Chapter 28 What if I weren't Qi Xiaoer? (...)
Chapter 28
Meng Yingying's heart skipped a beat. She reached out and shook his hand, saying, "Thank you."
Commander Fang said earnestly, "I should be thanking you, Comrade Meng Yingying. You don't know how difficult our cultural troupe is right now. Your arrival has given me a glimmer of hope."
These words were so solemn that Meng Yingying was somewhat bewildered. Her eyes were exceptionally beautiful, clear and bright, with a small beauty mark at the corner of her eye. When she looked at people, she appeared both innocent and alluring.
Even someone like Commander Fang, who had spent a long time in the cultural troupe and was used to seeing beautiful women, couldn't help but be momentarily amazed, saying, "You'll see later."
“Now that she’s joined the cultural troupe, Officer Xu, take her through the onboarding process.” At this point, Director Fang paused for a moment, “This will take at least ten days to half a month. Let her stay in our cultural troupe’s dormitory first, and she can come to the dance studio to practice as usual during the day.”
"During this period, I have only one request."
She looked at Meng Yingying with expectant eyes, "You must practice dancing diligently, okay?"
Moreover, Meng Yingying was key to their art troupe's participation in the arts festival competition, and also key to their redemption from their shame.
Therefore, we must protect Meng Yingying like a giant panda.
Meng Yingying pursed her lips and nodded, "I know."
Is the onboarding process complicated?
She asked a question.
“Others are troublesome, but you are different. You are a genius, so I will make an exception for you.”
At this point, Commander Fang began instructing Officer Xu, "In a moment, you'll assist Comrade Meng in filling out a survey form regarding the political background check. If there aren't any major issues, it'll be approved directly. Also, you now give—"
She looked at Meng Yingying and asked, "Where is your hometown?"
Meng Yingying, "Xiangxi".
Commander Fang said, "Then we'll send a letter to the cultural troupe in western Hunan, asking their dispatched personnel to visit Meng Yingying's hometown brigade headquarters, as well as her neighbors and relatives, to inquire about her situation there."
The procedures for recruiting members to the performing arts troupe are extremely complicated, and even Director Fang has already simplified them. "Besides that, you also have to go to—" She looked at Meng Yingying, "You said you studied dance before you came here?"
“Yes.” Meng Yingying knew that the cultural troupe was going to investigate her life and past, so she answered truthfully, “I learned to dance in our Xiangxi City propaganda team.”
At this moment, she felt fortunate that the original owner of this body had studied dancing for three years.
Otherwise, even if she passed the assessment to join the performing arts troupe, she wouldn't be able to hide it when the troupe conducted a background check on her life.
Commander Fang said to Officer Xu, "Remember? It's the propaganda team from Xiangxi City."
Considering Meng Yingying's importance, she decisively changed her mind, "In this way, after you send a letter to the Xiangxi Cultural Troupe, you should also make a trip to Xiangxi yourself."
She winked at Officer Xu, who immediately understood, "Then I'll go there myself."
If any problems arise in the middle, her presence can help resolve them.
In any case, Meng Yingying was someone the Harbin 101 Cultural Troupe was determined to have.
No one can take her away from us.
No one can stop Meng Yingying from joining the company!
"After your investigation is completed, if there are no problems, directly process the transfer of Meng Yingying's household registration and grain ration, and transfer both her household registration and grain ration to our stationed cultural troupe."
Now, Officer Xu hesitated. "Commander Fang, I can't handle these things."
"Household registration transfer and grain ration transfer both require the person to go in person."
Commander Fang frowned. "Can't we take a break in the middle?"
Officer Xu shook his head. "These are all clearly stipulated, and it's not easy to tamper with them. Moreover, if we sabotage this kind of thing, it's easy for the higher-ups to find a handle against us."
"How about this?"
Officer Xu suggested, "When I go to western Hunan to conduct a background check on Comrade Meng Yingying, let Comrade Meng Yingying come with me."
Commander Fang was about to say, "That's such a waste of time."
"It only takes six days to go round trip."
Officer Xu bluntly stated, "Leader, in the long run, if we can resolve all the issues in these six days, we'll actually benefit. The real concern is that if we don't handle the identity issue properly in the early stages, and if Comrade Meng Yingying is to lead our cultural troupe to new heights later on, it would be a huge problem if someone with ulterior motives discovers that her background is questionable."
"Boss, sharpening your axe won't delay your work."
Commander Fang was naturally aware of all this; she was simply reluctant to let Meng Yingying, such a promising talent, not go to dance practice and instead waste time on the road.
Meng Yingying noticed her hesitation, so she said in a low voice, "Commander Fang, I won't miss my dance practice. Before coming to the cultural troupe for the assessment, I practiced for two or three hours every day."
This is the foundation of her survival; she will not abandon it.
"Then go and come back quickly."
Director Fang said, "I'm going to send a letter to the Xiangxi Cultural Troupe now, asking them to get the preliminary procedures started. You can go back and focus on the most important things, which won't take up much time."
It's easy to imagine how important Commander Fang considered Meng Yingying.
Officer Xu nodded, "Then all three parties will travel together."
"I'll go book the train tickets first. Comrade Meng Yingying, please write down your personal information for me."
Meng Yingying nodded and first filled out a personal information survey form, which included information about her relatives.
When writing about her father, Meng Baichuan, she mentioned his passing.
When it came to writing about her mother, Song Fenfang, she hesitated for a moment and wrote "no".
Her father's wish was that she would not disturb her mother's life, so she should just pretend that she didn't have a mother.
In any case, the original owner didn't have a mother in the nearly twenty years of her life before that.
However, when Officer Xu picked up her survey form, he was stunned for a long time. "Your parents are both deceased?"
After asking the question, she realized her mistake and quickly slapped her mouth, saying, "Look at my foul mouth, I really asked something I shouldn't have."
Commander Fang also noticed it, and when she thought of the sadness on Meng Yingying's face, she said, "It's okay, from now on the cultural troupe will be your home."
“Many of our performing arts troupe members are young girls who came when they were seven or eight years old. After more than ten years, they have almost lost contact with their families.”
"If anything happens in the future, come to your sister Xu. If your sister Xu can't solve it, then come to me."
"Don't worry, I guarantee no one can bully you in the cultural troupe."
Upon hearing this, Meng Yingying's eyes reddened, and she looked as if she were about to break.
Seeing this, Commander Fang also felt sorry for the group.
She only just realized that Meng Yingying had lost her parents and had no choice but to come all the way from western Hunan to seek refuge with her childhood betrothed, Qi Changming.
To everyone's surprise, Qi Changming not only retired from the army to escape his arranged marriage.
Even later on, he was capable of doing something as simple as killing Meng Yingying.
"Did you and Comrade Qi break off your engagement?"
Meng Yingying nodded, "I'll back out."
"If he comes looking for you again, come to us and we'll help you beat him out!"
Meng Yingying let out a soft "Ah," feeling somewhat touched.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Commander Fang, the Qi family has arrived. They're looking for Meng Yingying."
Commander Fang frowned and asked, "Who?"
"I don't know the specifics, I only know they are from the Qi family."
Commander Fang sneered, "They were about to kill everyone, and now they're coming to our door looking for someone, but we won't see them."
Meng Yingying looked up in surprise. Commander Fang patted her hair and said, "Don't be afraid. No one can bully you in the cultural troupe."
This is a stark contrast to their previous attitude.
Meng Yingying's eyes stung with tears. She lowered her head and swallowed them back. "Teacher, thank you."
She encountered some bad people after coming to Harbin, but she also met many good people.
"Let's process her registration."
“I remember there are still empty beds in the dormitories of the cultural troupe. Since you can’t leave today, let’s find her a place to stay first.”
"Officer Xu, pick out a dormitory for her that has a nice environment and a simple person."
She thought Meng Yingying was a well-behaved girl, and if she were assigned to the same dormitory as Jia Xiaoli, she would probably be bullied every day.
Officer Xu nodded and said in a low voice, "I want to arrange for her to stay in Ye Yingtao and Lin Qiu's dormitory."
"Although Cherry has some ulterior motives, she has a good character. As for Lin Qiu, she is simple-minded and focuses all her attention on dancing."
Commander Fang nodded.
"Go ahead, and if you have any problems, remember to come find me."
Meng Yingying thanked him, and after she left, Commander Fang slapped his forehead, checked the time, and decided he wasn't in a hurry to go to the meeting.
With Meng Yingying as her trump card, does she still need to be afraid of those outsiders?
Outside.
As soon as Meng Yingying came out with Secretary Xu, she saw Qi Donghan still leaning against the door waiting for her, which surprised her.
Officer Xu also saw it.
He then said, "Go and talk to Commander Qi first."
"I'll arrange accommodation for you. Settle down for the night."
Meng Yingying nodded her thanks before walking toward Qi Donghan.
As Qi Donghan watched her walk over, he still felt a sense of unreality. Meng Yingying's dance during the assessment was like that of a fairy floating in the air.
Even after a long time, Qi Donghan's mind was still replaying the scene like fireworks.
"congratulations."
This was the first thing Qi Donghan said to Meng Yingying.
Meng Yingying hesitated for a moment, "Qi Xiaoer, thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have passed the test so smoothly."
“But also—” she took a deep breath, trying to get everything out of her head at once.
Before she could finish speaking, Qi Donghan interrupted her, "The Qi family is waiting for you outside, isn't that right?"
Meng Yingying nodded. "You knew I was going to say this?"
Qi Donghan hummed in agreement. "You want to know what kind of punishment Chen Xiulan received?"
Meng Yingying couldn't understand how Qi Donghan could speak so casually about how he would punish Chen Xiulan, who was, after all, Qi Xiulan's mother.
"Isn't she your mother!?"
"Qi Xiaoer, I don't understand why you've been on my side from the beginning in this matter."
He even defied his mother and elder brother.
Qi Donghan remained silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on Meng Yingying.
Now that there were no outsiders around, he finally revealed everything, "What if I said I wasn't Qi Xiaoer?"
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Author's Note: First update
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