Chapter 292: Chapter 113: The 60s Art Troupe’s Top Star (Finale)

The girls relaxed and began to watch the other performances, taking out small notebooks to jot down notes.

Since Xia Zhaoyun had crammed all her techniques into their heads at once, they had a system for analyzing, summarizing, and converting what they saw into their own experience.

"Comrade Xia Zhaoyun?" A young man in a blue work uniform came over. His eyes lit up when he saw her, and he stated her name with a confident, toothy grin.

Xia Zhaoyun was confused for a moment, but when she saw the two foam coolers he and his companion were carrying, she understood. She smiled and nodded. "That’s me. And you are, Comrade...?"

"Ma’am!" The two young men set the items down and bowed ninety degrees. "Our master asked us to bring you some ice cream and soda."

One cooler was filled with ice cream, the other with soda. Both were giving off a cold mist. Just lifting the cotton quilts covering them sent a wave of cool air washing over everyone, chasing away some of the sweltering heat.

Xia Zhaoyun smiled and thanked them, then called for the girls from her three teams to line up and grab a treat.

"Our master ordered extra," the young man relayed Huo Tianhao’s message. "He said that after you’re all set, we should pass the rest out to other people we know to help them cool off." Inside, he was thinking, ’Our master really knows what he’s doing.’

’When their master had given them the task, he’d told them the name of his lady and said she’d be easy to spot—just look for the most beautiful woman there.’

’They thought it was just a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder, like with Xi Shi, so they didn’t dare ask for more details. They’d grimly resigned themselves to having to ask around person by person.’

’But who would have thought? Their master was telling the truth!’

’Wow, how can anyone in this world be so beautiful they seem to have transcended the mortal realm?’

’Even backstage, where everyone was caked in heavy makeup, she stood out like a goddess. A single glance in her direction was enough to capture your full attention!’

The girls were all very considerate and not at all greedy, each taking either an ice cream bar or a bottle of soda.

Teacher Su and the other staff from their factory also received a share.

After everything was handed out, the two young men politely said their goodbyes to Xia Zhaoyun and carried the coolers off to wander through the backstage area.

A moment ago, a few girls from another group had tried to take advantage of the situation and snag a free drink, but Xia Zhaoyun had stopped them with a light laugh. "Comrades, you still have to perform this afternoon. If you get an upset stomach, who’s going to be responsible?"

"Besides," she added, "I suggest you don’t act out of spite. You should eat something light for lunch to avoid upsetting your stomach, which could affect your performance. The last thing you need is to blame us for tempting you."

The girls from Group One gritted their teeth in frustration, but they had to admit she had a point.

They knew how to prioritize. They secretly pulled Jie Xiaoqin aside and had her change their previous plans for a rich, heavy meal, switching it to simple Yangchun noodles with very little oil.

If they weren’t worried that the crowded cafeteria would affect their mood and drain their energy, they never would have gone to the bustling state-owned restaurant in the first place!

"We’re still going out for a big dinner tonight," they said resentfully.

Originally, fifty teams were scheduled to perform today. However, since some had traveled from out of town and it would be inconvenient for them to make multiple trips, another five or six groups were squeezed in at the last minute, extending the performances into the evening.

For the girls from Zhaoyang Clothing Factory, this was not only a competition but also an excellent learning opportunity. Therefore, they were determined to stay until the very end.

Xia Zhaoyun chuckled softly. "My partner’s apprentices just told me about a state-owned restaurant not too far from here. They have these amazing steamed meat buns—thin wrappers, tons of filling with the perfect fat-to-lean-meat ratio, and they even add shiitake mushrooms. They only sell them every other night, and they’re gone in half an hour!"

"Plus, you get free soup when you buy the buns. And their sour plum drink, chilled in well water, is to die for. It’s cool, sweet, and tart—super refreshing and great for beating the heat, but not too ice-cold."

"So, how about we eat well now and go get those meat buns tonight?"

The girls all nodded enthusiastically. Buns that would fill them up were much cheaper and more practical than ordering a spread of dishes.

At lunchtime, Jie Xiaoqin managed to snag a table after much effort and ordered sixteen bowls of Yangchun noodles.

The Yangchun noodles were smooth and chewy, served in a rich bone broth and topped with vibrant green scallions, a perfect sunny-side-up egg, and a few drops of sesame oil. On any other day, a bowl like this after a stroll around town would have been completely satisfying.

But the three tables next to them were groaning under the weight of a feast—nine dishes and a soup, served with white rice. There was Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, Chicken Stew with Noodles, Steamed Pork with Rice Flour, Poached Shrimp, Braised "Lion’s Head" Meatballs, Minced Pork with Eggplant, a House Special Cold Appetizer, Scrambled Eggs with Tomato, Fried Peanuts, and a Winter Melon and Kelp Soup!

The aroma wafted through the entire restaurant, making their perfectly good Yangchun noodles seem as bland as plain boiled water in comparison.

The girls from Group One ground their teeth, their stomachs rumbling with envy. They couldn’t help but mutter that Xia Zhaoyun must be treating her partner like a personal piggy bank.

They refused to believe that any man, after getting a woman to agree to marry him, would still be so considerate and doting.

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