Chapter 22 Solo Dance: She didn't lose face. She didn't lose the dignity she deserved...
It was indeed Qin Man's favorite flavor, and she ate to her heart's content.
Jiang Xuchi didn't order too many dishes; they were all small, delicate portions, and clearly made with ingredients that Qin Man liked.
Qin Man increasingly felt that Jiang Xuchi had thoroughly figured out all her childhood preferences.
"So you still remember all of this." Qin Man ate her dessert in small bites, looking very happy. "So, how long did you follow me around like a little shadow?"
She was deliberately provoking him again.
Jiang Xuchi didn't shy away from discussing childhood memories with her. "Think back, when you were very young and playing house, didn't you want me to be your husband?"
No way.
Qin Man subconsciously scanned her memory. How could such a thing be? Absolutely impossible.
"You're lying to me. You think you can fool me with a lie you made up? No way."
Believe it or not.
Jiang Xuchi forked away the piece of food that she most wanted to eat, which was left in front of her.
"Why are you stealing my things?"
"Even desserts are no use with such a sharp tongue."
Qin Man was so angry that she kicked him under the table, but he grabbed her ankle.
Unable to move, she became enraged and said, "Let go!"
They were in a private booth, with the night view of skyscrapers outside the floor-to-ceiling windows next to them, and the reflections in the glass clearly showed their expressions.
Jiang Xuchi pondered, while Qin Man was furious.
"You have to say something nice, otherwise you'll have wasted your time eating dessert."
It would be strange if Qin Man listened to Jiang Xuchi.
She crossed one leg, no longer intending to resist him, and turned to look out the window.
This place is called Chengxiyuan, but it's actually a commercial center on the riverbank in the city center. The floors above the 20th are all upscale restaurants, and the floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of most of the city at night.
It feels good to look down on the world, if only I weren't being controlled by others at this moment.
“Your seventh birthday was here, but after all these years, the restaurant has changed to this one.” Jiang Xuchi recalled the past, a time that was painful for him, except for little Qin Man, who was particularly amusing. “You used to follow me around calling me brother.”
"I don't remember that either."
Qin Man noticed that he had let go of her hand, so she simply stomped on his thigh twice more, saying, "Can you please stop talking about the past? It's annoying to hear."
Qin Man has this kind of opportunistic personality. When Jiang Xuchi threatened her before, she gave him the cold shoulder. Now that Jiang Xuchi is being nicer to her, she still gives him the cold shoulder.
She never changed from beginning to end; she still treated Jiang Xuchi the same way.
Whether Jiang Xuchi was simply susceptible to this or had long been used to it, he showed no anger whatsoever, and his mood even visibly improved.
After the two finished dinner, Jiang Xuchi's driver took Qin Man home.
Qin Man walked to her door and scanned the video. She saw that Jiang Xuchi hadn't left; instead, he had gotten out of the car.
"Is there anything else?" Qin Man asked.
Jiang Xuchi: "Practice the dance with me one more time for the party the day after tomorrow."
Jiang Xuchi used this excuse four or five times, but each time he danced terribly and Qin Man complained about it several times.
Qin Man thought for a moment. She was about to go on stage and didn't want to embarrass herself.
Qin Man: "...Come up with me, our living room is big enough for you to move around in."
She ate a meal with him, she taught him to dance, a transaction, it was that simple.
Jiang Xuchi smiled and said, "I am truly grateful."
A duet is essentially a process of getting to know each other. The two people need to have a tacit understanding, know which move to make on which beat, and have the other person respond accordingly.
Jiang Xuchi used to be a bit stiff and had to practice many times before he could do it properly.
Jiang Xuchi's movements just now were too fluid.
It was so smooth and beautiful that she was a little surprised.
"Why are you suddenly dancing so well today?"
As the song ended, Qin Man turned off the recording on her phone, which was lying next to her, and asked Jiang Xuchi a question.
"I'm going to be on stage the day after tomorrow, it would be a bit unreasonable if I still couldn't dance," Jiang Xuchi said.
"..." Qin Man mercilessly exposed him, "So you were faking it all along?"
Did I fool you?
He laughed maliciously, spoke very frankly, and even asked questions in return.
"I already guessed it," Qin Man replied angrily. "Then there's no need to practice. Go back and rest."
This means to see the guest out.
Jiang Xuchi didn't linger and left decisively.
Qin Man returned to her bedroom, lay on the bed, and took out her phone to browse her WeChat Moments. She quickly scrolled through the various photos and suddenly saw a picture posted by Pei Shiyu of herself trying on a formal dress.
Caption: Thank you, classmate, for picking out this light blue dress for me~ It's so beautiful, and it really suits my skin tone!
Someone replied to her: Qin Man is also wearing light blue, you two are wearing the same outfit, aren't you? (covers mouth and laughs)
Pei Shiyu replied: Light blue makes my skin look fairer, and Manman said it suits me very well too.
Qin Man chuckled. Sometimes Pei Shiyu was so obviously annoying that it was hard for her to dislike her.
But she doesn't want to be looked down upon.
So she took a screenshot of the video of her dancing with Jiang Xuchi that night, only showing the part below her knees, and sent it out.
Caption: He finally learned it.
After posting, she looked at it again and again with satisfaction. Many people gave her likes, surprised that she was still teaching Jiang Xuchi to dance. Some people were also curious and asked her how well Jiang Xuchi danced.
She was making headlines on social media at the time, thanks to Jiang Xuchi.
...
The central auditorium of Xilai Private High School was renovated last year. It was a project discussed by the parents of three graduating students at a charity dinner, and the principal funded its reconstruction. As a result, its style is quite different from other buildings on campus, with a unique Gothic facade.
Because the banquet was open to students' parents and invited friends, the auditorium entrance was packed with people, and the school parking lot was full of private cars.
Qin Man had already changed into her gown in the dressing room behind the stage in the auditorium. After getting her hair and makeup done, she sat on the sofa next to her, engrossed in scrolling through her phone.
She no longer wore her usual black ponytail and school uniform; her hair was permed into fluffy waves. She had a small face, a small frame, and fair skin, making her delicate and beautiful.
A short while later, Jiang Xuchi walked in from the door with his sleeves rolled up. Qin Man couldn't help but take a second look at him in his formal attire.
He is indeed quite handsome.
Five minutes later, the two of them would be dancing together. Qin Man thought that at least Jiang Xuchi's face wouldn't embarrass her.
"Put it back in my bag for me." Qin Man handed over her phone. Her dress didn't have pockets, and her bag was hanging in the dressing room, so she simply asked Jiang Xuchi for help.
Jiang Xuchi glanced at her, reached out and took the phone, then suddenly bent down and leaned closer.
Qin Man frowned subconsciously, "What?"
Jiang Xuchi reached out and flicked Qin Man's earring. The pendant shimmered under the light, and at the same time, he flicked a strand of her hair behind her shoulder.
You look beautiful today.
After saying that, he got up and walked back to the locker room.
Qin Man: "..."
The changing room is not next to the lounge; you have to leave the lounge and go through a connecting corridor to get there.
However, it won't take more than two minutes to go back and forth, and Jiang Xuchi should be back soon.
Qin Man listened intently to the host's speech on stage, waiting for the music to start so she could walk onto the stage with Jiang Xuchi.
Jiang Xuchi has not returned in the past three minutes.
The music started playing, but Jiang Xuchi still hadn't returned.
"What's going on? Why aren't you going on stage?!" A student council member pulled back the curtain of the lounge and shouted at Qin Man, "Everyone's waiting!"
Qin Man was speechless for a moment, then said, "Jiang Xuchi didn't come."
Upon hearing that Jiang Xu was late, the girl's eyes widened immediately. She looked around for a long time before finally walking over and taking Qin Man's hand. "Whether he comes or not is not important. You go on stage and perform first!"
Qin Man refused, "What am I supposed to do by myself?"
"Time waits for no one," the girl said anxiously. "Please use your talents to keep this going, please!"
Qin Man was half-pulled and half-pushed to the edge of the stage.
The audience was packed with people, including students, parents, and invited leaders and guests from all walks of life.
Nobody wants to lose face on a stage like this.
Qin Man gritted her teeth.
My heart is about to jump out of my chest.
Was Jiang Xuchi playing a trick on her? Was he deliberately leaving her hanging?
She didn't have time to think.
The music had already started when she was pushed onto the stage from backstage.
The stage lights shone on her, and Qin Man subconsciously squinted, standing blankly in the center of the stage.
The people below were talking amongst themselves. Qin Man couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was mostly things she didn't want to hear.
Qin Man's inherent pride wouldn't allow her to show weakness or lose face on stage, much less walk away in front of everyone.
Jiang Xuchi didn't come, so the duet dance definitely can't be performed anymore.
However, the music was still that melodious tune, and Qin Man couldn't think of a dance that matched the song for a while, so the moment she stepped onto the stage, she decided to dance a duet by herself.
It didn't matter whether Jiang Xuchi was there or not; she could bend over backwards by herself.
Amidst the murmurs of discussion from below the stage, Qin Man finally caught up with the music and raised her hand in a gesture.
The noise from the audience suddenly stopped.
Qin Man maintained her elegant posture, imagining another person jumping alongside her, but after only two steps, she began to make her own adaptations. Completely spontaneous.
Her dance teacher is a well-known choreographer in China, who once praised her for her talent in dance.
That teacher once told her, "Qin Man, as long as you are willing to give your heart to your body, it will give you the best feedback."
Qin Man never expected that this statement would actually come true today. She completely abandoned the duet dance moves and simply began to sway to the music.
By the end, Qin Man didn't even know what she was dancing. Her steps were chaotic, her movements were haphazard, and each fragment seemed to be taken from the dances she had learned in her memory and randomly arranged and combined.
Her light blue skirt swayed like ocean waves with her steps, her toes circling in circles to the music.
Like a beautiful, elegant, and proud swan.
Until the music ended, Qin Man stood on the stage, one hand raised, head tilted back, revealing her beautiful, fair neck.
Applause erupted from the audience, everyone's attention was drawn to her unique dance moves.
Qin Man looked at the dense crowd below the stage. The lights in the far part of the auditorium shone into her eyes, making it hard for her to open them.
But she knew she had succeeded.
She didn't embarrass herself.
She did not lose the dignity she deserved.
*
Twenty minutes ago.
As Jiang Xuchi walked through the connecting corridor back to the changing room, his cell phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the caller ID; it read Qin Chen.
"Hello."
Jiang Xuchi turned around and saw a tall boy leaning lazily against the corridor wall not far away.
His face was hidden in the dim light, his sharply defined features half in light and half in shadow.
Only one person possesses such a dangerous aura.
Qin Man's older brother, Qin Chen.
"You're using my sister's phone?" Qin Chen hung up the phone, put the phone in his pocket, and got up to walk towards him.
Jiang Xuchi: "Help her put her phone back in her bag."
He spoke calmly, showing no surprise at Qin Chen's sudden appearance, simply stating the facts.
Qin Chen smiled and reached out his hand to him.
"Give it to me."
Jiang Xuchi didn't move. He stood there, now as tall as Qin Chen, and no longer needed to be afraid of him like he was when he was a child.
He was afraid of Qin Chen, but only when he was a child.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Qin Chen lost patience and reached out to snatch it.
Jiang Xuchi moved his hand to the side to prevent him from grabbing it, and continued walking towards the locker room without stopping.
She seemed too lazy to pay him any attention.
Qin Chen looked at the back of his head and thought to himself that this kid had really made it big now, becoming so arrogant.
When the fist came down, Jiang Xuchi felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, followed by a second punch that landed on his chin as he turned around.
It was utterly baseless malice.
The aggression Qin Chen exuded was something he had been familiar with since childhood, and the way he looked down on the inferior was also something he knew well.
Jiang Xuchi blocked his third blow with a cold smile. The fourth blow, however, landed on Qin Chen's face.
The conflict erupted in an instant; they grappled with each other.
Jiang Xuchi dragged Qin Chen and threw him against the back door of the dressing room. Finally, the two of them broke through the back door of the auditorium, lay on the open ground, and continued to fight.
"You brat, you dare to set your sights on my sister? You're asking for it!"
Qin Chen was ruthless, even more ruthless than Jiang Xuchi. His malice was overwhelming, and he simply wanted to beat Jiang Xuchi to death.
"I've disliked you before." Qin Chen grabbed Jiang Xuchi by the collar, his eyes still fierce even though Jiang Xuchi's face was bruised and swollen. "We're both men, do you think I'd believe you genuinely like a girl who used to hate you?"
Qin Chen knew Qin Man's proud little personality all too well.
It was precisely because he knew Jiang Xuchi so well that he felt Jiang Xuchi's motives were impure.
Jiang Xuchi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said with a mocking laugh, "You really are a good older brother."
Qin Chen was half right.
And the other half is also what Qin Chen hates the most.
He couldn't stand that Jiang Xuchi was still coveting their treasure.
It's been like this since I was a child.
...
Walking back offstage, Qin Man adjusted her breathing. The feverish state she had been in on stage had subsided, and she belatedly began to feel fear and tension.
What if she doesn't jump well? Wouldn't it be embarrassing if she doesn't perform well?
She couldn't even imagine the consequences.
Jiang Xuchi is the real culprit. If he hadn't disappeared, she wouldn't be so terrified.
Qin Man went to the changing room but did not see Jiang Xuchi. She saw that the back door of the changing room was open, so she pushed the door open and went out.
There was no one outside.
"Hey, classmate," a boy called out to her from behind, "you were the one dancing on stage just now, your name is Qin Man, right?"
Qin Man turned around and saw the boy walking over, holding a white rose in a flamboyant manner.
After watching Qin Man's dance, the boy got carried away and chased her from the audience to backstage, and then back here. He couldn't contain his impatience, "I want to ask you, like they say, is Jiang Xuchi your boyfriend—"
"No," Qin Man interrupted him.
The boy's eyes lit up, and he was about to say something when suddenly someone grabbed him by the collar and pulled him backward.
Qin Chen roughly pulled him aside, glancing at him sideways, and said, "Get lost."
The boy was about to retaliate when he caught a glimpse of the marks on Qin Chen's arm. He immediately gasped and quickly slipped away.
Qin Man looked at Qin Chen, who appeared before her, in disbelief.
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