Chapter 119 Self-knowledge
Competing with senior veterans from the three major theater troupes?
Is Ren Limeng crazy, or is the Fanhua Theater crazy?
Even at this moment, looking at the confident head of the Fanhua Troupe, Liu, and the silent and smiling Ren Limeng beside her, there was still some doubt and hesitation in Li Chuyue's voice. She really couldn't imagine Ren Limeng starring in the opera performance in the afternoon.
Ren Limeng had clearly given up on Huangmei Opera! How could she dare to take such a big risk during such an important live broadcast?
And she made everyone worry about her!
Li Chuyue finally couldn't help but speak up to persuade her. Dong Zhu also nodded frequently and frowned at Ren Limeng.
Captain Liu didn't give Ren Limeng a chance to speak at all. He was afraid that Ren Limeng, who had hesitated from the beginning, would suddenly change her mind. Where did the four major theater troupes come from?
There are only three recognized theater troupes in Mei City, and it hasn't changed in many years! How dare they interfere in this matter?
This program dares to challenge the four major theater troupes, and even Fanhua dare not take on this hot potato!
He knew that the program team was going to trick him!
Meixiang Theater solemnly said that it was a Huangmei Week activity, and everyone could perform freely, mainly to exchange feelings and learn from each other. Wow!
Captain Liu got a headache when he thought about the series of news he heard in the morning. After hearing the news, his troupe members almost "deserted". Now he was able to gather everyone together again. Only he knew the hardships involved!
Captain Liu really didn't expect that the afternoon competition between the three major troupes would actually involve the leaders and pillars of the entire troupe, and all of them would be the top-notch actors. Their Fanhua Troupe was just an interest club in Fan County. How could they hold a formal competition with the three major troupes?
The gossip of the people in Meishi can kill them with their spit!
These flowers are self-aware!
Ren Limeng is the most suitable guest to perform this competition!
Even if they lose, they can still save face!
Captain Liu didn't want to win the competition at all. He just wanted to get through the recording. If he hadn't been coaxed into signing the contract in advance, and only found out that Meixiang had been replaced by someone else, he would have wanted to run away with the other actors in the troupe that morning!
But for their troupe that travels around the country, the most important thing is their promise.
Once they agree, they must perform, but how to perform is naturally up to their troupe!
"You're just an actress from Meixiang. What does our troupe's performance have to do with you? It's decided just like that!"
Captain Liu glanced at Li Chuyue without thinking. He curled his lips, and his voice, which sounded completely nonchalant, made the smile on Li Chuyue's lips freeze in place.
After Dong Zhu's repeated persuasion failed, he tried to "save the country in a roundabout way" through Meixiang Theater, but Meixiang's representative Xu Kai only responded on the phone, but he was never seen. When Ren Limeng was communicating with Captain Liu, she paid attention to the movements of the program crew out of the corner of her eye, and she smiled slightly.
"You want to change 'The Female Prime Minister'? The music and the stage are fine, but the other actors have too little time to prepare. Xiao Ren, have you thought about this problem?"
"I'm not planning on making any major changes. I just want to add some interaction to the climax. I'd also like to change a few of the literary scenes into martial arts scenes, with more somersaults. Don't worry, Liu Tuan, I'm not messing around. 'The Female Imperial Consort'... was the aria I chose for my arts exam back then. I'm confident this adaptation won't affect anyone too much."
Ren Limeng looked sincerely at Captain Liu, who was frowning slightly in front of her. When she mentioned the "art exam", her voice paused slightly, but soon became firm again. This time, she knew very well what she was doing and would not leave any regrets.
"Liu Tuan, the three major troupes in Meixiang this afternoon will all be performed by national-level actors. If we don't come up with something new, it will be difficult to win the audience's attention."
Noticing the restrained smile in Ren Limeng's eyes, Captain Liu was slightly stunned. He felt Ren Limeng's serious attitude. Unlike him who just wanted to get through the ring competition, he could clearly see the seriousness and ambition in Ren Limeng's eyes.
For a moment, he even thought that Ren Limeng wanted to compete with the ace actors of the three major troupes of Meixiang Theater!
This crazy idea was quickly rejected by Captain Liu in his heart, but he agreed with Ren Limeng's idea. Even if they lost, they couldn't lose too badly. What if the audience for the afternoon performance was much smaller than that of other troupes? Even if it was justified, their Fanhua Troupe would be embarrassed in front of the national audience.
"Xiao Ren, are you sure?"
"certainly."
Ren Limeng curled her red lips, raised her chin slightly, and a gentle and determined smile appeared on her face.
Now that she has decided to participate, she must do her best in the afternoon performance, live up to her years of learning and the stage itself.
It was almost 11 o'clock when the program team urged Ren Limeng and Captain Liu to return to the center of the ancient city. At noon, Meixiang Theater decided to invite the leaders and leading actors of the four troupes to dinner, which was conducive to emotional exchanges between the troupes and also made the recording content richer.
Ren Limeng was covered in sweat after practicing for a whole morning. The program team arranged for Li Chuyue to take her to the Huangmei Opera Hall to change into new clothes, and then go to the gathering place together.
"Li Meng, are you sure you want to participate?"
Ren Limeng came out holding a completely sweaty short-sleeved shirt and immediately noticed Li Chuyue who was waiting for her with her head down. She also noticed the hesitation in Li Chuyue's eyes, and it was too obvious that she wanted to say something but stopped. The expression was similar to what she remembered.
At that time, when they were in drama school, she and Yan Fangshu skipped self-study class to go out and play, and asked Li Chuyue, who refused to go with them, to help cover for them. Li Chuyue also had the same expression, but they didn't think much about it at the time.
Ren Limeng looked at the familiar figures in front of her. Their faces had not changed much, except that they had lost their youthfulness, had more emotions between their brows, and had more personal thoughts in their hearts.
The camera crew did not follow the two of them to change clothes, and Li Chuyue did not wear a recording microphone on her waist. Ren Limeng noticed when chatting with Captain Liu in the morning that Li Chuyue did not go back with Dong Zhu, who had no choice but to acquiesce, but stayed behind the camera, staring at her blankly while recording.
Ren Limeng guessed that Li Chuyue had something to say.
She suddenly asked the program crew to change her clothes before continuing the recording, which might have been a test.
But when Li Chuyue really spoke at this moment, Ren Limeng still felt a little disappointed.
No matter what happened in the past, after so many years, she still had some old feelings, but she didn't expect that she would still have to put on this fake business smile in the end.
"Chu Yue, what do you mean? Didn't the production team agree?"
"Li Meng, the ring competition is a very important event during Huangmei Week. It's not a joke. You can't agree to it so lightly."
Looking at the silent, smiling Ren Limeng, Li Chuyue frowned in disapproval, her words filled with inexplicable indignation. "The three major troupes have all sent national first-class actors. This lineup is very rare. Limeng, since you are no longer in our industry, why are you occupying the leading role and wasting such a good opportunity?"
"Chu Yue, I don't understand. What is your identity in questioning me now? Our opera teacher, or an actor from Meixiang Theater?"
Listening to Li Chuyue's righteous voice, Ren Limeng felt a little amused, but she did not argue with Li Chuyue. She raised her eyebrows lightly with some nonchalantness.
"Li Meng!"
Li Chuyue felt the indifference in Ren Limeng's words, and even heard some subtle sarcasm. A hint of disbelief flashed in her eyes, as if she had not expected Ren Limeng to have such an attitude.
The attitude is completely like treating a stranger, with polite alienation, contemptuous indifference, and a bit of superior arrogance.
"We've been good friends for so many years...even though...I'm really doing this for your own good. You haven't performed in years. On such a large stage, and live on stage, I'm worried you might have trouble performing! Performing isn't as simple as hosting. You can't just pick up the microphone and do it casually! Captain Liu might be...trying desperately, but think it through!"
Everyone could see Captain Liu's insistence just now. As an opera actor at Meixiang Theater, Li Chuyue even knew the whole process of Director Xu Kai "tricking" Captain Liu into agreeing to the performance. Captain Liu's little thoughts were understandable, but Li Chuyue did not expect that Ren Limeng actually agreed to Captain Liu and took over this "hot potato".
During these two days of getting along, Li Chuyue could see that Ren Limeng was now very cautious and steady. She really couldn't understand why Ren Limeng agreed, and some complicated thoughts in her heart gradually became uncontrollable.
Li Chuyue was unwilling to admit that until now, she was still inexplicably afraid, afraid that Ren Limeng would perform on the Huangmei Opera stage again.
"Chu Yue, what are you afraid of?"
Ren Limeng's eyes were as mysterious as the sea, as if they could see through all the most secret thoughts in Li Chuyue's heart. Li Chuyue was suddenly startled. She swallowed subconsciously and lowered her eyes to avoid Ren Limeng's gentle but seemingly hidden round eyes.
"Afraid? What do I have to be afraid of? I...I'm doing this for your own good! Li Meng, we're friends now, and I just don't want you to go down the wrong path and regret it!"
As if she was telling Ren Limeng, or as if she was convincing herself, Li Chuyue's low voice made Ren Limeng laugh softly.
"Chu Yue, some things can't be treated as if they never happened just by apologizing."
friend?
Ren Limeng pondered the words over and over again in her mind with great interest. She could sense the self-deception in Li Chuyue's words, as if time could erase everything and make her forget everything.
Ren Limeng smiled and gently reminded Li Chuyue. There was no anger in her voice, but a trace of sadness and irony flashed through her heart, with some indescribable complexity, which eventually turned into a faint smile at the corner of her mouth.
"Everyone is waiting for us, let's go."
Ren Limeng spoke softly throughout the whole process. She looked meaningfully at the corner of the corridor outside the room, right in front of Li Chuyue. If she remembered correctly, when she passed by here in the morning, the corner was bare, without the pot of green plants that seemed to block everything.
"Li Meng, you're about to meet your mother. Are you... nervous now?"
Li Chuyue's smile froze slightly when she noticed Ren Limeng looking up at her calmly, but she still forced a smile on her face.
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