I Thought He Was a Pro

At noon, Chen Si Yang brought Tang Zhi Chu to the cafeteria.

They found a spot where there weren't many people.

As soon as they sat down, Chen Si Yang picked the meat from her tray and put it on Tang Zhi Chu's.

"Are you bored?" Chen Si Yang asked.

Tang Zhi Chu shook his head.

"This is what I do every morning. You said I always look so miserable. Maybe I'm tired, or maybe I'm a little lost, so my mind goes blank and I can't think about anything else. That's why I don't show much expression." After she finished, Chen Si Yang gave an embarrassed smile, as if she felt awkward admitting her shortcomings.

Tang Zhi Chu put a drumstick from his tray onto Chen Si Yang's. "You're all pretty impressive."

"Right? But the truth is, none of us has a project."

Tang Zhi Chu felt a sense of pressure. It wasn't pressure coming from Chen Si Yang herself. He just couldn't tell whether someone had been advising her.

The two of them were growing closer on the Dating Show, but neither of them had started out looking for romance.

If they didn't get carried away, they would inevitably have more to consider.

Objectively speaking, they had a conflict now: they couldn't agree on their views of their careers.

Chen Si Yang was showing Tang Zhi Chu who she was, and showing the audience how hard she worked at her career.

Was this some kind of groundwork? Or was she burning her bridges?

Tang Zhi Chu never looked at anyone with absolute goodwill, nor did he look at anyone with absolute malice. Maybe it was a bit of both.

Tang Zhi Chu felt the pressure was on him now.

"Don't worry. I believe in you." A thought flashed through Tang Zhi Chu's mind, but he simply offered her reassurance.

Chen Si Yang nodded, then said, "Let's hurry up and eat."

Chen Si Yang had class in the afternoon, but she wasn't being taught by someone else. She was teaching a group of trainees.

Tang Zhi Chu sat on the floor of the practice room and watched them dance.

Chen Si Yang moved among the trainees, correcting minor mistakes as she spotted them. When they made a major mistake, she stopped the whole group, and they started the dance over from the beginning.

This side of Chen Si Yang wasn't just a cool exterior. With her arms crossed and her face stern, she corrected them and demonstrated the moves. It was as if the music lived inside her.

"Hey, are you really Teacher Chen's boyfriend?" A guy who looked around eighteen or nineteen handed Tang Zhi Chu a bottle of water, then sat down beside him.

"Thanks. Not yet." Tang Zhi Chu took the water from him.

When the guy heard that they weren't together yet, he gave Tang Zhi Chu a thumbs-up.

"Teacher Chen is amazing, and she's so sweet. If you really manage to win her over, you've hit the jackpot. She's elegant and capable, can cook, and she's gentle and considerate."

Tang Zhi Chu smiled. "You mean that?"

"Of course! Who here doesn't know Teacher Chen? She's our goddess."

Just then, Chen Si Yang looked over. Her face stern, she called out, "Tu Jia Xiang, slacking off? One hundred push-ups, now."

The young man's face darkened. He muttered, "Well, she isn't always sweet."

Then he immediately got up and ran over.

Most of the others laughed, some of them covering their mouths as they giggled.

Tang Zhi Chu suddenly felt that Chen Si Yang taking his hand earlier hadn't been all that bold. At least here, on her home turf, she was completely at ease.

"Okay, everyone, keep going. Join the group again when you're done." Chen Si Yang clapped her hands.

They kept dancing for half an hour before taking a break.

Tang Zhi Chu sat on the floor, leaning against the practice room's mirrored wall. He smiled at Chen Si Yang, who was sitting beside him. "They seem pretty scared of you."

"It's probably because of how our company is run. Our company has a very well-established system. We have to show respect to our seniors, and getting into that habit will help them a lot once they enter the industry." Chen Si Yang said it as an explanation, but still seemed pleased by the compliment.

When she was with Tang Zhi Chu, he was usually the one taking the lead, which made her seem a little timid.

"No, it's not the system. You really are excellent. I watched your acting class this morning, and I think you acted the best."

"Keep your voice down."

"Anyway, that's what I mean. Everyone else played each emotion more intensely than the last, but you held back. The contrast was obvious."

"Okay, okay, just keep your voice down. There are seniors here."

Chen Si Yang put on an outward show of refusing the praise, saying she still had a long way to go. But deep down, she was thrilled.

She thought she'd done well, too. Especially these past few days—she'd made a lot of progress.

Tang Zhi Chu moved closer. "Then I'll keep my voice down. You dance beautifully, too. I just don't dare look. You can bend your left leg all the way toward your right ear—that's incredible. How can there be someone as amazing as you in this world? You act well, dance well, and you're beautiful. Hey, why are you pinching me?"

Chen Si Yang blushed a little at Tang Zhi Chu's praise. He was always so direct, but she loved hearing it. She even felt less tired.

"So, they respect you because you're so good at what you do. Now I've become one of your little fans, too." Tang Zhi Chu laughed, protecting his thigh.

Chen Si Yang simply covered her ears so she wouldn't have to listen.

Chen Si Yang hadn't noticed her students. Whenever she spoke with Tang Zhi Chu, they all craned their necks as if they could hear every word.

When Chen Si Yang pinched Tang Zhi Chu's thigh, they rubbed their own legs as if they'd been pinched there themselves.

Tang Zhi Chu noticed the guy who'd brought him water, grinning at him.

Tang Zhi Chu suddenly stood up and imitated Chen Si Yang, calling out, "How about I teach everyone a really wholesome social dance?"

The trainees who'd been sneaking glances at them immediately perked up.

"Sure!"

"Let's do it!"

"Wow, you can dance, too?"

Tang Zhi Chu walked over to the speakers, then beckoned to Chen Si Yang.

Chen Si Yang hurried over, looking at Tang Zhi Chu nervously. "What are you going to do?"

Tang Zhi Chu took out his phone. "I'll send you the BGM. Then you can play it for me."

Could Tang Zhi Chu dance?

In his previous life, he'd been the owner of an influencer company, and he'd built the company up himself. His main platform had been DY. He wasn't trained in traditional dance, but he knew a few unconventional dances—like the famous "Ace of Spades." He'd even made a video of it, and it had gotten plenty of likes.

The group of young people included some who were probably only thirteen or fourteen. Tang Zhi Chu walked to the middle of the practice room and pulled his hat down.

Someone started getting the crowd hyped, whooping nonstop.

Tang Zhi Chu nodded at Chen Si Yang.

The BGM started.

It was a genuinely wholesome electronic tune, and Tang Zhi Chu merely bobbed his head to the beat.

Everyone grew a little expectant. He looked like a pro!

But the BGM suddenly changed, and the drums kicked in.

Tang Zhi Chu immediately crouched halfway down and started flinging his arms around in an exaggerated pose, first outward, then inward. He even added side-to-side swaying with his legs.

The scene was a little surreal. The BGM was full of energy, and the handsome, tall man was dancing strangely, while everyone else stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, still unable to react.

Chen Si Yang had been full of anticipation at first, but the moment she saw Tang Zhi Chu's moves, she covered her face and turned away. Her shoulders kept shaking.

Then laughter surged through the whole practice room like a flood.

They'd thought he was a pro, and it turned out he really was a pro!

"Orange Justice"—a goofy, ridiculously catchy little dance.

Only after the BGM stopped did Tang Zhi Chu dare to pull his hat back up. He was afraid someone had recorded a video.

Recording one was fine, as long as his face wasn't in it.

Seeing everyone doubled over with laughter, Tang Zhi Chu shrugged at Chen Si Yang, looking as if he'd been wounded. Chen Si Yang laughed again.

Once everyone had calmed down, Tang Zhi Chu finally grinned and said, "Dreams are important, but having fun is even more important. Do you want to learn?"

The group answered in unison, "Yes!"