Returning to High School to Save My Wife - Chapter 40

Hearing those words, Jiang Yuan stopped in her tracks.

She looked at Liang Qi, feeling as though those dark eyes were like a well with a powerful gravitational pull, attracting every ounce of impulse possessed by a teenage girl. She could not deny it in front of Liang Qi: she wanted to dance. She wanted to bloom like a rose, to fill her life with blazing radiance, and to see gazes of appreciation and recognition in the eyes of others.

She also did not want to let Liang Qi down.

Jiang Yuan bit her lip softly, her voice carrying a hint of timidity. “Liang Qi…”

Liang Qi stepped forward and took her hand. “Follow me.”

Jiang Yuan’s heart began to race. The moment Liang Qi turned around, Jiang Yuan found a sudden surge of courage. Without asking any questions, she followed her up the stairs. Liang Qi’s fingers slid from Jiang Yuan’s wrist into her palm, eventually interlocking their fingers.

The teaching building was four stories high, and she followed Liang Qi up all four floors, as if they were turning their backs on the whole world, eloping to an Eden that belonged only to them.

When they reached the rooftop, Liang Qi stopped and turned to look at her.

“Yuanyuan.”

“There are no cameras here, none of the people you don’t want to see—just the two of us.”

“Would you be willing to dance for me?”

In the late summer, early autumn twilight, the wind brushed gently past them, tossing their messy hair. Jiang Yuan seemed to catch the scent of warm sunshine on Liang Qi. This was the person who accepted everything about her, making it so she didn’t have to fear showing her occasional fragility.

Jiang Yuan lowered her gaze, looking at their overlapping shadows on the ground. She spoke with a sense of helplessness.

“Liang Qi, do you really want to see me dance?”

“Very much,” Liang Qi replied with certainty.

Jiang Yuan looked up, meeting the gaze Liang Qi fixed upon her. In that long minute, she drew courage and confidence from Liang Qi’s eyes.

She moved past Liang Qi and stopped in the center of the rooftop, her posture graceful and upright. Extending her arms, she rose onto her tiptoes and began light, delicate steps, approaching the person willing to appreciate her dance as if she were embracing the entire world.

The moment she began to move, she was no longer dancing for anyone else—not even for Liang Qi—but purely for herself.

The empty rooftop extended into an infinite space for her, and every spot her toes brushed seemed to sprout blooming lotuses. This was her stage, her world, and the passion buried deep within her heart.

She truly loved dancing.

Facing the free wind, she spun and leaped, transforming herself into a spirited swan, every movement precise and sharp. Despite not wearing a tutu, her performance was flawless. She looked pure and moving, like a fairy who had wandered into the mortal realm.

This was the most beautiful dance Liang Qi had ever seen. She saw a Jiang Yuan she had never seen before: passionate, confident, sincere, and brave, radiating a dazzling light that made it impossible not to fall for her.

When the dance ended, Jiang Yuan happened to spin right in front of Liang Qi, finishing with an elegant bow. Liang Qi reached out, gently took one of her hands, and slowly helped her up.

Jiang Yuan snapped out of the trance of the dance. The hazy look in her eyes dissipated, returning to her usual cool and distant self. Liang Qi let go of her hand and slowly began to applaud. “It was beautiful.”

Hearing such praise, Jiang Yuan’s cheeks flushed. She spoke awkwardly. “Thank you.”

“Yuanyuan,” Liang Qi stepped closer, stopping right in front of her. They were so close she could hear their breathing and the magnified thumping of their hearts. “You dance so well. Don’t throw away such a rare opportunity to perform.”

“But… Yue Suxin signed up too.”

Jiang Yuan bit her lip, trailing off. In the same class, having two people sign up for a dance performance carried the subtext of comparison and competition. Even if Jiang Yuan didn’t intend it that way, the audience would compare them, and so would Yue Suxin.

Jiang Yuan didn’t want to cause more trouble. The string of recent events felt like warnings from fate, making her afraid to take another step forward.

“There is no rule saying a second person can’t sign up,” Liang Qi said firmly. “Jiang Yuan, you are not inferior to her. You have the ability to dance better than she does.”

Why should all the glory be snatched away by such a malicious person? Her girl was far more excellent than that bully.

“The world isn’t made up only of malice, is it? Besides the people gossiping about you, there are also people who care about you and believe in you. They are willing to be your friends, and that includes… me.”

The “me” who wants to be more than just your friend. The “me” who wants to give you everything beautiful in this world.

Liang Qi didn’t want Jiang Yuan to live in the shadows from now on. Such a wonderful girl should shine for the things she loves, winning applause and praise with her own elegance. She deserved to be loved, not to wither before she even had the chance to bloom.

Jiang Yuan asked quietly, “Liang Qi, do you really hope I participate?”

Liang Qi said, “Watching you dance is my personal wish, but seeing you stand on that stage is my dream.”

Jiang Yuan was convinced. Humans are, after all, phototropic creatures; there is always a special trust reserved for those who provide warmth.

She signed up for the ballet performance. On the very last day before the deadline, she wrote her name and her program on the final line of the list.

The program list was public. News that two girls from Class One, Grade Eleven were performing dances quickly spread through the school. Even Qiao Shuxue and Tan Zhiyan in Class Ten heard about it.

“Really? Yuanyuan is going to perform ballet at the mixer?” Tan Zhiyan looked quite surprised.

“Yuanyuan’s dancing is beautiful. Just wait and see,” Liang Qi said with total confidence.

“I didn’t expect Yuanyuan to be such a hidden talent.”

“What? Is our Princess Tan, the future superstar, feeling the pressure?”

Tan Zhiyan rolled her eyes at Liang Qi and played along. “You bet. Even the top students are being this competitive now; I’m feeling the pressure all over.”

Jiang Yuan was rarely praised like this and quickly humored them with modesty. “Actually, I haven’t danced in a long time. I’m quite rusty.”

Qiao Shuxue was used to their antics. She smiled and spoke up for Tan Zhiyan. “Qiqi, don’t pressure Zhiyan. This time at the mixer, she not only signed up for the fashion show but also has to lead the choir. She’s under a lot of pressure.”

Liang Qi looked at Tan Zhiyan in surprise. “Is that so? Why didn’t I hear you mention it?”

Tan Zhiyan sighed helplessly, her appetite even suffering as she put down her chopsticks. “You don’t know, that’s Shengjiang Foreign Languages Academy. They are just as good as our school. Last year, our school lost to them.”

Liang Qi couldn’t help but tease, “I never thought I’d see the day our Princess Tan had a long face.”

Qiao Shuxue sighed. “That’s why I’ve been practicing with Zhiyan lately. This is the first time I’ve seen her this stressed.”

A sliver of a smile finally appeared on Tan Zhiyan’s face as she acted spoiled. “Qiao-jie is still the best!”

She knew Qiao Shuxue usually worked very hard. As the only daughter in a medical family, Qiao Shuxue’s goal had always been a top medical university. After failing the placement exam and missing out on the “Rocket Class,” she had been working especially hard this semester, maintaining her rank as first in her class. It was a world of difference compared to Tan Zhiyan’s own fluctuating grades.

When Qiao Shuxue failed to get into the Rocket Class, Tan Zhiyan had felt sorry for her, but also secretly relieved. During the days Liang Qi was away, it was always Qiao Shuxue who encouraged and comforted her, never leaving her behind regardless of her grades. She was truly afraid that one day, Qiao Shuxue would also leave her side, just as Liang Qi had.

But she understood that Qiao Shuxue had her own dreams. Everyone has to work toward their own direction, and they would eventually have to part ways. Instead of worrying about drifting apart, it was better to work as hard as possible so they might meet again at the top in the future.

Qiao Shuxue asked Jiang Yuan, “Yuanyuan, since you signed up for ballet, you probably received the notice for the first rehearsal tomorrow afternoon?”

Jiang Yuan nodded. “Mhm. Last period, during self-study, at the Activity Center.”

Qiao Shuxue said, “Then you can go with Zhiyan. Even though your performance times are different, the rehearsals are in the same place.”

Jiang Yuan smiled. “Sure.”

Not far away, several boys at another table were also discussing the mixer rehearsals.

“Brother Cheng, did you hear? Jiang Yuan signed up to dance too,” one of them said.

Cheng Zhuocheng frowned, his tone dismissive. “What does that have to do with me?”

He had stopped pursuing Jiang Yuan long ago. Just hearing the name reminded him of the “dirty things” Yue Suxin had told him, and he felt nothing but disgust.

“Brother Cheng, isn’t your girlfriend signed up to dance too? Aren’t you worried she’ll be outshone?”

“Yeah, Brother Cheng, rehearsals are this afternoon. Aren’t you going to see Sister Xin? She’d definitely be happy if you went.”

Cheng Zhuocheng thought about how Yue Suxin had been so busy practicing lately that she didn’t even have time to eat with him. He felt they had a point. Since it was self-study in the afternoon anyway, he might as well go see her rehearse.

And…

A malicious smile touched the corner of Cheng Zhuocheng’s mouth. He was also quite curious to see just how well Jiang Yuan could dance.

In the afternoon, Jiang Yuan and Tan Zhiyan went to the Activity Center for the rehearsal. Group items and solo items were rehearsed separately, so the two agreed to meet at the entrance afterward.

After Jiang Yuan changed into her clothes at the center, she arrived at the rehearsal scene. She immediately saw Cheng Zhuocheng and Yue Suxin standing in front of the stage, flirting as if no one else were there. Yue Suxin had Cheng Zhuocheng’s school jacket draped over her shoulders, just covering the sexy dance outfit underneath. Cheng Zhuocheng had his arm around her, and their intimate posture made the other students instinctively look away.

The moment Jiang Yuan walked in, Cheng Zhuocheng looked up. His gaze landed on her, and he was clearly stunned for a moment. Jiang Yuan was wearing a white ballet outfit. Her skin was fair and clear without a single blemish, making her look like a fairy who didn’t belong in the world of mortals.

Yue Suxin noticed his gaze. Her brow furrowed and she gave him a shove, her tone unpleasant. “What are you looking at? What’s there to see?”

Cheng Zhuocheng withdrew his gaze, curled his lips, and pulled Yue Suxin back into his embrace, coaxing her. “Of course you are the best looking.”

Only then did Yue Suxin relax, saying triumphantly, “Humph, that’s more like it.”

Once he had pacified Yue Suxin, Cheng Zhuocheng’s gaze crossed the air and landed on Jiang Yuan once again. His eyes darkened bit by bit, and a dangerous thought began to form in his mind. His gaze was both dangerous and suggestive, giving Jiang Yuan an extremely uncomfortable feeling. She instinctively avoided his eyes and went to the other side where the other performers were.

The rehearsal went smoothly.

After it ended, Jiang Yuan went back to the dressing room to change out of her ballet outfit. She put her discarded clothes into a plastic bag. While sending a WeChat message to Tan Zhiyan, she went to open the dressing room door. To her surprise, just as she turned the lock, the door was pushed open from the outside.

Jiang Yuan’s heart sank suddenly. She stopped her pace and met the gaze of the person who had entered. Her blood froze instantly.

Cheng Zhuocheng had his hand against the door. A rogue smile hung on his face as he looked at her maliciously, showing no intention of letting her pass.

“Oh, if it isn’t Jiang Yuan? What a coincidence.”

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