Chapter 8: Low-level Female Competition

On stage, what moves the audience most is not only excellence but that confident presence.

“Go to the Song and Dance Troupe. Sooner or later, you’ll be a star performer,” Director Lu said.

Chen Siyu replied, “Aunt Lu, you’ve guessed my thoughts exactly. But… Auntie, I feel my singing voice isn’t mature or polished enough yet. I want to train my voice in the Opera Troupe first.”

“That’s fine, learning never ends. You’re a good kid,” Director Lu said. She was about to sign the papers, but then paused: “Wait, child, your background is a bit problematic.”

Feng Hui said, “Though her background has issues, she’s talented. You select based on merit, right? We’re from the same hometown. Please help me out!”

Director Lu pondered silently for a moment, then signed, but circled something on the file in pencil. She said, “You can be admitted by merit, but files with poor background must be sent to the Ideological Committee for review first. I’ll send it over—we’ll try to push it through.”

Feng Hui felt a chill in her heart because the Ideological Committee was chaired by Director Fang, and just days ago, Chen Siyu had called Fang Xiaohai a “disgusting pervert.” Director Fang particularly disliked Siyu, so Feng Hui thought this might be a dead end.

But Chen Siyu felt an inner “yes!” She had cleverly gained Wang Fenfang’s favor ahead of time, laying a good foundation.

Taking on the task of winning over Director Fang would be much easier now.

After leaving the troupe, Feng Hui said, “I’ve done all I can. Now, we leave it to fate.”

“Okay, Mom, you’re the best,” Chen Siyu wanted to keep warming up to her adoptive mother, but suddenly noticed an empty drink bottle on the windowsill and realized Chen Xuan’ang, who should have been waiting, was missing. Something felt off.

Just then, Feng Hui said, “Stop clinging to me. Look, you’ve got me all sweaty. Go home.”

Chen Siyu nodded quickly. “Mom, walk carefully.”

As they turned behind the building, Chen Nanqin’s gentle voice reached them: “Xuan’ang, do you know how corrupt Chen Siyu is? She went with Gao Daguang to the Six Nations Hotel to watch foreign films—you probably don’t understand, but those are H films, meant for foreigners. She’s already been ‘used’ by Gao Daguang, tainted, and doesn’t deserve to join the troupe. Go report her to the Ideological Committee. Say she’s not clean with Gao Daguang—then she’ll have to go to the countryside!”

Chen Siyu clenched her fists but stayed calm. This kind of attack was just childish.

She actually wanted to confront and slap Chen Nanqin a few times, but then Chen Xuan’ang said, “I know my sister wasn’t good before, but I think she’s trying to change now.”

Surprised, the little brother was siding with her.

“Dogs can’t stop eating shit. She’s faking it, just to get into the troupe!” Chen Nanqin’s voice sharpened.

Chen Xuan’ang, who favored Nanqin and understood Chen Siyu’s scheming, still said, “I know. That’s why I can’t report her—otherwise she won’t get in.”

Such straightforward character—truly Chen Siyu’s brother.

Sadly, in the story, he’s suspected of causing two deaths and in this chaotic era, his talented life is shackled by stigma and burden.

“Xuan’ang, she’s just a loose woman—” Chen Nanqin almost cursed, but caught sight of Chen Siyu and changed her words: “Take care of yourself. Don’t let some schemers hurt you.”

She cast a cold glare at her adoptive sister and walked off, deliberately bumping her shoulder.

Chen Siyu pretended not to see or hear, pulling her brother along: “Let’s go check out the troupe’s cafeteria.”

It wasn’t noon yet, but the aroma was already wafting.

Peeking into the kitchen, Chen Xuan’ang made a sound of delight at the large bamboo steamer marked for artists, where bowls of rich red sauce-covered salted pork belly steamed, the fat melting enticingly.

“I’ll be eating here now—with pork belly for me and my brother,” Chen Siyu said with shameless tears running down her cheeks. Her favorite fatty pork smelled so good.

The main troupe was next to the Air Force compound, and their cafeterias were connected.

They looked around there too. Chen Siyu nearly cried again.

Next to the pilots’ special meals was a big bowl of braised, glossy red beef.

Low-fat, high-protein, tasty and healthy—beef was Chen Siyu’s favorite.

No wonder the original Chen Siyu desperately wanted to marry a pilot—just for this food. She was drooling.

Wah, she really wanted to eat beef!

“Hey, isn’t that our brother?” Chen Xuan’ang suddenly pointed.

Chen Siyu looked over. On the distant playground, a group of soldiers was marching. Standing at the front was tall, stern, and cold Gao Daguang.

Though far away, his extraordinary aura made him instantly recognizable.

Suddenly, the serious look on Chen Xuan’ang’s face turned a bit childish: “Sis, our brother looks like a leader. He’s training the troops—he looks really handsome.”

Chen Siyu seized the moment and said, “Once I start working, I’ll take you to hang out with him.”

Leng Jun had just helped her fend off a group of troublemakers, so of course she wanted to find a chance to thank him—maybe take him out to eat. Since Chen Xuan’ang liked him, she’d bring her brother along too.

Let this annoying little brother be influenced by some manly spirit, learn a few moves, so he can protect her in the future.

But although the sister dreamed big, the brother remained indifferent, even coldly pulling his hand away.

On the bus, Chen Siyu sat up front, but her brother deliberately took a seat at the back.

That little brother was really unpredictable—moody and capricious.

When they got home, Chen Xuan’ang rushed off to the boiler room, while Chen Siyu had to go out alone.

Where she went was exactly the Six Nations Hotel that Chen Nanqin had mentioned. But she didn’t have a ticket, so of course she couldn’t get in. She didn’t try either—instead, like a little dog, she rummaged through all the trash bins outside the hotel.

After digging for two whole hours, she finally found half a ticket stub for the ballet movie Peter and the Wolf. Wow—foreign affairs tickets were rare; people usually treasured them after watching a show.

She didn’t know which wealthy person had the nerve to throw it away. Holding it in her palm, Chen Siyu felt as if she’d found a treasure.

Humming Little Erhei on the way home as the sun set, she ran into Feng Hui at the alley entrance, who was carrying a net bag.

Meeting face to face, Feng Hui forced a smile: “Siyu, big news! The Gao family has agreed to your and Daguang’s marriage.”

“Oh?” Chen Siyu feigned surprise, waiting to see what else Feng Hui might say.

Passing the net bag to her foster daughter, Feng Hui continued, “There was a little incident. Nanqin reported you and Gao Daguang to the Ideological Committee. It’s nothing serious—just a formality. As long as you and Daguang stick to the same story and say you’re just dating, it’ll be fine. Your Aunt Gao has agreed to let you into the family. So, are you happy?”

In just half a day, Chen Siyu had gone from a newbie at the troupe to a bride-to-be.

Seeing her foster daughter’s trusting and dependent face, Feng Hui forced herself to say, “But the troupe might be shut down.”

So Chen Nanqin failed to sway Chen Xuan’ang and, out of spite, went to report her herself.

She even used the lowest, worst accusation—that Chen Siyu had inappropriate relations with Gao Daguang and had questionable morals.

Chen Siyu really wanted to praise herself for being clever—she had prepared in advance and wasn’t afraid.

She said, “Mom, a false report means a big demerit. Why would my sister report me?”

Reporting is a double-edged sword—if the accusations don’t hold, Chen Nanqin would be punished; if they do, it’s Chen Siyu’s turn.

That morning, Feng Hui had been busy helping her foster daughter with her employment, with no ill intent, but by afternoon, her biological daughter had played a reckless game where either she or the foster daughter had to lose.

Instinctively, Feng Hui would protect her biological daughter, so after receiving the summons from the Ideological Committee, she urgently negotiated with the Gao family. The Gao family had now agreed to the marriage, and Feng Hui planned to have her foster daughter bow her head and marry into the Gao family for everyone’s sake.

“You can get married. The Gao family has already agreed,” Feng Hui said.

Chen Siyu raised her voice: “Mom, my sister slanders me, but you want me to bow my head and just get married?”

Feng Hui didn’t understand why her biological daughter suddenly lost her mind; she was helpless but had no choice.

“It’s your sister’s fault, but you like Daguang, and you’ve been to the Six Nations Hotel with him, right? Tomorrow at the Ideological Committee, you just have to nod your head, and you can marry Gao Daguang. Isn’t that good?” Feng Hui said.

Chen Siyu sneered: “Mom, not only can I not join the troupe, but I’d have to admit I seduced Gao Daguang and went to the Six Nations Hotel with him. I’m a pure young woman—you want me to publicly admit I slept with a man? Do you think that’s possible?”

Yes, if she wanted to marry, she had to admit at the Ideological Committee that Chen Nanqin’s accusations were true and accept that they had slept together.

But only this way could Feng Hui neutralize the trouble her biological daughter caused.

Suddenly, Chen Siyu ran wildly to a well, opened the cover, and raised her foot…

Was she really going to commit suicide?

If Siyu died, Nanqin would be shot dead by her father for sure.

Feng Hui chased after her and fell to her knees with a thud: “Siyu, don’t dare! If you jump, I can’t live either. Have pity on me, let’s not be as foolish as Nanqin. Let’s be fine, I beg you.”

Of course, Chen Siyu wouldn’t jump. She had legs and youth on her side—she wanted to dance, not jump into a well.

But to push out this reincarnated girl, she had to act convincingly.

She turned and hugged Feng Hui, crying uncontrollably: “Mom, I’m also your daughter. My real father once saved your life. How can you let my sister keep trapping me? My work, my reputation, everything’s ruined. How am I supposed to live?”

“You love Gao Daguang, and his family agreed,” Feng Hui’s tone was weak because though Gao’s mother had agreed, she was constantly cursing Siyu, calling her a little demon and a little tramp. Siyu’s future in the Gao family was obviously grim.

Chen Siyu screamed: “But Gao Daguang and I never had anything! Why do I have to marry him?”

Feng Hui gritted her teeth and said, “You did, Nanqin said you two already…”—slept together.

“No means no! If you say that again, I’ll jump in the well and show you,” Chen Siyu shouted, drawing the attention of neighbors in the alley, many peeking to watch.

Feng Hui was troubled when a shout came from behind: “Feng Hui, if you keep pushing Siyu, I’ll shoot you!”

That was her foster father, Chen Gang.

“But Siyu and Gao Daguang…” Feng Hui started to explain, but Chen Siyu lifted her foot: “Gao Daguang and I are innocent. I can prove it at the Ideological Committee. But Mom, I’m not going. You don’t even trust me, the one who loves you most. I want to jump in the well—I don’t want to live!”

Oh my, the neighbors were watching the daughter being pushed to death. Feng Hui didn’t know where to put her face.

“Mom begs you, please don’t jump,” Feng Hui pleaded anxiously, “Tell me what you want. Whatever you want, Mom will agree.”

Chen Siyu stayed silent because Chen Gang would speak for her.

Sure enough, Chen Gang said: “Let Nanqin go to the countryside. She’s always stirring up trouble at home—sooner or later, she’ll ruin the whole family.”

“Chen Gang, Nianqin is your biological daughter,” Feng Hui naturally didn’t want to send away the daughter she had barely kept.

But Chen Gang was not one to be trifled with. Siyu is his cousin’s child, and that cousin once saved their entire family’s life. He treats everyone fairly. Sternly, he said, “Feng Hui, if you keep favoring Nianqin and harboring those twisted thoughts, I’ll divorce you. You and Nianqin both get out of my house and live on your own!”

This foster father, look at how supportive he is.

“Are you really not involved with Gao Daguang?” Chen Gang turned and asked his foster daughter again.

Chen Siyu took a deep breath and shook her head: “Of course not.”

From the original body’s memories, she hadn’t even held Gao Daguang’s hand.

“Even if not, I’ve raised you since you were little. Can’t you at least do me this one favor and give me some face?” Feng Hui retorted.

Isn’t that just blatant ingratitude? Chen Siyu didn’t bother arguing because Chen Gang was about to blow a fuse: “Alright, Feng Hui, I thought you treated Siyu well all this time, but today I see through you. In your eyes, Siyu is nothing. Listen, no matter what the Thought Committee says tomorrow, I’ll make sure Nianqin gets a whipping and gets sent down to the countryside!”

A little whip to send the reborn girl down to the countryside?

Nice!

Feng Hui was trembling with anger at her husband, so she said: “What’s the use of arguing here? Let’s settle this at the Thought Committee tomorrow. We’ll see who Director Fang believes. If Siyu convinces Director Fang, then Nianqin and I will both go down to the countryside.”

Keep in mind, Chen Siyu had recently argued with Director Fang. Would he believe her?

Let’s see what kind of excuse she can come up with when she meets him tomorrow.

Even if the marriage with Gao Daguang is called off, Feng Hui won’t recognize Chen Siyu as her foster daughter anymore.

Turning around, she left.

Chen Gang had to give his foster daughter a few more instructions: “Tomorrow is your interrogation with Uncle Fang. Make sure you answer well.”

“I will.” Chen Siyu wiped her tears, still sobbing.

“Come back and eat. If you need anything, come to Dad.” Saying this, Chen Gang handed over ten yuan.

“Thank you, Dad, I love you the most!” Chen Siyu said, then secretly slipped the ten yuan back into Chen Gang’s pocket.

“Don’t worry, no matter what happens tomorrow, just because Nianqin dared to report you, I’m still going to whip her and send her down to the countryside!” Chen Gang gave his foster daughter a reassuring promise, then left.

Watching her foster father walk away, Chen Siyu patted her face and thought she had been a bit too harsh on the reborn girl.

But although Chen Nianqin was reborn, her brain was obviously still stuck in the previous life—no upgrade.

She had regressed, choosing the opera troupe. If she had brains, she would have focused on her career and competed on stage. What kind of nonsense was reporting a sister she grew up with for moral misconduct?

Low-level female rivalry?

As the saying goes, a merciless heart keeps the country stable.

Another saying: two tigers can’t live on one mountain. One reborn, one transmigrated—if only one can enter the troupe—

It has to be Chen Siyu.

So tomorrow, she has only one goal: to clear her name in front of Director Fang and get his signature!