Chapter 37: Switching Sides
The atmosphere in the practice room suddenly turned peculiar.
Ruan Yu’s heart raced under Teng Yi’s amused gaze. Why had this suddenly turned into a competition?
“Has she seen you dance?” Teng Hao asked Teng Yi.
Teng Yi nodded.
“When?”
“School festival.” His answer was half directed at her, half a confirmation. “Did you go later?”
Ruan Yu recalled their first encounter on the rooftop that day.
“I went.” Though she hadn’t gone immediately after his reminder, she hadn’t missed their opening performance either.
“Well?” Teng Yi made a “please” gesture, tossing her a challenge as if extending some elegant invitation.
Ruan Yu took a deep breath.
Both brothers were watching her—one effortlessly deflecting, the other brimming with competitive fire.
She hesitated, afraid to answer carelessly.
Ruan Yu remembered her homeroom teacher’s repeated advice before the college entrance exams: Before answering, always try to discern the examiner’s intent.
Right now, she was trying to figure out Teng Yi’s motive. She knew he didn’t actually care about who was better—the answer was obvious. He probably just wanted to use her words to knock Teng Hao down a peg.
“Don’t be scared of my brother, and don’t worry about his pride. Just tell the truth—who’s better?” Teng Hao was inexplicably confident.
“Of course…” Ruan Yu’s finger pointed at Teng Yi, “your brother.”
“Huh? Weren’t you just praising me? Why the sudden betrayal?” Teng Hao was displeased.
“No comparison, no pain.”
Teng Hao: “…”
Teng Yi’s gaze lingered on the slender, pale finger pointing at him. Her nails were neatly trimmed, rounded, and a soft pink that inexplicably made his heart itch.
He couldn’t resist teasing her further.
“How much better?”
“Well…” She paused. “Let me put it this way. In a class of forty-one, you’d be first, and he’d be third from the bottom. That kind of gap.”
Teng Hao: “…”
Teng Yi suppressed a laugh, finding her utterly adorable. Her words were sharp yet devoid of malice, delivered so smoothly they could make a person choke.
“Don’t bring up that dark history! I’ve climbed into the top twenty now, okay?” Teng Hao protested.
“Ever wonder how you managed that?” Teng Yi asked.
Teng Hao faltered, unable to answer.
Teng Yi glanced at Ruan Yu, signaling her to respond.
“Because you targeted the weak spots and drilled the basics.”
“Hear that?” Teng Yi ruffled Teng Hao’s hair, his tone suddenly serious. “Dancing’s the same. If you want to improve, you’ve got to nail the fundamentals first. You can’t get fat in one bite—stop obsessing over flashy moves. The prerequisite for showing off is having actual skills to show off. Otherwise, you’re just fooling amateurs, stuck as the ‘impressive’ third from the bottom.”
It was rare for him to speak so much at once, and every word struck home, leaving no room for argument.
Teng Hao fell silent, then after a long pause, nodded sullenly.
Watching Teng Hao thoroughly put in his place, Ruan Yu suddenly realized Teng Yi’s true intent. He hadn’t wanted to crush Teng Hao’s spirit or discourage him—he just wanted him to understand the gap between where he was and professionalism, and the consequences of aiming high without the skills to match.
And she—she had become both his spear and his shield. He had used her to attack and to defend.
Damn impressive.
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