“To avoid you thinking I’ve conspired with the other leaders beforehand, I’ll call them right in front of you.”
After saying this, Wu Qingyun phoned the other leaders and asked them to come to the rehearsal hall.
Once everyone had arrived, Wu Qingyun spoke up. “Kang Zhixin has requested a competition with Ye Zhiqiu. Besides us leaders, everyone else can also vote.”
“Kang Zhixin demands that if she beats Ye Zhiqiu, she will become the lead dancer.”
Everyone present turned to look at Kang Zhixin. She puffed out her chest and shot a provocative glare at Ye Zhiqiu.
Ye Zhiqiu wasn’t surprised at all. This was exactly the kind of thing Kang Zhixin would do.
“Troupe Leader, in addition to that, I also demand that the spot for advanced studies that was given to Ye Zhiqiu should go to me. If she’s no longer the lead dancer, on what basis does she get to go for further training?”
“Also, Lu Shuangshuang cannot be the sub-lead dancer.”
Wu Qingyun remained silent. Mei Jiantao, the political commissar standing nearby, angrily shouted at Kang Zhixin, “Kang Zhixin, this is nonsense! Do you think the cultural troupe is your home? That you can do whatever you want?”
“Comrade Ye Zhiqiu’s spot for advanced studies was assigned by Higher-Level Political Commissar Hu. If you want to replace Ye Zhiqiu, then you go talk to Political Commissar Hu yourself.”
Kang Zhixin didn’t dare talk back to Mei Jiantao. She could only mentally chalk up this grievance to Ye Zhiqiu, cursing her inwardly: 【What a vixen. She’s only met Political Commissar Hu once. Who knows what kind of shady business they got up to for him to just hand over the training spot to her.】
Kang Zhixin always thought she was good at hiding her true thoughts, but they were all written on her face.
Ye Zhiqiu could tell at a glance what she was thinking.
Lu Shuangshuang, having spent a long time with Kang Zhixin, also had some understanding of her. She frowned and glared at Kang Zhixin, then stepped forward to block her view of Ye Zhiqiu.
This only made Kang Zhixin angrier. She couldn’t understand how Lu Shuangshuang had suddenly become so close to Ye Zhiqiu, even protecting her.
“Alright, let’s get started quickly.”
Mei Jiantao was very displeased with Kang Zhixin. “Day after day, instead of working to improve your professional skills, you’re always stirring up trouble.”
Wu Qingyun and the others didn’t sit down. They stood to one side as Kang Zhixin and Ye Zhiqiu simultaneously performed the troupe’s traditional piece, “Glittering Gold.”
This piece was the one the dance team was most familiar with; everyone could dance it.
Moreover, with both of them dancing at the same time, the difference in quality would be immediately apparent, and it saved time.
As the music started, Ye Zhiqiu immediately immersed herself in the dance.
Even though she had danced this piece hundreds, thousands of times before, she still took it very seriously every single time.
Dance was her faith, so every time, she approached it with twelve percent devotion.
Kang Zhixin, on the other hand, was different. Her sole focus was on winning, on being better than Ye Zhiqiu.
Therefore, her mind wasn’t on her own performance; it was entirely on Ye Zhiqiu.
When she saw that Ye Zhiqiu was dancing even better than before she got pregnant, Kang Zhixin panicked. This panic caused her to make a mistake.
Realizing she’d made a mistake, she became even more flustered.
Especially when she saw the leaders all shaking their heads in disappointment, and the others whispering among themselves, looking at her as if she were a complete joke.
Kang Zhixin felt an indescribable discomfort in her heart.
How did it come to this?
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be!
She was supposed to perform better than Ye Zhiqiu. Ye Zhiqiu was supposed to be stiff and awkward, making mistakes left and right.
The leaders were supposed to be disappointed in Ye Zhiqiu. She was the one who was supposed to be the laughingstock!
No way! She couldn’t be the only one being laughed at!
If she couldn’t be the lead dancer, then Ye Zhiqiu couldn’t be either!
Right, she should make it so Ye Zhiqiu could never dance again!
The moment this thought flashed through Kang Zhixin’s mind, she charged at Ye Zhiqiu.
Ye Zhiqiu was completely defenseless. Fortunately, Lu Shuangshuang had noticed the dangerous look in Kang Zhixin’s eyes and had been watching her warily, anticipating trouble. She ran over and blocked Kang Zhixin.
Kang Zhixin was incredibly strong. She knocked Lu Shuangshuang directly to the ground.
Wu Qingyun and Mei Jiantao reacted quickly, rushing over to restrain Kang Zhixin.
“Kang Zhixin, what do you think you’re doing?!” Mei Jiantao wanted nothing more than to slap Kang Zhixin across the face.
Wu Qingyun was also furious. She checked on Lu Shuangshuang. “Shuangshuang, are you hurt?”
“My wrist.”
Lu Shuangshuang rubbed her wrist, which was visibly swelling up.
“Kang Zhixin, have you lost your mind?!”
Realizing what had happened, Ye Zhiqiu rushed over to Kang Zhixin and slapped her hard across the face.
If she hadn’t been held back, Kang Zhixin would have tried to push Ye Zhiqiu.
“Take her away and confine her!” Wu Qingyun ordered.
Ye Zhiqiu accompanied Lu Shuangshuang to the infirmary. Fortunately, the injury wasn’t serious and wouldn’t affect her dancing, but she still needed to rest.
“That Kang Zhixin absolutely cannot be let off lightly. She is so malicious!”
Lu Shuangshuang waved her arms excitedly, inadvertently pulling at her injury. “Ouch.”
“Calm down.”
Ye Zhiqiu gently pulled Lu Shuangshuang’s hand back. Looking at her red, swollen wrist, her eyes were full of concern.
Lu Shuangshuang quickly spoke up. “Hey, don’t you dare cry. Anyone who didn’t know would think I was dead.”
“Don’t talk nonsense!” Ye Zhiqiu lightly tapped Lu Shuangshuang. “If Auntie Feng hears that, she’ll say you’re being careless again.”
“I just didn’t want you to cry. Let me tell you, I hate it when people cry.”
Lu Shuangshuang playfully used her finger to tilt Ye Zhiqiu’s chin up. “Especially a delicate beauty like you.”
“Get away with you. What’s with this recent sleazy attitude? Who did you learn it from?” Ye Zhiqiu laughed and swatted Lu Shuangshuang’s hand away.
Lu Shuangshuang thought for a moment. “Probably Xiao Xiang.”
“Xiao Xiang?! No way. Next time he’s off duty, I need to have a serious talk with him.”
Lu Shuangshuang quickly grabbed Ye Zhiqiu. “No, no, no. It’s from reading novels. It has nothing to do with Xiao Xiang. He’s a good kid.”
“Seems like you two are getting along well. You’re even defending him now.”
Ye Zhiqiu knew that He Bin was giving Lu Shuangshuang rides, and she was happy they were spending more time together.
Before, they used to argue every time they met, a perfect pair of quarrelsome lovers.
On one side was her brother, on the other was her best friend. She couldn’t take either side, but they’d always come to her to settle their arguments, which gave her a huge headache.
“By the way, Shuangshuang, have the Lu family been bothering you lately?” Ye Zhiqiu asked Lu Shuangshuang.
Lu Xu wanted revenge, and Sun Lanzi was helping him. Lu Guangrong, although he knew what they were doing, turned a blind eye and let Sun Lanzi and Lu Xu harass Lu Shuangshuang.
Luckily, He Bin was always driving Lu Shuangshuang around and protecting her. Otherwise, who knows what Lu Xu might have done to her.
Last time, when Lu Shuangshuang happened to be in a tiff with He Bin, Lu Xu actually brought two or three teenage boys to ambush her on the road.
The cultural troupe was located in a relatively remote area, and the roads were overgrown with weeds this season. If she’d been dragged to a secluded spot, something terrible could have happened.
Fortunately, He Bin showed up later and beat up Lu Xu and his gang.
