Chapter 178 A Lot of Mistakes
"It doesn't matter if you have something to say. It's better to talk it out."
Shen Xingzhi finally spoke. He spoke lightly, leaning forward, taking the ice water cup that Ren Limeng had already grasped until her fingertips turned white, and placed it steadily on the table next to her. The "ding dong" sound echoed particularly well in the subtle atmosphere of the training room.
"Do it..."
Chen Xi sighed earnestly and frowned to show her disapproval, but before she could speak, she met Shen Xingzhi's cold eyes, "Chen Xi, don't you want Li Meng and Teacher Li to talk it out? Why do you suddenly bring up their past?"
Chen Xi's expression froze. Shen Xingzhi's question almost directly pointed out her ill intentions.
The camera was faithfully recording everything. Chen Xi wanted to take advantage of the situation to defeat Ren Limeng, but she didn't expect to be immersed in the discussion of the topic broadcast on the show with Ren Limeng. To deal with a small character like Ren Limeng was not worthy of her hurting herself.
Chen Xi finally lowered his eyes, raised a somewhat forced smile and fell silent.
"Li Meng, please stop pushing me, okay?"
Li Chuyue's voice was filled with grievance, and her red eyes were filled with sadness, as if she didn't want to recall everything that happened back then. "Just... consider it my fault, okay? I apologize. I'm sorry. Let's not dwell on the past anymore and move on, okay?"
Li Chuyue noticed Chen Xi's avoidance in front of Shen Xingzhi. She knew that she couldn't get away with it easily today. She could only take the initiative and try to create the feeling that Ren Limeng was bullying the weak, expressing her helplessness of swallowing all grievances for the sake of friendship.
Ren Limeng almost laughed out loud, the past events were so vivid in her mind. Who was obsessed with the past when Li Chuyue did this?
"Chu Yue, we studied opera together since we were young. Even though... that incident happened back then, I wanted to move on from you respectfully, but... that's not a reason for you to hurt me again."
Although Ren Limeng felt countless emotions and sighs in her heart, she just looked very sad. She stared at Li Chuyue in silence for a long time, and finally showed a smile that was too bitter. She pulled out a few more tissues from the table and pressed them all over her indescribably complicated eyes.
"You take everyone for fools."
Ren Limeng sighed softly, and the certainty in her tone and the calmness in her eyes startled Li Chuyue. She tried hard to recall everything that happened at that time. There was no surveillance in the blind spot backstage, and she admitted it on the spot. So many years had passed, and there was no way Ren Limeng could prove that it was not her.
But Ren Limeng has been a shadow that she cannot escape from since she was a child. When she was a child, Ren Limeng was always first, and no matter how hard she tried, she could only be second; when she grew up, Ren Limeng easily appeared on national variety shows such as "Shan Hai", while she could only get a background role in the show after trying her best.
Li Chuyue's fear of Ren Limeng had long been ingrained in her bones. Looking at Ren Limeng who seemed to have a sure win, Li Chuyue finally panicked. She tried to explain patiently in front of the camera, trying to make Ren Limeng "remember" everything that had happened.
"Li Meng, have you forgotten? Back then, you refused to accept the auditions' arrangements and insisted on playing both the male and female lead roles to prove your abilities. But time was tight, and you were young... a little scared, so you panicked and didn't know what to do."
It's a very logical explanation, and it even clearly analyzes her motivations before she "did something wrong."
Ren Limeng twitched her lips, her face filled with disbelief and pain. She listened quietly to Li Chuyue's explanation, which was accelerating in tone. Suddenly, she asked softly, "Chuyue, why do you think I can't play the two roles in Peach Blossom Fan well?"
"...Li Meng, it's not that I don't trust you."
Li Chuyue didn't know why Ren Limeng asked this. She slowed down her speech and answered carefully. Her brain was working so fast that she couldn't see through Ren Limeng's expression at the moment.
"It's just... The play 'Peach Blossom Fan' was too difficult for us back then. You've always been learning to play male roles, and you just wanted to play the female lead on a whim. It's normal that you didn't do well... If you hadn't done a bad job, you wouldn't have collapsed in anger and scribbled all over your costume with your eyebrow pencil."
Li Chuyue further added details. These seemingly plausible ideas had no evidence to support them. No matter whether it was her or Ren Limeng, whoever explained first would leave a more important first impression on the audience.
This is very important for the truth that cannot be told.
Li Chuyue chose this explanation because she didn't want to bring up more things. Caught off guard, she thought her response was impeccable. Even if Ren Limeng was eloquent, without evidence, Ren Limeng could only admit the matter according to her explanation.
She had done her best, attributing the problem of the year to Ren Limeng's momentary accident caused by her youthful panic, rather than, as Chen Xi wished, dragging it into Ren Limeng's two-faced attitude towards Huangmei Opera in front of and behind people.
The smile on Li Chuyue's lips unconsciously carried some confidence of being in control of the situation. She looked at Ren Limeng who was trying to remain calm, and there was only an indescribable excitement in the depths of her eyes. This time, she could finally stand on Ren Limeng's side and make her admit defeat.
"Chu Yue..."
Ren Limeng's throat rolled slightly. She looked deeply at Li Chuyue, who was calmly making up stories. She put away all the complicated emotions in her heart and said calmly, "Don't lie to yourself. If I had known that my momentary indulgence would lead to the consequences today, I would definitely not have concealed everything for the sake of our relationship."
In front of the camera, Ren Limeng's half-truthful words were mixed with a sincerity that only she knew, "I'm sorry, I hurt you."
Ren Limeng couldn't ignore Li Chuyue's confusion of right and wrong at the moment, as if all the past had become a cloud of smoke. Li Chuyue felt no guilt for what happened in the past, and all the apologies she had made seemed like a joke.
Ren Limeng observed Li Chuyue for a long time. They had known each other for so many years, but she never thought that Li Chuyue would become so shameless today. Ren Limeng saw it clearly. Except for the panic in the beginning, there was no regret in Li Chuyue's eyes at all!
"Li Meng... our relationship is good, but... you can't impose unfounded things on me, although... you are now a guest of our theater, but..."
Li Chuyue slightly tightened her lips, and her tone suddenly became humble again. She glanced at Shen Xingzhi beside Ren Limeng calmly, her eyes filled with fear that she wanted to say something but couldn't. Her vivid performance was completely different from the wonderful stage performance. Even Chen Xi, who was watching the excitement on the side, couldn't help but turn his attention to Li Chuyue.
She didn't know what happened between Ren Limeng and Li Chuyue back then, but with Li Chuyue's wonderful performance, if this scene was broadcast, who would the audience support? The answer is already obvious. Meixiang Theatre is actually full of hidden talents, and Li Chuyue's acting skills are not inferior to the popular young actresses in the entertainment industry.
Although Li Chuyue did not follow her suggestion, the controversy of accusing Ren Limeng of lying and bullying would make the topic even more interesting.
"In the first month, I performed Peach Blossom Fan in my art exam."
Ren Limeng wiped all the tears from her face, and suddenly raised her head and spoke. Her seemingly irrelevant words made Li Chuyue stunned, and she just listened to what Ren Limeng continued to say.
"Six months after our competition, I performed the unsuccessful production of 'Peach Blossom Fan', playing two roles and winning first place in the drama major."
Looking at Li Chuyue's expression that suddenly changed after she realized what was happening, Ren Limeng suddenly smiled. Her eyes, with tears in her smile, were very calm, as straightforward as that evening many years ago when they confronted each other in the drama school training room.
"Tell me, is it possible for me to master the art of playing a female role in just one year, or was your explanation just a slip of the tongue?"
Anyone who knows a little about opera knows that opera actors rely on decades of consistent practice to develop basic skills. Even an astonishing super genius cannot get first place in a professional art exam in just one year. The second half of Ren Limeng's sentence cuts off Li Chuyue's escape route.
Li Chuyue's whole body began to tremble, and her face turned pale. She opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but all her forced explanations were too weak at this moment and could only become a bigger laughing stock.
Didn’t Ren Limeng change her career after the college entrance examination?
Why did you do this before changing careers?
She had clearly heard Yan Fangshu say that Ren Limeng's singing performance was not in good condition during her senior year of high school, and it was just luck that she got first place in the art exam!
How could Wu Murong agree to let Ren Limeng perform "Peach Blossom Fan", from which she had once deserted the stage, at such an important occasion as the art exam?
How could Ren Limeng dare to face "Peach Blossom Fan" again? Wouldn't...she remember her and all the past?
There is always a loophole in a perfect plan.
Or perhaps this was simply impossible. Li Chuyue still couldn't believe this fact until this moment, but looking into Ren Limeng's deep and calm familiar eyes, she could see that Ren Limeng was telling the truth.
She deserved to lose.
But... I still feel unwilling.
Why is she not as good as Ren Limeng?
Apart from birth and talent, which are things she cannot decide, in which aspect does Ren Limeng work harder than her?
Li Chuyue suddenly smiled, and the tears in her eyes slowly slid down to her lips. The salty taste overwhelmed everything. Her back was straight, and her self-deprecating smile carried the powerlessness to struggle against fate. Her sighing voice was filled with the ruthless memories of the years.
"Li Meng, you really were born to perform Huangmei Opera."
With such good luck, something that was completely unprovable could turn out to be a success.
"But why did you squander your talent and switch careers to become a nameless host? Li Meng, I've always envied you. You've had everything I wanted since you were little. You learned singing, reciting, acting, and fighting faster than I did. You could clearly shine in Huangmei Opera, but why did you let down your parents, teachers, and everyone else by insisting on going your own way?"
Li Chuyue expressed it excitedly, with a strong hatred and regret in her tone. She clenched her fists, and when she looked at Ren Limeng, the emotions in her eyes were as thick as ink that could not be cut off.
Now that things have come to this, she has to save herself. Perhaps as Chen Xi wishes, making a big fuss about Ren Limeng's career change to divert attention is Li Chuyue's only option.
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