The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Political Commissar Lei got up.
Pushing open the door, I ran into Lei Ming, who had dark circles under his eyes, rushing out in a hurry.
"Lei Ming? What... what happened to you? Didn't you go to the city last night?"
Commissar Lei was taken aback.
"Uncle! There's no time to say anything!"
Without turning his head, Lei Ming, his voice hoarse, moved swiftly and disappeared in the blink of an eye at the courtyard gate.
Political Commissar Lei frowned, feeling uneasy.
Just then, the sound of spatulas clattering came from the kitchen, where Lei Yuhua, wearing an apron, was busy preparing breakfast.
"Yu Hua, what happened to Lei Ming last night? Did something happen to him?"
Commissar Lei walked to the kitchen door and asked.
Lei Yuhua was frying eggs when she scoffed and didn't even look up:
"What else could it be? He's probably off playing the 'love saint' in the rain again! Does he think he's Guo Kaimin from 'Romance on Lushan Mountain'? Humph, Zhang Yu played a teacher, knowledgeable and cultured! What is he, obsessed with that Zhou Qiqi? Just a parasite who takes advantage of others' power!"
"Lei Yuhua!"
Political Commissar Lei's face darkened, and his voice suddenly rose in pitch.
"What did I tell you yesterday? You're not allowed to talk about Zhou Qiqi anymore! Don't you ever learn?"
"Didn't you ask first?"
Lei Yuhua pouted and retorted somewhat defiantly, but didn't stop flipping the eggs in her hands.
Commissar Lei was momentarily speechless, but remembering the important matter at hand, he suppressed his anger:
"Alright! Stop with the nonsense. What are you doing today? With your mother in this state, I don't feel comfortable letting her run around with you. Explain yourself, and I'll decide based on your feedback."
Lei Yuhua turned off the stove, scooped out the fried eggs, and then turned around, a hint of smugness on her face:
"Dad, don't worry! It's great news! I'm going to the city's cultural troupe! You know, in previous years, our military region's cultural troupe always held the top spot in the provincial year-end arts festival. The S city cultural troupe? Hmph, they'd be ranked seventh or eighth!"
She picked up the plate and walked towards the dining room, talking as she went.
"But this year is different. They've got a new person in charge surnamed Zhuo. I heard they've gone all out and put a lot of effort into the program, especially the costumes. They even hired a top-notch designer! That's why they invited me over to 'give them some pointers'!"
She emphasized the word "guidance" very much.
Commissar Lei was somewhat amused and exasperated, and took the plate from her hand.
"So what if the show won first place in the province for two consecutive years? Look how smug you are! You have to bring it up all the time. But what does this have to do with your mom?"
"Oh, Dad!"
Lei Yuhua pulled over a chair for her father to sit down.
"I was just thinking of taking Mom out for a change of scenery! To see some new shows, something new and exciting, it's better than her being cooped up at home! Besides..."
She leaned closer, lowered her voice, and spoke with a hint of mystery.
"I heard that the female designer they hired is incredibly talented! She not only makes performance costumes, but also those really stylish evening gowns! I'm thinking of trying to get on her good side and having her design a couple of nice outfits for Mom too! If Mom wears new clothes, she'll feel more energetic and in a better mood, right?"
These words struck a chord with Political Commissar Lei.
His wife, Zhou Shuhua, used to be a beautiful and strong-willed person, but since her brother's incident, her spirits have collapsed. Although she still dresses smartly, she is not as particular about her clothes as before.
He looked at his daughter and said, "Okay, Dad will get you the money. She's a designer, after all; it can't be cheap."
"Don't worry about the money!" Lei Yuhua patted her chest confidently. "I have it!"
"What you have is yours! Spend it on yourself, spend it on your own little family! Make clothes for your mother, Dad will pay for it!"
Political Commissar Lei waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Otherwise, it's easy to cause family conflicts."
He reached for his wallet as he spoke.
Lei Yuhua knew her father's temper, so she didn't argue anymore and quickly set the table.
"Okay, okay, I'll do as you say! Hurry up and eat, then I'll take Mom away!"
After breakfast, Lei Yuhua took out her old Phoenix bicycle.
Zhou Shuhua was pulled by her daughter, and although she was not in a good mood, she obediently sat in the back seat.
Lei Yuhua pedaled her bicycle, carrying her mother, and slowly made her way to the city.
First, they went to the military region's cultural troupe, where Lei Yuhua finished processing a few documents, exchanged a few words with her colleagues, and then drove her mother back to the city's cultural troupe.
It was already past nine o'clock when we arrived at the venue, and the entrance to the small auditorium was quite quiet.
Lei Yuhua parked the car and quickly led her mother inside.
The backstage area was quite lively. A middle-aged man wearing a gray Zhongshan suit and with his hair neatly combed came up to greet them. It was Director Zhuo.
"Oh, Officer Lei! You've finally arrived!"
Director Zhu shook hands with a broad smile.
"I'm sorry, Director Zhuo, I was a little delayed on the way. Is it too late?" Lei Yuhua said politely.
"Not too late! Perfect timing!"
Director Zhuo quickly waved his hand.
"We just finished ours too. Our designer is incredibly dedicated to the costumes. He not only took charge of the costumes but also designed the stage design. He was still checking the details right before going on stage. We just finished confirming everything. You've come at the right time. Quickly find a seat and see how our show is going!"
His tone was filled with obvious pride and admiration.
Lei Yuhua's eyes lit up when she heard that the designer was also there:
"This designer is so dedicated! That's rare! By the way, Director Zhuo, would it be convenient for you to introduce us later? My mom and I would love to meet such a capable woman!"
As she spoke, she tugged at Zhou Shuhua, who had been silent the whole time.
Director Zhuo looked troubled:
"Well... she's currently working on the details of the consulting contract with my partner. We plan to formally hire her as a long-term consultant! Once they're done with their work, she'll definitely come out to see the results. I'll introduce her to you then, is that alright?"
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