An eye-catching scene unfolded at the town market.
Two people draped in floral fabric stood in front of a mango stall, singing and performing.
They went from folk duets to crosstalk, lion dancing, opera, and stage plays, and even juggled mangoes while riding a unicycle.
The sheer variety drew passersby to stop and watch.
Most of the town's residents were elderly people left behind by their families. Their days were ordinary, almost identical from one to the next. When had they ever seen anything this lively?
The elderly men and women watching grinned from ear to ear, their eyes narrowing to slits, as though even the wrinkles on their faces were dancing with delight.
Seeing that the time was right, Lai Bingxuan and Liu Woxing held up a piece of white cloth with writing on it, one on each side, and called out as Xie Mi had just instructed.
"Buy a ticket and get free mangoes! Free mangoes with every ticket! Tickets to the opera are ten yuan each, with two jin of mangoes included! Besides opera, we also have a wide range of performances, including singing, dancing, stage plays, and martial arts shows!"
"Tickets are limited! First come, first served!"
Everyone had already been enjoying the lively spectacle. Now, hearing that a ten-yuan ticket would get them so many performances plus two jin of mangoes, they immediately felt it was a great deal.
"This must be an opera troupe. I was wondering why so many young people had come to town today, all so good-looking, too. Ten yuan isn't expensive for a ticket, and we get to see so many performances."
"There's crosstalk, too! I love crosstalk. These kids look so likable. I have to buy one."
"Two jin of mangoes free with a ticket! What a bargain! Give