Spacious, quiet, and besides that, Su Yao also felt her body gradually becoming less and less her own. At the same time, she realized she had more balance and flexibility than she’d imagined. As for flexibility, she’d already confirmed that before.
“Sure enough, even softer than I thought.”
“……”
Mu Nanqiu bent Su Yao’s leg further, discovering it could go down even more, but Su Yao was already drenched in sweat. Even though it was her first time coming here, her first time learning this kind of thing, and she hadn’t even looked up any basics online.
But… is it really right to ask someone to do splits right off the bat?
Looking at her legs, which in any normal situation would never be spread so far apart, Su Yao held her breath, afraid they might just snap.
That would really hurt—no, that would be unbearably painful!
Mu Nanqiu seemed to catch the fear in Su Yao’s eyes, but feigned a relaxed tone to comfort her.
“This is necessary.”
“Necessary… Is it really necessary?”
“Mm, it’s necessary.”
“……”
Looking at Mu Nanqiu’s calm smile, Su Yao could practically see the unspoken words, “You know it.” What if she really didn’t know? Would she still be pressed onto the floor like this?
Heavens, could time please pass a little faster?
She forced herself to endure the pain, not letting it show on her face, and gazed at Mu Nanqiu with pleading eyes, hoping she’d take pity and allow a short break. But once Mu Nanqiu entered a certain state, she was strict as ever.
Facing Su Yao’s silent plea, she replied in an almost indifferent voice, “Yao Yao, you have to work hard.”
“I—I’ll do my best…”
Su Yao’s brows drooped immediately. She panted lightly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. It hurt—truly, it hurt so much!
One hour?
No, Su Yao felt like two or three hours must have passed. When she took a break and sat against the wall, grabbing her phone, she realized only a little over an hour had gone by. She felt utterly defeated. The thought that this ordeal would continue for an entire afternoon made her want to simply escape and be done with it…
But Mu Nanqiu sat down beside her and handed her a cup of water. Su Yao took it and gulped down a big mouthful, then looked at Mu Nanqiu. Instead of speaking, Mu Nanqiu reached out to lift her chin and carefully studied her face, which made Su Yao feel a bit uneasy.
Fortunately, Mu Nanqiu said that part was over. According to her, Su Yao’s body was perfectly suited for dancing. Normally, for activities like dance that require bodily coordination and physical strength, flexibility and joints matter too. You could make up for some of it with training, but talent was talent—some people were just born starting ahead of the others.
And as for her, Su Yao, she wasn’t any less flexible than those girls in their early teens. If Mu Nanqiu hadn’t gone with Su Yao to see a doctor before, she’d probably be surprised right now.
Hearing that she didn’t have to do that again, Su Yao was overjoyed—she almost sprang up from the ground, but thankfully Mu Nanqiu held her down just in time.
“So, what’s next?”
Somehow, Su Yao was looking forward to it now. After all that praise, she was a little bit excited.
Mu Nanqiu smiled, then fell into thought.
After three or four breaths, she recalled the steps she herself had followed when she was learning.
She simplified things as much as possible. After all, Mu Nanqiu didn’t plan to teach Su Yao to a professional level—that would need a specialist teacher and years of dedicated training. If Su Yao really wanted it, maybe, but as far as Mu Nanqiu could tell, Su Yao was the type to lose interest after three minutes anyway. It wasn’t like badminton or other sports; you didn’t get as much immediate reward.
Besides, Su Yao was eighteen, soon to be nineteen, right in her prime. How could you not enjoy life in such wonderful years?
Of course, the main reason was still Mu Nanqiu’s possessiveness toward Su Yao.
The next lesson, Teacher Mu instructed Student Su Xiaoyao in standing posture and walking. It was simple but required repeated practice over time.
After overcoming her initial embarrassment, Su Yao could now openly show off her figure. With only Mu Nanqiu watching, she didn’t really care. After relaxing her body, her movements and posture changed noticeably—they were no longer so tense.
Feeling Mu Nanqiu’s hands glide all over her, Su Yao found it strange. Was this really how yoga or dance was taught, hand over hand like this? Su Yao was skeptical, but she kept her doubts inside, still cooperating on the surface.
Sigh, it really felt like she was being taken advantage of, but… forget it, just let it be…
Su Yao gave up thinking, following Mu Nanqiu’s every instruction. At first she moved like a puppet, but gradually she got the hang of what Mu Nanqiu was teaching. From basic movements to a few connected poses, her body stretched and loosened up.
Sweat.
This was more exhausting than she’d thought. Or maybe the practice room’s AC was too warm—either way, she was drenched.
When Mu Nanqiu finally announced the end, Su Yao let out a long sigh of relief, then immediately flopped down in a clean spot nearby. As she lay there, she suddenly felt a hand pressing on her thigh. But she was so tired, she didn’t want to move at all. Whatever Mu Nanqiu wanted to do, let her do it—she wouldn’t resist.
Mu Nanqiu’s hand moved from her thigh up to her stomach. She knelt beside Su Yao, silently watching the girl cover her eyes with her arm, her palm feeling the gentle rise and fall of Su Yao’s belly. After a while, when Su Yao had rested enough, she spoke softly.
“Yao Yao, today’s only the beginning. We still have a long time ahead of us.”
Enough.
Stop. I don’t want to hear it—I really don’t want to. Don’t tell me. If I have to come tomorrow, so be it, just don’t say it…
The thought of every tomorrow, the day after, each day without fail in this practice room—Su Yao was overwhelmed by misery.
Aunt Flo, where are you? Aunt Flo, save me!
Thinking of how Aunt Flo had only just left not long ago, it was the first time Su Yao desperately wished she’d come back soon—then she wouldn’t have to come here.
“Yao Yao, you’re not thinking that if Aunt Flo came, you wouldn’t have to come here, right? That’s not a good thought at all, tsk tsk. How can I make you fall in love with this feeling of exhausting your strength? Let me think…”
“No, I’m not!” Su Yao pouted, feigning a spoiled tone, “I love it, I’ll come every day, as long as you, sis, don’t come.”
“Mm mm, Yao Yao is so good.”
Mu Nanqiu covered her mouth and chuckled. In the past, she’d done similar things with Bei Zhi, but her own Yao Yao was much more amusing—her own little sister would always just play dead.