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Zhejiang University campus has officially entered winter break mode, with students dragging their suitcases and leaving in a hurry with the excitement of returning home.

Suning was also packing his bags in his large apartment, preparing to return to his hometown of Qingdao for the Chinese New Year.

Winter was in full swing outside the window, and West Lake seemed to be shrouded in a light gray mist.

Just then, his cell phone, which was on the table, suddenly rang. It was an unfamiliar Beijing number.

"Hello? Who is this?" Su Ning answered casually, her tone normal.

"Hello, is this Mr. Su Ning?" A capable but slightly hurried female voice came from the other end of the phone, with faint sounds of discussion and the rustling of papers in the background.

"I am, who are you?"

"Hello Mr. Su, this is the Program Coordination Office of the 2014 CCTV Spring Festival Gala Preparatory Group." The other person spoke quickly, but clearly, with each word carrying an unquestionable official tone.

Suning froze on the spot, forgetting to put down the half-folded sweater in her hand.

"...The Spring Festival Gala program preparation team?" He wondered if he had misheard.

With just over half a month left until Chinese New Year's Eve, receiving an invitation to the Spring Festival Gala at this time sounds like a pipe dream.

"Yes. We are formally inviting you to participate in this year's Spring Festival Gala performance." The other party's tone was certain, without the slightest hint of joking.

"Invited me?" Su Ning's surprise was palpable. He even subconsciously glanced at the date to confirm that it wasn't April Fool's Day. "I'm sorry, I... I'm honored, but there are less than twenty days until the New Year. Is there enough time for rehearsals? Besides... I'm not a professional singer or actor. I don't have any outstanding talents to showcase on the Spring Festival Gala stage."

He knew all too well the standards and strict censorship of the Spring Festival Gala. Every year, many carefully prepared programs were cut at the last minute. Why would they temporarily find an actor like him who was known as an "internet celebrity"?

This is completely illogical.

“Mr. Su, we understand your concerns.” The other party responded quickly, clearly anticipating his reaction. “We have noticed a video clip of you circulating online recently. It is a clip of you improvising a Michael Jackson ‘moonwalk’ dance during your time on the set of ‘Under the Zhengyang Gate’, to amuse your fellow actress, Ms. Fan Lin.”

Su Ning was taken aback; he had almost forgotten that impromptu, playful dance.

It was just some casual play during a break in the film crew, but someone took a picture of it with their phone and somehow it got leaked.
The voice on the other end of the phone continued, with a professional assessment tone: "Although this dance was short, your body control, sense of rhythm, and expressiveness were outstanding. The movements were fluid and had a unique charm. After watching it, our dance director believes that you have a very solid foundation in dance and stage presence."

"Therefore, we hope that you can prepare a solo dance performance of about two and a half to three minutes in length for our review. If the quality of the performance is excellent and it passes the final review, you will have the opportunity to perform a solo dance on the Spring Festival Gala stage."

A solo dance! On the Spring Festival Gala stage!
The weight of those words made Suning's heart skip a beat.

He knew very well what this meant; it was far more than just increasing exposure.

If successful, it would be a tremendous recognition of his status as an artist, a magnificent transformation across social classes, and the resulting prestige and subsequent resources would be incomparable to any commercial advertising or online buzz.

The opportunity came so suddenly and so hugely, like a giant pie falling from the sky, leaving him somewhat dizzy, but also accompanied by immense pressure and uncertainty.

After a brief moment of shock, an irrepressible excitement and desire for challenge replaced the initial doubts.

He took a deep breath, gripped the phone tighter, and his voice regained its usual calmness:
"I am very grateful to the Spring Festival Gala production team for their recognition and invitation. This is a great honor, and I am willing to give my all to accept this challenge. Could you please tell me the specific program requirements, rehearsal schedule, and review process?"

The West Lake outside the window remained calm, but Su Ning knew that this winter vacation, and even the trajectory of his entire career, had been completely changed because of this unexpected phone call.

An unprecedentedly tough battle awaits him ahead.

……

After hanging up that astonishing phone call from Beijing, Su Ning stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of her apartment, gazing at the desolate West Lake in winter, her heart still unsettled.

The opportunity to perform a solo dance at the Spring Festival Gala was like a beam of bright light, suddenly shining on his ordinary holiday when he had only planned to go home for the New Year.

However, the greater the hope, the greater the potential disappointment.

He knew all too well that the Spring Festival Gala's review process was extremely rigorous, and many big-name programs could be rejected at the last minute, let alone a newcomer like him who was invited at the last minute and had no background.

Whether he will ultimately be able to stand on that stage watched by hundreds of millions of people remains to be seen.

So he picked up his phone and dialed his parents' number in Qingdao.

The familiar hustle and bustle came through the receiver: the fishmongers' calls, customers' inquiries, and the rustling of plastic bags all mixed together, with my mother's slightly tired but efficient replies in the background.

"Mom, I have some urgent work matters to deal with, so I might have to come back a few days later this year." Su Ning tried to make her tone sound normal, as if she was just postponing her return.

"Okay, I got it! You need to focus on your work!" The mother spoke quickly, clearly very busy. "The seafood business here is booming at the end of the year, your dad and I are practically flying around! Take care of yourself, eat on time, and don't stay up late! Just stay safe and sound!"

The father's loud voice came from the other end of the phone, asking about prices. The mother hurriedly replied, then quickly said into the receiver, "Alright, alright, I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm swamped at my stall! Your dad's calling me! Be careful! It's okay if you're late! Anyway, you've been getting more and more ambitious lately, always causing trouble!"

The call was abruptly ended as soon as he finished speaking, leaving only a busy tone.

Suning looked at her phone, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

His parents' reaction was exactly what he expected.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, the family's seafood stall is at its busiest time of the year. They are so busy that they have no time to investigate what their son's so-called "job" actually is.

In their simple worldview, it's enough that their son is healthy, safe, and has his own career to keep him busy.

Adding to the car accident last autumn, the elderly couple's requirements for Suning became even simpler.

This somewhat "rough" concern actually relieved him, as he didn't have to explain this heavy, yet potentially unfulfilled, expectation too early.

Composing himself, he swiped through his contacts and made his next call to Chen Xiaojun.

The call was answered almost instantly, and her clear and steady voice came through the receiver: "President Su?"

“Jun Jun,” Su Ning said bluntly and solemnly, “the plans have changed. I just received an urgent and important mission that requires me to go to Beijing immediately. You would be best to come with me—time is tight, the mission is heavy, and if everything goes smoothly, we may not be able to go back to our hometown for the New Year.”

He paused, then added the most crucial reason: "I remember you mentioned that in addition to performing, you also systematically studied stage makeup in the theater troupe, and you are particularly good at handling various emergencies and designing makeup based on stage lighting effects. This time when I go to Beijing, I may need your professional skills in this area. After all, we are not big stars, and we certainly won't be provided with a makeup artist."

There was a two- or three-second silence on the other end of the phone, as if someone was quickly processing this sudden and drastic change and the significant information it contained. What kind of urgent mission could prevent someone from going home for the Lunar New Year? And why would stage makeup skills be needed?
However, Chen Xiaojun did not ask any further questions.

She had already made up her mind about Suning, about this business to which she had devoted all her energy, and about the promise of that "partner".

“I understand.” Her answer was decisive and without hesitation. “How much time do I need to prepare? When should I book my flight? I’ll go back and pack my bags right away.”

This absolute trust and efficient execution warmed Suning's heart.

He quickly explained the approximate time and itinerary.

“Okay, I’m ready to go anytime.” Chen Xiaojun’s voice showed no sign of difficulty, but rather carried a sense of solemnity as if she had been entrusted with an important task. “See you at the airport, President Su.”

After ending the call, Suning took a deep breath.

The city outside the window was still bustling with traffic, and no one knew that a young man's life trajectory might be completely changed because of a phone call.

But at least for now, he is not alone in facing this sudden challenge.

He has a companion who will travel north with him on an unknown journey with an uncertain future, but one that may be filled with brilliance.

……

The terminal building at Beijing Capital International Airport was bustling with people.

As soon as Su Ning and Chen Xiaojun walked out of the first-class corridor, they saw Fan Lin waiting there.

Even dressed simply in a down jacket and jeans, with a baseball cap and mask, her tall figure and star-like aura still made her stand out from the crowd.

Upon seeing Su Ning, her eyes crinkled into a smile as she quickly approached him and naturally took his arm. However, her gaze lingered on Chen Xiaojun behind her, a subtle, almost imperceptible, scrutiny in her eyes.

"Assistant Chen is here too?" Fan Lin's tone was relaxed and natural, as if she were just asking casually.

Her gaze lingered on Chen Xiaojun's face, which was only lightly made up and even looked slightly tired from the long flight, for less than a second before she lightly looked away, her smile not reaching her eyes.

In the eyes of the glamorous Fan Lin, this girl following Su Ning was too ordinary, like a glass of lukewarm water, lacking any memorable features.

She wouldn't see such a "little assistant" as a threat in any way, nor would she think that Suning treated her in any special way.

Chen Xiaojun subconsciously avoided Fan Lin's gaze and nodded slightly: "Sister Fan Lin."

Her voice was a little tense, and her fingers unconsciously gripped the handle of her carry-on suitcase, an indescribable sense of unease filling the air.

Su Ning keenly sensed the subtle atmosphere, but at that moment his mind was focused on something more important.

"Suning, let's go! I'll treat you to a meal."

“Next time, Sister Lin.” He patted her hand, his tone gentle but firm. “Time is too tight. We have to go directly to the Spring Festival Gala program team. The rehearsal tasks are heavy.”

"Is it really necessary to be in such a hurry? Let's have a meal, be careful, and go tomorrow, okay?" Fan Lin was naturally somewhat disappointed and annoyed.

"Sister Lin, putting aside whether the program will be rejected, it's already difficult enough that CCTV even noticed me. Right now, I really don't have much say."

"Alright! Once you're done, remember to come home for dinner."

"Definitely! I'll be in the capital for a while, so I'll have plenty of opportunities to spend time with you."

Fan Lin gave a few helpless words of advice and then watched Su Ning and Chen Xiaojun leave.

Without a moment's rest, Su Ning and Chen Xiaojun dragged their luggage directly to Fuxing Road, where CCTV is located.

After strict identity verification and procedures, they were led by staff into an extremely busy rehearsal hall.

This place feels like a high-speed creative factory, filled with the scent of sweat, anxiety, and intense focus.

Director, choreographer, music editor, set designer...

People from different trades hurried along, discussing the details loudly.

In front of a giant mirror, actors from different programs are refining their movements under the guidance of the director.

The assistant director who greeted them led them to a relatively quiet corner and began explaining the core idea of ​​the program:

"Mr. Su, your program is tentatively titled 'The Light of the Times.' The core concept is to use a solo dance to portray a young worker from the 1970s and 80s who, with the tide of the times, gradually transforms into a new industrial worker in the 21st century who has mastered advanced skills and is full of confidence."

As he spoke, the choreographer next to him began demonstrating the core movement sequences to Su Ning.

"The dance style will incorporate some classic elements, such as the explosive and rhythmic 'moonwalk', sliding steps, and fixed-point movements that you have shown before, similar to those of Michael Jackson, symbolizing the passion to break free from constraints and look to the future. At the same time, it will also incorporate a lot of movement language with the imprint of the industrial age—such as imitating the operation of machinery, swinging a hammer, welding, and operating precision instruments, forming a visual dialogue that transcends time."

Next, the assistant director pointed out the biggest challenge: "The entire dance is about two minutes and fifty seconds long, and the biggest challenge lies in the rapid costume changes. During the dance, you need to use clever positioning and movement design as cover to complete three costume changes in a very short time—from an old-fashioned blue work shirt to a 1990s jacket, and then to a modern smart work uniform. Each costume change must be precise and smooth, without interrupting the rhythm and emotional integrity of the dance. This is a huge test of your physical strength, sense of rhythm, and the level of coordination with our backstage costume designers."

Su Ning listened intently, her eyes following the choreographer's movements, her brain working at lightning speed, memorizing every beat and position.

Chen Xiaojun immediately got to work, quickly took out her notebook, and began to record the details of the dance that might affect her makeup and hair styling, especially those quick turns, head shakes, and points where she might need to touch up her makeup frequently due to the intense exercise.

The rehearsal hall was brightly lit, and the sounds of music, rhythms, and instructions mingled together.

Suning took off her coat, took a deep breath, and stood in front of the mirror.

He knew that a tough battle against time had officially begun.

Chen Xiaojun quietly opened her makeup case, ready to provide the most solid logistical support for the figure chasing the spotlight on stage.

...(End of chapter)