I really didn't intend to make a living based on my looks.

In February, Beijing was still chilly, but the campus of Yanjing Dance Academy already smelled of spring.

The school is located on Minzu University South Road in HD District, right next to Minzu University of China.

The gray-white teaching building isn't particularly grand, but the six characters "Yanjing Dance Academy" at the entrance carry immense weight in the hearts of dance students.

Students carrying dance bags and wearing practice clothes can be seen everywhere on campus, walking in twos and threes from their dormitories to the practice rooms.

Although school hasn't officially started yet, many people have already returned to campus.

In the dance industry, if you don't practice for one day, you'll know it; if you don't practice for two days, your teacher will know it; and if you don't practice for three days, the audience will know it.

The teaching building for the Department of Folk Dance is located on the east side of the main building. The large windows of the rehearsal hall let in the afternoon sunlight, making the wooden floor shine.

In one of the rehearsal rooms, a girl is practicing dance.

She was wearing a black, tight-fitting workout outfit. The top was a halter top with a low neckline, but the fabric clung to her body curves, highlighting her waist and bust line.

She wore black high-waisted workout pants and light pink soft-soled dance shoes. Her long hair was styled in a bun, revealing her slender neck and delicate shoulder blades.

She was performing a slow leg control movement, her right leg slowly rising above her head, her whole body like a willow branch swaying in the wind, supple and graceful.

The door was pushed open.

A tall girl barged in, her hair tied in a high ponytail, wearing a loose white sweatshirt and black leggings, and carrying a cup of milk tea.

She has a striking and elegant appearance with well-defined features and a heroic air about her. She is taller than the average girl and has ridiculously long legs.

A perfect nine-head body, with the wrist line extending past the crotch...

"You bastard, Li Xue!"

The girl put her milk tea on the ground, put her hands on her hips, and said, "Coming up early for the New Year, you were practicing dance! I knew it!"

Li Xue slowly lowered her feet, stood firmly, and reached out to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

"Jin Daxi, what are you yelling about? I didn't even go home for Chinese New Year this year; I stayed at school the whole time."

"Going this far?"

"I'm preparing for the audition for the lead role in the dance drama 'Confucius,' and I even went to Dunhuang for research recently."

Upon hearing this, Jin Cheng's expression immediately changed: "Confucius? You mean that one... the one from the China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater?"

"Um."

"Holy crap, that's a big production." Jin Cheng looked her up and down. "Are you about to take off?"

"Stop being silly." Li Xue draped a towel over the barre. "What are you doing up here?"

Jin Cheng also switched to Jinan dialect, and their conversation immediately became more down-to-earth.

"I thought you came up early so I could come and hang out with you. But I found you here practicing in silence."

These two can be described as both rivals and friends.

We were classmates in the same year, both from Jinan, and our birthdays were only one day apart.

One is September 5th, and the other is September 6th.

When they're on good terms, they're inseparable, but they're also each other's biggest rivals.

Jin Cheng entered the Beijing Dance Academy with the highest score in his major, and Li Yitong followed closely behind.

During their four years of university, the two of them took turns winning the first-class scholarship in their major and the scholarship for artistic practice, receiving so many awards that they were overwhelmed.

When the teacher mentions them, she always says the same thing: "These two girls are both incredibly good at curling up."

Li Xue unscrewed the cap and took a sip: "What are you planning to do for your graduation project?"

Jin Cheng thought for a moment and said, "I'll choreograph a Dai ethnic dance called 'Flowers'."

Li Xue was taken aback: "You, a girl from Shandong, are going to dance a Dai ethnic dance? Can you even pull it off?"

"Just crossing over, giving it a try," Jin Cheng said nonchalantly. "What about you?"

"I'm staging 'Treading the Song'."

"Treading the Song? That's a classic of classical dance. You, a folk dancer, are trying to dance classical dance? Aren't you afraid of getting scolded by your teacher?"

"Mind your own business." Li Xue put down her water glass, stood up and stretched her shoulders. "Alright, I'll practice a little longer. You go do whatever you need to do."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jin Cheng exclaimed anxiously, grabbing her arm. "You just finished a practice session, can't you take a break? School hasn't even started yet, why are you curling up like that?"

Li Xue ignored her and walked to the center of the rehearsal hall to start stretching and warming up.

Jin Cheng's mind raced as he looked at her serious expression.

She doesn't want to practice herself, but she can't let her best friend get tired too!

"Hey Xiaoxue, there's a new TV series that just came out, it's really good! Shall we go to the dorm and watch it together?"

"Not interested." Li Xue replied without even turning her head.

"It's so good! It's a period drama, a time-travel drama, and the male and female leads are both incredibly good-looking." Jin Cheng leaned closer, his tone enticing. "Want to go check it out?"

"What's your name?"

"Palace, the movie starring Yang Mi and Feng Shaofeng," Jin Cheng said excitedly. "It's been incredibly popular lately, haven't you heard?"

Li Xue said expressionlessly, "I only like Leslie Cheung."

Kim Sung was taken aback, opened his mouth, but couldn't find the words to reply.

Li Xue continued stretching her legs, ignoring her.

Jin Cheng stood to the side, looked at her back, then at the milk tea in his hand, and sighed.

She knew the girl's temper; if she said she wouldn't watch, she wouldn't watch, and no amount of persuasion would work.

But she can't go back alone.

Forget it, let's roll it all together...

Jin Cheng gritted his teeth, turned around and walked to the corner to change into his training clothes.

As she changed the incense, she hummed and chanted, "Holding you in my hands, I devoutly burn incense..."

She took off her hoodie, revealing a black sports vest underneath, and continued humming as she pulled on her pants: "I don't ask for anything epic, I just want to love once..."

Li Xue suddenly stopped moving.

She turned her head and stared at Kim Sung: "What were you singing just now?"

Kim Sung-jung, head down fastening his pants, didn't even look up: "A song, 'The Power of Love,' the theme song from 'Princess Hours.' You haven't heard it?"

She looked up and saw that Li Xue's expression was a little strange. "Really? This song is super popular lately, it's playing everywhere. You're always holed up in the practice room, you don't even know that?"

Li Xue didn't say anything.

Her mind suddenly exploded.

The offering of love... Happiness is knocking on the door...

Jiang Chen... joined the film crew to film...

Could it be...?

Jin Cheng had just changed into his training clothes and turned around, about to start stretching and warming up, when he suddenly saw Li Xue throw a towel on the chair and stride out.

"Huh?" Kim Sung was stunned. "Where are you going?"

"Go back to the dorm and watch TV."

Jin Cheng looked down at his newly changed training clothes, then at Li Xue's back as she walked to the door, and froze on the spot.

What the heck?

She just changed her clothes, and now she has to go back?

Trying to outwit your mother?

Li Xue had already opened the door: "Stop dawdling, are you coming or not?"

Jin Cheng stood in the center of the rehearsal hall, wearing his practice clothes and clutching the dance shoes he hadn't had time to change out of. He opened his mouth several times, finally managing to choke out, "Li Xue! Are you crazy?!"

Li Xue ignored her; the sound of her footsteps had already disappeared into the corridor.

"I give up." Jin Cheng gritted his teeth, threw his dance shoes on the ground, grabbed his hoodie and haphazardly pulled it on, buttoning it as he chased after them, "Wait for me!"