Returning to the county opera troupe in 77

Chen Xiangdong helped Li Mancang collect his new job necessities from the production department. Holding up the baggy black work clothes, he compared them to Li Mancang's body and frowned. "These clothes are way too big. Take them to the costume department sometime and have them alter them, pull the sleeves and pant legs up a bit. Otherwise, it'll look like a bunch of frizzy blouses. How can anyone wear that?"

Li Mancang lovingly stroked the new liberation shoes he had received, running his fingers along the edge of the rubber upper as if afraid of scratching them. He grinned foolishly and said, "No need to alter them, no need to alter them. They're perfect as they are. This set of clothes will last me until I grow up."

"In the inspection area, you often have to climb high and low, so if your clothes don't fit properly, it won't do. If you trip over your trouser leg while climbing a ladder, it's no joke."

As Chen Xiangdong spoke, he carried the brand-new bedding set and led the people toward the woodshed.

After settling Li Mancang in, he was about to return to his dormitory to rest for a while when he caught sight of someone who surprised him as he passed by the staff dormitory in the backyard.

The man was carrying a net bag in each hand, one bag containing canned fruit and the other containing two cans of malted milk powder. He was leaning over Lu Meiyin's door, calling out, "Meiyin, open the door! I've come all this way to find you, at least come out and see me!"

Chen Xiangdong stared at the man's profile and was taken aback: Sun Zhandou? What's this guy doing in the theater troupe?

Just as he was stunned, the door to the dormitory across the hall creaked open, and Liu Dezhu leaned out, yelling at him from a distance, "Hey, who are you? What are you doing bothering that girl in broad daylight? Believe me or not, I'll call the security guards and have you taken to the police station right now!"

Lu Meiyin's door remained tightly shut, and no one inside responded to Sun Zhan Dou's shouts.

Sun Zhan Dou turned his head and saw Liu Dezhu walking over with a sour face. He was immediately startled, afraid that he would be taken for a hooligan and reported to the authorities.

He quickly put down the net bags he was carrying, took out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes from the pocket of his Zhongshan suit, and greeted them with a smile: "Comrade, don't misunderstand, I'm really not a hooligan. I know Lu Meiyin from your troupe, and I'm here to see her."

As he spoke, he took out a cigarette and handed it to her with a fawning expression.

"Don't give me that. A scoundrel will never admit he's a scoundrel."

Liu Dezhu didn't even bother to answer. He waved his hand, widened his eyes, and shouted, "Harassing an unmarried woman in broad daylight, what is that if not hooliganism? The county theater troupe is a legitimate organization, how did Lao Hu let you in?"

Sun Zhanzhuan was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead. He stuffed the cigarette back into his pocket and hurriedly waved his hand, saying, "You've really misunderstood. Lu Meiyin went back to her hometown for a blind date last month, and I was her blind date."

"Huh?" Liu Dezhu was taken aback and subconsciously looked towards Lu Meiyin's dormitory window.

The noise from their argument attracted the attention of some neighbors who opened their doors to look over. He Jianshe and Lin Datou also peered over and muttered, "What's all the commotion about? What's going on?"

Chen Xiangdong also came over at this time, standing behind Liu Dezhu, without saying a word, just watching Sun Zhan Dou, who was explaining to the surrounding crowd.

Sun Zhan Dou anxiously pulled a black and white photo from his pocket and held it up in front of everyone: "Look if you don't believe me, I have her photo here, the matchmaker gave it to me personally."

Lin Datou glanced at it and immediately exclaimed, "Eh! It really is Lu Meiyin! Those eyebrows, those long braids, there's no mistake."

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at Liu Dezhu, whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and with an expression that suggested he was enjoying the drama, asked Sun Zhanzhu, "So you're Lu Meiyin's boyfriend?"

Sun Zhan Dou grinned, about to say something, when the door behind him was suddenly pulled open from the inside.

A group of people looked over and saw that Lu Meiyin's face was flushed, whether from embarrassment or anger, she bit her lip and shouted outside, "Stop arguing! I know him, he's the guy I was set up with on a blind date."

As soon as he said that, Chen Xiangdong clearly saw Liu Dezhu's back tremble slightly.

"Oh, Mei-yin, you've finally opened the door! I was almost mistaken for a hooligan and taken to the police station!" Sun Zhan Dou was all smiles when he saw Lu Mei-yin finally appear.

Lu Meiyin glared at him irritably, but didn't reply.

He Jianshe knew a little about Lu Meiyin and Liu Dezhu's private affairs. Noticing Liu Dezhu's strange expression, he quickly waved to the people nearby, "Let's disperse, let's disperse. It's their private matter, why are we getting involved!"

But Lin Datou drew out his words meaningfully: "Meiyin, you too, how could you let your boyfriend stand outside for so long on his first visit without even inviting him in for a drink of water? That's just too much."

Chen Xiangdong, listening from the side, felt his teeth itch with rage. This Lin Datou was really asking for trouble; wasn't he deliberately trying to stab someone in the back?

Although Liu Dezhu and Lu Meiyin had an ambiguous relationship in private, Liu was still his mentor, so how could he just stand by and watch?

His eyes darted around, and he took two steps forward to Lin Datou, his face showing a worried expression: "Teacher Lin, Teacher Lin! Why don't you hurry back and check? There's a burnt smell coming from your room. Could it be that Lin Gouwa has been playing with fire and roasting potatoes again?"

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Datou's mind went blank, and the scene of the fire in the storeroom last month immediately flashed before his eyes!

His face instantly changed, and he cursed, "That idiot! I'll skin him alive!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and ran frantically towards his room, cursing as he ran, "Lin Gouwa, you get out here! I'll break your legs today!"

Lu Meiyin stole a glance at Liu Dezhu, who was staring straight at her. Their eyes met briefly, and she looked away hastily as if burned. She lowered her head, said to Sun Zhanzhu, "Let's talk inside," and then turned and went inside without lifting her eyelids.

Sun Zhan Dou was overjoyed. He hurriedly picked up the two net bags from the ground, chuckled, and went into the house, closing the door behind him with a "click."

Seeing that there was no more excitement to watch, the crowd dispersed and returned to their rooms. He Jianshe glanced back at Liu Dezhu, said nothing, shook his head, sighed, and left.

Liu Dezhu stared at Lu Meiyin's tightly closed door for a long while with a sullen face. After a while, he said to Chen Xiangdong in a slightly tense voice, "How's the drumming for the 'Ode to Qin Chuan' part? Come on, come to my room and play it for me."

After saying that, he turned around and walked heavily toward his dormitory.

"Hey, here it comes!"

Chen Xiangdong quickly responded and followed.

I glanced sideways at Liu Dezhu's back. His slightly slumped shoulders and slow steps were completely different from the Liu Dezhu who usually walked with a brisk pace.

Looking back at Lu Meiyin's dormitory door, Chen Xiangdong secretly thought: Sun Zhan Dou's sticky attitude might actually be a good thing.

In her past life, Lu Meiyin was ousted from the lead role by Pan Lanxiang, and her disappointment on stage caused her to become despondent. Liu Dezhu never gave her a single promise or a formal title.

Heartbroken, she left Dongping County and married a down-to-earth middle school teacher, and was never heard from again.

Liu Dezhu later found a wife, but they divorced after less than two years due to incompatibility. He has been all alone ever since, spending half his life guarding that drum.

Now that I'm watching over them, I'll create opportunities if there aren't any. I'm determined to make these two a couple.