The Three Pure Ones' Secret: Expressing Spirit

The song was chosen by Yin Yuhong and is called "A Song for Teenagers." It's an online song that captures the essence of teenage school life.

I didn't care, as long as she's happy.

The song was originally intended to be sung by multiple people, but Yin Yuhong separated them and even asked a band formed by her school classmates to help.

Perhaps it was because of the last few days that we rehearsed with extra seriousness. On the last day before the performance, a few of us got together to encourage and cheer each other on.

Fan Biao said I needed to perform, and asked why I didn't invite my dad and mom to watch, since school performances are public and students' families can be invited. I was a little shy. I thought to myself, I'm already nervous, what's the point of letting them watch? If they're watching from below, I won't be able to concentrate on performing. If they see me laughing, I'll probably burst out laughing.

~

After waiting for so long, the campus arts festival was finally scheduled to start in the afternoon. We were all excited and nervous, and we didn't get much restful sleep.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, with a faint pale white light still visible outside the window. The campus was quiet, and even the students who usually go for a morning run hadn't come out yet. We, one by one, with sleepy eyes, hurriedly got out of the dormitory.

After all, our folk drama was scheduled before my and Yin Yuhong's duet performance, so we couldn't afford to be late. Nobody dared to stay in bed. We quickly washed up and headed to the school auditorium in groups.

The morning breeze still carried a hint of coolness, refreshing my face. Dew clung to the leaves of the sycamore trees lining the road, rustling down with every gust of wind. The roadside lawns were lush and green, glistening with moisture, looking exceptionally vibrant. The entire campus was still immersed in tranquility; only the sound of our footsteps echoed clearly on the empty road. Each of us was preoccupied with our own thoughts, silently rehearsing our lines and blocking as we walked. No one spoke, and the atmosphere was tense.

By the time we arrived at the back door of the auditorium, it was already broad daylight. The once quiet backstage area was now bustling with people, as lively as a pot of boiling water.

As soon as you push open the door to the backstage dressing room, you are immediately greeted by a cacophony of voices, the rustling of clothes being changed, the soft rustling of makeup brushes against cheeks, and the clanging of props. The dressing room is packed with people, and busy figures can be seen everywhere.

Students from various classes and clubs arrived early. Some stood in front of mirrors, repeatedly checking their makeup, occasionally touching it up with powder puffs. Others squatted in corners, carefully adjusting their costumes, smoothing out wrinkles one by one. Still others huddled together, clutching their scripts, muttering to themselves, making the most of their last moments to memorize them. The costume racks were overflowing with colorful costumes—red, green, white, blue, all sorts of colors—piled up to the brim. The makeup tables were piled high with foundation, eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks, blushes, and various makeup tools, a chaotic yet energetic scene. The air was filled with the scent of cosmetics, mixed with the smell of sweat and the faint fragrance of fabric, creating the unique atmosphere of pre-performance tension.

We squeezed into a corner of the dressing room. Wu Qian and Liu Shiyu were already there with their big makeup bags, waiting for us. As soon as they saw us come in, they waved us over: "Come and sit down. Let's get our makeup done quickly before it gets too crowded, so we can relax sooner."

Yin Yuhong greeted us softly while handing Wu Qian her makeup tools. She had specially worn a simple base layer today to make it easier to change into her performance outfit later. Her eyes showed a seriousness, but she didn't seem flustered. In contrast, I was already feeling nervous and didn't know what to do with my hands and feet.

While I was getting my makeup done, it was noisy all around me. The girls from the dance team next to me were huddled together, helping each other to style their hair, combing each strand neatly and tying it into a sleek bun.

Not far away, the boys from the drama club, dressed in heavy costumes and sweating profusely, were still practicing their expressions in front of the mirror.

There were also students in charge of hosting, dressed in sharp formal attire, holding their scripts and silently reciting them with focused expressions. We sat quietly, letting Wu Qian and Liu Shiyu work on our faces. They were skilled, applying foundation, drawing eyebrows, applying eyeshadow, and blush step by step in an orderly manner, giving us stage makeup that matched the characters in the play.

Fan Biao sat next to me. Playing Old Fan naturally, he didn't need any makeup; he just sat there watching us play on our phones. Meng Jiahong was to play the Black Bear Spirit, Black Mother, which required wearing old-age black bear makeup and capturing the bear's ruggedness. The makeup was complex, and he kept a straight face the whole time, afraid that any movement would ruin it. He would occasionally steal a glance in the mirror, see his slightly comical appearance, and quickly suppress his laughter, his shoulders trembling slightly—a truly hilarious sight.

About an hour later, we were all successfully made up, changed into our costumes, and put on our character outfits. When we stood in front of the mirror, we had to admit, we actually looked kind of funny.

Li Quan, dressed in a dove costume with a small feather headdress, looked somewhat comical. He grimaced at himself in the mirror, but still straightened his clothes, muttering, "Damn, I knew my physique wasn't suited to playing a dove; I look more like an Angry Bird!"

Everyone watched him, telling him not to move around so as not to knock off the accessories on his costume. He had no choice but to stay quietly to the side and chat and joke with Liu Shiyu, who was getting her makeup done next to him.

Li Peng's fox costume made him look more like a wolf than a fox, and the way he looked at Wu Qian was like that of a lecherous wolf, making Wu Qian feel very uncomfortable: "Hey, did you memorize your lines? Don't be like Li Quan, so slick and slippery!"

Old Meng is tall and broad. Wearing the black bear costume and old-age makeup, he looks like a wealthy old lady. Old Meng didn't say anything, but he looked at himself in the mirror and was still very uncomfortable. He reached out and scratched his head, but quickly put his hand down, afraid of messing up his makeup.

Dude, I originally wanted to imitate Bai He, but after thinking about it, I decided against it. I'll just treat him as myself. It's more natural to be yourself than to deliberately imitate someone else. Looking at myself in the mirror, my palms started sweating involuntarily, and I repeatedly recited my lines in my mind, afraid of making the slightest mistake on stage.

Yin Yuhong's landlord was dressed simply and elegantly, with plain clothes and light makeup, looking gentle and proper. As we finished getting ready, she said softly, "Let's all adjust our mindset and not be nervous. Just like in our usual rehearsals, there will definitely be no problem."

Our play was scheduled seventh, with several performances ahead of us, so we had plenty of time. Seeing that the dressing room was still crowded and busy, we simply packed up our props and went around to the back of the audience area below the stage. We found an inconspicuous spot to sit down and quietly watch the other students' performances, taking the opportunity to relax a bit.

The auditorium was already packed with audience members, including school teachers, parents, and students from various classes. The hall was bustling with activity, and everyone was talking quietly, eagerly anticipating the start of the performance.

The stage was brightly lit, the red curtain was drawn, and neatly arranged flowers were placed in front of the stage. The entire stage was exquisitely decorated, exuding a formal and grand atmosphere. Before long, cheerful background music began to play, and the lights instantly focused on the center of the stage. Two hosts, dressed in formal attire, slowly walked onto the stage, their loud yet gentle voices echoing throughout the auditorium, announcing the official start of the campus arts festival.

The first performance was a large chorus by the school choir, singing Mao Buyi's "The Nameless Man." Dozens of students, dressed in matching outfits, stood neatly on the stage. As the accompaniment began, their loud and synchronized voices instantly filled the entire auditorium, brimming with youthful energy. The audience fell silent, looking up to watch, and bursts of enthusiastic applause erupted from time to time. We, sitting in the audience, also clapped softly, and watching the synchronized performance on stage eased our nervousness somewhat.

As the grand chorus ended and the applause hadn't even subsided, the second performance took the stage: a crosstalk duo by two students. The moment these two stepped onto the stage, their mere appearance drew roars of laughter from the audience. One was chubby and not very tall, his round, plump figure giving him an exceptionally憨厚 (honest and simple) look; the other was tall and slender, with a commanding presence. The two standing together created a striking contrast, maximizing the visual impact.

The chubby student spoke first, slowly waving a folding fan in his hand. He looked at the tall student with a serious expression, his tone slightly teasing, and asked loudly, "How's school going lately?"

The tall student shrugged, spread his hands, and replied casually, "It's nothing special."

Fatty: "Were you paying attention in class?"

Tall guy: "What am I doing here if I'm not going to class?"

Fatty: "Hey, I didn't realize? Do you have a girlfriend?"

Tall guy: "How could there be a shortage of partners in a university like this?"

Fatty: "Looks like the tuition wasn't a waste of money."

Tall man: "What do you mean?"

Fatty: "Isn't this tuition just for finding a partner at school? Are you really into art and don't care about finding a partner?"

Tall guy: "Hey! What you said actually makes some sense."

Fatty: "Who does art? What's the point of that stuff? A relationship is much more practical!"

The taller man disagreed, saying, "You're wrong about that!"

Fatty: "What's wrong?"

The tall guy: "Art imitates life, and our major is great!"

Fatty: "It's better, there are more girls! When we go out and chat with other people, they won't understand us. And no matter how good or bad the photos are, they're all laymen. Whether it's art or not, we decide!"

The two of them were talking more and more outrageous, but we students found it more and more pleasing to the ear. I wonder what those above the teachers would think.

The simple dialogue, coupled with the two actors' vivid expressions, exaggerated body language, and satirical and humorous content revolving around campus life, hit everyone's funny bone with every sentence, eliciting waves of laughter and continuous applause from the audience.

We sat in the audience, thoroughly enjoying the performance. Our tense mood was greatly relieved by the amusing crosstalk. Li Quan couldn't help but whisper to us, "These two are hilarious! They're much more interesting than when we were rehearsing."

After the crosstalk performance ended, laughter continued from the audience. The third program was a campus skit. The actors' performances were natural, and the plot was close to campus life, which resonated with the audience.

The fourth program was a poetry recitation. The students recited poems with great emotion, their voices sometimes gentle and sometimes passionate, each word filled with deep feeling, which moved everyone who listened.

The fifth program was a dance performance, which was actually the least interesting program, but the key was that the students at the school loved to watch it and couldn't take their eyes off it.

The sixth act was an acrobatic performance, which immediately captivated everyone's attention. The acrobats were incredibly agile, performing a variety of difficult maneuvers on stage, including flips, jumps, bowl balancing, and aerial stunts. Every move was thrilling, exciting, and breathtaking.

The audience held their breath, their eyes glued to the stage, afraid to miss a single exciting moment. Gasps of surprise followed by thunderous applause erupted from time to time. We were completely mesmerized, craning our necks, eyes wide, totally absorbed in the spectacular acrobatic performance. Our initial tension had vanished; we even held our breath, watching the breathtaking stunts with bated breath, both worried for the performers and utterly captivated. We were practically drooling with admiration.

Just as the acrobatic performance reached its most exciting part, and we were completely engrossed, a figure quietly approached us. It was the student host, dressed in a formal emcee's suit and with impeccable makeup. Avoiding the noise from the audience and the music on stage, he leaned down, whispered urgently and earnestly in our ears, "Stop watching! Hurry backstage and get ready! The previous acts are almost over. After we clean the stage, it'll be your drama performance soon!"

Upon hearing this, we were all startled, instantly snapping out of our reverie of the captivating acrobatic performance. We looked as if waking from a dream, our eyes wide with surprise, only then realizing it was almost our turn to go on stage. We had been so engrossed in the show that we had completely lost track of time, and the host's reminder instantly made our hearts tighten again. Our relaxed state of mind instantly returned to tension.

"Hurry, hurry, don't just stand there, get backstage!" Li Quan was the first to react, patting us on the shoulder and urging us in a low voice, his expression instantly turning serious as he gripped his props tightly.

We quickly snapped out of our daze, not daring to delay for a moment. We stood up hastily, carefully skirting around the audience members around us, trying not to disturb their performance, and hurried towards the back of the stage. Along the way, no one spoke; our initial excitement was instantly replaced by tension.

Once you get behind the stage, it's a different scene altogether, with staff bustling about, tidying up props, checking lights and sound, and preparing for the next act. The waiting area isn't large, but standing there, you can clearly hear the cheers and applause from the audience, as well as the music that's about to end the acrobatic performance on stage. Every sound feels like a hammer blow to your heart, making your already tense mood even more anxious.

The staff quickly cleared the stage and signaled for us to prepare to go on stage. The red curtain slowly closed, waiting for the music to begin before it was drawn back up. I stood in the waiting area, tightly gripping the props in my hands. I could clearly feel my heart pounding wildly in my chest, the "thump-thump-thump" even drowning out the noise from below. I didn't know if Li Quan, Li Peng, and Yin Yuhong next to me were nervous, or if they felt the same way as me. Anyway, I was extremely nervous at that moment. My hands were clenched tightly together, my palms sticky with sweat, slippery, and I could barely hold onto the props. My legs were slightly weak, and images of rehearsals kept flashing through my mind. I couldn't help but let my mind wander, afraid of forgetting my lines on stage, afraid of making mistakes in my positioning, afraid of messing up the performance and dragging the whole team down.

Yin Yuhong stood next to me and seemed to notice my nervousness. She gently patted my arm, turned her head, her eyes tender, and softly comforted me, "Don't be nervous. Just like in rehearsals, relax. We're all here for you. Everything will be fine."

Li Quan took a deep breath, turned to look at us, and tried to put on a calm expression. He said loudly, "Everyone, stay calm! We've rehearsed for so long, we'll definitely be able to finish the performance smoothly. Give it your best!"

Even though everyone was comforting each other, I was still incredibly nervous and my heart was pounding. All I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat, and my eyes were glued to the screen, waiting for our moment on stage.