She stood up, "I won't perform the opera, but may I sing a song in the operatic style?"
Chen Cheng nodded.
Meng Wanning adjusted her breathing and then cleared her throat.
She began to sing of an old acquaintance met in a foreign place,
Every step and word brimmed with yearning.
Below the stage, names were being honored,
Unaware of the past friends above.
He spoke of bridal chamber and wedding candles,
The crowd congratulated the beauty matched with talent,
Yet not a word was heard, a sigh for the love-stricken in the play.
In just a few lines, Liu Shaoxin and Chu Qin had their eyes opened wide.
Meng Wanning's voice was clear and piercing, bearing the unique charm of Beijing Opera, yet it didn't feel outdated.
Every note, every trill, it was just right, fully expressing the emotions of the song.
The private room was so quiet, no one snapped back to reality even in the tens of seconds after Meng Wanning finished singing.
