1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 550 Gift
Six pm.

Zhai Yuan, wearing a dark gray woolen overcoat, walked into the theater with several school administrators.

The surrounding students immediately erupted in an uproar.

"Principal Zhai!"

"Mr. Zhai!"

"Idol!"

From the theater entrance to the middle of the aisle, almost every student who saw Zhai Yuan greeted him with surprise and excitement.

Compared to the superstars outside, everyone knows that the prodigy Yuan is the real legend in Hong Kong's entertainment industry. Even without reporters present, many students took out their cameras and started taking pictures.

"Mr. Zhai took time out of his busy schedule to come to the school, and everyone was very welcoming."

There were so many students taking photos and asking for autographs that it took quite a bit of effort to get to the front row of the audience.
As soon as he sat down, a school principal surnamed Li immediately began to fawn over him.

Zhai Yuan hummed in agreement and said with a smile, "I've been too busy lately. School matters are all handled by Principal Li and the directors. Thank you for your hard work."

The deans of academic affairs and administrative directors on both sides smiled apologetically, saying, "It's our duty, it's our duty."

As a private school, Chunqiu has developed to the point where it is on the right track. It does not have as much responsibility as public schools. All affairs are handled by professional managers like Principal Li, while the reputation of Zhai Yuan, the behind-the-scenes figure who invested in and founded the school, is greater than his actual role.

Zhai Yuan placed the bouquet of flowers that a fan had just given him aside and casually said, "I just chatted with Ms. Du Yexien for a bit. After the Spring Festival, I plan to hire some external teaching staff to come back."

Upon hearing this, Principal Li and the others quickly chimed in, "Of course! Does Mr. Zhai have any candidates in mind? Our school has been in contact with several drama schools in Europe this year, so contacting experts from England and France shouldn't be too difficult."

Zhai Yuan smiled and shook his head: "I'm not considering Europe for now. I have some friends in the Soviet Union."

Principal Li and his colleagues clearly didn't know much about the Soviet Union, and Zhai Yuan didn't bother to explain.

In short, it remains to be seen whether Wei Yixin can successfully implement the Outstanding Talent Program. However, before that happens, we can use various channels such as Chunqiu, Shenshan, and Wenyu to try to bring in scholars and professors from the Soviet Union.

To be a good hands-off manager, talented people are essential.

The theater lights suddenly dimmed, and a soft gong and drum sounded.

The noisy students in the audience gradually quieted down.

Zhai Yuan leaned back in his chair, patted Principal Li on the shoulder, and said leisurely, "Besides the Drama Academy, the Chunqiu Business School and the Academy of Sciences will also gradually expand their scale within three to five years... But work isn't urgent for now, let's finish watching this play first~"

The drumbeat begins,
The curtain rises.

The stage lights suddenly blazed on, drums and music began, and the atmosphere instantly became lively.

For Zhai Yuan, the distinctive singing style and lyrics of both Peking Opera and Cantonese Opera always seem outdated in the present day.

The only thing that could attract him was the female lead on stage.

On the stage, Huo Xiaoyu, who had fallen from a princess to a commoner, walked out gracefully in a dark blue dress, a wisp of hair hanging down her temple, casting a silhouette in the warm light.

Deng Leling half-raised her sleeve, her movement both graceful and strong, her eyes slightly lifted.
His gaze swept across the audience seats, lingering on Zhai Yuan for a moment, revealing an expression that was both reproachful and resentful.

"Great! Great! Great!"

Zhai Yuan stood up abruptly. Regardless of whether he understood it or not, he had to give Sister Ling face by applauding and cheering when she appeared.

This action made him stand out from the crowd of students who were quietly watching.

The atmosphere paused for two seconds. With Principal Zhai leading the way, the students in the theater also joined in the cheering and whistling. The cheers and whistles rose and fell, all the way from the front row to the second-floor stands. A perfectly good Cantonese opera performance was turned into something like a concert.

On stage, Deng Leling's lyrics, which were already on the tip of her tongue, were abruptly interrupted.

Backstage, the drummers looked at each other in bewilderment; the drumbeats were all a beat behind.

Luo Jiaying quickly gestured to the drummer to continue playing and not to lose his composure.

Shen Zhihua paused in her steps, just as she was about to go on stage, and said with a wry smile, "I'm already running into bad luck as soon as I step on stage. Maybe it's because I've been away from the opera world for too long that the market is so good now?"

On stage,

The applause was so enthusiastic it was almost inhuman.

Deng Leling pursed her lips slightly and gave Zhai Yuan a subtle, imperceptible glare.

She took a light breath, reconnecting the interrupted rhythm, and hooked her fingertips around her sleeve: "Half-veiled face, playing with crimson gauze, peach blossoms fluttering in the dark, tinged with rosy clouds, the one who picks up the hairpin will meet a woman of ill fate, the hairpin's price has been reduced to that of Luoyang..."

Her voice, once uttered, remained melodious and gentle, like pearls falling onto a jade plate, exuding charm and allure.

Shen Zhihua, standing backstage, brightened up and asked Luo Jiaying, "She remained calm under pressure and performed even better than professional actors. Did she really only study acting for a few years as a hobby?"

Luo Jiaying nodded in agreement, "That's called talent. It's a pity that Sister Ling's ambitions lie elsewhere. Otherwise, if we had taken her to perform in Singapore and Malaysia, she would definitely have become the second Sister Xian."

Shen Zhihua smiled noncommittally upon hearing this. Historically, actresses and divas have only enjoyed the glory on stage, and their best fate is nothing more than marrying a rich man. Now that 'Li Shilang' is so supportive offstage, there is no need for 'Huo Xiaoyu' to go out and endure the hardships.

"...Using a hairpin as a matchmaker, she asks for a vow; the pomegranate skirt is the symbol of marriage; the fashionable hairpin signifies the union..."

After Deng Leling finished her performance on stage, it was Shen Zhihua's turn to follow her onto the stage, dressed as a scholar with a crown and a gold hairpin.

Several excerpts from "The Purple Hairpin" were performed scene by scene at the Chunqiu Theater. As the actors advanced the plot on stage, the audience gradually became immersed in it.

Zhai Yuan leaned back in his chair, looking at Deng Leling's figure on the stage, a smile on his lips, his fingers tapping lightly on his knee.

As the actors took turns on stage, the plot gradually shifted from joy to sorrow.

On stage,

Shen Zhihua raised her wine glass: "Little Jade Wife, please drink this glass, and it will be considered that Shilang has accompanied you."

Deng Leling threw the body to the ground, her gaze meeting Zhai Yuan's briefly before she cried out in grief and indignation: "I am a woman, my fate so wretched; you are a man, yet you are so unfaithful..."

Zhai Yuan: "..."

There's a feeling of being singled out for criticism.

Deng Leling: "Life is worse than death, why should Mr. Li care?"

Zhai Yuan: "..." Deng Leling: "Do you know that the hairpin in the new bride's hair can pierce the heart of the old one?"

Zhai Yuan: "..."

If you're going to perform, then perform. Why are you staring at me like that?!

Principal Li, who was standing nearby, praised, "Miss Deng's theatrical skills are truly profound. It's as if she has reached the point where she can't distinguish between herself and the role. She sings with such immersion!"

Zhai Yuan twitched the corner of his mouth: "Yeah, you've gone too deep."

…………

During the more than one-hour performance on stage, Mr. Zhai in the audience felt extremely uncomfortable.

If Tang Di hadn't died young, Zhai Yuan would have wanted to ban his play "The Purple Hairpin" from being performed.

What a sour and jealous atmosphere!

"Sister Ling's theatrical skills are truly profound. It's as if she has reached the point where she can't distinguish between herself and the role. She sings with such immersion!"

As soon as the play ended, Zhai Yuan went into the backstage dressing room and praised Deng Leling's performance.

Shen Zhihua joked, "Mr. Zhai's statement makes it seem like we didn't sing well enough."

"It's all good~" Zhai Yuan glanced at Deng Leling, who was removing her makeup in front of the mirror, and continued to flatter her, "But Sister Ling is still the best."

Shen Zhihua smiled and feigned a sigh, saying, "Those words are too hurtful. I need to go outside and calm down."

After saying that, he casually took off his costume, walked out of the dressing room, and closed the door behind him.

Only Zhai Yuan and Deng Leling remained in the room.

Seeing Deng Leling still looking in the mirror, Zhai Yuan chuckled, walked over, and put his arm around her shoulder: "It's been a while since I've seen you, my sister Ling has become even more beautiful."

Deng Leling shrugged in disdain and gave a lukewarm "oh".

"As soon as I heard you were going to perform at the school, I rushed over to support you." Zhai Yuan gently squeezed Ling Jie's shoulder: "So, do you like the flower baskets outside?"

Deng Leling didn't turn her head and gave a nonchalant "hmm".

Zhai Yuan chuckled shamelessly, "I'm glad you like it. I'll pick an even bigger one for you next time. But you shouldn't sing 'The Purple Hairpin' again next time. I don't know who chose that play. It doesn't suit you at all."

Deng Leling raised an eyebrow: "I chose it."

Zhai Yuan immediately changed his tune: "Well chosen!"

Deng Leling rolled her eyes at him in the mirror and glanced sideways at Zhai Yuan: "Alright, Mr. Zhai, you're busy with important matters. There are plenty of young women outside waiting for you to take care of them. Don't waste your precious time here."

Zhai Yuan smiled and made a move to walk out: "Okay, then I'll go first."

Deng Leling frowned slightly, threw down the powder puff with a snap, and finally turned her face away: "You... come back!"

"Oh~" Zhai Yuan's smile didn't fade. He turned back and leaned against her. "Whatever Sister Ling says goes, right? Hey, am I being a good boy or not?"

Deng Leling pursed her lips, but seeing Zhai Yuan putting on such an obedient act, she finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Sigh, I'm getting old and my looks have faded."

Deng Leling tilted her head back, resting it on Zhai Yuan's chest, and sighed with a hint of jealousy, "How can we compare to those young girls? Some of them say they're going to the Soviet Union to do business, but then they disappear for half a year or more without even a phone call. Am I supposed to buy a plane ticket and fly there? And when they get back to Hong Kong, they still disappear for ten days or half a month..."

Zhai Yuan hugged Ling Jie, listened with a smile as she wallowed in self-pity for a while, and then reached out to tidy her temples.

He leaned down and nuzzled Ling Jie's cheek, offering no words of comfort, and said directly, "I just bought a big house on Barker Road, but I haven't moved in yet. The property management said the bed in the bedroom was flown in from Europe, it's called some kind of ergonomic mattress, do you want to try it out tonight?"

…………

Until the day before Lunar New Year's Eve, Zhai Yuan was still trapped in his mansion on Barker Road and could not get out.

Lingjie, in her thirties, is a woman who, when she does make a move, is irresistibly passionate and lingering.

2 month 13 day,
Overworked, Zhai Yuan leaned against the headboard, using a pillow that was supposedly flown in from Europe, and exhaled a deep breath.

Deng Leling's voluptuous, hot body pressed against her, and all the resentment and coldness from before melted away into a languid smile.

She took Zhai Yuan's hand, gently rubbed her lower abdomen, and asked softly, "Do you think there's a chance this time?"

Zhai Yuan yawned: "I don't know, but I've been completely drained. I really did my best this time, Sister Ling."

Deng Leling blushed for once, thinking about how proactive she had been these past few days, and casually slapped his arm away.

After a few moments of quiet intimacy in bed, Deng Leling finally wrapped herself in a loose bathrobe, got up, and left the bedroom.

Not long after, Sister Ling pushed open the bedroom door again and walked in, holding a cake in her hands.

"I know you've been working hard. Tomorrow is your birthday, so I'm giving you a day off."

Deng Leling glanced at him sideways, a smile playing on her lips: "But I prepared a cake in advance, shall we eat it together?"

Zhai Yuan lazily sat up, beckoned Deng Leling closer, and put his arm around her shoulder, teasingly saying, "There's no need to rush me. Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of me? Give me a chance to spend more time with you, Sister Ling~"

"Come on!" Deng Leling pinched Zhai Yuan's cheek hard. "Save those kinds of words for tomorrow to fool those young girls!"

Zhai Yuan smiled, not continuing the topic, and asked, "We can share the cake, but what about the gift?"

Deng Leling was taken aback upon hearing this: "A gift?"

"Look at you, I can tell you're not prepared. You said you'd celebrate my birthday with me, but you're not sincere at all."

Zhai Yuan said with a smile, "Since that's the case, I'll just have to pick a gift myself. Sister Ling, you don't mind, do you?"

Immediately, to Deng Leling's puzzled look, Zhai Yuan reached out and picked up a piece of cake from the cake next to him. With a flick of his finger, the cream was spread along the collar of her nightgown, then gently slid down, and then down again.

Deng Leling's eyes gradually became moist, and her voice was sweeter than the rich cream on her chest: "So this counts as a gift? You should have said so earlier..."

(End of this chapter)