Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 102 Improvement in Acting Skills, Another Job Change (10,000 words, seeking subscriptions)

The performance ended, and the noise subsided.

Chen Ye did not attend the celebration banquet that Deng Ming held for him, but returned alone to the empty training room of Qingchun Class.

He stood in front of the huge mirror, without changing out of his costume, simply gazing quietly at his reflection.

Art has no limits.

Although others considered him to be the undisputed number one female impersonator in Zhenhaiwei, he knew that this was far from enough.

What he seeks is a higher level of skill.

Just as he was concentrating on studying a figure, he heard a soft footstep coming from the courtyard.

"Mr. Chen...?"

A voice, tinged with shyness and anticipation, rang out.

Chen Ye turned around and saw Lu Jinghong standing prettily at the door, carrying a food box.

Under the dim light, her cheeks were flushed with a lovely blush, and her eyes darted away, avoiding his gaze.

"Miss Lu, it's so late, what brings you here?" Chen Ye's tone was polite, but also carried a hint of distance.

"I... I noticed you didn't go to the celebration banquet, and I was worried you'd be hungry, so I had the kitchen prepare some late-night snacks and bring them to you."

Lu Jinghong mustered her courage, handed over the food box, and said with her head down, "These are all light and soothing foods. You...you sang all night, you must be tired."

Chen Ye did not accept the gift, but looked at Lu Jinghong and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Miss Lu, but I don't need these things. Also, it's getting late, so please go back."

This obvious estrangement caused the blush on Lu Jinghong's face to fade instantly, replaced by a look of grievance and disappointment.

She bit her lip, her eyes slightly red, but she still forced a smile.

"Okay... okay, then I won't bother you anymore."

After saying that, she turned around and left in a somewhat disheveled state.

Chen Ye didn't want to get too involved with Lu Jinghong. As he said before, he came to this world to hone his acting skills and ultimately achieve extraordinary things.

As for women... they will only slow down the speed at which you become famous.

The performances continued to be a huge success for the next few days. On this particular day, Chen Ye had just returned backstage after the curtain call when Deng Ming rushed over to him.

"Mr. Chen, that Mr. Li has come backstage and specifically requests to see you!"

As they were talking, footsteps were heard, and then Mr. Li, with a pipe in his mouth and surrounded by his entourage, came to the backstage.

"Mr. Chen," Li Kang said with a smile, "Tonight's performance of The Peony Pavilion was truly unforgettable, its lingering melody resonating for days on end."

His words were full of praise, but his eyes looked as if he were examining a rare treasure.

"You flatter me, Master Li," Chen Ye replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

Li Kang smiled and said no more, but gave a wink to the attendants behind him.

The attendant immediately stepped forward and respectfully presented a delicate sandalwood brocade box.

The box was opened, and the room was filled with light.

Inside was a set of dazzling pearl and jade headdresses. The blue of the kingfisher feathers, the luster of the pearls, and the brightness of the gemstones complemented each other, making it an exquisite piece.

"It's just a small gift, nothing special." Li Kang's tone was casual, as if he were offering a box of ordinary pastries rather than a fortune. "I've prepared a simple meal at Wangjiang Tower tonight and would like to invite Mr. Chen to join me. Would that be alright?"

Deng Ming watched in horror, his back soaked with cold sweat.

He had never seen anything like this before.

However, to everyone's surprise, Chen Ye simply glanced at the set of jewelry calmly, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.

“I appreciate Mr. Li’s kindness, but this gift is too valuable. I cannot accept it without having done anything to deserve it. As for the banquet, I am devoted to opera and do not like socializing. I hope Mr. Li will understand.”

The moment these words were spoken, the air seemed to freeze.

Li Kang's smile froze slightly, and the corner of his mouth, which was holding a pipe, twitched.

"Well said, well said, a true enthusiast of opera." Li Kang gave Chen Ye a deep look, his eyes full of meaning. "Mr. Chen is indeed extraordinary. I hope to see your brilliance on stage again in the future." After saying that, he turned and left with his men without lingering.

Only after the group of people had completely disappeared did Deng Ming's legs go weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Just then, Guan Sihai, who had been silent all along, walked over, patted Chen Ye on the shoulder, and looked at him with full support in his eyes.

"Well done, Xiao Ye! We're actors, not playthings of the powerful!"

Guan Sihai had spent half his life in the theater industry, so how could he not see Li Kang's intentions? If it were anyone else, it wouldn't matter, but the key was that this person was Chen Ye.

It should be noted that Guan Sihai no longer regards Chen Ye as a disciple, but as his own son, so naturally he does not want to see him fall into a quagmire.

Chen Ye smiled upon hearing this, feeling Guan Sihai's concern.

But in reality, he didn't take it too seriously.

Having experienced the trials of two worlds, and facing the turbulent struggles of human nature in the main world every day, this matter is nothing at all.

Forget about Master Li or Master Gou; if they really piss me off, I don't care about their background, I'll just kill them.

……

The performance at Guang Le Lou proceeded as scheduled the following day.

But some subtle changes are quietly taking place.

In the past, there were no ticket scalpers outside the theater selling tickets at high prices before performances, but today there wasn't a single one to be seen.

The largest newspapers in Zhenhaiwei, which usually dedicate their best pages to reporting on Chen Ye's performance, collectively removed all reports about him today, as if by prior agreement.

Meanwhile, rumors began to circulate in the Peking Opera world, saying that Chen Ye was arrogant and disdainful of others, and even fabricated some unspeakable scandalous rumors.

Chen Ye naturally noticed all of this, but he didn't make a fuss.

He knew this must have been the work of that so-called Master Li.

However, Chen Ye did not back down; instead, he performed even more earnestly.

But in the following days, Li Kang's suppression became increasingly blatant.

Some idle thugs and hooligans began to appear on the streets surrounding Guangle Tower.

They didn't hit anyone or cause trouble; they just gathered in groups of three or five at the intersection, eyeing every passerby with malicious intent.

Although they dispersed when the constables arrived, after this happened several times, many wealthy women and respectable people who originally wanted to watch the play gave up, and the attendance rate at Guang Le Lou fluctuated significantly for the first time.

The Qingchun Class was also affected.

One after another, some of the long-scheduled private gatherings and small performances were canceled, with the reasons given by the other party being all sorts of bizarre.

Although the fellow apprentices in the troupe didn't say it aloud, they sighed every day, their faces filled with worry, and the atmosphere in the entire troupe became oppressive.

Deng Ming was so anxious that he developed several blisters on his lips.

He used all his connections to inquire and smooth things over, but all his efforts were in vain, like a stone sinking into the sea.

The other party's background was far more powerful than he had imagined; his own network of connections was utterly insignificant in comparison.

Only Chen Ye remained unchanged.

Practice, warm up your voice, go on stage, take a bow.

It was as if all the storms and turmoil in the outside world had nothing to do with him.

He devoted all his energy to studying opera, and each performance was more perfect and more amazing than the last.

Under this immense pressure, on this day, after Chen Ye finished his performance, a line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes.

[Job: Bewitching Diva (lv5) is at max level, wish to change jobs?]

　Thank you to book friends 械械gg for 500 book coins, 规毁 for 500 book coins, and 叠合九分裤 for 200 book coins.

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(End of this chapter)