had clearly been selected, marking the third time Zhaoyang Clothing Factory would officially take the stage to present a cultural performance for the leadership.’
’Teacher Su could have used this victory to return to the Central Political Department, and I would have been one of the few she would have taken with her...’
’Now, it was all ruined!’
’Her dream of joining the Central Political Department would never come true...’
However, Jie Xiaoqin looked at Xia Zhaoyun and let out a cold laugh.
"So what if it was me? And so what if it wasn’t?"
"My life is ruined, but haven’t your two months of training been for nothing?"
"Haha! I was just voicing what everyone was thinking. Your performance has zero technical merit. It’s just some flashy trick to fool laymen. By what right were you chosen?"
"Is that fair to everyone else? Besides, who could have guessed that someone would actually act on their jealousy, resentment, and indignation by submitting an anonymous letter, and that it would actually get you blocked?"
The girls who had been tricked were furious. "How can you be so vicious? You can’t even stand to see your own troupe members do well. Did you really think we’re that stupid?"
Jie Xiaoqin raised an eyebrow, no longer bothering to hide her true colors. She scoffed,
"Whether you’re stupid isn’t for you to decide. The facts prove you were plenty stupid."
"One of you absolutely lost your patience and submitted that anonymous letter!"
"Since the performance was successfully submitted and passed the preliminaries, seen by so many audience members and competing teams from other cities, any minor infraction could have been overlooked."
"Otherwise, if a problem arose, a lot more people would be held accountable. The performers would bear the primary responsibility, but what about the judges who approved it, the troupe leaders who green-lit the performance, and the audience that reacted so enthusiastically? Wouldn’t they all get caught in the fallout?"
The judges’ expressions soured. She was right. If Zhaoyang Clothing Factory decided to press the issue, they would be caught in a bind.
They looked at Jie Xiaoqin with hostility, and their displeasure extended to everyone from Zhaoyang Clothing Factory. In their eyes, it was just a run-of-the-mill performance. How could it stir up so much trouble?
By extension, their gazes turned grim toward the members of the Kyoto Textile Factory Art Troupe, one of whom might have submitted the anonymous complaint.
Jie Xiaoqin chuckled softly. One-third of these judges were from the Central Political Department.
’Even if Xia Zhaoyun is lucky enough to get into the Central Political Department someday, her life there won’t be easy. On top of that, Teacher Su will probably be implicated this time, losing any future chance of returning to the Central Political Department.’
’After all, everyone prefers performers with superb skill who train and perform without causing drama—not troublemakers!’
’So what if I’m going to hell? If I can’t be happy, I’ll make sure no one else is either.’
The girls from Group Three looked ready to explode with rage, but Xia Zhaoyun kept catching their eyes, warning them not to make a rash move.
After living and working together for two and a half months, the girls had complete faith in Xia Zhaoyun. They remained quiet, like set dressing, but every one of them had eyes that burned like twin flames.
Before Xia Zhaoyun could speak, Huo Tianhao, who had been sitting in the audience, came over, leading the two children.
Although Huo Tianhao was just a technician on a transport team, he was considered one of the best in his field. Wherever there was an automobile, he was there.
Furthermore, he was well-connected and exceptionally capable in many areas. At the very least, most of the city’s prominent figures had heard his name; some had even met him and struck up an acquaintance.
Seeing him approach, two or three of the judges smiled and nodded at him.
Huo Tianhao smiled, patting the two children on the head and telling them to go find their mother. He then strode up to the judges and said in a hushed voice:
"Esteemed judges, although Comrade Xia Zhaoyun is my wife, this August Golden Autumn Cultural Gala is a major city-wide event to report to our leadership. This is no place for personal favors."
"I’m not here to speak in my wife’s favor. However, from what I understand,"—his voice dropped even lower, ensuring the two head judges could hear him clearly.
"Recently, some foreign dignitaries have started making unofficial visits to our country, wishing to engage in cultural exchange."
"They’ve specifically mentioned an interest in dance. Therefore, this August Golden Autumn Cultural Gala is a matter of our nation’s prestige. Judging from a professional standpoint, is ’Shishu Ruyi’ truly so unpresentable?"