Zhao Xiyin didn't speak, but watched quietly for a long time before finally saying, "Just do your best. Let's go check if we've brought everything."
Cen Yue wasn't really interested in this; in her words, as long as she didn't hold the team back, that was enough. After training, while everyone else was working on the moves, she was engrossed in studying pole dancing videos. And then, in a flash, she disappeared, probably hiding somewhere to drink bubble tea.
The changing room was quiet. When Zhao Xiyin came in, two other members of the group were about to leave. "Go, Xiao west!"
After exchanging friendly greetings, Zhao Xiyin went to her storage compartment to check her belongings: dance shoes, ribbons, hairpins, and her phone lying in the cabinet with a black screen. She turned it on and off twice, but there were no messages or calls. A slight sense of loss washed over her.
"Xiao west, are you ready for today?" Lin Lang's pleasant voice came from behind. Zhao Xiyin turned around and looked at her calmly.
Lin Lang had finished her makeup, her figure graceful and her beauty breathtaking. She smiled brightly, "You should check carefully, once isn't enough, three times is better, so that the soles and uppers of your shoes don't get oily again, and you don't slip on stage, that wouldn't look good."
Zhao Xiyin's expression changed slightly, and she subconsciously pursed her lips.
Lin Lang, shrewd as ever, had her nailed. Yet, her tone remained sincere and innocent as she stepped forward, getting closer to her. "Let me tell you something," she whispered, "later, you don't need to jump so hard. It's pointless; the result will be the same anyway. Also, this morning the cleaning lady used a lot of foaming detergent on the floor, making it super slippery. Hey, you broke your leg once because of the slippery floor, right? That's a real price to pay."
Zhao Xiyin endured it, endured it; every word she uttered was like a knife, stabbing into her old wounds.
Lin Lang smiled and said, "Xiao west, dance well, protect yourself, and don't get hurt." She pointed to her dance shoes, "Check them again; there might be nails inside."
After saying that, she flew away like a proud peacock.
Zhao Xiyin bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. She told herself, "Don't listen, don't care, it's not a big deal. It's all in the past. I have the ability to take this step again, I can overcome it, I definitely can."
Lin Lang stopped halfway through the walk, turned his head and said, "Haven't you always suspected that I framed you back then? Zhao Xiyin, so what if I did? You have no evidence at all. If you dare to say it, I dare to sue you for slander. You are not as good as me, and you will never be as good as me."
The last straw broke.
Zhao Xiyin rushed over angrily, grabbed her by the neck, and slammed her to the ground with a loud crash, knocking things off the dressing table. Zhao Xiyin, her eyes red, tore at her hair accessories and clothes!
Lin Lang was terrified, dizzy from the beating, and screamed hoarsely, "Help! Help!"
The commotion was so loud that staff rushed in.
"My God! You girls!" the instructor exclaimed in exasperation. "Are you all crazy?! There are so many media reporters outside, are you desperate for fame?!"
Lin Lang cried and sobbed, accusing Zhao Xiyin of wrongdoing.
Zhao Xiyin lowered her head, her long hair obscuring her face, making it impossible to see her expression.
When it comes to fame and fortune, the teacher instinctively sided with Lin Lang, harboring mixed feelings of love and hate towards Zhao Xiyin. "It's a shame everyone values you so much. If you don't want to jump anymore, then don't participate in today's assessment!"
Zhao Xiyin sat slumped on the ground, her fingers protruding from the flowing sleeves of her gold-embroidered red robe, digging into the floor.
Just then, the door opened, and Zhang Yijie walked in first, followed by Meng Weixi, who walked in with a handsome and refined air. Meng Weixi stood directly in front of Zhao Xiyin, looking at the teacher with a deep and powerful gaze, and said calmly, "Since when did it become your place to make decisions?"
Then he turned around, knelt on one knee, and steadily took Zhao Xiyin's hand. "Xiao west?"
Zhao Xiyin was pale and remained silent.
Meng Weixi remained silent for a few seconds, then suddenly turned his head and directly instructed Zhang Yijie, "Today's assessment is canceled."
His words shocked everyone present.
Zhang Yijie panicked as well. "The production team and investors' representatives were all on site, and the media had also been notified to release relevant press releases on time. The last-minute cancellation involves too many people."
Meng Weixi was displeased and determined. Just as she was about to speak, Zhao Xiyin grabbed her arm tightly. She looked up, her eyes dry but unusually resolute, and said, "I can jump."
Time was of the essence, and Lin Lang's entire team mobilized, racing against time to redo her makeup and hair, creating a chaotic scene. Cen Yue, frantic with worry, almost cried as she surrounded Zhao Xiyin, "What happened? Let me, let me fix it for you. Your hair is all messed up like this."
Zhao Xiyin stood in front of the mirror, her face as pale as the first snow. She seemed relieved, gently brushing aside Cen Yue's waving little hands, and said, "No need."
She slowly raised her hand, completely dismantling her headdress, untying the ribbons, and letting her long, flowing hair cascade down her shoulders like a still river. Above, the vast blue sky stretched out; below, the rippling green waters flowed; the beauty was like a flower beyond the clouds.
Zhao Xiyin simplified the complex, like a secluded orchid blooming in a deep valley, its subtle fragrance captivating.
Whether she dances well or not, she is never arrogant; that's other people's judgment.
All she knows is to live up to every musical note, every dance. When the music begins, the story begins; when the music ends, the story ends. Whether the story is complete or not, she is simply a storyteller through her movements. She wants people to see the wildflowers as beautiful as jade, and also to witness the bustling world. When she raises her hand and spins, her skirt flutters, creating a path of stars; when she leaps on her toes, she rides the wind and chases the moon, yearning to ascend to the heavens.
As the song ends, my story is finished, but you, unaware that you are still in a dream, have not yet awakened.
As Zhao Xiyin finished her last move, the entire audience fell silent.
Then, someone started clapping, followed by thunderous applause.
——
In the afternoon, Lao Cheng and Gu Heping stayed up for half the day and half the night, reviewing all of Zhou Qishen's test results before they were relieved to confirm that he was truly not seriously injured.
The knife wound wasn't deep, but the cut was quite long.
"Who did you offend? This is going to kill you." Gu Heping sat on the edge of the bed peeling an apple for him. The peel came off without breaking, and he clicked his tongue in praise of himself, "Good technique."
Zhou Qishen said, "I don't know."
Old Cheng sat with his legs apart on the square bench, thought for a moment, and asked, "The south side?"
Zhou Qishen raised his eyelids, and Gu Heping also suddenly became serious. After thinking about it carefully, Zhou Qishen denied it again, "No, Xu Xiao is not in the country recently."
Old Cheng narrowed his eyes. "Meng Weixi?"
Zhou Qishen remained silent, neither refuting nor agreeing, and finally gave a cold laugh, "I've dug up his ancestral graves."
Gu Heping laughed in a sly way, "Back then, when you poached his girlfriend, it was almost like taking his life, almost the same."
Zhou Qishen gasped, the pain from the incision throbbing, and said through gritted teeth, "Gu Heping, I really want to kill you."
Old Cheng chuckled and casually asked, "Is Xiao west taking a test today? What kind of test?"