Returning to the county opera troupe in 77

Whether it's bending over backwards or kicking upwards, these are the basic skills for learning opera, and also the most arduous hurdle in the early stages of learning opera.

For an ordinary person to reach the standard required for performing on stage, it would take at least four or five months of hard work.

However, Chen Xiangdong only practiced for a little over a month and reached a level comparable to professional actors, which is simply unbelievable.

Han Zhengkui was shocked. He stared at Chen Xiangdong, his gaze sweeping over his ankles, knees, waist and hips, his eyelids trembling involuntarily.

The standard he held in his heart was not the same as the half-baked actors in today's theater troupes, but rather the old traditions passed down from the old opera troupes.

But this young man in front of me has managed to hone his basic skills to this level in just over a month.

Over the years, he has seen many talented young people and mentored several apprentices with good foundations, but he has never heard of anyone with such extraordinary talent as Chen Xiangdong.

Seeing his old friend stunned by his apprentice's talent, Feng Zhengxiao beamed with pride: "Old Han, what do you think of my apprentice's talent?"

Fang Zhengsheng smiled and looked at Han Zhengkui, only to see him shake his head. After a long pause, he managed to utter two words: "A prodigy!"

Feng and Fang burst into laughter. Then, Fang Zhengsheng pointed at Chen Xiangdong and asked, "Old Han, how about making this kid your apprentice?"

Han Zhengkui raised an eyebrow: "Are you serious?"

Fang Zhengsheng shrugged: "Taking on disciples is not something to be taken lightly!"

Feng Zhengxiao chimed in, "Old Han, this kid is a natural-born opera performer. In all your years traveling around, have you ever seen such a talented kid? I guarantee he'll be a star in two or three years!"

After saying that, the two of them simultaneously gave Chen Xiangdong a wink.

Chen Xiangdong's heart skipped a beat. He took half a step forward, bent his knees, and knelt down in front of Han Zhengkui with a "thump," his face full of pleading as he clasped his hands in a fist and pleaded, "Please teach me, Master Han!"

Han Zhengkui was taken aback by his sudden kneeling, then grinned and said, "You've already knelt down, how am I supposed to refuse?"

"You've accepted me?"

Chen Xiangdong was overjoyed. He kowtowed three times properly, and when he looked up, he shouted loudly, "Disciple Chen Xiangdong kowtows to Master Han!"

[Successfully became an apprentice of Han Zhengkui, a master of Qinqiang opera and a renowned martial arts clown!]

Become!

Han Zhengkui smiled and nodded. After Chen Xiangdong finished the apprenticeship ceremony, he reached out and helped him up, saying, "Good boy, get up quickly."

After saying that, he looked at Feng Zhengxiao and Fang Zhengsheng and said, "From now on, you can leave the teaching of body movements and martial arts to me."

He glanced at Feng Zhengxiao, a half-smile on his face: "Your work is too rough."

Upon hearing this, Feng Zhengxiao was taken aback at first, then rolled up his sleeves and glared at her: "Hey! Who are you calling a coward for being rough in your work!"

"Hahaha……"

.........

Upon learning that Lu Meiyin had returned from Hongzhou, Sun Zhandou, his face smeared with purple mercury water, rushed over with a net bag of apples.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, a head popped out of the gatehouse window. Hu Xiaolian, leaning on the windowsill, shouted at him, "Hey! Come back here! Who let you in!"

But Sun didn't stop fighting at all. He seemed to be on fire, carrying the apple, and darted inside in two steps at a time.

Now, who in the entire county theater troupe doesn't know him? Because of the incident a few days ago where he beat up Liu Dezhu, he was even blacklisted by the county theater troupe.

He plunged into the courtyard and headed straight for Lu Meiyin's dormitory.

Just as I turned the corner past the rehearsal hall, I saw Lu Meiyin spreading out a quilt on the clothesline outside the dormitory, and bending down to use a feather duster to shake off the cotton wadding.

Sun Zhan Dou looked at Lu Mei Yin's long, shiny braid and his face lit up with joy: "Mei Yin!"

When Lu Meiyin turned her head and saw it was him, her willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed instantly. She stopped shaking off the quilt, picked up the feather duster, turned around and went back into the room. Then she slammed the door shut with a "bang," and even the door frame shook.

Sun Zhanzhuan stood there stunned for a moment, then quickly followed.

He pressed his face against the crack in the door, his voice filled with urgency and remorse: "Meiyin, open the door! It was my fault that day, I misunderstood, I shouldn't have hit someone without knowing what happened! I'm guilty, I confess to you!"

He raised his hand and gently knocked on the door twice: "Meiyin, please open the door... I just want to say a few words, okay? You can hit me or yell at me, just don't ignore me."

In the front dormitory, Liu Dezhu was lying on his bed with his legs crossed, humming a little tune, when he suddenly heard Sun Zhanzhu's voice. As if by reflex, he sat up abruptly.

With his eyes swollen shut to mere slits, he glanced out the window once, then gritted his teeth, rolled out of bed, and muttered, "That bastard dares to come!"

As soon as he put his feet into his shoes, he walked towards the door, grabbed a small stool next to the door, and stormed off to Sun Zhan Dou.

Sun Zhan Dou pleaded desperately against the door, but there was no response from inside. He was at his wits' end when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him.

Looking back, I saw Liu Dezhu carrying a small stool, charging towards us.

Sun Zhanzhu was startled and instinctively took a half step back, his back slamming against the door with a thud. He hurriedly waved his hands at Liu Dezhu, saying, "Liu, Master Liu! Listen to me..."

"Shut up!"

Liu Dezhu gritted his teeth and swung the stool down. Just as the stool was about to hit, Sun Zhan Dou suddenly shrank his neck and dodged to the side.

He threw the apple on the ground, clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect, and said sheepishly, "Teacher Liu, it was my fault that day! I didn't understand what was going on, and I acted impulsively. I misunderstood. Please forgive me, you're a magnanimous person."

Liu Dezhu swung the stool at the wrong moment, and it slammed against the door with a "bang," startling Lu Meiyin, who was inside the room, who shuddered.

"What are you doing!"

Lu Meiyin yelled, then flung open the door, glaring angrily at Liu Dezhu with her almond-shaped eyes: "Liu Dezhu! Are you trying to demolish my dorm room?!"

Liu Dezhu pursed his lips, his imposing manner instantly diminishing by more than half: "I messed up, I messed up..."

Lu Meiyin snorted and glanced at Sun Zhan Dou: "And you, what are you yelling about at the door! What's our relationship? We only met once on a blind date, why are you always bothering me!"

Sun Zhan Dou was speechless for a moment, his face stiffening. He opened his mouth as if to retort, but the words trailed off, his tone weakening: "Mei Yin... my mother and aunt have already talked it over, the two of us..."

"What did they agree on?!" Lu Meiyin interrupted him. "If they've agreed, then let them date on their own! It doesn't count unless I give my approval!"

As she spoke, she pointed to the bag of apples on the ground: "Take your things and please don't come to the theater troupe to find me again, and don't stand in front of my dormitory. I'm begging you, okay?"

Sun Zhan Dou's face turned pale instantly. This bucket of cold water only fueled his stubbornness. He straightened his neck and said, "No! If you won't agree, then I'll come every day!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Dezhu bent down to pick up the small stool from the ground, cursing, "You're getting cocky, aren't you?"

Seeing this, Sun Zhan Dou turned and ran towards the courtyard gate, shouting as he ran, "Mei Yin, I'll come again tomorrow! I'll bring you oranges!"

Liu Dezhu gritted his teeth and chased after him for a couple of steps. Seeing that Sun Zhan Dou had already disappeared from sight, he put down the stool and cursed towards the courtyard gate, "Damn it, he runs fast..."