C15 The Choice from Ten Years ago Dream Back to the Stage

On a Friday afternoon, the kids at Tea Village Primary School had lunch and had a short lunch break. The summer of Dai Village was coming, and at the same time, it was also the rainy season. But today was a hot day. Big Tea Village was roasted by the sun, and the leaves of the banana tree emitted a burnt smell.

Tao Huizhen held the bamboo basket in her hand and looked at the glaring sunlight. She covered her forehead with her hand and walked towards the stream outside the village. Dao Xiaotong followed beside Tao Huizhen and said with a frown, "It's so hot. This damn weather. "

Using the time for lunch, Tao Huizhen and Dao Xiaotong went to hug the stream in Da Tea Village to wash their clothes. This was not Tao Huizhen's first time here. Every time, Dao Xiaotong would accompany her. She was willing to tell Tao Huizhen stories about Da Tea Village. She was more willing to look into the distance with Tao Huizhen and listen to Tao Huizhen talk about the outside world.

Outside the village was a vast expanse of wilderness. The grass was growing crazily, the flowers were blooming, and the stream formed a snake-shaped water channel in the wilderness.

The stream was only a single step wide, and it was clear to the bottom. Fine sand and colorful pebbles were laid at the bottom of the river, and under the focus of the sunlight, they formed sparkling spots of light. The water was very shallow, and it was so clean that it looked like transparent and clean water. The reflection of Tao Huizhen and Dao Xiaotong was reflected in the water.

Dao Xiaotong could not wait to reach her hand into the water and said: "It's so hot. It's such a weird weather. "

"The water is quite cold. It's perfect. " Tao Huizhen also used her fingers to stir the water surface. The stream gurgled. It didn't look like there was a fish here. The water was too shallow and clear. As Elder Lee had said, Big fish were smart and wouldn't swim into small paths. Occasionally, some fish that lost their way wouldn't be able to catch them without a fishing net.

This stream could not be seen upstream. It flowed downstream through the bamboo forest of the village. It was like a miniature Amazon river that meandered and turned, slowly flowing to an unknown place. Dao Xiaotong said that someone was trying to follow the upstream of the stream. However, they could not find the source. They followed the downstream and did not see the gathering place either.

It would take three hours to reach the county by relying on manpower. How could he pry into the whole picture if he were to chase after a water source? Tao Huizhen would listen to Dao Xiaotong every time. She was unwilling to break the bubble in Dao Xiaotong's heart. Because. . . As long as one had perseverance, the upstream water would naturally meet the source. At the downstream, they would finally be able to see the convergence point. . .

China's Lancang River started from the Qinghai Jade Tree, flowing through Tibet. Reaching Yunnan, it was more than 2000 kilometers long. Extending further, it would reach the foreign land. From north to south, they would pass through Laos and Myanmar. Vietnam, Thailand, etc. The Lancang River abroad was called the Mekong River, and it was more than 4000 kilometers long. Finally, it merged into the sea. The Mengla County where Dai Village was located was the place where they interacted with Laos. The boundary river in the middle, which was also part of the Lan Cang River.

The source of this small stream in Da Tea Village was very likely to be on the branch river of the Lan Cang River, and at the end, it would definitely flow into the Lan Cang River and merge with the large river that flowed to the South China Sea.

The water would eventually flow into the ocean. Tao Huizhen looked at the upstream of the small stream. This Great Tea Village relied on the source of life to survive. Along the way, they had witnessed how many cultural civilizations in China had been nourished and how many people had been nourished. The Billowing River Region seemed to carry the mission of passing down civilizations along the way. Waves rolled and flowed into the South Sea of China, growing endlessly.

"Teacher Tao, shall I help you wash it?" Dao Xiaotong glanced at Tao Huizhen's basket of bamboo. There were a few pieces of clothing from the city. The material looked pretty good too. It was smooth. As for her, she was mostly wearing a tube-shaped skirt and a colorful shirt. In the Dai village, all the girls were wearing this. Other than this kind of clothes, she didn't have any other style.

"No need. " Tao Huizhen smiled and shook her head. "I've already learned how to wash clothes by the stream. " She noticed that Dao Xiaotong's skirt was mostly black. On the top of the skirt that covered her entire leg, there were colorful lines that outlined all kinds of patterns and totems. Some of them were Facebook, and there were also flora and fauna. "Did you make your own clothes? And those patterns? Your hands are so coincidental. " Tao Huizhen said to Dao Xiaotong's tuxedo.

"Everyone in Dai village knows how to do it. Listen to my Abba. My mom's dress is the best. . . " Dao Xiaotong's hand stopped moving when she said that. She looked at Tao Huizhen with a frozen gaze. Her throat felt as if it had been clogged. Tao Huizhen's gaze overlapped with hers. She noticed Dao Xiaotong's strange behavior, but her lips still moved. She asked tentatively, "Uncle and aunt. . . Are they there?"

The blood on Dao Xiaotong's face seemed to have been drained out in an instant. Her face turned pale in an instant. She rubbed her face with her hands and shook her head vigorously.

Tao Huizhen regretted asking. She should not have asked. Dao Xiaotong had never mentioned anything about her family. She seemed to treat Da Tea Village Primary School as her home and the children as her family just like Elder Li. Tao Huizhen should have realized that there must be something difficult to talk about. She should not have been so curious.

"I have never seen Mama before. She gave birth to me. She died from a difficult birth. What do you mean by the placenta is wrong? My posture is not right. I don't understand this. I was born with a congenital physical defect. My left leg is a few centimeters shorter than my right leg, so I can't normally tell. If I run fast, I will be able to see it. It's not easy to control the balance. "

Tao Huizhen's eyes widened. She looked at Dao Xiaotong's legs. She could only see her ankles under the skirt and imagine Dao Xiaotong stumbling. However, Tao Huizhen had never thought that it had something to do with Dao Xiaotong's flaws. Some people's walking posture was not standard, and they could always make small differences. In the eyes of a dancer like her, it was a very normal thing.

She thought again, Dao Xiaotong was about the same age as her. . . The two of them were born at the end of the '70s and the beginning of the' 80s. At that time, It was not a new thing to die from a difficult birth, and medicine was not developed yet. There was no medical system in the mountains. Many a time, people in that era had to leave it up to fate. When people recalled it now, they would always say, Thank you for living in the modern world.

"Saber Master, I'm sorry, I. . . " Tao Huizhen was very sorry.

Dao Xiaotong shook her head fiercely. She was very grateful that Tao Huizhen had asked such a question. This question did not make her feel embarrassed at all. Instead, it was as if she had found an excuse to confess. She used her hand to lift the surface of the water. Her gaze became distant, "Father is also not here, it has been more than ten years. After I became an orphan, Running around the dozens of villages under Mengla County, begging. . . After I grew up, I settled down in Da Tea Village. "

Tao Huizhen tried her best to imagine Dao Xiaotong from ten years ago. The scene of her begging for a living. She dragged her limp body. Her humble figure was left behind in the world. She had no one to rely on. Walking on the mountain road, from this village to another village full of faith, Tao Huizhen could imagine the way she wiped the sweat off her forehead with her hands. She had suffered a lot. Tao Huizhen finally understood. How did she manage to cultivate her open-mindedness and persistence that did not belong to her age? As she spoke, her eyes were clear and bright. There were no tears.

"When I was young, my lord said that in the deep mountains of the Great Tea Mountain. . . There were auspicious birds of the Dai race, green peacocks. Spirit birds, then. The requirements for living conditions were very high, and they couldn't be disturbed at all. They can't destroy the environment at all, as there are wild green peacocks in the Great Tea Mountain. This meant that Dai Village was in a bad state. That was the auspicious bird of the Dai people. It was the spirit of a hundred birds. It was quite happy that it could live in Dai Village. My Abba said that he had personally seen the green peacock spread its tail. It is so beautiful. "

Dao Xiaotong licked her lips in a daze. Her eyes were filled with nostalgia as her thoughts drifted further and further away.

She said that ten years ago, it seemed to be ten years ago, or eleven or nine years ago. She was not sure. In the depths of the Great Tea Mountain, there were people who were fortunate enough to see wild green peacocks. However, later on, there were people who said that the green peacocks in Mengla County were already extinct. The green peacocks were very afraid of people, and they had harsh requirements for the environment. However, they were the spirit birds of the Dai villagers.

That year, someone found traces of wild boars in Great Tea Mountain. Dao Xiaotong's father organized a few people to enter the depths of the Great Tea Mountain. In order to give the rare wild green peacocks a good environment, these people wanted to drive the wild boars out of the Great Tea Mountain. When they left, Dao Xiaotong's father said that if they could catch the wild boar, I will also be able to catch meat, but I will not be able to catch it. . . He also wanted to give the spiritual bird a comfortable and quiet home.

The couple who went with Dao Xiaotong's father was a young couple from the village of Da Tea Village. They were also very fond of the green peacocks and had seen them dance. That kind of creature was the auspicious symbol of the people of Dai Village. In order to create a good home environment for the green peacock, The young couple left the young child alone at home and went into the depths of the Tea Mountain without hesitation. But these people never came back. They walked into the depths of the Great Tea Mountain and seemed to lead to an endless passage of time.

Now, ten years had passed. This part of the past had already been forgotten. Wild green peacocks had long been recognized as extinct in Mengla County.

Tao Huizhen listened to Dao Xiaotong's story and could not accept it at all. She did not come back, and the green peacocks did not wait any longer. Their hot pillow was buried deep in the mountains. It was completely erased by time. As long as she looked into the distance, she would be able to see the undulating Big Tea Mountain. The horns of the mountain were connected to the endless green mountains, and the top of the mountain and the sky intersected. It was vast and boundless.

This mountain was next to the Great Tea Village. Dao Xiaotong chose to stay at the foot of the Great Tea Village. Did she think that she could get closer to her father?

"It's actually quite good to say it out loud. " Holding Dao Xiaotong's hand, Tao Huizhen was unable to extricate herself for a long time. If she did not enter a person's heart, she would never be able to understand a person, even if it was such a simple and pure woman. Tao Huizhen was silent for a long time. Then, she began to tell Dao Xiaotong her story.

She began to tell about classical dancing in the past ten years. She told about how hard she had worked and how the literary show had kept her company. And how she had started off as a little accompaniment. Become the main dancer of a dance troupe, become the soul of a dance troupe. . . Speaking of why she gave up ten years of hard work to become a dancer, she also had to teach.

However, Tao Huizhen did not tell Dao Xiaotong about any promises or her ambition. She did not have much to do. She was only doing her best. There was no essential difference between her and Dao Xiaotong. They were both on the path of their lives, working hard towards a ray of hope.

Every so often, there was a smooth cobblestone beside the stream. This was a tool used by Dai villagers to wash their clothes. After they wet their clothes, they placed them on the cobblestone and hit it with a club. They repeatedly hit it from top to bottom several times, shaking off their clothes and putting them into the stream. Under the flow of the stream, they washed them once and their clothes became completely clean.

During the hammering process, they could also put some dried vanilla grass into their clothes. Not only could it be used as washing powder, but it could also make their clothes emit a kind of licorice fragrance.

Tao Huizhen also did the same now. She used the club and cobblestone to wash her clothes smoothly and without any sloppiness.

"Teacher Tao, I. . . I heard that your teacher's subsidy is very little. You haven't even given out the subsidy yet. I always buy food and drinks for my children. Sweets, all of them are spent on the money you brought yourself. I know you don't have much money either. You're too selfless to the babies. " Dao Xiaotong said in a wooden tone.

Tao Huizhen saw her scattered hair from the reflection of the stream. She combed her hair behind her ears and said, "The children are very dependent on their teachers. Sometimes when they surround them, they feel like their own children. It's their responsibility, so you can't ignore it. "

Dao Xiaotong shrunk her neck and said shyly, "I am not as knowledgeable and knowledgeable as Teacher Tao. I can't think of so many things that are so far-reaching. Responsibility, destiny, these words that only Elder Li and the rest would say. I don't understand. Perhaps other than physical defects, there might also be defects in my brain. . . "

" You don't have any. " Tao Hui looked at Dao Xiaotong carefully.

"Oh, after getting along, I really like Teacher Tao. I know everything. At Da Tea Village Primary School, Teacher Tao teaches. I'm here to cook. I don't know how good it is. I'm just so-so when it comes to teaching. I'm quite good at comparing notes with the customers, so I'll help you. I've never had such a smooth life before. " Dao Xiaotong pursed her lips sweetly. She rolled her eyes as if she was savoring the aftertaste. "I hope this will continue. "

At night, Tao Huizhen lay quietly on the bamboo bed. The tea village once again fell into darkness and silence. Dao Xiaotong had already fallen asleep. Tao Huizhen recalled what happened during the day. Her thoughts flew about and she soon fell asleep.

Tao Huizhen arrived at the Shengjing Grand Theater. Once again, she passed by the corridor that connected to the backstage dressing room and the stage. The white walls on both sides of the corridor were painted. The mottled skin of the walls fell off. On top of that. . . There were many photos pasted. Tao Huizhen wanted to see the contents of the photos, but at that moment, she felt a figure blocking her view. She could no longer see the photos on the wall.

Tao Huizhen smiled bitterly. She felt that it was a pity that she could not see the content of the photo. She did not know why she felt that way either. She looked up and saw the director of the dance troupe standing in front of her. He still had the same gray hair on his temples. His hair was combed neatly, but his facial features were a little blurry.

"It's your turn next. Don't let your emotions be affected by these photos. I know there are precious memories of you in these photos. You still can't forget what you saw and heard during the charity performance, right? But you are Tao Huizhen. You were born for dancing!" The director of the dance troupe said in an unquestionable tone. He looked at Tao Huizhen with a proud expression. "This classical dance outfit suits you too well, Huizhen. You are the pride of the dance troupe! "

"Director, I -" Tao Huizhen suddenly realized that she had forgotten what song she was going to play today. The stage was at the end of the 100m corridor, but she did not remember what dance she had prepared. It was as if her mind had been emptied. She rubbed her forehead and asked, "Which part of the play I'm going to perform today? Is it 'Distance'?"

"How can it be Distance? That's already a famous piece of work of yours. What you're going to perform now is. . . Your current famous piece - Female Solo Dance of the Soul of the classical Dance. Today's theater is full. Show me your strength. You are the pride of the dance troupe! Everyone knows how difficult this dance is. But it is not difficult for you, Tao Huizhen. In the Shengjing Grand Theater, no one sells seats better than you, Tao Huizhen. "

These words sounded very familiar. Tao Huizhen's eyebrows twitched slightly as she felt a heavy pressure on her body falling.

Nodding her head, she discovered that on her body. . . It was a set of classical robes that had gradually turned blue and white. It was exceptionally heavy. The grand and simple ancient style occupied the main tune of the dancing clothes. From the collar of the dancing clothes, From the features of opening the slit and embroidery, One could also see the shadows of the classical Chinese clothing. Along with a ribbon, a skirt, a sleeve, and the headband, Tao Hui was decorated in an extraordinary manner.

Her cheeks were red as she thought, China's traditional Han clothing is one of the mediums of China's traditional culture. In the making of Han clothing, weaving, sewing, and dyeing. . . It fully reflects the wisdom and skills of China's art of art. At this moment, she was wearing this dance uniform. When she went to perform the Soul of the Ancient Dance, it was as if she was in a trance. She didn't dare to be the slightest bit careless as it symbolized something.

She gradually remembered the rhythm and rhythm of Soul of the Ancient Dance. She remembered how to make her appearance, how to make her stand out, how to express the theme, and how to express her feelings in the language of dancing. Her mind became more and more vivid. That was a scene that did not have any luck at all, and it was going to be a good time to put in some effort.

She subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Nervousness spread throughout her entire body like a tide.

The theme of this dance was to display the skills of classical dancing. The embodiment of classical dancing's "soul" required an actor to have an excellent foundation in dancing. Form, spirit, strength, and rhythm were all indispensable. The audience had to feel that the dancer's body was both tough and soft, with both shape and spirit, and had the ability to move like a rabbit. She had the ability to freely release and release as if she was a virgin, as well as an extraordinary infectious force.

Tao Huizhen realized without any logic that the "Ancient Dance Soul" might be the last scene she would perform on the stage. She might be bidding farewell to this stage. So her heart felt a burst of heat, an unprecedented power. . . It flowed from somewhere into her body. She stared at the stage curtain not far away. The accompaniment of Little City in the Rain was rolling to the end.

"Hui-Zhen, and today's stage. . . It's not just you performing alone, the accompaniment music is not the accompaniment music. That thing is too stiff, there's no emotion in it. It doesn't reflect all of your talent in dancing. Today, in your match, We invited the Shenyang City National Orchestra to perform on the spot for you! That's a big band made up of 80 people. They will be at the side of the stage to serve as a foil for you. We'll all be proud of you. "

"Live concerts?" Tao Huizhen's consciousness returned to her body. She was so shocked that she covered her mouth with her hands. "I never dreamed that I would have the qualifications. The National Orchestra accompanying me on the scene has always been my dream as a dancer. It's like going on an international stage. If that's the case, even if I finish this dance and leave the stage, No more regrets. "

The dancers in the small theater, but as for the dance accompaniment, Almost all of them use accompaniment music, which is the music rhythm of the recording. The live concerts, It seemed that only big shots dancers had such treatment. Only the high-end stage would have such a configuration. Tao Huizhen had never even been to such a scene before. She had only seen the live coordination between a band and a dancer on television. An entire band played musical instruments for the solo dancer. The stage was pushed to the peak of perfection, and the audience was also ignited. The figure dancing in the middle of the stage, It became the center of attention.

Every time she saw a segment of the live concerts on television, Tao Huizhen would take a deep breath. Her gaze revealed a desire to suck on her lips, and the flow of her blood became faster. Her cheeks became even redder. She hoped that one day, a band would accompany her. That would be her glory, It would be a height that she had reached in her dance career.

Actually, that was Tao Huizhen's dream. It was also every dancer's dream to step onto a wider stage and face more audience. Although the stage of the dance troupe was not big enough and it seemed a little awkward for such a large national music troupe to be clustered in a small gap on the stage, Tao Huizhen firmly believed that her dream had been realized.

"Is this your dream? Go towards your dream!" The director with blurry facial features spoke.

Tao Huizhen lifted her skirt and walked towards the stage without hesitation. The voice of the dance director came from behind once again. "Leave your sweat on the stage!"

Tao Huizhen felt that everything seemed familiar, but it also felt as if they were as distant and unfamiliar as time and space. She followed the sound of the flute on the scene. The clear and ethereal prelude played by the flute walked onto the stage. The theater was just as the director had said. There was no empty seat. The National Orchestra was squeezed into the gap on the stage. They were made up of the string instruments group, the string strumming instruments group, the blowing instruments group, and the striking instruments group. They faced Tao Huizhen, just like the audience in the audience. Their facial features were all blurry, but Tao Huizhen could imagine their intoxicated expressions.

This was the first time she had seen such a huge group of national music. She thought, are they really playing for me? She felt her heart beat abnormally fast. She could hear a heartbeat that sounded like it came from an empty tunnel. Everyone's attention was on her. At this moment, a thunderous applause rang out, as if it was giving Tao Huizhen great encouragement.

She was stunned for a moment, and the corners of her eyes moistened as she thought, This is the stage that belongs to me. My audience, my applause, I have to show enough sincerity.

Facing the audience, she began to position herself. As a classical dancer, her foundation in dancing was very solid, but in this segment of Classical Dance Soul, every movement of her body had to be controlled to the extreme, and she couldn't relax at all.

The tip of her right foot lightly propped up, and her legs straightened. Supporting the weight of her entire body, her left leg was slowly thrown backwards. The tip of his foot was still taut, and after the right leg had formed a 90-degree angle. . . He moved up again. Tao Huizhen stretched out her arms and twisted her orchid palms. She threw her head towards the stage light diagonally above her. Her gaze instantly focused on a certain point, as if it was fixed there. It was as if there was a knife in her eyes that pierced through the air. A long tendon appeared on her neck. The tip of her tongue was pressed against her upper jaw.

Following that, Tao Huizhen performed a series of somersaults from the side of the stage, then followed by a series of bungee jumping movements. This movement was the basic classic movement of classical dancing. It was the hard core technique demonstration of Soul of classical dance. It was not only competing with the superb skills of the classical dancers, but also their willpower and talent in dancing. One, two, three. . . Tao Huizhen started from the dance platform. She did the end of the stage, and did eighteen sets in a row. Click, string, He turned over and shook his head. He did it in one go! She stood down with her legs together, not swaying at all. As her upper body leaned forward, her arms were raised. Her gaze was gentle as she lifted her feet from the tips of her toes. He drew a gentle arc in the air and once again fixed his gaze on the diagonal top of the stage. She used all her strength. The light in her eyes and the subtle change in expression on her face. . . All of them were almost perfect.

She displayed the spirit of a dancer, the "soul" of classical dance, and the "soul" of dance.

Two streams of sweat flowed down from Tao Huizhen's temples to her neck, like a converging river dripping into her collar. She felt that her shirt was covered in sweat. Beads of sweat fell on her lips. She tasted a little salty sweat. She thought that this was the only time she had done so many sets of flip-flops. It would be impossible for her to reach such heights in the future. She clearly told herself. . . This was her limit number, as she grew older. . . She would only get further and further away from this number, and her body would not be able to take it.

Moreover, this time, there was a large national band playing for her. Whether it was from the height of her dance or from the beauty of her dance, she should have realized that she had reached her peak.

Waves of pain came from her calves and ankles, and her toes were also very uncomfortable. Tao Huizhen suppressed this feeling, and there was no expression on her face. She heard the applause of the audience coming from a very distant place. The pipa of the string strumming group, Zhongguan, started playing.

Their voices sounded like they were playing. Someone pushed open a pearl curtain; it also sounded like the quiet and deep stream of the Great Tea Village that Tao Huizhen had seen before.

Tao Huizhen squatted down. The ribbons of her dancing dress covered the entire stage. She lowered her hands and moved her arms along with the melodious accompaniment. Her arms rolled like waves and waves, so soft that it made people hold their breaths.

The live band concerts made Tao Huizhen feel very comfortable performing. She had never been so bold before. In her heart, she was grateful to the dance troupe and the theater hall for giving her the opportunity to cooperate with the National Orchestra.

Suddenly, the string instruments and the music harmonized. Almost like a roaring sound, the grand soundwave exploded in the theater. It shook people's emotions. This was the last piece of the melody. The Guests of the National Orchestra all stood up. The loud melody advanced and opened up the ceiling of the theater. The low pitch shook everyone's eardrums. The sound of the drum seemed to come from the ground beneath their feet. It was deep and powerful.

Tao Huizhen's eyes lit up and she got up from the stage. She danced gracefully and gracefully. From soft to firm, her expression was extremely strong. Suddenly, Her expression changed, and her gaze rested on the tenacity of a dancer. She took a few steps forward and suddenly jumped into the air. The pain coming from her feet. . . Her eyes stared at the center of attention in the air. The light became blurry. Her left and right legs were thrown backwards, spreading out a 180-degree angle. Her waist folded backwards, and her whole body seemed to be frozen in the air forever.

Tao Huizhen performed one of the most difficult movements in classical dancing, the 'Overturned Kick Purple Gold Crown Dance' as a form of homage at the end of the accompaniment. After she finished her movements, the scene on the stage seemed to have come to a halt, and the curtains were drawn. She closed her eyes in satisfaction, and a tear rolled down her face.

The applause gradually faded away, as if the audience at the top of the mountain was applauding for her, and in the end, there was no sound at all.

Tao Huizhen opened her eyes. There was no one in the theater. There was no audience or band. There was only a light that shone on her body. She was wearing a white shirt and her hair was scattered. There was no sound on the stage. Her own breathing came from the bottom of her lungs. Large beads of sweat fell on the stage floor.

Tao Huizhen faced the empty audience stands and bent down, making a standard curtain call.

She woke up, her eyes filled with tears.