He didn't dare to hug her.
When I hugged him, I thought of little Zhou, who had already gone far away before I even had a chance to know.
Chapter 64 After a Long Rain, the Sun Shines (2)
Zhao Xiyin was locked up for two days until she said she had to go to a meeting at the troupe, at which point Zhao Wenchun reluctantly unlocked her. How embarrassing! It felt like being released from prison for a short break. Before Zhao Xiyin could even take a couple of breaths of fresh air, Zhao Wenchun asked quietly, "What time are you coming home?"
"Around five or six o'clock."
"Okay, I'll start calling you a minute later. I'll keep calling until you get home."
Zhao Xiyin was both amused and exasperated. "Teacher Zhao, are you still angry?"
Zhao Wenchun said seriously, "I'm not joking with you."
Zhao Xiyin raised her hands in surrender, "OK."
Upon arriving at the troupe, Zhao Xiyin warmed up, pressing her legs against the wall as usual, and began practicing her basic skills. Having danced for over twenty years, her bones were incredibly flexible, allowing for both controlled movements and powerful strikes – a testament to her solid foundation. Cen Yue skipped over, "Xiao west, how about I take you for a motorcycle ride tonight?"
Zhao Xiyin almost collapsed. "Spare me, the wind that night made my legs weak."
Cen Yue chuckled, lifted her leg high, and executed a clean and crisp split.
After considering for a moment, Zhao Xiyin tentatively asked, "Little Moon, have you been in contact with Gu Heping recently?"
"Yes, I shared a funny video with him yesterday."
Zhao Xiyin, feeling worried, reminded him, "Gu Heping is a good person, but he's nice to everyone. Do you understand what I mean?"
Cen Yue nodded. "I understand, it means being a womanizer, right?"
"..." Zhao Xiyin felt a little guilty towards Gu Heping.
“It’s okay, I’m pretty fickle too,” Cen Yue said. “I just think he’s really good-looking.”
"What if he has a girl he's interested in?"
"He can pursue his, I'll pursue mine." Cen Yuezhen was quite frank. After thinking for a moment, she smiled at Zhao Xiyin and said, "You should remind the girl he's pursuing not to take it too seriously. A man like Gu Heping is like the wind; it's comfortable to feel, but if you really reach out to grab him, you can't catch him."
Zhao Xiyin opened her mouth as if to speak, but when she met her eyes, she suddenly felt relieved.
"Xiao west, your teacher is looking for you." Someone called from the doorway.
Zhao Xiyin responded and went to the lounge next door. Although everyone in the troupe was used to calling her "teacher," their roles were different. She had seen this woman before; she had come with Zhang Yijie when signing the contract. She looked to be in her thirties and was a capable and elite businesswoman.
He prefers to get straight to the point, so he showed her some information and asked, "Think about it, will you accept or not?"
Zhao Xiyin glanced through it and found it was a promotional event for daily chemical products at a counter, with prices, time, and responsibilities clearly written down.
"If you want to pick it up, I'll arrange it for you."
Zhao Xiyin gave an awkward laugh: "Teacher, I didn't sign a contract with Brother Jie."
“I know,” she said. “It was Brother Jie who instructed us to manage it for you. We don’t need to split the commission; it’s all yours.” She smiled meaningfully. “You’re the only one in the industry who can get Brother Jie to care about you like this.”
Zhao Xiyin inexplicably recalled her conversation with her aunt that night, about what she would do if no one took care of her in her old age and saw her off in her final days. What else could she do but work hard to earn money and support herself?
For a fleeting moment, she was moved.
Ultimately, she didn't act impulsively. After politely declining, Zhao Xiyin found a secluded spot and called Dai Yunxin. Dai Yunxin was the benchmark and guiding light of her entire dance career; she relied on her to the core. In some ways, her feelings for Dai Yunxin were even stronger than for her own mother.
After recounting what had happened, Zhao Xiyin asked nervously, "Master, do you think I'm capable?"
The time doesn't conflict, it's only half a day, and the workload isn't heavy. This kind of good resource is obviously carefully selected. Dai Yunxin, however, disagreed. "Zhang Yijie is known for being shrewd and cunning. I know Meng Weixi is behind him. But he also has a lot of business of his own. Who knows if he's just using someone's name to trick you into joining him?"
Dai Yunxin scoffed, "Those two men behind you, aren't they both adept at navigating social situations and always ready to protect you? Zhang Yijie is only saying good things because he sees you as innocent. Once you agree, he'll reap the benefits and win favor with both sides."
Zhao Xiyin hesitated for a moment, then said, "I think Brother Jie is actually a good person, not as bad as you say."
“That’s why I said you’re naive. There’s more filth in this industry than you can imagine.” Dai Yunxin said earnestly, “Xiao west, if you really want to get some work, you might as well come to me.”
Zhao Xiyin had only chatted for a few moments on a whim, but her thoughts had already vanished. These jobs were too much of a hassle; she wasn't one for constant travel. "Sigh, Master, I'd better stop thinking about it and just focus on dancing."
Dai Yunxin didn't object, "Whatever you say."
After finishing the phone call, Zhao Xiyin turned around and saw Su Ying standing calmly behind her. She was stunned for a moment, then immediately called out, "Sister Ying."
Su Ying stood there for an unknown amount of time, but it seemed to be quite a while. Judging from her expression, there was three parts disdain, six parts indifference, and a hint of mockery. She nodded slightly in response, and when she left, she looked down on everyone with an air of arrogance and self-assurance.
Zhao Xiyin stood there for a long time, even feeling inexplicably deflated. Everyone said that Su Ying was just that kind of aloof and cold person, but Zhao Xiyin could still see clearly that Su Ying didn't like her.
Back in the practice room, Cen Yue was stretching her legs. Seeing her, she asked, "What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood?"
Zhao Xiyin shook her head, then nodded, a thought forming in her mind. Suddenly she asked, "Little Moon, have you seen Teacher Su Ying's rendition of 'Rainbow Clouds Rushing to the Moon'?"
“Of course,” Cen Yue said, “It’s amazing, the best stage drama in all of China.”
Zhao Xiyin hummed in agreement.
“I usually read a lot of entertainment gossip,” Cen Yue leaned closer and whispered, “Teacher Su Ying is married. Her husband is not in the entertainment industry, but he has a good background. He loves her to death and spoils her rotten.”
Zhao Xiyin was taken aback. "You know that too?"
“I know,” Cen Yue said matter-of-factly. “Her husband and my dad get along well.”
"..."
"Besides," Cen Yue said in a low voice, "Su Ying and your master don't get along... it's just superficial politeness."