Ruan Yu finally yielded to Wang Jing’s persistent persuasion and agreed to help him. They arranged to visit Teng Yi again on Friday evening.
Friday evening, Ruan Yu arrived at Wuming Bar on time, but Wang Jing called to say he was detained by the station director for tea and told her to go ahead. Ruan Yu was exasperated—before she stood a godlike opponent and a pig of a teammate.
With no choice, she steeled herself and entered the bar alone.
The bar was busier than her last visit, with the hall almost packed to capacity, and notably, all the customers were women.
Ruan Yu glanced toward the bar counter but didn’t see Teng Yi. She found an inconspicuous empty seat and ordered herself a cocktail.
When the server brought her drink, Ruan Yu asked, “Where’s your boss?”
“Our boss?” The young man eyed her cautiously. “Our boss hasn’t been here for several days.”
“Why?”
“Because too many women came looking for him. Just look around this place… Hey, haven’t I seen you somewhere before? Aren’t you… aren’t you that host Ruan Yu?”
Ruan Yu quickly made a “shush” gesture to the server, who immediately nodded and mimicked her gesture in return.
“Sister Ruan, I never expected to see you here. My girlfriend loves you—could you give me an autograph?” The young server lowered his voice. “In exchange, I can secretly tell you about our boss’s whereabouts.”
This was an excellent deal.
Ruan Yu signed with a flourish.
The young man clutched the autograph, unable to contain his joy.
“When will your boss come?” Ruan Yu seized the opportunity to ask.
“After nine. After nine, most of these fangirls will be gone. That’s when he comes.”
Ruan Yu waited silently until nine o’clock, and sure enough, during this time, waves of women left the hall. No one truly had the patience to wait long for someone who might not show up, but she could. If six years of uncertainty had passed like mist, what were these few certain hours?
At 9:15, Teng Yi appeared at the bar.
He wore a black trench coat, concealed in the dim lighting, and went straight upstairs. About three minutes later, he came down without his coat and, as usual, went to the wine cabinet first to select a bottle.
“Look, it’s Teng Yi!” A few college-aged girls at the next table whispered excitedly. “Heaven rewards those who persevere—he’s here!”
Ruan Yu watched Teng Yi quietly while the girls at the next table encouraged each other but didn’t dare approach him. As they debated “You go” or “I’ll go,” Ruan Yu picked up her bag and decisively walked toward Teng Yi.
As she approached him, the hall’s music happened to change to Beyond’s “Glorious Years.”
Teng Yi faced the wine cabinet, sensing high heels approaching from behind. Without turning, he spoke coldly.
“No autographs, no photos, no shows.”
Ruan Yu: “…”
After “Ta Says” became popular, people seeking his autograph, photos, and show appearances must have overwhelmed him, hence this ready-made rejection.
“How about catching up?” Ruan Yu asked.
Hearing Ruan Yu’s voice, Teng Yi whirled around.
“It’s you?”
“What? Disappointed I’m not a female fan asking for autographs and photos?”
He silently returned the bottle in his hand to the cabinet and closed it.
“What is it?”
“I need to talk to you. Can we find a quiet place to chat?”
He thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Follow me.”
–_–
Teng Yi led Ruan Yu to the second floor.
The second floor was enormous but entirely private space for the owner. Upon entering, a long corridor stretched to the end, with a layout very similar to the second floor of Xiyu from years ago. However, except for the reception room, all doors were tightly closed, and Ruan Yu didn’t know what lay behind them.
She followed Teng Yi into the reception room.
On the coffee table, an ashtray sat next to several potted plants, filled with cigarette butts.
Teng Yi noticed Ruan Yu’s gaze falling on the cigarette butts, and he immediately reached out and threw the entire ashtray into the trash.
“Sit,” he said.
Ruan Yu sat on the sofa.
“Want something to drink?”
Teng Yi walked over and opened the refrigerator door. Inside was nothing but beer upon beer. He stood before the refrigerator for a while, not reaching for anything.
“No need,” Ruan Yu quickly gave him an out.
He didn’t stand on ceremony with her, closing the refrigerator door without taking anything out.
They sat for a while before Ruan Yu told him her purpose, but Teng Yi showed no consideration and refused outright.
“I’ve already told Wang Jing, I won’t participate in any shows.”
“Why? First Central TV is a legitimate station, and the show Wang Jing wants to invite you to isn’t some sketchy production. Didn’t you always want to promote street dance culture? A show like this would only benefit street dance culture, with no downside.”
“As you said, that was before.”
“What’s different now? Don’t you dance anymore?” She suddenly became agitated.
Teng Yi gazed at Ruan Yu indifferently, his lips twitching, but he remained silent.
The silence melted into the air, making everything around them feel deathly still.
“Teng Yi, please reconsider. I know what’s holding you back, but people can’t live in the past forever. This is a good opportunity…”
“No need to consider. You can leave now,” he interrupted her, directly dismissing her.
Ruan Yu felt as if she’d been struck on the head, her mind buzzing, and in the moment the world fell silent, only disappointment remained, surrounding and enveloping her.
“Then tell me, say you don’t dance anymore. Say it yourself, and I’ll leave.” Her hand gripped her purse strap tightly, her gaze fixed directly on him.
“…”
“You don’t dare say it, you don’t dare say it!”
“I don’t dance anymore.” Teng Yi lowered his head, and as he said these words, his mouth twisted slightly, as if mocking her, or perhaps mocking himself.
All emotions finally concealed themselves in that curved line.
Ruan Yu suddenly felt utterly exhausted.
She had originally bet that he wouldn’t say it, wouldn’t dare say it, couldn’t bear to say it.
But he said it, said it more easily and decisively than she had imagined.
Ruan Yu picked up her bag and left.
As she was going downstairs, her phone rang.
It was Wang Jing.
Ruan Yu declined the call without answering because she saw that Wang Jing had already arrived at some point and was sitting in the hall.
“Wang Jing!” She walked toward him.
“Hey! Ruan Ruan! How did it go?” Wang Jing hurriedly stood up to pull out the chair opposite him for Ruan Yu. “How was the discussion? Did you reach an agreement?”
Ruan Yu shook her head.
“Huh? What do you mean? Won’t even Teng Yi listen to you? How can he be so heartless? Come, come, sit down first, let’s talk.”
“Sit what? He’s already told us to leave, why should we shamelessly stay here? Let’s go!”
“No, wait!” Wang Jing quickly grabbed Ruan Yu. “I just ordered a lot of drinks!”
“You ordered drinks?”
Wang Jing nodded sheepishly.
He had thought that with Ruan Yu taking the lead, success would be certain, so he had ordered all the good drinks in the bar, planning to celebrate and get closer to Teng Yi, making future cooperation less awkward.
Who knew his best-laid plans would go awry?
–_–
The server brought the drinks, filling the entire table.
“Never mind, the drinks can’t be returned anyway. We can’t lose both the battle and the spoils—sit down and drink!” Wang Jing pressed Ruan Yu into the chair.
After sitting down, Ruan Yu angrily glanced up at the second floor again, only to see Teng Yi coming down from the stairway, also looking at her.
What are you looking at?
She was now a customer who had paid for drinks—let’s see him try to chase her away again!
Teng Yi naturally wouldn’t chase her away. He withdrew his gaze, acting as if she didn’t exist, and walked straight to the bar counter.
Wang Jing clicked his tongue at the sight.
“Wow, how did Teng Yi become like this? I remember he used to be such a warm person, greeting everyone with a smile, like a little sun. These six years have changed him too much! Did he take some heartless pill?”
Ruan Yu didn’t want to listen to Wang Jing’s endless chatter. She poured herself a drink and downed it in one go.
Perhaps because her emotions were too low, she got drunk faster than usual. While Wang Jing was still full of energy, she was already bleary-eyed and swaying.
“Ruan Ruan, are you okay?” Wang Jing became a bit worried.
“I’m fine.”
“Your eyes are red.”
“They’re not.”
“Don’t deny it, are you very upset?”
“…”
“Ruan Ruan, I’m sorry, it was all my bad idea. I’ll never ask you to find him again. Let him be however he wants to be, but please don’t be sad. You’re so wonderful, that your admirers could form a line around TG, why do you need to keep thinking about him? In my opinion, that Luo…”
“Stop, shut up!” Ruan Yu stood up, holding onto the table edge. “Just drink, I’m going to the bathroom.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Get lost, you wish!”
Ruan Yu turned unsteadily, her clothes catching on a bottle, which fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
Teng Yi at the bar counter heard the sound and finally raised his eyes to look at her again.
She ignored everything—the fallen bottle, Teng Yi’s gaze—and focused only on supporting herself against the wall as she walked toward the bathroom.
Her stomach churned, and she thought she would vomit, but in the end, nothing came up.
Ruan Yu washed her face and came out of the bathroom to find Teng Yi standing in the corridor waiting for her, arms crossed.
The black shirt collar accentuated his jawline, making him look particularly severe.
“What are you looking at?” She glared at him irritably.
“Do all public figures now pay as little attention to their image as you do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Getting this drunk, aren’t you afraid of being photographed by reporters?”
“Mind your own business!” Ruan Yu strode toward him with unsteady steps, backing him into a corner. “Why should you care about me? What right do you have? What right!”
Teng Yi pressed his lips together tightly, a rare spark of anger appearing in his cold eyes.
Just as he was about to erupt, Ruan Yu suddenly stumbled, like grass bent by a fierce wind, her head heavy and feet light as she tilted to one side.
Teng Yi quickly reached out to support her.
She took the opportunity to punch his chest, again and again.
“How can you not dance? How can you say you won’t dance anymore…” Her questioning gradually turned into sobs, hitting Teng Yi’s heart harder than her fists. “Teng Yi… you can stop loving me! But you can’t give up street dance! You can’t!”