Chapter 280: Little Beauty in Costume

"It's almost time. Let's go in to watch the play," Luo Ying said.

"Ok!" Xie Yujia nodded. After casting another glance at her picture displayed in the showcase, she walked into the auditorium.

Obviously, she missed her middle school days; it was the most peaceful time in her life, and she had missed Hao Ren the most during that time.

She had begun to understand love at that time, and her longing for her Little Older Brother got even stronger.

In the auditorium, the students and parents had all taken their seats, and the place was as lively as a movie theater ten minutes before the movie began.

The stage was all set, and the actors and actresses were backstage doing last minute preparations.

Hao Ren didn't see Zhao Guang and Zhao Hongyu. Therefore, he could only sit with Xie Yujia and Luo Ying in the boisterous auditorium

Lights and music were all ready.

It was a full house, and it began to quiet down gradually.

With ballet dancers entering the stage, the play began.

Hao Ren was not familiar with Western plays. Instead, he had watched Beijing Operas on TV with Grandma and knew a lot of Chinese classical plays.

Under the spotlight, students who were playing aristocrats dancing at a ballroom.

As the music entered a small climax, Zhao Yanzi, in the stunning costume, slowly walked from the left side of the stage to the center.

She was wearing the dress and the jacket that Hao Ren bought for her. With makeup on her gorgeous face, she stunned everyone with her beauty.

"So beautiful..."

Hao Ren heard the admirations from the guys sitting behind him.

Very soon, a boy in a formal suit strolled onto the stage from the left with a wine glass in his hand.

Hao Ren looked at the boy closely and found that his looks were ok but not at all handsome.

"The boy who was going to play Romeo was Zeng Yitao, a Grade 11 student from the High School Department who had just transferred to our school. However, he skipped school for several days and was replaced by this boy. I heard that Zeng Yitao had dropped out." Luo Ying said casually.

Hao Ren heard their conversation and finally understood why Zhao Yanzi had been in such a good mood when she found out that Zeng Yitao was imprisoned in the East Ocean Dragon Palace.

"Tonight, the moon looks especially lonely," Zhao Yanzi looked up and spoke in the center of the stage.

She had a small microphone attached to the dress near her neck, so her clear voice spread to every corner of the auditorium.

From her voice, Hao Ren could tell that she was a little nervous.

"This lady... looks beautiful from behind..." the boy who was playing Romeo walked toward Zhao Yanzi while murmuring to himself.

The other students on the stage danced around them.

"A bit stiff," Luo Ying commented.

"Maybe they didn't have enough rehearsals," Xie Yujia said.

"Yeah. Your group rehearsed for at least one month, and you were the most hard-working ones," Luo Ying agreed.

Luo Ying had her comparisons, but for the students from both High School Department and Middle School Department, Zhao Yanzi's beauty made up for all the minor issues in her acting skills.

While the play went on, and Hao Ren was amazed that the lazy Zhao Yanzi had memorized all the lines.

When the conversation on the balcony ended, the curtains closed slowly, signaling the intermission.

The students talked about Zhao Yanzi's beautiful dress while they went out to the bathrooms or to buy drinks.

Hao Ren checked his watch and realized that one hour had passed! Even though he didn't know much of Western plays, he was immersed in Zhao Yanzi's performance for a full hour!

He carefully listened to all her lines, observed all of her facial expressions, and noticed all of her change in tones.

"With only one week of rehearsals, they are doing great," Xie Yujia stood up and said as she took a deep breath.

"Well, yeah." Luo Ying agreed reluctantly.

She only meant to give Zhao Yanzi a challenge by making her play the heroine and had not expected that Zhao Yanzi could give such an excellent performance.

"Maybe Zhao Yanzi isn't as a lazy girl as I thought," the Class Advisor thought to herself.

"Since you know Zhao Yanzi, why don't you guys go see her backstage?" Luo Ying glanced at Hao Ren and Xie Yujia and suggested.

"Ok!" Excited, Xie Yujia pulled Hao Ren to the backstage; she was quite familiar with that place.

Behind the curtains, some students were arranging the set for the next scene. Hao Ren and Xie Yujia walked around them and went into the dressing room in the back where a young female teacher was freshening up Zhao Yanzi's makeup.

Zhao Yanzi saw Hao Ren in the mirror, and she was pleased. Then, her lips pursed when she saw Xie Yujia.

While she frowned, the teacher missed her eyebrow and had to wipe it off before doing it again.

"You are doing great!" Hao Ren walked behind her and praised.

"Of course," Zhao Yanzi answered coldly.

"Hey! Yujia!" The young teacher who was doing Zhao Yanzi's makeup was pleasantly surprised to see Xie Yujia.

"Hi, Ms. Liu." Xie Yujia smiled.

"Hehe, you are even more beautiful. Last time when you came to the school, I wasn't in. You look the same as you were in the middle school except that your body is all grown! You were so thin at that time." The teacher looked at Xie Yujia with fondness.

"Ms. Liu, there is still the second half of the play!" Zhao Yanzi looked at Xie Yujia in the mirror and urged the teacher.

Today, Xie Yujia was indeed dressed beautifully. The deep blue dress and the little pink jacket made her look elegant and fashionable.

"Ok, ok! I'll do the makeup for you first!" The young teacher bent her back and resumed freshening up Zhao Yanzi's makeup.

"I'm just here to look around. I won't distract you any longer, Ms. Liu. Goodbye!" Not wanting to disturb the preparations backstage, she looked around the dressing room and walked out.

Hao Ren didn't follow her out; instead, he stayed in the dressing room, looking at the displeased Zhao Yanzi in the mirror.

The young teacher finished the makeup and checked it. Then, she left the dressing room; she was probably looking for Xie Yujia to catch up.

Zhao Yanzi turned in the swivel chair and faced Hao Ren. She glared at him 'viciously.'

"What? You're not pleased that I'm here to watch your play?" Hao Ren asked her.

"Are you here to watch my play or to keep someone else company?" Zhao Yanzi retorted.

"Someone else?" Hao Ren asked.

"I don't even want to say her name." Zhao Yanzi rolled her eyes.

"Where are your parents? Did they come?" Hao Ren had to change the topic.

At that moment, another teacher walked into the dressing room. As she clapped her hands, she called out, "The second half is about to begin. Hurry up and get ready!"

"My parents are here. They are sitting in the second row and have saved you a seat!" Zhao Yanzi stood up and walked toward the door. On her way out, she rolled her eyes at him again. "Humph! You forget friends at the sight of beauty!"

" Forget friends at the sight of beauty 1 ?" Hao Ren didn't know how to respond.