When was she Mei Sijun, and when was she "Lin Yanqing"?
For a moment, Qin Manjiang did not know what to do.
What if her soul suddenly changed back into Lin Yanqing's while he was discussing something important with Mei Sijun?
Lin Yanqing continued combing her hair, as though she had called Qin Manjiang over only to listen to her speak, not to actually help her comb her hair.
The moonlight grew paler and the wind stronger. Half an hour passed quickly, and everyone who might have to perform had changed into costume and put on their makeup.
Troupe Leader Zhao Qigong gave everyone a long, searching look and said, "Remember, all of you: once you look the part, you are no longer yourself..."
"Everyone, down the well!"
At his command, someone tossed a rope down the well and secured it outside. Zhao Qigong glanced at everyone. "I'll go first. Follow me down one at a time."
With that, Zhao Qigong seemed utterly unafraid. He gripped the rope, wound it around his waist, and slowly slid down into the well.
Qin Manjiang watched him disappear through the mouth of the well, but his mind was still turning over the meaning of Zhao Qigong's words.
Once you look the part, you are no longer yourself...
There seemed to be a deeper meaning to Zhao Qigong's words.
There was certainly more to this troupe leader than met the eye.
As Zhao Qigong descended into the well, the other troupe members began following him down one by one.
The pitch-black mouth of the well seemed bottomless. No sound came back up from those who had descended. Had they not been unable to find any way to escape in front of all those paper figures, they would never have gone down.
To them, this