Chapter 37: Awakening
Looking at the portraits on the wall, Night Star let out a soft sigh.
“Phew…”
With her hands pressed together, Night Star closed her eyes and began to pray in her heart.
“Dear seniors, please bless the Rising Sun Theater Group to thrive steadily. I will remain in the group as an Audience Performer, witnessing its glorious journey.”
After finishing her prayer, Night Star lowered her hands, feeling inexplicably lighter inside.
Gazing at those portraits, she felt that these seniors were still watching over the development of the theater group, filling her with deep satisfaction.
At that moment, Night Star yawned, her eyelids growing heavy.
After all, she hadn’t slept in two days and had been running on fumes, essentially squeezing herself dry.
Given the current situation, even Night Lan’s energy-saving tactics couldn’t save the day.
So, Night Star knew it was time to take a break.
The last thing she wanted was to break her body.
With that thought, she lay down on a nearby blanket, and as soon as her eyes closed, she drifted off to sleep in a flash.
“Zzz…”
The ten portraits hung on the wall, creating a peculiar ambiance in the room.
Time ticked by, and without anyone noticing, a tall figure emerged from the shadows, moving with silent grace, careful not to disturb the sleeping Night Star.
The Group Leader looked up at the lined portraits on the wall, then turned to the resting Audience Performer nearby, wearing an expression of warmth.
“Ah, so this is you, Audience Performer. Even though the former members of the theater group are no longer here, your admiration and support have led to this touching display. Isn’t this precisely what every performer needs from their audience?”
Mumbling to himself, the Group Leader spread his arms, conjuring ten black feathers that appeared from thin air, exuding a faint aura.
Then, he sent them soaring toward the wall’s portraits.
“Go on, that’s a gift the Audience Performer prepared for you. After performing alongside me for so long, you all deserve a break.”
As soon as the last word was spoken, the feathers permeated the portraits, infusing them with a new essence.
At a glance, those portraits appeared almost alive, the expressions and gazes strikingly authentic.
Having completed this task, the Group Leader turned to leave.
But just as he was about to slip back into the shadows, a presence made him pause.
“Oh?”
The Group Leader turned back, staring at one of the portraits, specifically that of the Makeup Artist.
Noticing something, his expression shifted, revealing surprise.
“Incredible, is this the miracle brought by the Audience Performer?”
It seemed that something within the Makeup Artist’s portrait was slowly awakening.
The Group Leader observed for a while, realizing it would still take some time for the awakening to complete, and he could only wait patiently.
When the time came, he would let the Audience Performer discover this surprise herself.
After all, surprising the audience during a performance was a normal part of the show.
With that thought, the Group Leader vanished back into the shadows.
Night Star remained blissfully unaware of the Group Leader’s visit, comfortably snoozing away.
During her slumber, Book Yao, Lianhua, and Kong Yu Bai each peeked backstage, spotting Night Star resting and choosing not to disturb her.
They also noticed the ten portraits on the wall and quickly pieced together their significance.
These were likely the original members of the theater group.
So, Night Star had been working hard to complete these portraits, huh?
In that case, she really put in a lot of effort!
Commemorating the original members in such a way was truly amazing, and they were genuinely moved by it.
Moreover, it was this serious attitude that made them fond of her.
Not wanting to disturb Night Star, Lianhua and the others quietly slipped away from backstage.
…
Time trickled on.
Eventually, after what felt like ages, Night Star slowly opened her eyes, feeling as though she had slept for a century.
What time was it?
It seemed to be daytime outside.
Checking the clock, she realized she had slept for over ten hours.
Even though she had stayed up late before and wouldn’t mind sleeping a day away, Night Star thought moderation was key.
The primary reason she awoke, however, was due to hunger.
If her belly hadn’t growled, she probably could have dozed off for a while longer.
It was definitely time to grab something to eat.
Then she could go back to sleep.
“Mmm~”
Stretching as she stood, Night Star felt her body go soft, nearly toppling over. Thankfully, she managed to steady herself, or else she would have ended up in a comical fall.
“Ugh… I really slept too long…”
At that moment, Night Star had zero motivation to move; her body felt like a marshmallow.
But with no food in her system and no shower, it was time to get moving.
If she continued to lie there like a corpse, she’d definitely be in for a rough time.
With effort, she battled the urge to flop back down and mustered her willpower to exit backstage.
Once outside, Night Star spotted Lianhua still hard at work on her puppet show.
In her usual way, Lianhua practiced amidst a gaggle of puppets, looking like a little princess surrounded by her subjects.
Lianhua quickly noticed Night Star’s arrival and turned with a smile, greeting her, “Good afternoon, Audience Performer! Did you sleep well?”
“Um, sorta. How about the Playwright and Singer?”
“Hmm… The Playwright went to the library to read, and the Singer is probably at the music entertainment area. What are you planning to do next?”
“Well… I guess I’ll grab something to eat and then take a shower. I feel like I’m marinating in my own stench…”
After two days without a shower, Night Star was feeling a strong itch to wash off the accumulated grime.
Hearing Night Star’s comment, Lianhua dashed over, playfully sniffing her. The oddly endearing act made Night Star blush and take a step back.
“Ugh… Don’t smell me, it’s so embarrassing!”
Lianhua giggled adorably.
“Because you called yourself stinky, but if I sniff closely, it’s clear your skin has this unique fragrance! You don’t smell bad at all!”
“Uh… um, maybe it’s because I haven’t sweat in the past few days… But still, I really need to shower; otherwise, I’ll go nuts.”
“Then go! I’ve adapted several excellent puppet shows during this time; I can’t wait for you to see my performances again!”
“Hmm, I’ll definitely come back to watch, I promise I won’t take too long.”
After bidding Lianhua farewell, Night Star walked out of the theater’s exit, swiftly heading to Night Lan’s lounge.
If there’s anywhere with a bathing environment that beats this place, it would definitely be the headquarters.
And bathing alongside Night Lan was certainly something to look forward to.
Just then, Night Lan returned with food for Night Star.
She had left as soon as Night Star got up.
Conveniently, being at headquarters meant the cafeteria served delightful meals prepared by talented Star chefs.
Night Lan had brought back two servings, just enough for them to share.
Seated side by side, Night Star and Night Lan enjoyed their delicious meal, relishing every bite and feeling thoroughly satisfied.
“Yummy~”
