Chapter 177 It's all in the past
"Li Meng, Teacher Li kept it a secret for you out of consideration for our relationship, but you can't bully an honest person. You have to face the consequences of your own actions, right?"
Before Li Chuyue answered Ren Limeng, Chen Xi couldn't help but sigh, but even though she was pretending to be emotional, her tone still couldn't hide her happiness. She cleared her throat, trying to make her voice softer and not get carried away.
"There's no point in running away. As public figures, we should set a good example for everyone. You have to speak out about that mistake you made before the game. All these years, there are still people in the theater who mistakenly believe that Teacher Li stole your spot. Are you really unwilling to tell everyone the truth? Don't worry, no matter what, as your teammates, we will face it with you!"
Chen Xi spoke very righteously, and with his own exaggerated imagination, he accidentally pointed out a long-forgotten fact. Li Chuyue subconsciously looked at Ren Limeng, her mind was blank to the extreme. In the air-conditioned room, her back was already covered with sweat.
Ren Limeng just stared at Chen Xi quietly. Chen Xi used cleverly exaggerated language and shots to explain Ren Limeng's "hidden" past. His high-sounding words were like a poisonous snake that wanted to silently entangle Ren Limeng, leaving her with no way to turn over.
Although it seemed that she wanted to "seek justice" for Li Chuyue, Chen Xi didn't even give Li Chuyue a glance. She just stared at Ren Limeng pretending to be sad, with a barely perceptible smugness flashing in her eyes.
Chen Xi therefore completely missed the increasingly stiff expression on Li Chuyue's face after she heard her words. The smile on Li Chuyue's lips completely disappeared. She tried hard to suppress all her panic and make herself look like she was just too sad, and not because of any other reason.
"the truth?"
Ren Limeng repeated Chen Xi's words in a voice so faint that it was barely perceptible, but it buzzed in Li Chuyue's ears like another death warrant, making it impossible for her to remain calm.
Li Chuyue raised her eyes and met Ren Limeng's bright eyes, whose expressions were hard to read. In the silent atmosphere, Li Chuyue knew that Ren Limeng was waiting for her to confess, but she had her own choice.
Does the truth matter?
Li Chuyue smiled bitterly in her heart and made the only choice between gritted teeth.
She knew at the age of seventeen that everything depends on human effort and that only the result matters.
"Li Meng, I don't blame you. We were both so young back then. You... suddenly decided to play two roles, and you were so stressed out about not performing well that you accidentally ruined your costume. I understand you, but... everyone said you were disrespecting the competition and disrespecting Huangmei Opera. Aunt Wu was very angry back then, and she... slapped you, but that's all in the past now. Sister Chen Xi... you really misunderstood Li Meng."
As Li Chuyue spoke, she seemed to feel the same as Ren Limeng, and her eyes turned red. She seemed to be too distressed to meet Ren Limeng's calm eyes. Li Chuyue looked at Chen Xi sincerely.
"Whether it was Li Meng and me, or Li Meng and Aunt Wu, we've already talked it over. It's all in the past. Some people at the theater were bored and spread the story around, twisting it into something else. It was indeed a misunderstanding, a mistake. Li Meng and I are both fine now. Let's...let's not talk about it anymore, okay?"
Finally, Li Chuyue looked at Ren Limeng earnestly. She racked her brains to explain everything. These words were enough to help Ren Limeng deal with Chen Xi. Li Chuyue hoped that Ren Limeng could understand the hints in her words.
It was all in the past. Now that Ren Limeng had returned home in glory, she shouldn't bother with a small character like her about the so-called truth. Moreover, she had apologized so sincerely on the first day Ren Limeng came back. Even though Ren Limeng saw the friendship they had since childhood, she shouldn't kill her now.
"Chu Yue..."
Ren Limeng's eyes were also red, and her tone was full of disbelief. She looked at Li Chuyue with a strange look, her expression full of pleading. Her voice was trembling and no longer calm. "At this point, don't you have anything else to say?"
"Li Meng, are you threatening Teacher Li? You can't take advantage of the fact that you two used to be good friends and make things difficult for her! Well, it's all in the past. It's nothing. You were just young and frivolous in the past. You didn't like Huangmei Opera and didn't respect the stage. We believe that your performance this time is from the heart. No one will blame you..."
Chen Xi tried her best to comfort Ren Limeng, and deliberately brought up the contrasting performance of Ren Limeng before and after. Her words were not so much an explanation for Ren Limeng as a reminder to the audience that Ren Limeng had been acting out a character these days. Her hypocritical words made Guan He frown, and he wanted to speak up to explain for Ren Limeng.
If Chen Xi's words were broadcast, Ren Limeng would definitely be ridiculed by the audience.
However, Chen Xingzhi still stood quietly beside Ren Limeng, his thoughtful eyes falling on Ren Limeng's shoulders shaking as she shed tears. The disappointment and confusion she showed in front of the camera was so obvious, as if the conversation he accidentally overheard outside the toilet on the day he first arrived was just a dream.
Or rather, this moment is more like a play.
It was Chen Xi who carefully set up the stage, but the leading actor had already been quietly replaced.
"Chu Yue, you...really don't want to tell the truth?"
Ren Limeng's face was filled with disappointment and melancholy. Drops of clear tears overflowed from the corners of her eyes, slowly slid down her cheeks, and flowed silently. Ren Limeng raised her head stubbornly and looked at Li Chuyue with a bitter smile.
Li Chuyue's lips trembled slightly. She opened her mouth and forced out a smile that was uglier than crying. There was a hint of uneasiness in her eyes, and a hint of trembling pleading. She understood the determination and firmness in Ren Limeng's eyes as she pretended to be sad.
Her body was filled with a nervousness that she had nowhere to put it. Even though the arrow was on the string, Li Chuyue's mind inexplicably recalled that evening many years ago.
"Let me remind you, you were able to distort all the facts and get away with doing the wrong thing today because of the twelve years of relationship between us, and I will not tolerate you next time."
At that time, the girl in front of him had more than just her eyes red. Even though her eyes were filled with dense red bloodshot, Ren Limeng always kept his back straight and never shed a tear in front of her. Facing all her hysteria, Ren Limeng looked so indifferent and heartless.
At least, at that time, she really only felt Ren Limeng's indifference and calmness, as if her betrayal and madness could not break Ren Limeng's heart at all. She was as unreasonable as a crying child. She was secretly annoyed for a long time. How could Ren Limeng be so indifferent?
Li Chuyue even hated Ren Limeng.
Until this moment, looking at Ren Limeng who seemed to be crying with true feelings, Li Chuyue finally understood that Ren Limeng pretended to be strong that year, but was more panicked in her heart. If Ren Limeng did not cooperate and insisted on revealing the truth of that year, what should she do?
There were cameras and program staff all around her. If she couldn't get away unscathed, the matter would inevitably spread to the Meixiang Theater. Li Chuyue had to be a good person before acting, and she wouldn't allow herself to be stained by such a stain.
Not even her past.
This time, even if Ren Limeng doesn't admit it obediently, she will make her suffer the loss. Even without Ren Limeng, she must be able to escape unscathed.
"Li Meng, I...I'm telling you the truth!"
Li Chuyue cried as she spoke, with tears as big as beans circling in her eyes. Li Chuyue's tone was hesitant. She seemed to want to speak up for Ren Limeng, but she didn't know what to do. Her trembling voice was filled with helplessness and sadness.
Chen Xi raised her eyebrows slightly, feeling like she was watching a good show of "sisterly love". Her gaze finally turned to Li Chuyue, but she didn't expect that the seemingly honest Teacher Li was not that simple.
But she had no intention of distinguishing the so-called truth of the past. What was important was Ren Limeng's duplicity and the collapse of her personality. Whether it was true or false, it must be true at this moment.
"Chu Yue, your truth is that I ruined my costume at the last minute of the Peach Blossom Fan lead audition because of my lack of confidence? I've studied Huangmei Opera for over ten years. There's no way I could have accidentally put eyebrow pencil on my petticoat, let alone such a large area!"
Ren Limeng's eyes were like torches, staring straight at Li Chuyue. Her sonorous and powerful voice was finally tinged with some determination. She seemed to be completely disappointed. She took the tissue that Shen Xingzhi had just handed over, pressed the corner of her eyes hard, raised her head, and did not look at Li Chuyue again.
"Li Meng..."
Li Chuyue looked a bit embarrassed. She looked at Ren Limeng with concern, as if she didn't want to expose her past. Chen Xi interrupted without hesitation, "Limeng, Teacher Li doesn't want everyone to know about certain things in the past, so he's deliberately embellishing the truth. After all, we're still recording. You two... should discuss this privately. If we continue to confront each other like this, it will really hurt our relationship."
Chen Xi's face was filled with just the right amount of annoyance, as if he regretted provoking this matter. "I'm sorry, I was too outspoken. I shouldn't have brought this up. Let's practice quickly!"
"Sister Chen Xi, I've said before, there's nothing unspeakable about me."
Ren Limeng seemed unmoved. Her gaze fell quietly on Chen Xi, with an endearing stubbornness.
Even Chen Xi, who secretly hated Ren Limeng, had to admit that Ren Limeng was really dazzling at this moment. She was blooming stubbornly with the vigorous vitality of wild flowers and weeds, making people unable to take their eyes off her and it was hard not to feel distressed for her.
What kind of host is Ren Limeng? It would be a shame if she didn’t become an actor with such acting skills!
Chen Xi forced a smile, sighed secretly and was unwilling to miss the opportunity in front of her. She didn't care about the right or wrong between Ren Limeng and Li Chuyue. What was important was that the recording of their story stopped right here.
Chen Xi didn't want to give Ren Limeng any more chance to explain. Her tone was filled with anxiety, her brows knitted, and she looked at Ren Limeng with embarrassment. "Limeng, the practice time is very tight. We don't have any extra time."
Everyone understood Chen Xi's hidden meaning. Ren Limeng and Li Chuyue's personal affairs were just casual chats during breaks. It seemed unnecessary to take up too much of everyone's recording time. Ren Limeng could not afford to be accused of affecting the performance.
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