Chapter 146 The Coal Boss's Dark Moonlight 14
Zhou Yaoqi smiled and said, "Didn't you say that only the group leader can bring his family? So today I am attending this event as the group leader's family member. I hope we can maintain an appropriate distance between us."
Keep your distance? That's what you said! Shen Xinran turned around and was about to leave, his steps firm and without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing this, Zhou Yaoqi quickly reached out and grabbed Shen Xinran's arm, saying with a flattering smile, "I was just joking, don't be angry."
Shen Xinran crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking unhappy and silent.
Chen Hongying was looking for Xu Yaqin for something and happened to see this scene. He only heard Xu Yaqin sighing at the two figures: "It's still good to be young!"
Chen Hongying laughed and said, "You make it sound like when you were younger, I didn't coax you enough."
Xu Yaqin glared at Chen Hongying in disapproval and reminded her, "There are so many people here!"
The girls in the dance troupe tried hard to suppress their laughter. Some looked up at the ceiling, while others looked down at the ground. They just didn't look at the old couple Xu Yaqin and Chen Hongying.
…
The cultural performance lasts for three days, with the first day being the preparation stage and the official performance starting on the second day.
Inside the rehearsal room, members of the dance troupe were busy preparing props while lightheartedly joking with each other.
Suddenly, Wang Shulan appeared at the door of the rehearsal room. Her expression was serious, and she scolded the girls harshly: "You have a performance tomorrow, how can you be so careless today? Don't you need to go to the scene to rehearse?"
This was the first time the girls in the dance troupe had seen Wang Shulan so strict. They were frightened and their bodies shrank, their faces turned pale, and they involuntarily stepped back.
At this time, Qin Xiaowen stood up and instructed the girls in the dance troupe: "While there is no one on the stage now, go over there and rehearse for a while."
The girls didn't dare to say a word, nodded silently, and then turned and left.
Wang Shulan and Qin Xiaowen were the only ones left in the rehearsal room. Before leaving, Wang Shulan gave Qin Xiaowen a meaningful look.
The girls who were leaving grumbled quietly as they walked away, "What's wrong with the deputy commander today? He seems to have taken a lot of heat."
"I heard that women go through menopause when they reach a certain age. I think she might be going through menopause..."
Shen Xinran also followed the girls. For some reason, she always felt something was wrong.
So, she smiled at the girls who were traveling with her and said, "I seem to have forgotten my water cup. You guys go rehearse first, and I'll go back and get it."
One of the girls frowned and reminded, "The deputy leader is still there. Wouldn't you be asking for trouble if you go back?"
Shen Xinran shook his head lightly and smiled faintly: "It's okay, I will be careful and will be back soon."
After Shen Xinran finished speaking, she quickly returned to the rehearsal room. However, when she opened the door, she found that the room was empty.
Shen Xinran frowned slightly. Was her feeling wrong? But when she was about to pick up the water cup, she unexpectedly found that the water cup that should have been in her bag had been placed on the table by someone at some point.
Shen Xinran immediately opened her bag and carefully inspected her costume. She discovered that the straps had been nearly completely severed by the thread. If she wore it on stage, she wouldn't last more than five minutes before it fell off.
You have to know that the people sitting in the audience are all soldiers defending their country. This is not only a matter of face. To put it more bluntly, this is called a stage accident, which is a taboo in the art troupe!
Shen Xinran knew in her heart that Wang Shulan was most likely behind this. But since you are unkind, don't blame her for being unjust!
…
As everyone was concentrating on preparing for the cultural performance, a sudden cry came from the door of the rehearsal room: "Catch the thief! Catch the thief!"
Wang Shulan had an ominous premonition in her heart. She walked towards the scream and saw Feng Xue standing at the door, shouting loudly.
Wang Shulan stepped forward and sternly rebuked: "What are you doing? This is not a place for you to make loud noises."
Feng Xue quickly defended herself: "I just saw a figure running out of the rehearsal room holding something!"
Wang Shulan's heart tightened, worried that Qin Xiaowen's actions had been exposed. She flatly denied it: "I have been here the whole time. There is no figure. You must have seen it wrongly."
Feng Xue's voice was sharp and clear, as if trying to attract everyone's attention: "There really is someone, I can see it clearly!"
Xu Yaqin heard the commotion and hurried over with Chen Hongying and Zhou Yaoqi. She quickly instructed, "Everyone, go check and see if anything is missing."
The members of the dance troupe entered the rehearsal room one after another, and after checking their personal belongings, they all shook their heads.
"I didn't lose anything."
"My things are here too."
Wang Shulan turned to look at Feng Xue, with dissatisfaction in her tone: "I said you were wrong!"
Before she finished speaking, Shen Xinran suddenly raised her hand and reported loudly: "Captain, my performance clothes are missing!"
The three words "performance costume" made Wang Shulan's heart sink.
Feng Xue took the opportunity to shout loudly: "See, I told you there was a thief. I saw that figure carrying something into the room."
Jiang Ying looked in the direction Feng Xue pointed and immediately retorted, "Nonsense! That's my room!"
Shen Xinran frowned slightly and sighed: "I know you have never liked me, but I didn't expect you to do such a thing."
Jiang Ying quickly denied, "I don't want your costume, I didn't steal it!"
Xu Yaqin pondered for a moment and proposed a solution: "We'll know if there's any theft if we check."
Wang Shulan opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Jiang Ying. She said firmly, "If you want to check, check, but if you find nothing, you two must kneel down and apologize to me."
Shen Xinran and Feng Xue exchanged a look, then smiled and agreed: "No problem."
So, the group came to Jiang Ying's room and soon found a performance costume in Jiang Ying's closet that was torn apart by scissors.
Facing everyone's gaze, Jiang Ying waved her hands repeatedly, her eyes widening in horror, "It's not me. I don't know how this dress appeared here."
Shen Xinran's tone was filled with disappointment: "The art performance is such an important event for the regiment. How could you do this? Isn't this making a fool of yourself for the troops?"
"But it really wasn't me." Jiang Ying's face was pale and her body was shaking. She turned to look at Wang Shulan and choked up for help: "Mom, please help me say something!"
Wang Shulan stood there quietly, her eyes fixed on Shen Xinran for a long time. Finally, she let out a chuckle.
She took a firm step forward, her voice low and firm: "Okay, I did this."
Xu Yaqin looked at Wang Shulan in shock and asked in disbelief: "Shulan, why did you do this!"
Wang Shulan's face was expressionless. "Chen Xinran has repeatedly targeted Jiang Ying. I'm just seeking justice for my daughter."
The members of the art troupe fell silent after hearing Wang Shulan's confession. After all, Wang Shulan was the deputy director, and her status made it difficult for people to comment lightly.
Even Xu Yaqin felt helpless in the face of such a situation. The deputy director stole the costumes? If this matter got out, it would be a joke.
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