The youth knew he had utterly humiliated himself. After getting up and throwing out a few parting threats, he slunk away in disgrace.
Like a brief interlude at the gala, the classical melody of the Serenade once again echoed through the air. The previous incident was soon forgotten; people in the ballroom continued to dance hand-in-hand, immersing themselves in the joyful time.
"Do you know how to ballroom dance?" Xu Xiaoyou asked.
The steps of the people around them spiraled. The soft light from the banquet lamps above bathed them both. The girl's voice wasn't loud, but Tang Xin heard it with exceptional clarity.
Tang Xin didn't understand why the girl was suddenly asking this. "No, but ballet and modern dance are fine."
"A bit of a foundation is enough."
"Me?"
Before Tang Xin could react, Xu Xiaoyou gently placed a hand around her soft waist. A whisper echoed only in their private world.
"Hold me tight."
Tang Xin clumsily followed Xu Xiaoyou's lead. Her arms pressed against the other's, their fingers interlaced. The world spun around her like a kaleidoscope with her at its center, while a brilliant golden glow circled above their heads.
"Wait, I'm afraid I'll step on you."
Xu Xiaoyou lightly lifted her wrist, extending her hand into the air along with the girl's. Her steps were light and spinning, carrying the girl's body along in the turn. Her feet wove around the tips of the girl's high heels as she stepped out the dance to the right.
"Then stay closer to me and keep your balance."
Tang Xin bit her lip, her eyes fluttering as she looked away. This was the first time she had ever taken the initiative to be so close to someone. It was strange. Why was she so nervous now? Was the other girl wearing perfume, or was that the natural citrus scent of her clothes?
Tang Xin looked up, and as their eyes met, it felt as if the rest of the world had vanished, leaving only each other. Following the music as it eased into a slower tempo, they slowed their pace, at times embracing closely and at others pulling apart quickly.
However, her mind wasn't on the dance steps at all. Though she had known before that this person had long eyelashes, looking at them now, she felt that those amber eyes possessed a sort of magic. They were beautiful, shimmering with a gentle luster that made one want to trust them and draw closer for some inexplicable reason.
"Don't daze off. The rhythm is about to speed up," Xu Xiaoyou reminded her.
Tang Xin snapped back to her senses. Her left hand pressed against the girl's palm while her right arm circled Xu Xiaoyou's shoulder. Her toes lightly tapped the floor as she took a step forward, pressing against the girl's flat chest. The blue-winged gown, adorned with golden musical staff lines, fluttered at that moment like a blooming white flower, brief yet breathtaking.
Every side step and every turn was filled with grace and power. The other dancers noticed the two girls dancing in the center of the ballroom. Under the former's patient guidance, the latter's awkward steps gradually became familiar, slowly merging into the solemn and deep melody of the Serenade.
Everything in the world grew increasingly blurred during the dance, turning into brilliant golden spots of light. Only the girl before her remained clear. Tang Xin watched her without blinking. The intricate steps of the tango were a significant challenge for most beginners, yet she felt her body becoming lighter and lighter. Eventually, a sense of ease and freedom welled up within her.
"Not bad. You caught on so quickly," Xu Xiaoyou praised.
Tang Xin kept her eyes fixed on Xu Xiaoyou. "Why are you so practiced at this? How many people have you danced with?"
"Why ask me that?" Xu Xiaoyou's eyebrows twitched slightly as a flirtatious smile flickered across her face before vanishing.
Tang Xin was momentarily speechless. The girl continued leisurely:
"Out of social necessity, I've danced with many older women from various families. They all praised my dancing."
Tang Xin opened her mouth. "So you're a kept..."
"If I don't live off others, will you earn money to support me in the future?" Xu Xiaoyou blinked.
Tang Xin's thoughts drifted. What was this person talking about? Wait, isn't she currently rushing to concerts everywhere, like a cash cow being shaken by this girl every day to drop a mountain of inspiration?
Almost every day, her schedule was packed tight by this person, leaving her with no time for herself. Often, just as she finished a concert, she had to rush off to the next fan signing event without a moment's rest.
"Don't worry. This isn't out of social necessity. Between good friends, this is the first time."
"You have to take responsibility for me," Xu Xiaoyou said with a serious face.
Seeing her like this, Tang Xin's teeth itched with frustration, wishing she could give her a good bite. Then, Xu Xiaoyou suddenly spoke in a low voice:
"It's almost over. Get ready."
In the next moment, Tang Xin's world spun. The girl lifted her by the waist, and amidst the grand, lingering sound of the final descending notes, her body leaned back slightly. The graceful line of her neck traced an arc in the air, her necklace sparkling under the golden lights.
Xu Xiaoyou leaned down slightly, her golden hair sliding past the side of her face. Her right hand, encased in a pure white glove, swept upward. She lowered her head near Tang Xin's neck, making a gesture of salute to the crowd.
The music ended and the dance stopped. Sparse, scattered applause echoed through the gala before growing into a thunderous ovation.
In that moment, the light of the entire gala was focused on them. Tang Xin quietly observed Xu Xiaoyou beside her; the girl looked calm, accepting the crowd's applause with her.
Tang Xin grew more and more curious about Xu Xiaoyou. She felt a desire to dig up all of the girl's secrets without reservation—to keep them for herself and let no one else know.
This sense of curiosity was strange, like wanting to break down the sealed doors of her heart so that something could fly out from behind them.
Tang Xin pressed her hand tightly against her chest. Her heart was beating so very fast.
For her, tonight was truly an unforgettable night.
At night, the cabins were silent. People slept soundly. If anyone had woken up and gone to the deck at this time, they would have been deeply shaken by the power of nature. The gale whipped up waves dozens of meters high. The sky pressed down like a heavy slab of iron. Sea mist raced across the surface of the water, and in the distance, hundred-meter-wide floating ice sheets cracked with thunderous roars.
The steel hull continued to break through the waves. The iron-black body of the ship was like a great mountain in the swaying tide, appearing as if it might topple at any moment. The tens of thousands of tons of steel groaned with muffled wails. Suddenly, a sharp flash of lightning descended from the dark heavens,
illuminating the distorted silhouettes around it.
There were thirteen levels on the deck, each surrounded by massive glass curtain walls. The glass surfaces beneath the steel were encrusted with frost.
The moon, obscured by dark clouds, suddenly spilled a vast amount of pale moonlight, illuminating the shadowed areas hidden by red drapes.
Inside the empty piano hall, the sound of a piano echoed. If one listened closely, they could hear the melody of "The Crave."
As the ship listed heavily, a girl sat at a large grand piano. Her delicate fingertips danced across the black and white keys, her golden hair falling over the backs of her fingers. The casters beneath the grand piano slid rapidly to the right following the tilt of the floor,
yet the girl was able to maintain her balance. She allowed the piano beneath her to slide back and forth across the enormous hall without letting it affect the music she played in the slightest.
Suddenly, in a single moment, the ship's side slammed into a surging wave. The entire cruise ship tilted to nearly a forty-five-degree angle. Seeing that the piano beneath the girl was about to crash into the wall at breakneck speed, a figure with short hair appeared just in time. Walking on the forty-five-degree tilted floor as if it were level ground, the figure raised a leg to brace against the out-of-control maple wood frame, protecting both the piano and the girl.
At that moment, Xu Xiaoyou looked up from the piano bench, peeking her face out from behind the music stand. She looked at the figure that had appeared and said:
"Good evening, Miss Chihong."
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