Chapter 65 Wasn't it you who seduced me?
Chapter 65
As soon as she finished speaking, Meng Yingying suppressed a laugh and looked at Shen Qiuyue with a very strange expression. "Are you sure?"
Shen Qiuyue always felt that Meng Yingying's gaze towards her was malicious.
"I said I would beat you after the preliminary round."
“But you’re a substitute.” Meng Yingying pointed out the crux of the problem. “A substitute is someone you only get a chance to play when the starting team can’t get a chance to play.”
"So, how do you, as the substitute, plan to beat me?"
To be honest, when Shen Qiuyue said those words, Meng Yingying wondered if she had lost her mind.
She wouldn't say something like that unless she's mentally unstable.
Shen Qiuyue was struck dumb. She stood there, speechless for a long time.
Tong Jialan also realized, "Yes, Qiuya, substitutes don't get a chance to play unless absolutely necessary. And even if they do play, it's just like we did three years ago, a small test of their skills, which doesn't count as a result."
Shen Qiuyue's face turned pale instantly.
She forgot about it.
No, it shouldn't be said that she forgot, but rather that Commander Cao had been brainwashing her, telling her that she must participate in the competition, must beat Meng Yingying, and must win the championship.
Therefore, she overlooked a very fundamental fact.
As a substitute, she was not qualified to play.
Thinking of this, Shen Qiuyue swayed slightly and hurriedly said, "I'm not practicing anymore, you guys practice."
She accepted the red silk and props, and left in a hurry.
This left Tong Jialan completely baffled.
What does she mean by this?
They were practicing really well before, how did it suddenly turn out like this?
Meng Yingying had two 16-foot-long silk ribbons wrapped around her wrists. They were made of thin Indian silk and were moon-white, with two-centimeter-long cloth tubes sewn on both sides for threading rings.
To be honest, without the sandbags on her wrists, she was noticeably more powerful when she attacked the long silk.
The long ribbon that was thrown out, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, surrounded her. She spun, leaped, and landed inside the ribbon.
Beneath her feet were auspicious clouds in a slow tempo, and her hands held silk flowers, all in one smooth motion.
She had only danced the beginning, and Tong Jialan next to her was completely stunned. She couldn't help but clap her hands and exclaim, "Great!"
At this moment, Tong Jialan even forgot about Shen Qiuya, who had left earlier.
Meng Yingying had only jumped a third of the way when she stopped, panting softly. She walked to the water bottle next to her, took a sip of water from the bottle.
"Aren't you going to practice anymore?"
She didn't dislike Tong Jialan, and in fact, if the Tong Jialan in front of her was the Tong Jialan she knew, the senior Tong Jia who was a court dancer.
Meng Yingying only felt sorry for her.
Tong Jialan, wearing platform shoes, sat to the side, waving her hand absentmindedly and lost in thought, "Even if I practice, I might not be able to win the championship."
She came late at night with the last bit of unwillingness and the last bit of effort she could muster.
If she trains like this and still can't win the championship in the end, then all she can say is that she won't regret it.
After Meng Yingying finished the first half of the "Scattering Flowers" dance, she loosened up her muscles and bones. Because she hadn't opened her back and legs before, she could clearly feel the effects of the practice.
I don't feel quite refreshed.
"You have so little confidence?"
Meng Yingying was stretching her legs against the horizontal bar. It was 12:30 a.m. The practice room was quiet, with only her and Tong Jialan there.
Tong Jialan hummed in agreement, her round face showing a hint of uncertainty. "The main problem is that the competition this year is too strong. To be honest, I participated in the trial competition three years ago, and there weren't as many powerful teams back then."
"Moreover," she glanced around and, seeing no outsiders, said honestly, "to be honest, if you bring the champion from three years ago to this year's competition, even the champion would have to kneel down."
Hearing this, Meng Yingying couldn't help but chuckle, "Isn't it a bit much?"
"As for..."
Tong Jialan's round eyes widened. "I dare say, our class is the most brutal class in the last ten years."
She scratched her head. "I don't understand why even people from the Capital Song and Dance Youth Troupe are joining in."
“In previous years, we would select the champion in the Northeast League and then go to the capital to compete with the Capital Song and Dance Troupe. But look at this year, we haven’t even competed yet, and the people from the Capital Song and Dance Troupe have already come to compete with us. Isn’t that strange?”
Meng Yingying didn't expect that Tong Jialan would also see this detail. She did a backbend, and her soft, slender waist suddenly formed an arch, hanging upside down and staring at Tong Jialan.
Didn't your coach tell you why?
Tong Jialan was taken aback by her figure. She shook her head and said, "No, my coach was also guessing, but he didn't guess it."
She couldn't resist reaching out to touch Meng Yingying's waist. "Your waist is probably only 1.5 feet, isn't it?"
Meng Yingying stood up, shook her head, and said softly, "I don't know, I haven't measured it."
She recovered and checked the time; it was only 12:40. "I'll practice 'The Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers' one more time. Are you coming again?"
Tong Jialan had almost given up, but seeing how hard Meng Yingying was working, she gritted her teeth and said, "I'll do it too."
She was practicing the Manchu court dance "Qingfeng Xiangling". Meng Yingying was originally prepared to devote herself to it, but when she saw Tong Jialan, wearing flowerpot shoes, dancing "Qingfeng Xiangling", she was surprised.
At certain moments, her slender figure overlapped with the videotapes she had once watched.
Meng Yingying felt a chill run down her spine. After Tong Jialan finished dancing "The Breeze Rings," Meng Yingying couldn't help but applaud, "You danced so well."
Tong Jialan was breathing heavily. She stopped her movements, and Meng Yingying handed her the water bottle. Tong Jialan took a sip, and only then did she feel the fire in her chest slowly being extinguished.
In response to Meng Yingying's praise, Tong Jialan said, "I started learning the dance 'Qingfeng Xiangling' when I was eight years old, and I've been dancing it for eleven years. Even a pig could learn something by doing it for eleven years."
“Meng Yingying, you’re different.” Tong Jialan’s expression was complicated as she said this. “I think you’re the genius.”
"When your coach taught you 'The Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers,' it must have been your first time learning it, right?"
When Coach Zhao was teaching, they were all watching from the side. Coach Zhao taught them once, and Meng Yingying did all of the more than one hundred movements.
She turned around and told her coach.
Meng Yingying is a genius.
The first time I learned a dance, I memorized all the moves in just one morning.
Regardless of whether the movements are performed correctly or not, if you can remember them after learning them only once, what else could you be but a genius?
Meng Yingying smiled and said, "I learned about it when I was in the cultural troupe before."
That was in a past life.
"That's still very impressive."
Tong Jialan was breathing heavily when Meng Yingying noticed a red mark on her neck and suddenly asked, "Are you dating anyone?"
Tong Jialan's face instantly turned red. She bent down to change her shoes. The flowerpot-soled shoes were uncomfortable to wear, and her feet hurt terribly after wearing them for a long time.
Seeing her like this, Meng Yingying knew what was going on. She pursed her lips, wanting to remind her, but not knowing how.
Tong Jialan was a little embarrassed, her big, watery eyes filled with shyness. "You saw us?"
Meng Yingying, "Hmm?"
"It's me and Su Mingda."
Tong Jialan immediately started revealing her secrets.
Meng Yingying, "..."
Meng Yingying thought she would have to beat around the bush to get the answer, but she didn't expect Tong Jialan to just tell her directly.
She considered it for a moment, then said, "Judging from your expression, you really like Su Mingda, don't you?"
With a tentative tone.
Tong Jialan pursed her lips, her eyes sparkling. "Yes, I grew up watching Su Mingda's model operas. I used to only see them on movies. I never expected that we would be assigned to the same training ground as him this time."
“I just—” she said playfully, “being in a good position makes me the first to benefit from the proximity.”
“You know that the leading ladies of our performing arts troupe can’t just date anyone, so even my coach doesn’t know, Sister Yingying.” She clasped her hands together, pleading, “Please don’t tell anyone.”
Looking at Tong Jialan, a young girl in love with eyes full of spring water, Meng Yingying couldn't believe that such a bright and cheerful girl would be brutally beaten to death in her early twenties.
She took a deep breath and said insincerely, "I won't tell."
"However, Tong Jialan, I suggest you talk to your coach about your relationship."
Tong Jialan and the others grew up with their coach from a young age; to them, the coach was like a second parent.
Tong Jialan hesitated, "If I tell my coach, she definitely won't let me date Su Mingda."
Nineteen years old is the best age for a female member of an arts troupe; she can climb one peak after another in her career.
Dating means getting married, getting pregnant, having children, and focusing all your attention on dating, which naturally puts your career on hold.
Meng Yingying didn't know what to say, so she paused for a moment, "If you trust me, then wait until the competition is over and talk to your coach."
"Tong Jialan, believe me, besides your parents, your coach is the best person to you in this world."
“In some ways, they are even more important than men.”
Tong Jialan seemed to understand but not quite, so Meng Yingying reached out and patted her head. "Just remember it, and tell your coach after the competition."
"Tong Jia, don't hide things like dating from your elders."
Elders are experienced people; any elder with life experience can see through all the hidden aspects of a man's personality at a glance.
They can even deduce from the slightest clues whether a man is reliable or not.
Meng Yingying didn't know if Tong Jialan was the same Tong Jia she had seen on the videotape, but she thought that regardless of whether she was or not, she should remind her.
She couldn't bear to watch Tong Jialan, a bright young woman in her early twenties, be beaten to death.
This time, Tong Jialan understood. "You're worried I'll be deceived, right? No, I won't." She smiled shyly, pursing her lips. "Su Mingda is very good."
"He's a really nice person, Sister Yingying. You'll know once you get to know him."
Meng Yingying had a headache; Tong Jialan was clearly caught up in the sweetness of love and couldn't listen to anything.
Let's dance.
She only touched on the point, saying, "Look at my 'Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers' technique, is there anything else you want to add?"
Tong Jialan's attention was then diverted somewhat.
Meng Yingying's "Scattering Flowers" dance was very captivating. From beginning to end, once the power was fully utilized, it was clear that she had complete control over the movements.
Towards the end, Tong Jialan was a little dazzled, exclaiming, "Sister Yingying, you danced so well!"
"From my current perspective, I can't find any flaws; it might be the coaches who need to point them out."
Meng Yingying stopped, and she realized her own shortcomings: "The wheel and the round flower didn't seem to connect properly, and I used too much force, which caused the long silk to be thrown too far, delaying the return by a second."
Even a second is enough for her to lose her rhythm.
"I'll try that tomorrow."
Seeing her immediately taking notes in a small notebook, Tong Jialan couldn't help but exclaim in shock, "Sister Yingying, you're taking notes?"
She looked down and saw that Meng Yingying's small notebook was filled with notes about the mistakes she had made.
Meng Yingying nodded, and while taking notes, she said, "My memory isn't that good. If I skip the wrong parts, I always forget them. Writing them down like this will help me pay attention next time."
"By reviewing it from time to time, you won't make the same mistake twice."
After reading the small notebook, Tong Jialan murmured, "No wonder you were able to suppress Shen Qiuyue."
Shen Qiuyue was a genius among the newcomers three years ago, and that genius was handed over to Meng Yingying.
Meng Yingying put away her notebook. "Don't say that. Winning is all about luck."
She checked the time and saw that it was already 1:20, so she said, "That's all for today. I need to go back and rest. See you at 6:30 tomorrow morning."
Tong Jialan stopped dancing and nodded, "Then let's go together."
She packed up her dance shoes and props, put them in a bag, and walked back to the dormitory with Meng Yingying.
At 1:30 a.m., only cicadas were chirping at Changchun Film Studio, and there was no one on the narrow road.
There were only Meng Yingying and Tong Jialan.
"Sister Yingying."
Meng Yingying turned around, "Hmm?"
Under the moonlight, her skin was fair and her features were exquisite; she was pure and innocent to the extreme.
This left Tong Jialan somewhat dazed. Perhaps it was because there were no outsiders around, or perhaps it was because it was late at night and quiet, making it easier to open up, but she asked in a low voice, "Would you give up your career for a man?"
This was her deepest thought.
Meng Yingying hadn't expected her to ask that, and she replied firmly, "No."
"I won't."
"Tong Jia, you need to know that your career will never betray you, but if you sacrifice your career for a man, then let me ask you, what cards do you have left?"
"What?"
Tong Jialan didn't understand.
"If you give up your career for a man and enter into marriage, what if that man doesn't like you anymore or betrays you? Will you still have the chance to fight back or leave?"
She didn't know why Tong Jia in the videotape was beaten to death by her husband when she was twenty years old.
But Meng Yingying thought, if Tong Jia had a job, elders above her, leaders behind her, and money at that time...
Then her fate wouldn't have been like this.
Tong Jialan's face paled, and she subconsciously said, "No, Su Mingda is a very good person."
Meng Yingying pursed her lips, her words carrying a hidden meaning, "But the most unpredictable thing is the human heart."
"Tong Jia, the higher you climb, the more choices you will have. If you want to cripple yourself and then pursue love, then I can only say that you are placing all your hopes on a man's conscience."
"This thing is too difficult."
"Think it through carefully yourself."
Tong Jialan remained silent the entire way, somewhat dazed and confused. It wasn't until she parted ways with Meng Yingying that she ran over and gently hugged her, saying, "Sister Yingying, thank you."
Regardless of whether she follows Meng Yingying's suggestion in the future, it is undeniable that at least at this moment, Meng Yingying is genuinely considering her best interests.
Meng Yingying shook her head and said softly, "Tong Jialan, regardless of whether we are opponents on the field, I hope you can live a good life."
The most brilliant genius of court dance should not have ended in such a tragic way.
Tong Jialan nodded.
Only then did they part ways with Meng Yingying and return to their respective dormitories.
Meng Yingying was not asleep and was still reviewing the mistakes she made the night before. When she woke up again, a whistle sounded outside.
Even when they came to Changchun Film Studio, they couldn't escape the fate of being woken up by the sound of a whistle.
Meng Yingying was still a little dazed, but looking at the calendar, September 2nd, she knew that the competition was just one day away.
At that moment, all the fatigue and drowsiness vanished instantly.
All there is is pressure.
As soon as Meng Yingying got up, Ye Yingtao and Lin Qiu followed suit. After washing up, they went to the canteen at Changchun Film Studio.
Because Commander Cao sponsored the meals for the entire competition, he was able to guarantee that everyone would have one egg and two slices of pork per day.
As members of the regular team, Meng Yingying and her group received a small amount of refined grains every day, such as noodles or steamed buns. Alternatively, they could use their status as regular team members to get a small amount of rice.
It's not much, but it's better than nothing.
Meng Yingying ordered a white steamed bun, a bowl of cornmeal porridge, and a spoonful of stir-fried pickled cabbage for herself in the morning.
It was the only dish with oil and salt in the morning.
Ye Yingtao couldn't help but complain, "I'm so tired of eating this every day, my mouth is practically tasteless."
Meng Yingying ate a mouthful of porridge and a bite of stir-fried spicy and sour pickled vegetables, which made her very happy with her meal.
"It's alright, better than the food at our station."
Even when stationed at the base, there might not be enough white steamed buns to eat. Just as these words were spoken, Shen Qiuyue led her team to have breakfast. Perhaps because she had cried last night, her eyelids were swollen badly when she came over in the morning.
She glanced quickly at the white steamed buns in Meng Yingying's and the others' hands, then turned and went to the canteen window to ask for a cornbread.
He sat there without eating and started to space out.
This wasn't the first time she'd been treated differently when it came to food, but every time she encountered it, Shen Qiuyue felt somewhat embarrassed.
Meng Yingying and the others didn't like Shen Qiuya, so after finishing their meal quickly, they prepared to go to the practice room to rehearse.
With the competition just two days away, time is becoming increasingly precious.
She didn't have time to waste on Shen Qiuyue either; she preferred to crush her opponent with strength rather than engage in scheming.
Seeing that Meng Yingying and the others had left.
Shen Qiuyue recalled the question she had asked Commander Cao after returning home last night: "Leader, you have been misleading me all along, telling me to defeat Meng Yingying and win the championship, but as a substitute, I have no chance to play at all."
Commander Cao looked at her coldly, "Do you really think I spent a lot of money to send you in just to be a substitute and a runner-up?"
"Shen Qiuyue, you're not even half as smart as your coach."
Qin Mingxiu was a fine knife in her hands, but unfortunately, that fine knife was broken.
Therefore, she wanted to help Shen Qiuyue rise to prominence, but Shen Qiuyue's journey had been too smooth. She was talented, had a coach, and had been admired by everyone along the way.
As a result, she couldn't handle any setbacks, and her eyes were only filled with black and white; there was no third color in her world.
If Commander Cao had someone else to rely on, she would have really wanted to replace Shen Qiuyue.
Shen Qiuyue didn't know how she got out of Commander Cao's dormitory. All she knew was that her face was completely bloodless.
She had the same thought again: perhaps she should have followed her teacher's guidance from the moment she failed in the preliminary round.
Instead of living like a puppet on a string, as I am now.
Unfortunately, there's no turning back.
She looked at Meng Yingying's back, and then at Coach Zhao's back.
It seems that from the very beginning, they were on opposite sides.
Meng Yingying had no idea about Shen Qiuyue's mental journey; all she knew was that after being framed twice...
She was very careful about her clothing, food, housing, and transportation. When she arrived at the practice room, she first emptied all the water from her water bottle.
After cleaning it thoroughly, we prepared to refill it with water.
"Let me help you."
However, before Meng Yingying could even reach for the large water bucket, Su Mingda offered his hand, saying, "This bucket has just been boiled, and the tap is very hot. Let me help you get some."
Su Mingda was very pretty, with delicate features and fair skin.
That's true. He was already performing in model operas when he was eight years old. How could a boy who was active on the movie screen be ugly?
In addition, due to years of dancing, he is very thin and not very tall, but he doesn't look short at all. Instead, he gives people a feeling of being just right.
Meng Yingying looked at Su Mingda's outstretched hand, and then at his pair of captivating, affectionate peach blossom eyes.
To be honest, if she hadn't known that Tong Jialan and Su Mingda were together, she would have thought that Su Mingda had feelings for her.
With such captivating eyes, she looks at dogs with such affection.
Thinking of this, Meng Yingying refused decisively, "No need, I can get the water myself."
"Excuse me, could you please move aside?"
A hint of confusion flashed in Su Mingda's eyes, but he still stepped aside to make way for Meng Yingying.
After Meng Yingying finished filling the water bottle and screwed the cap on, she turned around and saw Su Mingda blocking her way like a wall.
The boiler room was small, only big enough for one person to pass through.
Seeing that she was about to bump into him, Meng Yingying reflexively took a step back and said with a forced smile, "You're blocking my way."
Su Mingda seemed to realize what was happening at that moment, and he quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it was my fault."
Meng Yingying looked up at Su Mingda, who was apologizing incessantly, and suddenly smiled, a smile that was as fleeting as a flash of light, leaving Su Mingda feeling a bit dizzy with amazement.
"Comrade Su, do you show affection to every female comrade in this way?"
Upon hearing this, Su Mingda's pupils suddenly contracted, and he asked with a puzzled expression, "Comrade Meng, why would you say that about me?"
Meng Yingying took a step back, creating some distance, and sneered, "I thought you knew."
I heard a series of footsteps outside.
Su Mingda suddenly took two steps closer, smiling at her, "Comrade Meng, weren't you the one who seduced me first?"
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Author's Note: Male fox spirit~
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