Chapter 179 - 80: Leading Lady of the 60s Cultural Troupe (19)

Chapter 179: Chapter 80: Leading Lady of the 60s Cultural Troupe (19)

The little ones clutched their bags, their small faces tilted up in longing as they gazed at Xia Zhaoyun with their dark, round eyes. "Mama?"

Liu Mingkun was stunned. "Mama?"

He immediately turned to look at Huo Tianhao. Sure enough, Huo Tianhao’s face had gone grim.

He felt like the badge in his hand was burning him.

’Comrade Xia is so young, yet she’s already married with two kids old enough to run errands! Oh, my poor Brother Hao... He’s barely had his first crush, and now he gets a bucket of ice water dumped over his head!’

Xia Zhaoyun smiled at the children. "If you like them, you can keep them. Just remember to thank the two uncles."

The children nodded happily. They took the badges, carefully tucking them into their bags while simultaneously tilting their heads up to thank Huo Tianhao and Liu Mingkun.

Liu Mingkun gave an awkward laugh. He looked from Xia Zhaoyun to the two kids. ’Those almond-shaped eyes... they look like they were cast from the same mold. It’s ironclad proof!’

’Why didn’t I do my homework and find out more about her beforehand?’

’Then I wouldn’t have been stupid enough to drag Brother Hao here just to get his heart stomped on.’

"Oh! I just remembered, there’s a new shipment at the warehouse that still needs to be logged. Brother Hao, can you give me a ride?" Liu Mingkun had only one thought: he couldn’t let Brother Hao fall any deeper. So he came up with a lame excuse.

Huo Tianhao raised an eyebrow. "If you’re going, go by yourself." As he spoke, he tossed the car keys to him.

Liu Mingkun couldn’t help but grind his teeth. ’Who do you think I’m doing this for?’

’I’m even giving up my chance to get closer to Comrade He, and Brother Hao won’t even play along!’

’Looks like Brother Hao really does want to help Comrade Xia by keeping an eye on Xu Weilin and seeing her through the semifinals.’

’My poor Brother Hao. Of all the fish in the sea, he had to fall for one who’s already... well, she’s already planted, rooted, and bearing fruit in someone else’s garden.’

’To save him from future heartache, I have to make him come to his senses before it’s too late.’

Liu Mingkun scratched his head and chuckled. "Actually, it’s not that big a deal. The warehouse manager will probably see it and log it anyway. I’ll just double-check tomorrow at work."

He then turned to the children, asking playfully, "So, what are your names, little ones?"

Ruyuan, being the older brother, was a little bolder. He also fancied himself the little man of the house and its main pillar of support. With a solemn, serious expression, he replied, "My name is Wen Huaixin, and this is my sister, Wen Huaiyu. But our nicknames are Ruyuan and Ruyi."

"You have beautiful names with lovely meanings. Your mom and dad must love you very much! Your mom’s in a competition today, so how come your dad is so busy with work? Didn’t he even take the day off to come with..."

He Qingran’s face suddenly turned cold. She pulled the children toward her. "Brother Kun, they’re just kids. This isn’t something to joke about!"

Xia Zhaoyun’s lips tightened. She understood Liu Mingkun’s intentions and said flatly, "The children’s father is quite busy. He’s a man with important work to do. There’s no need for him to waste his time on my foolishness."

Liu Mingkun was baffled, but he knew he must have said something wrong.

He was quick to admit his fault. "I’m sorry, Comrade Xia, Comrade He, and you two little ones. I can be pretty clueless sometimes and I misspoke. Please don’t take it to heart. I’ll treat you all to ice cream and soda later to make up for it!"

Huo Tianhao, however, just started walking. "You all go register and head inside. I’ll grab the sodas and find you."

This gave Liu Mingkun a massive headache. He could only force a wry smile and explain, "My brother... he’s a man of action!"

He Qingran also felt she might have overreacted. She opened her mouth to speak, glanced at her best friend, but decided against explaining. ’Should I really tell them that these two are the children of a fallen hero and that Yunyun adopted them?’

However, Liu Mingkun was great at livening up the mood, and He Qingran was the type who thrived on social energy. The two of them hit it off immediately. By the time they registered and went inside, they had both managed to reveal they were single, and you could see a hint of shy sparks flying between them.

Xia Zhaoyun watched with a deadpan expression. ’The magnetic pull between men and women is truly powerful,’ she mused. ’May really is the season for romance.’

As contestants, Xia Zhaoyun and He Qingran used their letters of introduction to go directly backstage. After signing in, they handed their cassette tapes with their backing tracks to a staff member.

"Yunyun, you take the kids out front to watch. I’ll just stay backstage and get ready." He Qingran took a deep breath. She was already so nervous her teeth were chattering.

Liu Mingkun, who had somehow procured a staff pass and swaggered backstage, saw her state and offered a comforting smile. "Comrade He, this is what you do for a living. What’s there to be scared of?"

"When you’re on stage, the audience will be pitch-black. The only thing you’ll see is a little light reflecting off some glasses. Just imagine it’s early morning, with a few stars in the sky—the perfect setting for an emotional performance!"