Chapter 116 Winning Hearts and Minds
Upon hearing this, Director Qiu raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at her calmly.
"Hmm? Tell me about it."
Qiao Wanyin lowered her head slightly, seemingly considering her words.
"It's about Fu Ya."
She raised her head and looked directly into Deputy Commander Qiu's eyes.
"She has been working at the pig farm for two months. She leaves early and returns late every day, exposed to the wind and sun, and has indeed suffered a lot."
“I heard she works very hard,” Deputy Commander Qiu chimed in. “She arrives earliest and leaves latest every day. Even the pigstykeeper, Old Zhang, said that she keeps the pigsty exceptionally clean and even polishes the pig troughs until they shine.”
Deputy Factory Director Qiu immediately put on a stern face.
"Xiao Qiao, don't forget, she almost got you into serious trouble. If you hadn't noticed the leak in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable. And now you're speaking up for her? Is it worth it?"
Qiao Wanyin lowered her head slightly, her eyelashes trembling.
“Uncle Qiu, I’ve thought about it carefully. Fu Ya did make a mistake and has already been punished. These two months of labor reform are a considerable punishment for her. No one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. To know one’s mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue.”
She paused, her tone becoming even softer.
“If we let her come back now, not only will she be grateful to you, but Political Commissar Zhong will also remember your kindness. You have always been kind and benevolent. If you can show tolerance in this matter, everyone will respect you even more.”
Upon hearing this, Qiu Anhe's eyes flickered slightly, and he felt a greater appreciation for Qiao Wanyin.
He leaned back in his chair, gazing thoughtfully at the sycamore trees outside the window.
The leaves rustled gently in the wind.
This young woman is not old, but she is steady and reliable in her actions and knows how to speak appropriately.
A while ago, he ordered Political Commissar Zhong's daughter to be punished by raising pigs.
The original intention was to make an example of one to warn others and to rectify the prevailing atmosphere.
Old Zhong remained unhappy and subtly expressed his dissatisfaction several times during meetings.
If we go with the flow now, we can bring her daughter back.
This approach achieves two goals at once: neither losing anything nor damaging the relationship.
Thinking of this, he remained silent for a moment, and finally nodded slowly.
"Okay, but you have to write a thorough self-criticism first and submit it to the political work department for record-keeping."
At the entrance of the pig farm, the dirt road still had morning dew on it.
Fu Ya, carrying a faded old cloth bag, stood at the door and took a deep breath of fresh air.
A smile finally appeared on her face.
There was a hint of relief in that smile.
Sunlight shone on her slightly rough face, revealing a long-lost sense of ease.
"Comrade Fu Ya."
A familiar voice came from behind the tree.
Qiao Wanyin emerged from behind an old locust tree, dressed in a neat military uniform.
Welcome back.
Upon hearing the sound, Fu Ya was startled and instinctively turned around.
Upon seeing that it was Qiao Wanyin, her expression froze slightly, and her smile faded a little.
But she didn't flinch or respond coldly; she simply gazed at her quietly.
“Qiao Wanyin,” she said softly, her voice a little hoarse, “I didn’t expect you to actually do it.”
"I never go back on my word."
Qiao Wanyin smiled.
“Since I promised to do this, I will definitely do it. You don’t need to doubt me, and you don’t need to worry.”
She paused, her smile widening, and added, "You'd better be on your best for rehearsal tomorrow. Don't think you can slack off tomorrow just because it's easy today."
Fu Ya stood still, slowly raised her eyes, and smiled slightly.
However, the smile did not reach his eyes.
She said softly, "Don't worry, I won't go back on my word. From the day I joined the group, I have never taken a step back on the stage."
The next morning.
Music was already playing in the rehearsal hall.
Liu Piaopiao was standing at the very front of the line, her back straight.
Several young team members couldn't help but whisper their admiration.
"Although Liu Piaopiao is new, her basic skills are frighteningly solid."
"Yes, she dances even better than those of us who have been practicing for years. She's a natural dancer."
"I heard she graduated from a reputable dance academy and has quite a background."
Just then, the door to the rehearsal hall was pushed open with a bang.
Everyone turned around and saw Fu Ya walk in.
She was dressed in a neat military uniform, with her epaulets perfectly straight, her buttons fastened meticulously, and her hair tied up high.
He exuded an imposing aura.
Everyone was stunned, and even the music stopped abruptly.
Several team members froze in mid-air, their breathing becoming lighter.
Liu Piaopiao's smile faltered slightly.
She quickly adjusted her expression, forcing herself to maintain composure, and coughed lightly.
“Now that Comrade Fu Ya is back,” she said, feigning composure, “shouldn’t we rearrange the roles? After all, you’re a veteran member with far more experience than us.”
"Need not."
Fu Ya interrupted coldly, her voice crisp and clear.
She walked slowly forward, stood in the center of the stage, and her gaze was piercing.
“The Red Detachment of Women is my old favorite play. I’ve been performing it for five years, and I know every beat by heart. Of course, I’ll be the one to perform the lead role.”
She paused, turned to look at Liu Piaopiao, and sized her up.
"As for you—start as a backup dancer and get familiar with the rhythm of our group. Don't be out of step with the beat and drag the team down."
Liu Piaopiao's fingers tightened suddenly.
But only for a moment, she forcibly suppressed her emotions and smiled again.
“Fu Ya is right. You are senior and experienced, so we newcomers should naturally learn more from you.”
Her tone was gentle, but then she suddenly changed the subject.
"However... Commander Fang specifically instructed me yesterday to give a prominent role in this performance. If I'm suddenly changed to a backup dancer, I'm afraid... it will be difficult to explain."
The air seemed to freeze for a moment after she said that.
The two locked eyes, neither willing to back down.
Fu Ya gave a cold laugh.
Liu Piaopiao's smile remained unchanged.
Just as tensions were about to rise, the door was pushed open again.
The regimental commander, leaning on his cane, slowly walked in.
He looked around and frowned when he saw that everyone was standing still.
"Everyone's here? Perfect, I have something to tell everyone."
He cleared his throat and said in a loud voice, "The performance is next month. The division has officially notified us that our art troupe will be putting on two programs, one a dance and the other a chorus."
His gaze swept between Fu Ya and Liu Piaopiao.
"Fu Ya is in charge of the dance performance, and Liu Piaopiao is in charge of the chorus performance. Time is tight and the task is heavy, so you two need to hurry up and prepare, and don't let me down."
This arrangement appears fair and reasonable on the surface, but it actually hides a sinister purpose.
After all, dance performances have always been the most outstanding feature of the performing arts troupe.
This is always the grand finale of every performance, and it's also the part that receives the most applause from the audience and the highest praise from the leaders.
The choral performance, to put it bluntly, was nothing more than a supporting act.
They are usually scheduled to play at the beginning or halftime, and rarely even get a chance to officially take the stage.
Fu Ya's lips curled up slightly, forming a subtle arc.
Liu Piaopiao felt a burning anger inside her, and she was feeling extremely uncomfortable.
She knew this distribution was extremely unfair.
However, he had only been transferred here for a short time and had no foundation or connections in the troupe.
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