Are you swatting mosquitoes on her face for her?

Ji Shen’s sudden business trip left Wen Shuang feeling empty inside. She had already grown used to sleeping beside him these past few nights. In the middle of the night, with one side of the bed cold and vacant, Wen Shuang reached out longingly—she could still faintly smell his scent on the covers.

Ji Shen really was so busy! Even at one in the morning, he could be called away on a sudden trip. If things went on like this between them in the future…

Wen Shuang quickly knocked herself on the head, stopping her daydreams! There would be no future for her and Ji Shen. Their beginning was rooted in desire and the flesh; Ji Shen… would probably tire of her body before long! Wen Shuang told herself she needed to be prepared for that eventuality.

Yet, she couldn’t help noticing that her heart was already falling deeper than she’d intended.

……

After Xia Anran returned, the undercurrents in the dance troupe erupted into open conflict. Xia Anran now saw Wen Shuang as a thorn in her side, a bitter rival. Even though Director Su had restored her as the lead in “Bronze Sparrow Branch,” Xia Anran was still dissatisfied—what she truly wanted was the lead in “Wang Zhaojun Departs the Frontier.”

For that, she had pleaded with Dean Wang several times, but his attitude toward her was now much colder than before. The newly arrived vice dean also favored Wen Shuang. No matter what tricks Xia Anran used, all she received was a perfunctory, “Wait a little longer.”

Of course Xia Anran was unwilling to accept this! Meanwhile, He Luo quickly allied herself with Xia Anran. Together, they rallied others in the troupe to ostracize Wen Shuang—leaving her out of meals, not informing her of rehearsal times, forming private chat groups to gossip and slander her.

Wen Shuang couldn’t be bothered with these petty alliances among women. She focused solely on dancing well.

Fortunately, Luo Xingwei, her male co-star, was of a gentle disposition. After rehearsing together over a dozen times, he could see that Wen Shuang was a good person, not at all as the others described. Not only was Luo Xingwei kind, but he was also the perfect gentleman. When their roles required intimate choreography, he would only hold Wen Shuang as needed for the dance, never overstepping his bounds.

He had also helped Wen Shuang on several occasions. She was grateful and promised to treat him to a meal when she had the time.

That day, after Wen Shuang finished rehearsing “Wang Zhaojun Departs the Frontier” in the studio, it was Xia Anran’s turn to rehearse “Bronze Sparrow Branch.” Xia Anran strode in and, without the slightest courtesy, began stretching her leg right next to Wen Shuang—a kick that missed Wen Shuang’s face by mere inches.

Wen Shuang dodged aside. “What are you doing?!”

“I’m stretching my legs,” Xia Anran replied coolly, continuing to kick. “Are you blind?”

“You almost kicked me in the face!” Wen Shuang wasn’t someone to be bullied.

“So what if I had? Wen Shuang, even if I did kick you in the face, you’d better take it without complaint!” Xia Anran’s words drew cheers from the crowd. Many had long disliked Wen Shuang for being favored by the leadership and receiving so many resources—they wished Xia Anran would put her in her place every day.

He Luo chimed in, “That’s right, Wen Shuang. You stole what belonged to someone else—you deserve it! Serves you right for taking what isn’t yours!”

Wen Shuang responded with a swift backward kick, arcing her body in a display of incredible flexibility.

Xia Anran’s head nearly got caught by Wen Shuang’s foot. Instinctively, she jumped back three steps, clutching her head. “Wen Shuang, are you trying to kill me?!”

Wen Shuang threw Xia Anran’s own words back at her. “If I had really kicked you, you’d better just take it quietly!”

Xia Anran reflexively raised her hand, only to be stopped by Luo Xingwei. “Xia Anran! That’s enough!”

She turned to see him, then smirked. “What, Luo Xingwei? Playing the hero to save the damsel? Wen Shuang’s only been here for a few days and already her seductive charms have you wrapped around her finger. Wen Shuang, I really underestimated you. Maybe you should teach us how to ensnare a man so quickly?”

Her words set off a round of mocking laughter from the other female dancers.

Luo Xingwei was furious, but as a man, he would not stoop to insulting women. “You’re going too far! Wen Shuang and I are nothing more than dance partners—there’s nothing between us.”

He Luo waved her fan, fanning herself. “Who would believe that? Everyone knows you’re interested in her.”

Luo Xingwei denied it, but he was powerless against the group’s relentless gossip.

Wen Shuang spoke coldly, “You see filth in others only because your own hearts are filthy! Luo Xingwei, there’s no need to lower yourself to their level.”

Xia Anran sneered, “Why are you acting so pure, Wen Shuang? Everyone knows that, by the time you graduated college, you’d already slept your way through half the power players. Now you want to play the chaste heroine? Laughable!”

The words had barely left her mouth when Wen Shuang slapped her hard across the face.

“Shut your filthy mouth!” Wen Shuang roared. “Fresh out of prison and your mouth is still foul. Xia Anran, maybe you’re due for another stay!”

“How dare you, Wen Shuang! You actually hit me? I’ll fight you to the end!”

Xia Anran had never been so humiliated in public. She lunged at Wen Shuang, ready for a brawl.

Luo Xingwei tried to break them up, his shoulders left with deep scratch marks from the women’s nails.

Finally, the vice dean stormed in, face dark as thunder, and ordered everyone to be silent. She was appalled that a group of dancers could cause such a ruckus in the rehearsal studio—if word got out, it would be a laughingstock!

Xia Anran tried to complain, but the vice dean gave her no chance, telling her to get on with the rehearsal and stop wasting everyone’s time. If the leading lady didn’t want to dance, someone else could take her place!

Because Xia Anran had just been released from prison, the new vice dean already had a poor impression of her, convinced she was trouble—how else would she have ended up behind bars in the first place?

Wen Shuang shot Xia Anran a smug glance, her eyes silently saying: Serves you right.

Xia Anran was nearly beside herself with rage. With her vindictive nature, she would never let Wen Shuang off so easily. After rehearsal that evening, she blocked Wen Shuang’s way and raised her hand to slap her.

“Stop!”

A warm, deep voice rang out from nearby. Xia Anran froze, turning around.

Her brother, Xia Hanyan, had returned to the country without her knowing! Qin You stood beside him, and it was clear they had come together to pick her up.

Qin You’s eyes widened in shock when he saw Wen Shuang—she was working at the troupe too! No wonder Xia Anran had been acting so strange lately, making Qin You wait in the car—she must have been afraid he’d run into his old flame.

“Brother! You’re back! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

Xia Anran threw herself at him, but Xia Hanyan’s gaze was icy. “Anran, what were you just about to do to that young lady? Don’t tell me you were trying to swat a mosquito off her face!”