Chapter 13
During the first training session after the loss, a lingering low pressure settled over the Xihe Dance Club's large classroom. The music was still blaring, the sweat still pouring down, but the once-determined spirit of victory seemed to have been dulled by the silver runner-up trophy. Qiqi's instructions were still clear, but less harsh than before, and more patient, yet subtle, especially with Feng Ling.
As she repeatedly practiced a connecting movement, Qiqi walked over to her. Without saying a word, he reached out and gently straightened her arm. He then applied a subtle pressure to her shoulder blades, helping her find the feeling of core strength. His touch made Feng Ling's heart churn, and she subconsciously avoided his gaze. Meanwhile, in front of a mirror not far away, An Hesu was resting against the wall. His gaze from beneath the brim of his hat seemed to sweep aimlessly across her, but for a moment, imperceptibly, he lingered on her.
During a break in training, most people, as if granted amnesty, rushed out to get some fresh air or buy water. Feng Ling, feeling a little suffocated, stayed in the classroom, refining the details of his movements in front of the mirror. An Hesu also stayed in the corner, headphones on, and shutting out the world.
At this time, Tiantian came in with a bottle of water. She did not leave like the others, but walked straight behind Feng Ling. The sound of her footsteps was particularly clear in the empty classroom.
"Ha, you've been practicing really hard, Sister Ling." A sweet voice, tinged with cold sarcasm, echoed in the quiet classroom. "Do you feel particularly sorry for everyone? Are you only now thinking of mending the fence after the sheep have been lost?"
Feng Ling froze, turned around, and faced Tiantian's obviously hostile gaze, feeling somewhat bewildered and at a loss: "Tiantian, I know it was my mistake this time..."
"A mistake?" Tiantian interrupted her, a hint of sarcasm on her lips. "Feng Ling, do you know that many things here have changed since you came here?"
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean?" Tiantian took a step forward, her eyes as sharp as a knife, as if she wanted to cut Feng Ling open from the inside out. "Okay, then I'll make you understand clearly today!"
She took a deep breath, and the emotions that had been pent up for months seemed to have found an outlet:
"Do you think Qiqi was born to be this gentle, patient, and considerate? That's because you haven't seen his former self! If we couldn't do our moves right, he'd make us practice in front of the mirror a hundred times, with a look so cold it could freeze you to death! He always speaks to the point, without a shred of sympathy! 'Xihe's Qiqi' doesn't rely on affability, but on absolute strength and almost brutal strictness! But what about now?" Her voice rose, tinged with incredible anger. "He'll slow down the teaching progress just because you look lost, and he'll let everyone rest early just because you're exhausted! Where do you think that WeChat group came from? Before you came, Qiqi's private WeChat was a legend in Xihe, with so many students trying to join but unable to! But to get you in, he personally went to the front desk to find Sister May and rummaged through the student registration form for a long time just to find your phone number! Who in the dance club doesn't know about this? It's unheard of!"
Feng Ling was completely stunned. She had never known these details. The origin of the group, Qiqi's occasional deliberate attention... It turned out that in the eyes of others, she was such a conspicuous presence.
Tiantian's spearhead suddenly turned to the corner: "And him—Anhesu!"
An Hesu had taken off his headphones at some point and was looking at this side expressionlessly with cold eyes.
"This young master is so arrogant, he wants to set up a cordon around him three meters! When has he ever looked anyone in the eye? But what about you? If you dance badly, he silently blocks you; if you make a mistake, he actually speaks up to share the responsibility for you! Later, when we watched the replay of the game, we found out that you were stunned on the stage because you were looking at him! At the end, you were the one who helped him up? And he actually let you help him?!" Tiantian's voice trembled slightly with excitement. "Feng Ling, you look like a pure and innocent lotus on the surface, but in fact, you are more poisonous than opium. You enjoy all these special treatments, and then act innocent, as if you are just here to learn dancing! Don't we, who have practiced with Qiqi for years, carefully afraid of making mistakes, look particularly ridiculous in your eyes?"
Every word felt like ice, hammering at Feng Ling's heart and chilling her to the bone. She opened her mouth, wanting to argue, but her throat seemed blocked, unable to utter a single sound. She instinctively glanced at An Hesu, her eyes filled with panic and a plea for confirmation.
Just then, Ankhsu moved.
He stood up, not looking at Tiantian or speaking. He simply walked straight to Feng Ling, picked up the half-empty bottle of water she had placed on the ground, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to her. The entire movement was smooth and natural, with an unmistakable intimacy. After doing all this, he raised his eyes, his gaze like an ice-hardened arrow, shooting straight at Tiantian, and uttered three words clearly between his lips:
"Are you done?"
These three words, devoid of any emotional ups and downs, were more powerful than any roar. They exploded in the classroom like a silent thunderbolt, completely confirming all of Tiantian's accusations.
Tiantian watched Anhesu's defensive gesture, his icy gaze, then glanced at Feng Ling, who seemed overwhelmed by the overwhelming amount of information. The anger on her face gradually gave way to a mixture of sadness, resentment, and utter defeat. She stamped her foot fiercely, tears welling up in her eyes. Without another word, she turned and stormed out of the classroom, slamming the door shut with a resounding bang that echoed through the empty hallway.
A deathly silence descended.
Feng Ling held the bottle of water stiffly, her fingertips slightly cold. She could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest, nearly breaking her ribs. She slowly raised her head and looked at the silent boy beside her, her voice trembling uncontrollably.
"What she said...is it true?"
Ankhsu did not answer.
He simply stared back at her with a complex gaze, a mixture of faint anger at having his secret revealed, a habitual forbearance, and even a hint of... a sense of calm, as if things had finally settled. He held her gaze for a few seconds, his gaze so heavy it was almost unbearable. Then, without saying anything, he put his headphones back on, turned around, and walked back to his corner, burying himself in the shadows and the music once again, as if the earth-shattering conversation had never happened.
But the world of Feng Ling can no longer return to its previous peace.
The truths, torn apart by Tiantian and tacitly acknowledged by Anhesu's actions, lay naked before her, burning with heat. Behind Qiqi's seemingly casual care were principles that had been broken time and again for her; beneath Anhesu's cold exterior lay a silent yet surging defense that she had never imagined.
She stood there, clutching the bottle of water tightly in her hand, her ears still ringing with Tiantian's tearful accusations and Anhesu's three cold words. It turned out that, when she was still unaware, someone had already built a silent wall for her, and someone in the corner had ignited a lonely flame for her.
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