With this oiling-up, everything became intense and it was like switching from gasoline to diesel. Before Wang Muguang could even fight back, he was pinned to the ground and got a mouthful of sand.
A beach buffet…at least the trip wasn’t for nothing.
Wang Huanxiu’s team captain had picked only strong men, so it was no surprise that they won.
Wang Huanxiu came off the field, his shirt missing a few buttons and hanging half-open on his body. Bai Shuijin trotted over to him.
“Laogong-ge, I knew you would win.”
Wang Huanxiu wrapped an arm around him, and Bai Shuijin took the opportunity to feel his abs. They were still eight packs, steady and reassuring.
Wang Muguang returned, spitting out sand, “Peh! Peh! Peh!”
The sand was too fine, and he had to walk a long way just to find a water vendor.
Bai Shuijin wanted juice and decided to also head to the vendor stall.
Wang Muguang kept spitting intermittently with every few steps, and Bai Shuijin said: “Plants vs. Zombies should include you in.”
Wang Muguang spoke while spitting sand, “Then all the plants would go even crazier fighting the zombies when they see me.”
Bai Shuijin: “You mean the sunflowers would spit even more?”
Wang Muguang: “…”
Why did that sound weird?
After buying water, Wang Muguang rinsed his mouth to wash away all the sand.
The vendor was a young Latino who pushed his cart here every day to sell water. This beach had stunning scenery; the sea was azure and clear, looking like jelly from above. Selling fruit and juice here brought him a considerable income everyday.
Wang Muguang felt a bit greedy. “Do you guys want some hot fruit?”
Heat waves shimmered in the air; nothing was more refreshing than a cold fruit smoothie.
Wang Muguang pondered carefully what to eat, but when no one answered his question, he turned around to find Bai Shuijin and Wang Huanxiu gone.
???
Was this creating an opportunity for him to enjoy a treat alone?
Before, Bai Shuijin was busy with school. Now that they were finally on vacation, Wang Huanxiu couldn’t let Wang Muguang, the light bulb, keep tagging along.
Wang Huanxiu squeezed Bai Shuijin’s hand…it had been so long since he last held it. Compared to before going abroad, Bai Shuijin had lost weight, and the lines of his body were tighter than before.
His hair hadn’t grown much; he’d been maintaining it regularly.
The busyness of his studies didn’t need describing, it was clearly evident on him.
Wang Huanxiu could sense that besides being happy about this vacation, Bai Shuijin was also somewhat nervous.
“How has this month been for you?”
Although Wang Huanxiu had flown over several times, Bai Shuijin didn’t have much time to spend with him. He couldn’t return until after 7 p.m. each day, then would nestle against him sleepily.
The stray hair on Bai Shuijin’s head waved in the wind. “It was alright.”
He kicked a shell at his feet, a hint of disappointment on his face.
Wang Huanxiu tugged his stray hair and teased him mischievously. “Your expression doesn’t look like it was ‘alright’, it looks pretty bad.”
He exaggerated, waiting for Bai Shuijin to refute him and explain.
The next moment: “It wasn’t that bad, it’s just… everyone is really outstanding.”
He pouted. The school had strong dancers from all over the world. He was excellent enough to be admitted, but others were just as excellent as him.
He didn’t dare slack off even a bit in class. Whenever he had time, he practiced dancing and studied moves, busier and more tired than during the year he was preparing for exams. He didn’t want to fall behind.
Getting admitted wasn’t easy. One month into the semester, one student with poorer mental resilience had already taken a leave of absence.
Bai Shuijin has always been optimistic.
Dance was his pursuit; his dream was to perform on the biggest, most magnificent stage.
Now, he wondered if he could stand out. He had talent, but talented people were everywhere. Moreover, he was surrounded by many outstanding people, not just in school.
He also wanted to prove himself.
He hesitated, not wanting to say all this. He had always been independent and was becoming increasingly strong-willed.
Seeing Bai Shuijin reluctant to speak, Wang Huanxiu ruffled his hair. “What do you want to play?”
Bai Shuijin looked around. Since they were on vacation, he wouldn’t dwell on those troubles. Now, with no studies binding him, he wanted to have a great time.
Noticing the water jet packs nearby, Bai Shuijin became interested and pulled Wang Huanxiu over to try them.
After putting on the life jackets, because the area was crowded, they had to take a speedboat further out to sea to play with the jet packs.
Bai Shuijin sat on the speedboat and watched the instructor demonstrate.
The water jets under the instructor’s feet sprayed columns of water, carrying him as he leaped and flipped through the air, which was very cool. When the demo ended and he descended slowly, his legs wobbled, and he plunged headfirst into the sea, splashing water all over Bai Shuijin’s face.
Bai Shuijin turned his head and asked, “Laogong-ge what if I fall into the sea?”
‘Would you risk your life to save me?’
Wang Huanxiu looked at his expectant little face and raised an eyebrow. “Feed the sharks.”
Bai Shuijin: “…”
This hateful man, this hateful plot device.
The instructor could tell they were a couple. After sitting steadily on the speedboat, he smiled and asked, “Are you two married?”
Bai Shuijin replied, “Yes.”
The instructor was surprised. “So young?”
“You must have been certain you’d love each other forever when you got married, right?”
Wang Huanxiu said yes.
Noticing Bai Shuijin sitting there sulking without speaking, the instructor chimed in, “Do you promise to love him forever?”
Bai Shuijin had not forgotten his comment of “feeding the sharks” to scare him, and grumbled, “Occasionally.”
“…”
“…”
It was already 8 p.m by the time they finished playing with the water jet packs and returned to the beach.
The food Bai Shuijin ate the most abroad was potatoes, they seemed to be in every dish. Even fast food had potato fries. Now, just the sight of potatoes made his head ache, and he didn’t want any Western food either.
It was like poison that corroded his taste buds. Every meal felt like dosing himself with medicine, and Bai Shuijin felt sorry for himself.
After showering, he browsed the hotel’s meal options and was delighted to find Chinese food.
He picked up the phone and ordered lavishly. When the food arrived, it covered the entire table.
When Wang Huanxiu came out of the shower, he saw Bai Shuijin’s little face flushed with excitement. “Laogong-ge, look.”
Everything that was spread out before them was all his doing, and he waited for praise.
Wang Huanxiu played along. “Did you make all this yourself?”
“I ordered it all myself.”
Wang Huanxiu: “Good, then it’s safe to eat.”
Bai Shuijin: “…”
The last time he made a love bento for Wang Huanxiu was over a year and a half ago. After tasting it himself, he got food poisoning and ended up in the hospital. Fortunately, Wang Huanxiu didn’t eat it at that time.
Looking back, Bai Shuijin realized how fast time had flown. They had already been married for over a year; it felt like just yesterday when he was still afraid Wang Huanxiu would feed him to the sharks.
Although it had also happened today.
But now they were very happy. He smiled sweetly.
Bai Shuijin feasted heartily at the table. While eating soup dumplings, he took a bite but the soup inside burst out from the pressure and sprayed oil all over Wang Huanxiu’s face.
Bai Shuijin smiled shyly. “Your skin seemed dry lately, so I thought I’d moisturize it for you.”
Wang Huanxiu wiped off the oil with a tissue. “You’re quite generous, you gave me a lot.”
“Then you can just wash it with water…perfect for water-oil balance.”
“…”
After a week on the vacation island, it was time to return to school. Bai Shuijin packed his luggage listlessly, his face clearly saying, “I don’t want to go to school.”
Why did something as malicious as school exist in this world?
Bai Shuijin felt like crying, but he still boarded the plane and flew back to his academic journey.
After a week, Bai Shuijin had even gained two pounds, looking more rosy and well-fed than when he first left for vacation.
Previously, due to academic stress, he hardly smiled twice a day. He had a lot of fun during the vacation and laughed foolishly every day, making up for all the laughter he had missed.
Every day spent with Wang Huanxiu was very relaxing. He brought back some local specialty snacks and also returned covered in marks.
His whole body looked like it had been bitten by insects.
Bai Shuijin’s dance partner looked at the red spots on his neck and clicked his tongue.
“Shuijin, who would’ve thought…you look well-behaved on the outside, but so wild in private.”
Bai Shuijin was also embarrassed. “We have the Chinese zodiac in our country.”
No matter what animal Wang Huanxiu was born under, in Bai Shuijin’s eyes, he was definitely a dog.
Bai Shuijin’s dance partner was a stunning beauty with blonde hair and blue eyes, about the same height as him. Seeing Bai Shuijin’s blushing face, she took out concealer and helped him cover the red marks on his neck.
The makeup brush swept back and forth on Bai Shuijin’s neck, and the dance partner chatted while covering the marks. “Did you know Mr. Hilton is coming to the school next Tuesday?”
The university Bai Shuijin attended was Mr. Hilton’s alma mater.
He recalled the recent reports. “Isn’t Mr. Hilton about to start his tour? The first stop is in this city.”
“Yes, and Mr. Hilton wants to promote newcomers.”
‘Promote newcomers? Does he want to choose from the school?’
Bai Shuijin’s neck tickled from his partner’s actions, but he paid no attention to the sensation, focusing entirely on Hilton.
“Promote who?”
The dance partner leaned close to his ear and said, “It’s not decided yet. I overheard teachers chatting…Hilton is coming to the school to select dancers for the tour’s opening performance.”
Bai Shuijin was stunned. “The opening for the first show?”
The dance partner was also excited. The importance of the first show’s opening was self-evident, it was the start of the dance tour, and a good opening was crucial.
And Mr. Hilton actually wanted to use newcomers for the opening.
The dance partner said, “I don’t know if it’s a solo opening or a group opening, but either one would be an honor.”
News of Mr. Hilton’s visit to the school soon spread. These days, even students who usually skipped class stopped skipping and came to attend.
People inherently have differences, and personalities are as varied as the types of flowers in the world.
Some who skipped class were highly talented. Even if they slacked off usually, they could still achieve high scores in exams. They considered themselves exceptional and their talent got them preferential treatment.
The tour was scheduled six months later. Hilton would visit two institutions to select talent, then review resumes from other freelance dancers, followed by layered assessments and screenings from the selected candidates.
No students skipped class for the entire week, and the teacher was amused when he came to teach.
Even the weaker students among them were outstanding dancers that many dance companies couldn’t compare to.
“Everyone has been very diligent lately. I brought some cookies my wife made to share with you. Eat up, they’re low in sugar.”
Before heading to the next class, the students shared the cookies the teacher gave them, devouring them like a whirlwind. The basket of cookies swayed on the table.
Eating some snacks could ease the mood. Because of Mr. Hilton’s arrival, everyone was too tense.
He was a legendary figure, the highest in both dance skill and status now. Many students regarded him as an idol.
On the day Mr. Hilton came to the school, the movie Wang Muguang had filmed earlier was also released overseas.
After being silent at home for over half a year, he became active in the public eye again.
Bai Shuijin saw the news about him while warming up. There were photos of him and other lead actors in mainstream media.
Wang Muguang had gradually transformed from an empty vase with just looks into an actor with skill and acting ability.
Seeing Wang Muguang’s movie release, Bai Shuijin felt motivated. The people around him were constantly improving, so he needed to work harder too.
Mr. Hilton’s selection felt like an exam. It was said Hilton needed to select 500 people in total, with 70 spots allocated to their school.
Mr. Hilton wasn’t present during the exam selection, and no one saw him at the school, but it was rumored he had come early but just didn’t show himself.
Countless people wanted to see him.
Bai Shuijin wasn’t as nervous as he expected after the exam. Instead, he felt refreshed, as if a heavy stone had finally been lifted off his shoulders. He had done his best, and he was content with whatever the result was.
He received the results two weeks later. Wang Huanxiu happened to fly over to see him that day. He lay on top of Wang Huanxiu with the back of his head pressing against the other’s face.
He liked using this posture to suppress the opponent.
Wang Huanxiu was helpless but reluctant to push him off.
Bai Shuijin babbled dishonestly: “Laogong-ge, how do you feel lying like this?”
Wang Huanxiu: “I find you annoying.”
Bai Shuijin pouted unhappily. “It’s no longer like the days when you said you loved me. Let’s get a divorce!”
Wang Huanxiu laughed at him. “But I just like you being annoying.”
Bai Shuijin rolled off him, laughing. “Laogong-ge, it’s your turn to try suppressing me.”
He wanted to experience what it felt like to be suppressed like that too.
Wang Huanxiu didn’t move, afraid of crushing him.
“Hurry up.”
“If I press you and it hurts, you’ll want to divorce me again.”
“No, I won’t.”
Bai Shuijin snuggled closer: “I can’t bear to divorce you, I can’t bear to lose you, and I can’t bear to lose your gold card.”
Wang Huanxiu’s face darkened. “I don’t want to hear the last few words.”
“It’s all from the bottom of my heart.”
“…”
Bai Shuijin’s lips puckered like an octopus as he kissed Wang Huanxiu’s face.
Ding ding!
The phone beneath them chimed twice, an email had arrived in the mailbox.
Wang Huanxiu didn’t peek, just asked him, “What is it?”
Bai Shuijin opened it. It was an invitation letter from the dance troupe. The initial English words were greetings to him:
“Mr. Bai Shuijin, you probably haven’t forgotten the exam you took recently. After assessment, the dance troupe and Mr. Hilton have unanimously approved your inclusion. We invite and hope you can participate in the training selection. If you are willing, please reply to this email before 10 a.m. tomorrow. We await your response.”
Bai Shuijin flapped on the bed like a fish, wanting to find a bottle of champagne to open. “Laogong-ge, it’s my exam result.”
He quickly described the earlier matter of Hilton wanting to promote new dancers.
“Then I took the exam.” Bai Shuijin gestured excitedly, stumbling over his words. “I got the result.”
He handed the phone to Wang Huanxiu, who read the email clearly.
Wang Huanxiu’s reaction was calm, as if he had just read the email. Just as Bai Shuijin felt like his response was bland, he made a phone call the next second.
When Bai Shuijin, who was wearing a suit, saw the fireworks show later in the evening, he was stunned for a few seconds.
“Laogong-ge, isn’t this a bit too exaggerated?”
His name was even on the fireworks. This kind of over-the-top, domineering plot cliche was actually happening to him. Bai Shuijin didn’t feel embarrassed at all, but rather excited and thrilled.
“No.” Wang Huanxiu was as proper as could be in front of others. Leaning down, he whispered in his ear, “You are the best.”
This was what he heard most often from Wang Huanxiu, as he frequently told him so.
Five days after receiving the email, Bai Shuijin arrived at the training selection site. The closed training might only involve practicing just one move for an entire week, which was boring, monotonous, and torturous.
The selection of 500 people was quite a spectacle. Almost every day, someone would leave.
The assessors were strict but also very tolerant towards everyone. The trainees participating in the training and selection didn’t face any intimidation upon arrival..
Just the concept of selecting a few from 500 was enough pressure.
Of course, the dance troupe didn’t want mere dancing machines who only knew how to dance. They didn’t deliberately suppress the trainees; everything proceeded naturally.
The capable stayed; those with flaws were eliminated.
After two months, the number of trainees dwindled from 500 at the beginning to 100.
There were fewer and fewer friends around. Some even experienced diarrhea due to extreme nervousness.
But there was also a lot of happiness when interacting with classmates. Two months had made everyone’s relationships much more harmonious.
During a late-night training session, Mr. Hilton suddenly arrived, startling everyone. His presence was a delightful surprise for all, but he also brought some terrifying news.
Hilton: “I know everyone here has come through layers of selection, endured much hardship, and shed a lot of sweat. This is what the path of growth is like.”
He looked around. “Over the next few months, there will be various large and small assessments. In the end, we will select one dancer from this hundred of you to perform the opening for the first show of the tour.”
The single finger Mr. Hilton held up made everyone’s breathing slow for a beat.
One hundred selected from five hundred. Finally, one selected from that hundred.
Any one of the hundred could be that one person, but the greater probability for everyone was being eliminated.
After Hilton announced that only one would be chosen, everyone’s competitive spirit increased several times over compared to before.
Every one of the hundred who had made it this far wanted to be that one percent, and no one wanted to give up.
Bai Shuijin was no exception.
The time Bai Shuijin could spend chatting with Wang Huanxiu each night became less and less. Before, Wang Huanxiu was the busy one; now it was Bai Shuijin.
When they had just gotten married, Bai Shuijin used to chase after him all day, calling out “laogong-ge” with every sentence, which Wang Huanxiu found annoying. Now the roles were reversed, and Wang Huanxiu became the one calling out to someone on his phone every day.
When he realized this role reversal, Wang Huanxiu laughed, feeling it was incredible himself.
He had flown over to see Bai Shuijin several times these past months. Sometimes he stayed with him, sometimes he just watched from afar because the other party had no time.
Bai Shuijin was very focused on his dancing, and he didn’t want to disturb him.
Tonight, Bai Shuijin trained on-site until 11 p.m. before leaving. The veny wasn’t far from his dormitory, so Bai Shuijin walked back with his backpack.
He looked at his phone, which contained the messages Wang Huanxiu had sent him. His finger had to scroll for a long time to reach the bottom. He didn’t know how many messages the other party had sent. Even when he had no time to reply, Wang Huanxiu persistently sent him all sorts of messages. The last one was a voice message.
Bai Shuijin pressed the phone to his ear to listen.
“You are the best, baby.”
Bai Shuijin’s face felt warm and he rubbed his ear.
He missed his laogong-ge.
When there were still two months left, the hundred dancers were finally reduced to just six.
Among these six, Bai Shuijin was the only Asian face. He was exceptionally tenacious and stood out in every exam and selection.
The closer to the end, the more one could feel the cruelty of elimination.
Among these six, no one was really friends with anyone else, but the other four shared a common language, and gradually, Bai Shuijin felt their exclusion.
Bai Shuijin has always been very popular. The last time he was excluded was back in his university days in his previous life.
The Bai Shuijin back then didn’t care, so he wouldn’t care now either.
He sat on the floor adjusting his dance shoes. Tomorrow would be their final selection.
Only one could remain out of the six.
Bai Shuijin did not feel upset or affected in his state of mind because of the exclusion.
However, even though he didn’t care, someone was determined to make him care.
Bai Shuijin sat on the floor fixing his dance shoes. Before he could stand up, a pair of feet appeared in his line of sight. Looking up, he saw it was a dancer named Kevin.
Kevin had often targeted Bai Shuijin. Bai Shuijin could also directly feel a sense of annoyance from him. It was Kevin who had started rallying others to exclude him in the first place.
Bai Shuijin looked at him, not displaying his usual warmth and friendliness, but asked with a stern face, “Is there something you need?”
Kevin looked down at him and asked, “Do you think you dance well?”
Bai Shuijin knew he was here to pick a fight and didn’t plan to pay attention to him.
Kevin grabbed him. “You can feel it, can’t you? No one here likes you.”
Bai Shuijin: “Dance is about the dancer’s skill and expressive ability, not about popularity.”
Besides, his popularity was fine everywhere else.
“The other dancers and I all think there’s a problem with your dancing. Haven’t you noticed it yourself? Why are you still sitting here pleased with yourself?”
Bai Shuijin fell silent.
Kevin was like a flint striking against gunpowder. “Your limbs are like twisted insects. You dance like a dirty rag, without a shred of beauty. You simply don’t belong on stage.”
“You think you’re so great? Everyone says you dance poorly. Go home early, little kid.”
Kevin was aggressive and overbearing.
Bai Shuijin raised his eyes and asked calmly, “Actually, you’re very afraid of me, aren’t you?”
Kevin laughed. “Afraid of what? Afraid of your insect-like limbs? Afraid of you dancing like a dirty rag?”
Bai Shuijin: “Afraid that I will be the one percent tomorrow.”
The corners of his eyes lifted, full of confidence and pride. “You actually can’t out-dance me, can you? Now you can only attack me with words, trying to shake my confidence and interfere with tomorrow’s competition.”
Kevin’s face turned ugly, clearly hit right in his heart.
Bai Shuijin wasn’t the first person he had treated this way. He had used similar psychological tactics to get rid of two or three others before.
Tomorrow was the final selection, and Bai Shuijin was the most competitive one.
“You still don’t believe it, do you? Ask the other four…who among them would say you dance well? You simply can’t set foot on the stage!”
“Sorry, but I won’t believe a single word from your mouth.”
Bai Shuijin looked at him, his eyes filled with absolute determination to win tomorrow’s final selection.
“Because I am the best.”
