It's not that he hasn't encountered aloof women before; they're just a bit hard to pursue. With more patience and the right approach, they're bound to win him over.
To everyone's surprise, Zhao Xiyin's first words were clear and straightforward: "President Zhuang, I have a boyfriend."
It was direct and straightforward, and it also made the man lose face.
Zhuang Qiu was not happy about this and replied in a sinister tone, "I didn't mean to do anything to you."
Zhao Xiyin nodded, "That's great."
He'd met with a lukewarm response, and Zhuang Qiu wasn't exactly a gentle, kind man. But Zhao Xiyin was undeniably beautiful, with a cool, aloof air, unpretentious and ethereal. Zhuang Qiu wasn't unfamiliar with girls who studied dance; they were all soft and yielding. He suppressed his temper, tried to reassure himself, and took a few steps closer to Zhao Xiyin. "I find you very attractive. I know quite a few people in the industry. I'll introduce you sometime. You're young, with a bright future ahead of you."
Zhao Xiyin suddenly laughed, her eyes curving slightly as she looked at him frankly. "You know, the first time I heard someone praise me as having a 'promising future' was when I was seven years old. It seems like someone praises me a few times every year, but as you can see, my abilities are limited, and I'm still a nobody."
This is a roundabout way of telling him that you can't be trusted with your words. You might fool a child, but in today's world, you won't fall for it.
This isn't a fairy, it's clearly a round cactus!
His mouth was full of thorns, and he couldn't pull them out.
Just as Zhao Xiyin was about to go see why Dai Yunxin hadn't arrived yet, Zhuang Qiu reached out and pressed the door shut.
Zhao Xiyin became wary. "What are you doing?"
When Zhuang Qiu smiled, his already droopy eyelids drooped even further, making his already large eyes appear triangular. When he stared at someone, his gaze wasn't bright; it wasn't even shrewd, but rather a bit cunning.
He said, "You really think it's a chance encounter? Didn't you realize all the effort I put into you? Teacher Dai is much more pragmatic than you. Zhao, study hard, I have high hopes for you."
Zhao Xiyin's face immediately turned cold. "Don't talk to Teacher Dai like that."
Zhuang Qiu chuckled twice, "You're already unhappy? Sigh, it seems I still have a lot to adapt to. No matter what industry you're in, there are always many things you don't adapt to."
Dai Yunxin knocked on the door from the outside, and Zhao Xiyin's fingers, which were pressed against the wall, suddenly trembled.
Zhuang Qiu opened the door unhurriedly, and his expression was not pleasant when he left.
"Hey, Mr. Zhuang, aren't you going to eat?"
Zhuang Qiu's face darkened completely, and he let out a barely audible cold snort, which only Dai Yunxin could hear. Dai Yunxin turned her head with an unsettled expression, and her eyes met Zhao Xiyin's. After only half a second, Zhao Xiyin subconsciously looked away.
The master and apprentice ate their dinner in unusual silence.
Zhao Xiyin ate a few bites, then made an excuse that she had to rush back for rehearsal. Dai Yunxin glanced at her, hummed in agreement, and said nothing more.
It was still early; Su Ying wouldn't arrive until seven. Zhao Xiyin walked quite slowly. She hadn't changed out of her training clothes when she came out—just black tight-fitting clothes and a long black down jacket over them. This was the uniform issued to them; it was practical and warm, but even facing the wind, Zhao Xiyin still felt cold and hugged herself tightly.
As she passed a cake shop, a strong gust of wind blew, and sand got into her eyes, making them so uncomfortable that her eyes turned red.
Once inside, the temperature difference was striking, and she sneezed violently, her nose stuffy and congested. Just as she reached the practice room door, she heard several people chatting inside.
During the break, most of the people were gone, and since they were all good friends, they didn't have many concerns. Zhao Xiyin hadn't thought much of it, but then she happened to hear the name "Dai Yunxin".
"Will Teacher Dai come again later?"
"She probably won't come. She's too busy. Don't be fooled by the fact that she's the dance director for this show; she's just a figurehead."
"I read a story online that Su Ying was originally supposed to be the choreographer because she was in the film, but Teacher Dai had a good relationship with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, and probably thought it would be convenient for the film's release and promotion. So Teacher Dai was chosen instead. But from choreography to blocking, Su Ying actually did everything herself behind the scenes. The two of them didn't have a very good relationship to begin with."
Why are their relationship so-so?
"Su Ying probably doesn't approve of some of Teacher Dai's actions."
"I think Teacher Dai is great!"
"She's so naive. My dad's friend is a general manager of a company, and he said that Teacher Dai is actually quite materialistic and wants to get resources for her company. She was really clever when she was young, but now, I guess you can only say that people are fickle."
A brief silence followed.
Another person suddenly said with a grin, "Teacher Dai's temperament is not as good as Teacher Su's. Although Teacher Su is aloof, she really has that kind of style. Teacher Dai sometimes... dresses up quite deliberately."
With a loud "bang!", the door was suddenly pushed open.
Everyone was startled. Upon seeing the newcomer, they immediately became flustered and nervous, saying, "Xiao, Xiao west."
Zhao Xiyin stormed in, "Don't you gossip about me behind my back?!"
Everyone knew that she and Dai Yunxin had a close relationship; though it wasn't said openly, she was a legitimate disciple who had formally acknowledged her master. Knowing they were in the wrong, they looked at each other, neither of them uttering a word.
"What murder or arson did Teacher Dai do? Is it necessary for you to slander and spread such rumors about him?!"
Zhao Xiyin was blinded by anger, and even her gentle nature couldn't suppress her rage and resentment. She seemed to be in a hurry to vent, as if after venting, the heavy stone that had been weighing on her heart for so many days could finally be lifted.
Her tone was harsh, and her accusatory manner was very aggressive.
One of them, who was about her age, was unhappy. "We didn't spread any rumors. It was just something that was circulating online. Can't we even talk about it?"
Zhao Xiyin was so stubborn that she forgot all reason and interrupted loudly, "No, that's just not allowed!"
This kind of relationship between women, unless they are extremely close best friends, is bound to be sensitive. Even in peaceful coexistence, subtle comparisons are inevitable. Let alone now that things have been so openly discussed and openly attacked.
Although everyone genuinely acknowledged and admired Zhao Xiyin's professional skills, her current imposing manner, as if she wanted to devour them whole, was truly excessive. The girls on the other side had only just begun their united front and heated debate—
"Are you bored so late at night that you're not rehearsing?"
Her voice was clear and gentle, like a snow lotus, devoid of emotion, yet powerfully commanding. Turning her head, she saw Su Ying standing at the door, dressed in a simple white dress, already changed into her dance practice attire.
The lit fuse was immediately extinguished.
In that instant, Zhao Xiyin calmed down considerably.