After the rebirth of the idol, he started to lose weight and became the best actor

There are undercurrents everywhere in the fallen towns.

Either today a former customer is shot for resisting, or an underground organization is dismantled and the people are thrown into prison.

Lin Xi became more cautious in his actions.

The place where they had met before was also forced to be moved because the news leaked out.

More and more towns and villages fell, leaving them with few safe places.

After several twists and turns and the loss of several people, with the continued support of Sister Mei and others, the theater became the largest gathering place for the underground party.

Lin Xi stood in front of the scratched carved gate of the theater, looking up at the faded door plaque. The key in his hand was wet with sweat and trembling slightly.

In the past, this garden was the most lively place in the city, with loud gongs and drums and full of cheers.

Now the surroundings were dead silent, and the streets and alleys were filled with the panic and sadness after the fall, but he knew that he could not let the garden remain silent any longer.

Pushing open the creaking door again, Lin Xi gritted her teeth, rolled up her sleeves, and together with her sisters, straightened the tables and chairs, dug out the old costumes from the bottom of the box, dusted them and hung them out to dry.

In order to conceal their tracks, a sign was hung at the gate of the garden saying "New opening, low price for watching opera". A clever servant was hired to pretend to be shabby and to shout in the streets to attract customers, with a deliberately hoarse voice:

"Gentlemen, our old theater is reopening. We want to have some fun. Please come and show us your respect!"

At first, passers-by just looked around suspiciously, walking hurriedly and not daring to stop.

As time went on, with prices soaring and people feeling depressed, there were always a few brave ones who, either missing the past or looking for a moment of comfort, would sneak into the garden at dusk, tucking in their clothes and crouching.

The first few rows of tables and chairs under the stage seem to be placed randomly, but in fact they are placed in special positions. They are the "safe seats" reserved for comrades who pass secret letters and exchange intelligence. Slightly touching the table legs or moving the chairs is a secret warning.

In the backstage dressing room, there is a small secret compartment behind the mirror that can hold important documents.

The theater box has been modified so that small weapons can be hidden in the bottom compartment, and the carvings on the box are cleverly camouflaged so that others cannot see anything unusual.

During the day, people on the stage sang "The Legend of Mulan" and "Liang Hongyu".

Lin Xi sang at the top of her voice, "Who determines the rise and fall? Is there any basis for prosperity and decline?" The string music sounded melodiously, but the actors kept looking down at the stage, paying attention to the special guests.

The opening and closing of the folding fan in hand and the waving of the sleeves all became code words.

If Japanese troops or traitors broke in, the musician would quietly change the music to a soothing and peaceful tune, and the actors would retract their sharp gazes and sing jokes to coax them into relaxing their guard.

At night, after everyone had dispersed, Lin Xi led several underground workers to sneak in through a hidden side door of the garden and sat in the backstage.

Under the dim candlelight and under the cover of the script, they planned the transportation of supplies and the rescue of personnel, and drew on the map to mark the key paths in the occupied areas and the loopholes in the enemy's defense.

Every time we managed to get through the night safely, everyone's tense mood could relax a little.

The night was as thick as ink, and the theater was wrapped tightly in darkness. Only a few rays of moonlight squeezed in with difficulty from the gaps in the eaves, outlining a few pale shadows on the stone floor.

Lin Xi kept watch as usual. He tightened his cotton-padded jacket, which had been washed so much that it looked bleached, picked up a bench, and tiptoed to the back of the door.

The stool leg tapped the ground lightly, which was so sudden and disturbing in the silent night. He quickly held his breath and listened carefully. He made sure there was nothing unusual before slowly sitting down.

Leaning against the door like this, if someone tries to break in, he will be able to notice it immediately.

The rolling pin in his hand is his only weapon.

His fingertips turned white from the exertion, and his body curled up in the shadow behind the door like a frightened cub, his eyes fixed on the crack in the door.

The street lights flickered dimly, illuminating the empty and silent space outside the door. Occasionally, a mouse would scamper by, and the rustling sound would make his heart beat faster.

I don’t know how long I endured, and I seemed to be about to fall asleep in a trance.

Suddenly, the sound of leather boots "clicking" came from far away, neat and strong, like the beat of a death drum.

Lin Xi woke up instantly, a chill running down his spine to his forehead. Before he could react, the door was slammed open with a loud bang, and the door panel hit the wall hard, with debris falling down.

The Japanese general was short and strong like a bear. He wore a neat military uniform and a saber on his waist. The scabbard gleamed coldly, reflecting the hideous scar on his face.

A group of soldiers came in behind him, with spears and bayonets everywhere, shining brightly and catching the eye.

He walked into the garden with a splayed step, and scanned the surroundings with a hawk-like gaze. He snorted, "I heard that the theater has reopened. The imperial army has been working hard all day, so they come here to have some fun. Let's start the show!"

The words were harsh and arrogant, echoing in the garden.

Lin Xi forced himself to stand up, his lowered eyes flashing with a hint of coldness and hatred. The moment he raised his head, a smile appeared on his dark face, which was uglier than crying. He bowed hurriedly:

"Tai-Tai-Jun, the actors have all gone to bed. I'm afraid I won't be able to serve you well in this short period of time."

The voice was shaking violently and sounded like crying.

The Japanese general's face darkened, and he slammed the table so hard that the tea bowl on the table jumped up, rolled down and broke, and he shouted: "Baga, you dare to disobey the order of the Imperial Army, you don't want to live anymore!"

The soldiers rushed over, banging their rifle butts on the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Lin Xi apologized hurriedly with fear and trepidation. She saw her sisters appearing backstage. Sister Mei winked at her. Lin Xi's chest rose and fell, and she quickly responded, "Please calm down, Madam Madam. Let's start the show right away, right away!"

The sisters dressed up hastily, gongs and drums started beating hastily, string music played tremblingly, and Sister Lan came on stage, covering her face with her sleeves, and began to sing "Mu Guiying Takes Command".

The voice was trembling at first, but it gradually got better after a few sentences. The lyrics "Thinking of the time when peach blossoms were so majestic on horseback, and the enemy's blood splashed on pomegranate skirts" burst out from between the lips and teeth, every word was filled with hatred and courage.

The Japanese generals in the audience leaned back in their chairs with their legs crossed. In fact, they could not understand anything. They just swayed to the rhythm, sometimes laughing strangely and sometimes squinting their eyes. The soldiers were also listening attentively, with their guns leaning aside.

Lin Xi hid behind the curtain, clenched his fists, his nails dug into his palms, and bright red blood dripped down. He kept his eyes on the Japanese soldier, fearing that something unexpected would happen again.

After finally waiting until the end of the show, the Japanese general burped, stood up, patted his butt, and threw down a stack of military tickets, "Hmph, the singing is good. The Imperial Army will come often in the future."

After saying that, he left with his men.

When the sound of leather boots disappeared into the night, the sisters collapsed to the ground, tears welling up in their eyes.

Sister Qin said, "Sisters, we have been secretly passing messages and hiding people here all day, like mice hiding from cats, but isn't today's humiliation enough? The volunteers are bleeding outside the city, and we can only swallow our anger in silence in this city?"

Her voice was tearful, but full of reluctance and strength.

Xiaochun nodded heavily, raised her hand to wipe away her tears, her eyes as firm as steel:

"Yes! In the past, I thought that helping in secret was also considered contributing, but now, I would rather use this voice to shout and kill in front of the battlefield, and use these hands to hold the gun, than sing songs to beg for mercy to these beasts!"

The hot-tempered Sister Ju stood up quickly, kicked over the stool, and her face flushed:

"Although I am a woman, I am as strong as a man. The female soldiers of the Volunteer Army can go to the battlefield, so why can't I? Instead of being depressed in this small garden every day, why not go to the battlefield and fight the Japanese with real swords and guns to avenge our dead fellow villagers and our ruined city!"

Sister Lan wiped away her tears, her eyes burning: "Sisters, I'm afraid there won't be a next time for what happened today."

Everyone was talking at once, the fear in their eyes faded away, leaving only a surging fighting spirit.

Lin Xi looked at her sisters who were busy packing their luggage. The dim, swaying oil lamp stretched their shadows long, swaying on the mottled walls of the theater.

He subconsciously clutched the corner of his clothes, his lips trembled slightly, but he couldn't utter a word for a long time.

My heart felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, and every beat caused pain in my chest.

How could Lin Xi not know that the road ahead would be a dangerous one filled with thorns?

The volunteers slept in the open air outside the city, fighting head-on with the vicious Japanese army every day. Guns and cannons are blind, and bullets will not show mercy to them just because they are women.

Moreover, it was leaving the city in the middle of the night, and there were many checkpoints along the way. If we made any mistake and fell into the hands of the Japanese army, the consequences would be disastrous.

But when her eyes met the fiery light in the sisters' eyes, which contained a fierce hatred for the invaders and a determination to defend freedom and dignity to the death, the words of dissuasion in Lin Xi's throat could not be uttered.

He knew very well that the dam of forbearance in the sisters' hearts had collapsed since the Japanese army broke into the theater that night.

The flames of resistance that were once hidden behind plays and code words have now grown into a raging fire and can no longer be suppressed.

Dangerous? What is not dangerous now? Sitting on the street might lead to the Japanese soldiers shooting for fun, so it is better to just go through it in a hurry, at least it is a worthy death.

Just as he was about to get up and pack his luggage, Sister Mei's heavy, warm hand gently fell on Lin Xi's shoulder, stopping him.

"Ah Xi, you and my little sister stay here to guard our theater. It's too suspicious if a group of people leave."

Sister Mei came over, held Lin Xi's shoulders with both hands, and looked at her sincerely and firmly:

"This is also our 'root'. If there is a chance in the future, we can help pass on messages. Don't worry about us. We will go to the battlefield to fight for our dead fellow villagers and the ruined city of Shenyang!"

The strength in his hands was unquestionable and resolute.

Lin Xi's eyes were red and she nodded vigorously. Tears were welling up in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall.

He knew clearly in his mind that the sisters did not make this decision on impulse, but was a rebound after being trampled into the dirt, and an awakening of the blood in the bones of the Chinese people.

Although he was extremely worried, how could he hold them back and trap them under the four-corner sky of the theater which seemed safe but was actually depressing?

Besides, if he left, what would happen to Xiaoyi? His youngest sister was only fourteen years old. If she stayed here without going out to buy food, she would have a hard time surviving.

"Sister Mei, don't worry. I understand. Xiaodong and I will take good care of this garden. We look forward to your safe return. In this war of resistance, we will all do our best."

Lin Xi tried hard to hold back her sobs. Although her voice was soft, it revealed her courage to fight to the death.

"Goodbye, sister..." Lin Wandong said hesitantly.

I watched my sisters pack their bags and disappear into the night.

As the cold wind blew, he hugged the shivering Xiaodong tightly and vowed secretly that he would stay in this "rear" and wait for the day when his sisters returned safely.

After the eleven sisters left, the theater became increasingly deserted.

Apart from Lin Xi, Xiaodong has the best talent, but because he is young, he rarely goes on stage.

But after just five days of intensive stage adaptation, the usually introverted Lin Wantong was able to sing "Peace and Prosperity" on the stage full of mixed crowds and in front of all kinds of gazes.

Of course, the most popular performance is the Errenzhuan that Lin Bo first taught.

After another exhausting day, the two sang until their voices were hoarse and they were almost speechless after leaving the stage.

By this time, the situation was becoming increasingly tense.

The invaders' control over the garrison was significantly strengthened. Many Japanese troops no longer patrolled all day, but were scattered throughout the areas, seeking pleasure and causing trouble for the civilians.

Many theaters were closed, and the masters with backbone rejected the invitations of the Japanese army one by one. As a result, they either fled or retired, and in worse cases, they died on the spot.

Only the theater in Linxi on Zhongjie Street is still open.

The secret exchanges in the theater became more frequent. Although the plan was still proceeding in an orderly manner, the brother and sister could not find out any news about their sisters.

I can only pray for them secretly at night.

The dim candlelight flickered in the small, cramped room backstage at the theater, and the light and shadows swayed restlessly on the walls.

Several crumpled papers were spread out on the table, on which were sketched the rough outlines of the Japanese army's camp outside the city and its strongholds inside the city with charcoal.

The lines are crooked but they embody the countless days and nights of hard work of the underground party comrades.

The underground party liaison officer lowered his voice and solemnly instructed Lin Xi:

"Lin Xi, the success or failure of this operation depends on you. Try to get a message from Old Sun. After the mission is accomplished, you and Wan Dong should be ready to take over."

Lin Xi nodded, shaking her long hair that she had grown for disguise: "I will definitely fulfill my mission."

As the appointed time approached, there was a panic outside the theater.

Lin Xi and Lin Wandong pretended to be calm without removing their hair or make-up.

While arranging the tables and chairs in the garden, his eyes kept glancing towards the door.

Finally, Old Sun flashed in hurriedly with a panicked look on his face, holding a package wrapped in oil paper in his hand. Just as Lin Xi was about to meet him, a group of Japanese soldiers rushed in behind him.

The leading general had a face full of flesh, his saber was unsheathed, the cold light was fierce, Old Sun was hiding behind him, and said with a flattering smile: "Madam, this is it, the underground party is planning evil things here, and the defense map is in their hands."

Lin Xi suddenly felt as if struck by lightning, his head buzzed, his body swayed, and he almost fell down.

Lin Wandong's face turned pale and she grabbed Lin Xi's arm in horror, but said nothing.

Lin Xi gritted his teeth, forced himself to remain calm, and shouted in a low voice: "Don't panic, run backstage and find the secret passage!"

The two men lifted up the table and stool beside them and used them to block the way in front of them. Their hearts were beating violently in their chests, as if they were going to jump out of their throats. They could only vaguely hear "catch him alive".

The Japanese soldiers rushed forward, smashing the tables and chairs with their gun butts, and chased after them. Shouts and gunshots echoed throughout the garden.

Lin Xi suddenly pushed aside the clutter in the backstage and fumbled for the switch of the secret passage. Sweat blinded his eyes and his fingers trembled. "Wandong, come quickly, here!"

But the secret passage seemed to be stuck and could not be opened.

At this time, the Japanese army outside was approaching, and torches were thrown in, instantly igniting the curtain. The fire jumped up and greedily devoured the costumes and props.

The heat wave was rolling and the thick smoke made it hard to breathe.

Lin Xi was extremely anxious and kicked towards the mechanism of the secret passage. With a "click", the secret door finally opened and he pulled Wan Dong in.

Behind them was a blazing sea of ​​fire. The past bustle of the theater and the previous resistance plans were all reduced to ashes in the fire. Only the brother and sister were left running desperately in the secret passage, with tears and sweat spilling all over the ground.