Amateur talent show? Top mentors are my students.

"Oh??" Jiang Yang's voice rose eight octaves as he took the phone and confirmed again, "Teacher He, you just said 'Oh'? Park Do-hyun! That Park Do-hyun!"

"Didn't you used to show his videos every day in class? You called him 'one of the world's top dancers' and said his waves were 'textbook-level'—and now he's reposted your performance! And you just say 'oh'?!"

He Xu lowered his eyes, feigning a relaxed tone: "...What else can I do? I can't exactly send him a Weibo post saying, 'Thank you for your recognition, senior. I'm flattered,' can I?"

"Then you should at least be happy!" Li Bufan chimed in from the side. "Brother He Xu, your lips are practically curled into a smile, why are you still pretending!"

I didn't laugh.

You smiled!

He Xu was silent for two seconds, then put the cup in his hand on the table next to him and walked expressionlessly to the other end of the banquet hall.

A burst of unrestrained laughter came from behind.

He hadn't gone far when he was intercepted.

Jung Jae-won, still wearing that flashy dark red outfit—he hadn't even changed after the finals—was holding a glass of champagne and swaggering up to him: "He Xu! Have you checked Weibo?"

"...You saw it too?"

"I saw more than just that." Jung Jae-won grabbed his shoulder and pulled him a couple of steps to the side, lowering his voice, but the excitement in his tone was impossible to hide.

"After Park Do-hyun retweeted your Weibo post, my phone vibrated for twenty minutes—all the dancers I know were asking, 'Who is this person?' 'Where did he come from?' 'Can you introduce us?'"

He paused, as if remembering something even more interesting, and laughed even harder: "Several people who told me before that 'domestic choreography is just so-so' are all sharing your stage performance on their WeChat Moments tonight, with the same captions—'Shocking,' 'Awesome,' 'I'm impressed.'"

He Xu listened to these words with his arm around her shoulder, her ears turning slightly red under the warm yellow lights of the banquet hall: "...That's none of my business."

"How is this none of your business?" Jung Jae-won released his shoulder, took half a step back, and looked him up and down. "You've been behind the scenes for too long. The people in the industry who know your name are all 'Teacher He'—dance instructors and choreographers. They know you're good, but they don't know just how good you are."

"Tonight is different. Tonight everyone is watching, and they know that you can not only teach, but you can also stand on stage and dance at that level—your status in the dance world is no longer just 'Teacher He'."

He Xu opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found that what Zheng Zaiyuan said was probably true.

He taught dance for six years and choreographed for five years. He spent a hundred times more time cursing in the practice room than on stage.

He was used to being the one standing in front of the mirror, behind the monitor, or in the shadows.

He never intended to stand in the light.

But tonight, that light seems to have come to me on its own.

Seeing his expression, Zheng Zaiyuan didn't say anything more, but just patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, digest your food first. I'm going to find Lao Zhou for a couple of drinks—he can't hold his liquor, I'll have to get him drunk no matter what."

After saying that, he picked up his champagne glass and left, his steps as light as if he were walking on springs.

He Xu stared at his retreating figure, his face darkening. He was about to complain, "Why are they all acting so crazy?" but before he could finish speaking, he was frozen in place by the sight before him.

Looking around, the banquet hall had become a scene of utter chaos.

Zhou Wei was sandwiched between Zheng Zaiyuan and the producer, with three empty cups in front of him.

The usually serious and rigid music tutor was leaning back in his chair with his head tilted back, his glasses askew on his nose, muttering something incoherently, as if he might fall asleep at any moment.

Xu Shutong, who was sitting next to her, had already collapsed on the sofa laughing so hard that her silver-white dress was spread all over the floor, and she was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face while holding a wine glass.

Jin Xian maintained her composure, but He Xu clearly saw her quietly pour out the remaining half glass of wine, then casually pick up her teacup and take a sip to cover it up.

Some staff members went even further, using a box as a drum and shouting out the tune of some unknown song.

He Xu took a deep breath: "...Haven't these guys ever drunk alcohol in their lives?"

Before he could utter another complaint, someone suddenly grabbed his shoulder from behind. The force wasn't strong, but it was accompanied by a noticeable, abnormal shaking.

He Xu turned around.

Shen Yiheng stood behind him, her face flushed red as if she had just been pulled out of the water, her collar unbuttoned, and an overly bright smile on her lips.

That smile was so radiant that it sent chills down He Xu's spine.

666, there's a second level.

"T-Teacher—" Shen Yiheng began, his tongue slurring, each word seeming to swirl around in his mouth before he uttered it, "Where have you been hiding…?"

"I didn't dodge." He Xu took half a step back, looked him up and down, and asked, "How much did you drink?"

Shen Yiheng held up three fingers, shook them twice, then withdrew one: "...About two bottles? Or three? That champagne...tastes like water..."

He Xu looked at him and remained silent for two seconds before asking, "Aren't you supposed to be a good drinker?"

"I—" Shen Yiheng took a step forward, "I'm happy today! And that wine—it had a strong aftereffect! I—"

Before he could finish speaking, his knees buckled, and he fell headfirst onto He Xu.

He Xu was knocked back two steps by the impact, his back hitting the table behind him.

He braced himself on the edge of the table with one hand, and instinctively put his other hand on Shen Yiheng's shoulder.

"You fucking—" He Xu lowered his voice, "You stand still!"

"I can't stand properly..." Shen Yiheng buried his head in his shoulder, his voice muffled, "Teacher, I think I've had too much to drink..."

"I can tell."

Shen Yiheng did not respond.

He buried his face in He Xu's shoulder and remained motionless for about five seconds.

He Xu thought he was asleep.

Then Shen Yiheng raised his head, his eyes red-rimmed, with a look of loss of control that was completely unlike his usual self, and looked at He Xu before suddenly speaking.

"Teacher, are you going to America?"

He Xu paused for a moment.

Before he could answer, Shen Yiheng continued, "I...I heard...what you and Jiang Yanbai said on the terrace...I heard it all—"

His voice began to slur: "Are you going to America to get treatment for your voice? How long will you be gone? Will you be coming back? What will I do if you leave?"

He Xu opened his mouth: "...Did you hear that?"

"I heard you." Shen Yiheng nodded. "I wanted to come find you, to ask you—but Jiang Yanbai was there, and I... I didn't want to go over—so I just stood behind the door and listened—"

His voice trailed off, the last syllable falling: "You didn't even tell me... You told Han Yu? You told Jiang Yanbai? Who did you tell?"

"I haven't told anyone," He Xu said. "It's not decided yet—"

"You've decided! You said it'll be in a month!"

He Xu looked down at him, and Shen Yiheng's eyes, red from being soaked in alcohol, were fixed on him, with a thin layer of water in them.

He Xu paused for a second, then sighed: "...I said I'd go back in a month, not that I'm leaving and never coming back. My contract isn't finished, and the choreography isn't done yet. Do you think I can just run away like that?"

Shen Yiheng blinked, as if he was processing what she had just said.

But the alcohol clearly wasn't going to help him digest it smoothly.

"Then—will you come back?" His voice was nasal.

"Shen Yiheng, can't you understand human language? I haven't even decided whether I'm going or not yet, and you're already crying here?" He Xu interrupted him. "Can't you wake up?"

Shen Yiheng sniffed and suddenly began to apologize: "Teacher... I was wrong... I shouldn't have said you were swearing too fiercely—"

"You're coming again?"

"I was so wrong!" Shen Yiheng grabbed He Xu's wrist with such force that He Xu couldn't break free. "You're fierce when you swear because you're a good teacher! I actually said you were too fierce when you swear—I'm not human! What was I thinking back then!"