Ruan Yu suddenly felt she might have made a mistake coming here.

“Ruan Ruan.” Chen Manbai gently touched the back of her hand. “These words should go in one ear and out the other. If you take them seriously, you’ve already lost.”

Ruan Yu nodded.

“I’ll go see him backstage,” she told Chen Manbai.

“Mm, go ahead.”

Ruan Yu stood up and walked quickly toward the backstage area, leaving the gossip behind.

The host continued announcing performances on stage. The next group was Qing University’s folk dance. Several girls in light blue dresses stood shivering while waiting for their turn, yet enthusiastically discussing Teng Yi.

“My god, he’s even more handsome than rumors said! Those dreadlocks with the Tang suit, so stylish!”

“Let’s ask for a photo with him after we’re done!”

“Yes, yes!”

Laughter and chatter echoed from the backstage restroom, all unfamiliar voices.

Ruan Yu had originally planned to text Teng Yi and call him out for a private surprise, but that mood was long gone. Now, she just wanted to see him once, then leave.

She pushed open the half-closed wooden door.

The restroom was crowded with people, both those who had performed and those waiting to perform.

Xiao Qing and the others sat playing games on chairs by the window – just the three of them. Fang Wan and Teng Yi weren’t there.

Lin Shan spotted her first and nudged Xiao Qing with his elbow. Xiao Qing looked over following Lin Shan’s gaze.

“Hey, Ruan Yu. Why are you here? Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”

“I’m looking for Teng Yi. Where is he?”

“He…” Xiao Qing was about to answer when Zhou Xihe elbowed him from the other side.

“He went to the bathroom,” Zhou Xihe said.

Ruan Yu remained silent.

Seeing how they kept nudging each other, she knew something was up.

“Right, right, he went to the bathroom. Come sit and wait for him,” Xiao Qing waved to Ruan Yu.

“No need, I don’t have anything important. Just came to take a look.” Ruan Yu smiled at the three of them. “You all danced well today. I’ll go now.”

“Hey…” Xiao Qing wanted to keep her but got another nudge from Zhou Xihe.

Ruan Yu pretended not to notice and turned to leave.

She truly wanted to leave and act as if she’d never come, but outside the hall, she happened upon those two people.

Fang Wan and Teng Yi.

They sat on the steps outside the hall, shoulders touching, neither speaking, just sitting silently. From behind, they looked like sculptures.

Ruan Yu didn’t know whether to advance or retreat.

The bustling night became a confused silhouette at that moment.

Someone ran out from behind, almost bumping into her. She stepped back involuntarily, ending up behind a pillar. These few steps completely turned her into a voyeur. She knew staying here wasn’t appropriate, yet some inexplicable force held her in place.

Silence.

The applause from inside the hall made the silence outside even more oppressive.

After a while, Fang Wan finally spoke.

“Is it wrong of me to just want to stay by your side?” Her voice carried a slight tremor of tears.

Teng Yi remained silent.

“Yi, you must understand my feelings. I like you, I like you so much. If it weren’t for liking you, I would never have joined West Journey Street Dance Club.”

Teng Yi still didn’t speak.

Fang Wan began sobbing quietly.

“For these two years, I’ve been the one fighting alongside you. Whether on stage or off, we’re the most compatible…”

“I have a girlfriend.”

One sentence shattered all wishful thinking.

It also calmed another anxious heart.

Ruan Yu turned and left almost immediately.

Teng Yi’s integrity and firmness made her feel ashamed, and she no longer had any reason to stay.

—

Fang Wan sniffled, the cold air piercing her lungs, bringing a sense of emptiness rebounding upward.

“I know.”

“If you know, then show some restraint. Not just those words just now, but in every aspect. If a girl respects herself, she’ll naturally keep her distance from a man who has a girlfriend. This is respect – for others, and more importantly, for yourself.”

Teng Yi originally didn’t want to point this out so bluntly – he had his gentlemanly principles regarding women. But Fang Wan kept using their familiarity as an excuse, intentionally or not creating intimate scenes with him in public. Just now, when she hugged him on stage and wouldn’t let go despite his reminders, she had crossed his bottom line.

Hence this confrontation and clearing of the air.

He hadn’t pushed her away on stage to save her face in public, but now, if he continued to consider her face and didn’t warn her, he would be doing her harm.

“Do you hate me?” Fang Wan asked.

“No.”

“Then isn’t that enough?”

In Fang Wan’s view, between men and women, as long as there wasn’t initial dislike, anything was possible later. Feelings could be cultivated, and in terms of emotional foundation Teng Yi, definitely had an advantage over Ruan Yu.

After all, she had known Teng Yi for so long. They had practiced together, competed together, and shared countless memories.

She was confident.

“Yi, I don’t believe you have any feelings for me at all.” Fang Wan held onto Teng Yi’s arm, gently swaying it. “I can wait for you.”

Teng Yi pushed Fang Wan away.

“Wait for what?”

“Wait for you to break up.”

Her beautiful face seemed poisoned.

Teng Yi stood up abruptly.

He hadn’t expected Fang Wan to so calmly say such things to his face.

“Fang Wan, from the day you joined West Journey, to me, you were like Xiao Qing and the others – my friend and teammate. If you truly love street dance and stayed in West Journey for dance, you’re welcome to stay. But if you’re staying for me, don’t waste your effort. We’re impossible.”

Fang Wan held her head high, glaring at Teng Yi, trembling all over.

“Are you trying to drive me away?”

“I don’t want to waste your time, nor do I want to cause trouble for my girlfriend.”

“What’s so good about her!” Fang Wan became agitated. “Is her family rich? Is she pretty? Can she dance? Can she help you achieve your dreams? Right now you’re just controlled by hormones. In the long run, she’s not worthy of you.”

“Fang Wan!” Teng Yi’s voice turned completely cold. “It’s not your place to judge my girlfriend.”

“So you admit it! Everything I said – she’s not as good as me!”

“Even if she’s not as good as you, in my heart, no one compares to her. Also, I know her – no matter how difficult the situation, she would never maliciously criticize others behind their backs like you do. That’s the biggest difference between her and you.”

Tears kept falling down Fang Wan’s face.

Teng Yi’s words were like slaps across her face, making her both angry and ashamed.

If liking someone drags your thoughts and character down into the dust, it should end. Twisted affection is like a tumor, gradually deteriorating, taking away things more precious than life itself.

“Consider what I said earlier.” Teng Yi controlled his anger. As Ruan Yu’s boyfriend, he should turn and leave immediately, but as the person in charge of West Journey, he needed to preserve the last shred of dignity for both parties. “If you want to dance, focus solely on dancing. If you don’t want to stay, then let’s part on good terms.”

—

In the end, Fang Wan chose to leave West Journey.

From the moment Teng Yi asked her to consider, she had already made her decision. Her pride couldn’t accept Teng Yi’s rejection, and she understood that his suggestion to consider was just giving her a way out – he probably preferred her to leave. It didn’t matter; she never really liked street dance that much anyway. Rather than spending time on tedious, hard training, she preferred shopping, getting her nails done, and having her hair styled. During the freshman club recruitment, if she hadn’t fallen for Teng Yi at first sight, she would never have joined West Journey.

At the New Year’s Arts Festival, the street dance version of “Farewell My Concubine” won first place without any suspense. Teng Yi divided the prize money equally among his teammates, including Fang Wan’s share. After taking the money, Fang Wan never appeared again.

The boys in West Journey Street Dance Club felt some regret about Fang Wan’s departure but weren’t surprised. They knew her too well – as the only girl in the group, she had only two purposes in West Journey: one was Teng Yi, and the other was enjoying the vanity of being surrounded by all the boys in the club.

Ruan Yu’s appearance had destroyed her fantasy playground. Her leaving was just a matter of time.

Regarding Fang Wan’s confession, Teng Yi never mentioned a word to Ruan Yu, as if in his view, it wasn’t worth mentioning at all. Since he didn’t speak of it, Ruan Yu naturally wouldn’t ask. She knew that regardless of how others evaluated her or their relationship, she could trust him completely, in every aspect.

The new year began with this sense of security.

Teacher Jiang Weiguo was especially happy about their first-place win at the New Year’s Arts Festival. During the New Year’s holiday, he specially came to the West Journey base and treated everyone to skewers again.

Teacher Jiang Weiguo said that not only he, but teachers from various universities and leaders from the Liao City Publicity Office had gained a completely new understanding of street dance through West Journey’s adapted version of “Farewell My Concubine.” Everyone hoped to have more opportunities to experience and understand street dance in the future.

These words made Teng Yi’s eyes moist.

Street dance was like a rebellious child in people’s eyes, but finally, through his efforts, people began to see this child’s bright spots and gradually accept it.

He didn’t think he was anything special – he was just purely happy.

When Teng Yi was happy, he drank too much.

He had a good alcohol tolerance, but the atmosphere was infectious – it wasn’t the alcohol that intoxicated him, but the joy.

After Teacher Jiang Weiguo left, everyone dispersed. Ruan Yu took a taxi to send Teng Yi home. Along the way, Teng Yi was drowsy, holding onto her and refusing to let go. The taxi driver kept looking back with an expression that seemed to say “Young lady, just say the word if there’s trouble.”

Indeed.

Late night, dreadlocks, drunk, and seemingly forcing himself on a girl – he didn’t look like a good person.

After countless examining glances, Ruan Yu could only smile wryly and explain: “Driver, this is my boyfriend. He’s a good person, an especially good person.”

When the taxi arrived at Hua Fu residential area, Ruan Yu called Teng Hao to come down and help carry him up.

Teng Hao had already showered and changed into his pajamas. Switching from warm bed mode to cold wind mode, he instantly started shivering like a sieve.

“My God, it’s so cold!” His glance fell on Teng Yi in the back seat. “My God, how did he get so drunk!”

Together they carried Teng Yi upstairs.

Even as he collapsed, Teng Yi still held onto Ruan Yu’s hand, continuously mumbling “Little Fish.”

Seeing this, Teng Hao very obediently said: “Sister-in-law, I’m going to bed first. Please take care of my brother.”

As he left, he closed the door with a grin.

—

Ruan Yu took advantage of Teng Yi loosening his grip to cover him with a blanket.

He lay motionless, only his eyebrows occasionally furrowing and relaxing.

“Are you uncomfortable?” Ruan Yu leaned on the edge of the bed with one hand and shook him with the other. “Want some water?”

Teng Yi opened his eyes, his pupils glinting in the light. He stared at her for a while, saying nothing, then suddenly raised his hand to pull her down into his embrace.

With the blanket between them, his embrace felt very soft.

“Stop it,” Ruan Yu pushed him.

He held her tighter.

“Little Fish.” His alcohol-tinged voice was hoarse like a torn tape, with a kind of incomplete beauty.

Ruan Yu responded.

“Little Fish, do you… do you know…” his voice trailed off.

Incomplete.

But she knew.

“I know.”

Teng Yi’s lips curved up as he turned his face to kiss her long hair.

“What do you know?”

She raised her face to look at him from within his embrace: “I know that winning first place in this festival made you happier than winning any competition.”

Although this was just a friendly competition between schools, nothing particularly noteworthy, and wouldn’t leave any valuable marks on his resume.

But it was a turning point.

Teng Yi’s smile deepened – he hadn’t expected her to truly understand.

Yes, this was exactly what he had wanted to express through his stammering.

Over these years, he had participated in many street dance competitions and won many first places. He valued that professional recognition from the street dance circle, but changing others’ prejudices against street dance brought an extra joy.

He hoped that what he loved would be recognized, respected, and even loved by others.

Ruan Yu watched him as he smiled with closed eyes. As he smiled, his breathing gradually became steady, and he fell asleep.

“Teng Yi?”

He didn’t respond.

Ruan Yu tried to free herself from his embrace but found he was holding her even tighter than before like a child refusing to let her leave.

Afraid of waking him, after several gentle but unsuccessful attempts to break free, she lay quietly in his arms, no longer moving.

She definitely wouldn’t be able to go back tonight again.

But it didn’t matter; no need to specifically explain.

Since learning about her relationship with Teng Yi, her roommates often encouraged her to stay out overnight. During their night talks, she would always be asked embarrassing questions.

Like about first kisses.

Like about the first nights.

Jian Xiangxiang and Chen Manbai both claimed to be experienced and would educate her about relationships, leaving Ruan Yu red-faced each time, only able to pretend to fall asleep to escape.

She didn’t dare think too deeply about it, absolutely didn’t dare.

The night was gentle.

All was quiet.

Only the light and breathing flowed silently in the room.

Teng Yi slept peacefully beside her, his features showing the contentment of everything going well.

Ruan Yu raised her hand, tracing his features with her finger in the air, from his forehead to his eyebrows, his nose bridge… finally reaching his lips.

She leaned in to quietly kiss his lips, not at all afraid of waking the beast within men that Jian Xiangxiang and Chen Manbai had talked about. She knew that no matter how wild or fierce that beast might be, Teng Yi would never allow it to harm her carelessly.

Because he was such a self-disciplined and gentlemanly person.