These were knee pads, originally prepared by Song Xi for herself. Later, she found she had no use for them. However, Tao Qingyu in their group did a lot of floor spins during their dance practice, so they would be most suitable for him.
Tao Qingyu was stunned. "...Teacher Song, I can't accept them."
Song Xi directly placed them in his hand. "Your knees are already red. If something happens during the performance, what will we do? Wear them."
Tao Qingyu was overwhelmed. In all his years of learning to dance, no one had ever given him knee pads. Song Xi had noticed on her first day.
She was truly different from what people said online; she was like a gentle and considerate older sister.
"Hey, what's wrong? You look like you've lost your soul," Ye Tian noticed Tao Qingyu clutching something and made a move to snatch it. "What is that?"
Tao Qingyu easily dodged and asked Ye Tian, still dazed, "Can I... call Teacher Song 'sister' too?"
"?" Ye Tian, sensing danger, immediately kicked out. "Don't even think about it!"
At eight in the evening, after dinner, everyone resumed training.
During a break, trainees from other groups came over to visit. Seeing how intensely they were practicing, they cursed playfully before quietly watching Song Xi's back as she played the pipa, gossiping in hushed tones.
"Hey, how does it feel?"
"It's okay, I guess."
Someone leaned in and poured out their frustrations. "Everyone's protecting Ye Tian. Is his dad a producer or a high-ranking executive?"
"Don't listen to Liu Dongdong's nonsense. He didn't eat enough at dinner."
"He totally is!"
The person immediately covered Liu Dongdong's mouth. "Alright, alright, we need to train."
After the door closed.
Tao Qingyu, drenched in sweat, said, "Brothers, come on, let's do it again."
Liu Dongdong, already resentful, seized the opportunity to complain. "We've danced this dozens of times. Do you think everyone has as much energy as you?"
The others chimed in to smooth things over. "It's fine, fine, let's do it one more time."
"Dance what? We're dancing so hard, and it's still just to be a foil for someone. I'm not dancing anymore. Whoever wants to dance can dance!"
With that, Liu Dongdong left.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Song Xi had a premonition that this scene would be edited into a preview later.
With morale unstable, any further dancing would be futile. So, Tao Qingyu said in a low voice, "Alright then, everyone go back and rest. We'll meet in the classroom at six tomorrow."
Everyone left enthusiastically, leaving only the three of them.
Tao Qingyu sighed, casually took off his white tank top, bunched it into a ball, and then pulled out a fresh one from his backpack to change into.
Song Xi happened to turn her head and accidentally caught a glimpse of his firm abs. Admiration flickered in her eyes. Kids these days had good physiques.
Ye Tian, who had seen this, stared.
Tao Qingyu walked over, nudged Ye Tian's foot with his own, and extended his hand. "Let's go."
Unexpectedly, Ye Tian "swished" to his feet and said without explanation, "I don't need your 'manly virtue'! I'm telling you, Sister Song Xi isn't that superficial!"
"...?"
Tao Qingyu didn't know what he had done to upset Ye Tian this time. He awkwardly rubbed his nose, glanced back at Song Xi, and then asked, "Want some grilled sausage?"
"Yes!" His mouth moved faster than his brain. By the time Ye Tian realized it, he found himself cornered again.
Tao Qingyu asked, "Teacher Song, do you want some?"
Song Xi was about to say no when her stomach rumbled audibly.
She hadn't eaten dinner, so it was normal to be hungry now.
Tao Qingyu extended the invitation, "Let's go, Teacher Song. That grilled sausage is quite tasty, and one won't make you fat."
Seeing Ye Tian's expectant gaze, Song Xi smiled and agreed, "Alright."
Night fell, and the street was quiet.
Only after Song Xi came out did she remember that at this hour, there might still be fan photographers lurking. She slowed her pace, tightened her grip on her mask, and put some distance between herself and Ye Tian.
The temperature had dropped to around ten degrees Celsius. Song Xi pulled her down jacket tighter and took out her phone.
The phone was set to silent, so when she saw the missed call from Lou Yumíng, she let out a proud hum.
However, when she opened WeChat and saw the messages, her clear eyes suddenly widened.
Her previously calm heart instantly churned like turbulent waves. Her fingertips turned white, and her lips lost their color in an instant.
"When will it end?"
"Who do you think you are? You're just my plaything when I'm bored."
"Just playing along, don't think you're anything special!"
"Got tired of playing, it's over."
A gust of wind suddenly swept around her.
Song Xi's loosely tied ponytail came undone, and the hair tie fell to the ground.
In the darkness, the woman's slender figure appeared solitary and helpless, and her exposed eyes, filled with tears, became captivating.
A fan photographer, seeing this scene, couldn't resist and pressed the shutter.
The other fan photographers exchanged confused glances.
"Why are you taking pictures of her?"
The photographer looked at the photo. "It just... has a really atmospheric feel."
"Here they come! Tao Qingyu and Ye Tian are out!"
"Ahhh, so handsome, just as expected of the sausage brothers!"
"What brothers? It's clearly a stunning romance, shoot quickly!"
Ye Tian, holding a grilled sausage in each hand, looked at the empty road, utterly bewildered. "Where's Sister Song Xi?"