The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 27

In performance, confidence is just as vital as skill.

Song Mingyue understood her advantages perfectly. Midway through her song, she realized she had forgotten a few lines of the lyrics, yet she remained unflustered, calmly repeating the previous verses to finish the piece. Throughout the entire process, she carried herself with poise and grace, her smile radiating a warm, infectious charm.

Mingyue’s philosophy for performing was simple: even if her vocals were only at a lackluster karaoke level, she would sing with the presence of someone headlining a stadium concert. Furthermore, since almost no one in the audience understood Cantonese, even if she had botched every single word, they likely wouldn’t have known the difference.

As the song ended, the cheers from below the stage lingered for a long time; she had successfully ignited the atmosphere. She had also proven one thing to everyone: Song Mingyue was truly, breathtakingly beautiful. It was no wonder a beauty of her caliber had caused even Battalion Commander Chen to lose his heart to the world of mortals.

Of course, not everyone supported her. Several traditionalists sat with furrowed brows, cursing under their breaths. “Indecent! Simply indecent! What kind of woman dresses like that and sings such scandalous songs? It’s only because the environment has opened up these last few years. If this were the old days in the countryside, she’d be drowned in a pig cage. How can someone like this represent our compound?”

A young man nearby argued loudly, “This is the new society. We should pursue modern ideas. It’s not like the old days. People in Hong Kong and Beijing sing like this now. If you went to Beijing, you’d see people playing rock and roll!”

“What is ‘rock and roll’?”

“A style of music—much more exaggerated than Comrade Mingyue’s performance. You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.”

When Song Mingyue stepped off the stage, Zhang Jingjing hugged her, laughing through tears. “Mingyue, how are you so talented? Didn’t you say you couldn’t sing? You sounded amazing just now! And you can actually speak Cantonese? Is there anything you can’t do?”

In truth, there were many things she couldn’t do, and much of her knowledge was superficial. Just like the song she had performed: if this were decades into the future, she probably would have been buzzed off the stage after the first line. But in this era, everything was a novelty. Because the audience hadn’t heard it before, they naturally found it excellent.

As the performances continued, those who had finished could wait outside for the results. Once everyone was done, they would gather in the waiting room for the two judges to announce the final scores.

Outside the waiting room, where non-performers were barred, Zhang Jingjing’s husband was waiting. When they walked out together, Jingjing’s heart, which had just begun to settle, felt a fresh wave of grievance upon seeing him. She regretted listening to her parents and coming here to join the military as a spouse; back in the apartment blocks of Inner Mongolia, she had been a fearless “tough girl,” not the disliked outsider she felt like now. After the embarrassment she had suffered tonight, she didn’t want to deal with her husband at all.

Her husband was a rugged, burly man—tough in appearance but honest and clumsy in personality. Seeing his wife angry, he didn’t know how to step forward and coax her, leaving the two in a stalemate.

Unable to watch any longer, Song Mingyue broke the tension by asking, “Comrade Yu, why are you alone? Did you see Chen Che?”

Zhang Jingjing’s husband replied eagerly, “Battalion Commander Chen is here; he’s sitting right outside. You’ll see him as soon as you go out.”

“He’s so thoughtful, knowing to look for his wife,” Mingyue teased. “Unlike Battalion Commander Chen, who probably forgot everything while watching the show. You two chat; I’ll go see what Chen Che is up to.”

She wasn’t actually desperate to find Chen Che; she simply wanted to give the couple some space. Since Zhang Jingjing’s husband was already tongue-tied, her presence would only make it harder for him to speak.

However, when Mingyue stepped out, she spotted Chen Che immediately. Sitting among a sea of olive-green uniforms, his temperament and stature stood out remarkably. At the same time, many in the audience turned their gaze toward her, watching her every move.

Do I have to maintain an ‘idol image’ now? Mingyue thought. She instantly perfected her posture and donned a smile. Across the vast crowd, her eyes met Chen Che’s.

Not noticing anything unusual about him, she gestured for him to come out. She wanted to take a walk; it was stuffy inside, and she didn’t want to steal the spotlight from the performers still on stage.

She led the way out of the assembly hall, and the air instantly grew quiet. Mingyue leaned against a poplar tree by the entrance to wait for Chen Che. Looking up, she saw the sky shimmering with stars, like a galaxy of fine sand stretched across the infinite horizon.

A night this beautiful could perhaps only be found in this era. Growing up in a city of skyscrapers, the sky was always washed out by neon lights; one would have to wait for perfect weather and drive to a mountain peak in the suburbs to see a night sky like this.

As Chen Che slowly emerged, Mingyue went to meet him. “What’s wrong?” she asked, puzzled.

Chen Che’s throat felt dry. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he said, “Nothing.”

No, he’s acting strange today, Mingyue thought. She studied him suspiciously, but seeing he wasn’t inclined to talk, she didn’t push. Instead, she changed the subject with a bright smile. “Was my song good?”

“It was good.”

It was more than good; it had completely disrupted his heart.

“Then be a little happier! Look at your wife—didn’t I just do you proud in front of everyone? We’re a team now; if I’m praised, you share the glory too.”

He wasn’t unhappy; he was simply unsettled. A stiff, “wooden” man like Chen Che would find it nearly impossible to confess his feelings to a girl. But looking at Song Mingyue’s beautiful, smiling face, he felt a surge of heat. It felt as though his heart were suspended over a vast abyss, and he didn’t know how to pull it back to safety.

So, this is what it tastes like to like someone.

Noticing people passing by the entrance, Mingyue suddenly remembered something. “I just spotted a great business opportunity,” she whispered to him. “At a time like this, even selling popsicles outside would be a goldmine.”

Most people attending the performance were couples or families. If a woman or child wanted a popsicle, the men would usually buy one. The more she thought about it, the more viable the plan seemed. Regardless of tonight’s results, she planned to talk to Zhang Jingjing about partnering up to sell things outside the venue of the city-level competition.

While others competed for glory, they would compete for profit. The thought was quite appealing.

Chen Che, however, remained distracted. Mingyue didn’t know what was wrong—he looked as if he’d lost his soul. Could it be a problem at work? She patted his shoulder encouragingly. “Don’t be sad, Comrade Chen. It’s after hours now. Save the research institute problems for tomorrow.”

To her surprise, the moment she touched him, Chen Che recoiled as if startled. Mingyue’s mood soured instantly. Is he repulsed by me?

She wondered if he was one of those arrogant, “straight-man” types who didn’t like their wives showing off in public, but she immediately dismissed the thought. No, Chen Che wasn’t that kind of person.

If it wasn’t that, then had she offended him? She thought for a moment but decided the guessing game was pointless. She hated it when two people played mind games; it was better to sit down and talk openly.

Mingyue pulled Chen Che into a small nearby grove and demanded with mock sternness, “Alright, Comrade Chen Che, I’m giving you one last chance. What is going on tonight? Did I do something to upset you?”

“No.” A flush crept up Chen Che’s cheeks. Fortunately, it was too dark to see clearly, or he would have been even more flustered. “I just thought your singing was very beautiful. I didn’t know you could speak Cantonese.”

Mingyue preened. “Of course. There’s a lot more I can do.” She didn’t just know Cantonese; she knew English, too.

Seeing her radiant confidence, Chen Che couldn’t help but let out a small, soft smile. He loved seeing her proud like this.

As the crowds began heading back toward the hall, Mingyue guessed the event was ending. Having had enough fresh air, she called Chen Che to head back inside.

At the entrance, Yin Xiumei was looking for her frantically. “Mingyue! Where have you been? Everyone is backstage; get in there quickly!”

Inside, the announcer’s voice boomed: “Based on the professional judges’ votes, the person who has qualified tonight is… Zhao Xing!”

When Mingyue’s name wasn’t called, whispers broke out in the audience. Zhao Xing was strong, that much was true, but Mingyue’s performance hadn’t been inferior. While many in the troupe could perform like Zhao Xing, Mingyue and Zhang Jingjing had shown much more creativity. Zhang Jingjing had missed out due to her stumble, which was expected, but many felt it was unfair for Mingyue to lose to Zhao Xing.

Before the murmurs could turn into a protest, the announcer took a breath and added: “And Song Mingyue! The two of them will form a team to represent our compound in the city-level competition!”

This was a perfect solution. The crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief. With Zhao Xing’s dancing and Song Mingyue’s singing, a collaboration would surely yield better results.

Zhang Jingjing was genuinely happy for her friend. “Mingyue, you’re going to the city! That’s wonderful!”

Originally, Zhang Jingjing was supposed to be the one going. All her hard work had seemingly gone to waste, and she had been humiliated earlier that night. Yet, Mingyue knew Jingjing wasn’t angry. She was a sincere person; if she looked happy, she truly was.

However, Mingyue wasn’t about to let the earlier incident slide. She had to stand up for her friend. “Don’t congratulate me yet. We need to find out who was wicked enough to wax the stage right before your dance. We are definitely finding that person.”

“Mingyue, let it go. I’m happy enough that you’re going to the city.”

“It’s fine, I’ll look into it for you later,” Mingyue said, pivoting to her new idea. “Going to the city for a competition isn’t everything; the competition there will be much fiercer, and the chances of winning a prize are slim. Comrade Zhang Jingjing, do you want to do something else?”

“Like what?” Jingjing asked curiously.

“We could set up a stall to sell things. When I went out just now, I saw how many people were on the paths. If we sell little trinkets at the competition venue, business will be booming.”

Zhang Jingjing looked panicked. “Mingyue, we can’t! That’s… that’s smuggling, ‘speculative profiteering’! If we’re caught, the consequences will be severe.”

“It won’t be. Haven’t you noticed the policies in Mo City have loosened up lately? The ‘individual household’ (getihu) policies are out. This isn’t profiteering; it’s being a private entrepreneur. There will be more and more people like us in the future.”

Not only would there be more, but many would go on to build great empires. The secret, as Mingyue knew, lay in having a forward-thinking mind and the courage to act.