Ancestors, I told you to seduce the villains, not to turn evil.

The manuscript was approved, which was truly good news for Xu Manman.

She has finally found a way to make a living in this era.

This gave Xu Manman a lot of sense of security.

The letter listed several books for children's early education, and she needed to go to town to buy them so she could illustrate them.

Xu Manman decided to go the next day.

While I'm at it, I'll see if anyone's buying a watch. The watch is from Fei Huainan, and I also have some receipts.

Fei Huainan told her to sell it so she could get money to buy medicine.

The next day, Xu Manman arrived in town and found it much more lively, with many more people wearing military uniforms.

They were all young men and women.

Xu Manman didn't pay attention and went to buy grains, oils, and seasonings first, and also bought some large bones that didn't require coupons.

Then I went to the bookstore to choose children's early learning books.

While she was choosing books, two girls in military uniforms were also choosing books next door.

One of the girls, with two braids, opened her mouth while flipping through a book.

"This time it's another competition with the Third District Cultural Troupe. We've already beaten them twice, and they still dare to compete with us on the same stage."

"This time, let them see how powerful our Second Troupe is. It will be worth the effort of the troupe leader to invite Master Cao, a Peking Opera master, to personally guide our new script."

Another girl wearing a hat looked helpless: "It's all for the soldiers to perform for; as long as the soldiers are happy, that's all that matters."

The girl with braided pigtails pouted: "That's different."

"The Third Troupe has been performing the same script for so many years, it's long since lost its originality. If it weren't for Lin Miaomiao, the troupe's beauty, who would watch the Third Troupe's performances?!"

"Moreover, I heard that the higher-ups want to disband a performing arts troupe. If you ask me, the Third Troupe should have been disbanded long ago. Keeping them around is a waste of resources."

The girl with the braided hair was complaining, not paying attention to the girl in the hat's attitude.

Xu Manman noticed it.

When the girl with the braided hair lifted Lin Miaomiao's head, the girl wearing a hat clearly lowered the corners of her mouth, looking very unhappy.

However, she quickly adjusted her emotions and put on a gentle expression again.

This was the first time Xu Manman had ever seen someone change their expression so quickly, so suddenly, but this matter had nothing to do with her.

Xu Manman picked out the books she wanted and went to pay for them.

The girl with the braided hair also picked out two books and took the girl in the hat to pay for them.

They were standing right behind Xu Manman.

The shop owner calculated the price for Xu Manman.

"The total is eleven yuan and fifty cents."

As the shopkeeper spoke, he tied up Xu Manman's books so she could easily carry them away.

Xu Manman looked pained.

Knowledge is always exceptionally expensive, no matter the time.

In rural areas, 11.5 can last a family three or four months.

The village chief's son is an apprentice in the county, earning only sixteen yuan a month.

In rural areas, people eat their own food and usually only buy needles, thread, and scraps of cloth. They might give a few cents to someone who gets married, but otherwise they don't spend much money.

Despite the pain in her eyes, Xu Manman still took out the money and gave it to the shop owner.

She left carrying her things, and the girl with the braided hair and the hat handed her the book.

Xu Manman had only taken two steps when she heard the girl with the braided hair complaining.

"Look at her shabby appearance, her clothes are patched and haven't been washed in ages, and she's still ahead of us in line, it's disgusting."

Xu Manman: ? ? ?

She looked down at herself. Although her clothes were rather worn and patched in several places, they were clean and had a faint fragrance.

You're insane!

What business is it of theirs if she buys her books?

What's wrong with the patch? She didn't show any skin.

These days, patching is glorious.

Xu Manman wanted to go back and argue with those people, but considering their identities, she ultimately didn't go forward.

She stormed off, and as she passed a state-run restaurant, she decided to soothe her wounded heart with some good food.

She happened to have some food coupons that were about to expire, so Xu Manman decided to be carefree and went inside with her last five yuan.

Finally, I ordered a braised pork, a braised tofu, and a few large steamed buns, which cost me two yuan and thirty cents.

After Xu Manman finished ordering, she handed two aluminum lunch boxes to the waiter.

At this time, everyone brings their own lunchboxes to pack food.

The waiter took it and went to get busy.

It was lunchtime, and the state-run restaurants were busiest. Xu Manman finished ordering and went to wait aside.

Looking up, there wasn't even a seat available.

A girl next to her smiled and said, "Comrade, we have a seat here, why don't you come and sit down?"

They also ordered food, but they ate it here.

Xu Manman saw that they were a few girls in military uniforms, so she went over and sat down.

She didn't intend to listen to their conversation, but the other person's voice was quite loud, prompting the girl who had sat down to speak.

"I wonder how the commander is doing?"

"If we can't get that master to write a script for us, we'll lose to the second team again this time."

Winning and losing are normal.

But the leader of the second troupe always spoke sarcastically to their leader. The performance task that should have been their troupe's was snatched away by the second troupe without even a word.

Whatever they did, the second regiment did too, and taking advantage of their good performance, they snatched away all the resources.

The only piano in the troupe was something their troupe leader had worked very hard to obtain.

When the second troupe saw this, they said in a sarcastic tone that their second troupe needed a piano for their performance, and since the third troupe wasn't performing anyway, it would be a waste to give it to the third troupe, so they might as well let the second troupe take it.

After saying that, without even asking the people from the Third Regiment, he had them carried away.

Their group leader went to see the leaders.

The higher-ups also valued the Second Regiment more, and in the end, the piano was given to the Second Regiment by the leadership.

The three regiments had been holding back, and there were constant frictions between them. Now, the two regiments were like enemies.

Letting them lose to the second team is as disgusting as swallowing a fly.

Everyone was talking at once, and the girl next to her couldn't help but look at Lin Miaomiao.

"Miaomiao, say something!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Manman couldn't help but look over.

What a coincidence?

Is it the same person, or just someone with the same name?

Xu Manman looked up curiously and met Miaomiao's gaze.

The other person nodded politely. They seemed a bit cold, but had very fair skin and rosy lips.

Her eyes slant upwards as if they have hooks, giving her a very charming and alluring appearance.

Xu Manman returned a smile, but she was having other ideas in her mind.

She wanted to write a screenplay, and now is a perfect opportunity.

Xu Manman said, "I heard you need a stage play script. I know a very talented teacher who happens to have a stage play script."

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at her.

"you?"

"Who do you know? We need professional stage scripts, the high-quality kind."

People clearly didn't believe Xu Manman's words.

These days, it's very difficult to invite truly great masters. It's said that the Second Troupe spent a great deal of money to finally invite Teacher Cao.

Their troupe leader invited Teacher Cao's junior apprentice, who is also a well-known master in the industry and writes excellent scripts.

Only his writing can rival that of Teacher Cao.

Xu Manman wasn't angry at being looked down upon; instead, she spoke up nonchalantly.

"The notebook is readily available, so there's no harm in you taking a look. If you don't like it, I can take it back with me. If you do like it, it will solve your current problem."

Everyone initially didn't take it to heart, but Xu Manman's words made sense.

There's no harm in taking a look.