In the height of summer 2019, Deyun Society vice president Luan Yunping had already spent years in charge behind the scenes. Onstage, he was Guo Degang’s trusted senior disciple and Gao Feng’s perfectly in-sync partner. Offstage, he was the iron-fisted “Luan the Roaster,” meticulously keeping the gears of the sprawling troupe in motion. Just as pressure from his family to marry and a deepening sense of loneliness began to weigh on him, he met He Yue, a literature professor: gentle, perceptive, and from a world far removed from the crosstalk scene.
A cultural preservation project brought them together. She admired the responsibility and sincerity beneath his cool exterior; he was drawn to the intelligence and warmth of her independent spirit. Amid the upheaval of the pandemic and a bitter winter for the industry, they weathered uncertainty and tentative flirtation by supporting and understanding each other, until their love quietly blossomed into a lifelong commitment. But Luan Yunping’s journey did not end there: the demanding schedules of Deyun Doushe, the challenge of renewing traditional performing arts, and the strict yet loving guidance of young disciples all became immense responsibilities on his shoulders. Guo Degang’s towering expectations, Yu Qian’s wise advice, Gao Feng’s companionship, and the everyday warmth of his fellow disciples formed a solid support system.
From vice president to husband and then father, Luan Yunping grows through the three dimensions of career, tradition, and family. With grounded prose, this story portrays the many bittersweet sides of the crosstalk world, while its warm daily moments bring the worlds of universities and traditional performing arts into conversation. It tells a down-to-earth love story that begins with admiration and ends in devotion, witnessing an ordinary person’s extraordinary perseverance through changing times.
