Cen Yue thought for a moment, then patted her shoulder, "Brother Zhou?"
Zhao Xiyin's hair stood on end, and cold sweat dripped down her back. "You know him?"
“You repeated this name three times while you were talking in your sleep.” Cen Yueshi pointed to the sky. “If I’m lying, I’m a big fat pig.”
Seeing that Zhao Xiyin remained silent, she tentatively asked in a low voice, "Is he your ex-boyfriend?"
Actually, when Ni Rui publicly said that Zhao Xiyin had been married, most people just thought it was a rumor spread out of resentment. Cen Yue didn't take it seriously either; Zhao Xiyin was twenty-five years old, a time when she was as young as a flower.
But this time, Zhao Xiyin told her very frankly: "He's not my ex-boyfriend, he's my ex-husband."
Cen Yue gave an "Oh" without any expression.
Zhao Xiyin asked with a smile, "Aren't you surprised?"
“No, my parents also divorced in their twenties, when I was only six months old.” Cen Yue said, then suddenly stopped, her eyes widening as she hissed, “You wouldn’t, you wouldn’t have a child too, would you?”
Zhao Xiyin continued to smile, a faint smile, without saying a word.
Cen Yue patted her chest, "Then I'll really be in for a surprise. It's okay, letting go of the past is the only way to meet someone better. You can do it!"
Before afternoon training, the teacher routinely announced attendance. Ni Rui had asked for leave, reporting sick leave. Lin Lang also trained with the team this time. She had changed into her training clothes, her long hair was tied up in a bun, and she had applied very exquisite eye makeup. Her smile was captivating, easily stealing the spotlight.
Ten minutes before the meeting, Zhao Xiyin went to get her water bottle and turned around to see Lin Lang standing behind her. Zhao Xiyin didn't look at her and prepared to walk around her.
Lin Lang stepped to the right to block her, raising his chin with a faint smile on his lips. "west Yin, we're old classmates, there's no need to be so cold, is there?"
"Whether it's necessary or not, you know in your heart." Zhao Xiyin's voice was indifferent, and she finally glanced at her.
Lin Lang's smile faded. He tilted his head slightly and leaned closer, saying, "You used to always beat me, but now, no matter how hard you try, you can't catch up with me."
Zhao Xiyin interrupted coldly, "You're not worth me risking my life for."
Lin Lang's expression changed, but after so many years in the industry, his cultivation was naturally...
She was very thorough, saying, "Didn't you learn enough from the accident you had in France three years ago? Even if someone helped you cover it up back then, do you think no one would know? I really admire you for being able to come back to dancing."
His words were barbed, laced with poison, both overt and covert. He both reopened old wounds in an attempt to kill, and subtly threatened and instilled fear.
Zhao Xiyin turned her head, her gaze straight and bright as she looked directly at her, taking a step forward to approach her, "Do you really think I don't know what you did, said, and planned backstage that year?"
Lin Lang remained calm and composed, her stubborn gaze revealing a stark contrast to her usual gentle and beautiful demeanor.
Zhao Xiyin pressed closer, "You pretended to be kind and helped me get my dance shoes from the car, but you delivered them five minutes late. What were you doing during those five minutes? I discovered the soles were cracked before I went on stage. You were the one who gave me the new shoes—is there a problem? Have you really forgotten?"
Lin Lang pursed her lips, her smile lingering, and said, word by word, "Zhao Xiyin, this is slander."
"Then go ahead and sue me." Zhao Xiyin's expression at this moment was not exactly one of fearlessness, but her decisive and straightforward spirit was like a rope. She said, "Those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose. If you dare to mess with me again, you won't get away with it."
Lin Lang was taken aback by the ruthlessness in her eyes. After a three-second pause, she said as if she were watching a joke, "Whether it was easy or not, we've all gotten through it. I'm doing very well now. As for you, you'd better pray for yourself."
As the two passed each other, Lin Lang said, "Oh, right, I forgot to tell you, I'm definitely taking this lead dancer position. If you're a little nicer, I might be able to recommend you for some jobs after filming, out of consideration for our old friendship, so you won't just be kicked out after your performance."
They returned to the practice room one after the other.
The teacher gently reminded everyone to pay attention to discipline, and then began today's rehearsal.
Although Lin Lang joined the group later, she must have been taught the entire routine beforehand, as she appeared very composed, dancing confidently to the music. Her background of bringing her own investment to the group was common knowledge. After the performance, the teacher praised her highly, practically showering her with compliments.
Lin Lang remained humble, maintaining his approachable and unassuming demeanor, and said with a smile, "No, no, I still have many shortcomings and need to learn from everyone."
After the initial greetings, the teacher asked, "Next group, who wants to go first?"
It's a rather subtle point. Usually, it's just a way to elicit a response, but Lin Lang's behavior just now clearly wasn't the intended catalyst. People aren't stupid; nobody wants to, is unwilling to, or bothers to take the initiative. Without comparison, there's no harm; nobody wants to be the clown in a circus being watched.
None of the feudal lords outside the pass responded to the challenge.
Just as silence took over and gradually turned into an awkward situation—
"I'll do it."
At the back of the line, Zhao Xiyin's voice was gentle and steady. She stepped out of the line and calmly walked to the front of the stage from the left, saying, "Teacher, I'll jump."
With a smile, Lin Lang playfully reached out and hooked Zhao Xiyin's finger around hers, shaking it gently. "Xiyin, you definitely dance better than me."
Zhao Xiyin responded to her innocent attempt at drama by smiling even more sweetly than Zhao Xiyin, saying, "Of course."
Several people in the front row laughed, feeling a sense of satisfaction. Cen Yue waved her little fist at her and mouthed, "Go for it!"
When someone is determined to fight, no one can stop them. With the exact same music and the exact same movements, Zhao Xiyin slapped Lin Lang across the face.
She became one with the music; her hands and feet were the tools to manipulate the notes. As she spun, the music flowed melodiously; as she leaped, the music rose and fell with her. Nothing else ever influenced her—no music, no audience, no opponent—none of it mattered. Zhao Xiyin brought all of this into her world; she was the master, she was the guiding light.
When you do something to its absolute limit, technique becomes the most useless thing. Zhao Xiyin disdains showing off and pretentiousness. She spent months studying the script of "Nine Thoughts" and, through Zhao Wenchun's connections, attended a few classes in the History Department of C University. She thoroughly understood the background and era in which the story was set. Her soul was rich in content, which also endowed the presentation with the necessary connotation.
It embodies both form and spirit, and is a unified whole.
The infectious power of dance is where the soul finds its home.
The final movement ended cleanly and decisively, like a sword sheathed, without a single drop of blood. Zhao Xiyin raised her head, her gaze as bright and clear as the sun. The first thing she saw was Cen Yue wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes, followed by sparse applause, one after another, like the prelude to a heatwave, finally erupting in thunderous applause.
The teacher stood to the side, her lips parted slightly, clearly regretting having spoken so lavishly with praise. Zhao Xiyin danced so well that she didn't need commentary or praise; the eyes of the audience were the most authoritative testament.
As Zhao Xiyin stepped off the stage, sweat beaded on her forehead, the steam making her already beautiful face appear even more radiant. Passing by Lin Lang, she whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Thank you for your suggestion."
Lin Lang's face turned pale, proving Zhao Xiyin's words true—if you dare to provoke me again, you won't get away with it.
Zhao Xiyin's leap has completely thrust her into the public eye. Before, she kept a low profile and didn't want to compete for attention. Now that her brilliance has been revealed, it's dazzling and irreversible.