Chapter 196: The Threads of Love Separated
Turn the page, and you'll find yourself in another world.
June 26th, the day of the performance.
After the news of the open selection was released, the reactions from people in the industry were quite polarized.
Some people find it absurd—isn't it child's play to let hundreds of students vote on the lead dancer?
Some people find it novel—at least it's open and transparent, which is better than deciding behind closed doors.
In any case, "Looking at the Sea" was originally just a project that had some discussion in the dance circle, but it managed to go viral through a "non-professional voting selection".
There was even a trending topic: #Students vote for lead dancer in "Looking at the Sea".
The comments section was in complete chaos.
Some say it's a desecration of professionalism, while others say it's a good attempt to be down-to-earth.
Some people are just watching for the spectacle; they don't understand what's going on with the dancing, and they just vote for whoever is prettier.
Just when the public debate was at its fiercest, someone unexpectedly stepped in.
Longhe.
She quietly forwarded the promotional link for the performance of "Looking at the Sea".
There was no caption, no emoji.
A dry, uninspired repost.
Like a drop of water falling into boiling oil, the entire comment section instantly exploded.
"Sis, was your account hacked?"
"Wait a minute, Longhe is paying attention to dance dramas? What kind of crossover collaboration is this?"
"I remember at the Longhe Shanghai concert, there was a classical dancer who stepped in at the last minute; wasn't she one of the performers from 'Looking at the Sea'?"
"So Longhe is backing that young lady up?"
"I don't care about our relationship, I'm going to see it once Longhe shares it!"
The focus of public opinion quickly shifted from "whether the student vote was professional" to "what exactly is the relationship between Long He and Hua Qing".
Someone dug up a video of Hua Qing's concert in Shanghai last year, and the image of her dancing gracefully on stage in a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) was captured and turned into a GIF, which went viral on various platforms.
"It was her! I thought she was such an ethereal dancer!"
"So Longhe is campaigning for her specifically this time?"
The number of people on the trending topics list jumped from over 40 to number one, and the number of followers on the official Weibo account of "Looking at the Sea" increased by 50,000 overnight!
Backstage.
The atmosphere in the dressing room was quieter than I had imagined.
The three candidates shared a large dressing room, each sitting in their own spot, their reflections in the mirrors not disturbing each other.
The makeup artist applied the final touches to Hua Qing's face, gently pressing the powder puff into her skin.
Her makeup was light, her eyebrows were soft, and her lips were a light coral pink. She looked less aloof than usual and more gentle and girlish.
She plays the young Mazu, before she became the sea goddess, just an ordinary fishing village girl.
Shen Tingwan sat at the other end, and the makeup artist was styling her hair. Her makeup was heavier than Hua Qing's, and her lips were redder, giving her an overall more mature look.
Her portrayal of Mazu, a sacrifice and transformation from a mortal to a sea goddess, requires greater dramatic tension.
Fan Chenxi sat in the far corner, her makeup the heaviest, playing the role of Mazu after she became a goddess...
The lottery results were decided yesterday.
Hua Qing went first, Shen Tingwan second, and Fan Chenxi last.
"take it easy."
Hua Qing opened her eyes and looked at Fan Chenxi in the mirror.
Fan Chenxi forced a smile: "It would be a lie to say I'm not nervous... my hands are shaking."
"Take a deep breath."
Shen Tingwan spoke up at the same time to comfort her, her tone gentle: "Just go up on stage, there are so many people in the audience, they're all just radishes and cabbages."
Fan Chenxi nodded, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
The door to the dressing room was pushed open, and Qi Yanran walked in.
"Is everything ready?"
The three nodded in unison.
"I've already covered everything that needs to be said in the past few months regarding the technical aspects, so I'll just say one thing now..."
Qi Yanran paused slightly: "Regardless of the outcome, the fact that you've come this far is enough to prove your excellence. Even if you don't win the role today, your future is undoubtedly limitless!"
After saying that, Qi Yanran turned and walked out of the dressing room.
Instead of returning to the audience seats, she walked along the corridor, turned a corner, and stopped at the entrance to the side stage passage.
Ding Heng leaned against the wall, his posture relaxed: "Teacher Qi, is there something you need?"
Qi Yanran stood beside Ding Heng.
From here you can see a corner of the stage, where the lights are being finalized and staff are busy moving around.
"Thank you."
"Why is Teacher Qi thanking me?"
"You've given 'Looking at the Sea' such a huge boost in popularity, I really have to thank you!"
"what?"
Ding Heng was both amused and exasperated.
He could tell that Qi Yanran was being sarcastic and sarcastic.
From Qi Yanran's perspective, Long He's reposting of "Looking at the Sea" was clearly an attempt to support Hua Qing.
With a popular celebrity with millions of fans publicly supporting her, Hua Qing's current advantage is immense!
And all of this was attributed to Ding Heng by Qi Yanran as a matter of course.
Ding Heng was truly innocent; he never expected Long He to join in the fun.
She's a big star, yet she uses her official account to repost things indiscriminately. Doesn't her manager care?
At seven o'clock sharp, the lights went out.
The theater was packed.
The theater was packed with 1,500 student audience members, along with staff from the theater troupe, the school, and the investors.
The front row will remain reserved for special audience members as usual.
Mr. and Mrs. Shen sat in the third row on the right, their expressions calm.
Li Weiyong sat in the center of the first row, surrounded by several leaders from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
On the stage, a spotlight shines down.
The narration begins, deep and resonant, imbued with the vastness of history.
"On the 23rd day of the third month of the first year of the Jianlong era of the Northern Song Dynasty, Lin Mo was born on Meizhou Island. He was intelligent from a young age, knew celestial phenomena, was good at swimming, and often rescued ships in distress at sea."
The villagers, grateful for her kindness, called her "Dragon Girl"...
The music starts.
Hua Qing slowly walked out from the side of the stage, a fisherwoman dressed in coarse cloth.
Her hair was braided into a long braid that hung down in front of her chest. She walked slowly barefoot, with a thin red string tied around her ankle.
There were no fancy clothes or elaborate headdresses.
Clean and tidy, simple and plain.
She walked to the center of the stage, where lights poured down from above.
To the accompaniment of soft music, Hua Qing began to use dance movements to demonstrate Lin Mo's teenage years. She studied astronomy, was skilled in swimming, and was proficient in medicine. She was determined to save people and never married!
The music quickened, and the sound of waves rose.
The sea breeze lifted her hair, and her skirt swayed gently.
A storm is coming.
Lin Mo stood up and gazed into the distance.
The innocence in the girl's eyes faded, replaced by a resolute determination.
She rushed into the rain, ran, slipped, got up, and kept running.
Despite their soaked clothes, disheveled hair, and feet cut by the rocks, their blood staining the seawater red.
The music reached its climax, then finally returned to calm.
Lin Mo saved one child in the end, with the waves roaring at her feet.
As she looked down at the baby in her arms, a slight smile curved her lips, revealing a divine radiance for the first time.
The lights slowly dimmed.
Then—thunderous applause erupted.
Ding Heng was the first to clap, his hands making a loud and crisp sound.
Hua Qing stood on the side platform, slightly out of breath, her forehead covered in sweat, and her feet aching slightly.
During that run, she accidentally cut her bare feet, and if Ding Heng saw it later, he would probably complain about it again.
After Hua Qing removed her makeup and changed into casual clothes, she ran to Ding Heng's side, and Shen Tingwan was already standing in the center of the stage.
"How is it? How is it?"
"What, how is it?"
"How did I dance?"
"Um……"
Ding Heng rarely thought things through so seriously.
"At first, I thought you were at a disadvantage by going on stage first, since the audience wasn't ready yet, but now I think..."
"What do you think?"
"All done!"
Hua Qing's cheeks flushed slightly as she reached out and gently punched Ding Heng's arm.
"Don't talk nonsense, Shen Tingwan and Chenxi haven't finished their performance yet."
The stage music suddenly changed.
Shen Tingwan's passage reaches its climax—Mazu's sacrifice.
To save his father and brothers from a shipwreck, Lin Mo bravely rushed into the raging storm and waves, ultimately dying from exhaustion.
The villagers were grateful for his kindness and built a temple to worship him, honoring him as the "God of the Sea".
Shen Tingwan's movements were more intense and powerful than Hua Qing's.
Spinning, jumping, falling, getting up—every movement is full of dramatic tension.
Perhaps she used too much force, because she slipped while jumping, lost her balance, and fell heavily onto the stage.
"ah!!"
Exclamations erupted from the audience.
Shen Tingwan reacted quickly. The moment she fell, she immediately braced herself with her hands and stood up, continuing her movements with almost no interruption in rhythm.
Hua Qing subconsciously gripped Ding Heng's arm tightly, her eyes showing no schadenfreude, but rather genuine worry.
Ding Heng didn't speak, but reached out and covered Hua Qing's hand, patting it gently.
Shen Tingwan's subsequent actions remained precise, accurate, and impeccable.
But the mistake she just made is like a thorn stuck in her heart.
When he finally stepped off the stage, his steps were noticeably faster than usual.
Hua Qing released Ding Heng's arm and exhaled.
Ding Heng then asked, "Now you should feel secure, right?"
Hua Qing shook her head: "Chenxi hasn't come up yet."
"Chenxi...hasn't she always been inferior to you and Shen Tingwan?"
"The past is the past."
Hua Qing turned her gaze back to the stage, where Fan Chenxi was preparing to go on stage.
For some reason, Hua Qing had a vague intuition.
Today's Fan Chenxi might be a little different...
The lights dimmed again, and Fan Chenxi walked to the center of the stage.
She portrays the story of Mazu after she became a goddess.
The music started again; it was a simple fisherman's song.
Fan Chenxi stood on the reef, gazing into the distance.
She is a sea goddess who has experienced life and death, yet she possesses no divine indifference.
She gazed at the ships adrift on the sea, her eyes filled with worry and tenderness.
On stage, Fan Chenxi walked into the sea and began to dance.
Below the stage, Hua Qing held her breath, her eyes fixed on the spot.
Hua Qing noticed that Fan Chenxi had no mistakes or flaws today, and had fully incorporated her understanding of the character into her dance.
Mazu is not a high and mighty god; she is compassionate because she empathizes with people's suffering, and gentle because she understands the hardships of humankind.
She is a goddess.
But she knows how to conduct herself better.
Hua Qing recalled her performance, in which she portrayed the young Mazu, a stage in which she should have been most humane and girlish.
But looking back now, I realize she acted too coldly.
Her Lin Mo is brave, determined, and fearless, but she is not "human" enough.
His eyes were too cold, and his posture too aloof.
That wasn't Lin Mo, the girl from the fishing village, but Hua Qing herself, a cold and aloof fairy who seemed untouched by worldly affairs.
The music reached its final climax.
Fan Chenxi stood at the highest point of the stage, with a blue light curtain symbolizing the sea behind her.
She opened her arms, gazing into the distance, her cloak fluttering in the wind.
The lights went out.
The theater was silent for a full three seconds.
Someone stood up and applauded.
The theater was silent for a full three seconds.
Someone stood up and applauded.
Then came the second, and the third.
Hua Qing's applause was even more enthusiastic.
She completely forgot that this was a competition.
All she knew was that Fan Chenxi had just performed a dance that she couldn't imitate.
After standing silently on the side stage for a few seconds, Shen Tingwan also began to applaud.
The three of them went on stage together to take their bows.
When she stepped off the stage, Fan Chenxi's steps were unsteady.
"Hua Qing! Hua Qing! How did I dance? Did I make any mistakes? I'm so nervous... Was I a beat too slow in the middle... Was my last spin a little off...?"
"Dawn".
Hua Qing interrupted, and Fan Chenxi obediently shut up.
"Don't worry! You did a perfect job."
Hua Qing spoke seriously, without the slightest hint of perfunctoriness.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded.
Qi Yanran walked over slowly, holding the voting results that the staff had just tallied.
"The voting results are in."
Hua Qing and Shen Tingwan both took a half step back at the same time, letting Fan Chenxi move to the front.
As professional dancers, they already had their answer in mind.
Qi Yanran said, "Congratulations! Chenxi."
Fan Chenxi was completely stunned.
"I……"
She glanced at Qi Yanran, then at Hua Qing.
"Wow……!"
Finally, he rushed over and hugged Hua Qing tightly, crying like a child.
"Hua Qing...I...I really..."
Fan Chenxi was so excited that she couldn't speak coherently, and tears and snot covered Hua Qing.
Hua Qingzhi was a little breathless from being squeezed, but she didn't push her away and sincerely offered her congratulations.
Congratulations, Dawn! You're amazing!
After saying that, Hua Qing sniffed hard, her eyes still a little sore.
Qi Yanran instructed, "Chenxi, go and prepare. We'll be officially signing the contract later."
Fan Chenxi loosened her grip on Kai Qing and nodded vigorously, wiping her face haphazardly with her sleeve before turning and running towards the dressing room.
He ran two steps and then stopped, turning back to look at Hua Qing.
Hua Qing waved to her, smiling brightly.
Fan Chenxi sniffed, turned around and continued running, her footsteps quickly disappearing at the end of the corridor.
The corridor fell silent.
Only Hua Qing and Qi Yanran remained.
Qi Yanran tried to speak: "Hua Qing, you..."
"Teacher Qi, you don't need to comfort me."
Hua Qing interrupted Qi Yanran, trying to keep her tone calm: "I only have one question for you now, and I hope you can answer it truthfully."
"you say."
"If you had to choose, who would you pick tonight?"
"Fan Chenxi".
Qi Yanran didn't hesitate for a moment, and the three words came out crisply and decisively.
His eyes were frank and open, devoid of any pity.
"Me too."
The teacher and student smiled at each other.
Hua Qing recalled the conflict that broke out four years ago due to her differing beliefs with Qi Yanran.
At this moment, a new chapter was completely turned in her heart.
At that time, she wanted to win so badly, and she wanted to prove that she was a unique genius.
now.
Hua Qing is still a unique genius, but she can lose, and she can afford to lose...
"I'm leaving now. Best wishes for a successful performance of 'Looking at the Sea'!"
"Go ahead, I'll be waiting for you to start school in September."
Qi Yanran handed a badge to Hua Qing; the badge bore the emblem of the Beijing Dance Academy.
Welcome to Beijing Dance Academy.
Hua Qing reached out and took the badge, her fingertips gently tracing the cool metal surface. .
What she should have had four years ago.
After going around in circles, it still ended up in her hands.
"Thank you, Teacher Qi."
She clutched the badge tightly and turned to walk towards the exit.
Outside the venue, the night breeze was slightly cool.
Ding Heng stood at the bottom of the steps, hands in his pockets, looking relaxed.
"Senior, are you alright?"
Hua Qing didn't answer. She silently walked down the steps to Ding Heng, then leaned forward and fell into his arms.
The next second, she started wailing.
The heartbroken child who lost the game finally found a comforting embrace to cry in.
For the past two months, she has been alone in the capital.
Training, injuries, insomnia, loneliness...
She thought she could handle it.
She believed that as long as she could win in the end, all the sacrifices would be worthwhile.
But she lost today.
We lost fair and square; we lost without a second thought.
She was genuinely happy for Fan Chenxi and felt that he was worth it.
But she was still not satisfied!
The fact that hard work doesn't always guarantee a reward is an extremely cruel thing...
In front of Qi Yanran and Fan Chenxi, Hua Qing needs to maintain the dignity and pride of a dancer.
But Ding Heng is her man.
It's not shameful to cry to your own man!
Hua Qing's cries grew louder and louder.
Ding Heng didn't say anything, he just raised his hand and gently stroked the back of her head.
Finally, Hua Qing cried herself to sleep.
"Ding Heng".
"Um?"
"I lost."
"I know."
Aren't you going to comfort me?
"It's okay, you were great! You were just not in the best of form today! You'll definitely do better next time!"
"Um...can you be a little more sincere?"
Hua Qing lifted her head from Ding Heng's embrace, her eyes red and swollen, her face streaked with tears, completely unlike her usual aloof and arrogant demeanor.
"What do you mean by 'not sincere'? Aren't those just words you women use?"
"Pfft... I hate you!"
Hua Qing was amused and stopped crying while Ding Heng wiped the corners of her eyes with his fingertips.
"Senior, you're too tense. Why don't you go relax with them during the summer vacation?"
"How many of them are there?"
"There are five of them, including you, and you know them all well."
"Scumbag..."
Hua Qing continued to grumble, but did not object.
The system interface quietly appeared in my mind.
【Azure Cold Sword Immortal: Hua Qing】
[Current Status: A Fairy Who Has Lost All Her Cultivation Power]
[Progress of romantic entanglement: 100%]
[Progress of severing emotional ties: 1%]
[Ding! The progress of the romantic connection has exceeded 100%, and the stage goal has been achieved!]
[Rewards: 1000 Divine Merit Points, +6 to Constitution, and an upgrade to the skill "Sword Heart Clarity"!]