Husky’s Side Chapter 62

Mingying sent out invitations to the students’ parents every year when they held the school festival; whether they were to come or not depended on their respective arrangements.

Some parents will come to see their children perform, others come to socialise. The Zhou family did not need to extend their connections during such occasions, but this was the first time Zhou Li participated in a school festival and he was even performing in a play. Even if he was just a mirror, the whole family wanted to come and have a look.

Watching him move across the stage at this time, Father Zhou couldn’t help but ask Zhou Luwen in a quiet voice, “Didn’t he say he was playing a minor role?”

Zhou Luwen has read a little of the script and knew that the current plot was not in line with the original story, and said, “Maybe it was added at the last minute ba.”

Although this was what he said, he truthfully thought it might be because the queen had screwed things up.

If Zhou Li was walking across, does this mean he has thought of a solution?

——What to do?

This question was not only in the minds of Zhou Luwen and Zhou Li on stage, but also of the people backstage.

Magic mirrors are different from ordinary people. It’s reasonable to say that they should be able to perform magic even after gaining a body.

If he went against Snow White, he could easily kill his target, which would also follow a more logical approach. However, if the lead was really killed, they will no longer have anything to act out.

So the best way is to bring the guards up and force the plot back to its original path.

However, Zhou Li was currently facing away from the entrance to the stage, where the guard was supposed to come in. He could either complete a lap of the stage then turn back to wink at the guard, or a backstage person could give a push to let the guard come forward on their own initiative.

Ji Shaoyan had wanted to meet with Zhou Li the moment he stepped down from the stage, so he was also hanging around backstage.

He put himself in Zhou Li’s shoes and thought for a while, then promptly approached the guard and simply conveyed his plan.

The guard’s eyes lit up, and he hurriedly changed the direction for his entrance, walking towards Zhou Li.

Immediately after he pretended to notice Zhou Li’s presence, he paused and immediately drew his sword. “Who are you? How are you in the palace?”

Zhou Li was immediately satisfied with this conclusion and leaned in quickly, touching his brow with a finger.

The guard thought to himself, ‘it really is as Ji-shao guessed; these two definitely deserve each other.’ 

He dropped his arms and blankly stood on the spot.

Zhou Li spoke his enchantment. “Go and kill Snow White.”

The guard complied, “Yes.”

Zhou Li turned and returned to the chair to take his seat, secretly relieved he was finally able to be a mascot again.

The guard also turned and exited the stage.

At the same time, two students sprinted across the stage with a cardboard background, and the queen’s room was immediately replaced with a pink princess’ room. A cardboard wardrobe was also pushed out from the corner, and Snow White’s figure was hidden by an opened door. When the wardrobe was set in place, she squatted down, revealing only a small hint of the snow-white skirt to the audience.

Narrator: “The King’s birthday is approaching. Right now, Snow White is looking for her beloved treasure; she wants to gift it to her father on that special day. She has no idea about the danger that she will be facing.”

With this passage, the guard re-entered the stage, came up behind Snow White, drew out his sword and raised it above her head, swinging it down at her body.

The audience sucked in a deep breath, thinking that this guard was truly the real deal!

At the split second before her death, Snow White happened to move a little inward, and the sword “clanged” to the ground.

The audience didn’t get the chance for a sigh of relief; they saw the guard fail his first attempt and raised the sword for a second blow, but this movement was already noticed by Snow White. She closed the cabinet door and quickly turned around; with a ‘pa’ and a drop down on one knee, she caught the blade between her bare, clapped hands.

Audience: “……”

Snow White stood up with a ‘whoosh’, letting the audience clearly see her appearance.

She had a burly figure and wore a tutu around a waist that looked twice the size of the guard’s. She was also very obviously a head taller than the guard. When the two stood together, it gave the sense of feeling that the guard was the one in danger.

Audience: “Hahahaha!“

This Snow White was a King Kong doll ah.

Snow White seized the sword forcefully and the guard followed this force, toppling over on the ground and falling in front of his opponent.

Then she snapped the sword with a ‘crack’ and threw the remains at him, turning around with the closet suddenly lifted off the floor, then dropping it on his body.

The audience instantly stirred, feeling that this show was going to be popular.

The crew discussed ideas for a long time but still couldn’t stop the class leader’s determination to fight back.

He threatened that since this ‘great master’ was already acting, he would play a self-improving Snow White. Escaping was fine, but he will not escape without putting up a fight. Thus, he beat the guard into a cripple and lifted his chin with his foot, asking, “What’re you doing?”

The guard said with difficulty, “Princess, the one who wants to kill you is not me…”

Snow White said, “Then who is it?”

The guard had already been armed with an explanation. “It’s a…a monster that knows magic.”

Snow White was also prepared on what to say beforehand, and immediately scoffed angrily, “It must be my stepmother. She is the most monstrous person in this entire palace!”

Audience: “……”

No, we think you are.

Snow White was so angry that she rolled up her sleeves and stormed to the queen to settle this feud.

The classmates in charge of props and the guards quickly carried the closet and the background down and the stage soon became the queen’s room again.

Little glasses had taken two sips of water backstage just prior to his appearance and was somewhat calmer. He stood sullenly in front of the magic mirror, the queen in the middle of sorting her clothes. When she saw Snow White enter the door, she turned her head abruptly.

Queen: “Why are you not dead?” Then she shouted, “Guards, come, come quickly——!”

Snow White was furious and marched towards, pushing her back. “It really is you!”

He seemed to be a little too in-character, unconsciously adding a little bit of strength in the push.

Little glasses had only just recovered to a calm state. When he was pushed like this, he staggered back and stepped on the mirror frame——due to the commission request of having the frame having an exquisite appearance, the entire frame and the supporting stand were hollowed out and carved in detail.

Thus, in an instant, the single step broke the support and the resulting force caused the frame to fall to the side, splintering into several pieces with a resounding ‘crack’.

The three guards who heard the queen’s voice rushed up onto the stage, was met with the scene, and stood in stunned silence.

Zhou Li: “……”

Everyone: “……”

The class monitor’s eyes went dull and she almost passed into the next world, clutching at her chest. 

They originally thought that things were finally back on the right track, but the magic mirror actually broke! How the hell could they continue!

There was only a static ‘buzz’ in little glasses’ mind. He completely forgot the lines.

In the script, the queen was meant to order the guards to throw Snow White out the window. Now that little glasses had forgotten his lines, Zhou Li sadly thought that the magic mirror will still end up with the job of ‘milling’ Snow White, so he could only stand up to announce, “How impudent!”

These words instantly brought everyone back to the present.

Zhou Li came to a stop in front of Snow White and swiftly waved his hand.

The class leader had an epiphany and let out a surprised noise, tip-toeing to the side before laying on the ground.

The sound effects crew and narrator also kept up with this plan.

With the rushing sound of water, the narrator said, “Snow White had annoyed the Magic Mirror and was chucked out the window, falling into the moat.”

Zhou Li returned to the chair again, poking Little Glasses halfway through the walk, motioning for him to break out from his frozen state.

Little Glasses also remembered the plot, legs shakingly making their way to the guards. “To…today’s matters must not make it to the ears of the king. Whoever is disobedient, I will mill him!”

[T/N: pretty sure the crew just went for mill (scatter in the raws) as the actual lines since the rehearsal was funny enough for them to choose to keep it]

All three guards knelt on one knee. “Yes, Queen.”

After this, they turned and left.

Zhou Li lightly spoke up, “Queen.”

The classmate who was in charge of changing the background paused, but decided not to move for the time being.

Little Glasses were also taken aback, and looked back at him subconsciously.

Zhou Li sat on the chair with the mysterious pattern, folding his hands in an imitation of Ji Shaoyan’s pose* while staring at the other actor from across the stage and into the wings. He offered an excuse for the previous mess onstage. “My mirror is shattered. From now on, I can only answer your questions, and…the time I can spend with you is running out.”

[T/N: the promotional poster from last year’s festival]

Little Glasses opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.

Zhou Li kept this scene of confrontation in silence for two seconds. Feeling that the mood was fixed enough, he winked at his classmates.

Only then did the crew move forward and drag the cardboard with the forest background onto the stage. Zhou Li and Little Glasses exited, while Snow White was still lying on the ground.

Narrator: “Snow White drifted along the moat, all the way into the forest, and met seven dwarfs.”

With cheerful music playing in the back, Tang Zixin finally brought herself and her little brothers onstage.

The group soon discovered Snow White, who was still unconscious, and sighed in marvel over her beauty. After a brief discussion among themselves and coming to a conclusion to save this newcomer, they worked together to lift the person up.

It was a pure coincidence that all dwarfs drawn from the lot stood at a height of 1.6 meters tall. The group carried the 1.8 meter King Kong doll, a sight which almost moved the audience.

Having seen so many versions of Snow White, this was the first time that they could really see the sharp contrast between Snow White and the dwarves.

After that, Snow White woke up with “ao” and scared the life out of the dwarves, and then, with her natural supernatural power, helped them haul about this and that, successfully conveying the idea that survival depends on skill.

The scene changed to the queen’s bedroom again. The debris in the area was cleaned up. Zhou Li was still sitting there, quietly watching the queen who came to a stop in front of him.

Queen: “Magic Mirror.”

Magic Mirror: “En?”

Queen: “Tell me, who is the best-looking person in the pan?”

Magic Mirror: “It is Snow White.”

Queen: “What, how is she not dead!”

This plot point was the same as the original.

The queen put on a cloak, strapped on a hat, and pretended to be an old woman knocking on the dwarves’ door. She saw Snow White open the door.

Snow White looked at him condescendingly. “You there ah, what d’you want?”

Little Glasses was usually afraid of him in class. When he was pushed and accidentally smashed the mirror just before, he had developed a psychological shadow. At this moment, he simply stared at the other, and he was so frightened he couldn’t form a coherent word. He took out the apple and said, “You want to e-e-e-e-eat eepple?”

Class leader: “……”

The rest of the crew: “……”

The audience laughed uproariously. This was the most hilarious queen they had ever seen.

The class leader was speechless, so he could only improvise and act, stepping forward and saying, “What, an apple?”

Little Glasses subconsciously took a step back, foot catching on the cloak, then sat on the ground ‘bang’.

Class leader: “……”

Little Glasses: “……”

The crew: “……”

Audience: “Hahahaha!“

With an indescribable expression on his face, the class leader ​​lifted up the old woman and said, “Yi, it’s an apple ah. I quite like it, is it for me?”

Little Glasses nodded.

Class leader said, “Thanks ah, granny.”

He followed through with his intentions and took a bite, then fainted.

Little Glasses finally caught up with the flow this time, giving an appropriate smile.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally nearing the end.

Only for them to find out, this sigh was let out too early. The prince’s actor also had stage fright.

The difference was that she was not behaving sluggish, but rather, her hands were shaking like crazy. When she saw Snow White, she lifted up his upper body with one hand, and before she could finish her line of “What a beautiful princess”, his body slammed back into the stage with a thundering ‘thump’.

Class monitor: “……”

Everyone: “……”

The original story featured a no-nonsense kiss. The class monitor wanted to make the scenery look more beautiful and worked this scene into a ‘half-hug’ scenario. Who could have known this would be the final outcome.

The prince was a man who couldn’t back down, and picked up the princess once more. “What a beautiful…”

‘Thump’, slammed again.

At this point, she was almost in tears, and attempted to lift up the person again. “What a beautiful prin…”

‘Thump’, slammed again.

Class leader couldn’t hold back trying to save himself, turned his head and coughed louding, coughing out the bite of the apple.

The audience laughed. It was unknown just how many times they thought this class to be so very creative.

Snow White was not awakened by a kiss, but by a solid beating!

The rest of the play followed the original plot and no one went off-script again.

The audience watched the queen die, feeling a little sorrowful for some reason. They thought that the play was over and applauded, but then the scene of the forest changed again, accompanied by melodious music.

Several backgrounds were moved across the stage one by one, blocking the audience’s sight.

After they left, a familiar chair appeared in the middle of the stage. Zhou Li sat under everyone’s eyes with his head slightly tilted down, the side of his body facing the audience. This scene was added last-minute by the class monitor. She didn’t want people to think that the mirror frame was broken in an accident, she wanted to tie up all loose ends and to save a little face at the end, so she decided to give a follow-up to the magic mirror.

Narrator: “A white steed flies across the gap, the constellations shift in the sky*. The magic mirror fell into a deep sleep for a hundred years. On the day when he was to repossess his mirror form, he came across a stranger.”

[T/N: 白驹过隙，斗转星移: a large time-skip]

The curtains above his head slowly fell.

Ji Shaoyan adorned a smile on his lips and stepped onto the stage. He wore clothes that someone else had asked to borrow, and the class monitor lent him a dark red cloth as a make-shift cloak, thinking about the red and blue CP’s that have been around since ancient times.

Zhou Li lifted his head, looking up at the stranger. “Who are you?”

Ji Shaoyan walked up to him and gently pinched his chin. “I am the prince of this country. What about you?”

Zhou Li said, “I am a magic mirror. I can tell you everything you desire to know.”

Ji Shaoyan smiled and said, “Then, Magic Mirror, who is the smartest being in the land?”

Zhou Li said, “It is me.”

Ji Shaoyan said, “And who is the smartest person?”

Zhou Li clasped the hand that took hold of his chin, then pressed a light kiss upon the back of the hand. Smiling back, he answered, “It is you, Your Highness.”

The red curtain happened to let everyone see the kiss, before it fell completely.

The audience was quiet for a moment, then the Crazy Screaming Mode was activated.

Listening to the wild applause outside, the class monitor burst into tears, thinking that the play was finally saved.

Zhou Li tested the microphone and found that it was already turned off. He stood up, more tired than anything, and hugged Ji Shaoyan, pressing his chin against the other’s shoulder. “Eggy, I won’t act in a play again. I don’t even think I can be a mascot.”

Ji Shaoyan smiled and welcomed the embrace, patted him on the back, then held his hand as they made their way off the stage.

Soon, the little brothers, Liang Jingxiu and the others came over, all praising the play as very fun and interesting. None of them knew of the horrors they went through in the process.

Zhou Li and Ji Shaoyan changed their clothes and went around the campus, having a meal at noon before returning for the junior high school group’s performance in the afternoon.

Song Xiao-mei and them had also chosen to put on a play, the difference was that they were going for a tear-jerking route. She and her brother were in the same class, and since the plot was about family relationships, the two of them took the stage.

Father Song and Madam Song also came, meeting up with a group of people of the same status.

Madam Song saw how another mother was moved by the play and praised her children. She smiled and said, “En, since they were young, we have taught them to love their siblings dearly. They also have a big sister; the three of them have always had a good relationship.”

The lady was very envious, commenting that it would be great if such a behaving child belonged to her family.

Father Song was very proud, thinking that the decision to send the children to Mingying was right; that is, even if it was spending a little more money, the money was well spent.

Song Yingshi stood in the distance, listening to the praise from around her. Her eyes flushed red with anger.

During last year’s school festival, her dad didn’t come at all, and her vicious stepmother was even less likely to come. Who knew that, for this pair of hellish twins, her dad would actually attend the festival.

Liang Jingxiu found her and brought her to where Zhou Li and the others were hanging out, saying, “I already told you not to watch it with your classmates. You’ll have to endure it even if you start crying out of anger.”

Song Yingshi said, “I’m not angry.”

Liang Jingxiu said, “Yes, yes yes, you’re not angry… Ai, don’t leave ah, there is a great performance near the end.”

Song Yingshi said, “I’m not watching.”

Liang Jingxiu quickly pulled her back. “It really is a great performance. In just a little bit, they won’t be able to get off the stage.”

Song Yingshi was taken aback, but no longer attempted to leave.

Zhou Li interrupted and asked, “What exactly is it, why don’t you just tell us?”

Liang Jingxiu saw that Song Yingshi was also staring at him, and said with a grin, “I gave your sister a watch a while back, you already know ba?”

Song Yingshi huffed out of anger. “Of course I know, she loves it to death. Everyday, she goes around telling people it was gifted by Jing-shao.”

“That’s what I wanted, for her to wear it around all day.” Liang Jingxiu explained with a smile, “I wiretapped the watch.”

The rest of the group: “……”

As soon as he revealed this secret, the music stopped suddenly.

The play has just reached the climax, Song Xiao-mei and Song Xiao-di on the stage were preparing for the theatrical burst of emotions when they were caught off guard by this change of circumstances.

The next second, everyone could hear the voice of Song Xiao-di come through the speakers. “Jie, why didn’t you spill that cup of soy milk on her just now? Won’t it be good for her to go to class with soy milk all over her?”

Song Xiao-mei: “You think I didn’t want to? That bitch avoided me, humph!” 

Song Xiao-di: “Tell me what you wanna do next time, lemme help you. Last night, I saw her hide and cry in secret, hahaha, it was so good.”

Song Xiao-mei: “Ugh, sooner or later we can kick that bitch out of the house!”

Father Song: “……”

Madam Song: “……”

Song Yingshi: “……”

Everyone in the audience: “……”

The Song siblings froze on-stage, the pair of faces instantly turning pale.