"Eh?"
Cao Yuan looked at the group of jazz dancers taking the stage, his brows rising in confusion.
"What's wrong?" Lu Menglei, dressed in a pale lavender gown, asked as she looped her arm through his.
"That's strange. This act was supposed to be my friend's solo performance... Why was it skipped straight to jazz dancing?"
"Could the program list be wrong?"
"I'm not sure... Maybe the order was rearranged." Cao Yuan shrugged and looked away from the stage.
Lu Menglei blinked and took the initiative to find a topic.
"By the way, Junior Cao Yuan, do you like jazz dance?"
"Me? It's okay."
"I don't really like it either... This kind of dance is too elegant and delicate. It doesn't have the sharp, exhilarating feeling of kendo." Lu Menglei glanced at Cao Yuan and could not help saying, "It would be much more interesting if this act were replaced with a real, weapons-drawn group brawl."
"...That kind of show wouldn't pass censorship, would it?"
"Speaking of which, Junior Cao Yuan, why have you always refused to use the Bamboo Sword?" Lu Menglei asked curiously. "Even when you spar with me, you only use branches..."
"I don't like using swords or sabers."
"But when you fought before, you couldn't have been using branches, right?"
Cao Yuan was speechless.
"I know you might be afraid I'd feel inferior if I saw your true strength... But it's okay, really! I promise I won't tell anyone. Next time, let's find somewhere with just the two of us, and you can show me your real swordsmanship with the Bamboo Sword, okay?"
"Well..." Cao Yuan looked troubled.
"As long as you show me your true strength, I... I'll agree to one request of yours." Lu Menglei lightly bit her lip, her cheeks flushing.
"A request?