Chapter 352: 葬花

"Oh? Liu Qingyan?" Li Qingshan turned around, saw her, and asked in surprise.

"You know her?" Chen Ling asked.

"I've met her a few times; she's from our Liuzhen too," Li Qingshan nodded slightly. "Her family used to be in the silk business. While not extremely wealthy, they lived comfortably. However, I heard something happened later... After her father died, the family accumulated massive debts, and all their relatives and friends who had relied on them fled, plunging them into despair. I remember last winter, she was dragging a cart alone, braving heavy snow, going door-to-door selling silk. She must have been only sixteen or seventeen then? Sigh... Our family wasn't doing well at the time either, otherwise, I would have bought some."

Chen Ling nodded slightly, thoughtfully watching the girl's retreating back.

Liu Qingyan kept her head down, seemingly afraid to look at anyone. She stumbled through the aisle and quietly sat down in the outermost row of the audience seats.

However, no sooner had she sat down than a voice called out from the front: "Number 16? Where is Number 16??"

Liu Qingyan trembled slightly. Supporting herself with her hands on the chair, she slowly stood up, grabbed the "Number 16" sign, and hurried towards the stage as fast as her legs could carry her. "I... I'm here," she whispered.

"Why are you so slow? Get up there and perform, don't waste everyone's time." A judge spoke coldly.

Liu Qingyan walked onto the stage step by step. She was wearing a dark blue, wide-sleeved top. Her lower half was a knee-length black pleated skirt, and her hair was braided into several thin strands that cascaded over her shoulders, swaying slightly with her movements. She reached the center of the stage. Her gaze swept over the judges' panel in the front row, and upon seeing the faces of a few individuals, her body trembled slightly, and she immediately lowered her head.

"Number 16, Liu Qingyan, what are you waiting for??" Seeing her delay, the judges grew increasingly annoyed.

Liu Qingyan took a deep breath, forced her eyes shut... The next moment, she moved. Her slender arms swayed gently, like parting water lilies, gracefully swaying in the breeze. Her black pleated skirt spun with her light footsteps on the stage, as if she were an elf dancing on a bluestone path, captivating the hearts of all the audience.

Completely different from Number 15's seductive posing, even Chen Ling could see that this girl possessed extraordinary dancing talent. Every step she took was perfectly natural. The entire audience was captivated by her movements, their breathing hushed. Her indistinct black braided hair fluttered with her movements, and Liu Qingyan seemed completely immersed in her dance. Her body arched softly backward, naturally outlining the curves of a young woman—neither provocative nor overly demure, yet possessing a captivating beauty.

"What a beautiful dance." Even Li Qingshan couldn't help but praise, "She's practically born for dancing... Even in the main city of Hongchen, there probably aren't many who can dance as well as she does." The other applicants nearby began to whisper, seemingly stunned by Liu Qingyan.

The judges below the stage were also momentarily stunned, apparently not expecting Liu Qingyan's dance to be so good. But then their gazes upon the girl on stage grew increasingly fervent. As Liu Qingyan's dance steps gradually quickened, more and more difficult moves were incorporated. Just as she was about to make a light leap, a sudden weakness surged through her legs.

Thud—! The graceful girl, under the judges' greedy and lustful gazes, ultimately failed to leap and fell heavily to the ground. The dull thud jolted everyone from their immersion. They stared in shock at the girl's fallen figure on stage. She curled up like a wounded fawn, her pale face utterly devoid of color under the lights, hidden beneath her disheveled black hair. Even so, no one went to help her up. The judges, seated in the front, their fervent gazes like sharp knives, seemed to cut across her body. Seeing her fall in disarray only made them more excited.

Liu Qingyan took in the entire scene. Her hands, supporting her body, unconsciously clenched into fists, and her eyes welled up with deep resentment and anger. She pursed her lips and struggled to get up from the floor. Her knees were already bruised from the fall, but she stumbled through the rest of her performance. She finally stood on stage, battered, and bowed deeply to everyone below.

Applause erupted!

"Overall score: 6.5. Congratulations, you've passed."

As the announcement sounded, Liu Qingyan silently walked off the stage, her head still bowed, still unwilling to meet anyone's gaze. Only as she passed by Chen Ling did their eyes meet for a brief moment. Chen Ling watched Liu Qingyan's faltering retreat, a subtle glint in his eyes.

Liu Qingyan's passing was not unexpected to Chen Ling. Compared to applicants like Li Qingshan, who hadn't yet grasped the situation, this girl not only possessed talent but also understood the darkness within the process, even having the courage to take that step. Chen Ling felt no contempt or disdain for her; on the contrary, he greatly admired the girl. Talent, intelligence, and decisiveness all appeared in this seventeen-year-old girl, but this also meant she would endure suffering far beyond what ordinary people experience.

The next few contestants weren't particularly remarkable. Li Qingshan, knowing his turn was approaching, nervously reviewed his lines and movements, striving for perfection in every detail. Finally, he walked onto the stage at the judges' call. Upon seeing his opera robe and the exquisite "sheng role" makeup, the judges lowered their eyelids, showing no intention of truly looking at him.

"What era is this? Who still watches traditional opera?"

"Exactly. Now it's all about song and dance, and looks. Few people want to listen to someone singing anymore."

"Headquarters' quota for this year is out: out of twelve slots, traditional opera only gets one... or even none. I see many promising talents among the other applicants this time, so perhaps..."

"I agree. It's hard to become a famous performer in this line of work now, and making money is out of the question."

"Even those old masters in the main city are fading away..."

"This Li Qingshan, hasn't he been coming for four years straight now? How can he still be so oblivious?"

"By the way, why isn't Supervisor Sun here yet? What time is it already?"

Li Qingshan stood on stage, unable to clearly hear what they were saying. He simply struck his pose, took a deep breath, and his clear, resonant opera voice echoed piercingly throughout every corner of the venue.

"Flowers withered, petals scattered across the sky,Their beauty faded, fragrance gone, who pities them?With hoe in hand, I step from my embroidered curtain,How can I bear to tread upon the fallen blossoms again...?"

None of the judges listened. Below the stage, only a handful of people watched, while the chatter and warm-up vocalizations of others outside the door rose and fell, creating a chaotic din. But even so, Li Qingshan stood tall, his eyes filled with tender emotion, his clear voice resonating. His solo performance's power cut through all the background noise as he performed as if alone on stage, completely absorbed in his art.

Amidst the busy crowd, Chen Ling, draped in a large red opera robe, quietly watched Li Qingshan, a complex glint in his eyes. As Li Qingshan's heartfelt performance ended, a cold voice followed:

"Overall score: 3. Next."

Li Qingshan on stage trembled slightly. On the stage, unnoticed by anyone, the figure in the green robe stood for a long time. He gave a self-deprecating smile, then unhurriedly bowed deeply to the audience below...