Even dance and vocal teachers received a copy, which is incredibly thoughtful.
Xu Yi took a bottle, unscrewed it, and took a couple of sips. Soon, her gaze fell on Gu Yueyue's thermos. She asked curiously, "Teacher Gu, is your cup also filled with water?"
Zheng Wan, who was standing to the side, smiled and forced her way into their conversation, "Of course there's water in the thermos, are you going to make tea?"
Xu Yi didn't follow up on Zheng Wan's words, pretending not to have heard them.
She began to hate Zheng Wan. This girl was always clinging to her Miss Gu. She really wanted to turn her into a sword training dummy and throw her into the outer disciples' courtyard so that people could chop her up a thousand times every day.
Gu Yueyue looked at the sweat on Zheng Wan's forehead, and then at Xu Yi's still smooth face. It was as if they were not dancing the same kind of dance, and the amount of exercise was completely different.
"It's flower tea." Gu Yueyue smiled and said when she saw Xu Yi looking at her thermos with curiosity. "My assistant brewed it for me. It's cooling, refreshing, and can also protect your throat."
Upon hearing her words, Xu Yi looked on expectantly and said, "Flower tea? I've never had flower tea before. Teacher Gu, would it be alright if I could try some?"
"Huh?" Gu Yueyue looked hesitantly at the thermos in her hand. She had been holding it and drinking from it all morning, and the tea inside was already very weak.
That's not the point. The point is, she's already drunk from that glass of water!
"Ah," Xu Yi exclaimed softly, "I'm sorry, Teacher Gu, my request was too offensive. I'm sorry for making things difficult for you."
Her straightforward apology made Gu Yueyue feel guilty. She was a child from a poor family who had never drunk flower tea before and just wanted to try it.
"Don't feel bad, it's just some herbal tea." Gu Yueyue couldn't bear to see Xu Yi so cautious, self-conscious, and downcast. It probably reminded her of her own struggles in the entertainment industry in her early years, so she felt even more sorry for Xu Yi. "You should train hard. I'll bring you some when I come over this afternoon. Why don't you try it?"
Xu Yi's dimmed starry eyes lit up instantly, and she stared intently at Gu Yueyue. Her face was still expressionless, but she gave off a much gentler feeling, making people smile involuntarily when they looked at her.
She's just like a little kid; she's so happy with a little sweetness. She's so easy to coax.
Sitting next to Gu Yueyue on the other side, Zheng Wan forced a smile and said, "Teacher Gu, may I have one too?"
Xu Yi: "Really? You've never had flower tea before?"
Zheng Wan had previously posted on Weibo that she and Gu Yueyue had the same thermos cups, and she also posted Gu Yueyue's same blood-nourishing tea bags to promote her business.
Zheng Wan: "..."
Gu Yueyue still needed to work with Zheng Wan, and she couldn't let Zheng Wan lose face here, so she planned to bring an extra portion for Zheng Wan when she came in the afternoon. But it wasn't appropriate to continue talking about this topic now, so she changed the subject and started asking about their training progress.
Zheng Wan said enthusiastically, "Teacher Gu, our dance teacher is very dedicated to teaching us. She guides us through each beat, striving to do our best in every movement. We've already practiced part of it, Teacher Gu, would you like to take a look?"
Zheng Wan looked at Xu Yi, slightly raised her chin, and smiled provocatively. She was determined to teach Xu Yi a lesson later! With Xu Yi's lazy and casual dance moves, she'd only make a fool of herself.
"Okay," Gu Yueyue agreed to her request.
Gu Yueyue didn't think anything was wrong. She'd seen plenty of newcomers stirring up trouble to get attention. She was happy to help them create some buzz.
Gu Yueyue glanced at Zheng Wan and encouraged her, "Go for it!" Then she turned her gaze to Xu Yi, looking forward to seeing how the little girl would perform a sexy and playful girl group dance.
As soon as the music started, Zheng Wan immediately got into position, wanting to win against Xu Yi from the very beginning.
Xu Yi was unaware of her subtle, scheming thoughts, or perhaps she knew but didn't care. However, she was now completely different from her previous casual practice. The moment the music started, she focused intently on the dance, after all, Miss Gu was watching her from the side.
Zheng Wan also knew that Xu Yi had changed her state. Her posture was standard, her movements were graceful, and her emotions were expressed well. She felt good about every move she made. Especially when she glanced at Gu Yueyue, she saw amazement in Gu Yueyue's subtle expression, and Zheng Wan became more and more confident.
Zheng Wan's smile grew even more unrestrained and arrogant. She secretly laughed at Xu Yi's ungratefulness, thinking that he actually wanted to compete with her for Teacher Gu. Today, she would make Xu Yi feel really embarrassed.
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 16:19:19 and 17:30:49 on December 17, 2021!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: の1;
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Chaoming 30 bottles; Zhanying Yanting 11 bottles; 41834251 10 bottles; Bookworm 9 bottles; I will always like Sanwu Mabulu 6 bottles; Xinxin, ..., and Bimingshouchang 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter Twenty-One
As the music faded, the two stopped dancing.
When Zheng Wan was dancing, she was so immersed in the thrill of performing exceptionally well that she didn't even glance at the mirror in the dance studio. She was completely absorbed in the performance.
But now, seeing the expressions on everyone's faces and the thunderous applause that followed, she proudly puffed out her chest, slowly walked up to Gu Yueyue, and waited for Teacher Gu's comments and praise.
Gu Yueyue's heart was captivated by Xu Yi. Although she wasn't particularly fond of singing and dancing, she had been in the industry for many years. To put it bluntly, she had spent most of her teenage years in the practice room and on stage. Judging from her professional perspective, every movement and posture of Xu Yi captured the contrasting elements of playfulness and sexiness.
Not only Gu Yueyue, but also the professional dance teacher and choreographer of this dance, did not expect that someone would be able to dance the dance in the way she wanted.
"That's amazing. It's a completely different experience when we practice together. If I hadn't been leading you all in practice, I would never have imagined that this dance was performed by the same person." The dance teacher praised her lavishly.
Zheng Wan's tone was flattered, and her face was flushed from exercise, making her look particularly shy: "Teacher, you're exaggerating."
Everyone looked at her, but no one said anything. They just silently looked at Xu Yi again.
Zheng Wan felt the atmosphere was a bit strange, and it was truly rare for a dance teacher, who was usually so strict, to praise her like this in front of Teacher Gu. However, she felt she deserved it all. Zheng Wan straightened up, puffed out her chest, and held her head high, exuding an air of intellectual elegance.
Xu Yi listened to the dance teacher's words, but she didn't react much. She silently watched Gu Yueyue with calm and unwavering eyes. She was dancing for Miss Gu, and other people's opinions didn't matter.
Seeing Xu Yi's calm and composed demeanor, the dance teacher felt even more that this young girl was remarkable. During practice, she was neither arrogant nor impatient (lazy and casual), but focused and serious (careless), and diligent in her studies (secretly slacking off). It was no wonder that such a young person could be regarded differently by Teacher Gu.
A single dance completely changed the dance teacher's previous impression of Xu Yi.
After watching her performance, Gu Yueyue felt a sense of satisfaction, as if she had just expected it. Based on her understanding of Xu Yi's progress in the previous dance practice sessions, she knew that Xu Yi must have put in a lot of effort during practice to be able to dance like this now.
Zheng Wan still found it strange that everyone's eyes were on Xu Yi. Even if Xu Yi danced terribly, it shouldn't be enough to make people stare at her like that, right?
Zheng Wan walked up to Gu Yueyue with a pure and sweet smile and asked her, "Teacher Gu, what do you think of my dancing?"
How was it? A pro player was showing off their skills on the sidelines, and you, a mere Silver player, were doing terribly. Don't you even know how badly you were beating around the bush?
"Very good. I can tell you've been practicing very hard. But I believe you can do even better." Gu Yueyue said some encouraging words to her.
Gu Yueyue was very considerate of the newcomers' fragile mentality because she herself had gone through the same hardships. Back then, the mentors were much stricter, and it was a truly closed training program, completely different from the current format that was half variety show and half training. So she was very friendly to these newcomers, but she didn't want them to experience the hardships she had gone through.
But the dance teacher didn't see it that way. She sneered at Zheng Wan, "Don't you know how well you dance? You practiced together, so how come Xu Yi can dance so well while your movements and expressions are so exaggerated? Is that how I taught you?"
Unlike teaching dance to established celebrities, although Zheng Wan now has a fan base, her small following is insignificant compared to the impressive artists the dance teacher has encountered over the years. Therefore, the teacher's critiques are truly blunt.
Zheng Wan's facial expression gradually cracked, finally revealing an expression of disbelief, "What did you say?"
She was very emotional: "Xu Yi dances well? Better than me? How is that possible!"
"Why not? Is it so hard to accept that someone is better than you?" the dance teacher continued, cutting to the bone. "Xu Yi is the most talented dancer I've ever seen."
The students no longer need to call her that.
Zheng Wan was devastated, looking at Gu Yueyue with a dazed expression. So everyone was just marveling at Xu Yi's dancing skills? But that's impossible. How could she not know how bad Xu Yi's dancing was? She was so relaxed and casual...
Zheng Wan suddenly realized something, turned around and glared fiercely at Xu Yi from where the camera couldn't see. This guy was definitely deliberately hiding his skills, just waiting to embarrass her in front of Teacher Gu.
Gu Yueyue had already discerned Zheng Wan's intentions from her loud and boisterous behavior.
"Zheng Wan, Xiao Xu did dance quite well. But your dance practice is also good. Don't be discouraged. With more practice, you will definitely be able to do even better." Gu Yueyue wanted to say that as long as you are willing to work hard, you will definitely not be worse than anyone else, but she felt that she could not be too dishonest when she said it.
Xu Yi waited for a long time but didn't get Miss Gu's evaluation of her, and frowned in dissatisfaction.
As it turned out, Gu Yueyue didn't stay long and left after watching their dance performance, which made Xu Yi even more unhappy.
During the afternoon practice, she became increasingly passive and reluctant to work.
The dance teacher didn't keep a close eye on her like she had in the morning. Instead, while rigorously instructing Zheng Wan, she would occasionally ask Xu Yi for her insights on dance.
"I believe that dance should not only express the beauty of one's own body, but also the beauty that the choreographer has given to a dance, and convey the dancer's own understanding of beauty through their own performance." She revised her understanding of swordsmanship.
These words made the dance teacher thoughtful.
Zheng Wan watched their interaction with resentment, and finally, steeling her heart, she gritted her teeth and ran out.
Originally, it was just the two of them practicing here. After Zheng Wan left, the dance teacher looked at Xu Yi, who was meditating against the wall, and waved her hand, telling Xu Yi to go out and rest as well.
On the first day of practice, Xu Yi was given an early break by her teacher. She went to check out the vocal practice room next door and peeked in to find Zhang Ya practicing high notes.
They practiced very seriously here. Apart from Shen Ningjiao and Han Shixue occasionally bickering and joking, everyone else was putting in their best effort to hone their skills.
Xu saw that Zhang Ya was quite comfortable with her, so she didn't bother her anymore. She held the water that Gu Yueyue had given her earlier, and there was still a little bit left in the bottle. She carried the water on her back like a leisurely old lady.
After Gu Yueyue left at noon, she went back to her place. Xiao Ye was sitting on the sofa playing games, passionately exchanging profanities with her opponent. When she saw Gu Yueyue return, she quickly stopped playing the game and handed Gu Yueyue a cup of warm water.
"Why are you back so soon? Your face is so red, are you suffering from heatstroke?" Ono asked worriedly, bustling around. "Wait a minute, let me find you some Huoxiang Zhengqi Water."
Gu Yueyue stopped her, and chuckled, "I didn't have heatstroke. I just went to watch the students practice dancing, and I got a little caught up in their emotions."
It must be said that Xu Yi has a very solid foundation in dance, with particularly strong explosive power. She has a very precise grasp of the emotions in that dance. The sexy and playful main theme of the whole dance was perfectly performed by her. She is like a half-naive demon who suddenly becomes enlightened about mortals and uses all her tricks to seduce her prey.
Xu Yi's dance seemed to be performed specifically for her; she sensed something in every movement of Xu Yi's.
God knows how much willpower she used to resist blushing in front of the camera and not do anything she shouldn't have.
Gu Yueyue used an ice pack to cool her forehead, which helped her clear her head.
"What kind of dance would have upset you like this?" Ono asked curiously. She had just asked the question when she laughed, "Should I ask, what kind of person's dance would have upset you like this?"
"..."
Gu Yueyue was too embarrassed to say Xu Yi's name, after all, she had previously treated him as a sasaeng fan and was wary of him, and saying it would definitely make Xiao Ye laugh at her.
Gu Yueyue gave her a coquettish glance, which only made Xiao Ye laugh even more unrestrainedly.
"Sis, you're not falling for someone, are you?"
Before Gu Yueyue could even reprimand this brat who was making fun of the boss, the doorbell rang.
Ono opened the door and saw that it was Zheng Wan, the one who had been forcefully arranged by the company to have Sister Yue create a CP (couple pairing). Ono immediately frowned and asked her in a very unpleasant tone, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for Teacher Gu." Zheng Wan was unwilling to lose to Xu Yi so easily. She didn't know why she had come on a whim, but since she was here, she had to fight for herself. The company had arranged for Gu Yueyue to promote her and her, but Gu Yueyue hadn't helped her at all, always favoring Xu Yi in front of the camera. They were both Yueyue's fans, so why did Xu Yi get so much love while she got nothing?
Ono's face no longer wore a sneer, but instead turned into sarcasm, "What do you want with our Yueyue? There are no live cameras here, so no matter how much you put on a show, no one will buy it."
"I'm here to see Teacher Gu, what right do you have to stop me! You're just an assistant, know your place!"
Ono chuckled upon hearing this. Rumors circulated within the company that Zheng Wan lacked common sense, and it seemed to be true. No wonder Hongsheng had chosen her to promote her so aggressively; perhaps Hongsheng feared that a few years of hard work would produce another disobedient Gu Yueyue, so they simply found a brainless pretty face—as long as she was obedient and easy to control.
Even a lowly official has to serve the prime minister. Is her attitude towards me because she thinks Yueyue's affection for her is too high?
The commotion at the door caught Gu Yueyue's attention, and she put down the ice pack and water glass and came over.
"Xiao Ye, who is it?" Gu Yueyue approached, and Zheng Wan called out to her happily, "Teacher Gu, it's me, Zheng Wan. I need to talk to you."
Gu Yueyue let her in.
Zheng Wan glared smugly at Xiao Ye and walked past her with her head held high.
"Teacher Gu, do you not like me very much?" Zheng Wan asked in a soft voice, her expression pitiful.