Chapter 79 Pear Blossoms in the Rain
People were coming and going backstage at the gala.
The two did not speak, each busy with their own work.
Lu Linlang would stop from time to time to ask the actors if they were feeling unwell, or hand an iodine swab to an actor who had accidentally scraped their skin, displaying a professional demeanor.
Not long after, seeing Nan Zhiyi handing out props, Lu Linlang naturally came over and said, "Zhiyi, let me help you."
Nan Zhiyi thought to herself, "Dr. Lu, thank you, but I can do it myself."
Lu Linlang smiled and walked to the side.
After Zhao Yaqin finished reciting her lines and came off the stage, she saw Lu Linlang, gave her a forced smile as a greeting, and then walked to a lounge chair on her own.
"Sister Yaqin! Please touch up your lipstick, the color on your lips is fading a bit!"
Nan Zhiyi quickly applied a touch of lip color to Zhao Yaqin's lips.
"Next up is the clapper talk, props! Hand over the clapper talk props!" The girl from the performing arts troupe next to her urged her again.
Nan Zhiyi hurriedly turned around to find props.
… …
During a break from a busy night, Nan Zhiyi glanced at Gu Xiao's position from behind the red side curtain while coordinating the entrances and exits.
Gu Xiao sat upright, seemingly focused on watching the stage.
Almost every time, just as her gaze locked onto him, he would sense it and peer through the crowd towards her.
Across the noisy stage and the surging crowd, their eyes briefly met in the air.
Nan Zhiyi smiled knowingly and went back to her work.
As the gala drew to a close, the penultimate program was a large-scale song and dance performance by the performing arts troupe, titled "The Deep Bond Between the Army and the People." With a large cast, the backstage area became even more crowded and chaotic.
Just then, a young woman with an unfamiliar face squeezed next to Nan Zhiyi and said urgently, "Officer Zhao is in dressing room number two. She said she got lipstick on her dress and her makeup is ruined. She wants you to go over and help her fix it right away!"
Nan Zhiyi was busy distributing props to the actors waiting in the wings for the last performance when she heard this and immediately became anxious.
Zhao Yaqin's dress was dark blue, and the lipstick smudged on it was quite noticeable, especially since she was going to take a bow later...
She immediately shoved the things in her hand into the hands of the staff member next to her, saying, "Could you please hand this out to me?" Then she turned to follow the girl.
She had only taken two steps when she stopped.
If Zhao Yaqin really needs help, she will definitely take the initiative to come to her.
Nan Zhiyi turned around and continued distributing props.
Seeing that she wasn't following, the girl said, "Hurry up! Officer Zhao is still waiting for you..."
Seeing that she was no longer paying attention to her, the girl quietly quickened her pace and left.
Nan Zhiyi caught a glimpse of the direction the girl had slipped away, and her suspicions deepened. It seemed there really was something fishy going on.
She was relieved that she hadn't been fooled, and after distributing the props, she went backstage to find Zhao Yaqin...
On the other hand, some people have already fallen for the trap.
Zhou Zhengping was sitting in the back of the audience watching the show when a woman in a green military uniform squeezed through the crowd and ran over, lowering her voice: "Staff Officer Zhou! Comrade Nan Zhiyi asked me to pass on a message to you! She said there's something important about her parents, and she wants to make it clear to you. It's in prop room number 3 at the back! She wants you to go there quickly, without alerting anyone else, because she... she's afraid Commander Gu might misunderstand..."
Zhou Zhengping was startled.
The death of Nan's parents has always been the deepest pain in Nan Zhiyi's heart, and she rarely mentions it.
Are you trying to discuss important matters now? Are you afraid Gu Xiao will misunderstand?
This doesn't make sense...
But concern can lead to confusion, especially when it involves Nan Zhiyi and her parents.
Without thinking twice, he took off running towards the backstage area.
Nan Zhiyi finally found Zhao Yaqin in the crowd. Her makeup was perfect and her clothes were neat.
It was indeed a trap... Nan Zhiyi felt a wave of fear wash over her.
"Understand?"
Gu Xiao walked quickly toward her.
Nan Zhiyi asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"
As the actors were leaving the stage, Gu Xiao habitually looked towards the side of the stage, but Nan Zhiyi was not there.
She would appear at each closing ceremony as the person in charge of scheduling and coordinating.
Feeling uneasy, he went backstage to look for her.
The last performance was taking place on stage at that moment, and the people backstage weren't too busy.
Seeing that her face was pale, Gu Xiao said, "I didn't see you, and I was a little worried."
Nan Zhiyi whispered, "Just now... a female comrade in a cultural troupe uniform asked me to go to the prop room, but I didn't go. There must be something fishy about it."
Gu Xiao's eyes turned cold. "Let's go find Section Chief Li."
Lu Linlang remained hidden in the shadows of a corner backstage, nervously waiting for Nan Zhiyi and Zhou Zhengping to "fall into the trap" and then "catch them in the act."
However, she only saw Zhou Zhengping hurriedly push open the door and enter the prop room!
Nan Zhiyi didn't come at all!
Lu Linlang was furious and cursed Nan Zhiyi for being cunning.
even!
Gu Xiao arrived, and the two seemed to say something to Section Chief Li. Then Section Chief Li shouted, "Lin Xiangyang, call the security department to check the unfamiliar faces in the cultural troupe."
Gu Xiao, Section Chief Li, and several staff members were about to walk towards Props Room No. 3.
Lu Linlang's heart sank to the bottom. If it were discovered that it was her...
Her vision went black.
No! We can't just let this go!
She had to save herself; she had to grab onto something!
In a flash, a ruthless glint appeared in Lu Linlang's eyes, a desperate gamble!
She quietly withdrew from the shadows, and taking advantage of the moment when no one was looking, she quickly walked towards prop room number 3 and gently pushed open the door.
In the dim light, Zhou Zhengping stood in the center of the room, anxiously waiting for Nan Zhiyi, but after waiting for a while no one came, he was about to leave.
The instant he turned around, he heard a scream followed by a sharp tearing sound.
It's Lu Linlang!
She lost her balance and lunged straight at the stunned Zhou Zhengping!
He was completely stunned!
Instinctively, she reached out to help the person who had "fallen down," but Lu Linlang's lunge was too strong, and the two inevitably collided!
To steady himself, Zhou Zhengping instinctively put his arm around Lu Linlang's waist.
Lu Linlang's hands rested on Zhou Zhengping's military uniform.
Zhou Zhengping looked down.
Lu Linlang's left shoulder, along with the sleeve, was caught on a protruding metal bracket of a nearby backdrop, tearing a large gash in it!
It revealed a light-colored, close-fitting shirt underneath and a small patch of snow-white shoulder!
She clutched her torn clothes, her face drained of color, filled with terror and shame.
"This...this is outrageous!"
Section Chief Li, Nan Zhiyi, Gu Xiao, and several staff members happened to witness this scene!
Everyone was stunned.
"Lu Linlang!"
Zhou Zhengping instinctively wanted to cover for her.
His upbringing and innate gentleness made it impossible for him to stand by and watch a familiar girl embarrass herself in front of everyone, especially since she was a girl he had grown up in the same compound with.
He quickly took off his military uniform shirt and draped it over Lu Linlang's shoulders.
"Brother Zhengping...I..."
With tears blurring her vision, Lu Linlang looked at Zhou Zhengping, who was so close to her, and choked out, "I didn't mean to... something on the ground... tripped me... I..."
She cried so bitterly that her body trembled slightly.
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