When Director Zhang called them up, Wang Dongyun’s anxiety intensified.
Fortunately, Shi Man took her hand at that moment.
The instant Wang Dongyun felt Shi Man’s warmth, her nervousness vanished completely.
Though deeply disappointed, defeated, and regretful that there were no more spots left in the competition, Shi Man told her, “At least we won’t let our hard work go to waste.”
These words were like a beam of light suddenly piercing through the dark, damp depths of a valley, and Wang Dongyun’s steps toward the pavilion suddenly became firm and resolute.
Shi Man was right. No matter what, they wouldn’t let their efforts be in vain. They would show everyone just how beautiful their carefully prepared dance was.
Wang Dongyun lifted her chin, straightened her back, and exuded an entirely different aura onstage than usual.
As the music began, everyone frowned in unison.
…A puppet show? Why was the dance team performing a puppet show?
But they soon realized this wasn’t the puppet show they expected; it was a dance.
A Puppet Dance.
Shi Man and Wang Dongyun moved in perfect harmony. Shi Man held the strings, while Wang Dongyun acted as the marionette, dancing gracefully to the music.
The dance was a unique mix of tension and release, with a rhythm that was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. It was a powerful and strange sight that left a deep impression.
No one had ever seen anything like it.
It wasn’t about delicate grace anymore; instead, it was full of strong lines and raw power.
The audience stared at Wang Dongyun and Shi Man in disbelief.
Just half an hour earlier, several female soldiers from the folk arts team had performed a lively puppet show that nearly earned them an A-grade. But now, they couldn’t help but glance down at their own puppets, their hearts filled with complex emotions.
A puppet… could actually be performed by real people, and be so beautiful? It’s incredible!
When the dance ended, Wang Dongyun stood on stage, looking at the expressions of the audience. Tears welled up in her eyes.
She knew she had done it.
No matter the outcome, she had shown everyone that she, Wang Dongyun, could stand on stage and deliver the most stunning dance.
Wang Dongyun couldn’t help wiping away her tears, sobbing and crying openly.
Shi Man, far calmer than Wang Dongyun, handed her a checkered handkerchief.
Director Zhang Zhixin finally snapped out of his shock and couldn’t help but clap in admiration. “Dongyun, your performance was incredible! I bet I’m not the only one who almost thought you were a real puppet just now.”
Qin Junbao nodded in agreement. He couldn’t stand seeing girls cry, so he added, “But crying like this makes you look less like one now.”
This immediately stopped Wang Dongyun’s tears. She had poured so much emotion into this dance, often imagining herself as the puppet, and couldn’t bear hearing someone say she “didn’t look like a puppet.”
Seeing Wang Dongyun had stopped crying, Zhang Zhixin smiled again, his excitement growing. He grew more talkative, emphasizing, “Your dance is beautiful and deeply meaningful.”
Everyone knew that puppet theater had a long history in Huaxia, dating back over a thousand years.
This Puppet Dance wasn’t just innovative; it also paid homage to traditional culture.
Could there be a better performance? Absolutely not!
Zhang Zhixin wasn’t the only one snapping out of the spell of the stunning performance, the other commanders and officers also snapped out of their daze, their expressions uniform, as if they’d unearthed a treasure.
All eyes were fixed on Shi Man and Wang Dongyun on stage.
Wang Dongyun, ever the crybaby, felt her nose tingle with tears at the leaders’ approval. It was clear how much blood, sweat, and tears she’d poured into this performance.
Shi Man, however, cut straight to the chase: “Director, can our act be selected for the cultural exchange performance?”
*Yes. Of course, yes!*
Zhang Zhixin almost blurted out the answer, but quickly remembered that the roster for the exchange performance had already been finalized!
A sudden buzz erupted from the audience. Everyone lost their appetite, eager to see how things would unfold.
The art soldiers who had earned A Grades and secured their spots for the exchange performance suddenly tensed up. They knew, deep down, that their acts couldn’t hold a candle to Shi Man and Wang Dongyun’s, but they feared being stripped of their performance opportunities.
Most of the art soldiers who weren’t selected still loved watching these showdowns, even more than watching plays or performances.
Shi Man had indeed given the Commanders a tough problem.
Wang Dongyun hadn’t even considered this, but Shi Man’s question sparked her own anticipation.
*Exchange performances?* What an incredible opportunity! What kind of stage… Wang Dongyun had always dreamed of it.
In the audience, Yao Wenjing, Jiang Lanfang, and the others were the most anxious.
All their routines were in the same category—dance—so if the leaders changed their minds and cut programs, one of them would likely be replaced.
Yao Wenjing squirmed in her seat, her hatred for Shi Man burning hotter than ever.
She refused to admit that Shi Man’s skills surpassed her own. Instead, she blamed Shi Man and Wang Dongyun for ruining her chances, making all her blood, sweat, and tears feel utterly wasted!
Jiang Lanfang, however, was far more composed than Yao Wenjing. As the leaders pondered, she—as the captain of the First Squad of the Dance Team—suddenly stood up and asked:
“Manman, Dongyun, when did you learn this dance? Where did you learn it? How come I’ve never heard of it before?”
Her question sparked everyone’s curiosity.
The directors and commanders, who had been about to start their meeting, turned to look at Shi Man and Wang Dongyun.
Shi Man frowned slightly, finding Jiang Lanfang’s question rather odd. She subtly tugged at Wang Dongyun’s sleeve from behind, signaling her to speak.
The two had already rehearsed their explanation beforehand. Taking Shi Man’s cue, Wang Dongyun stepped forward and said, “I didn’t learn it from anyone. I came up with it myself.”
Wang Dongyun half-squatted, rubbing her ankle, and lowered her head pitifully. “My legs aren’t very good for tumbling, so I couldn’t do the usual dance moves well. But one day, I saw the folk arts team rehearsing their puppet show, and that gave me the idea.”
“I didn’t expect the moves I tried to choreograph to fit me so perfectly.”
“Manman also said this dance would look beautiful, so we teamed up and rehearsed it together.”
As Wang Dongyun finished speaking softly, the crowd murmured in awe.
It had to be said, she had turned a misfortune into a blessing.
No one else could have achieved the same effect. Only Wang Dongyun’s awkward gait allowed her to portray the jerky, slow movements of a puppet so convincingly.
“Wang Dongyun is amazing! I thought for sure she’d be demoted to the Second Squad since she can’t even do a somersault.”
“Yeah, I never expected her to come up with such a brilliant new dance. She really turned things around.”
“This dance is absolutely captivating. I bet I’ll be dreaming about puppets all night.”
“…”
Wang Dongyun and Shi Man could clearly hear the praise from the audience.
Feeling uneasy and guilty, Wang Dongyun glanced at Shi Man. She knew all the credit should rightfully belong to Shi Man.
Shi Man simply smiled back nonchalantly, signaling her contentment to remain hidden behind the scenes.
While everyone continued to gush about Wang Dongyun’s perceived brilliance, unaware that the true genius lay with Shi Man, the commanders had already made their decision.
Director Zhang Zhixin, standing with his usual authority, announced, “After careful deliberation, we’ve decided to include Wang Dongyun and Shi Man’s performance on the program, as the grand finale dance.”
Yao Wenjing’s face paled instantly, her fate now painfully clear.
As expected, Director Zhang then addressed her solo performance. “Due to time constraints, some previously scheduled performances may need to be adjusted.”
“…Comrades Jiang Lanfang and Yao Wenjing, please come to my office,” Zhang Zhixin announced, confirming Yao Wenjing’s name in the next breath.
Perfect—both were people Shi Man disliked.
She made no effort to hide her malicious glee. Causing trouble for people she hated was something to celebrate.
“Dongyun, let’s go celebrate!”
Wang Dongyun, unaware of Shi Man’s ulterior motives, thought they were simply celebrating the selection of their act. Overjoyed, she looped her arm through Shi Man’s and declared, “Okay! I’ll bring out all the good food. Let’s pig out today!”
Nearby, Cui Xia from the choir team overheard the mention of “good food” and froze in her tracks.
Though she and Shi Man had joined the group together, Cui Xia’s naturally strong voice had earned her a Superior A Grade in the recent Grading Assessment. Her solo performance had also been chosen for the upcoming show, making her a pillar of the choir team.
Using her upcoming performance as an excuse, Cui Xia trailed behind Zhang Zhixin like a puppy, loitering outside his office to eavesdrop.
Then, beaming with delight, she hurried off to find Shi Man and Wang Dongyun.
Wang Dongyun had just finished arranging the delicious treats her father had sent—intended to comfort her about the Grading Assessment and remind her to eat and sleep well, assuring her that even being assigned to the Second Squad wouldn’t be the end of the world.
But Wang Dongyun hadn’t touched a single bite. Now, they were all part of this impromptu “celebration feast.”
The gleaming metal candy box, a bag of sun-dried preserved plums sprinkled with sugary coating, and a box of flaky pastries all shimmered like gold in Cui Xia’s eyes.
She sidled closer, feigning familiarity. “Manman, Dongyun, do you know what the final program schedule looks like?”
Intrigued, Wang Dongyun eagerly gestured for Cui Xia to sit down. “How’s it set up?”
“We can talk while we eat,” Shi Man said, instantly recognizing Cui Xia’s greedy nature. Someone who would lick fragrant sesame oil straight from the bottle couldn’t possibly resist sampling all these goodies. The poor girl would probably fidget with discomfort if she couldn’t have a taste.
Cui Xia accepted a preserved plum from Shi Man, popped it into her mouth, and settled down with a beaming smile. “Director Zhang decided to combine Jiang Lanfang and Yao Wenjing’s programs into one.”
“How are they going to merge those?” Wang Dongyun asked, munching on a pastry and catching the falling flakes in her palm to pop back into her mouth.
“That’s easy,” Cui Xia repeated the gossip she’d heard. “Yao Wenjing is good at tumbling, so she’ll just do her flips between Jiang Lanfang and the other dancers during their group dance.”
“What about Squad Leader Jiang?” Wang Dongyun asked, always concerned about others. “Wasn’t she supposed to have a solo dance in the middle of their group performance?”
“Yeah, but Yao Wenjing’s flips replaced her solo,” Cui Xia said, chewing on a milk candy.
Yao Wenjing, who loved showing off and had been preparing for so long, had her solo dance turned into just a flip routine in a group dance.
Jiang Lanfang was in the same boat. She had worked hard to organize the group dance, even reserving a short solo for herself, only to have it completely cut. Now she was just an unremarkable part of the ensemble.
With all the female soldiers wearing identical uniforms and none possessing Shi Man’s striking beauty, the Commanders and guests watching the performance wouldn’t be able to tell them apart.
The more they thought about it, the angrier they got. They couldn’t understand how Wang Dongyun, who usually kept a low profile, had suddenly come up with such a unique Puppet Dance.
***
With the program finalized, only three days remained until the official cultural exchange performance.
Fortunately, most of the art soldiers participating in the show came from the First Squad of various units. These were seasoned veterans, well-versed in stagecraft, so extensive rehearsals weren’t necessary.
Wang Dongyun’s mindset had become much calmer. Her daily practice sessions no longer felt stressful; achieving an A Grade, remaining in the First Squad, and even getting to perform in the show felt like a great outcome.
She continued to rise before dawn and return late at night, seemingly tireless.
Yao Wenjing, already resentful toward Wang Dongyun for “stealing” her chance to perform a solo dance, grew even more bitter when she saw Wang Dongyun practicing so diligently. It seemed Wang Dongyun was about to snatch the title of “most hardworking female soldier” in the unit, intensifying Yao Wenjing’s animosity. Every time she saw Wang Dongyun, she would hurl sarcastic remarks.
“Some people just love to dream. Getting to perform in the show should be enough. Why would you think the ambassador from Lunsakgisi would choose you?”
“What’s the point of practicing so much? She has no self-awareness. Lunsakgisi already chose Wang Hong from the folk arts team long ago. The three-day exchange performance is just for show.”
Yao Wenjing had already slacked off, too lazy to practice tumbling. What was the point anyway?
Lunsakgisi wanted to invite a few art soldiers to their country for in-depth cultural exchange.
In those days, getting a chance to go abroad was a rare and honorable thing, especially representing Huaxia’s artistic image and standards.
At first, all the art soldiers performing in the exchange programs were full of energy, eager to give their best performances and impress Lunsakgisi.
But they soon learned that the folk arts team’s program had already been chosen because it best showcased Huaxia’s historical and cultural heritage.
So, Yao Wenjing and the others thought Wang Dongyun’s relentless practice was just another attempt to steal someone else’s opportunity.
But that wasn’t it at all.
Wang Dongyun simply cherished this hard-won chance, wanting to dance better, to not let down Shi Man, and to not let down herself.