Chapter 93
◎May Day Labor Performance◎
The play, jointly created by the students of the class led by Tangtang, was called “Labor is the Most Glorious.” It mainly told the growth story of five new textile workers. The script was about: textile workers Wang Xiaoyan, Zhang Aiping, Li Ni, Li Dagang, and Wang Qiang were all new textile workers who had just entered the factory. When they first entered the workshop, they were in a mess, and they were not good at connecting threads or operating the looms. But they explored and learned in practice, summarized their experience, and innovated. On a stormy night, they worked together to rescue the cotton cloth, showing the responsibility of the new generation of laborers. Half a year later, Wang Xiaoyan, Zhang Aiping, Li Ni, Li Dagang, and Wang Qiang all became the backbone of the workshop.
Tangtang played the role of the textile worker Wang Xiaoyan, Chen Xiaohui played Zhang Aiping, a female classmate in the class named Wang Min played another textile worker, Li Ni, a male classmate named Zhou Bing played the textile worker Li Dagang, and another male classmate named Liang Shangming played Wang Qiang.
The class monitor, Zhao Yue, played the role of the old workshop technician, Master Zhang.
After a few days of rehearsal, they could basically perform it skillfully. And May Day had also arrived.
Because they were playing textile workers, their costumes were all uniform blue cloth shirts. But when Tangtang was braiding her hair, she put on the repaired gingko hairpin. Because she was going on stage, she had lightly drawn her eyebrows and put on a light layer of lipstick. Her whole complexion instantly brightened. Her appearance was outstanding, and even the simplest clothes had a different kind of brilliance on her.
Liang Shangming unscrewed the lid of his thermos. His gaze uncontrollably fell on her. “Seeing Tangtang, I finally know what it means to be a lotus flower emerging from clear water, naturally unadorned.”
Liang Shangming’s words were a bit too direct and presumptuous. Not only Tangtang, but even the others couldn’t help but be taken aback for a moment.
Liang Shangming’s face flushed red. “Cough, cough, I’m sorry, I misspoke. Don’t misunderstand, I just…”
A faint smile appeared on Tangtang’s face. She took his words and resolved the awkwardness. “It’s okay.”
Zhao Yue said, “The performance is about to begin. Let’s take this time to prepare.”
The performance had already begun. The first program was a grand chorus of “Youth, Oh Youth” by the classes of other departments. The second program was a poetry reading of “My Motherland.” As expected, many of the programs prepared by the classes were either a grand chorus or a poetry reading. Their program format was relatively much more novel.
They were waiting backstage, nervous and expectant. Just then, they heard the host’s loud voice spread through the speakers. “The great practice of reform and opening up has not only promoted the vigorous development of economic construction but also promoted the diversified integration of culture and art. Next, let’s give the warmest applause to classmate Lu Youxin from the xxx class of the management department—she will perform for us a brilliant pearl in classical ballet, a solo dance from the ‘Paquita’ variation. Let’s welcome her with applause!”
Tangtang and the others’ program was almost ready, so they peeked at Lu Youxin’s performance on stage from behind the curtain.
She was wearing a red ballet tutu and was performing on the stage with ease, like a dancing swan.
From Lu Youxin’s perspective, she could just see Tangtang and the others peeking at her performance from behind the curtain. She curled her lips in pleasure, and a hint of imperceptible pride rose in her heart.
The things she possessed, Su Xintang would never be able to snatch away in this life.
…
Capital University was having a performance today. Sheng Ruiru had almost worn out her lips this morning, and she had finally persuaded Old Mr. Lu to come to the school to watch the performance.
This would allow Old Mr. Lu to relax, and secondly, Youxin had a ballet performance today. Maybe they could take this opportunity to repair their relationship as grandfather and granddaughter.
Besides Old Mr. Lu, there were also a few of his old comrades-in-arms, as well as Sheng Ruiru’s good friend of many years, Miao Ping. She was a professional ballet dancer.
And when Lu Junshan learned that Old Mr. Lu was coming to watch the performance, he had also specially taken a leave of absence to accompany him.
Seeing Lu Youxin on stage, a smile appeared on Sheng Ruiru’s face. She looked at Miao Ping and said, “Aping, I’m a layman when it comes to ballet. You’re a professional. Youxin is dancing quite well, right? What do you think? Can she catch your eye, a master?”
Miao Ping smiled faintly and didn’t say anything to discourage her friend.
The “female variation” from the “Paquita” variation was a technical solo in classical ballet. Its main features were fast pointe work, continuous single-leg turns, and light jumps. This dance was lively and cheerful, and the ballet dancer needed to show agility and elegance through precise movements. It was a classic piece that showcased a female dancer’s technical foundation.
And the ballet that Lu Youxin danced, although the movements were standard, a closer look would reveal that the pointe work was tense and mechanical, the single-leg turns were disconnected, and the jumps were clumsy. It was a case of having the form but not the spirit of ballet, a very elementary level.
However, most people were laymen when it came to ballet, so they could only fool the audience who didn’t know any better.
When Lu Youxin was little, Sheng Ruiru had wanted Miao Ping to take Lu Youxin as her disciple. But Miao Ping had seen from the beginning that Lu Youxin was not the material for ballet. Now, seeing the results of Lu Youxin’s ten-plus years of ballet, it also proved that her judgment of people was not wrong.
“Old Lu, that’s your Youxin, right? The little girl is quite outstanding, and she dances well too!” an old man next to him patted Old Mr. Lu’s shoulder and said cheerfully.
“The little girl is just fooling around. She can’t compare to a professional troupe. It’s good enough that she can stand up there without stage fright.” Old Mr. Lu smiled faintly, his words neither praising nor criticizing.
Sheng Ruiru looked at Old Mr. Lu’s face nervously, wanting to see a trace of gratification and appreciation, but Old Mr. Lu’s reaction was always indifferent.
After Lu Youxin finished her dance on stage, the next program was the play “Labor is the Most Glorious.”
The host announced, “Please enjoy the play ‘Labor is the Most Glorious’ brought to you by the students of the xxx class of the chemistry department.”
Tangtang came out from backstage.
The audience below the stage was a dense crowd. She quickly got into the character of Wang Xiaoyan. “Master Zhang said that our batch of new workers has come at a good time. The factory is expanding its production and is in need of capable hands. Although my hands still tremble when I connect the threads now, one day, I, Wang Xiaoyan, will become a technical backbone of the textile factory, and in our hands, this textile factory will march forward with the times!”
The previous programs were either a grand chorus or a poetry reading. Everyone was almost falling asleep. They didn’t see any elegant interest in the ballet solo either.
As soon as this play began to perform, many people began to watch seriously.
Old Mr. Lu straightened his back, a hint of a smile on his face. “This is one of the few programs today that is related to the theme of Labor Day.”
As soon as Old Mr. Lu said this, someone immediately nodded in agreement. “This play is well-arranged. It has a real feel to it!”
“Isn’t that right? The previous ones were either singing high-sounding tunes or reading from a script. This play has a plot, a lively atmosphere, and is interesting. It’s about real labor, and it matches the theme of today’s Labor Day. It’s refreshing to watch!”
“This group of children seems to have really put their hearts into it.”
“Not only is the plot good, but the acting is also vivid!”
After Old Mr. Zheng finished speaking, he saw Zhou Bing, who was playing Li Dagang on stage, moving the prop cotton onto a rack. He tripped over something, and the cotton in his arms scattered all over the ground. He hurriedly went to pick it up, but in his haste, he stepped on his own trouser leg and squatted on the ground with a cry.
Wang Min, who was playing Li Ni, quickly ran over to help him up, still reciting her lines. “You’re so clumsy. You’re like a duck that has just learned to walk.”
But then the scene changed, and Wang Min was also tripped by her own trouser leg, and the cotton she was carrying also spilled out.
A burst of laughter came from below. Even the teachers sitting in the front row were covering their mouths and laughing.
Old Mr. Zheng laughed so hard he slapped his thigh. “These two are simply a pair of clowns. They’re just like the young lads in our workshop. They’re always in a hurry when they work and always make small mistakes, but they have a fresh and lively energy. It’s really rare!”
Old Mr. Zheng had worked in a workshop in his early years, and he felt very close to this play.
“The actors are also very good.” Another old Mr. Zhou in a tunic suit pushed up his reading glasses. “Look at the girl playing that Wang Xiaoyan. The unyielding spirit in her eyes is exactly the same as the group of new girls in the workshop back then!”
Hearing his words, Old Mr. Lu laughed. “This little girl is a little friend of mine, from the chemistry department of Capital University. She can get a scholarship every year. Last time, I fainted from low blood sugar outside, and it was thanks to her help. This little girl has a kind of perceptiveness, is intelligent, and what’s more rare is that she has a kind and gentle quality!”
This was the first time everyone had seen Old Mr. Lu praise someone so unreservedly. Old Mr. Zhou stroked his chin and laughed. “No wonder she acts with such spirit. So she’s a young person that Old Brother Lu has taken a fancy to! A top student from Capital University, and she can also get a scholarship. Her brain is so sharp, and her acting is not sloppy at all. She’s truly talented in both literature and martial arts!”
“I’ll have our boy learn from her later. Look at that little girl. Not only is her learning good, but her heart is also warm!”
Old Mr. Lu’s several old comrades-in-arms began to discuss enthusiastically.
Miao Ping suddenly said, “That girl playing Wang Xiaoyan is a good seedling for dancing.”
“Hmm?” Sheng Ruiru had already recognized that the person performing on stage was Tangtang.
“Her physical conditions are very good. Her hands and feet are slender and long, her flexibility is not bad, her coordination is strong, and she is very sensitive to rhythm. And even in such a crowded occasion, she is not shy at all. Their performance is basically driven by this girl.”
Miao Ping was a little regretful. “But it’s a pity. From her state, she probably hasn’t learned to dance. And her age is not suitable for the path of a professional dancer anymore.”
The people below the stage were discussing while watching. The performance on stage was also coming to an end.
Half a year later, the five young people who had just entered the factory had all become the technical backbone of the workshop.
The five young people held hands and bowed to the audience below the stage. Tangtang’s clear voice concluded, “We dedicate this play to our country’s thirtieth Labor Day. Labor is the most glorious, labor is the greatest. Everyone who participates in labor is a person worthy of admiration.”
As soon as Tangtang’s voice fell, a warm round of applause erupted from the audience.
Not only did the audience cheer, but even the leaders in the front row couldn’t help but look at each other and repeatedly say, “Good, really good, really good!”
Lu Youxin was still wearing that ballet tutu. She stared at Tangtang on the stage, her face dark and ugly, her nails digging deep into her palm.
She looked again. Tangtang was still wearing that cheap and rustic gingko hairpin on her head.
Lu Youxin couldn’t help but let out a distorted laugh. Su Xintang, are you provoking me?
…
There were a total of twenty programs in this performance. After the performance, all the participants were called to the stage to receive their awards.
Because Lu Youxin’s ballet solo and Tangtang and the others’ play were in succession, the person standing next to Lu Youxin was Tangtang.
“Next, we will announce the most anticipated award of the night—the first prize for the performance!” the host’s clear and pleasant voice sounded on the stage.
A spotlight hit Tangtang and Lu Youxin, covering them both.
The first prize was always the most watched one.
Lu Youxin’s breath paused for half a beat, but she quickly raised her chin with confidence and even took half a step forward. The person who won the first prize would definitely be her.
Tangtang’s heart also couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. Standing next to her was Chen Xiaohui, who was playing Zhang Aiping. She nervously grabbed her hand, her palm sticky with sweat.
“The winner of the first prize for this performance is—” the host deliberately dragged out his tone, and the air in the auditorium seemed to freeze. “The play ‘Labor is the Most Glorious’ by the xxx class of the chemistry department, which moved people’s hearts with the warmth of labor and lit up the stage with the enthusiasm of the era!”
The spotlight suddenly tightened, completely enveloping Tangtang and her classmates. Lu Youxin only felt a flash in front of her eyes, and then a thunderous round of applause erupted in her ears, mixed with the cheers of her classmates, which made her head go blank.
Tangtang looked up with a mixture of surprise and joy, her eyes filled with unexpected surprise.
“That’s great, we’re the first place!” the class monitor, Zhao Yue, said.
Wang Min also cried with joy. “First place, we’re the first place!”
“Did I hear that right?!”
“You didn’t hear wrong. We are the first place! Thank God, thank Labor Day!”
Everyone hadn’t expected to get first place and were overjoyed. If they weren’t still on stage, they would have wanted to jump up and cheer.
“Congratulations!” the host’s smiling voice spread from the microphone.
Although Lu Junshan and Sheng Ruiru were a little disappointed that Lu Youxin didn’t get first place, they were also happy for Tangtang and the others.
Old Mr. Lu was sitting in the front row, his cloudy eyes shining with a clear light. He slowly raised his hand and gently clapped along with the applause from below the stage, each clap full of solemnity.
Old Mr. Zheng didn’t understand and nudged his arm. “Old Lu, your Youxin didn’t win an award. Aren’t you disappointed?”
Old Mr. Lu laughed. “What’s there to be disappointed about? Didn’t you notice that ‘Labor is the Most Glorious’ is what the people want and is well-deserved?”
He looked at Tangtang, who was surrounded by her classmates on the stage, as if he were looking at his own junior, with gratification.
The principal, in a tunic suit, was smiling as he presented them with the award. This was the first time Tangtang had been so close to the principal. After receiving the award, this kind old man also shook hands with each of them.
Tangtang was surrounded by her classmates and went forward to receive the award. The stage lights followed her. The spot where Lu Youxin was standing instantly darkened.
After hearing the host’s words, Lu Youxin was stunned for a few seconds before she realized that she had not misheard. The applause that she had expected to be her exclusive honor had now mercilessly become a slap in the face.
“Why?” she roared in her heart. It would have been fine if she had lost to someone else, but she had to lose to this slut, Su Xintang, a clod of earth from a mountain gully!
She looked at Tangtang, who was receiving the award in front, a trace of resentment in her eyes.