Chapter 14: The White-Haired Girl

With a month’s worth of ration tickets and rent secured, Factory Director Gao also promised to get her the remaining amount as soon as possible, urging her to visit the hospital and buy nutritional supplements to restore her health.

Acting requires layers, so each day Chen Siyu applied her foundation a little thinner, her spirit gradually “recovering.” Whenever she encountered the leadership, she would gaze at them with eyes full of unparalleled gratitude and excitement.

This gave the leaders the illusion that this frail, sickly sapling was slowly reviving under their tender care and nourishment, providing them with immense spiritual satisfaction.

Of course, even with the thirty yuan, she and Xuan’ang couldn’t afford to squander a penny. They needed to secretly save every bit. Plus, after two days, she’d have to worsen her “condition” again to make them realize that thirty yuan wasn’t nearly enough to cure her. They needed to give her the remaining 330 yuan quickly.

After a few days of doing odd jobs, Ma Manman finally received the long-awaited transfer order to Jin City’s opera troupe. She was so thrilled she spun in circles in the dressing room.

Chen Siyu, the frail, undernourished “little piglet,” immediately sensed a looming crisis. She had to stay with the main troupe, for she needed to take care of Xuan’ang.

However, in the opera troupe, every lead role (A role) had a backup (B role), and behind every B role, there was a string of understudies. Based on seniority, even if she managed to stay, she’d be doing odd jobs for at least three years. Thus, Chen Siyu decided to forge a new path and set her sights on Xu Li, who often came to visit Meng Xiaojuan.

Xu Li was currently the A-role and assistant director for The White-Haired Girl in the song and dance troupe—a central figure.

Through observation, Chen Siyu noted two key points: first, Xu Li was having emotional troubles; second, she was pregnant!

This, of course, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Early one morning, as Xu Li ascended the staircase, she was met by the sight of a slender, long-limbed young girl practicing ballet in the stairwell.

Though it was ballet, the style was markedly different from the classical ballet Xu Li knew. The usual airy grace of classical ballet was there—strong toes, arms as elegant as swans, fingertips as delicate as dewdrops—but beneath that grace, the girl exuded an unparalleled sense of power.

Xu Li watched as she danced and sang, utterly engrossed in herself, so she didn’t interrupt. She waited quietly until Chen Siyu finished dancing before asking, “Little one, what was that piece you just performed? I’ve never seen anyone else dance it before.”

Chen Siyu shyly withdrew her foot, her expression bashful.

When a lead performer asks, it often means they’re considering taking on a protégé. Any other girl would have been overjoyed, rushing up to perform eagerly.

But Chen Siyu only gave a timid nod and said softly, “I choreographed it myself,” before turning away shyly and walking off.

She didn’t act overly eager or desperate to show off, which only piqued Xu Li’s curiosity even more.

Later, when Xu Li ran into Meng Xiaojun in the practice room, she said, “You’ve got a girl in your troupe who knows ballet, tall and slender, with big, watery eyes. Do you know her name, her family background, and her character?”

For a lead performer considering an apprentice, dance skills, character, personality, and family background—all had to pass muster.

Chen Siyu, being a notorious troublemaker, was already on the list for reassignment before she even arrived here.

But was she someone who’d wait passively to be cast aside? No, she was an ace choreographer. A hunter.

And the most skilled hunters often appear in the guise of prey.

Back in the dressing room, she carefully avoided the snoozing Ma Manman, splashed water on her face, and prepared herself for the hunt—to hunt for an opportunity to stay in the Northern City Art Troupe.

Meng Xiaojun, being in the same troupe, immediately knew who Xu Li was referring to.

As a friend, she tried to dissuade her: “You’re planning to step back and want to find a B-role for White-Haired Girl, right? Pick someone from your own troupe. Chen Siyu won’t do. She’s the younger sister of Chen Nianqin.”

Xu Li was stunned. “You mean that infamous troublemaker known all across the city?”

No wonder she could drive every young lad in town to fight over her. That waistline, that sense of strength—she was extraordinary!

“Even if the Ideology Committee has cleared her character, if she were truly innocent, would her reputation be so foul?” Meng Xiaojun continued.

Taking on a disciple takes time and care. And actresses on stage are the ones most likely to catch the unwanted attention of men.

No matter how talented, if a girl could be easily swayed by a random man, then mentoring her would be a waste of effort.

Xu Li sighed, “Such a rare talent… what a pity.”

Meanwhile, Ma Manman, still dozing in the dressing room, was stirred by the faint sound of sobbing. She opened her eyes, startled: “Siyu, why is your clothes all soaked from crying? I thought you were looking much better these days—are you feeling unwell again?”

She had long since bought into her dear friend’s fragile and tragic persona.

The two lead performers in the practice room fell into an awkward silence upon hearing Ma Manman’s outburst.

But Chen Siyu wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest. Instead, she started sobbing even harder. “Manman, let’s go find Director Ding to file a transfer request. You stay here, and let me leave the city. I can’t stay in Northern City anymore; those thugs have made it impossible for me to survive here.”

Everyone knew about Chen Siyu’s bad reputation.

But Ma Manman, after a few days of living with her, found her to be simple and well-behaved. Naturally, she believed it was those hooligans’ fault. She immediately clenched her fists. “Who’s been harassing you this time? You silly thing, why don’t you report it to the authorities?”

“Keep your voice down. Don’t you know my family background is problematic?” Chen Siyu covered her mouth as she spoke, which only made Ma Manman angrier. “A poor background doesn’t mean you’re a bad person! Just because of your status, you’re supposed to let others bully you?”

“Manman,” Chen Siyu sighed, “Even if I’m bullied, as long as someone calls me of bad class origin and loose morals, others will naturally believe it’s my fault, won’t they?”

Outside, the two veteran performers exchanged glances, both filled with anger.

As artists, they knew all too well—pretty girls attracted trouble, and with a questionable class background, she truly had no choice but to swallow her grievances.

Both of them felt deep sympathy for her.

Initially, Xu Li had wanted to make her the B-role in White-Haired Girl, but now she was disheartened. The opera told the story of the poor and downtrodden, while Chen Siyu’s family were a petty capitalist. Putting her on stage would only lead to her being reported by the other actors.

A rare talent, harassed by thugs—and yet, Xu Li couldn’t help her.

Since she couldn’t help her, and knowing she was eavesdropping in the dressing room, the two of them were just about to leave.

But just then, Chen Siyu suddenly shouted, “I really don’t get it! When men cheat, sleep around, they all cover for each other. But why do women have to step on each other to rise up?”

Ma Manman was quick to chime in, “Don’t tell me someone’s tattled on you again! Who’s that shameless bastard this time?”

Chen Siyu sobbed, “I was only trying to create a better dance, so I watched a few more movies for research. I can combine Mongolian dance with classical ballet and make our domestic ballet surpass the Soviet style in form and expression. But they insist on spreading rumors, saying I’m being improper with men.”

She slapped her thigh and burst into louder sobs, “All I want is to create a beautiful dance piece. What did I do wrong?”

Ma Manman, feeling like she finally understood, slapped her thigh as well. “I knew it! Your bad reputation must all be your sister, Chen Nianqin’s doing. That woman’s a real scourge… ptooey!”

People are inherently selfish. Sorry, Chen Nianqin, you’ll have to take the blame for now, even if you’re far away on an island.

Chen Siyu sighed again, “Forget it. With my background, the situation’s so tense outside, I’ll probably get struggled against to death the moment I leave. Maybe it’s better to die early and be done with it. Living isn’t that exciting anyway.”

Meng Xiaojun was still trying to pull Xu Li away, but Xu Li let go of her hand, strode up, and yanked the door open. “Chen Siyu!”

Chen Siyu’s eyes were still wet, but she looked up with a face full of surprise, “Teacher Xu…”

Xu Li asked, “Did you say that ballet piece was all your own choreography?”

Chen Siyu looked uncertain, blinking her big eyes, “Is it… not very good?”

“No,” Xu Li said firmly. “You danced beautifully. Also, while it’s true that women often gossip and slander one another, there’s also sisterhood and support. I’m not just a dancer; I’m also a choreographer. I want to take you in. But in the short term, you won’t be able to perform on stage. You can only work behind the scenes as an assistant choreographer. Are you willing?”

Chen Siyu’s heart skipped a beat—because in her past life, she had spent twenty years as a choreographer.

As long as she could stay in North City, there would be plenty of time to work her way onto the stage. Besides, a choreographer’s salary was even higher than that of a performer.

With a trembling voice, she asked, “So… my dance isn’t as ugly as they say? There’ll really be people who like it?”