With 9000 nutrient solutions and an extra coach, can we really...?
Chapter 39
Meng Yingying was taken aback.
Captain Zhao finally lost her composure, and her shoulders hunched over. "It's exactly what you heard."
Undeterred, Meng Yingying asked again, "Is it always like this?"
"Um."
"Every single time."
Captain Zhao rubbed his temples. "Otherwise, why do you think I would give up my comfortable job in the cultural troupe to become a squad leader for you guys?"
Shen Qiuyue is the curse that haunts all of them now.
Her senior, Qin Mingxiu, was the curse of her era.
Meng Yingying was speechless after hearing this.
She paused for a moment, then said, "Coach, we will try our best."
Note that she called him "coach" instead of "captain," indicating that at least at this moment, Meng Yingying acknowledged Zhao as the captain.
No, it's Teacher Zhao's identity.
Captain Zhao paused for a moment, then clenched her fist. "I can't accept you asking me what title I should use to address the coach."
She herself is always second best, how could she possibly be a teacher to others?
If it weren't for Commander Fang, who felt sorry for her being the perennial runner-up, and the fact that Commander Fang couldn't even get her senior sister Qin Mingxiu to come, it would have been much better.
She will no longer appear at the Harbin Cultural Troupe.
Meng Yingying raised her eyes, her gaze clear, and her tone earnest, "Even if Coach Zhao only teaches us for one day, he is still our teacher."
Captain Zhao's eyes welled up with tears, blurring her vision and making it hard to open them. She murmured, "Don't worry, I will teach you well as long as I am here."
Seeing this, Officer Xu let out a soft sigh.
She knew that, up to now, Zhao Pingshui had completely accepted the Harbin Municipal Cultural Troupe.
It should be noted that when Commander Fang first went to invite Zhao Pingshui, she was initially unwilling.
After all, although Zhao Pingshui is always second best, her abilities are undeniable; she is second only to Qin Mingxiu.
Qin Mingxiu was a teacher at the Jishi Cultural Troupe from the beginning, so she was essentially tied to the Jishi Cultural Troupe.
Zhao Pingshui had had enough of being the second-in-command in her later years and didn't want to be suppressed by Qin Mingxiu anymore, so she withdrew from the Jishi Cultural Troupe.
In the end, it was Commander Fang who got the short end of the stick.
Therefore, Ms. Xu is already very satisfied that the two sides have been able to reach this point of heart-to-heart talk. Their Harbin Cultural Troupe is not only struggling to attract more students.
The same goes for coaches.
Although Zhao Pingshui was always second best, she was more than capable of teaching the Harbin Municipal Cultural Troupe, which was at the bottom of the rankings.
Meng Yingying and Captain Zhao did not hide their conversation from others.
Ye Yingtao and the others naturally heard it too, and they all silently vowed that they would definitely do their best in the competition this time.
At the very least, we can't let Coach Zhao continue to embarrass himself.
Because of this, the practice room was full from morning till night for three consecutive days, and sometimes they practiced until 11 p.m.
The lights in the practice room were all off, and the lights in the dormitories were all off too.
If it weren't for Commander Fang granting them special permission to leave, they probably wouldn't have even been able to get in the door.
For the first three days, Meng Yingying practiced group dance with them until the day before the competition.
Coach Zhao took Meng Yingying alone to the auditorium, which was usually not open to the public and was always empty.
Coach Zhao borrowed the auditorium key from Commander Fang before he could bring Meng Yingying in.
The auditorium was originally a warehouse and was very spacious. Later, as more and more people from Harbin were stationed there, the original small auditorium was no longer enough.
They demolished the warehouses here and merged them into a large auditorium that could accommodate thousands of people. A large stage was built in the middle, and movies, cultural performances, and award ceremonies are usually held here.
However, this place hadn't been used for a long time, so as soon as the door was opened, a cloud of dust wafted out.
Coach Zhao spat twice, "Move back a bit, I'm going to brush off the dust."
Meng Yingying took a step back, only then remembering what Ye Yingtao had said: the last time the auditorium was opened was during the Lantern Festival, when the troupe's cultural performance and commendation meeting were held together.
That's when we used the auditorium.
It's been more than four months since it was last used.
This also indicates the desolation of this place; no one will come here, which is perfect for her to practice her solo dance on stage.
"This is it."
Coach Zhao had been to the Harbin Cultural Troupe's auditorium before, so she was quite familiar with the place. Carrying a red-light radio, she found her spot, stood below the stage, and placed the radio on the stage.
"Yingying, go backstage and change your clothes first."
“Let’s have a proper demonstration of the grassland female militia.”
Meng Yingying nodded. She was unfamiliar with the area, so she glanced around and saw that there was no one near the red curtain.
So he walked over and deliberately took off his clothes.
Unbeknownst to her, Qi Donghan, who was standing at the back repairing the loudspeakers and inspecting the entire venue, was about to speak the moment she appeared.
Unfortunately, before he could speak, Meng Yingying had already taken off her short shirt, revealing her fair and delicate skin to Qi Donghan without warning.
Qi Donghan reflexively closed his eyes.
He dared not look, nor could he look.
Regardless of his mindset, he shouldn't have opened his eyes at this moment.
However, the more he dared not look, the more obvious the commotion around him became.
Her rustling movements as she changed clothes seemed amplified countless times in the quiet environment.
Qi Donghan hid behind the ladder, his eyes tightly shut, and he didn't open them once from beginning to end.
However, the constantly bobbing Adam's apple seemed to reveal something.
Meng Yingying was surprised to find someone in such a spacious auditorium. She changed her clothes little by little, wearing a black deep V-neck short shirt, wide-leg pants, a brown wide leather belt around her waist, a long red ribbon tied around her wrist, a wooden rifle in her hand, and a pair of white ballet shoes on her feet.
After changing all my clothes.
She then carefully put the hat with the red five-pointed star on her head, and only went out after making sure the hat wouldn't fall off.
Hearing that the changing had stopped, Qi Donghan opened his eyes, his gaze dull and unfocused, his emotions too tense for more than two minutes.
His eyebrows, forehead, and chin were covered in sweat.
With each movement, beads of sweat slid down his face and onto the ground with a soft patter.
Unfortunately, the sound of sweat dripping was drowned out by the broadcast played by Coach Zhao outside.
Qi Donghan breathed a sigh of relief, wiped his sweat, and carefully descended the stairs.
He moved with the lightness of a swallow, and the voices of the female militiamen from the grasslands outside seemed to perfectly conceal his movements.
As soon as Qi Donghan came out, he quickly turned and went out through the back door.
As soon as he comes out.
Xu Wenjun and Gao Chunyang also arrived. Seeing him come out, Xu Wenjun asked curiously, "Old Qi, has the auditorium been inspected so quickly?"
"The political commissar said that a high-ranking leader will be coming to visit tomorrow night."
Qi Donghan's resolute jawline was now dripping with sweat. He casually grunted, "The loudspeaker is fine, and the other setup above is also fine."
"Let's go."
He reached out, his long arm blocking Xu Wenjun and Gao Chunyang's path.
This struck Xu Wenjun as odd. Gao Chunyang had come with his brother-in-law, Political Commissar Xiao, so he glanced around.
Something just doesn't feel right.
Unfortunately, he was the lowest-ranking person present and had no say in the matter.
Political Commissar Xiao is a cunning old fox. "Commander Chen asked you to inspect the auditorium, and you finished the task so quickly?"
Normally, these tasks would take at least half an hour to an hour to complete.
Qi Donghan nodded without changing his expression.
"The inspection is complete. The loudspeaker screen and seats are all in good condition. Just have the medic come and clean them up."
Very calm.
"Let's go in and take a look."
Political Commissar Xiao took the lead, Xu Wenjun followed behind, and Gao Chunyang was eager to try.
Qi Dong refused to give way.
"Old Qi, something's not right with you."
The two sides are locked in a standoff.
Qi Donghan refused to budge an inch, so Political Commissar Xiao raised his hand and waved it in front of Qi Donghan, saying, "You're in the wrong."
Qi Donghan didn't explain, but what he saw before him was that fleeting glimpse of fair and smooth skin, even though she was already dressed.
He didn't want these stinky men to see her dance beforehand.
Then, music from the grassland female militia was broadcast from inside the auditorium.
Political Commissar Xiao suddenly realized, "So that's why you wouldn't let us in. It turns out that the cultural troupe has people practicing dance in the auditorium."
"Let me think... Last night, Commander Fang went to the quartermaster's office and borrowed the key to the auditorium. I'm afraid Commander Fang was leading people to practice dancing in the auditorium, right?"
Political Commissar Xiao didn't understand, "What's wrong with looking at this?"
“Isn’t the purpose of practicing dance to show everyone? Besides, our Harbin Cultural Troupe has been at the bottom for so many years. I suspect it’s because we didn’t go and give them advice, that’s why we’re at the bottom.”
"Let's go, let's see how their dance practice is going."
"Practicing dance isn't something you can do behind closed doors; you have to let everyone see it."
As Political Commissar Xiao and Gao Chunyang walked ahead, they were about to enter the auditorium.
Xu Wenjun deliberately lagged behind, and the slow-witted man finally realized what was happening. He whispered to Qi Donghan, "Old Qi, could it be Comrade Meng dancing inside?"
He guessed right.
Qi Donghan didn't say anything, but he tugged at his collar in frustration.
Xu Wenjun pretended to comfort him from the side, "Alright, alright, Lao Qi, take it easy. Even if Political Commissar Xiao and the others don't go in to watch now, they'll still have to watch when the art troupe holds its official arts performance competition in the future, won't they?"
"So, it doesn't make a difference whether you watch it sooner or later."
Qi Donghan suddenly blurted out, "Ye Yingtao is in there too."
"What?! How can that be? This isn't a variety show, why should they watch it?" Xu Wenjun exploded instantly and ran away, "Old Xiao, Chunyang, wait for me!"
The sound was exceptionally loud, as if afraid the people inside wouldn't hear it.
It did indeed reach the auditorium. Coach Zhao had originally planned to play the song and then clap the rhythm for Meng Yingying so she could dance a solo.
Unexpectedly, the commotion outside interrupted Coach Zhao's original plan. She turned off the radio and said to Meng Yingying, who was standing on the stage, "You warm up first, I'll go out and take a look."
Meng Yingying hummed in agreement and quietly did her stretching, as if the people outside had nothing to do with her.
Outside.
As soon as Coach Zhao came out, he saw Political Commissar Xiao, Gao Chunyang, Xu Wenjun who was running over, and Qi Donghan who was lagging behind.
Coach Zhao's mind raced for a moment. "Political Commissar Xiao, you've arrived."
Political Commissar Xiao's previous teasing tone had changed, replaced by a more businesslike demeanor. "The auditorium is needed tomorrow, and our superiors sent us here to check on things first."
Coach Zhao immediately understood. "Then the auditorium will temporarily belong to our cultural troupe today. I will return the key to Director Fang after we finish using it."
"Have her return it to the quartermaster."
She stood at the doorway, exuding an aura of unyielding strength.
Commissar Xiao could joke around in front of Qi Donghan because they were acquaintances and on the same side.
However, he cannot act recklessly with Coach Zhao.
Seeing Coach Zhao's imposing manner, Political Commissar Xiao changed his words, saying, "Since your cultural troupe borrowed it first, you can use it today. We'll come back tomorrow morning to check."
Coach Zhao hummed in agreement and stood at the door without moving.
Political Commissar Xiao turned to leave.
Although Gao Chunyang wanted to go in, he had no right to speak here. Seeing Gao Chunyang looking inside, Xu Wenjun pulled him back, saying, "What are you looking at?"
"You'll be able to see it on the day of the cultural performance."
wrong.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that there was only Meng Yingying on the stage inside; Ye Yingtao was not there.
Xu Wenjun then realized that he had been tricked. He let out a strange cry, threw Gao Chunyang aside, and turned to run towards Qi Donghan.
"Old Qi, that's not fair. There are no cherry blossoms in it, so why are you saying there are cherry blossoms in it?"
It startled him.
They risked their lives to stop people.
Qi Donghan smirked, and said without batting an eye, "I misread it."
Xu Wenjun, “…”
I really wanted to fight him to the death.
But they can't compete with each other.
"Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
When Political Commissar Xiao came over, he asked a question.
Qi Donghan hummed in agreement, answering without the slightest hesitation.
Who is inside?
Even after Gao Chunyang had walked far away, he turned back to look, full of curiosity.
Before Xu Wenjun could answer, Qi Donghan reached out and covered her mouth, saying, "Let's go. A higher-up is coming tomorrow, and you'll have to write a report."
Hearing this, Xu Wenjun's attention was diverted. He said bitterly, "Qi Changming is a scoundrel. If he hadn't retired from the army, I wouldn't have had the chance to write the reports."
Qi Donghan looked at him for a moment.
Xu Wenjun slapped her mouth and said, "It's good that Qi Changming retired from the army. Otherwise, how would our Commander Qi have had this opportunity?"
"What?"
Political Commissar Xiao was puzzled.
Gao Chunyang was also a little confused, but he quickly realized what was going on. When he looked back at the auditorium again, his eyes showed a hint of understanding.
"Is Meng Yingying inside?"
No wonder.
No wonder Qi Donghan wouldn't let them in; he must have developed a possessive streak.
However, Gao Chunyang became curious about what Meng Yingying actually looked like.
Not only did she scare Qi Changming into early discharge from the army, but she also bewitched Qi Donghan, who was not interested in women.
Meng Yingying, the person involved, had no idea that so many people outside were thinking about her.
She stood on the stage stretching her limbs. A moment later, Coach Zhao came in. Meng Yingying straightened up and moved her wrists. "What's wrong?"
The ethereal sound echoed throughout the vast auditorium.
Coach Zhao was stunned for a moment, "Yingying, I've discovered that your vocal range is also excellent."
Meng Yingying smiled and readily admitted, "Yes, I'm better at singing than dancing."
Whether it's a past life or this life.
However, she joined a performing arts troupe and specifically the dance team, which is why her singing career was delayed.
Coach Zhao pondered for a moment, "With such a good voice, it would be a waste not to sing. How about this, after this competition, I'll ask if there are any teachers who can teach you."
Meng Yingying thought for a moment, "That's for later, Coach, let's begin."
She tossed the red ribbon tied around her wrist into the air, lifted her feet off the ground, and leaped lightly.
Coach Zhao pressed the power button on the radio, and a crackling sound came from it. She said, "I didn't let them come in to disturb you. Just focus on your jump, treat this as tomorrow's preliminary round, and go all out."
Meng Yingying hummed in agreement, listened to the music, and danced along.
Because he had changed into formal clothes, was carrying a wooden rifle, and had a red silk ribbon wrapped around his wrist.
At the beginning, the movements were noticeably uncoordinated because there were so many new elements.
The first time, the second time.
By the third time...
Meng Yingying stopped abruptly, squatted on the ground panting, her fair face seemingly glowing in the dim light.
"Coach, no, that's not right."
"With the red silk added, the movements are obviously much more complicated," she whispered. "You see, every time I'm about to throw the rifle, the red silk catches me."
"If I'm in this situation, it probably won't work even if Cherry and the others add red silk. So, in the current situation, we either have to grit our teeth and wait for mistakes, or we have to remove the red silk."
Coach Zhao stood there, wondering, "How could this happen?"
She paced back and forth, "With the addition of a red ribbon, how did the difficulty increase so much all of a sudden?"
"There's no time, coach."
“I’ll practice it again for you. If I still make a mistake on the red silk the second time, then I suggest we remove the red silk.”
This is the second time she has offered advice.
Coach Zhao clenched his fist, having no better idea, and said, "You jump first, I'll have Officer Xu keep an eye on things and see how they react to the red ribbon today."
Meng Yingying hummed in agreement.
She stood there with her eyes closed, rested for a moment, and reviewed all the mistakes she had made.
When the music on the radio started playing again, she jumped up and down again.
Perhaps because I had made so many mistakes before, this time it went much more smoothly, and I completed it almost in one go.
The red silk and the rifle danced in her hands, a perfect blend of softness and strength.
The song ended.
Finally, Coach Zhao couldn't help but applaud, "Bravo!"
“Yingying, seeing how skilled you are with the red silk, I’m a little reluctant to let Ye Yingtao and the others give up the red silk.”
"You should know that the Jilin City Cultural Troupe also uses the dance of the grassland female militia as a competition item. It's the same dance, so it's a matter of who can dance it better."
"Yingying, add some extra flair to this dance and make it more polished. This is our only chance to beat the performing arts troupe next door."
Meng Yingying knew this too, but her personality was more conservative. "What if something goes wrong along the way?"
"Adding the red silk doubles the difficulty, Coach."
She was involved, so she knows the situation best.
Coach Zhao was now unsure. "I need to go back and check on their practice."
Just as Meng Yingying said, adding the red silk doubled the difficulty, and the people practicing the dance on site were thrown into complete chaos.
Even when throwing the rifle, he almost lost control of the force.
Or it's a red silk ribbon that gets thrown at the other person, who frantically tries to pull it off.
Seeing this scene.
Coach Zhao's heart clenched. "How did it get like this?"
"Coach, the red ribbon is too unruly now that we've added it. The red ribbon is too soft, and the rifle is too stiff. Ballet requires flexibility. Coach, do we need to be soft or stiff? This rhythm is too hard to control."
The prickly cherry was the first to start complaining.
After hearing this, Coach Zhao turned to look at Meng Yingying and said, "You demonstrate for them."
Meng Yingying has already passed the initial difficult period; in fact, it's only been twice, and she's made the same mistake four or five times.
Meng Yingying has already integrated red silk, rifles, and ballet into one.
Coach Zhao told her to jump, and she followed suit. The red ribbon fluttered with her wrists as she threw it out, the rifle was raised and retrieved, her body supple as she jumped and spun.
Every movement was performed in one smooth motion.
As she leaped into the air, the red ribbon was thrown out and floated in the air. Just then, a gust of wind blew in, and the red ribbon spun around Meng Yingying's body.
She fell, and the red silk fell.
Graceful as a startled swan, as swift as a dragon.
For a moment, the practice room fell silent.
"Coach, is this the effect you wanted from Yingying's jump?"
Ye Yingtao swallowed and asked a question.
Coach Zhao's eyes showed appreciation, and she nodded, "Yes, that's exactly the effect I wanted."
"The rifle is the epitome of strength and heroic spirit, the ballet is the epitome of grace and elegance, and when combined with the spinning of red silk, that is the most stunning kind of dance and artistic conception."
"This is also a key weapon for us to defeat the neighboring cultural troupe."
Ye Yingtao took the red silk that Meng Yingying handed her and threw it, but it didn't go up and just floated down to the ground.
"Coach, although I shouldn't discourage everyone's confidence, I dare say that after adding the red ribbon, only Meng Yingying in our entire art troupe can achieve this level."
Jia Xiaoli was not convinced, so she picked up the red ribbon and wanted to try again. But as soon as she threw the ribbon up, it fell back down like a cherry blossom leaf.
Undeterred, she tried twice more.
It was thrown twice and landed twice.
This is already like this before even having a rifle. If it were to have a rifle, I don't know what it would look like.
Coach Zhao was already regretting it, but she had seen a lot in her life.
A decision was made in a short time.
"so."
Coach Zhao said, "The red ribbon appears as Meng Yingying's solo dance. You can remove the red ribbon as long as the rifle doesn't make any mistakes."
For more than a week, they have been using rifles almost all the time, practicing as female militia members on the grasslands.
It is imperative to incorporate rifles into the red ballet.
Hearing this, Ye Yingtao and the others breathed a sigh of relief. "Then let's continue practicing with our rifles."
"Yingying".
Ye Yingtao handed the red silk to Meng Yingying, saying, "This difficult task is entrusted to you."
Meng Yingying hummed in agreement, her voice soft, "Okay."
With her big eyes, fair skin, and sweet voice, Ye Yingtao adored her and wished she could hug her and spin her around.
How can I have such a great teammate?
"coach."
Meng Yingying voiced her concerns, saying, "Solo dances and group dances are actually redundant."
"Adding just a red ribbon is not enough."
Coach Zhao, "You mean?"
Meng Yingying pursed her lips, gritted her teeth, and made up her mind, "Let's practice one more dance as a backup."
Coach Zhao's heart was in shock, like he was on a rollercoaster. "What did you say?" If one dance is already like this, what if another one is added? Are we all doomed?
Meng Yingying knew she was shocked. Now that she had voiced her concerns, there was no point in hiding it.
"What I mean is, prepare another solo dance, just in case."
This is her experience from her previous life.
With more experience on stage, these skills naturally come with time.
"you mean?"
Before Coach Zhao could finish his question, Meng Yingying hummed in agreement, "What if? What if Shen Qiuyue from the Jilin City Cultural Troupe's dance is even more difficult than that of the grassland female militia?"
As soon as he said that, Coach Zhao denied it, saying, "That's impossible."
“I also came from the cultural troupe next door. Although Shen Qiuyue is a genius, she is not good enough to dance the Red Detachment of Women.”
Coach Zhao lowered his voice slightly at the last few words, speaking with certainty, as if he were trying to convince Meng Yingying, and also himself: "Yingying, I feel that Shen Qiuyue is a conservative person. She won't perform such a difficult dance as The Red Detachment of Women."
"What if?"
Meng Yingying asked, "You've been away from the performing arts troupe next door for so long, and they obviously know you've come to be our coach."
“Coach, if Shen Qiuya really dances the Red Detachment of Women in her solo, and I dance the Grassland Militia, I’m sure I’ll lose to her.”
Coach Zhao murmured, "But those who can dance the Red Detachment of Women are at the top level."
"Meng Yingying, do you know what this means?"
Even her senior, who was the most talented, only skipped a period of time in the Red Detachment of Women.
In the end, he was defeated by Chief Wu of the Capital Cultural Troupe.
This person belongs to another dimension.
Meng Yingying nodded, "I know."
“Coach,” she said calmly, her face gentle, “I’m just taking it in two steps, making preparations. And in the end, we might not even be performing the Red Detachment of Women.”
"The preliminary round is tomorrow. Even if I dance, it's just to familiarize myself with the dance."
Coach Zhao was comforted.
"Then try it yourself."
Meng Yingying nodded. The Red Detachment of Women was indeed as Coach Zhao had said, much more difficult than the Grassland Women's Militia.
Especially in ballet, the technique and explosive power are simply pushed to the extreme.
Right under everyone's noses, Meng Yingying jumped three times, and failed all three times.
Jia Xiaoli, who was standing next to her, couldn't help but sneer, "Some people just overestimate themselves."
"Even the coach can't dance it, and you want to dance it? Aren't you just asking for trouble?"
Ye Yingtao was really annoyed by Jia Xiaoli's mouth. She glanced around and saw a pair of smelly socks on the windowsill, which they had changed out of before each dance.
Without saying a word, Ye Yingtao picked up the smelly sock and stuffed it into Jia Xiaoli's mouth, saying, "You'd better watch your mouth."
Ye Yingtao's fox-like eyes gleamed fiercely. "Otherwise, next time I won't just stuff your mouth with a stinky sock."
Jia Xiaoli screamed, her eyes filled with humiliation.
"Shut up."
Ye Yingtao retorted sharply, "I know you have an aunt who's a leader, but even if she came, I'd still dare to gag you. Do you know why?"
"Now is the time for team honor, individual honor, and to bring glory to the collective. Meng Yingying dared to step forward and make two preparations. She has already sacrificed a lot. In this situation, instead of encouraging her, you, as her teammate, are here to ridicule her."
“Jia Xiaoli, even if your aunt came, I would still say the same thing: someone with such skewed thinking and no sense of collectivism, doesn’t she deserve to be in our cultural troupe?”
Jia Xiaoli had her mouth stuffed, and when she spat it out, she opened her mouth to curse, but Ye Yingtao pinned a huge accusation on her.
Her face turned pale instantly. "Ye Yingtao, don't try to pin this on me."
"You were the one who started this!"
Ye Yingtao sneered, "You know what our art troupe is like in the competition. Right now, we are all counting on Meng Yingying to bring glory to our art troupe. If you drag us down again, I don't mind reporting you to Director Fang."
Jia Xiaoli immediately fell silent.
Coach Zhao watched the whole thing without stopping her, and she didn't like Jia Xiaoli kicking someone when they were down.
However, Jia Xiaoli's aunt had taught her for a period of time, so there was still a trace of kinship between them.
She didn't want to cause a scene.
But cherry blossoms are allowed.
Thinking of this, Coach Zhao stepped forward and said calmly, "Comrade Ye Yingtao is right. Now is the time for collective honor to take precedence over personal grudges. If anyone is dragging us down, then don't blame me for being ruthless."
Jia Xiaoli knew it was meant for her; her mouth was still stuffed with a smelly sock, making her feel both stinky and embarrassed.
She was too ashamed to look up.
Over there, Meng Yingying was performing the Red Detachment of Women dance; this was her third failure.
Her face was somewhat solemn as she knelt on one knee. Her profile was stunning, her skin was snow-white, and her back was slender.
Nobody knows what she's thinking.
The previously noisy crowd quieted down. Even Jia Xiaoli, who had felt somewhat humiliated, fell silent.
They watched as Meng Yingying danced the Red Detachment of Women over and over again.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Ten times.
Even after everyone else had left the practice room, Meng Yingying was still there, stubbornly sticking to one move.
"Yingying, why don't we go back first?"
Ye Yingtao tried to dissuade her.
Meng Yingying shook her head, panting, "You go back first, I'll practice one more time."
Coach Zhao came out, raised her hand to look at her wrist. She was wearing a worn-out Seagull watch. After checking the time, she...
She immediately turned off the light and said, "Meng Yingying, go back and rest."
"You have a match tomorrow, so you can't stay up too late tonight. If you hurt yourself, it will be a loss."
The lights were off, so Meng Yingying could no longer practice and stopped. Moonlight streamed through the window onto her face, making her eyes appear bright and clear. "Coach, I'm almost there. I feel like I'm just a little bit more."
Coach Zhao remained unmoved. "Come back to practice tomorrow morning. Go back and rest now."
She calculated the time and said, "You've already practiced for sixteen hours today. That's it for today. If you want to practice, you can practice tomorrow."
As a coach, this was the first time she had ever felt so sorry for a student.
"Meng Yingying, there's still time tomorrow."
"Moreover, the Red Detachment of Women may not be of any use, so don't push yourself too hard."
Meng Yingying understood what she meant, and she pleaded, "I'll practice one last time."
"Coach, regardless of whether the last attempt succeeds or not, I'm going back to rest."
Coach Zhao had no choice but to turn on the lights and start timing, saying, "Five minutes. I will turn off the lights and lock the practice room after five minutes."
Meng Yingying hummed in agreement, shook off her hand, and went onto the stage for one last practice.
Unfortunately, it was just a little bit short, just the very last bit.
She could sense the explosive power of the Red Detachment of Women, but she wasn't strong enough; her physical training time was too short, and her muscles couldn't support it.
The moment it fell.
"Coach, turn off the lights."
She remained calm, even though she hadn't succeeded on her last attempt.
Coach Zhao was a little worried about her. "Yingying, are you alright?"
Meng Yingying shook her head, sweating profusely, her hair disheveled and plastered to her forehead. Her forehead was full, her eyebrows delicate, her eyes almond-shaped, and her cheeks flushed pink. She was truly stunning.
"fine."
She breathed softly, her voice gentle, "Coach, I need to come to the practice room again at five o'clock tomorrow morning. You gave me the key, I can come by myself."
So that Coach Zhao wouldn't have to get up early to open the door for her.
Coach Zhao was worried about her; she feared that Meng Yingying had taken the key and might end up sleeping in the practice room tonight.
After all, given Meng Yingying's fierce determination and dedication to dance, she was truly capable of doing it.
Meng Yingying smiled wryly, "No, I need to get some rest, Coach."
"Otherwise, I won't be able to win the preliminary round at the Harbin Federation of Literary and Art Circles tomorrow, which is a tough battle."
Coach Zhao nodded, "I'll open the door at five o'clock tomorrow morning, and I'll go with you."
"Go back and rest now."
Meng Yingying nodded, and this time she did not refuse.
She had just come out of the practice room when Coach Zhao, worried about her, wanted to take her home. But to his surprise, as soon as she came out, he saw Qi Donghan leaning against the green wall.
He was hidden in the shadows of light and darkness, with high brow bones, deep-set eyes, a straight nose and mouth, and a well-defined jawline.
Her profile is sharply defined.
Wearing a pine-green shirt, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs slightly bent, he was staring ahead, lost in thought.
Perhaps hearing the noise, Qi Donghan turned around and his eyes met Meng Yingying's.
Meng Yingying was somewhat taken aback. "Commander Qi, what are you doing here?"
Qi Donghan also saw her. Meng Yingying had just come out of the dance studio, wearing a blue short-sleeved dance costume. She had a slender figure, bright features, and a hint of fatigue between her brows. Only her eyes shone brightly in the darkness.
"I heard you guys were practicing tonight, so I came to bring you something."
Qi Donghan naturally withdrew his long legs and walked towards Meng Yingying, handing her the brown paper package. "It's Friday today, I brought you a roast chicken."
Meng Yingying had been practicing all day, and her stomach was already about to give out. However, she was still holding on with her last breath, so even though she was hungry, she didn't go to eat.
The aroma of roasted chicken filled the air, making her swallow hard.
At the same time, my stomach started growling.
She was a little embarrassed.
Qi Donghan heard it too, and his eyes sparkled with amusement. "That means my gift was just right."
"Let's go back and eat."
Meng Yingying hesitated.
Coach Zhao unusually didn't ask her to control her figure. "I trained for more than ten hours today, so I'll just let myself go. Eat less, because I have a competition tomorrow."
Meng Yingying smiled and agreed, "I understand, Coach."
She accepted the roast chicken, and Coach Zhao tactfully withdrew. "I'm also exhausted after a long day and can't take it anymore. If you have time, Commander Qi, could you please give Meng Yingying a ride?"
Coach Zhao, having been through it all, knows the importance of a good partner.
Therefore, she never objected to her students dating; she only objected to those students neglecting their previous academic performance after starting a relationship.
If you neglect your good figure and stop exercising every day, focusing solely on getting married, having children, it's like giving up all the effort you've put in over a decade.
Qi Donghan knew that Coach Zhao was creating an opportunity for him. After thanking Coach Zhao, he left the red brick house practice room with Meng Yingying.
It was already eleven o'clock, and the entire garrison was quiet.
Night fell outside, and one by one, the loudspeaker lights and streetlights outside the camp illuminated the cobblestone path, like a layer of honey-colored frost.
Qi Donghan escorted Meng Yingying all the way to the women's dormitory of the cultural troupe, where the two stopped in the shadow of the old locust tree.
The shadow seemed to conceal both of them, adding a touch of ambiguity under the hazy moonlight.
Neither of them spoke.
Meng Yingying couldn't help herself and yawned first.
"Tired?" The dim light sharpened Qi Donghan's features, but unexpectedly softened his features, and his voice also dropped eight octaves.
Meng Yingying looked tired, and after yawning, tears welled up in her eyes. "Commander Qi, shall we leave you here once we get downstairs?"
"Hmm." Qi Donghan hummed in response, his voice low. "Wait a little longer, the ward supervisor will be writing down my name tonight."
He sneaked out after the first round of room checks had passed.
He handed her the oil paper package, and Meng Yingying reached out to take it. Her fingertips touched his dry, warm knuckles, which were covered with thin calluses.
She instinctively shrank back.
Qi Donghan also slightly curled his fingers, feeling that softness, and he clenched his fingers a little tighter.
Both of them were somewhat embarrassed.
Meng Yingying looked up and realized that the two of them were so close that they could almost hear each other's heartbeats.
She quickly took a half step back, waving the oil paper package in her hand, "Commander Qi, thank you for waiting for me so late at night and for bringing me roast chicken."
When she arrived in Harbin to work with her team, the first roast chicken she ate was a gift from Qi Donghan.
Unexpectedly, the roast chicken was delivered by him the night before the competition.
Qi Donghan waved his hand dismissively, showing no interest. He was a decisive person and didn't like to argue about things that were being given away.
So I changed the question, "Are you nervous?"
"What?"
"The Harbin Federation of Literary and Art Circles' preliminary competition is tomorrow." He paused, his voice carrying a hint of indulgence he himself didn't realize, "I'm afraid you won't be able to sleep tonight."
Meng Yingying's secret was exposed, and she softly hummed in agreement, drawing small circles with her toes on the pebbly path. "This is also my first time representing the team outside. What if I accidentally fall—"
She was somewhat worried, "I'm afraid I'll embarrass the performing arts troupe."
"Won't."
Qi Donghan interrupted her, his tone firm, "I've seen every single movement you've practiced; it's even higher than the standards of the performing arts troupe."
Meng Yingying's heart skipped a beat. She looked up and met his dark eyes, which held no perfunctory comfort, but only a heavy, almost overflowing seriousness.
She suddenly panicked, lowered her head and clutched the oil paper package tightly, whispering, "What if the judges don't like the dance I'm performing?"
Coach Zhao once said that half of the judges were friends of her senior.
They had all watched Shen Qiuya grow up.
Meng Yingying had also worried that her dance style wouldn't be liked by the judges.
Qi Donghan suddenly took half a step forward, his tall and broad shadow completely enveloping her.
His voice was so low it was almost a whisper: “It’s their loss if they don’t like it.”
The night wind blew, and the leaves of the old locust tree rustled.
Meng Yingying slowly loosened her clenched fingers, and a small smile appeared on her lips that she herself did not notice. "Commander Qi, thank you for giving me confidence."
Actually, she herself wasn't sure either.
Especially after failing to perform the Red Detachment of Women thirteen times in a row, she became somewhat confused and lost some of her certainty and confidence.
Qi Donghan smiled and gave a very soft "hmm," as if responding to her, or perhaps to himself, "Meng Yingying, you danced very well, there's no need to doubt yourself."
Meng Yingying opened her mouth, but her throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton. She had been practicing for more than a week.
Even Coach Zhao never said she trained well.
They put pressure on her.
If it weren't for pressure, Meng Yingying wouldn't be practicing alone in the practice room so late at night.
The only exception was Qi Donghan, who stood before him.
Meng Yingying was speechless.
Qi Donghan sensed something. He lowered his eyes and stared at her. "I'll ask for leave tomorrow."
"What?"
Meng Yingying was stunned for a moment.
"I will ask for leave tomorrow to go to the Harbin Federation of Literary and Art Circles."
As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Yingying looked up sharply.
Meng Yingying felt as if her heart had been brushed by a feather, and she gave a soft "hmm".
This time she didn't say thank you. Listening to the sounds coming from inside the dormitory building, she murmured, "I'm going up now."
Qi Donghan could tell that she was frightened by him, and he slightly tugged at the corner of his lips.
As the night wind tousled her hair, he curled his fingertips as if restraining something. When she turned to leave, he raised his hand and touched the ends of her hair very lightly, then pulled away immediately.
Get some rest.
Meng Yingying noticed nothing. She picked up the oil paper package, turned around, and ran into the dormitory building.
As she reached the corner on the second floor, she couldn't help but look back. Qi Donghan was still standing under the old locust tree, one hand in his pocket.
He raised his other hand in mid-air, making a silent "cheering" gesture.
Meng Yingying's heart was pounding harder and harder.
At that moment, she realized that something seemed different.
She dared not look back, and could only climb the steps in the darkness and run towards her dormitory.
Dormitory 203.
Meng Yingying didn't come back, so Ye Yingtao and Lin Qiu didn't go to sleep either. The two of them sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, each holding an enamel mug, stirring the bland corn porridge with chopsticks.
I was so hungry I felt anxious, but I couldn't eat anything. I kept looking outside.
"Isn't Yingying coming back yet?"
"Is she planning to practice all night in the practice room?"
"What about tomorrow's preliminary assessment?"
No sooner had he said that than a series of footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Ye Yingtao sprang down from the bunk bed with a quick leap, placed the enamel mug containing corn porridge on the table, and ran to the door in the blink of an eye.
"Yingying?" he asked excitedly.
As soon as the door opened, Meng Yingying appeared outside, panting.
"You're finally back! Lin Qiu and I thought you were going to stay overnight in the practice room." Ye Yingtao rattled off her words, then realized something and gently sniffed, "What's that smell? It smells so good."
Before Meng Yingying could answer, Ye Yingtao recognized it and yelled, "Roast chicken!"
Realizing she was speaking too loudly, she quickly covered her mouth and tried to lower her voice, but couldn't suppress her excitement, "Roast chicken, where did you get roast chicken at this hour?"
For those who are hungry, this is undoubtedly a feast, a celebration of the New Year!
Upon hearing this, Lin Qiu put the jar on the table and ran over, where she indeed saw the roast chicken.
She looked at him with a questioning gaze, "Comrade Meng Yingying, did you go and rob a state-run restaurant?"
Meng Yingying glanced outside, but no one came out, so she shushed them.
He then entered the dormitory, placed the oil paper package in the center of the table, and opened it to reveal the outer layer of oil paper.
The fragrance instantly filled the entire room.
Seeing that Ye Yingtao and Lin Qiu both had teasing expressions on their faces.
Meng Yingying deliberately put on a stern face, "What robbery? It's a gift from a friend."
However, when it comes to the word "friends," I lack a bit of confidence.
"Friend?" Ye Yingtao drawled, nudging her with her shoulder. "Male or female? Surname Qi or Qi?"
Meng Yingying's ears turned red, and she lowered her head to continue unpacking, huffing, "If you keep being cheeky, I won't give you any!"
As soon as the parchment paper was lifted, the whole roasted chicken, golden brown and glistening with oil, was revealed. When Ye Yingtao shone her flashlight on it, the golden color of the chicken became even more eye-catching.
The three of them exclaimed "Wow!" at the same time.
There was no knife in the dormitory, so Ye Yingtao simply used her hands, snapping off a chicken leg with a snap. The oil dripped between her fingers, making everyone's mouth water.
She didn't touch it, but instead held it to Meng Yingying's lips, saying, "The hero gets to taste first."
Meng Yingying didn't stand on ceremony, took the chicken and took a small bite. The roast chicken skin was crispy and the meat was tender. It was so hot that she gasped for breath. It was so fragrant that she couldn't speak.
Lin Qiu watched them start eating.
I got to work myself, tearing off the tenderest strips of chicken breast, wrapping them in freshly soaked cornmeal paste, and stuffing my cheeks bulging.
She squinted her eyes contentedly, "I declare that Commander Qi is now my second favorite man—my first favorite is the cook who will serve me meals tomorrow."
Ye Yingtao raised her hand to hit her, "That won't do. The person who likes Commander Qi the most should be our Yingying. Lin Qiu, you can't compete with Yingying for him."
Lin Qiu immediately realized, "Never mind then, I still prefer the head of the cooking squad."
Meng Yingying felt a little embarrassed by the two men's teasing and banter.
But more than anything, there is sorrow.
I'm worried about tomorrow's competition; what if I don't do well?
Ye Yingtao noticed, and her smile faltered.
Immediately, he used a chicken wing as a microphone to interview Meng Yingying, "Comrade Meng, you're going to the Harbin Federation of Literary and Art Circles preliminary competition tomorrow. What are your thoughts as you eat this roast chicken?"
Meng Yingying was under a lot of pressure, but Ye Yingtao's antics made her feel a little more relaxed.
Holding up a chicken wing, her oily lips curled up in a smile as she joked, "My thought is—if I mess up my jump in the preliminary round tomorrow, I'll come back and eat the remaining half of the roast chicken, and try again next year."
"Then I'll challenge Shen Qiuya and the Jishi Cultural Troupe."
"Jump, don't smash!"
Lin Qiu sucked on her fingers, wiped her hands to make sure they were clean, and then patted Meng Yingying on the shoulder. Meng Yingying was full of fighting spirit, saying, "Our troupe's face must be number one!"
As soon as he said that, the dormitory fell silent.
They all really wanted to be number one.
But none of them said it.
In the darkness, Ye Yingtao shone her flashlight, its faint light enveloping the three of them. She murmured, "I don't have such grand ambitions. I just hope we don't come in last place."
These words sounded rather sad.
Lin Qiu interrupted him, "Never mind, let's not talk about this, let's play PUBG."
The three of them squeezed into a lower bunk, knee to knee, taking turns eating and dismantling a roast chicken until only the skeleton remained.
Finally, Ye Yingtao placed the chicken bones on the table, arranged them into a crooked little heart, held it up, and winked at Meng Yingying, "Here, Commander Qi asked me to pass on a message—"
Meng Yingying pounced on her angrily, tickling her and huffing, "Even food can't shut you up. Next time I bring food back, I won't give it to you."
Ye Yingtao exclaimed, "Oh dear, there's going to be a next time? I'll be waiting!"
"Why aren't you asleep? What are you making such a racket in the middle of the night?"
The person on duty checking the dormitories outside shouted at them as they passed by room 203.
Ye Yingtao stuck out her tongue and immediately became as quiet as a chicken.
Meng Yingying also quietly rinsed her mouth, which was considered a simple wash, before climbing into bed.
"Yingying, are you nervous?"
Lin Qiu was about to ask a question when Ye Yingtao scolded him, "What are you asking? Aren't you nervous? You have a competition tomorrow. Go to sleep and we'll talk about it tomorrow."
Lin Qiu wasn't angry after being scolded. She rolled around under the covers, thinking, "I really want to get first place."
She didn't want to be last anymore.
For three consecutive years, I've been ranked last in the class. When I go out, people call me a slow-moving turtle.
Neither Meng Yingying nor Ye Yingtao spoke; they also wanted to win first place.
But you can't just get first place if you want to.
At five o'clock the next morning, Meng Yingying woke up on time. Without waiting for the shouts outside, she went to the public water room to wash up by herself.
When I got to the practice room, Coach Zhao was already there. The lights were on. "You're here?"
Meng Yingying nodded without saying a word, and went to the platform to stretch her arms and legs.
"First, I'll do a solo performance of the Grassland Women Militia. After that, I'll do a solo performance of The Red Detachment of Women."
Coach Zhao was a little worried, but seeing the determination in her eyes, he didn't try to dissuade her any further.
Meng Yingying danced smoothly as a personal grassland female militia member, followed by the Red Detachment of Women.
Twice again, both times failing during the mid-game burst of power.
When you lose your strength, you can't unleash your full potential.
The most important aspect of the dance "Red Detachment of Women" is its explosive power; if it fails to explode, the dance's momentum changes.
fail.
Utter failure.
Meng Yingying stopped dancing and squatted down, no longer speaking.
Coach Zhao looked over and saw that she was wearing a thin dance costume, hugging her knees, and burying her head in them. She was thin and petite.
Coach Zhao walked over, still worried.
Hearing the noise, Meng Yingying looked up, her clear black and white eyes filled with uncertainty. "Coach, do you think we can win?"
-----------------------
Author's note: Bonus chapter for 9000 nutrient solutions, still owe 1000, cough cough cough, it's so tiring to pay it back, my eyes are starting to blur because I'm working so hard, I'm going to take a break.
Please give me some nutrient solution and comments, considering how hard I've worked! Love you all~
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