Volume Two: Dancer, Chapter Sixty-Five: A New Beginning
This sudden turn of events left most of the audience bewildered, not quite understanding what had happened. However, some noticed the issue. Zhang Yindi, also a dancer like Dorothy Zhang, understood the implications all too well and was anxious; meanwhile, the instigator of this accident was eagerly waiting on the sidelines to see the spectacle unfold.
At this critical moment, Fu Xiaotang suddenly sat down on the spot, one hand clutching her chest to prevent her dress from slipping further, while raising her other arm high and starting to snap her fingers in the air. Zhang Yindi, who had been watching Fu Xiaotang closely, suddenly had an epiphany and exclaimed, “Bingo!” She quickly called over Qi Rong, who was responsible for stage management, and gave him a few brief instructions.
Qi Rong, having seen many big scenes, responded with composure. Without asking questions, he immediately used his walkie-talkie to call for changes in lighting and music. In a flash, within just over twenty seconds, the stage lights dimmed abruptly, casting the audience into a cinema-like darkness. Before anyone could voice their confusion, a strong, narrow beam of light shone down from above, directly illuminating Fu Xiaotang’s spot on stage, creating a circle of light about a meter in diameter.
Within this circle, a pair of red dance shoes appeared, along with a small section of an ankle, delicate and smooth, with an exquisite curve. The rest of the dancer’s body and face were completely obscured in darkness, their outline indistinguishable. At that moment, everyone’s gaze was riveted on this sole source of light in the darkness.
The red dance shoes, bathed in silver light, fluttered like a butterfly, dancing and twirling as if they might take flight and vanish at any moment. The scene was both bizarre and gripping. The audience was silent, holding their breath, fixated on this vivid, seemingly alive, and almost magical butterfly, fearing that any distraction would make them miss this rare spectacle.
Fu Xiaotang had already taken off her problematic dress in the darkness, now dancing in nothing but her skin-tight undergarments. However, Zhang Yindi’s timely cooperation had relieved her, as if she was unburdened. She danced with all her heart, her spirit and senses focused entirely on her feet.
