Chapter 671: Chapter 700: Striving for
In the icy and snowy wilderness, Xu Qigang was dressed in a white cold-weather suit, almost blending into the surrounding trees and village. He wore black sunglasses, revealing only a prominent nose, a resolute chin, and tightly closed thin lips.
“I’ll take the night shift; you get so sleep,” Xu Qigang said as he kicked Chen Yingjie, who was sitting on top of the tent.
Fortunately, the cold-weather suits were effective, otherwise, it would be possible for all of them to freeze to death in this godforsaken place.
“Yes!” Chen Yingjie packed up the tent swiftly and took out compressed biscuits and canned food from his backpack. He opened one and began eating tastelessly, complaining while he ate. “I’m going to throw up if I have to eat this stuff any longer! Captain, have so too.”
Xu Qigang sat down next to Chen Yingjie, taking the compressed biscuit and eating quickly; he finished in less than five minutes.
“Hurry up, there’s no ti to waste.”
“Yes!” Chen Yingjie finished quickly and stood up, looking around vigilantly. “Captain, what do we do if we’ve gotten separated from the others again?”
Xu Qigang raised the telescope to survey the terrain, his eyes cold beneath the sunglasses. “No problem!” he said carelessly, “The separation was intentional.”
“What?” Chen Yingjie was stunned, then imdiately realized the issue. “Is it because there’s sothing wrong with them?”
“Mm!” Xu Qigang nodded, “Didn’t you feel they arrived too tily during the evacuation?”
“A bit.”
Xu Qigang’s black boots stepped firmly in the snow; his handso face was stern. “Soone is passing ssages, so we must split up for the next part of the operation.”
“All our communication devices and supplies are with Team Three; what do we do next? I don’t want to just go back like this.”
“Continue.” Xu Qigang looked toward the city at the end of his line of sight, his intuition telling him that the core information they wanted should be there. He hoped Qin Yue would arrive before his action.
He touched the position of his chest where he had placed a photo of Xiao Ning in the shirt pocket. This photo was taken when they went to the county town to buy clothes for their wedding. He couldn’t help but press the photo tightly against his heart.
Xiao Ning, wait for at ho. I’ll be back soon. I’ll co back with honors, with enough rits to support a sky for her.
Xiao Ning… I miss you, do you miss ?
He shook his head, clearing her image completely from his mind. The battle ahead was crucial; he absolutely could not afford any distraction.
“Move out!”
“Yes!”
*******
As the year drew to a close, the good weather that had persisted for over ten days was replaced by an even stronger cold front.
Since the morning, heavy snow began to fall like goose feathers, and everyone from the General Union Dance Troupe finished their exercises and entered Training Room One in formation. Entering the door, they saw Teacher Qiu Bai standing on the stage in formal attire with her hands behind her back. Behind her followed three teachers, experts in dance, music, and stage design.
When everyone ca in, their spirits lifted. Because the four of them together were the core mbers of Hope Field.
“Good morning, Teacher Qiu Bai!”
“Teacher Qiu Bai, good morning!”
Sheng Ning followed at the back of the crowd, smiling kindly at the sight of Qiu Bai.
“Comrades, good morning! Line up now!” At Qiu Bai’s command, everyone quickly took their previous positions.
“I am here to announce sothing. The official notice for the Spring Festival Gala has co down, and the venue is the sa as usual. Our troupe has a heavy task, with over twenty performances including songs, dances, and plays. Of these, the most important is the song and dance drama, Hope Field, brought by all of you here! This is the effort of all teachers and instructors, the head and deputy head of the troupe over the past year. I hope you will live up to expectations and earn a collective third-class rit for the General Union Dance Troupe.”
What did the comrades care about? It was honor and rit. Third-class rit! Just thinking about it thrilled them to the core.
“Report!” Lu Xiaoshuang raised her hand.
“Speak!”
“Teacher Qiu Bai, can we really earn a collective third-class rit?”
Everyone looked expectantly at Qiu Bai, their eager eyes fixed on her, their excitent palpable as they awaited her answer.
Qiu Bai pondered for a mont, her gaze sweeping across everyone’s face. “Whether you can seize the opportunity before you depends on yourselves!”
“Ohhh…” Everyone cheered joyously, Teacher Qiu Bai’s words were like a reassurance pill to them.
“Teacher Qiu Bai, rest assured, we will not let you down.”
“Yes! We will work tirelessly.”
“Mm!” Qiu Bai nodded her head, “I believe in you. Now the playgroup is gaining montum, don’t lose and disgrace .”
“Don’t worry!”
“Absolutely not!”
Qiu Bai confidently looked at everyone, noticing that every face was flushed with excitent, surely the allure of the third-class rit was great. Even she felt a surge of excitent upon hearing it.
After the training, Qiu Bai left, but she summoned Sheng Ning to her office.
“Sit, don’t be tense.”
“Thank you!” Sheng Ning looked around, her eyes full of envy and amazent. Her office was evidently more refined than Yang Wenying’s.
“I’ve asked you here because there is a favor I need to ask of you.”
Sheng Ning sat up straight, “Please tell .”
Qiu Bai smiled; she genuinely liked Sheng Ning. Whether it was her personality, attitude, talent, or effort, all were praiseworthy and she deserved further cultivation.
“Hope Field is missing a suitable piano accompanint; the new girl doesn’t have the ntal fortitude and her stage presence is lacking. So, I wanted Yilan to take the role, but…” She shrugged helplessly toward the end, “That girl has holed herself up and hasn’t left the house in a long ti.”
Sheng Ning’s brows furrowed slightly, feeling both guilty and sympathetic, “Do you want to go and persuade her?”
“Mm! You two are good friends, and I believe she’d be willing to listen if you were to speak to her.”
“Okay! I’ll do my best.”
Qiu Bai patted her hand reassuringly, her affection clear, “Go tomorrow! I’ll arrange for the troupe’s car to take you.”
“Mm!”
That evening in the dormitory, Sheng Ning shared her plans to visit Liu Yilan the next day. Lu Dabao beca excited, dancing around, insisting on going along.
Upon hearing this, Wu Youli quickly expressed her desire to join as well.
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