Shan An Xin could hear Ruan Yu’s mockery. Just as she was about to lash out, Ruan Yu walked past her, heading straight toward Teng Yi.
Teng Yi had just extricated himself from the crowd and was walking toward her.
“Why did you come?”
“To visit the set.”
Ruan Yu glanced at the fully packed trunk: “Why did you bring so many things? Those who know might understand you’re visiting the set, but others might think you’re here for disaster relief.”
“It is disaster relief.”
“Hm?”
He pressed his chest: “The flood of missing you here has become a disaster.”
Ruan Yu blushed.
Though such romantic lines were cheesy, why did they sound so heart-stirring when he said them?
“Mr. Teng is so thoughtful,” the director came over, “We rushed into the mountains too quickly and didn’t expect there would be so many insects here. We hadn’t prepared anything.”
“It’s Ruan Yu who’s thoughtful. She was worried about everyone being tormented by mosquitoes at night and specially asked me to prepare these things. I’m just the delivery man,” Teng Yi said while looking at Ruan Yu with a smile.
“Host Ruan has always been considerate.”
“Yes, yes, Host Ruan is the kindest and most pleasant celebrity we’ve ever worked with.”
Ruan Yu felt embarrassed by all the praise. She glanced at Teng Yi, who smiled without speaking, appearing like one who “completes the deed and leaves quietly, hiding both identity and fame.” She knew he had done all this because of what she had mentioned casually last night. He was helping her alleviate her guilt toward her colleagues.
He had always been the thoughtful one.
Teng Yi’s arrival lightened the previously heavy atmosphere of the program team. Even the usually arrogant and difficult-to-please Shan An Xin became more restrained with a handsome man watching.
The final episode was successfully recorded.
In the evening, Teng Yi treated everyone to dinner in Ruan Yu’s name. This meal was essentially a farewell dinner. Ruan Yu had planned something similar, so when Teng Yi suggested it, she went along with his arrangement.
Everyone was happy, except for Shan An Xin who excused herself from claiming illness. Her absence suited everyone just fine.
Teng Yi booked a restaurant near their guesthouse. This restaurant was reportedly the best farm-style establishment in the area, not only offering organic ingredients but also employing an invited star chef. According to the guesthouse owner, many tourists came from far and wide not for the scenery, but for the chef’s culinary skills.
When everyone arrived at the restaurant, they thought the owner must have been exaggerating.
Besides a few servers, the restaurant was empty.
“Hearing the rumors, we thought it would be packed, but it’s so quiet,” the director joked.
“It’s not quiet, that gentleman has booked the entire place,” the receptionist pointed at Teng Yi with a brilliant smile.
Everyone immediately expressed their appreciation for Mr. Teng’s generosity.
Teng Yi shook his head, smiling as he invited everyone to be seated.
He hadn’t originally planned to book the entire place, but the owner said there were no private rooms. Considering the large number of program team staff, he thought sitting scattered without private rooms would lose the atmosphere of their final gathering. Moreover, if colleagues wanted to say something emotional to Ruan Yu, it wouldn’t feel right with a noisy crowd around, so he decided to book the whole place.
Everyone sat around the tables, filling the entire hall with their group.
Since they had prepared in advance, the dishes came quickly. Soon the table was full, with barely any space left.
Everyone again expressed their appreciation for Mr. Teng’s generosity.
“It’s only right, consider it thanks for everyone’s care of Ruan Yu over these years.”
“Not at all, Sister Ruan has always been the one taking care of us,” said a younger staff member.
“Yes, we’ve learned so much following Sister Ruan.”
Ruan Yu quickly waved her hands: “Don’t praise me, I can’t handle praise, I might get conceited.”
“We’re just telling the truth, without any exaggeration. Take me for example, when I first joined the station, I talked too much and often annoyed people. It was Sister Ruan who told me that in life, we spend a year learning to talk, but a lifetime learning to stay quiet… I feel that although Sister Ruan isn’t much older than us, she lives with such wisdom. Oh, right, Sister Ruan even taught us to dance!”
Ruan Yu, who was drinking water, choked.
Why suddenly bring this up?
Seems like they hadn’t learned either “talking” or “staying quiet” well.
“Speaking of dancing…” the director patted Teng Yi’s shoulder, “I don’t know if Mr. Teng has seen Xiao Ruan dance, oh my, I was certainly amazed. This usually quiet and gentle girl, when she starts street dancing, it’s something else. How do you young people say it nowadays…”
“Sweet yet spicy.”
“Awesome!”
Others helped fill in the phrases.
Teng Yi looked at Ruan Yu, pretending ignorance: “She can dance?”
Ruan Yu glanced at him sideways, thinking this man was good at acting – how could he not know if she could dance? Hadn’t he taught her himself?
The director, thinking Teng Yi didn’t know, immediately nodded: “Yes, yes, yes. At last year’s station’s annual party, Xiao Ruan led several newcomers in a dance. They performed exceptionally well and even won a prize with prize money. Since Mr. Teng hasn’t seen it, why not have Xiao Ruan dance for us now?”
Teng Yi smiled without speaking.
“No, no, it would be embarrassing to dance in someone’s restaurant,” Ruan Yu tried to refuse.
“It’s fine, there’s no one else here,” the director said.
“But there’s no music…”
“Sister Ruan, we have phones! Whatever music you want, we can play it for you.”
“…” They were forcing her hand!
“Sister Ruan, dance one more time. Who knows if we’ll have another chance to see it.”
The atmosphere suddenly turned melancholic.
Ruan Yu glanced at Teng Yi again.
He watched her silently, saying nothing.
Ruan Yu thought, fine! Might as well go for it! If she was going to show off in front of the master, so be it! After all, she learned from him, so if she embarrassed herself, he couldn’t escape responsibility!
“Alright!”
“Wow! Everyone, applaud, applaud!”
The hall erupted in enthusiastic applause.
Ruan Yu stood up and took off her jacket.
“Sister Ruan? What music would you like? Still ‘Shape of You’ like at the annual party?”
Ruan Yu nodded.
Back then, Teng Yi had only taught her this one song, and to this day, it was still the only one she knew.
Several young staff members quickly moved the tables and chairs in the hall, creating a “stage” for Ruan Yu.
Teng Yi sat quietly in his place, watching her walk to the center of the crowd, removing the hair tie from her wrist and swiftly pulling her shoulder-length hair into a high ponytail.
The hall’s lighting softened her white T-shirt and face, and even her glance toward him carried a hint of shyness. But when the music started, her usually closed aura suddenly opened completely.
The little fish swimming about suddenly became a whale leaping from the ocean.
Indeed, words like “amazing” or “cool” couldn’t do it justice.
Everyone knew she shone when hosting programs, but who could have imagined she would shine in such a different way when dancing?
Teng Yi took a sip of tea, but couldn’t control his racing heart.
The sliding steps jumps, spins, waist twists, chest pops, and hip movements… she executed each move naturally and gracefully, with flair and freedom. In her dance, there were traces of his style from years ago but mixed with her style. She had spent considerable time practicing and perfecting it over the years.
The student had surpassed the master’s.
When Ruan Yu finished her dance, the hall erupted in applause.
Amidst the applause, she tugged at the hem of her T-shirt and made an elegant curtsey, drawing laughter from everyone.
“Xiao Ruan, it’s still amazing to watch again, brilliant, brilliant.”
“Sister Ruan, that was awesome!”
Everyone couldn’t stop praising her.
Ruan Yu sat back down beside Teng Yi, smiling as she put on her jacket.
“It’s all thanks to having a good teacher.”
–_–
The dinner ended quickly. Though there was laughter and joy throughout, there was still some sadness at the end. But no gathering lasts forever – people come and go, and meetings and partings have their time, that’s just the way of life.
After returning to their lodging, Ruan Yu accompanied Teng Yi to get his suitcase from the car, and they went to the room together.
Ruan Yu had already slept in the room for one night. It was filled with her belongings, and the air was permeated with her powder and perfume scent. Teng Yi felt it wasn’t like staying at a guesthouse, but rather entering her boudoir.
They took turns showering.
After showering, Teng Yi took out some anti-itch moisturizing cream from his suitcase and beckoned to Ruan Yu.
“Come here.”
“What is it?”
“Didn’t you say it was itchy yesterday? I saw you scratching earlier too. Come here, let me apply some cream.”
Ruan Yu obediently sat beside him, lifting her nightgown halfway.
On her calves, several large mosquito bites from yesterday had already subsided but were still red and itchy.
Teng Yi squeezed some cream onto Ruan Yu’s reddened, itchy skin, patiently massaging it in.
Ruan Yu felt a cooling sensation on her calves. Watching Teng Yi’s gentle manner, she couldn’t help but smile.
“How was my dance tonight?” she probed.
“Mm.” He kept his head down, focused on applying the cream, making his “mm” sound rather casual.
“Just ‘mm’? I think I performed well, even better than at the annual party.”
Teng Yi remained silent.
Ruan Yu pouted, carefully pushing his arm.
“Teng Yi, do you not like my dancing?”
His hand stopped applying the cream.
Ruan Yu felt inexplicably guilty. When everyone urged her to dance tonight, she could have refused if she wanted to. But she danced because she had a hidden motive – she hoped her dance would remind Teng Yi of their dance practice days back then, make him remember those beautiful times, and hopefully even inspire him to take up street dancing again.
Perhaps she had been too hasty.
“I…”
Just as Ruan Yu opened her mouth, Teng Yi gripped her calf and pulled her in front of him.
The sudden movement pushed her nightgown higher, her fair, slender legs almost locked around his waist.
Ruan Yu blushed and tried to pull down her nightgown, but Teng Yi held her hands.
He leaned down and kissed her rosy lips.
“Little Fish, I love everything you do.”
His words seemed to follow from before, yet remained somewhat ambiguous.
Ruan Yu wanted to ask more, but he pressed her down onto the bed and began kissing her deeply and intensely. His kisses left her breathless, her mind blank, gradually forgetting her original intention as she gave herself to their passion.
This was their first time since their separation. Perhaps because too many years and too much anticipation had built up between them, they were still as shy and impetuous as their first night. As they struggled with their clothes, Teng Yi’s hand got caught in her nightgown. They were forced to pause, looking at each other, one above, one below, and suddenly burst out laughing together.
As they laughed, they embraced again urgently yet tenderly, their kisses passionate and intimate.
When they became one, when their passion peaked, they were both moved and grateful that their bodies still remembered each other.
Outside the window, the mountain forest was quiet.
Inside the window, the spring night seemed endless.
Another night passed.