On the day of the performance, the military canteen was brightly decorated and bustling with activity.
The lights were on, illuminating the outside.
Xia Enruo was in the kitchen leading her apprentices to help the cooks prepare dishes, with flames occasionally surging from the stove.
The person being roasted turned bright red.
Gu Shaoxuan, holding his child, sat at a round table in the canteen early in the morning, talking with his comrades.
Gu Shaoying stayed by her side.
The time I had agreed upon with my sister-in-law was approaching.
Gu Shaoying handed the child to the young soldier next to her and said to her older brother:
"Brother, my stomach hurts and I need to go to the bathroom."
Gu Shaoying deliberately clutched her stomach, feigning discomfort.
"Okay. Then hurry back. If you're still not feeling well, I'll take you to the infirmary."
"No, no, it's probably just a cold, nothing serious. Don't worry about me."
Upon arriving at the kitchen, Xia Enru handed the fried purple sweet potato balls to the younger sister. One bag contained crab roe, while the other bag did not, but they both tasted the same.
Then he gave her a wink.
Gu Shaoying understood immediately and did as her sister-in-law had told her the day before.
She bypassed the canteen and went straight to the cultural troupe's preparation room.
I leaned against the wall in the stairwell and looked around.
The cultural troupe members came and went, busily putting on makeup and trying on clothes, running back and forth.
Gu Shaoying waited for Jiang Pei, but never saw her.
She grew a little impatient and simply stopped one of them to ask.
"Where is Jiang Pei from the Zhan You Art Troupe? My leader asked me to deliver something to her. I've been waiting for ages but haven't seen her."
The man sized Gu Shaoying up and down, finding her unfamiliar and someone he'd never seen before. However, upon hearing that his superior had asked him to deliver something, he didn't think much of it and replied sarcastically:
"Her? She's the top performer in the cultural troupe, how could she possibly hang out with us? Go up to the second floor, to the first dressing room on the right, that's where you'll find her."
Gu Shaoying sensed a hidden meaning in the man's words. It seemed that Jiang Pei had made many enemies and was not well-liked in the cultural troupe.
As expected, everyone hates scheming women; wherever they go, there's no peace.
"Okay, thank you, comrade."
Gu Shaoying went up to the second floor and pushed open the door to the room, only to see Jiang Pei sitting there alone, putting on makeup in front of the mirror.
Before she could even speak, Jiang Pei said something without turning her head.
"Just leave your dance costume on the chair and go outside. I don't want anyone to see me putting on makeup."
Gu Shaoying locked the door and came in carrying crab roe and purple sweet potato dumplings.
"Wow, you've got some big ego. And you don't want to be bothered. People who don't know you might think you're some nationally famous celebrity."
Jiang Pei turned around when she sensed something was wrong and saw Gu Shaoying. She immediately panicked.
She had witnessed how formidable this girl was yesterday.
That kick was really powerful; it left my stomach bruised and sore, it still hurts a bit today.
Jiang Pei felt a chill run down her spine; she was indeed a bully who preyed on the weak.
"What...what are you doing in here? This is the backstage preparation room, get out, get out..."
Jiang Pei's tone sounded somewhat insecure, completely lacking the arrogance she had yesterday.
It seems that having a strong fist is the only way to earn respect.
Gu Shaoying sat on the stool next to her and glanced at her half-finished makeup. It looked pretty good. No wonder her comrades called her the top courtesan.
"What are you panicking about? You're my older brother's comrade-in-arms, so why can't I, as your younger sister, come and see you? Besides, there's no rule in the army that forbids outsiders from entering the preparation room, is there?"
"You disturbed my makeup session. Are you going to take responsibility if this delays the performance?"
"Oh, I just came in and sat here without doing anything, and you still managed to delay your makeup and performance, Jiang Pei, your professional skills are really terrible."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Jiang Pei put down her eyebrow pencil, turned her head, rolled her eyes at her, and asked.
"Nothing much? I just wanted to bring some snacks and treats to the older brothers and sisters in your performing arts troupe as a younger sister."
Seeing how hard you've worked, I'm worried you might have low blood sugar from not eating and collapse from exhaustion, which would spoil the mood of the regimental leaders.
"Here are some snacks I specially brought from the kitchen, please try them."
Jiang Pei glanced at the bag, which contained rows of purple spheres, none of which she could name.
She had never seen this thing before.
"You would be that kind?"
"Hey, Jiang Pei. Do you think everyone is like you? You've got a black heart, only thinking about hurting others."
"you……"
"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'I'm telling the truth'? You're saying I'm harming you? Why would I harm you? Have you done anything to wrong my family?"
"Of course not, who knows what you're really thinking?"
Gu Shaoying didn't want to waste any more time talking to her, so she opened the bag and pushed it in front of her.
"These are purple sweet potato balls, a local snack from my hometown. I brought some for each of you to have as a small gift from me to the younger generation."
You can have two, but after you finish them, you'll have to take them over for the others to try.
After Gu Shaoying finished speaking, she noticed Jiang Pei staring at her, showing no interest in tasting the food, so she added:
"It seems Sister Jiang Pei is afraid I'll poison it. Alright, then I'll take a bite first."
Gu Shaoying took one out of the bag and popped it into her mouth.
"Mmm, it smells so good, sweet and sticky, it's really satisfying. Sister Jiang Pei, did you see that? No poison? Don't worry!"
Jiang Pei gave a cold laugh and replied:
"I'm on a diet and I don't eat these pastries. Take them and use them to please someone else."
"Sister Jiang Pei, you're not giving me face! Everyone else has eaten what you offered, but you won't. Do you think I'm not classy enough, and that what I bring doesn't meet your standards?"
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