Chapter 39: Prelude to the Gala: Auditions and Collaborations

Late at night, most of the girls went to the communal bathhouse. Lin Duo, however, quietly lay on her bed, engrossed in a book.

When the crowd thinned, she slipped into a toilet stall. There, she quickly wiped herself down with a damp towel, changed into her pajamas, and returned to her room to resume reading.

Over the summer, Lin Duo had devoured numerous novels, many of them borrowed from Wang Linshu. This had significantly broadened her literary tastes.

At midnight, the room lights flickered off. Yet, a spectral glow persisted, emanating from the countless flickering phone screens within the dormitory.

Lin Duo, whose physical stamina was not the best, was utterly exhausted. She drifted into sleep almost immediately.

****

The second day of military training mirrored the first, with the addition of a marching segment.

Evening once again brought communal singing, featuring various military anthems, followed by a lively session of riddles.

Perhaps due to the previous day’s exertion, Lin Duo felt considerably less fatigued today.

After evening exercises, Lin Duo sought out the squad leader and handed over the compiled registration information for the girls’ side.

After a few polite words, the squad leader informed Lin Duo to report to a specific classroom at 8 PM tomorrow evening, where the preliminary auditions for the gala performances would be held.

****

The following afternoon at 6 PM, after dinner, Lin Duo accompanied Shen Jing’an to the training base’s main gate. Her father had specifically driven over to bring her violin.

On the way back, Shen Jing’an seemed a little anxious. “You know, it’s been a while since I touched my violin,” she confessed. “I wonder how much my skill has deteriorated. How about this, Lin Duo? Come with me to a quiet spot so I can practice a bit first.”

Nanxi Green Space was essentially a vast, open area, with expansive, deserted grasslands stretching as far as the eye could see.

The two found a spot with a stone bench. Shen Jing’an opened her violin case, meticulously tightening and waxing the bowstring, then tuning the strings. Finally, she adopted a poised stance, took a deep breath, and began to play.

Lin Duo had once attended a similar school gala in her hometown middle school, which also featured a violin solo.

However, that performer’s skill was simply incomparable to Shen Jing’an’s. The difference was akin to sawing wood versus truly playing music.

Although Lin Duo wasn’t musically inclined, she could discern the quality of the sound and the mastery of rhythm. Moreover, Shen Jing’an displayed advanced playing techniques, such as vibrato, pizzicato, glissando, and chords.

As the piece concluded, Lin Duo involuntarily clapped her hands. “That was amazing! I had no idea you were so skilled at the violin!”

“Of course!” Shen Jing’an replied, her face beaming with pride. “I studied at the Children’s Palace when I was young, under the guidance of Teacher Qin Yi. He even suggested I pursue it professionally! But my academic performance was also excellent, so my parents eventually dropped that idea.”

Lin Duo nodded in agreement. “I see… Then why didn’t you bring your violin to the dorm?”

“The sound of a violin is quite loud,” she explained. “Other dorms would definitely complain.”

Shen Jing’an ran her fingers regretfully over the smooth body of the instrument. “Right, I’ll practice a little more to get a feel for it. Once I’m ready, we’ll head over.”

****

The preliminary audition was held in a large conference room. Three seemingly professional teachers occupied the front row, while class committee members like Lin Duo sat in the row behind, clearly distinguishing between the main judges and observers.

As a participant, Shen Jing’an couldn’t enter directly; she had to wait outside.

Although the contestants had only just completed their middle school careers, there was no shortage of exceptionally talented individuals. For instance, a male street dancer left a profound impression on Lin Duo, and two boys performed a crosstalk skit with remarkable flair.

After Shen Jing’an’s performance, the teachers offered their professional evaluations.

Naturally, with a limited number of slots, the final results would be announced later.

Once all the individual performances had concluded, one of the judging teachers stepped forward and briefly explained, “While this cultural gala emphasizes entertainment, it is also a collective activity that should encourage broader participation. Therefore, we teachers have agreed on a plan: there will be five group performance slots for this gala. Each group must have at least ten participants, with Class 1 and Class 2 collaborating on one group act, and so on.”

“Although these are group performances, and participation is key, we also want to ensure a certain level of artistic merit. Please try to avoid cliché forms like large choruses. We hope the class committee members will put their minds together and surprise us teachers.”

Following this, the judging teachers conferred for a while longer. They ultimately approved eleven individual acts for review that day, including Shen Jing’an’s violin solo. The class committee would inform the successful individuals of the results.

****

After the session ended, a rather dark-skinned, slender boy approached Lin Duo. “You must be Class 5’s cultural committee member, right? Hello, I’m from Class 6. Shall we discuss the group performance now?”

The boy’s name was Jiang Mengde. His teeth were remarkably straight and white, so dazzling they could feature in a toothpaste commercial, reflecting light whenever he smiled.

Indeed, anyone meeting him for the first time would undoubtedly remember those two rows of brilliant white teeth.

And so, Lin Duo and Jiang Mengde walked together, discussing the program arrangements.

Lin Duo’s perception of class group performances was limited to grand choruses or large-scale dances; she simply couldn’t conceive of any other ideas.

Jiang Mengde, however, had some experience. He suggested they could try adapting the play ‘Thunderstorm’.

As it was getting late, the two decided not to talk too much. They agreed to meet the next morning before heading back to their respective dorms.

Coincidentally, today was supposed to be the girls’ bath day, and Lin Duo had narrowly avoided it by attending the meeting. However, she knew she would need a new excuse the day after tomorrow, a thought that gave her a headache.

****

Upon returning to her dormitory, Lin Duo announced the audition results.

Naturally, countless eyes turned towards Shen Jing’an.

As the family’s little princess, Shen Jing’an naturally yearned to be the center of attention. With considerable pride, she recounted her history of winning violin competitions before her third year of middle school.

The next morning, Lin Duo and Jiang Mengde met as arranged for breakfast.

Jiang Mengde carried a stack of freshly printed scripts for ‘Thunderstorm’. He briefly explained to Lin Duo, “This play has eight main characters: five male and three female. Let’s go ahead and assign them now. I’ve already secured two boys from my class, and I only need one more girl, whom I expect to find quickly. I’ll trouble you to find the remaining four characters today.”

“But that’s only eight people,” Lin Duo pointed out, a little confused. “The teachers require at least ten participants.”

Jiang Mengde chuckled, flashing his signature bright white teeth. “This is a play, after all! Those eight are just the main characters. We’ll need countless extras and supporting roles. We could even have every student in the class make a cameo appearance if needed.”

With that, the tasks were distributed.

Lin Duo first approached the squad leader, Wen Jiagan, who readily agreed to find two male leads.

Then, she returned to Shen Jing’an. Given her evident desire to perform, she knew she wouldn’t refuse.