Transmigrated Into the Stand-In of the Tragic Novel’s Heroine - Chapter 43

Xie Qingtang’s sudden live broadcast sparked a small discussion within her fan community.

Her fan base is quite diverse, but ultimately, fans of her appearance and fans of her singing make up the majority. For the appearance fans, as long as Xie Qingtang is on camera, it doesn’t matter what she is doing. Singing fans, on the other hand, want to hear Xie Qingtang sing, and even hope she releases a single or an album to become a true pop star, rather than just doing small-scale streaming on a platform.

Their desired development paths for Xie Qingtang differ, leading to some arguments during heated discussions. Mixed in were a few handicraft enthusiasts, and when they spoke up, it only fueled the flames between the other two groups.

Xie Qingtang scrolled through the comments for a while and found it amusing. These “children” are too naive; how she develops and what she prepares to do is certainly not up to them. Having already chosen her direction, she didn’t dwell on it and quickly posted a new Weibo message: “I’ve recently started a part-time job in a new location. My future live broadcasts will revolve around it, so please bear with me.”

— Wait, is she taking an ad? Other streamers usually sell products, but what is she going to “sell”?

Some people didn’t quite understand Xie Qingtang’s actions, but as soon as their confusion arose, someone immediately stepped forward to explain. Given the status and reputation of the Folk Handicraft Museum in Shencheng, it wouldn’t need anyone to sell its products. The items inside are priceless and would only be given as gifts. It’s a place that countless handicraft enthusiasts flock to.

The museum’s sections correspond to its exhibition halls, and Xie Qingtang chose the dyeing and printing process. The dyeing and printing area is next to the textile area, and the people who frequent both sides are mostly women over forty, with very few young people like her. After Xie Qingtang expressed her idea of live streaming, Jiang Lu’s side gave her some support. The next day, a small, suitable rig was set up on the site, with the camera capturing the entire scene.

Unlike the assembly line work of machines, the dyeing and printing here are all done using ancient methods, from extracting the dyes to dipping and printing, all by hand. Several round stone tables in the courtyard were surrounded by women with smiling faces, while six large dye vats were placed in the four corners. Bamboo poles crossed like a net, and pieces of cloth in various colors were drying on the poles, billowing in the wind and making a whooshing sound.

Xie Qingtang’s face was sometimes in the camera and sometimes blocked by the fluttering cloth.

— Shocked, is this something I can watch for free? The vast blue sky, the billowing colorful dyed cloth, the crisscrossing figures, the clear singing… I’m sending envious sounds!

— The streamer who streams on and off has finally had a change of heart and is preparing to stream all day?

— Speaking of which, I’m very curious, how do they get the colors crossed on one piece of cloth, with some areas left undyed?

— Curious +1.

Although Xie Qingtang had experienced many worlds, she had never been exposed to dyeing and printing, and at this moment, she was watching the fluttering cloth with equal curiosity.

“Little Xie, you go with Little Jiang to gather the indigo first,” said the oldest woman in the group.

Xie Qingtang responded and turned to “Little Jiang,” who was standing with folded arms by the door, and was indeed Jiang Zhen, the one who had brought her to the museum.

“Miss Jiang, thank you for your trouble,” Xie Qingtang said with a smile, her eyes curved.

Jiang Zhen gave her an impassive look and replied, “Just call me Jiang Zhen.”

The indigo blue here is extracted from indigo plants. These types of herbal plants are seasonal, and according to the ancients, it was not suitable to gather indigo in the fifth month. However, development has now allowed for a continuous supply of these plants year-round. Jiang Zhen took Xie Qingtang to the Jiang family’s own indigo plant greenhouse.

The live streaming equipment remained in the courtyard, capturing the scene of the splendid colorful cloth fluttering, while the owner of the live broadcast had disappeared.

At this hour, there weren’t many viewers in the live stream, and the number gradually decreased due to Xie Qingtang’s absence.

Chang Yishao exited the live stream, placed her phone face down on the desk, took off her headphones, and frowned slightly.

She heard those people say that Xie Qingtang had gone out to gather the indigo and wouldn’t be back for a while. Her time is very fragmented, and even with a full-day live broadcast, she might not catch Xie Qingtang there.

This time, it was called a business trip, but she could still sense Xie Qingtang’s intention to leave; otherwise, why the question about ending the contract early?

She thought that after it ended, they would each return to their own lives, and she would continue to live her boring and repetitive days, like a pool of stagnant water with no ripples. But at this moment, she realized that things seemed to be subtly getting out of control—she wasn’t watching the live stream; she was watching Xie Qingtang.

“Teacher Chang, are you still watching videos? Don’t you need to prepare lessons?” The sarcastic voice that reached her ears belonged to Zhang Shang, who was annoying, and even the head teacher of the next class would occasionally mock her, seemingly listing her as their number one enemy. The gossip circulating on campus had not completely stopped. Many unfamiliar teachers pointed fingers in secret, and bold students would even directly run into the office to ask, and even more ridiculously, some students had sent love letters to her desk.

She was getting tired of this kind of life.

She chose this job partly because of her love for history and partly because it was quiet enough to cool the passion around her. Between the two, the latter was clearly more important, but now this calm had been mercilessly shattered. After a breach was torn, those people began to try to pry into her life.

It was not difficult for Chang Yishao to imagine whose mouths the rumors came from.

Zhang Yi, Zhang Shang… with a He Yanjin mixed in between. She didn’t know what He Yanjin was thinking, but at this point, she was too lazy to guess the thoughts of a stranger who had nothing to do with her. Even if she did nothing, she would still arouse He Yanjin’s delusion—If only Xie Qingtang paid her a fraction of that attention, then… Chang Yishao shook her head, and before the school bell rang, she chased the distracting thoughts from her mind.

When her mind was unsettled, calm could not infect her; instead, only the ups and downs between life and death could bring peace to her heart.

This thought flashed through her mind in an instant, like a seed falling, gradually breaking through the soil, rooting, and blooming.

It had been a long time since Chang Yishao had actively contacted friends at night.

Lu Li was in a fierce battle with a game boss and was completely bewildered when she received the message. The former Chang Yishao would flip her days and nights, but the current Chang Yishao… her schedule is regular, comparable to a retired veteran. She had heard a little about Xie Qingtang going to Shencheng, and at this moment, a conjecture that she found particularly terrifying surfaced in her mind.

She secretly sent a message to both Tang Rong and Qi Yu.

“Do you think she’s fallen again? What’s so great about that ordinary face! She’s poisonous, truly!”

Tang Rong: “It’s not ordinary. Maybe Yishao just likes that type.”

At least she replied, but Qi Yu only sent a question mark. Lu Li knew that among their group, Qi Yu was a little more familiar with Xie Qingtang, and just as she was about to press further, she found that she had been temporarily blocked by Qi Yu—it was clear that she had once again interrupted the great painter Qi’s work.

Lu Li lay down on the table, her chin resting on her arms, looking up slightly at the calm-faced Chang Yishao with a long sigh.

If she were truly calm, she wouldn’t have dug her out of her happiness at this hour.

The cup by her hand contained red wine, while Chang Yishao was drinking tea from a glass.

She looked like an ascetic monk in the mountains, yet this only made Chang Yishao seem even more unusual.

Lu Li rubbed her eyes, feeling a bit drowsy. She straightened up, and after a while, slid back into her reclining chair, asking, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Chang Yishao was silent, and after a moment, she finally asked, “How many years has it been since I was on the racetrack?”

Lu Li was startled, and most of her drowsiness was scared away. She stared intently at Chang Yishao, her expression stern: “What do you want to do?”

Chang Yishao avoided Lu Li’s gaze and said lightly, “Nothing.”

When she was young, she liked passion, flowers, and flattery, but now, her boldness had gradually been worn away, and what she longed for had become gentleness and peace. Lu Li did not hide her disgust for He Yanjin, but she had to admit one thing: regardless of what Chang Yishao herself thought, she had indeed retreated from the edge of the cliff; she no longer pursued that terrifying thrill and upheaval. Those close to her did not have to worry that she would fall into the abyss and be crushed to pieces at any moment.

Lu Li knew there was a flame burning in Chang Yishao’s heart, and even after hearing the three words “nothing,” she still couldn’t stop the deep-seated worry from spreading. She said, “Yishao, be calm.”

Chang Yishao nodded and sighed softly, “Actually, everyone has changed.”

“Isn’t change the norm?” Lu Li retorted, her brows tightly furrowed, and a look of entanglement lingering in her eyes. After a long time, she finally said, “Is it because of Xie Qingtang? Have you thought it through yourself?”

“I don’t know,” Chang Yishao shook her head, a look of confusion on her face.

Lu Li clasped her hands, pursed her lips, and said solemnly, “This is not a game. And Xie Qingtang… she doesn’t seem like the type to stay for anyone. She’s like a runaway wild horse.” Chang Yishao has no heart, and Xie Qingtang… from the few times they’ve met, she felt that this person also truly has no heart. From this perspective, they are indeed the same kind.

Seeing Chang Yishao remain silent for a long time, Lu Li sighed. She said, “Follow your own heart, but you… don’t make your family and friends worry.”

Chang Yishao smiled at the remark, and teased, “Where is Lu Dali who promised to look for excitement together back then?”

Lu Li said without changing her expression, “Dead.” Now she is Lu Xianyu Li (Lu Slacker Li). Everyone has a period of being overly emotional, thinking the world’s winds and clouds were stirring for them, and the onlookers were applauding.

She raised her wine glass, tipped her head back, and drank the red wine in one gulp, looking brave and heroic.

Chang Yishao took a light sip of her tea and suddenly said, “I just think she’s very cute.”

Especially when she walked towards her with the fragrance of roses.

Chang Yishao bought a string of candied hawthorns on her way back.

She sat cross-legged on the sofa and made a video call to Xie Qingtang.

Xie Qingtang didn’t make her wait too long; she was leaning against the bed frame, looking weak and drowsy with her eyes half-closed.

Gathering indigo and extracting dye is tiring work.

“What is it, Teacher Chang?” Her voice was a little airy.

“Are you very tired?” Chang Yishao frowned slightly.

“Mm,” Xie Qingtang covered her mouth as she yawned, a few tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

“Then you should get some—”

Before the two words ‘rest well’ were finished, Chang Yishao’s words were interrupted by Xie Qingtang.

“What is it? Did something unpleasant happen at school?” Xie Qingtang repeated the question. She guessed that Chang Yishao must have encountered something, otherwise why would she initiate a video call? Since she was on a business trip, she couldn’t forget her duty. She was still qualified to be a “girlfriend” across the screen.

Chang Yishao paused, thinking about the things at school, which probably didn’t count as setbacks. She lowered her eyes and gave a gentle smile. The gloom that had accumulated all day was completely swept away by Xie Qingtang’s single sentence. She moved the phone to sweep across the candied hawthorns on the coffee table, then turned back, and said earnestly, “I bought candied hawthorns. They are very sweet.”

Xie Qingtang: “…” It was clearly unopened; how could she know if it was sweet or sour? She propped herself up with one hand and said lazily, “Remember to spit it out if you get a sour one. Don’t torture yourself.”

“Okay,” Chang Yishao nodded, answering solemnly.

“I’m going to sleep now. Good night.” Xie Qingtang’s voice was muffled, clearly utterly exhausted. Before Chang Yishao could react, the call was hung up. Chang Yishao gazed at the screen that was gradually dimming and softly said, “Good night.”

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