Wang Dongyun was facing the wall, stretching her legs, when she heard Shi Man’s voice. Her whole body stiffened, and for a long while she didn’t turn around.
She cried.
She lifted her elbow and wiped her face desperately, her shoulders trembling as she cried in silence, unwilling to turn back and let Shi Man see her tears.
This was the first time.
The very first time Wang Dongyun had heard someone say they were willing to go on stage with her.
She found it hard to describe the feeling—like struggling alone in a tiny boat on the vast sea, barely keeping it from capsizing, when suddenly someone steered a huge ship over, reached out a hand to her, and asked if she wanted to come aboard.
What Shi Man gave Wang Dongyun was exactly that sense of safety and salvation.
Wang Dongyun took several deep breaths, finally stopping her tears. She turned back and smiled sweetly at Shi Man.
“Manman, thank you. But I want to perform alone. You should team up with someone else.”
She was deeply grateful to Shi Man, but she also knew her own limits. She couldn’t drag Shi Man down.
Shi Man, of course, could see Wang Dongyun’s concern. She waited and waited, but Wang Dongyun never reached out her hand. It didn’t matter—Shi Man could take the initiative.
“You dance so well. Are you refusing to team up with me because you look down on me?” Shi Man deliberately put on a hurt expression.
Wang Dongyun immediately panicked. “No, Manman, that’s not it.”
“Then why?” Shi Man tilted her head.
“Manman… no one wants to team up with me. I—I’ll hold you back.” Wang Dongyun lowered her head. Rejecting Shi Man made her feel guilty and sad, but she couldn’t agree. That would be too selfish.
Shi Man placed both hands on Wang Dongyun’s shoulders.
“Dongyun, you have to believe in yourself. Teacher Wu has said it before—your dance foundation and talent are among the best in our art troupe.”
Forced to look up, Wang Dongyun met Shi Man’s sincere gaze. For a moment, she wavered.
She almost believed her.
But reality quickly returned—no one wanted to team up with her. What good was dancing well? Her legs still had a slight lack of coordination. Anyone who looked closely could tell.
And there was also tumbling. For dance performances to stand out, flips and acrobatics were practically essential. That was why every dance team practiced mat skills daily.
Wang Dongyun knew very well that her weakness in this area was something she simply couldn’t make up for.
“That’s not true.” Shi Man pressed Wang Dongyun’s hand firmly and spoke solemnly. “Dongyun, believe me. As long as we’re willing to put in the effort, we’ll definitely be selected.”
Wang Dongyun froze again, staring blankly at Shi Man—afraid to believe, yet desperately wanting to.
…
In the end, Shi Man played the pitiful card, saying that no one was willing to team up with her either. Only then did she finally persuade Wang Dongyun.
They would try. They couldn’t back out before even stepping onto the battlefield.
And in truth, Shi Man wasn’t entirely lying.
Aside from the few sisters she ate with every day, most people really didn’t want to team up with her.
Shi Man was beautiful, with excellent outward conditions, but everyone had seen her personality.
She couldn’t endure hardship, was always delicate and pampered, and her temper was too straightforward—she never knew how to compromise. How could she possibly work with others, pouring sweat into preparing a performance together?
So when people heard that Shi Man and Wang Dongyun had teamed up to perform, many expressions were… colorful.
Yao Wenjing spoke up directly with cold sarcasm. “These two together are quite fitting. At least they won’t drag other people down.”
Wang Dongyun was furious and wanted to rush over to argue. She didn’t care what Yao Wenjing said about her, but she absolutely wouldn’t allow Shi Man to be dragged into it.
Yet Shi Man, who usually had a fiery temper, pulled Wang Dongyun back and said leisurely, “Why go over there?”
Just as Wang Dongyun was about to speak, Shi Man added, “When a dog on the roadside barks at you, you can’t bark back, can you?”
Wang Dongyun froze. Everyone present couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath.
As expected of Shi Man. They thought she’d mellowed out—turns out she was even fiercer than before.
Sure enough, Yao Wenjing’s face turned ashen with anger, and she couldn’t say a word.
Everyone silently thought: Serves her right. Who did she think she was provoking? Anyone but Shi Man.
…
There were only five days left until the selection of exchange performance programs.
During this period, different teams had to decide on their programs—choreography, joint practice, formations, coordination. Time was extremely tight.
The small practice rooms were full every day. Some art soldiers were so ruthless with themselves that they skipped breakfast just to get there early and secure a spot to practice.
Teams varied in size.
For example, Jiang Lanfang had practically gathered most of Squad One together. She had authority and real skill, and everyone trusted her.
She planned to present a large-group dance, saying that more people meant more liveliness, stronger stage effects, and greater impact.
Of course, there were also small groups of three to five, or pairs like Shi Man and Wang Dongyun planning a duet.
Some were even bold enough to attempt solo performances. If selected, they’d be the center of attention on stage.
Yao Wenjing was one such person—she was dancing solo.
But Shi Man suspected Yao Wenjing had simply failed to find a partner and was forced to prepare a solo.
Although Yao Wenjing was good at flips, she was still far from the level of performing alone on stage.
It wasn’t just the dance team—song teams, folk performance teams, and others were all busy with the same thing.
Everyone was rushed off their feet, focused entirely on preparing their programs, hoping to earn an A-grade in the evaluation and shine on the exchange performance stage.
Shi Man worked very hard too.
Not just for herself, but also to help Wang Dongyun.
In her dreams, although she hadn’t been close to Wang Dongyun, she’d heard about how Wang Dongyun had dropped from First Squad to Second Squad, and then continued to decline.
Back then, she’d only felt a little regret for her. Now that they were good sisters, Shi Man wouldn’t allow those regrets to exist.
Wang Dongyun couldn’t sleep at night, worrying about her evaluation, worrying about dragging Shi Man down. So she was always the earliest to rise in the dance team.
She got out of bed before dawn, went to the small practice room to wait for Shi Man, and stretched and practiced on her own.
Shi Man would go to the cafeteria for breakfast, pack an extra portion for Wang Dongyun in a metal lunchbox, and bring it over.
Because of this, the two of them could always secure the small practice room, close the door, and practice without worry.
The dance they prepared was choreographed by Shi Man herself. She called it the Marionette Dance.
She’d never formally learned it—she’d only seen it in her dreams, where it struck her as novel and shocking.
Now, relying on memory, she recreated it and taught it to Wang Dongyun.
“Manman, this dance is so special,” Wang Dongyun said the first time she learned it, completely amazed. She’d never seen anything like it. At first glance it felt strange, but the longer you watched, the more stunning and fresh it became.
“Manman, how did you come up with something like this?” After finishing the entire dance, Wang Dongyun’s once-dull eyes lit up completely. She’d never felt so confident.
This dance would definitely be selected. Their evaluation would definitely earn an A-grade.
Wang Dongyun was already looking forward to it.
Shi Man, however, made a shushing gesture and lowered her voice.
“Don’t let people outside hear. This is our secret. We’ll only reveal it on the actual evaluation day.”
Wang Dongyun understood immediately and nodded.
“Alright. Such an amazing dance really should give everyone a surprise.”
“And one more thing,” Shi Man bit her lip and whispered. “Dongyun, don’t say that I came up with this marionette dance.”
Wang Dongyun tilted her head in confusion, her wide eyes filled with puzzlement—like a side effect of just learning the marionette dance.
“Manman, this is a great opportunity. You—”
Shi Man shook her head slightly. Wang Dongyun fell silent, guessing that Shi Man had her reasons.
Good sisters didn’t need to ask too much. If Shi Man didn’t want the spotlight, then she’d protect her secret.
Wang Dongyun clenched her fist solemnly.
“Okay, Manman. I won’t say anything.”
Shi Man picked up the prop strings from the floor and tied them around Wang Dongyun’s wrists.
“Then let’s start practicing.”
Although the choreography was novel and distinctive, it still required tremendous effort.
This was an entirely new style. She and Wang Dongyun needed repeated refinement.
Shi Man usually liked to slack off, but at critical moments, she never admitted defeat. She wanted to stand on the stage she yearned for—together with Wang Dongyun.
Facing the mirrors in the small practice room, they polished their movements again and again.
The charm of the marionette dance lay in imitating the pauses and mechanical layers of puppet movements. It was practically tailor-made for Wang Dongyun.
Her slight leg aftereffects—the lack of coordination that affected aesthetics during flips or complex movements—became something perfectly natural and strange in this dance.
It gave the illusion that she truly was a marionette.
Her former flaw became an advantage others could never have. Wang Dongyun picked it up quickly, and gradually even Shi Man found herself applauding—Wang Dongyun danced it even better than what Shi Man had seen in her dreams.
And so, the two immersed themselves in days of hard struggle.
Practicing during the day. Practicing at night.
At meals, they discussed puppet movements and expressions. When exhausted, they lay on the practice room floor, still talking about how to make the dance more perfect.
Even in their sleep, they dreamed of becoming marionettes themselves, strings pulling their hands and feet as they spun graceful circles on a brightly lit stage.
Wang Dongyun seemed to completely forget about Zhao Wen. All she thought about was dancing well. Practice alone exhausted her, leaving no room for romantic thoughts.
The same went for Shi Man. She paid no attention to the outside world and naturally didn’t know that Ling Zhen had come by twice during this time.
He heard from others that she was in the small practice room and knew she was busy with evaluations, so he didn’t disturb her.
Aside from that, something big happened in the troupe.
After the deputy commander who had apologized to Shi Man and been reassigned left, his position was finally filled.
What was noteworthy was that the new deputy commander had never worked in arts at all—he’d been transferred from the artillery regiment.
Everyone found it amusing. Over meals, they joked privately—did firing cannons require rhythm and melody too?
…Of course not.
To be honest, the deputy commander himself was quite depressed.
“Tell me,” he complained, “I’m a grown man who’s spent his life shooting guns and firing cannons. Why am I being sent to an art troupe to deal with this girly stuff?”
Qin Junbao brought wine to find Ling Zhen and vent. He never imagined he’d be dragged in to fill the art troupe vacancy.
But he’d clearly chosen the wrong person. Ling Zhen had never been good at comforting others.
So in response to Qin Junbao’s misery, Ling Zhen merely sat upright, face solemn, and said, “The superior assigned you administrative work. He didn’t ask you to sing or dance.”
“…But I still have to watch other people sing and dance, don’t I?” Qin Junbao considered himself a manly man who preferred real weapons. He had no interest in the arts.
Though Ling Zhen’s words brought no comfort, at least he could drink with him.
After several cups of dull wine, Qin Junbao quickly got drunk.
Ling Zhen drank even more, yet looked as if he’d only had a couple of glasses of water—no sign of intoxication.
He lifted Qin Junbao with one hand and sent him back to the art troupe.
On the way, he again asked where Shi Man was. The answer was still the same—“Probably in the small practice room. Haven’t seen her.” He left without any change in expression.
…
Five days later, the formal evaluation day arrived—the crucial moment when the troupe selected programs for the exchange performance.
The commander, several deputy commanders, and leaders from each team all wore their most formal uniforms, sitting upright to conduct the selection.
The location was the same pavilion where Shi Man had participated in her first selection. This time, the long benches below were packed—almost all the troupe’s leaders and art soldiers were present.
It showed how important this was.
A single performance needed many programs—dance, singing, folk arts, and more.
The leaders liked variety. Programs with novelty and visual appeal were even better, especially those that showcased Chinese culture and conveyed positive values.
Shi Man sat below the stage and had Wang Dongyun draw lots to determine the order of performances.
Wang Dongyun was extremely nervous, her palms slick with sweat. Her luck was terrible—she drew the very last slot.
Her confidence took a heavy blow.
Returning to Shi Man, she said gloomily, “What do we do, Manman? I’m afraid we have no hope.”
“Who says that?” Shi Man lifted her eyes.
Wang Dongyun rubbed her hands. “The number of performance slots is fixed. If the earlier performers do well, they’ll be chosen quickly. The later it gets, the harder it is… If we’re last, there probably won’t be any slots left.”
“Don’t be afraid. As long as we get on stage, we’ll secure a slot.” Shi Man was always confident, and her confidence gradually infected Wang Dongyun.
Sitting beside Shi Man, Wang Dongyun’s anxious heart inexplicably calmed down. Together, they watched the performances on stage seriously.
Know your enemy and know yourself, and you’ll never lose.
Even with teams, there were dozens of programs.
Everyone pooled ideas and creativity, resulting in a wide variety of performances.
Some were brilliant and eye-catching. Others were relatively dull.
One thing worth mentioning was Yao Wenjing’s solo—it actually got selected.
She had truly put in the effort. One segment of her continuous flips drew gasps from everyone present.
It was said she’d nearly broken her leg in private practice. The soles of her feet had blistered and bled, yet she wrapped them in gauze and kept practicing until the flesh grew over. Only then did she go to the medic to have it removed bit by bit.
Yao Wenjing participated in the evaluation while injured, yet her flips still flowed smoothly, betraying no sign of pain.
She could endure—and she truly turned resentment into motivation, fighting fiercely for promotion and recognition.
As the performance slots were handed out one by one, Wang Dongyun grew restless again.
She kept counting.
By sheer ill fate, Jiang Lanfang drew the second-to-last slot—right before Wang Dongyun.
At that moment, Wang Dongyun calculated that only one performance slot remained. She sat bolt upright, tense.
She stared hard at Jiang Lanfang’s team, forced to admit—it was a beautiful, well-practiced dance.
The dancers of Squad One were all elites. With Jiang Lanfang leading, they’d trained tirelessly day and night, polishing synchronization and formations.
Though not innovative, the dance was solid, flawless—a testament to repeated, disciplined training.
After discussion, the commander and deputy commanders nodded and announced their evaluation result—A-grade.
That was it. The performance slots were set.
Almost no one remembered that Shi Man and Wang Dongyun still had a program.
They’d prepared quietly. Their program name sounded ordinary. One had slightly uncoordinated legs; the other was just pretty and couldn’t endure hardship—no one thought highly of them.
Several deputy commanders and leaders even forgot entirely, nearly standing up to leave.
Only Qin Junbao remembered. He glanced at Shi Man in the audience—the vain, beautiful woman.
She truly had a distinctive beauty. Sitting among rows of women in green uniforms, she caught the eye immediately.
But Qin Junbao still felt it wasn’t worth it for Ling Zhen. What use was a woman being beautiful? She couldn’t be eaten. Worse, selfishness, arrogance, and laziness would only make life miserable.
Qin Junbao shook his head, hearing Zhang Zhixin sigh beside him.
But Zhang Zhixin’s regret was about something else.
“That child, Wang Dongyun—I know her. She’s danced since childhood. She has real talent and foundation. It’s just a pity she was injured and left with aftereffects.”
“Such a pity.”
With little expectation, Zhang Zhixin said regretfully, “Let the last team come up.”
Everyone could already smell the food from the cafeteria. Best to finish quickly and go eat.