I was reborn after my cousin stole my life.

Chapter 57: Let's Choose Yuan Xiu

As the last note faded, enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience!

"Commander Jiang's wife sings so well! I thought I was listening to a singer from a performing arts troupe!"

"I never knew Xiao Jiang's wife had this skill!"

"She sings much better than Yuan Juan. You don't know until you compare, and the difference is astonishing!"

"That's right, I was just holding my breath, worried that Xiao Jiang's wife wouldn't sing as well as Yuan Juan. I can't stand Yuan Juan..."

Chunmei and her sister-in-law stared at Yuan Xiu with bright eyes, clapping their hands loudly. "Little Yuan, you sing so well! You could be in a performing arts troupe!"

Yuan Xiu waved her hand: "Sisters, don't praise me. This is the only song I know. I've been singing it for so many years, so it's something I've mastered through practice. If it were any other song, I probably wouldn't even be able to find the tune."

"modesty!"

"Exactly, you're too modest! If we're capable, why are we hiding our abilities? You should have stood up a long time ago."

Wu Yufen raised her hand a few times before everyone quieted down. Before she could speak, someone said, "Comrade Yuan Xiu sang very well. I support Yuan Xiu!"

Sister-in-law Guiying stood up and said, "I also support Yuan Xiu representing our military families in the New Year's Day solo performance!"

"Let's choose Yuan Xiu. She sang very well, and I didn't even notice her being nervous."

Wu Yufen turned around and started discussing with Chairman Gu again.

Chairman Gu nodded.

"Alright, Comrade Yuan Xiu will be chosen for the solo performance!"

"Clap clap clap!" Another round of enthusiastic applause.

After the applause subsided, Yuan Xiu spoke up, "May I sing 'Ode to Coral'?"

Chairman Gu smiled and nodded at her: "Okay, Comrade Yuan, rehearse well, we're looking forward to your performance at the New Year's Day report."

Yuan Xiu: "I will."

……

After the meeting, everyone dispersed.

Yuan Xiu was stopped by Wu Yufen, "Comrade Yuan, remember to come to the Parents' Committee office tomorrow night. We need to set a rehearsal time."

Yuan Xiu nodded, "Okay."

Wu Yufen then said, "Dance performances..."

"Sister-in-law, I won't participate in the dance program. I'm mainly afraid that I'll be able to focus on one thing but not the other, and I'll get confused and end up not practicing either thing well."

"Alright, then you can focus on preparing for this one program," Wu Yufen said.

Yuan Xiu nodded and caught up with Guiying and the others who were waiting for her to walk together.

"What did he say to you?" Guiying's sister-in-law asked.

"Let's talk about rehearsals."

The group chatted as they walked.

Sister Xiulan glanced at Sister Guiying's basket. "Didn't you just say you learned a new pattern and wanted to show us? Why did you put it away?"

Sister-in-law Guiying pressed down the yarn in the basket. "I've completely forgotten how to knit it. I'll go ask her again."

Yuan Xiu asked, "What kind of pattern would you like to weave, sister-in-law? I know how to weave a few."

Sister-in-law Guiying described it to me: "It looks like ears of wheat when woven, it's especially beautiful."

Yuan Xiu reached out her hand, "How about I give it a try?"

Sister-in-law Guiying handed her a sweater that she had knitted a short row of.

Yuan Xiu stood there, holding a knitting needle in one hand and hooking yarn with her little finger in the other. Her hands moved like turning flowers, moving incredibly fast.

Sister-in-law Guiying stared intently, and after Yuan Xiu finished weaving several rounds, she handed it to her to see, "Is this how it is?"

Sister-in-law Guiying nodded repeatedly, "That's right, exactly like that, but yours is even prettier!"

Sister Chunmei took it and examined it carefully. "Xiao Yuan, you're so skillful!"

Yuan Xiu laughed and said, "Practice makes perfect."

In her past life, she earned money by knitting woolen fabrics and embroidering.

Sister Xiulan pulled Yuan Xiu along, "Didn't you say you knew several fancy characters? Teach me, I want to learn a new one too."

"Sure."

The women were used to doing it, so they learned quickly. They would watch Yuan Xiu weave it once, and then weave it themselves, and they would almost know how.

After returning home, Yuan Xiu told Jiang Zhou about her participation in the New Year's Day performance.

"Is it dancing?" Jiang Zhou remembered that the program for the military families last year was a dance.

"No, it's a solo."

Jiang Zhou looked at her with some surprise, "You're singing alone?"

"Of course, a solo performance is sung by myself. What, do you find it strange that I'm singing on stage?"

"No, not at all." Jiang Zhou shook his head. "I just didn't know you could sing. It seems you sing quite well, otherwise I wouldn't have chosen you for the solo performance. Keep it up! I'm looking forward to watching your show."

Yuan Xiu smiled, not intending to sing it for him right now.

The following evening, after dinner, Yuan Xiu went to the parents' committee office.

A dozen or so military dependents stood in the open space under the streetlights in front of the office, most of them under thirty years old, including Yuan Juan.

It seems that Wu Yufen selected the people to participate in the dance program.

After everyone arrived, Wu Yufen led them to the room that had been specially arranged for them to rehearse.

She spoke to Yuan Xiu privately, saying, "Little Yuan, you're different from everyone else. You don't have to go to work, and you have more freedom in your rehearsal time, depending on your own schedule. However, you must be there when the performing arts troupe's band comes, and you have to rehearse with them, otherwise you won't be able to find the right tune."

"When do the band members from the performing arts troupe usually rehearse with us?"

"That's not necessarily true; it depends on their schedule. You can come along when everyone is rehearsing, and it'll help you get to know everyone better."

Yuan Xiu smiled and said, "I'm quite popular."

"I know you're popular, but aren't there other issues that need to be addressed?"

Wu Yufen glanced at Yuan Juan in the corner, "I originally wanted you to participate in the dance program as well. With more practice, many problems would be solved..."

Yuan Xiu was annoyed by what she heard. Why was Wu Yufen so meddlesome?

Will resolving her feud with Yuan Juan lead to her promotion?

"Officer Wu, it looks like someone's here?" Yuan Xiu pointed to the door and reminded her, interrupting her.

Wu Yufen turned to look, then immediately greeted him with a smile, "Xiao Wang, come in quickly!"

The girl who arrived was about the same age as Yuan Xiu. She was wearing a well-fitting military uniform, with two long braids hanging down her chest. She was pretty with delicate features.

A beautiful girl like this, dressed in military uniform and with a great figure, is immediately recognizable as a member of the cultural troupe.

Wu Yufen warmly led the female soldier from the cultural troupe, nicknamed "Xiao Wang," to the front. She announced loudly, "This is Comrade Wang Ting. Her father is Political Commissar Wang of our unit. She is also a very outstanding dancer in our cultural troupe! For the next period of time, Comrade Wang Ting will be your teacher. Let's give her a round of applause!"

After the applause subsided, Wang Ting saluted everyone. "Just call me by my name, because I will be calling you by your names from now on. There are no lovers or daughters here, only Comrade Wang Ting and you."

Wu Yufen smiled and said, "Then we'll listen to Comrade Wang Ting."