Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 406 Successfully Infiltrating the Backstage Area
Chen Luyang said shyly, "Mom Chen, how are you and Uncle doing lately? I miss you both so much. I'll come back to your house to scrub the curtains when I come home for winter break."

Mrs. Chen quickly said, "How could I bear to let you scrub the curtains! Come over for dinner when you get back, and I'll cook you something delicious!"

After a pause,
Chen's mother asked, "Xiao Chen, how did you get my phone number?"

Chen Luyang said proudly, "I specifically looked up the phone number in my phone book to write it down... Auntie, how is my sister Yue doing lately?"

Chen's mother immediately revealed a "shrewd and calculating" look on her face.

"Yueyue is doing well, but she's been quite busy with work lately, always traveling for business, and she's lost weight."

Chen Luyang felt sorry for him...

"Auntie, please cook some more good food for my sister Yue... She doesn't eat much, so please persuade her for me and tell her I'm criticizing her."

Mrs. Chen snorted: "You say such sweet words, you seem to care more than her own mother."

Chen Luyang said shyly, "Every time my sister Yue loses an ounce of weight, my heart skips a beat."

Mrs. Chen was amused: "So how are you doing in Pian'er City? Are you getting used to the food?"

Chen Luyang said shyly, "Auntie, don't you know me? I'm so easy to feed, I'll eat anything you give me. The steamed buns at school are so delicious, oh, I've even gotten fat!"

……

The two chatted enthusiastically for a long time.
In the end, it was only after Chen's mother, who couldn't bear to see Chen Luyang spend money, repeatedly gave instructions that she finally hung up the phone.

call……

Chen Luyang glanced at the phone in her hand and gently patted her chest.

Goodness... I never expected to actually find out what my future mother-in-law's name is today.

Chen Zhibao~
That's a rather awkward name!

When I first heard the name Chen Jinyue, I felt that he had an extraordinary spirit and the demeanor of a warrior.

Hearing my future mother-in-law's name now, it truly evokes images of unparalleled bravery and fierce determination!

Looking at it this way, I realize that I actually have the most elegant name among all the family members.
Chen Luyang!
Sunshine and rain,
Ya Di Hen~
That's awesome!!!
……

Chen Luyang originally wanted to call home.

But judging from the time, Old Chen and Old Feng had probably already gone home.

Chen Luyang had no choice but to head back home and continue writing his lecture notes.

The chubby guy's girlfriend studies folk dance, so instructing the department's fast-paced storytelling routines on a few moves is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

After several attempts, the previously simple, rigid, and masculine team formation was transformed into something more dynamic and orderly.

But before the school's welcome party even started, the dance academy's welcome party began first.

Although Zheng Zhe's girlfriend was an inside man, everyone was able to sneak into the venue to watch the performance.

However, older students like Tao Runze and Wu Dechen were still a little embarrassed.

"Shall we skip it?"

“We’re so old, we’re obviously not students anymore. Don’t let us drag you out and get kicked out.”

Zheng Zhe laughed: "Class monitor, don't worry!"

"There are older people at the dance academy too! There are worker-peasant-soldier students, and students from various provincial and municipal art troupes. Let's go check it out!"

Tao Runze, in his honest and simple manner, boasted, "What if people misunderstand me as a teacher?"

Zheng Zhe rolled his eyes: "Class monitor, your face looks more like a teacher from an agricultural research institute. Let's go! My girlfriend said that a lot of people from other schools are coming to the party tonight, so we should get there early, or there won't even be a place to stand."

"Then shall we go with you?"

"Hurry up, brother!"

……

As two major cultural and artistic gathering places in Pian'er City.

The welcome parties for new students at the dance academy and the film academy are always the most popular and have the largest audiences!
"This dance academy stadium is so nice...!"

As soon as the dozens of people from the Economics Department squeezed into the meeting room, Luo Jianmin couldn't help but speak.

"It really smells good! It smells even better than the wildflowers in our field!" Zhao Lixin couldn't help but say.

Gao Xiaolin rolled her eyes.

"It smells like cosmetics and perfume!"

Gao Xiaolin used to work in a state-owned store, so she was very familiar with cosmetics and perfumes.

It truly lives up to its reputation as a dance academy!
Not only does it smell delicious, but even the air feels wonderful.

The sound of the piano and the laughter of girls dazzled the economics students who were deeply engrossed in Samuelson's steamed bun theory.

The student next to me, from some unknown school, was muttering under his breath as he looked for a seat:
"Did she enter the United Nations or a photo studio? This girl's outfit is way too..."

Before he could finish speaking, a beam of light fell.

The opening performance was a group dance entitled "Blessing the Motherland".

On both sides of the stage, a row of male and female dancers dressed in fiery red dresses rushed out like a tidal wave, waving red silk flags and weaving across the stage like the wind.

Han Zhihui's eyes widened in disbelief.

While keeping an eye on the stage, he leaned close to Zheng Zhe and whispered, "Zhezi, could you ask your girlfriend to introduce me to someone later?"

Zheng Zhe crossed his arms: "No problem!"

After saying that, Zheng Zhe turned to Chen Luyang and asked, "Wenwei, do you want a girlfriend?"

“I have a girlfriend, don’t worry about me. You can introduce a good one to Lao Han.” Chen Luyang’s tone was full of pride.

Several people, hearing that Chen Luyang had a boyfriend, gathered around out of curiosity, watching the show and asking around:
"Wenwei, who is your boyfriend? Is he from your hometown or here? What does he do?"

Chen Luyang tilted her head back!
“My girlfriend is from my hometown. She’s really good-looking, like a movie star, much prettier than them.”

As Sun Legen listened, he said, "Wenwei, you're not bragging, are you?"

Chen Luyang smiled nonchalantly: "When we get married, you'll see if I'm just bragging when you come to the wedding banquet."

Hey!
Jiang Feng, who had been through it all, couldn't help but say, "Xiao Chen, you're in school now, and you can only get a marriage certificate after you graduate from university. Don't make a mistake!"

Feng Tiesheng, who had been through it all, chimed in: "Yes! In these four years, one of you has been in the city and the other in your hometown. There are so many things that can change in the future. It's too early to talk about marriage now."

"Not early~" Chen Luyang said confidently, "There can't be any changes! I have my future mother-in-law firmly under my control, I guarantee she won't change her mind!"

The people around were speechless.

They're not afraid the girl will change her mind... they're fucking afraid he'll change his mind!

With Chen Luyang's abilities and academic qualifications, he might meet some nice girls in Pian'er City during his four years of university.

They lived long lives, saw a lot, and had seen everything.

As for Chen Luyang's partner back in his hometown... I really don't have high hopes.

Chen Luyang had no interest in finding out what they were thinking.

He is now fully focused on stage performances.

As the performers took the stage one by one, Chen Luyang asked Pan Yu, who was sitting next to her;
"Brother Pan, their stage performance is interesting!"

The dance academy pays great attention to stage design, and each performance has a corresponding stage backdrop.

The backdrops are quickly changed between programs. With just a few students working together, the old backdrop can be removed in less than three minutes, and the new backdrop can be installed with a "click".

The entire process was completed without the curtain being moved much, and while the audience was still immersed in applause, the backstage area had been completely transformed.

Pan Yu, having come from a factory background, understood many things at a glance and said:

"This is a typical modular assembly system. All the backdrops, lighting fixtures, and fixed supports are connected using standardized quick-release clips, aluminum alloy brackets, and T-connectors. Only in this way can different scenes be freely assembled." Chen Luyang nodded, pointing to a spot on the stage:
"Moreover, the seam uses a combination of sliding buckles and pivots, which is both sturdy and flexible, allowing for quick replacement even by a single person."

The two people, both from the workshop, could see the intricacies of the trade more and more as they looked at each other.

In the end, they weren't really in the mood to watch whoever was dancing or performing on stage.

On the contrary, people were more interested in watching the stage set design.

Chen Luyang couldn't hold back any longer after seeing this.

"Let's go..."

Pan Yu glanced at him: "Where are you going?"

Chen Luyang: "Of course we're going backstage! Don't you want to see what's going on backstage?"

Pan Yu hesitated for a moment: "I'd like to, but it wouldn't be appropriate for me to go."

People were coming and going backstage, with girls putting on makeup and boys changing clothes.

It was inconvenient for him to go in to begin with.

Besides, it's easier for students to sneak in, but at his age, he's obviously not a student.

I bet before I even get a clear look at what the back office looks like, I'll be kicked out by the student council.

Chen Luyang thought about it and agreed: "I'll go then! I'll tell you later after I understand it~"

finished,

Chen Luyang crouched down and stuck out her butt, darting through the audience like a whirlwind.

Taking advantage of the chaos, someone lifted the red curtain and slipped inside.

The moment Chen Luyang slipped onto the stage, she regretted it!

It would be better to invite Pan Yu in with us.

The area behind the stage was bustling with excitement, like a pot of flowers exploding in a fire.

A handwritten program is posted on the side wall, with the order of announcements marked in black calligraphy and revised twice in blue pencil.

Inside the room were several wooden tables that had been temporarily put together, with feather fans, costumes, ribbons, wigs, and adhesive on the tabletops. The floor was covered with scraps of paper and smelled of shoe polish.

People dressed in ancient costumes, ballet costumes, and ethnic minority performance costumes were all moving around backstage.
The changing area was separated by an old blue and white checkered curtain, with older female students standing guard outside to prevent anyone from wandering in.

Shouts could be heard intermittently in the air: "Lights ready—!"

"The turntable is starting too slowly! Push it again!"

"Quick, quick, get ready for program six to come on stage!"

……

Not to mention that Chen Luyang, dressed in the same school uniform, blended perfectly into the backstage area in terms of appearance, age, height, and looks.
Even if Pan Yu really came in,

People would just assume he's a member of the program's logistics team or a coordinator, and wouldn't even notice that he's an outsider.

After scanning the area, Chen Luyang's eyes lit up, and she slipped over to the prop backdrop.

"This is their board... It's pretty well made!"

Taking advantage of the chaos, Chen Luyang hid behind the shelves, secretly examining the connectors on the boards.

The next moment, a furious roar rang out:

"Hey student, what are you standing there for! The next show is about to start, hurry up and move the props instead of just standing there!"

Chen Luyang instinctively turned around and saw a female student from the Beijing Dance Academy wearing a student council armband shouting at him:

"What are you looking at me for? Hurry up and move it!"

Chen Luyang: ? ? ?

Before Chen Luyang could even process what was happening, two male students ran over, greeting her while carrying the "archway" and saying:

"Were you called here to help? I haven't seen you before!"

Chen Luyang was taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "To be honest, we're short-staffed backstage, so they called me over to help."

The male student didn't waste any words: "Lift the archway."

Chen Luyang was caught in a dilemma, so she could only take a two-meter-long golden archway backdrop and, together with two boys, carry it onto the wooden stage.

It's fucking heavy!
As Chen Luyang helped move the things, she muttered to herself.

No wonder nobody likes doing stage prop work.
He put in so much effort but got nothing in return; he was truly an unsung hero!
However, it was also thanks to her appearance on stage that Chen Luyang had the opportunity to observe the backstage area up close.

Above the stage is a row of dark overhead rails. A lifting system consisting of steel wires and pulleys is responsible for raising and lowering the hanging plate base. Next to it, students are standing on the movable ladder to adjust the locking mechanism.

Looking up, several U-shaped support components are engaged with the top structure using "cross-shaped rotary locks," making it look like a mechanical arm at first glance.

As Chen Luyang's eyes darted across the stage, she saw two boys squatting below the backdrop, each holding an "L-shaped connector." With a slight effort, they removed the props that had been on stage earlier with a "click."

Chen Luyang quickly reached out and took the "Red Flag" backdrop that had been taken down, and pushed the "archway" in her hand to the two of them.

then,

The two boys worked on it again, aligning the connector under the backdrop with the correct angle, and then snapped it into place with a "click".

A system that uses clips and clips, without screws, to change the scene in seconds.

Chen Luyang tried reaching out and shaking it from side to side; it felt firm and barely moved.

Ok? !

Chen Luyang looked at the buckles with some surprise.

He originally thought that the things in the workshop were made very well, but he didn't expect that the stage props could be so uniform!

"Move the light stand on the left to position number 2, and then move it ten centimeters towards the stage axis!"

As the female voice from behind the lighting control panel sounded,

Chen Luyang saw a boy pull up the bottom pulley of the support and push it forward.

The base is equipped with casters and slots, so it moves smoothly without shifting. With a push from the boy's foot, the lamp stand obediently slides into the designated position.

Chen Luyang glanced down at the roller axle, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"This thing is great... If we could move it into the repair center and install it under the hoist, it would save at least three people's manpower."

Chen Luyang is scattering some good stuff over there.

The announcement came from the side of the curtain: "Next program - modern dance 'Boys Under the Sun'."

As soon as all the set was set up, two male stage designers grabbed him and dragged him off the stage.
"Stop standing there, get off the stage now."

Chen Luyang quickly grabbed the big red flag board and ran down the curtain at top speed.

Before I could even rest, the two of them grabbed me and took me to prepare the backdrop for the next program.

……

"Where did the Cultural Committee go?"

Offstage, Zheng Zhe looked around in bewilderment.

Three shows have passed already; even if he was just taking a dump, he should have finished and come back by now.

"He can't possibly not be able to squeeze in because there are too many people, can he?"

"Don't worry!" Zhang Dongliang said without any concern.

“Whenever there are meat dishes in the cafeteria, there is never a time when he can’t squeeze in and get meat. I guess he’s gotten diarrhea from eating too many small fruits.”

(End of this chapter)