’It had to be Xia Zhaoyun herself who asked her man to put on a show to save her face. Tsk, tsk. Money doesn’t grow on trees, especially not for a truck driver.’
’Tsk, tsk. She talked such a good game before, about loving her man so much she was willing to be a widow for him.’
’But now that he’s alive, she doesn’t know how to treat him better or save some money.’
’Long-haul truck drivers put their lives on the line. The pay is high, but it’s an incredibly dangerous job. After one tragic lesson, that couple is still acting like this...’
’All in all, they paid their money and coupons, and got absolutely nothing for their trouble!’
In reality, Huo Tianhao really did make Xia Zhaoyun look good. It wasn’t that everyone was desperate for a free meal; the girls from Team Three and their accompanying staff hadn’t intended to take advantage of the offer anyway and were already planning to pay her back later.
Isn’t that how favors work? A bit of give and take.
But as a result, everyone began to treat Xia Zhaoyun with even more warmth, sincerity, and affection. After all, who doesn’t like a capable and generous friend? Reciprocity and mutual benefit are the keys to any lasting relationship.
To accommodate the visiting performance troupes, the event organizers announced the selection results on the same day, right after all the teams had finished performing.
As expected, both of the Zhaoyang Clothing Factory’s programs advanced!
But passing this round didn’t mean they could relax. This was just the first step toward the main stage; they still had ninety-nine more to go.
For the next few days, the girls practically lived in the practice room.
It was Xia Zhaoyun, conversely, who helped them regulate their schedules, balancing work and rest to prevent them from burning out.
So their little family could be reunited in the city sooner, Huo Tianhao made a special trip to bring their two children to his transport depot, allowing Xia Zhaoyun to devote all her time and energy to training.
By the time of the dress rehearsal, there were only thirty-five or thirty-six acts left. Apart from the visiting troupes whose spots were guaranteed, any of the others could be cut at any moment.
Furthermore, the dance teams from the Capital City that had made it through hundreds of acts were all formidable competitors. The competition was fierce, and no one knew who would make it to the final stage until the moment the results were announced.
Teacher Su couldn’t hold back. "That’s absurd! Comrade, dance has been passed down since ancient times, evolving bit by bit. It’s a way to express life through the language of the body."
"This is either an amateur stirring up trouble or someone with ulterior motives deliberately distorting the facts to eliminate a competitor. Are you really going to let this kind of malicious behavior slide?"
The head judge scoffed. "Comrade, you at the Zhaoyang Clothing Factory have heavy workloads. You haven’t weathered many storms, so you don’t understand the gravity of the situation."
"We’re doing this for your own good. Do you really want to perform in front of the leaders only to be called out by them personally? You couldn’t bear those consequences!"
Xia Zhaoyun glanced at everyone present.
She was once a Ghost Cultivator and was highly sensitive to people’s emotional fluctuations. Even if someone lowered their head to hide their expression, the subtle movements of their body would still betray their innermost thoughts.
This was especially true after the results were announced; when a person’s wish was granted, that emotion leaked out even more obviously.
She chuckled softly, walked up to Jie Xiaoqin, and said, without bothering to lower her voice:

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: When She Stops Being Dramatic