Chapter 206: Chapter 88: Top Star of the 60s Cultural Troupe (27)

Zhang Wendong beamed, even happier than the couple standing right in front of him.

He felt like his luck had finally turned. Why else would he, while sitting around bored in his office as usual, get a call from a self-proclaimed informant telling him that Hero Huo of the Zhaoyang Clothing Factory had returned from the dead!

This was an exclusive! If he handled the interview well and played up the hero’s selfless, dedicated spirit in his article, it would definitely grab everyone’s attention. He’d land the front page he’d been dreaming of—the *entire* front page.

With such a brilliant achievement, his career prospects would open up, and the path to promotion would be smooth sailing.

Huo Tianhao’s influence at the Zhaoyang Clothing Factory was immense. You could say his sacrifice had driven the factory’s development, a fact seared into the memory of every employee.

In two years, the hero’s legend had slowly begun to fade. But now, for him to return from the dead... what a legendary, fortunate, and perfectly complete event!

Add to that the hero and the beauty, lovers finally united after overcoming countless hardships. The whole story had a perfect beginning, middle, climax, and end. It was a tale where grand, selfless love and personal, romantic love intertwined. It was more fulfilling and complete than any bestselling, deliberately fabricated novel, satisfying everyone’s wildest dreams—full of twists and turns, utterly captivating, and wonderfully brilliant.

’Just thinking about it made him want to burst into a joyful, excited song. He absolutely had to seize this rare opportunity.’

By the time they arrived at the cultural troupe’s office building, it was just the start of the workday.

Xia Zhaoyun offered a faint smile and a nod to people she knew, quickly leading Huo Tianhao toward Master Yuan’s office without giving anyone a chance to speak to them.

Master Yuan was a diligent worker. She was already wiping down her desk, chair, and cabinets with a damp cloth. When she saw the group arrive, led by none other than Xia Zhaoyun who had been absent for days, her already stern face darkened.

She set down the cloth, coldly called out, "Come in," then washed her hands and sat down. She addressed Xia Zhaoyun bluntly, "Comrade Song Ruoyun, I don’t care what family matters or personal emotional turmoil you’re going through. As long as you want to stay here, you don’t get to just find someone to pass on a message and call that taking leave."

"Do you think this is a marketplace you can just come and go from as you please?"

"Or do you think this place is too small to hold a talent like you?"

"You’re a young woman; you need to mind your reputation. Don’t act like you’re desperate to get married, clinging to any man, good or bad. The rumors I’ve heard are so filthy they dirty my ears. If you put that same energy into your dancing, I’d even make a place for you!"

"Since you’re here, get to dancing. Make up for every single hour you’ve missed. As for next month’s performance for the factory’s semi-annual review, you’re off the list for now. It’ll keep everyone else from following your example and willfully giving themselves vacations..."

Xia Zhaoyun was already mentally prepared, so she wasn’t bothered by Master Yuan’s tirade.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t have requested leave in person and given no one any grounds for criticism.

It was just that back then, she had just gained memories of the next few decades. She had absolutely no goodwill toward Master Yuan and was in no mood to deal with her, so she had simply put it off until now.

’If what happened to me was an accident—Master Yuan failing to react correctly and swiftly to the danger, resulting only in a broken leg that ended my dancing career and my dreams... ’

’...then what about the other woman in the troupe? The one who got pregnant before marriage, was discovered by Master Yuan, and despite her desperate pleas, was ruthlessly exposed. She was forced to undergo criticism and re-education by the factory, which drove her to jump from a building to her death—taking two lives at once—a tragedy that shocked the entire north side of the city.’

’And what about the dancer Master Yuan forced to stay behind alone in the practice room for two extra hours every night because her movements weren’t up to standard? She was targeted by a drifter and raped right there in the brightly lit room, after which she went mad and drowned herself in a lake.’

Xia Zhaoyun couldn’t convince herself that all of it was just the unintentional consequence of Master Yuan’s overly strict demands.

’What’s more, something others didn’t know, was that Master Yuan herself had gotten pregnant out of wedlock and had secretly given her newborn daughter up for adoption.’

’That girl inherited some of her mother’s talent for dance and was in the troupe right now, enjoying opportunities that Master Yuan had taken from others.’

’Take this time, for instance. The performance for the factory’s semi-annual review was still half a month away, and the program had just been confirmed. It was time to cast the roles.’

’Xia Zhaoyun had a solid foundation, was a quick study, and possessed a particularly captivating stage presence. When she was the lead dancer, the entire troupe’s atmosphere and energy were different.’

’Even though she had recently taken leave, Director Zhen had still specifically requested her.’

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