When Spring Burns - Chapter 2

“Join you?”

“Yes, and it would be a chance for Miss He to hear some fresh opera singing.”

With the same group always performing, he was worried Miss He might grow tired of it. Injecting some new talent would be good, and it could also help the two of them.

Thinking it was a win-win situation, Guan Leyou didn’t expect Sheng Tingmian to refuse.

“Uncle Guan, thank you for your kindness, but I can’t possibly join your troupe.”

Not only did Sheng Tingmian refuse, but she also declined on behalf of her aunt. “My aunt can’t join either.”

Her aunt was the troupe leader of Liqing Troupe and had held the position for over a decade. She had never heard of a troupe leader joining another troupe to play a supporting role as a female lead singer.

“So, are you planning to give up singing opera?”

At this, Sheng Tingmian lowered her head and looked at the water sleeves in her hands. “I don’t know… My aunt has already started looking for a new job, and her troupe is about to disband.”

No matter how reluctant or sad she felt, she couldn’t stop it.

Guan Leyou could tell the girl was deeply sentimental. After a moment’s thought, he said, “I’ve heard that Miss He has a younger sister, though she’s already married. You’re about the same age as her. From what I’ve observed, Miss He tends to be especially fond of younger girls. If you perform well and earn her appreciation, you could ask her for help, and she might just agree.”

This was the first time Sheng Tingmian had heard of this Miss He. “Who is this Miss He?”

Guan Leyou replied, “She’s the eldest daughter of the powerful He family in Yanshi. Many people try to curry favor with her. Do you know how much the top reward is for performing at her house?”

Sheng Tingmian was surprised. With so few opera audiences these days, she hadn’t expected anyone to still offer top rewards. “How much?”

“Each person’s red envelope contains 500, and for those who sing well, even more!”

Sheng Tingmian felt a stirring of excitement, not just because of the generous reward, but also because of the possibility that Miss He could help save their Liqing Troupe.

Given her aunt’s status, she would never go, but Sheng Tingmian could. She just had to keep it a secret from her aunt.

“Uncle Guan, I’ll go, but you can’t tell my aunt. She definitely wouldn’t allow it.”

“Alright, but Miss He prefers Kunqu opera. How is your Kunqu singing?”

“I can sing Kunqu too, Uncle Guan. Don’t think I only perform Peking opera. My aunt says my Kunqu is even better than my Peking opera.”

It was just that audiences preferred the face-changing, spear-twirling, and martial arts aspects of Peking opera, so she hadn’t had many opportunities to perform Kunqu.

Guan Leyou asked her to sing a few lines to test her skills. Only after he was satisfied did he finalize the arrangement. “Which piece do you want to sing? I’ll register it for you.”

Sheng Tingmian suddenly thought of a set of opera costumes her aunt had carefully stored away. An idea crossed her mind. “Liangzhou Diqi, Uncle Guan. I’ll sing Liangzhou Diqi.”

“Good. Practice well at home, Xiao Mian. Once I register your piece and Miss He approves, you’ll take the stage.”

Guan Leyou felt it necessary to add a warning. “You absolutely must not mess this up.”

“I understand, Uncle Guan. Don’t worry.”

After Guan Leyou left, Sheng Tingmian went to the rooftop to practice her Kunqu singing.

Fortunately, her aunt had always insisted she practice Kunqu, so even though she performed more Peking opera on stage, her Kunqu skills hadn’t slipped.

That evening, when her aunt returned and saw the fruit on the table, she asked who had brought it. Sheng Tingmian explained it was from Uncle Guan.

“What was that old rascal doing here?”

Her aunt’s usual blunt way of referring to Uncle Guan made Sheng Tingmian burst out laughing.

“Uncle Guan said there’s a family that’s been hiring him to perform opera, and they tip generously. He wants us to join his troupe to sing.”

Sheng Xiaoyun scoffed, “What a pipe dream. You didn’t agree on my behalf, did you?”

Sheng Tingmian shook her head, her eyes flickering. “No, I know you wouldn’t join another troupe, so I turned him down right away.”

“Auntie, how’s your job search going? Is it tiring?”

Sheng Xiaoyun clicked her tongue pessimistically. “Tried a few, none of them are great. Looks like I might have to go back to my old profession, teaching.”

When she was younger, she had been a teacher, but she found the students too exhausting, each one a handful. Teaching the same material year after year felt dull and uninspiring. Later, she discovered opera was more interesting and decisively quit to pursue it.

Sheng Tingmian comforted her, “Teaching is pretty good too.”

Two days later, Uncle Guan called to say the program had been submitted and asked her to prepare for the next day. Sheng Tingmian was so excited she couldn’t sleep.

Early the next morning, while her aunt was out, she went into the room and struggled to carry out a box.

When she opened it, inside lay an exquisitely crafted pink embroidered opera costume and a headdress adorned with kingfisher feathers and pearls.

This set had been custom-made by a master craftsman during her aunt’s most prosperous days. The headdress was woven with silk and kingfisher feathers, topped with a phoenix holding tassels. The white pearl tassels were made of real pearls, and the two pheasant feathers were sourced from snow-white pheasant plumes, each feather boasting sixty-four flowers.

It’s said that modern craftsmanship can no longer produce pheasant feathers with sixty-four flowers. Complemented by raw silk tassels and peacock feathers, every component was exceptionally precious.

The pink opera costume was meticulously embroidered stitch by stitch by skilled artisans, with elegant and lively patterns. The cloud collar and hem were adorned with white tassels, making it incredibly beautiful.

Her aunt had spent most of her savings on it and treasured it dearly.

Her aunt had let her wear it once before, and Sheng Tingmian had a vague sense that her aunt had once intended to groom her as a future troupe leader.

Unfortunately, times had changed too quickly, and the industry was no longer as popular.

Uncle Guan and the others were waiting downstairs. Sheng Tingmian closed the box, carried it down, and told Uncle Guan she would wear this costume later.

She boarded one of the red-and-white buses, the shared vehicle of Uncle Guan’s Tianxing Troupe. On the bus sat the troupe’s core members.

Feeling a bit shy, Sheng Tingmian nodded to them and took the first seat as arranged by Uncle Guan. Next to her was a huadan (female role) sister who was very talkative and chatted cheerfully with everyone.

Seeing Sheng Tingmian board, she immediately joked, “Your face is so youthful, are you even an adult?”

Sheng Tingmian blushed shyly, her ears turning red. “I am an adult, sister.”

Fang Hanyu couldn’t resist reaching out to touch her face. Her skin was so smooth, her features as if sculpted by the Queen Mother of the West herself, a delicate and straight nose, elegantly shaped eyes with a bright, captivating sparkle that seemed to hook one’s heart.

If she were to put on opera makeup, how stunning she would look.

Her arms and legs were slender, pale like willow buds, yet she was quite tall. It would be challenging to find a xiaosheng (young male role) to match her on stage.

Throughout the journey, Sheng Tingmian was teased relentlessly by the sisters on the bus.

The bus stopped at the He family’s entrance. Sheng Tingmian followed the huadan (female role) performers inside, curiously looking around. The sprawling He residence was exceptionally grand.

It felt indescribably comfortable, with every scene picturesque enough to be captured in a photograph.

Only upon arriving did they realize the He family had prepared a dressing room for the troupe, sparing them the need to squeeze behind the stage or inside the tour bus to apply makeup and change costumes.

Snacks and throat-soothing tea, also provided by the He family, were laid out on the table.

Some of the elder sisters were applying rouge, others dusting on blush, while the quicker ones had already started attaching their theatrical beards.

Uncle Guan said her performance was scheduled as the finale, a considerate arrangement. Sheng Tingmian took her time, following the steps: applying base makeup, setting it, outlining her lips, fastening the headnet, and wrapping it with water gauze.

Just as she finished securing the forehead ornaments, she heard the two huadan role actresses who had performed the opening number return. They looked delighted, each holding a red envelope tucked inside their flowing water sleeves.

Everyone teased and asked how much Miss He had rewarded them this time.

“Not much, just a modest eight hundred,” Fang Hanyu replied softly in her delicate stage voice.

The others gasped in admiration, murmurs of envy rising all around.

Fang Hanyu’s singing skills were truly exceptional, her rewards often ranked among the highest.

But not every performer received a bonus. Those who sang poorly or made mistakes would not only miss out on the reward but might also lose future performance opportunities.

That’s why everyone treasured this chance dearly.

Hearing this, Sheng Tingmian, seated at the dressing table, unconsciously clenched her hands. A wave of nervousness washed over her, if she made a mistake, would she never get to see Miss He again?

Once her makeup was done but before changing into her costume, Sheng Tingmian stayed in the dressing room, not venturing anywhere else. Her mind wandered, curious about what kind of person Miss He really was, how old she might be, whether she was easy to get along with, and if she genuinely loved listening to opera.