Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Are you and Aiden...

As soon as she stepped into the neighborhood, Xin Tong felt a strong sense of isolation.

A feeling of isolation that was completely different from her previous circle of life.

Having lived in Wucheng for more than ten years, she rarely comes to this district.

Too busy, too many young people, cheap things, and inconvenient to travel around.

It was a place her parents would never bring her to.

When I was little, I hated being picked up by the driver. I wanted to ride the bus with my new friends, go to the two-yuan store, eat stinky tofu on the street, and run around the streets freely. But no matter how much I begged Xin Wenqing, I couldn't get such an opportunity.

I went back dejectedly and told my friend, only to see his eyes wide open in surprise.

"It turns out that I can't have a driver to pick me up, and you can't take the bus to eat stinky tofu."

The child thought for a while and said thoughtfully:

“People are completely different, yet they seem exactly the same.”

The child's words were naive but profound, and Xin Tong has remembered this sentence for all these years.

Off-white walls, black glass storefronts, and large red graffiti on the street, featuring giant English letters and human head artwork. The aged metal staircase, with its copper-black sheen, creaked softly the moment you stepped on it.

There were footsteps coming from above, someone was coming down.

Xin Tong looked up.

There are two people standing on the stairs. The girl on the left has hair like a dragon fruit, and the girl on the right has hair like a pear.

The two men were dressed in red and green, one wearing a fisherman's hat and the other with boxer braids. Their T-shirts were so loose that they let air in on both sides, and their ripped jeans had layered folds.

Xin Tong stopped and moved aside.

The three of them passed each other.

She walked up a few more steps and couldn't help looking back. She saw the dragon fruit and the pear gradually disappearing outside the gate.

Hmm. Apparently, the grim-faced King of Hell who bleached his hair like a lemon is actually quite low-key.

Go up to the second floor and open the glass door.

The hot and stuffy air hits me in the face, and the air conditioning can't cover up the heavy smell of sweat around me.

The loud sound of the speakers mixed with the clear drum beats, and even the floor beneath my feet seemed to vibrate. Transparent glass walls separated the square dance rooms of various sizes. Under the beautiful overhead lighting, a middle-aged woman sat at the front desk, playing on her phone. Without even looking up, she lazily drawled out:

"BEGIN Dance Studio, do you have a reservation?"

…

Xin Tong stepped forward and said politely:

"Hello, I'm looking for Aiden."

"Um."

The woman hadn't finished her game yet. She nodded with a familiar air, speaking rapidly, as if she'd repeated it many times before with great familiarity.

"Baby, he doesn't teach."

"There's a class schedule and fees on the table. Take a look at what style you'd like to learn and which teacher you'd like to see. The first trial class is 20% off, monthly memberships save 200, and annual memberships save 1,000. The more you top up, the more you get. If you haven't booked yet, there are still two teachers with classes available today. Take a look and see if your time is right for you."

"No. I don't attend classes."

Xin Tong repeated it again.

"I have something to talk to Aiden about."

"Uh-huh."

The game was not over yet, and the woman still did not look up, and began to speak the second set of words as if it was usual.

"Please take a seat. It's hot, and there are drinks in the cooler. Do you have any basic knowledge? Do you want to learn jazz or hip hop?"

"...No, no. I'm really not attending class. I'm here to see Aiden."

A huge red "Failure" font appeared on the screen, and the game finally died. The woman sighed, threw away the phone in her hand, and finally raised her head.

The moment she saw Xin Tong, her eyes widened slightly.

"you……"

She scanned Xin Tong from head to toe, from the black bow hair accessory on her head, to the tight fishtail skirt on her body, and finally to the six-centimeter diamond-encrusted stilettos on her feet - every single one of them was completely out of place with the other people here.

"Baby, it's so inconvenient to dance in this outfit." She yelled, "I've never seen anyone dancing in this outfit before. Go back and change, and then come back to class..."

--"boss!"

Xin Tong became anxious and grabbed the woman's arm.

"I'm Aiden's friend!"

I thought that if I shouted this out, the other party would understand.

Unexpectedly, the woman still had an expression of being accustomed to it.

"Yeah. That's what everyone says."

"?"

"Even if you say she is his wife, I have seen this reason before." The woman laughed secretly.

“…”

Xin Tong took a deep breath and said a person's name.

"Yu Chengjin gave me the address here."

As soon as the name "Yu Chengjin" was spoken, the woman was finally stunned.

She looked Xin Tong up and down again, her eyes showing great shock, and she muttered to herself with a Northeastern accent that was almost frightened out.

"Emma."

"What a friend."

"Female."

She shook her head in a daze.

"Oh my god."

…

"Come on, drink some water!"

Cheng Qi sat down opposite Xin Tong with an apologetic look on his face.

Xin Tong shook her head and said it was okay, secretly amused. It seemed that the constant influx of young fans who came to ask questions was the reason why Cheng Qi was so proficient in his work.

"He's practicing dancing in there. He's going to participate in a competition soon, so he usually practices from day to night and won't come out in between. If you're in a hurry, just call him and ask him to come out. We don't dare to call him anyway."

Xin Tong was just here to ask for help, so she didn't dare to disturb Jiang Chongyan's dance practice. "It's okay, I'll wait for him outside."

Cheng Qi is the boss of BEGIN.

A native of Northeast China, with a straightforward personality and a loud voice, he moved south to Wucheng ten years ago to pursue dance and founded BEGIN. Ten years later, BEGIN has become one of Wucheng's most renowned street dance studios, boasting numerous renowned instructors and a team that has won numerous national street dance championships.

She looked to be in her thirties, with a few fine lines around her eyes. But thanks to years of dancing, she had an upright and lithe figure. With a low ponytail, a baseball cap, and large gold earrings dangling, she looked remarkably youthful and lively.

Dancers have different physical and mental qualities. They enjoy music, teamwork, rhythm, and raw passion. They have a strong core, ample strength, and a clear and upright posture.

...Xin Tong thought of that young master for no reason.

He was tall, but his body was covered in lean, thin muscles.

When lying down, he curled up in a lazy ball like a boneless person. When standing up, he became a big man, with his hands in his pockets and a hat on, standing tall and straight.

Walk step by step, steadily and lightly.

When running, his eyebrows and eyes were sharp, and his light golden hair swayed in the wind, showing a sharp and vigorous youthful spirit.

Xin Tong has never seen him dance.

However, he should look very good when he dances.

It should be like leaping fire.

——"Beauty, I'm sorry, I thought you were a fan."

Xin Tong came back to her senses after hearing Cheng Qi's words, and she realized that Cheng Qi had been staring at her.

He would show an expression of amazement from time to time.

"The main thing is, I've known Aiden for six or seven years, and I've never seen him interact with a woman."

She leaned closer and whispered,

"We all used to think he was gay."

"During the dance team's team-building activity, I even wanted to take him to a gay bar, but he scolded me." She looked unhappy.

"It was later discovered that not only did he have no contact with women, he also had little contact with men."

"He's simply too lazy to get to know others and has always been unwilling to pay attention to others."

Cheng Qi came over and smiled maliciously.

"So, what's your relationship with Aiden?"

"...Uh." Xin Tong bit her lip and hesitated for a few seconds.

Just a few seconds of hesitation made Cheng Qi realize that something was wrong.

The more conflicted Xin Tong's expression became when she hesitated, the more excited Cheng Qi's eyes became.

"Well, we are, friends."

When Cheng Qi heard this answer, he smiled brightly.

"I understand, I understand, my friend!"

"..." Xin Tong knew she must have misunderstood, but it was hard to explain. She simply changed the subject, "Do you usually call him Aiden?"

Xin Tong wanted to know if Jiang Chongyan had revealed his true identity to the BEGIN Dance Troupe. If not, she couldn't let it slip.

"yes."

Cheng Qi was very calm.

"Whoever he is, here, he is Aiden."

After six or seven years, they had already become acquaintances and old friends. Jiang Chongyan was aloof, and the dance troupe was a rare social connection and friendship in his life. Even so, neither party felt it necessary to disclose the information.

They met to dance together; their names were just code; what mattered was the way they interacted with each other. Any relationship becomes complicated when too many resources are added. The moment someone begins to pry into the other person's family and private life, a relationship born solely out of a hobby ceases to be pure.

It was rare to see a pretty girl come to Aiden in the name of a friend. Cheng Qi was so excited that he just kept talking to himself, as if he had just gotten a big news:

"He's a very difficult person to get along with."

"I've known him for so many years, and although I don't know his Chinese name, I know his family is rich and powerful from his young master's demeanor."

"I have a cold and aloof personality, and I'm very stubborn. I don't take anyone seriously."

"However, this is him to outsiders."

"Actually..." Cheng Qi waved at Xin Tong mysteriously, "This kid is so arrogant!"

She leaned back in her chair again, feeling proud.

"It's just that most people don't get to see his delicate side, so they're scared away by his stinky face."

——“Tsundere”.

Xin Tong nodded silently in her heart.

This description is so accurate.

She totally agrees.

…

The door of the studio suddenly opened, and about five or six people, both men and women, walked in with ease and greeted Cheng Qi.

"Hey, you guys came so early today."

Cheng Qi stood up and waved to them excitedly.

"Come on, come on, introduce yourself."

Cheng Qi pointed at Xin Tong, winked at those people, and emphasized,

"This is Aiden's friend."

After he finished speaking, everything around him suddenly became quiet.

Among those people, some found a seat at the front desk after coming in, some went to the refrigerator to get water, and some signed in at the front desk desk.

However, after Cheng Qi finished speaking, everyone stopped what they were doing at the same time.

Then, everyone's eyes were focused on Xin Tong.

Several seconds passed before Xin Tong heard a male voice in the crowd.

"Fuck."

This cry of "fuck" was like a reminder, and in an instant everyone started to cry "fuck" one after another.

"I didn't hear it right."

"The sun rises in the west."

"Aiden's friend?"

"Female?"

A guy with a buzz cut and a black cap quickly came over and said, "Beautiful sister, add me on WeChat."

"Go away, I'll go first!" The next second, the buzz cut boy was pushed aside by a short-haired girl. "Baby, can you add me? Your skirt is so beautiful, I want to ask you for the link!"

The girl squeezed in front of Xin Tong in a few seconds, her eyes full of sparkling enthusiasm and gossip. While Xin Tong was still not reacting, she leaned close to Xin Tong's ear and whispered:

"Baby, please, just tell me secretly, I will never tell anyone else - are you in a relationship with Brother Aiden?"

"Go! Go! Go!"

Xin Tong was just standing there in a daze, not knowing how to respond. The next second, Cheng Qi came over and drove all of them back.

"Stop gossiping and mind your own business!"

Those people were driven away with strange screams and wailing, staring at Xin Tong every few steps, and finally had to enter the dance studio with resentment.

The next class was about to start in half an hour. As more students started to arrive, Cheng Qi began to get busy, going back to the front desk to check everyone in. She was worried that Xin Tong would get bored waiting alone, so she even found a girl from the dance team to chat with her.

The girl's name is Kitty.

She has waist-length hair, delicate makeup, fashionable red highlights, and the most popular hot girl style. She has a completely different style from Xin Tong.

The two chatted for a while, and Xin Tong felt that Kitty seemed to be asking something indirectly, sometimes asking about her relationship with Aiden, and sometimes asking her why she came to see Aiden today.

Her inquiry was obviously different from the gossiping attitude of others.

Xin Tong could vaguely see that there was some nervous tentativeness in her eyes.

…

More and more people are queuing up in front of the studio.

Xin Tong watched in a daze from the side, and suddenly remembered that Song Qingyun had also studied in this kind of dance studio before.

At a famous dance studio like this, the students are usually very talented, dress trendily, and the receptionist can occasionally be mean. Beginners like Song Qingyun often get extremely nervous upon entering, their fear of trendsetting becoming a major issue.

The class experience is not very good either. Anyway, well-known dance studios have no shortage of customers, and it is basically difficult for students with no basic knowledge to keep up with the teaching progress.

But Xin Tong observed BEGIN for an entire afternoon.

Many people came to the front desk for consultation and said that they had no basic knowledge, but Cheng Qi greeted them with a smile and suggested that they sign up for classes that suited them.

Some people said that they came to learn dance because of Aiden. Cheng Qi said that many people came here because of Aiden. If you study hard, you will definitely be able to dance as well as Aiden.

Someone even asked indirectly if Aiden would come over. Cheng Qi smiled mysteriously and said, "Who knows? He sometimes comes to practice. If you're lucky, you might run into him."

In addition to those who came to attend classes, there were actually people who came just for Aiden, and shyly asked Cheng Qi if they could meet Aiden for an autograph.

However, although these young girls were chasing stars, they did not behave in a disorderly manner. They were very polite throughout and waited quietly at the door.

Cheng Qi even smiled and pointed to a wall on the right side of the building to the girls - that was a check-in spot Cheng Qi specially set up for Aiden's fans. The wall was covered with photos of Aiden from different periods of his life, as well as a huge "BEGIN" LOGO.

Several little girls went to check in happily, and Cheng Qi even took the initiative to take pictures for them.

…What a great businessman! Xin Tong sighed.

If you don't make money when you have it, you are a grandson.

"I originally thought Aiden was only slightly famous."

"I didn't know he was so popular."

Xin Tong said, holding her chin.

"Yeah. He's very famous."

Kitty next to her suddenly spoke up and continued Xin Tong's words.

"I started to get into street dance because I watched the video of him winning the domestic championship that year."

She seemed to be lost in distant memories.

The voice was gentle and the tone was soft.

"He performed so well in the competition that year. He was so full of energy. Even if you don't know anything about street dance, after watching that video, you will be deeply attracted by his charm."

“Because of him, I officially started learning dance.”

"I started learning jazz from scratch, and during that time I watched him win world championships and become the most sought-after teacher in the entire circle."

"To follow in his footsteps, I persevered for four years, progressing and growing all the way, and finally came to BEGIN. After passing the competition, I joined the BEGIN dance team and became a professional dancer."

"Begin's success has increased dramatically because of Aiden. There are many high-level teachers, so the standards for evaluating dance teams are extremely strict. But I finally succeeded. I worked hard just to get closer to him."

Kitty stared at the wall from a distance.

After a while, he whispered.

“It’s because of him that I’ve come this far.”

——"It has nothing to do with him."

Suddenly, a lazy voice came from the side.

Kitty was startled and turned her head to look over.

The very elegant young girl who said she was Aiden's friend had just ordered a milk tea takeaway. At this moment, she was lowering her head and holding the straw, looking for the grass jelly in the cup very attentively.

"He's really good, very professional and full of charm."

"But the fact that you've reached this point today has nothing to do with him."

Kitty saw that the girl didn't even raise her head, her expression was calm, and she said nonchalantly:

"Every dance you've danced in these four years was for yourself. He didn't dance for you."

"Your achievements today are all due to your own awesomeness."

Kitty was stunned.

She had never heard such talk before.

"……Why?"

"Why not?"

Xin Tong finally sucked up the last piece of grass jelly, feeling satisfied. She looked up, only to see Kitty's dazed expression.

After thinking about it, he realized that it might not be easy for her to understand what he said so quickly, so he patted her shoulder.

"Nothing, just treat it as something I said casually."

…

Xin Tong waited until six o'clock in the afternoon.

Cheng Qi said Aiden usually practiced until around 8 or 9 at night. Xin Tong wasn't in a hurry; she was already prepared. She stood up, picked up her bag, waved goodbye, and said she'd come back tomorrow.

This is her first day at BEGIN.

Although she did not meet Jiang Chongyan, what she saw and heard throughout the day was enough for her to have a general impression and basic understanding of his living and working environment.

Xin Tong hummed a song, opened the door of the Rolls-Royce, and drove all the way back home.

*

It was exactly 9:30 in the evening when Jiang Chongyan walked out of the innermost dance room.

He scratched his hair, and casually tucked the wet blond hair behind his ear, revealing the small black earring on his earlobe.

I've been very busy preparing for a competition recently. I spend almost all my waking hours in the dance studio and have hardly read the news.

He looked down at his phone as he walked, his lowered eyes swept across the screen, and he immediately caught two words.

The finger swiping the screen stopped instantly.

[Yu Chengjin]: Miss Xin Tong came to ask me where the address of my dance studio is.

[Yu Chengjin]: I have already told her.

Just these two simple sentences.

The sending time is 10:30 in the morning.

Jiang Chongyan even stopped walking.

He stood there, putting down his phone.

He picked up the phone again, typed a few words on the screen, and deleted them all before he finished.

Then he put his phone down again.

His chest rose and fell slightly, his brows were cold, he picked up the phone again and typed a word.

"oh."

send.

The opponent replied quickly.

[Yu Chengjin]: Can I say this?

...Your father has said it all.

His tall figure walked to the front desk, without looking up, and handed the card to Kitty at the front desk.

The man stroked the cold glass on the table with his fingers, lowered his head, and suddenly spoke casually.

"Is there anyone looking for me today?"

"……ah?"

Kitty was stunned and looked up.

This was the first time Aiden took the initiative to talk to her!

She looked excited and nodded stutteringly, "Oh, oh, yes. Today a girl came to see you, saying she was your friend. She waited all afternoon, but when she saw you didn't come out, she left because she didn't want to disturb you."

"oh."

Jiang Chongyan's expression remained unchanged. He drank a sip of water and fell silent.

After a while, he suddenly asked:

"Did she say whether she would come tomorrow?"

Kitty took two seconds and replied, "I don't know either."

Jiang Chongyan hummed.

He took his card back and left without looking back.

"It's best not to come."

"I don't have time to see her."