Su Yun’s face was instantly filled with question marks when she heard Qin Xue’s words. She looked at the other girl again in disbelief.
“You want me to do what?”
“Dance?”
“Ah…” Su Yun was utterly shocked after confirming that she really was being asked to dance.
Come on, sis, do you really think I'm some kind of genius? Like I could learn it just from watching a few times?
Right now, Su Yun really wanted to find an excuse to reject Qin Xue. But when she saw the serious look in the other girl’s eyes as she sat to the side watching, she couldn’t bring herself to say no.
Then, suddenly, her smart little brain lit up.
Even though she couldn’t dance the one from earlier at all, she did know another one. She’d trained in it for a few years—totally got it down.
Qin Xue watched, expecting Su Yun to shyly refuse her request. But the next second, she saw her straighten up and start moving.
She didn’t want to miss this moment and immediately focused all her attention—more serious than when she was watching earlier.
All she saw was Su Yun raise both hands, cross them over her head and wave them a few times before slowly lowering them. Her legs moved in step with her hands.
After this smooth little combo, Su Yun held one arm straight out to the side, the other folded inward at chest height. Her head turned toward the fully extended hand, then came the head tilt, arm shake...
“?” Qin Xue was instantly stunned watching Su Yun’s ‘dance.’
It was clear—this was not the type of dance she had in mind.
Did she make it up herself?
It looked kind of rhythmic, actually. If you looked closely, it seemed like it kind of had something going on.
Was she this amazing?
But why did it feel strangely familiar?
Qin Xue had excellent rhythm perception. After a moment, she found a beat forming in her head—1-2-3-4, 5-6-7-8, 2-2-3-4, 5-6-7-8...
If she wasn’t mistaken, this ‘dance’ started with: “Third National Middle School Broadcast Gymnastics—Let Youth Move, starting now.”
“...” Qin Xue looked at the energetic Su Yun doing exercises with a speechless expression.
She got it now—this girl was different from other girls.
Because Xiaoyun was an idiot.
Qin Xue didn’t interrupt. She just sat on the mat, watching Su Yun’s “performance” with great interest.
Finally, four minutes passed, and with a few final stretches, the dance came to an end.
Su Yun was a bit surprised after finishing. She didn’t think she’d remember it so clearly after half a year.
Wait, she didn’t even have time for exercises in senior year—must’ve been a year and a half.
“How was it?” Su Yun walked over to Qin Xue and asked.
“Idiot.”
The first thing out of Qin Xue’s mouth was an insult, leaving Su Yun a little dumbfounded.
What the hell… If it weren’t for you watching so seriously, I wouldn’t have danced at all. That was so embarrassing.
Su Yun looked at Qin Xue with a resentful expression.
“I didn’t mean for you to dance that kind of dance… pfft.” Qin Xue covered her forehead, looking exasperated, but before long she burst out laughing.
“What are you laughing at?” Su Yun felt even more annoyed, her little face all scrunched up.
Laugh laugh laugh!
Forget it. I’m never dancing again.
“Okay, okay, I shouldn’t have asked you to dance. Learning it just by watching a few times is a bit much.” Qin Xue noticed Su Yun’s sour mood and reached out to pat her head.
But like always, Su Yun dodged right before she could touch her.
“Ai.”
“You’re like a rabbit—so quick to hop away, and you bite too.” Qin Xue teased as she looked at Su Yun holding her head protectively.
Su Yun did not like that.
“You’re the rabbit!” The girl’s voice was soft but sharp, like an angry little bunny about to bite.
Seeing the ‘rabbit’ get mad, Qin Xue decided not to tease her anymore.
“Alright, you can head home for today. It’s almost 4. If you came to my place now, there wouldn’t be much time left anyway.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yep, really. Go home and rest.”
Hearing she was done for the day, Su Yun’s mood instantly brightened. She’d thought she’d have to go to Qin Xue’s house next for more embarrassing play.
If that’s the case… then let’s pretend the laughing just now never happened. I'm not mad anymore.
All she had to do was perform a round of broadcast exercises, and she was done for the day.
Hell yeah.
Just as Su Yun was about to say goodbye and slip away, she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket.
She took it out and saw it was a call from her mom.
Qin Xue, who was nearby cleaning up the mat, also noticed the call and cautiously approached Su Yun, her eyes gleaming.
She wanted to see if she could sneak a peek at the caller ID.
“Mom”
The second she saw the name, Qin Xue’s curiosity was piqued.
She didn’t leave. Instead, she stood just half a meter behind Su Yun.
Su Yun didn’t realize Qin Xue was there and picked up the call right away.
Could it be that my parents came looking for me this afternoon? But they’d said Sunday...
“Mom, what’s up?” Su Yun nervously answered. Now she didn’t bother disguising her voice anymore. Her parents were going to see the truth tomorrow anyway—nothing left to hide.
Since she’d spoken to her mom in this same voice yesterday and explained the illness, her mom didn’t suspect anything. She just thought Su Yun still hadn’t recovered.
“Baby, are you still feeling unwell? Why didn’t you accept the 200 I sent you at noon?” Her mother’s gentle voice came through the phone.
The volume was a bit loud. The sound echoed through the room.
Ah?!
Su Yun immediately turned off speaker mode.
Then she turned around—
“Baby—pfft.” Qin Xue was nearly dying from laughter after hearing Su Yun’s mom call her that through the phone.
A grown girl, still being called “baby”? What is this, kindergarten?
Qin Xue looked up and saw the little cutie glaring at her with puffed-up cheeks full of resentment.
She quickly covered her mouth, silently promising not to make another sound.
“Baby, who was that girl’s voice just now? Is she your girlfriend?” On the other end of the line, her mother sounded surprised, but more than that—delighted.
“She’s not. Just a friend,” Su Yun replied shyly in a small voice.
“You need to seize the chance, don’t be picky. Your uncle was too picky and now he’s 40 with no wife. People laugh at him. As long as you like her even a little, that’s enough.”
“She’s really just a friend...” Listening to her mom’s anxious voice, Su Yun felt helpless.
She was a girl now—how could Qin Xue possibly like her? By next week, she might even get tossed aside.
“No worries. If baby can’t find one, Mom will help you. Just get the money ready. But if you’re capable, try to date someone in college yourself—it’ll save us some money.”
“That’s not something to rush…”
This wasn’t the first time Su Yun had heard this speech from her mom.
But dating a girl—it was a waste of time and money. Getting married cost hundreds of thousands, basically handing the family’s savings to someone else. And then there was the risk of being cheated on.
Love in real life was brutal—not like in anime. Betrothal gifts could make couples who’d been in love for six years break up on the spot. A minor issue could cause a couple married for decades to scream at each other for an entire day.
So Su Yun never dreamed of growing old with someone. She just wanted to walk her own path.
Call it avoiding reality if you want—but she wasn’t hurting anyone. She’d take care of her parents till the end and then just be on her own.
And now that she’d become a girl, it was perfect. She’d never like guys—so naturally, she’d be alone.
(End of Chapter)