“How is your aunt doing?” Teng Yi asked.
“She had surgery a few days ago, still under observation.” Speaking of his mother, the light in Han Zuo’s eyes dimmed again.
“Then why did you come back?”
“My mom told me to return.” The night before the surgery, Han Zuo received a call from Tian Cheng about Zhou Xihe’s departure and Xiyou’s current predicament. Han Zuo was worried about Teng Yi and the others but couldn’t leave his mother. His mother immediately noticed his dilemma.
“Go,” his mother told him. “I know my own body, I can handle it. Besides, I have your father with me, I’ll be fine. Those kids need you more than I do right now. Go back.”
Han Zuo hadn’t agreed immediately. His mother’s selflessness only made it harder to leave. The next day during surgery, he anxiously waited through day and night. Fortunately, everything went smoothly. When his mother woke from anesthesia, she again mentioned him returning to Liao City.
“It’s about time you returned to school anyway, don’t put your uncle in a difficult position. And the street dance competition – haven’t you always wanted to participate? This is a good opportunity, I don’t want to hold you back.”
Han Zuo nodded with a smile, but after leaving the room, he hid in a corner and cried hard. Then, wiping away his tears, he rushed home, packed his bags, and booked a flight back to Liao City.
“Auntie is so thoughtful! She probably knew that if you didn’t come back, we’d all fall apart!” Caihong said.
“If you needed me so badly, why didn’t you call?” Han Zuo asked.
“We wanted to…” Caihong glanced at Teng Yi, whispering, “But Boss wouldn’t let us.”
“He didn’t want to disturb you and your mother, so he didn’t let us tell you about this,” Xiao Qing explained.
“Mm.” Han Zuo understood – Teng Yi was more considerate and thoughtful than anyone.
“Well, it’s good you’re back.” Teng Yi patted Han Zuo’s shoulder. “We’re counting on you for the competition.”
“Don’t be so formal. But let me say this first – it’s my first time competing, and at such a world-class level. If I get nervous and drag you down, don’t beat me up!” Han Zuo laughed.
“How could we not beat you?” Xiao Qing grabbed Han Zuo, pressing down on his shoulder, half-joking, half-threatening. “If you dare chicken out, I’ll knock your teeth out, believe it or not!”
“Yeah, what’s there to be afraid of? We’ve got your back, just dance with confidence!” Caihong said.
Lin Shan nodded.
Teng Yi extended his hand, and the other four instinctively covered it with theirs.
Win together, lose together.
“Xiyou, let’s go!”
–_–
Han Zuo’s return gave Xiyou new hope and proved that in this world, while some are fickle, others remain loyal.
After crying in the dormitory for several days, Jian Xiangxiang finally began to brighten. Though her mood improved, the impact of the breakup had changed her. She no longer gossiped about everything, becoming more introverted and quiet. In her free time, instead of watching romantic dramas, she joined Ruan Yu in studying vocabulary and reading.
She told Ruan Yu: “Ruan Ruan, although Zhou Xihe is a jerk, thinking about it, he had a point. Love won’t put food on the table. I was too love-brained, always living in a sweet girlish dream, treating my boyfriend like he was my whole world while neglecting myself. I stayed stagnant, not trying to improve, while he was reaching for higher, broader skies. Being left behind was inevitable. Love should be between equals, like you and Teng Yi.”
In Jian Xiangxiang’s eyes, although Ruan Yu’s family background was far beneath Teng Yi’s, her spiritual world had always been his equal. She never lost herself in love. While Teng Yi progressed, Ruan Yu also improved. She never had to worry about being left behind because even without love, she had herself.
Ruan Yu was right – as women, they should never prioritize love above all else. Their abilities should always be their most important trump card. Jian Xiangxiang only understood this now, but it wasn’t too late.
Looking at it this way, meeting a scumbag was fortunate – she stumbled on the path of love but found clarity on the road of life.
The World Cup national qualifier preliminaries arrived quickly. That day, Ruan Yu accompanied Teng Yi and the others to the venue. The atmosphere was incredibly lively, filled with fashionably dressed young people in hip-hop style. Dreadlocks, rainbow-colored hair, tattoos, heavy gold and silver chains, ripped jeans, oversized clothes… Everyone had something unique about them, but these “misfits” in “strange clothes” by ordinary standards had gathered for one belief – to represent China on the world stage, to win, to battle!
“Hey! Bro!”
“Hey! Yi!”
Wherever Teng Yi walked, people came to greet him. Following him, Ruan Yu felt like she was accompanying a king on his rounds. After greeting Teng Yi, people would give her an extra glance, then smile friendly. According to Xiao Qing, Ruan Yu was now famous in the street dance circle. Everyone was curious about her, believing that someone who could make Teng Yi willingly bow must be an extraordinary woman.
Ruan Yu didn’t think herself extraordinary. Being watched so much made her embarrassed, and she tried to hide behind Teng Yi. Noticing her thoughts, Teng Yi pulled her in front of him.
“Little Fish, you’re going to be a host in the future. How can you be so shy?”
“This is different.”
“How is it different?”
“Right now, in their eyes, I’m not Ruan Yu, but Teng Yi’s girlfriend…”
“What’s the difference?”
The difference was huge. If she was just Ruan Yu, she only needed to be herself. But as Teng Yi’s girlfriend, she felt she needed to be better, so people wouldn’t think Teng Yi had chosen such an ordinary girlfriend.
Teng Yi saw through her thoughts. He smiled and kissed her forehead: “You’re overthinking it, Little Fish. You don’t need to care about others’ thoughts and gazes, because you’re Teng Yi’s girlfriend.”
Being Teng Yi’s girlfriend meant she only needed to care about him. Just as he only cared about her.
–_–
The preliminary venue was buzzing with energy. Several teams with later numbers had already started practicing outside, drawing crowds that formed a circle like a mini competition venue. Xiyou drew number sixty-six, a mid-to-late position.
“Double six for good fortune, it’s a sign! We’ve got this!” Caihong said.
“I agree it’s good. Last night I dreamed about setting off firecrackers with my nephew. I looked it up this morning – the internet says dreaming of firecrackers means good things will happen,” Xiao Qing joined in the superstition.
Everyone laughed. These sayings had no scientific basis and couldn’t be taken seriously, but joking about them before the competition was a form of self-suggestion that could steady their nerves.
As they chatted, familiar faces appeared at the venue entrance. It was Bi Chengjie.
Bi Chengjie had come to compete with other trainees from his company. Although the Street Dance World Cup wasn’t particularly popular outside the street dance circle, it carried the banner of “bringing glory to the country.” Red Eagle thought having their artists and trainees participate in such events would help build their public image. So Bi Chengjie and his junior colleagues appeared here.
These people wore borrowed designer clothes from the current season that couldn’t be wrinkled or dirtied. Their hair was meticulously styled – they’d cover their bangs at the slightest breeze. Their idol baggage was too heavy, and completely out of place with the free and passionate atmosphere of the venue.
“Hmph, does this guy have skin as thick as national defense?” Xiao Qing sneered.
After the Red Eagle Street Dance Competition, Bi Chengjie’s reputation in the street dance circle was ruined. Who would’ve thought he’d still have the nerve to participate in street dance competitions?
People around recognized Bi Chengjie but no one greeted him; everyone kept their distance. Bi Chengjie didn’t care about their attitudes – he was now practically a minor celebrity and felt above associating with these nobodies.
“Well, well, who do we have here? If it isn’t Bi Chengjie.” A clear male voice suddenly sounded from behind.
Everyone turned along with Bi Chengjie.
Five young men emerged from the venue, led by one wearing a camouflage jacket and a backward baseball cap, his narrow eyes full of casualness and defiance.
Bi Chengjie seemed to know this young man – his previously arrogant expression instantly vanished at the sight of him.
The young man walked toward Bi Chengjie, who quickly extended his hand in greeting, but the man didn’t take it.
“You’re competing too?” the young man asked.
Bi Chengjie nodded repeatedly: “Yes.”
“Did the company arrange your backdoor entry? Have they decided if you’ll get first or second place this time?”
His teammates laughed at this remark.
Bi Chengjie looked embarrassed but didn’t dare get angry, just standing there silently.
The young man’s lip curled as if losing interest in continuing the conversation with Bi Chengjie. He walked past him directly toward Teng Yi.
All eyes followed him, but he didn’t mind, as if born for attention and long accustomed to it.
“Hey! Teng Yi!” The young man stood before Teng Yi, boldly appraising him. “Long time no see. You changed your hairstyle.”
“Yeah,” Teng Yi smiled. “Meeting the parents during Spring Festival, had to look proper.”
“Parents? Oh right, I heard you got yourself a scholar girlfriend.” The young man looked at Ruan Yu beside Teng Yi, extending his hand to her: “Miss Scholar, pleased to meet you. I’m Luo Sheng.”
Luo Sheng, son of Asian Dance King Luo Han, a new-generation street dance legend.
Both he and his father were famous in the street dance circle.
Everyone present knew Luo Sheng’s identity, but Ruan Yu didn’t. She glanced at Teng Yi, and only after seeing his slight nod did she take Luo Sheng’s hand.
“Hello, I’m Ruan Yu.”
Luo Sheng smiled and quickly released her hand, then extended it to Teng Yi.
“Rare to meet like this, we must have a battle. Better not get eliminated in the preliminaries – see you in the finals.”
“Deal! See you in the finals!”
Teng Yi gripped Luo Sheng’s hand firmly.
Their competitive spirit was obvious, but the look they exchanged remained friendly – mutual respect between kindred spirits.
After greeting Teng Yi, Luo Sheng’s group quickly left.
“Is he famous?” Ruan Yu asked softly, watching Luo Sheng’s surrounding figure retreat.
“Yes. He’s Luo Han’s son,” Teng Yi said.
“Luo Han?”
“The Dance King of Asia, my idol.”
“Have you met him?”
Teng Yi shook his head.
Someone like Luo Han wasn’t someone ordinary people could easily meet.
“Holy shit, this competition’s level is insane! Even Luo Sheng is here, and those guys behind him must all be legends from Luo Han’s label. What kind of godly team is this? They’re all masters!” Caihong scratched his head, both nervous and excited.
“It’s more exciting with masters,” Teng Yi said.
“Yeah, better than having people like Bi Chengjie around. They just lower the competition’s standards.”
“True.”
“Let’s prepare, it’s almost our turn.”
Teng Yi extended his hand, and the other four covered it with theirs.
Ruan Yu watched them quietly until they all turned to look at her.
“Not going to give us some encouragement, Miss Valedictorian?” Teng Yi winked at her.
Ruan Yu realized and quickly placed her hand on top.
Everyone laughed as their hands rose and fell.
“Xiyou! Fight on!”
–_–
The national qualifiers were filled with masters.
Xiyou’s preliminary score wasn’t particularly high, barely squeezing into the top ten. In such fierce competition, Bi Chengjie’s team didn’t even qualify as cannon fodder and was eliminated early. Luo Sheng’s “L” Team dominated from above, becoming the strongest dark horse of the national qualifiers.
After preliminaries came the selection from ten to four.
Before the battle, Teng Yi and his team spent every day in the practice room, discussing strategy. Three out of five members would perform solo – like the horse racing strategy of Tian Ji, choosing who would perform which style was crucial. One wrong step could mean defeat.
Xiao Qing and Han Zuo believed that with the top ten being evenly matched, scores would be very close. A tie was almost inevitable, meaning the team captains would need to battle, so Teng Yi should conserve energy and not perform first.
This analysis made sense, but without Teng Yi, they’d lose their advantage in breaking.
Among the five, only Teng Yi excelled at breaking, which was also the most technically demanding style and most likely to create a significant score gap.
“I’ll go,” Teng Yi decided.
“But what if…”
“Whatever happens, I can handle it.”
Teng Yi’s confidence reassured his teammates.
Finally, Teng Yi, Lin Shan, and Han Zuo were chosen for the individual solos.
The three didn’t disappoint – Teng Yi scored high in breaking, while Lin Shan and Han Zuo performed steadily in Hip-hop. But among so many masters, their total score only reached the middle range.
As expected, there was a tie, but nobody anticipated that six teams would have equal scores.
Luo Sheng’s “L” Team maintained their lead and advanced first, followed by Black City’s Universe Team and Phoenix City’s Wingman Team in second and third. Pine City’s Apple Team ranked last and was eliminated, leaving six teams including Xiyou tied, competing for the final advancement spot.
The captain battle would use a king-of-the-hill format. Team captains drew lots to determine the order, with number one as the first defender. Challengers would battle in order – if a challenger won, they’d become the new defender, continuing until all captains had competed. The final defender would win.
This meant that drawing a later number was more advantageous.
“Number six, number six, number six… please be six,” Caihong prayed with clasped hands and closed eyes. “If not six, four or five would work too, just not the first three.”
The others were silent but praying the same.
But prayers were useless – when Teng Yi revealed his number, Caihong and the others nearly fainted in despair.
Number one!
They’d drawn the first position!
“Heavens, what did Boss touch last night that was so unlucky?” Caihong wailed.
“…”
Everyone lost their composure, but Teng Yi on stage showed little emotion, just shrugging and waving his number with a self-deprecating smile.
The king-of-the-hill battles would proceed without breaks, giving the captains no time to rest or adjust.
“This is bad, Boss already performed once. Who knows if his stamina will hold up?” Caihong worried.
“If you want to know about Boss’s stamina, ask Sister-in-law,” Xiao Qing suddenly looked at Ruan Yu.
Ruan Yu was too nervous to hear Xiao Qing clearly and nodded instinctively.
“He’s good! He can do it!”
Everyone burst out laughing.
Ruan Yu realized what she’d said and instantly blushed.
The tense atmosphere cracked, letting in a breath of lightness.
Yes, he would succeed.
Everyone believed this with absolute certainty.