On the other end of the phone, Song Yu's gentle voice came through, tinged with a faint smile. "I'm going back to the Song family for the Spring Festival tomorrow. I wonder if I could have another meal cooked by Chef Jiang?"
Influenced by his mood, Jiang Li gave a slight smile.
"Sure you can."
---
The next day.
It was Chinese New Year's Eve.
Jiang Li got up very early. Since she had to do the makeup for the whole crew later, she only did some basic cleansing at home and rushed to the North City Theatre with a bare face.
"Jiang Li, you're here so early. The performance won't start until afternoon," said the troupe leader in surprise when he saw her come so early.
"After all, it's my first time performing in a play. I'm afraid something might go wrong, so I came here early to get familiar with the venue."
Getting familiar with the venue actually meant going through the play on the stage twice in advance to get a feel for the on - the - spot performance, in case she got overly nervous during the show or made mistakes due to unfamiliarity with the venue.
"You're really a professional actress with great professionalism," the troupe leader said, giving her a thumbs - up with a smile. "Then you can look around. I'll check the venue and props again."
Jiang Li nodded politely. "You just go ahead with your work. Don't worry about me."
In the morning, there was hardly anyone in the theatre except the staff setting up the scene.
She went through the play on the stage repeatedly until she was completely familiar with every movement. Only after ensuring that there would be no mistakes in the afternoon performance did she relax a bit.
At noon, she had a hasty lunch backstage. The other actors of the play also arrived one after another.
They greeted each other with smiles and sat backstage in line waiting for the makeup artists. The atmosphere was very harmonious.
After all, they had rehearsed together for some time, and Jiang Li got along well with everyone. While waiting, everyone was willing to gather around Jiang Li and chat.
After getting their makeup done, they each went into the dressing room to change into their stage costumes, with excited smiles on their faces.
The performance was about to start.
The auditorium, which had been empty in the morning, was now packed with elderly people.
It was said that for this public - welfare activity, Chen Siqi had brought all the elderly from the North City Nursing Home. It showed his great sincerity.
Just before she was about to go on stage, Jiang Li's palms were still a bit sweaty.
"You'll definitely do well, Jiang Li," the other actors around her encouraged this "newcomer in the play", creating a very warm atmosphere.
Looking at the kind and enthusiastic people around her, Jiang Li felt very warm inside.
"Thank you all."
A few minutes later, the troupe leader ran up the back - stage stairs and called on everyone to get ready. "It's starting. Actors, get ready to go on stage!"
Jiang Li closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and walked onto the stage steadily.
The auditorium fell silent.
The stage was quiet, and Jiang Li's heart was pounding.
---
This play was a tragedy set in ancient times about unrequited love.
The woman Jiang Li played had been separated from her beloved in youth and could only keep in touch with him through letters.
Years later, she finally reunited with him, but it was at his wedding banquet with someone else.
The joy of the long - awaited reunion turned out to be the most merciless judgment for her.
Dressed in a plain white dress, she stood on the other side of the stage, watching helplessly as her former love, dressed in red, held another woman's hand, knelt before heaven and earth, and vowed to love only this woman for life.
The red and the white were particularly eye - catching.
She stood behind the crowd who had come to congratulate them, and even forced out a smile through her tears.
"If your heart is with someone else, why didn't you write to me and let me waste my feelings in vain?"
Jiang Li placed her hand on her chest and suddenly clenched it tightly. Her voice became more and more mournful. "If it's all just a dream, you should have told me so that I could give up this hope and wake up from this dream!"
On the other side of the wedding banquet, no one could hear her monologue. The wedding music continued to play, and the crowd who had come to congratulate still wore smiles on their faces. The congratulatory remarks were endless.
"A perfect match! They're really made for each other!"
"Such a good match!"
Just as he took the woman's hand, he looked up inadvertently and met her gaze from outside the crowd.
Then, as if he didn't recognize her at all, he slowly withdrew his gaze. All his tenderness was only for the red - dressed woman in front of him.
Everyone looked happy, and the congratulatory remarks grew louder and louder. It wasn't until the wedding banquet was over and the music gradually stopped that everything slowly faded away.
It was as if the lively wedding banquet just now had been nothing but a dream.
At this moment, all the lights were shining on her. The auditorium below was very quiet, and she was standing alone in the spotlight.
"They're really a good match."
"What about me? Where should I go?"
The whole stage was extremely quiet. Only her monologue could be heard. "It's just a big dream. It's time to wake up."
Her expression was calm, but every word made people's hearts ache.
The emotions of all the audience were stirred up. They couldn't help but feel sorry for this abandoned white - dressed woman.
Her lonely shadow was stretched very long. At the moment she looked up, although her expression was cold, a tear dropped from the corner of her eye.
It slowly slid down her side face.
Her face was beautiful and delicate. Under the stage lights, that single tear reflected fragmented light and disappeared at the corner of her lips.
This scene made everyone mesmerized.
Suddenly, her legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground. Her slightly trembling shoulders could be seen through her clothes, and a faint sobbing sound could be heard.
The dream was over, and the love was gone.
The play ended.
Quickly, she stood up on the stage and held hands with the other actors who came out from behind the curtain. They bowed deeply to the audience to express their gratitude.
As she stood up, Jiang Li thought she caught a glimpse of someone who looked very much like Xiao Yanzhi. But the stage lights were too bright for her to clearly see the faces of the audience.
Below the stage, there was thunderous applause.
There were also musicals and performances by an elderly choir later. Everyone was happy, and the whole theatre was filled with a festive and reunited atmosphere.
Jiang Li sat on the rest chair. She still couldn't get out of the mood of the play just now. She looked very desolate, and her mood was hard to calm down for a long time.
"Jiang Li, you're really a genius at acting," the male actor who had co - starred with her walked over and praised her with admiration. "During the eye - contact scene, my heart was in my throat. It felt like I had really done something wrong to you."
Jiang Li was slightly stunned for a few seconds.
She suddenly realized that during the performance just now, she had vaguely seen the face of the actor in front of her as someone else.
She almost couldn't tell whether it was in the play or in real life.
She lowered her head and smiled.
It was just a play. How could she get so carried away?
...
After the performance, everyone happily sat together to take group photos. Many people wanted to take photos with Jiang Li and get her autograph, and she readily agreed.
Everyone cheered immediately.
At the end, a man in a suit walked into the back - stage rest area for actors and stood in front of Jiang Li respectfully.
Jiang Li blinked.
"Ms. Jiang, we meet again."