On the stage, the sleeves fluttered, rolling like flowing clouds under the lights.
Mudan appeared gracefully in a pink costume, with her sleeves fluttering, revealing her snow-white lining embroidered with dark patterns.
There is a dot of bright cinnabar on her brow, and her eyes are bright and charming, showing the demeanor of a famous actor.
Her voice was clear and melodious, like pearls falling on a jade plate, which drew applause from the whole audience.
"This time Mudan is back on stage, and her acting is still as amazing as ever, without losing a bit!" an old man in the audience exclaimed while stroking his beard.
Several regular customers nearby also nodded: "That's right, there is no one else in Tianjin who can sing the tune of "A Dream in the Garden" so movingly."
Xiao Xiao leaned forward slightly and whispered in Zheng Wanqing's ear: "Have you heard about the Green Gang? It's not easy for Mudan to return to the stage."
Zheng Wanqing stared at the graceful figure on the stage and said softly, "She is truly an extraordinary woman."
When the play was at its climax, Zheng Wanqing was watching intently when she suddenly felt someone tugged at her sleeve.
Turning around, I saw a boy of about thirteen years old standing beside me, bending over.
The child, wearing a washed-out indigo short jacket with neatly patched cuffs, bowed respectfully.
The strands of hair on his forehead were slightly wet with sweat, and it was obvious that he had come in a hurry.
"My lady," the servant said in a childish voice, deliberately lowering his voice, "Mr. I would like to invite you to come backstage and chat after the show."
䀱小 raised her eyebrows in surprise and almost spilled the tea from the cup in her hand: "Do you know 䲾牡丹?" she asked in a low voice, her eyes full of surprise.
Zheng Wanqing nodded and replied softly, "We have met once. Please lead the way, little brother."
After the show ended, the crowd gradually dispersed, and Zheng Wanqing followed the servant through the winding corridors.
The backstage was simpler than before. Several actors were removing their makeup, and the air was filled with the smell of powder and hair oil.
In front of the innermost dressing table, Mudan had already removed her heavy makeup and was wiping the paint from her neck with a handkerchief.
Seeing the person coming through the bronze mirror, she turned around and smiled: "Sister Wanqing, how are you?"
Without her stage makeup, Liu Tingting had delicate features. She motioned to the servant to bring tea.
After the servant respectfully left the room, Liu Tingting raised her eyes, with a sincere glow in her eyes: "I specially invited Sister Wanqing here today because I wanted to thank you and the young commander in person."
Her voice was much deeper than on stage, with a hint of hoarseness from the vicissitudes of life, but it added a touch of moving charm.
Zheng Wanqing was slightly startled, and the teacup swayed gently in her hand: "Miss Liu, you are too polite. I really can't help you much, but..." She paused, "I will convey your gratitude to the young commander for you."
Liu Tingting nodded slightly.
The room was silent for a moment, with only the sound of steaming tea as the noise.
Zheng Wanqing hesitated for a moment, and finally said: "I heard the young marshal mention you..."
Her voice was gentle, but her eyes never left Liu Tingting's face. "Today I see you on stage again, more graceful than before. I wonder...how have you been doing lately?"
Hearing this, Liu Tingting curled up the corners of her lips into a faint smile.
She raised her hand and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear: "Thank you for your concern, sister. Since the death of Zhao Qingshan, the heavy stone weighing on my heart has finally fallen to the ground. The world is unpredictable, and now I just want to live a stable life with my lover."
Zheng Wanqing recalled that Xie Yun had said that Liu Tingting's childhood sweetheart was beaten to death by Zhao Qingshan's men, and couldn't help but ask softly: "Is he... more tolerant now?"
Liu Tingting's tears suddenly fell, drop by drop, into the teacup.
Seeing this, Zheng Wanqing hurriedly pulled out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve, her fingertips trembling slightly: "I am so abrupt..."
Liu Tingting shook her head and reached out to take the handkerchief: "Thank you, Sister Wanqing."
She forced a smile and gently pressed the red corners of her eyes with her handkerchief. "He can walk now. The doctor said that it is a blessing from God that he can recover like this."
Her nails dug deep into her palms, leaving a few red marks on her fair skin. "But during the half he spent in bed, he kept saying that he was a useless person..." Her voice was choked with sobs and she couldn't continue, "He said... that he was not worthy of me."
The room was so quiet that one could hear the crackling of the candle wick and the laughter of the actors as they removed their makeup in the distance.
"Later, I couldn't help it..." Liu Tingting suddenly raised her head, tears sparkling in the candlelight, "so I told him everything Zhao Qingshan had done to me." Her lips trembled, "I asked him... if he was still willing to marry someone like me..."
As soon as she finished speaking, she started laughing, and that smile was so bright that it seemed to dispel all the haze: "Guess what he said?"
Without waiting for an answer, she whispered four words: "Until death."
Zheng Wanqing suddenly felt her eyes getting hot, and the mist in front of her eyes made the candlelight glow with a hazy halo.
"This bracelet was given to me by him." Liu Tingting gently stroked the slightly old silver bracelet on her wrist.
"That day he came to see me with a cane, walked up to me step by step, and said..." Her voice choked, "He said that even though he walked slowly, he would always be by my side."
Zheng Wanqing's eyes fell on the bracelet with a warm luster. She could tell at a glance the craftsman's meticulous craftsmanship. This must be a precious keepsake that has been passed down through generations.
"So..." Liu Tingting suddenly stood up and bowed solemnly to Zheng Wanqing, "Please thank the young marshal on my behalf. If it weren't for his help, Ah Cheng and I would be in this situation..."
"Ms. Liu, please stand up." Zheng Wanqing stepped forward and held her arm. "I know that Miss Liu is a rare strong woman in the world.
"She patted the back of Liu Tingting's hand gently,"God will surely favor lovers like you."
Liu Tingting held Zheng Wanqing's hand and said, "The young commander and his wife are both kind-hearted. God will also bless you two."
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