Then, the military's year-end cultural performance officially began!

"The first performance is our male soldiers' chorus, 'The Song of a Strong Army'! Please welcome them with the warmest applause!"

The auditorium was filled with applause and cheers.

The male soldiers went up on stage in neat rows and began their performance.

These rough-and-tumble guys may not have many fancy tricks, but when they sing in unison, their powerful momentum is enough to get anyone's blood pumping.

The lyrics that showcase military culture and promote patriotism are a true reflection of the soldiers' daily lives. Every line is full of emotion and can evoke empathy from all the soldiers on and off the stage.

Later on, it even evolved into a full-scale chorus.

When the song ended, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

Next up is the second program.

As is customary, the first two programs are always a large chorus, which was performed by male soldiers just now, and now it's female soldiers.

Meng Yingxin's two former roommates were even chosen as the choir representatives and stood in the front row.

"It's almost our turn!" Xu Chunyan said, pulling Zhao Jinyu and Hu Yunxiang to help her check her outfit. "I'm the first one, so please check me quickly. Are my clothes messy? Is my makeup okay?"

"Alright, alright, everything's fine, that's great. But you absolutely mustn't panic. You were the first to speak, so any mistakes you make will be very obvious!" Zhao Jinyu kindly reminded her.

"Stop talking! The more you say that, the more nervous Xiaoyan will get!" Hu Yunxiang helped her straighten her collar and hair, and said softly, "Just like in regular training, if you sing well, the teacher will let you go first. Just perform normally!"

"Yes," Xu Chunyan nodded, checking herself in the mirror, and encouraged herself, "I can do it, I can do it!"

"Next, please welcome our female soldiers' chorus with applause—"

As the host's voice faded, the female soldiers walked onto the stage in an orderly fashion according to their positions and began their performance.

Although the programs for male and female soldiers are supposed to be a "competition," the extremely uneven number of male and female soldiers in the military means that the competition is not obvious at all, and male soldiers will even cheer for the female soldiers.

There were many whistles from the audience, and many single male soldiers were looking around, saying that they would go after the performance to pursue one of the female soldiers and start a relationship!

The female soldiers sang "When That Day Comes," and their spirit was in no way inferior to that of the male soldiers, winning thunderous applause from the audience.

"Great! Well sung!"

After the second program ended, the host transitioned between segments and made introductions on stage.

Xu Chunyan performed very well just now. She walked off the stage with her head held high and was very confident. I was still savoring the moment.

As soon as he stepped off the stage, he spotted Meng Yingxin backstage.

What a small world!

"Meng Yingxin, what are you doing here?" Xu Chunyan asked, puzzled. She felt that Meng Yingxin should have been dismissed long ago. When she moved out of the dormitory, she only said that she had gone to another department to save face. She didn't believe it at all.

Meng Yingxin: "..."

Actually, she had noticed her former roommates a long time ago, but they weren't really close, so of course she wouldn't say hello; she just pretended not to see them.

But she's willing to pretend, while others aren't. Isn't that just asking for trouble?

"Yingxin, who are they?" Seeing that Xu Chunyan and the other two looked like they had come with ill intentions, Yi Zheyan immediately stood in front of Meng Yingxin and asked.

"It's alright." Meng Yingxin pulled Yi Zheyan away and said softly, "You should get ready first, don't let them delay important matters."

Xu Chunyan's eyes darted back and forth between the two, then she let out a sneer.

"Meng Yingxin, I really underestimated you. When you left before, I heard Liu'er and the others say that they saw you with a regimental commander. Was it him? So, you only managed to stay here shamelessly because of a man?" Xu Chunyan said rudely.

"Comrade, please show some respect!" Yi Zheyan hadn't expected these female soldiers to speak so rudely.

We're all in the same unit, why is there such great malice?

"Oh? It seems not, otherwise the reaction wouldn't be so strong," Zhao Jinyu said, muttering to Hu Yunxiang, "I didn't expect her to be so formidable, changing men again..."

"You must take responsibility for what you said!" Yi Zheyan pointed at the three men with trembling hands, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Ignore them, they can't cause any trouble." Meng Yingxin had no intention of wasting time on them and kept blocking Yi Zheyan.

In any case, today is a cultural performance, and nothing is more important than the performance going smoothly.

Besides, Qiao Shouyan might still be sitting in the audience. She just wanted to perform well later and give him a surprise—she had been keeping the fact that she would be performing on behalf of the weapons research group a secret from Qiao Shouyan, all for that moment.

Meng Yingxin wouldn't be so foolish as to let arguments with her former roommates interfere with her important matters.

"Xu Chunyan, Zhao Jinyu, Hu Yunxiang, are you all very free?" Meng Yingxin looked at them coldly and said sarcastically, "If you've eaten something too salty, drink more water. Don't meddle in other people's business."

Yi Zheyan raised an eyebrow slightly; he had never seen Meng Yingxin so quick-witted before.

"You—" Xu Chunyan was furious, but she knew that the current Meng Yingxin was not the Meng Yingxin who let them bully her back then. However, she still had that arrogant attitude. "Meng Yingxin, you are really biting the hand that feeds you. I was just trying to be kind to you!"

"Oh? Are you sure you're Lü Dongbin? You're actually a weasel, aren't you?" Meng Yingxin's words were full of sarcasm.

"Hmph, stop being so stubborn! Staying backstage, aren't you afraid of being kicked out? You'll be the one who loses face then! Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you've hooked up with a man!" Xu Chunyan said, glaring at Yi Zheyan.

Yi Zheyan: "..."

What did he do to become a "wild man"?

I swear to God!

He had nothing but endless respect for designer Meng!

"Can I do whatever I want? Will I be kicked out? How many men have I hooked up with? You just wait and see, right? What, are you jealous, envious, or jealous of me?" Meng Yingxin retorted.

She wouldn't be foolish enough to try and prove herself.

Since the other party was going to label her unfairly, she simply put on all the hats, just to keep warm.

What's there to explain?

Whether gaining her former roommate's trust will lead to a raise or a bonus depends on her efforts to earn that trust.

"You're absolutely—stubborn!" Xu Chunyan was furious. She hadn't expected that her well-intentioned reminder would be met with such a vicious attack. "Meng Yingxin, I was just trying to be helpful and warn you not to make things too ugly later. Is this how you act?"

"Yes, Yingxin, Xiaoyan is just trying to be kind and concerned about you. We used to live in the same dormitory, there's no need to make things so awkward," Zhao Jinyu tried to smooth things over.