Side Story 4: Joining the Performing Arts Troupe

 

With the three little ones going to school, Lin Chuxia finally found some leisure time for herself. Occasionally, she’d hear the other parents grumbling about how frustrating it was to tutor their children or help with homework. It often left them exasperated, leading to heated scenes of discipline at home.

 

Every time someone vented to Lin Chuxia about their struggles, she would smile and offer comforting advice: “Don’t stress yourself out. The more frustrated you are, the less patience you’ll have to teach. How can the kids learn properly then?”

 

What she didn’t tell them was that her kids hardly needed her help at all. When she checked their homework, her three little geniuses would answer any question she asked, never needing her to worry.

 

*Of course, they’re going to be the most powerful villains in the future,* she often mused to herself. However, her current life was so peaceful that if they ever dared to become actual villains, she’d simply chase them down with a broomstick and give them a good beating.

 

Thanks to their stellar academic performance, her three kids had earned the title of “the perfect children.” It was a reputation that spread across the entire military compound. Every parent was envious, and every elder hoped their children could be just as brilliant.

 

Year after year, the Xie brothers occupied the top three spots in exams.

 

“Chuxia, come on, you’ve got to tell me your secret. How on earth are your kids so good at studying?” Some of the other mothers asked, and their curiosity piqued.

 

Their own children struggled even with the simplest math problems, like 23 plus 15. It frustrated them endlessly, considering even they, who hadn’t been to school much, knew the answer.

 

Hearing them ask for advice, Lin Chuxia pondered for a moment. Her kids were always attentive in class, completing their homework without a fuss and rarely needing any additional help. How could she translate this into a teaching method?

 

“Well,” she began thoughtfully, “it’s all about getting your kids to focus. Make sure they pay attention in class, and have them review the material at home. Prepping ahead of time helps too.”

 

As soon as she mentioned “prepping ahead of time,” the mothers’ eyes lit up. They eagerly listened, some even mentally jotting down notes as Lin Chuxia continued, breaking down her “teaching method” step by step.

 

“Kids might not have the patience for this on their own,” Lin Chuxia added, “so as parents, it’s our job to supervise them. After all, it’s for their future, right? If they can get into high school, they could even become respected workers—a stable job for life!”

 

Hearing the words “respected worker,” the women straightened up in their seats. In these times, securing a government or factory job was like hitting the jackpot—a solid, lifelong career.

 

“You’re right! We really need to be more diligent with our kids,” one of them sighed, thinking about the future.

 

“Exactly! After all, it’s for the children. Chuxia, you must really put in a lot of effort for your three boys,” another said, admiring Lin Chuxia’s dedication.

 

The group of women was convinced that Xie Hongchu, Xie Xinghe, and Xie Xingrong excelled solely because of Lin Chuxia’s tireless guidance. In their eyes, she was the epitome of a dedicated mother.

 

“Yes, yes. I didn’t realize being a parent required so much effort. I thought the teachers handled everything!” another mother admitted, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

 

“Well, teachers can only do so much. It’s up to the kids to stay focused and work hard. Like they say, ‘Diligence is the path to success,’” Lin Chuxia quoted, continuing her “lecture.”

 

“I see, I see. And reviewing after class—how many times should we have them go over their lessons?” one eager mother asked.

 

Lin Chuxia smiled. She continued giving them advice based on methods she had learned in her previous life, trying to make it sound plausible. Just then, her eldest, Xie Hongchu, came over to call her home for lunch. Overhearing his mother’s elaborate tips, he blinks in silence.

 

*Mom, when did you ever make us do any of this?*

 

As soon as the group of mothers spotted him, they rushed over excitedly. “Oh, there’s your son, Hongchu! Come here, come here! You’re such a good student—tell us, how do you study so well? My son, Guojin, can’t seem to get higher than a 60 or 70 on his tests!”

 

Xie Hongchu gave them an awkward smile, rubbing his head. “Um, just like my mom said, I, uh, review and do my homework… that’s all,” he mumbled.

 

The truth was far from that. Hongchu barely needed to review; he just listened in class and completed his homework. Everything seemed to stick without much effort. But he couldn’t say that in front of these adults—he didn’t want to make his mother look bad, nor did he want to upset the other parents.

 

Satisfied with the “advice,” the mothers eagerly rushed home, ready to put Lin Chuxia’s “secrets” into action with their own children.

 

Meanwhile, Hongchu, now leading his mother home, sighed. “Mom, where do you come up with these crazy ideas? You had them completely fooled!”

 

Lin Chuxia laughed, playfully tapping his nose. “Those aren’t crazy ideas! You’re just too lazy to follow them. See? If you worked a little harder, you’d be even more impressive!”

 

With that, they strolled back home, hand in hand, enjoying the closeness between them.

 

As her boys grew more independent, Lin Chuxia found herself with even more free time. While she enjoyed the leisurely lifestyle of cooking a few meals and chatting with neighbors, she realized she didn’t want to become one of those housewives who only cooked and cleaned all day. She needed something more to do.

 

That’s when she heard the news: the army’s performing arts troupe was recruiting new members.

 

Curious, Lin Chuxia decided to give it a try. She didn’t tell Xie Jingming or her boys beforehand—she wanted to see if she’d even get in first. Besides, there was no need to worry them about something so trivial.

 

City life offered her a reprieve from the rural labor she had known. Xie Jingming handled all the heavy tasks, like planting vegetables or tilling the soil. He insisted that he wasn’t just “a rough guy,” but rather a “handsome, fit man,” to which Lin Chuxia always playfully agreed.

 

Every day was relaxed: taking the kids to and from school, cooking meals, and even laundry was managed by Xie Jingming in the evenings. This comfortable life allowed Lin Chuxia to maintain her fair complexion and youthful appearance, to the point where she looked like a college girl.

 

When she first arrived at the performing arts troupe to sign up, the woman behind the desk raised her eyebrows upon hearing her name. *Lin Chuxia… that sounds familiar.*

 

After a moment, it clicked. “Ah, this must be the wife of the recently promoted Captain Xie,” the staff member thought. She couldn’t help but size up Lin Chuxia. *But wasn’t Xie Jingming’s wife supposed to be from the countryside? How could she look this beautiful?*

 

“Alright, please fill out this registration form. Your audition will be in five days,” the staff member said politely.

 

“Thank you,” Lin Chuxia responded warmly, unaware of the thoughts running through the other woman’s mind.

 

As soon as Lin Chuxia left, the staff member whispered to her colleagues, “Hey, did you know? It looks like Captain Xie got rid of his country wife and found someone new!”

 

“Really?” her colleague asked, surprised. “But I thought they said he brought his wife and kids over from the countryside!”

 

Lin Chuxia’s stunning appearance stirred rumors, but by the end of the day, the confusion was cleared up. It turned out that Captain Xie hadn’t swapped wives—he had just brought his family to live with him.

 

Still, there were whispers about how someone from the countryside could look so refined. *She doesn’t look like someone who ever worked on a farm!*

 

Unaware of the gossip, Lin Chuxia returned home, ready to face the challenge of joining the performing arts troupe. But soon, word reached Xie Jingming, and over dinner, he brought it up casually.

 

“Chuxia, I heard you’re thinking about joining the performing arts troupe. It can be pretty demanding, you know.”

 

Lin Chuxia was taken aback. “How did you find out?”

 

“Word gets around,” he said, smiling. “But do you really want to go through with it? Wouldn’t it be easier to just relax at home? You don’t need to work if you don’t want to.”

 

While Xie Jingming was fully capable of supporting the family, Lin Chuxia found the idea of staying home all day too dull.

 

“It’s not that difficult,” she replied. “Besides, being stuck at home gets boring sometimes.”

 

There wasn’t much to do at home beyond cooking, cleaning, and occasionally watching black-and-white TV, which mostly aired old wartime dramas. *I’ve already seen so many of those,* Lin Chuxia thought.