They were once the closest lovers.
This sense of ritual is a very deep imprint on a woman's life.
Zhao Xiyin covered her face, ran her fingers through her long hair, and a flash of pain crossed her eyes.
“I knew there would be problems if you got married so quickly. Zhou Qishen was impulsive, and you followed suit. What is this now, the punishment for your impulsiveness?” Li Ran sighed, then became serious and said earnestly, “But once a man makes a decision, he must take responsibility and have the magnanimity to back it up. No matter what happened in the process, Zhou Qishen was wrong to treat you the way he did in the end.”
Zhao Xiyin closed her eyes, her mind in turmoil.
Li Ran's eyes darted around, and she frowned. "Wait a minute, why did you go to the hospital today? Especially the place where he's hospitalized!"
Zhao Xiyin quickly got up to leave, stammering, "Just passing by."
Li Ran tried to pull her but missed, and said inexplicably, "Little madwoman."
Zhao Xiyin only realized that her hands were empty when she entered the elevator, as if something was missing. When she got out of the elevator, she finally remembered that she had left her thermos in the hospital cafeteria.
Just as she was hesitating about whether to turn back, Ding Yahe called. She sounded like she was in a good mood and invited Zhao Xiyin over for dinner.
Ding Yahe personally cooked, and by the time it was ready, five dishes and a soup were already on the table. While she was still busy in the kitchen, Zhao Xiyin and Ni Rui were left sitting awkwardly in the living room. Ni Rui was engrossed in sending WeChat voice messages to a friend, talking about makeup and bags for about ten minutes.
She glanced at Zhao Xiyin and couldn't help but think to herself, "Her skin is really good, clear and radiant. Her almond-shaped eyes and upturned nose perfectly match the saying—she looks good whether she's wearing heavy or light makeup." The dress was Armani, the bag was Fendi, and the shoes weren't as expensive as her own, which made Ni Rui feel slightly better.
Ding Yahe was unusually enthusiastic today, constantly serving food to Zhao Xiyin, but she couldn't hide her true nature and still couldn't help complaining about what happened last time.
"You're such a drama queen. I kindly suggested you go see Teacher Dai, and you act like I owe you eight million. You still went in the end, didn't you? I really don't know if you have a problem with me, or if you just have to act up to be happy." Ding Yahe got angry at the mention of it. "What's wrong with Zhou Qishen? They're divorced, what right does an outsider like him have to stand up for them!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiyin calmly put down her chopsticks, her expression indifferent, and didn't eat another bite.
Ding Yahe's self-centered personality meant she wouldn't pay attention to such trivial matters. After rambling on for another ten minutes or so, she finally got back to the main point, "I have something happy to tell you. From now on, as the older sister, you should take better care of your younger sister."
Zhao Xiyin raised her head.
Ding Yahe nodded to Ni Rui and said with a smile, "Xiao Rui has also been selected to rehearse with you. Although it's a group dance, she's quite good for her young age. You're the older sister, and you're on good terms with Teacher Dai, so you must speak well of your younger sister to Teacher Dai, understand?"
Zhao Xiyin frowned. "When did this happen?"
Ding Yahe spoke with boundless pride, "She fought for it herself, and we also used some connections. The teachers in the department pushed her forward, and she passed the preliminary and final exams. I heard that tens of thousands of people applied, so it was one in ten thousand."
Ni Rui possesses the vigor of youth and has aspired to work in the entertainment industry since childhood. She wanted to apply to the Beijing Film Academy, but her professional scores were low, and her academic performance also dragged her down, ultimately leading her to a second-rate art school where she studied dance. Her mediocre professional skills likely stemmed from a desire to simply obtain a diploma, while she was undeniably enthusiastic about the glitz and glamour of the world of fame and fortune.
Zhao Xiyin's attitude was indifferent, and she said frankly, "I just joined too, it's the same for everyone. I can't say I'll take care of you. This is also a job, just rehearse well."
Ding Yahe nodded, then turned to Ni Rui: "Learn more from your sister, you hear me? Stop just buying things all day long."
Zhao Xiyin left after a short while. As soon as she left, Ni Rui was particularly indignant. "She's not a star. She's just a backup dancer. Why should I have to learn from her?"
Ding Yahe sneered, "Her college entrance exam score was high enough to get into a 985 university, she won the national youth dance competition in her freshman year, and she's the only student Teacher Dai has ever acknowledged. You arrogant brat, I'd be thankful if you had half the composure of your sister!"
Ni Rui didn't take it to heart at all and said sarcastically, "So what? Her stage mishap back then was a laughing stock in the industry."
Ding Yahe felt a pang of resentment, but she couldn't refute it. Frustrated, she swung her hand and stormed off, yelling, "You blockhead!"
——
I officially joined the crew on Monday.
The production team had ample funding and strived for perfection; even the dance practice venue was newly built. In Chaoyang Center, where land is incredibly valuable, the practice room occupied an entire floor. When Zhao Xiyin went to report for duty, she discovered that the number of dancers far exceeded her expectations.
After being divided into groups, each person was responsible for their assigned part of the scene. The morning was busy but orderly, and the team was basically set up. The young women, with their green hair and rosy cheeks, were elegant, their expressions hopeful, and they chattered excitedly as they introduced themselves to each other. Sometimes their laughter was like silver bells, sometimes their faces bloomed like flowers.
Zhao Xiyin stood quietly to the side, her mind wandering, as if she were in another world.
Standing by the window railing, Ni Rui, with her youthful, rosy face and meticulously applied makeup, clearly inherited Ding Yahe's good genes. She was incredibly sociable and loved being the center of attention.
Where are you from?
"From Shanghai."
“I’m from Beijing, let’s go shopping together sometime.”
Ni Rui took the opportunity to link arms with the other person. She had done her research before coming. The one from Shanghai seemed unremarkable, but his family was in real estate. The one from Shenzhen was also quite nice; she heard he had some connections.
Subtle and calculated intimate gestures easily lead to the formation of a small circle of friends.
Someone asked, "By the way, when we were being divided into groups, did you notice that one group had an odd number of members? Logically, every group should have an even number of members."
Another whispered, "She wasn't in a group."
"who?"
He tilted his chin slightly towards Zhao Xiyin, "Yes."
Several pairs of eyes glanced in that direction casually, all speculating: "Could it be the lead dancer?"
Ni Rui scoffed.
I immediately asked her, "Oh, you know her?"
Ni Rui straightened her collar and said in an evasive tone, "I don't know her."
The hundred or so girls had probably split into a dozen or so small groups, chattering away noisily. The noise grew increasingly boisterous until suddenly, several loud bangs echoed through the room, followed by a furious male voice—
"Are you done yet?! This isn't a market, all of you shut up!"
The man was around thirty years old, of average height, but with a rather imposing presence. Despite the sweltering heat, if Zhao Xiyin wasn't mistaken, he was wearing a mink coat.
This man's surname was Zhang, and his name was Zhang Yijie. He sharply scanned the entire room and raised his voice: "Are you all wearing makeup? Didn't you read the requirements? Don't you know what 'bare face' means? Go and remove it!"