mtl008 Chapter 118 1 Pair of Plague Gods
Chapter 118 1 Pair of Plague Gods
Xu Ren did not require Li Wanqing to be involved much in the recruitment of the children's choir.
But now she is a member of the performing arts troupe, and Sister Liu is very kind to her and Nuonuo.
She can't just put her hands in her pockets and completely ignore everything.
The choir recruitment notice was posted a week ago, and even though the recruitment period hasn't started yet, many family members come to inquire every day.
The most frequently asked questions were nothing more than three: first, would it affect my studies; second, would I be considered part of the performing arts troupe's staff afterward; and third, how much stipend would I receive each month.
The children's choir generally recruits children aged 8 to 15, who are all from primary to junior high school.
Under normal circumstances, the performing arts troupe rehearses once every weekend.
If special circumstances arise, the frequency of rehearsals needs to be increased, and they are usually scheduled after the children have finished school.
As for the issues of staffing and stipends, before the children reached adulthood, they were only temporarily employed by the performing arts troupe.
Those who wish to remain in the performing arts troupe after graduating from high school can only become full-fledged members after passing an assessment.
Before being officially hired, each child receives a monthly stipend of 15 yuan, and if they perform, they will receive a bonus of 5 to 10 yuan.
After being officially hired, allowances will be paid according to the standards stipulated by the military.
Li Wanqing had to explain this to seven or eight family members every day.
"Sister Liu, can't we just write a notice and post it at the cultural troupe?" Li Wanqing took a sip of water to moisten her throat.
Sister Liu also held her water cup and gulped down her water, saying, "You think we haven't tried this before?"
“The residents in the family quarters are generally not well-educated, and many of them cannot read a single character. Even if there are notices posted, they still have to ask questions.”
Li Wanqing was taken aback; she had overlooked this point.
Even decades later, when compulsory education was widespread and most people were literate, they were unwilling to even glance at a notice.
She encountered this when she first started working.
The class uniform was required for the morning assembly performance, so she notified the parents a week in advance and reminded them again the day before the assembly.
But the next day, there were always three or five children still wearing their school uniforms.
Just then, Du Minghua came in carrying Nuonuo. After all the twists and turns, they still ended up being colleagues in the same office.
In addition to being responsible for the performances of other musical instruments in the performing arts troupe, Du Minghua was also responsible for coordinating the performances of the children's choir.
These past few days have been busy here, so he's become the one helping Li Wanqing take care of her child.
"Sister Li, the repertoire for our choir's performance next month hasn't been decided yet. Do you have any good suggestions?" Du Minghua asked.
"Commander Xu said that as long as it's positive and uplifting, it's fine. What kind of songs did the cultural troupe perform in the past?" Li Wanqing asked.
Du Minghua thought for a moment, "They are usually revolutionary songs, and there aren't many suitable for children and teenagers."
"How about the sparkling red star?" Du Minghua suggested.
"This is good. It's a movie that came out a couple of years ago, and it's still quite popular," Sister Liu agreed.
Li Wanqing naturally knew about this movie, and even many years later, it was still highly praised.
Among them, "Red Star Guides Me to Battle," "Red Star Song," and "Azalea" are three film and television songs that are widely sung.
“Then let’s settle on singing Red Star Song,” Li Wanqing decided. “I’ll go and report to the troupe leader in a bit.”
Nono raised her hand high when she heard it; she knew the song too.
Li Wanqing gently pinched her nose. "You're still too young. When you're older, I'll let you sing."
Du Minghua looked at Li Wanqing, hesitant to speak, with a slight hint of regret in his eyes.
Li Wanqing saw it, but didn't ask any further questions.
She understood what Du Minghua meant; it was simply that the previous program had been so amazing that Du Minghua had high expectations for her.
He was somewhat disappointed that it turned out to be a rather ordinary program.
Li Wanqing reported the program to Director Xu, who strongly agreed.
“This program is great. We happen to have a dance called ‘Azalea’ here, and if we put it together with yours, the effect will be even better.”
Li Wanqing had no objections, mainly because the performance was scheduled for mid-November, and the children's choir had not yet been formed.
Having a song that everyone is familiar with makes rehearsing easier.
It mainly involves the tacit understanding and coordination among the group members, and the harmony of their voices.
By Saturday, the auditorium of the performing arts troupe was packed with people.
Du Minghua, along with the officers that Commander Xu had arranged to help, were all helping to maintain order.
The choir's recruitment process mainly involves singing and asking questions.
The assessment of the tone was left to the professionals, while Sister Liu and Li Wanqing handled the Q&A.
The main questions were whether the child was there voluntarily and what their opinions were about the choir.
The children's answers were all innocent and full of the simplicity of this era.
Liu Ximei also brought her child, but they were stopped at the registration point.
When Li Wanqing returned from the restroom, she was caught red-handed by Liu Ximei as she passed by the door.
"Comrade Li, tell me, why can't our family register?" Liu Ximei shouted.
She'd really had enough lately. Both of them had made contributions, but Li Wanqing was being fawned over while she was being gossiped about by people in the military region.
Her husband, in particular, became even more disgusted with her.
If it weren't for the political commissar of the Second Division, he would have wanted to divorce her immediately.
If the child can get into the performing arts troupe this time, it will be a source of pride for her, and her husband will definitely not hold it against her anymore.
Who knew she would bring her child, but they wouldn't even let her register!
Li Wanqing didn't want to get involved, but Liu Ximei's voice clearly affected the others.
Many children became more nervous because of her shouting.
For the sake of the child, Li Wanqing said calmly, "You wait outside first, I'll ask for you."
Liu Ximei refused, so Li Wanqing glared at her and said, "If you insist on making a scene, I'll go to the military region leaders."
Upon hearing that she was looking for a leader, Liu Ximei shrank back and led her child away, turning back to look at him every three steps.
After Li Wanqing understood the situation, she was speechless at Jiang Kai's words.
What kind of things do these men do?!
When Liu Ximei saw Li Wanqing come out, she quickly went to greet her, "How did it go? Were they deliberately making things difficult for me?"
Li Wanqing looked at Liu Ximei, her expression indescribable.
"Didn't your Company Commander Jiang tell you that he's being transferred to the Northwest Military Region?"
Liu Ximei was taken aback. "No, he didn't say anything!"
Although she was uneducated, she knew that conditions in the Northwest Military Region were much harsher than here.
How did her husband get transferred there?
"You should go back and ask him," Li Wanqing sighed. "Since you're being transferred to the Northwest Military Region, then the child isn't suitable for the cultural troupe."
After saying that, Li Wanqing turned and left, not caring whether Liu Ximei was heartbroken or sad.
After a busy day, the 12 spots have been basically filled.
On Monday, the performing arts troupe will officially notify the families, and the children's choir will be officially established.
On the way back, Li Wanqing made her daughter giggle, completely unaware that a pair of troublemakers had come to her doorstep.