Yao Wenjing was completely stunned. She never expected that Shi Man would become the center of attention.
Not only had the deputy regiment commander personally announced her as top-grade A-plus, even the dance team and the creative team were fighting over her.
Today’s selection set the initial evaluations for all newly recruited art soldiers.
A, B, C, D. D was the lowest, A was the best.
A-plus meant excellence on top of excellence. Since the selection began, only one girl from the choir with a naturally gifted voice and a famous opera performer who had joined the troupe had ever received such a rating. It was extremely rare.
Yao Wenjing had been distracted, her mind completely on Ling Zhen, and never even watched Shi Man’s performance. So she was convinced that Shi Man could not possibly have earned an A-plus on real ability.
On stage, when the deputy regiment commander loudly announced that Shi Man would enter the dance team, Yao Wenjing’s face grew even darker.
She only knew how to dance, which meant she also had to enter the dance team. But the dance team already had an A-plus. If she wanted another one, it would be extremely difficult.
Her mindset was completely off. By the time it was finally her turn to go on stage, she performed terribly. The judges kept shaking their heads.
She ended up with the lowest D rating, completely outside her expectations. She walked off the stage in a daze, bringing the selection to an awkward close.
Behind her, the deputy regiment commander took up the microphone again and encouraged everyone. “I’m very pleased that this selection allowed us to see how talented you all are. I’m also very glad our troupe has gained so many outstanding new members.”
“Based on your specialties, the committee has already assigned you to various teams and positions within the troupe. After the lunch break, please check the assignment list posted outside the dining hall.”
“Also, the comrades who performed exceptionally well and received A-plus ratings, such as Shi Man, Zhao Qingyue, and Cui Xia, will be exceptionally placed into Team One.” The deputy commander started clapping, and everyone below followed in a daze, their eyes full of confusion.
Did they hear that right? Team One?
Everyone knew how the troupe worked. Aside from being divided by arts categories, each category had multiple sub-teams.
For example, the dance team had Team One, Team Two, Team Three, Team Four, and Team Five.
Team One was the best. All the major performances and galas were handled by Team One.
New art recruits almost always started in Team Four or Team Five. If they were lucky, they might get into Team Three.
Even Team Two, which often performed on stage, required one to two years of training in the troupe before joining. Team One was for elites only.
Nobody expected that just by getting an A-plus, Shi Man would be allowed to go directly into the team everyone didn’t even dare dream about. In an instant, all eyes filled with envy and jealousy landed on Shi Man’s slender straight back at the front.
The deputy commander saw everyone’s expressions and encouraged them. “No need to feel discouraged. The troupe reevaluates everyone every quarter. You don’t have to get an A-plus like Shi Man. As long as you get an A, you can move up.”
His words did motivate the young women, but an A was still extremely difficult, especially for newcomers.
Shi Man received her A-plus certificate. To everyone, it was heavy with value. They watched her leave with longing eyes.
In reality, A-plus meant not only honor but also many tangible rewards.
For example, entry into the dance team’s Team One. Five yuan in prize money and a bottle of lemon skin lotion. Priority consideration for promotion in the future and more opportunities to perform.
A promotion meant being allowed to marry, receive housing, have children. Things every female soldier longed for.
When the selection ended, the news that the three A-plus recruits were entering Team One spread throughout the troupe.
As soon as Shi Man entered the dining hall, countless envious gazes surrounded her.
She arrived among the last group. Many art soldiers had already finished eating and had empty metal lunch boxes in front of them as they chatted around the low tables.
Most of the food prepared by the kitchen was gone. Fortunately, Mondays were usually bun days, so Shi Man managed to get some leftover meat buns. At least she could eat a little meat to reward herself.
But eating only buns was too plain. She had trained hard yesterday and gone through the selection today. She wanted something better.
Shi Man never treated herself poorly. She lifted the back-kitchen curtain and slipped inside to see if anything was left.
The moment she entered, she came face to face with someone startled. The girl hurriedly put down a bottle of sesame oil. The oil at the corner of her mouth and the sesame fragrance in the air exposed what she had been doing.
Shi Man froze and hesitantly called out, “Cui Xia?”
Cui Xia was also an A-plus recipient who entered the choir’s Team One. Shi Man remembered her well. She was small, but her voice was bright and graceful. When she sang, she sounded better than a nightingale, with impressive power.
Cui Xia was here secretly drinking sesame oil.
She was nervous and gestured for Shi Man to keep quiet. Even in a whisper, her voice was still as crisp as a canary. “Don’t let Cook Li hear us.”
Not far away, Li Fang from the kitchen staff was still cleaning the counters and didn’t seem to notice them.
Shi Man nodded and pointed deeper inside. “I’m checking if there’s anything left to eat.”
“No need. I already checked. There’s nothing left.” Cui Xia sighed, glancing at Li Fang again before picking up the small bottle of sesame oil. She offered it to Shi Man. “Do you want some? It smells amazing.”
“No.” Shi Man turned it down.
Oil would ruin her figure.
Shi Man cared about her beauty and had strict standards for herself. She was disciplined and picky.
“You’re really particular.” Cui Xia thought. No wonder she was so pretty. She stuck out her tongue playfully. “For singing, being a little plump is better. Gives us more breath support.”
As she spoke, she couldn’t resist drinking a little more sesame oil, savoring it with pleasure.
But Shi Man’s mood was complicated. She had participated in the selection completely differently from the nightmare she remembered, yet now, after the selection, meeting Cui Xia in the dining hall was exactly the same as in her dream.
It seemed she had not changed much at all.
On the other side, Yao Wenjing didn’t go to the dining hall and returned straight to the dormitory.
She was full of anger. What food could she possibly eat?
When she walked in, Liu Tao and a few girls from neighboring rooms were chatting excitedly.
When they saw her, they asked curiously, “Wenjing is back. We should just ask her. Is it true Manman got A-plus and entered Team One of the dance team? That’s amazing. How did she do it?”
Everyone knew how rare A-plus was.
They were shocked by the news for a long time. No one expected Shi Man to suddenly steal the spotlight. Their tones were full of envy.
This felt like a knife to Yao Wenjing’s heart. She muttered, “Ask her when she comes back.”
Liu Tao stretched her neck to look outside. “We’ve been waiting forever. She’s still not back.”
“Right.” The others agreed.
“No point waiting.” Yao Wenjing snorted and sat heavily on the edge of her bed, looking like a resentful woman. “She definitely won’t tell you the truth. She lied to me and Liu Tao last night. When we first arrived she said roommates were the best sisters, but she never took us seriously.”
Liu Tao blinked in realization. “You mean Manman lied last night when she said she wouldn’t ask Deputy Commander Ling for help?”
“Without someone pulling strings for her, how could Shi Man get A-plus?” Yao Wenjing pouted. “Think about it. Who dances better? Me or her?”
The room went silent.
Everyone knew Shi Man only had great flexibility and looked beautiful, but Yao Wenjing was the hardworking type. Even after lights-out every night, she practiced basic dance skills in the dark. She was solid.
Yao Wenjing also had a special skill. She could do all kinds of flips. She wasn’t afraid of hardship or pain. She would throw her whole body into it, doing the highest difficulty moves.
But they didn’t know that she performed terribly today because of her unstable mindset and didn’t execute a single flip. Someone asked her, “Then what rating did you get today?”
This question stabbed her again.
She could never admit she received a D. Impossible.
Just then, Sister Mei’s voice called from outside, getting closer. “Xiao Man? Is Xiao Man back?”
Yao Wenjing quickly went to lift the curtain. “Sister Mei, she should be back soon. Come in and wait.”
Sister Mei really did need something from Shi Man, so she came in and sat down.
Yao Wenjing hurried to pour hot water into the best enamel mug in the room and handed it over eagerly. “Sister Mei, when can you introduce someone to me?”
Sister Mei looked up helplessly.
Yao Wenjing was dark-skinned. Even if she wore bright red silk flowers like Shi Man, she never looked as fair and delicate as Shi Man. Instead, it made her look rustic.
Even her smile couldn’t hide her ambition.
Sister Mei had tried helping her once and asked what kind of partner she wanted.
But Yao Wenjing had no sense of her own situation. Her demands were unreasonable, one after another.
Sister Mei listened and gave up, never thinking of matchmaking for her again. She always brushed it off. “No suitable candidates for now.”
Yao Wenjing felt unwilling but didn’t dare show it. Afraid of offending Sister Mei, she sat aside, fiddling nervously with the Hero-brand fountain pen in her pocket.
Liu Tao took out a small packet of salted dried jujubes coated in salt and put it in front of Sister Mei, acting sweet. “Sister Mei, don’t forget us. We also want someone.”
The other girls chimed in, introducing themselves.
“Alright, I won’t forget you.” Compared to the calculating Yao Wenjing, Sister Mei found these innocent girls much more likable.
Liu Tao had a sweet face and always smiled with two dimples like honey. She quickly got close to Sister Mei and asked, “What are you waiting for Manman about?”
“I wanted to ask what she thinks about Deputy Commander Ling.” Sister Mei knocked her legs. She had been walking all day and was tired. “You all left early today and didn’t see it. Xiao Man performed so well on stage. The reaction was incredibly positive. A few people already came asking me to matchmake.”
Yao Wenjing almost choked.
So even if Shi Man didn’t choose Deputy Commander Ling, there were still plenty of men lining up for her?
Unlike her, who couldn’t even get one match?
Someone asked, perhaps on purpose, “Sister Mei, Wenjing was on stage too. Did anyone ask you to matchmake for her?”
Sister Mei’s smile froze. She almost blurted out that no one would be interested after today’s performance.
She stood quickly. “It’s too hot in here. I’ll wait for her outside. She should be back soon.”
Liu Tao understood instantly and gave Yao Wenjing a subtle glance. The others also looked at her, making Yao Wenjing feel stabbed all over.
No matter how they tried to keep Sister Mei, she left quickly.
She guessed correctly. After waiting only a short time outside, she saw Shi Man walking from afar.
In the blazing summer sun, the brim of Shi Man’s military cap shaded her small face. No wonder she never tanned. Her skin looked like it could glow.
“Xiao Man, you’re finally back.” Sister Mei wiped her sweat and hurried over, stopping Shi Man halfway. She went straight to the point. “It’s too hot to beat around the bush. Don’t be shy. Tell me honestly. What do you think of Deputy Commander Ling?”