After finishing the final meeting, Fu Yi took a deep breath, closed her notebook, picked up the coffee on the table, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.
Outside was still bright.
She checked the time—it was already past three in the afternoon.
She’d originally thought she could finish by one o’clock, then return to school to continue teasing Senior.
But thanks to Fu Mingxuan’s interference, it dragged on until now.
Calculating the time, it would take another hour by car to get back, and if she hit the evening rush, she’d be stuck for even longer.
Helpless, she could only temporarily set aside this desire in her heart and continue drinking the now lukewarm coffee.
What a pest.
Recalling what Fu Mingxuan said before leaving, a trace of disgust flashed in Fu Yi’s eyes.
She wasn’t the type to just endure being bullied.
If Fu Mingxuan dared to cause trouble for her, he must be scheming something.
Was it just to make him waste time watching a school celebration?
That would be too easy on him.
However, if Fu Mingxuan hadn’t mentioned this, Fu Yi might have almost forgotten to find a dance teacher to teach Yu Qing.
She’d been so busy with work that she nearly forgot.
Finishing the last sip of coffee, Fu Yi returned to the table, placed the cup down gently, then picked up her phone and opened her contacts, slowly scrolling through.
She only stopped when she saw someone marked as “Shen Tang”.
She opened the information column for this person.
[Former Provincial Song and Dance Theatre principal, currently a special professor at the Drama Academy, dance choreography and instruction.]
She was also Fu Yi’s private dance teacher.
Without hesitation, Fu Yi dialed the number.
The call connected quickly, and a composed female voice sounded on the other end.
“Fu Yi? Why the sudden call? Is something wrong?”
“Good afternoon, Teacher Shen.”
Fu Yi’s tone remained cold, but now it carried a touch of politeness.
“You guessed right. I do have something I need your help with.”
Fu Yi then briefly explained Yu Qing’s situation to Shen Tang, her speech steady and clear, directly stating the current issues, potential unexpected developments, and the final desired outcome on stage.
To ensure Shen Tang could train Yu Qing to the fullest, Fu Yi deliberately hid the fact that it was just a prank targeted at Yu Qing.
Though, honestly, the prank hardly sounded like one at all.
Shen Tang seemed to pause for a moment, clearly not expecting such a request.
But she quickly recovered, tactfully refrained from further questions, and shifted to professionally assess the feasibility of the lesson.
“Zero experience? And you want it done in a month? A double Waltz isn’t exactly difficult, but to perform on stage… It’s still quite a challenge. Little Fu Yi, I’ll need to evaluate the student’s condition first.”
“That’s fine. How about tomorrow?”
“The first lesson can be scheduled for tomorrow night at seven. Let’s set the location at Jiangzhou University’s Art Academy. There should be an available rehearsal room there. I’ll coordinate it and update you. You can come over then for assessment and a trial lesson.”
Fu Yi arranged everything efficiently—just a few sentences, and the details of this peculiar practice session’s first meeting were set.
“…Alright.”
Shen Tang seemed swept along by her pace, glanced at her schedule, and seeing she was free the next evening, agreed.
“I’ll wait for your message. Tomorrow night at seven, I’ll be there on time.”
“Thank you, Teacher Shen~. I’ll have my assistant send the detailed arrangements and new contract to your email later. If you have any requests, feel free to mention them. If reasonable, I’ll consider making adjustments. Have a good day. Goodbye.”
Fu Yi ended the call crisply, without extra small talk.
Listening to the busy tone in her ear, Shen Tang stood there in a daze, processing the sudden task.
On the other side, Fu Yi set down her phone and sat back in her chair.
She removed the hair tie holding her hair up, letting silky black strands fall down her back.
Everything was proceeding methodically.
Though there were some twists, it was still going according to her expectations.
Occasional clowns that jumped out could be slapped down directly.
As for the Senior she toyed with like a little pet…
Her fingertips unconsciously tapped the table.
Hopefully, Teacher Shen’s expertise could create a bit of a miracle and let him bring her more joy.
Otherwise, she’d be truly disappointed.
***
The days passed by, and before she knew it, it was Thursday evening.
Since that sudden incident, Li Ming never mentioned it to him again, as if everything had been settled.
But Yu Qing always felt things weren’t so simple.
This change was too obvious—even someone as rough as Zhang Li could easily notice his abnormality.
It took a lot of talk to barely convince them not to pay attention to the matter.
After this incident, Yu Qing decided to avoid transforming in the dormitory from now on.
Though it was exciting, the risk was high.
Speaking of transforming, Yu Qing wouldn’t be using the Black Pearl of Mei Xue anytime soon.
The changes to his body were too great, and repeated use could have even greater effects.
Maybe… He should consider whether to use a new Film.
Yu Qing pondered in his mind.
Unknowingly, he’d walked a long way.
It wasn’t until the navigation app on his phone chimed that he arrived at his destination that he snapped back to reality and looked up at the final stop of his journey.
The evening sunlight gilded the teaching building in warm gold.
A few golden leaves scattered on the ground around the building made the hurried people realize that autumn had arrived.
The weather was getting cooler.
Yu Qing pulled on a thin jacket, one hand in his pocket, and examined the classroom before him, comparing it with the address Fu Yi had sent.
The practice location was a small rehearsal room on the top floor of the Art Academy building.
[Yu Qing Senior～, tonight at seven, come to the Art Academy building, Rehearsal Room 308, be on time.]
A message perfectly fitting Mei Xue’s gentle personality, yet for some reason, made Yu Qing feel a chill run down his spine.
It was as if if he didn’t go, he’d face a punishment he’d never forget.
Shaking his head to dismiss such irrational thoughts, he took a deep breath and prepared himself to be mocked by Mei Xue during the dance lesson.
Only then did he raise his hand and knock on the door.
The door opened quickly, but it wasn’t Fu Yi who greeted him.
Instead, it was a woman in her thirties, with a sharp and capable aura, her hair tied in a neat ponytail.
She wore a form-fitting black dance outfit with a gray jacket draped over her shoulders.
The tight dancewear perfectly showcased her graceful figure.
Her gaze was sharp and professional.
“Yu Qing?”
Shen Tang looked him up and down, her tone calm with a hint of curiosity.
“Uh… Yes, that’s me.”
Yu Qing looked away, responding a bit awkwardly.
Faced with the unfamiliar woman before him, his old habits resurfaced.
“Come in.”
Shen Tang turned and walked inside, motioning for Yu Qing to follow.
She led him to the center of the room, one hand resting habitually on her hip, and began introducing herself.
“My name is Shen Tang. You can call me Teacher Shen. I was commissioned by Fu Yi to instruct you in dance for the next month. During this time, I will train your dance skills to the level required for stage performance.”
She looked confident, and her words were just as firm.
Yu Qing nodded to show he understood, then introduced himself as well.
After the introductions, he finally had the chance to observe the place he’d be spending the next month in.
Mirrors lined all sides of the rehearsal room.
The floor was made of polished wood, reflecting soft spots of light under the lamps.
The air held faint scents of rosin and old wood.
Yu Qing’s eyes quickly swept the room, memorizing the layout, before his gaze fixed on the spot near the window.
Seeing Mei Xue sitting there, Yu Qing finally felt a weight lift from his heart.