Yu Qing didn’t notice Fu Yi’s probing, but his usual zombie face did a great job of hiding his inner emotions.
Not coming?
And possibly on a business trip?
That really was good news.
Yu Qing let out a breath of relief inside, followed by a bittersweet sense of joy.
Interacting with Mei Xue every day with a purpose, yet making sure not to get found out—this was still quite a challenge for Yu Qing.
“That’s really a pity.”
Yu Qing echoed again, trying to make himself look more disappointed, hiding any joy deep in his heart.
“Eh, if I lose Mei Xue’s careful guidance, I’m afraid my progress will slow down a lot.”
He paused, then asked with concern,
“How long will you be busy? Will you be able to come back before the School Anniversary for a few more practice sessions?”
Fu Yi tilted her head, looking uncertain.
She spaced out for a moment, then replied uncertainly,
“Hard to say. The project schedule is pretty tight this time. Maybe I’ll only be able to free up some time in the last few days before the School Anniversary.”
“But don’t worry, Senior!”
As she spoke, she suddenly stepped closer, wearing that sweet smile again, her voice playful.
“I believe with Senior’s current progress, even without me, practicing with Teacher Shen will be no problem! Who knows, maybe when I come back, Senior will be even better than me!”
A fragrant breeze swept over Yu Qing, making him instinctively step back half a step, widening the distance between himself and Mei Xue.
“Is that so? I think so too.”
He replied half-jokingly, not at all worried if Mei Xue could take a joke.
“But I’m serious!”
Fu Yi said, squinting with a smile.
She noticed Yu Qing’s reflexive retreat, her eyes filling with amusement, but she didn’t press any closer, the two of them maintaining a safe distance in a strange sort of harmony.
“Senior is very talented, and…”
“Also very hardworking.…”
“So hardworking it’s almost a little suspicious.”
Yu Qing’s heart skipped a beat, but on the surface he forced himself to stay calm, trying to sound relaxed.
“A clumsy bird flies first, that’s all.”
Fu Yi chuckled softly, though Yu Qing couldn’t tell what she thought of his answer.
She shifted her thoughts, dropping the topic.
Picking up her bag from the side, she swung it over her shoulder with a flourish and bid Yu Qing farewell.
“That’s it, then. I’ll tell Teacher Shen about it. Senior, you’re on your own for the rest of practice~”
With that, she waved at Yu Qing and turned crisply to walk out of the Dance Studio.
When she reached the door, Fu Yi seemed to remember something.
She paused, half-turning.
The cool moonlight outlined her delicate profile, giving her an icy glow.
“By the way, Senior.”
Fu Yi’s voice was tinged with lazy teasing, different from her usual lively self.
At that moment, she seemed like a rose with thorns—beautiful and dangerous.
“Don’t slack off while I’m gone.”
“If the School Anniversary performance gets messed up…”
She deliberately stretched out her words but didn’t finish the sentence, only giving Yu Qing a meaningful look before vanishing through the door.
Yu Qing stood where he was, staring at the empty doorway, his feelings a complex mix.
Looking back now, Mei Xue seemed to have developed a certain wariness toward him.
Yu Qing wasn’t sure exactly why, but he had some vague guesses.
The first reason was that his decision to interact frequently with Mei Xue over the past few days to lower her guard hadn’t worked as planned—in fact, it backfired, making Mei Xue view him differently.
But the odds of that were slim.
Otherwise, Yu Qing wouldn’t have chosen this approach.
To Fu Yi, Yu Qing was just a toy for amusement in her long life—something she could take or leave, like an elephant wouldn’t care about an ant’s fate.
Even if he performed outrageously in front of her, as long as it didn’t affect her interests, Fu Yi would never spare him a real glance.
So, it was the second possibility.
Fu Yi had already started investigating the things he’d done, and likely found clues leading back to him.
In his earlier transformations, even though he always chose blind spots without cameras, if someone investigated carefully, they’d notice that the “Fake Fu Yi” always appeared in the same places as Yu Qing.
This was the greatest danger in the modern technological world that Yu Qing couldn’t avoid.
If Fu Yi really checked the surveillance, it wouldn’t be hard to notice.
And now, the only question left for Fu Yi was—
What exactly was the connection between “Fake Fu Yi” and Yu Qing?
And how could she fully expose their secret before her?
After all, Yu Qing was easy to find, but “Fake Fu Yi” was impossible to track down.
In the eyes of people like them, the existence of supernatural phenomena was something they’d never even consider.
They only trusted cold data and the easily manipulated human mind.
And since this was a law-abiding society, Fu Yi couldn’t just use force to capture Yu Qing for questioning.
If others in her family found out, it might even become leverage against her.
Maybe, this business trip was just a test from Fu Yi, a way to lure out the “Fake Fu Yi”.
But…
If her purpose was to draw him out, why do something in the end to make him more cautious?
Was it confidence?
Or some deeper strategy?
Whatever it was, whether to use this chance to further infiltrate Mei Xue’s life was something Yu Qing needed to consider carefully.
Returning to the present, Fu Yi’s temporary departure felt like a weight lifted from Yu Qing’s chest—he could finally breathe easier.
Without her hovering nearby, Yu Qing could focus better on practicing, especially since he could now safely process and internalize the dance memories from Fu Yi’s body, without worrying about her catching on.
But compared to Fu Yi’s attention, this benefit felt rather insignificant.
The bell for the end of class rang.
First Year students finished their evening self-study and poured out of the classroom.
Yu Qing walked to the window, watching as Fu Yi’s figure merged into the crowd below, gradually disappearing.
Moonlight traced a silver edge along her back.
Even among the mixed crowd, she was the brightest presence, drawing Yu Qing’s gaze.
“Are you looking at her?”
At some point, Shen Tang had come to stand beside Yu Qing.
Her expression was calm as she looked down at the bustling crowd with him.
“Something like that.”
Yu Qing answered openly, with no intent to hide.
Shen Tang didn’t reply, and for a moment the atmosphere was silent.
“Fu Yi is a complicated person—dangerous, too.”
After a long while, as the crowd below thinned to a few scattered figures, Shen Tang spoke, drawing a surprised look from Yu Qing.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
Shen Tang averted Yu Qing’s gaze with practiced ease.
Her efficient ponytail had already been let down, and as she moved, her long hair drifted, replacing her former stiff image.
“I’m not particularly close to Fu Yi. Our relationship is simply teacher and student, so I have no reason to hide anything for her.”
“Why tell me this?”
That was what Yu Qing really wanted to ask.
He didn’t care about the details of Shen Tang’s relationship with Fu Yi—he wouldn’t believe it easily just because Shen Tang said so.
“I saw a shadow of the old Fu Yi in you.”
Shen Tang’s eyes lingered on Yu Qing, filled with complex emotion.
“Dance, like singing, can sometimes reveal a person’s heart. As an expert in this field, I just happen to be able to see that.”
“So, you know, I’m not just talking about dancing.”
Shen Tang met Yu Qing’s eyes, her meaning clear.