Chapter 61: The Ticket
The Red Eagle Street Dance Competition was a national dance battle sponsored by the Red Eagle Company, held annually in mid-October in a designated city. This year, it took place in Liaocheng.
The competition consisted of several rounds: preliminaries, top 50 to 20, top 20 to 10, top 10 to 8, and finally, the grand finals among the top 8.
Ruan Yu had wanted to experience the competition atmosphere in person since the preliminaries, but Teng Yi hadn’t taken her to the earlier rounds.
Teng Hao hadn’t gone either. His reasoning was that the early rounds were just minor skirmishes with nothing worth watching—like sifting sand for gold, the real masters only emerged later, and the excitement grew as the competition progressed.
On the evening the top 8 list was announced, Teng Hao handed Ruan Yu a ticket to the finals.
"My brother asked me to give this to you. Tomorrow at 1 PM, Red Eagle Stadium."
Ruan Yu took the ticket and examined it. Both sides bore the Red Eagle logo, bright red and eye-catching.
"Is your brother back?"
"Yeah, he’s in the practice room." Teng Hao swung his backpack over his shoulder and waved at her. "I’m heading home first. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
After Teng Hao left the office, Ruan Yu tidied up the scratch paper on her desk, turned off the lights, and stepped out.
As she passed the practice room, she paused and peeked inside. No music was playing. Teng Yi lay on the floor, a baseball jacket draped over his head, motionless—apparently asleep.
The intense competition schedule these past few days must have exhausted him.
Not wanting to disturb him, Ruan Yu was about to leave quietly when a hoarse voice came from under the jacket.
"Come in."
He wasn’t asleep?
Was he calling her?
She walked in and had just reached his side when he spoke again.
"Got the ticket?"
"Yes."
Teng Yi stirred on the floor, slowly lifting the baseball jacket off his head and sitting up.
"Going home?" He raised his eyes to look at her.
"Yeah."
He didn’t respond, just rubbed his temples with his head lowered.
"How did you know it was me?" Ruan Yu asked.
"Huh?" Still groggy from sleep, his thoughts were sluggish.
"Earlier, when you told me to come in."
"Who else would be here at this hour besides you?"
"Someone might be practicing."
"Those guys aren’t that diligent."
Ruan Yu couldn’t help but laugh.
Teng Yi stood up and tossed the baseball jacket aside.
"Need another favor," he said.
He didn’t specify, but she understood instantly.
She nodded, watching as he pulled off his T-shirt in front of her.
She’d only seen his body once before, yet somehow, it felt familiar to her now.
What a shameless thought.
Teng Yi walked to the locker. Ruan Yu expected him to bring back the Yunnan aerosol spray, but this time, he returned with Yunnan Baiyao medicated plasters.
"Where this time?" She peeled off half of the plaster’s backing, the medicinal scent quickly filling the practice room.
Teng Yi pointed to his left shoulder.
"Here?" She traced a spot on his shoulder with her finger.
The touch sent a strange tingling sensation through Teng Yi’s body, as if a feather had brushed his skin.
He turned his head and saw her leaning in, carefully pressing the plaster onto his shoulder before peeling off the remaining backing.
Once the plaster was in place, she smoothed it down with her palm, ensuring the edges adhered firmly.
"Is this okay?" she asked.
Teng Yi didn’t answer. Thinking it wasn’t secure enough, she pressed it down a few more times."Nothing to say to me?" Teng Yi tilted his head, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
Ruan Yu froze for a moment, her hand pausing on his shoulder.
Her fingers were cold, just enough to soothe the heat from the medicinal patch.
After a while, she suddenly slapped the patch hard—with a loud smack —and he heard her feigning seriousness behind him, her face flushed as she said, "Do your best tomorrow!"
Teng Yi chuckled.
"Yeah."
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