"Ready-made?" The aunt was stunned for a moment. In her building, where could she find a proper Qingyi? Going three generations up in the garden, they couldnât find even one virtuous wife and good mother.
Her gaze instinctively fell on Shi Qingjun in the distance: "Are you talking about that girl?"
Someone who stands out as a true Miss, if she gets on stage... sheâd surely be captivating.
"What are you saying? Sheâs a guest." Miss Lu was momentarily speechless.
Shi Qingjun is obviously here as a visitor, how could they convince her to stay for an opera... are they going to kidnap her?
"Then who are you talking about?" The aunt shook her head: "There used to be a Qingluo, but that girl learned the piano from a young age, came from Wanzhi Building, and wasnât fond of opera. Now that Qingluo has joined the Immortal Sect, she canât be seen anymore."
"Thereâs still an Ah Qing, isnât there?" Miss Lu coughed lightly, glancing in Ah Qingâs direction: "Look, doesnât Ah Qingâs âQingâ resemble the âQingâ in Qingyi."
Aunt: "..."
The yellow-clad girl next to them wore an expression of knowing, with a blush on her face, looking very happy.
She was happy for Ah Qing.
Previously, Ms. Qing, being an outsider and not fitting in, never had the chance to enter the center of Flower Moon Building. This time, if she could secure the Qingyi from Aunt, it would be perfect.
She was so happy she felt unspeakable envy and jealousy, because Steward Lu and Pingniang are truly great to Ms. Qing, you could say theyâve arranged everything perfectly for her.
Qingyi is great.
In Flower Moon Building, there are quite a few operas with pseudo-phoenix and fake fantasies, and the emotional scenes between dignified, steady women and mischievous, cute girls are very popular.
She would have the chance to act alongside Ms. Qing in such plays; how could she not be happy?
However, the yellow-clad girl didnât get too happy too soon, as she looked at Aunt with some concern.
Sure enough, after hearing Ah Qingâs name, Aunt froze for a moment, clearly having never considered this girl.
After hesitating, she still voiced her concern: "Ah Qing is a Half-Demon... is this really okay?"
Opera is a refined art, and having women perform is already seen as desecrating the trade in the eyes of the Pear Garden people; the choice of Qingyi is even more crucial.
Qingyi itself is a refined art, as the saying goes, among ten female roles, only one is a good Qingyi, showing its significance and how all the famous performers nearly came from Qingyi.
In a larger sense, Qingyi can be said to be the face of this small garden.
Such a role, given to a Half-Demon... no matter what, itâs not quite suitable.
Miss Lu understood her difficulty and seriously said, "Ms. Zhu said itâs fine."
Many times, in Flower Moon Building, a âMs. Zhuâ outweighs any rules and doctrines.
Since Pingniang said itâs fine, Aunt had no choice but to agree.
She even believed that because Zhu Pingniang said itâs fine, sheâd ensure even if Ah Qing isnât good, sheâll teach her to be good, not letting Ah Qing displease Pingniang.
"Pingniang, she really knows how to give us trouble. Next time Iâll make her drink a few more cups." Aunt said helplessly: "Indeed, sheâs a very suitable person, and her demeanor is clearly adjusted."
Upon hearing this, the yellow-clad girl breathed a sigh of relief.
Miss Lu smiled upon seeing this.
This is the current attitude of Flower Moon Building towards Ah Qing, although they still fear, even dread... but due to Zhu Pingniangâs influence, even people like the aunt, who harbors hatred towards Half-Demons, are willing to try and accept her.
Miss Lu didnât expect everyone to immediately treat her as they would a sister, and sheâs already satisfied with this change.
"Coincidentally, isnât Ah Qing scheduled to dance a Sword Dance today?" Miss Lu laughed: "If her moves are extraordinary, perhaps sheâd unexpectedly secure a Female Knightâs Martial Artist role."
"Sword Dance? Iâm quite looking forward to that." Aunt smirked, thinking that Ah Qingâs Half-Demon traits arenât very pronounced, much better than those outside who grow hair, scales, or horns at the drop of a hat.
A pair of pale green eyes, disregarding her Half-Demon status, are truly beautiful.
If they could bring Ah Qing in, then those heroine roles in Demon Immortal stories would have a natural candidate; just a blink, and an image of a female demon in love with a scholar would emerge.
Aunt thought about it, then said: "Even though Ah Qing seems to have a foundation, she might not be willing... after all, we had Qingluo before, I tried to persuade her countless times, but she stuck to her tavern till the end, only to have it smashed."
"If Ms. Zhu hears you badmouthing Qingluo, sheâll tear your mouth off." Miss Lu sighed, then pondered: "But youâre right, being willing to go on stage now doesnât mean Ah Qing will be willing in the future."
At this point, the young HuangâEr practicing her horse stance was anxious.
This great opportunity canât be missed by her sister, she immediately shouted: "Aunt, Ms. Qing will definitely agree!"
"Why are you yelling?" Aunt was startled, pinched the shoulders of the yellow-clad girl, then traced her spine and pinched her neck.
The originally stable horse stance of the yellow-clad girl swayed, collapsing into Auntâs embrace.
"Aunt, I... Iâm serious." The girl, seized firmly, was blushing furiously.
"Ah Qing listens to you, girl?" Aunt doubted, lifting the girl up like a chick.
"This girl gets along well with Ah Qing." Miss Lu said.
"Sheâs got some guts." Aunt was surprised that a timid girl like her dared to mingle with a Half-Demon, but still said: "Then go feel out her attitude... No, forget feeling it out, persuade her, and Iâll mark you with credit."
This is Pingniangâs appointed Qingyi, canât let her slip away.
Nothing is scarier than disappointing Pingniang.
"Leave it to me?" HuangâEr blinked.
"Yes."
"Leave it to me." The yellow-clad girl immediately perked up; she regained her strength, stood up swiftly, her spirited appearance stunned Aunt.
"Oh... go, have a chat with Ah Qing." Aunt sent the girl back to the banquet, then looked oddly at Miss Lu and said: "Where did this girl find such spirit?"
Miss Lu thought back to what she just witnessed, smiling.
She knew.
"Maybe she wants to act with Ah Qing."
"A little girlâs mind." Aunt said, smiling helplessly.
"Donât talk about her, who didnât want to act with Ms. Zhu back in the days?" Miss Lu squinted her eyes.
"Ahem... those were the days."
â
Ah Qing was just having a drink when she saw the yellow-clad girl trot over, sit beside her, and take a large gulp of juice.
Her small face was flushed, clearly having gone through a lot.
She said in surprise: "This time Aunt showed great mercy?"
Standing for only so long, yet released back.
"Atonement by merit." The yellow-clad girl smiled shyly, then slowly moved closer to Ah Qing, hugging her arm.
"Ms. Qing, do you like listening to opera?"
"I would say I like it." Ah Qing nodded.
In Flower Moon Building, she had learned a lot about opera and listened to many.
Sometimes she would think, experiencing the refining heart stories from opera like an ordinary woman might also be good, so her saying she liked it is not merely perfunctory.
"Then your posture must be very good, right?"
"...?"
Ah Qing blinked.
What is this girl talking about.
"Iâm saying, Ms. Are really soft and amazing." The yellow-clad girl stretched her arms to demonstrate: "Your legs can lift so high."
"..."
Ah Qing closed her eyes, then said helplessly: "What do you want to say, say it."
"Would you like to go on stage and perform together?" The yellow-clad girl whispered: "Your voice is much better than mine."
Ah Qing: "?"
Perform... who?
Her?
Ah Qing never thought sheâd hear such a strange thing one day.
"Pingniang said, Ms. Qingâs âQingâ is the âQingâ of Qingyi."