Chapter 132: The Old Boys
Xiao Qing nodded at them repeatedly, his head bobbing up and down.
Teng Yi weaved through the swaying crowd of elderly dancers and bumped fists with Xiao Qing before pulling him into a hug. Han Zuo, who was following behind Teng Yi, scooped up Xiao Qing’s son, intending to tease him a little. But the child, shy around strangers, burst into tears the moment he was picked up.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Han Zuo panicked.
"Dou Bao, don’t cry," Xiao Qing pinched his son’s chubby cheek. "These two are your uncles."
Hearing this, Dou Bao blinked confusedly at Teng Yi and the others but still shied away, reaching out to cling back to Xiao Qing.
Xiao Qing took his son and lifted him overhead, letting him ride on his shoulders.
"What brings you here?"
"We need to discuss something with you," Teng Yi said.
"Alright, then come to my place. It’s just up ahead."
Before Teng Yi could mention they’d already been there, Dou Bao, perched on Xiao Qing’s shoulders, pointed a tiny finger forward.
"My home is behind that big tree."
His babyish voice made all three men laugh.
"Aren’t you scared of strangers coming to your house?" Teng Yi teased.
"Daddy said you’re my uncles," Dou Bao replied.
"Wow, look how smart you are. How about letting Uncle hold you?"
Dou Bao thought for a moment, then obliged Teng Yi by leaning toward him.
Teng Yi caught him and, mimicking Xiao Qing, lifted the child high into the air.
"You’ve got real dad potential," Xiao Qing praised.
Teng Yi smiled without responding. Amid the lively atmosphere, his thoughts suddenly turned quiet as he remembered Ruan Yu. If he could have a child with her, he wondered how dearly he would cherish them—holding them close to his heart, cradling them in his hands.
Xiao Qing’s home was on the third floor.
The moment Teng Yi and the others stepped inside, their eyes were drawn to the living room wall lined with medals and certificates—all related to street dance.
"Look at you, showing off," Han Zuo remarked as he walked over to examine the awards closely.
Xiao Qing chuckled sheepishly.
His wife, Luo Ya, found this odd. "Husband, why aren’t you bragging about your medals today? Normally, you’d talk anyone’s ear off for at least three minutes."
Calling them his youth, his poetry and distant dreams.
"Brag about what? I wouldn’t dare," Xiao Qing said, pointing at Teng Yi. "The real legend is standing right there. My achievements are nothing compared to his."
Luo Ya burst into hearty laughter.
"Alright, alright, stop embarrassing me, dear. Go make some tea for our guests," Xiao Qing urged.
"Yes, sir!"
After Luo Ya left with the child, the three men settled in the living room.
When Teng Yi and Han Zuo explained their reason for coming, Xiao Qing’s excitement skyrocketed.
"We can really join the show? That’s amazing! You have no idea how bored I’ve been."
"Seems like you’re doing just fine in the park," Han Zuo teased.
Xiao Qing laughed loudly. "If we’re talking about doing well, I’m not exaggerating—I’ve really made a name for myself among the uncles and aunties. Just now, the ones leading the dance group? They’ve been learning street dance from me. Two years ago, they even won a merit award in a competition."
"Other teachers mentor the flowers of the nation, but you mentor the flowers’ grandparents. Quite the prestigious teaching lineage you’ve got," Han Zuo joked.
"Call it killing two birds with one stone."
"You’re something else!"
As they bantered, Teng Yi listened with a grin.Six years had passed, and Xiao Qing's son had already learned to dance, yet Xiao Qing remained the same Xiao Qing as before. It was truly heartwarming.
After Xiao Qing returned to Xiyou, he quickly got back in touch with Cai Hong.
Cai Hong was no longer in Liaocheng. After leaving Xiyou six years ago, he had once again become a free-spirited street dancer. However, deeply influenced by Teng Yi, he maintained a serious attitude toward street dance. Over these six years, Cai Hong had participated in many competitions. Although most street dance competitions in the country were semi-underground and had relatively low social recognition, it didn’t stop Cai Hong from gaining increasing fame in the street dance scene.
The Cai Hong of today was no longer the same reckless, unruly kid from back then. But no matter how accomplished he became, if Teng Yi called for him, he would drop everything and fly back to Liaocheng without hesitation.
To Cai Hong, once a leader, always a leader—this was his loyalty.
After Cai Hong’s return, the next one was Lin Shan.
Lin Shan was contacted by Ruan Yu through Chen Manbai.
Over the years, Chen Manbai and Lin Shan had stayed together, but aside from their relationship, they hadn’t progressed further because Chen Manbai’s mother looked down on Lin Shan. She believed a poor street dancer had no future and was utterly unworthy of her daughter.
Under this pressure, Lin Shan had repeatedly suggested breaking up, but Chen Manbai stubbornly refused to let go.
She had told Lin Shan more than once, “I allow you to love street dance more than you love me. You don’t have to give up your dreams for me. If you want to dance, then dance with all your heart. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll take care of you.”
This love moved Lin Shan and made him even more determined to carve out a place for himself—to prove to those who sneered, “What’s the point of being good at street dance?” that being good at street dance could indeed mean something.
This variety show was an opportunity for Lin Shan to make people see him in a new light. So, even though he still carried guilt toward Teng Yi and Teng Hao, he didn’t refuse Teng Yi’s invitation.
He told Teng Yi, “Yi, as long as you still trust me, I’ll help you win back everything we lost, bit by bit.”
…
Xiyou regained its former liveliness.
During daily practice, Cai Hong and Xiao Qing chattered endlessly, never quiet.
Han Zuo’s heart, unsettled for six years, finally settled back into place after Teng Yi and the others returned. Though he never thought being alone was particularly hard, having everyone together again undeniably brought a greater sense of security.
Everything seemed to have fallen into place—except for one person still on Teng Yi’s mind: Zhou Xihe.
He hadn’t forgotten the words Zhou Xihe had spoken to him that day. He knew Zhou Xihe had genuinely repented and truly wanted to return to Xiyou, to dance alongside his brothers again.
Teng Yi set a time to gather everyone and discuss the matter. To his surprise, the grudges of the past no longer weighed on anyone’s hearts.
Perhaps true maturity was like this—being able to understand others’ decisions, forgive their mistakes, let go of the past, and embrace each other’s new beginnings.
The night Teng Yi led everyone to find Zhou Xihe, Liaocheng was drenched in pouring rain.When Zhou Xihe finished his job as a dance partner and stepped out of the venue, he looked up to see his former brothers standing shoulder-to-shoulder under umbrellas in the rain, waiting for him. His eyes instantly reddened, and then he cried like a fool.
"Wow!"
Someone was the first to toss aside their umbrella and start dancing in the rain. Then, one by one, they all rushed into the downpour and joined in the dance.
There was no music, no applause—only the astonished gazes of passersby. But they didn't care in the slightest.
To have dreams and brothers—what a joyous thing that is.
These old boys—may they stay forever young, forever moved to tears.
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