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Hearing the noise, Grandma Tan called out loudly from the living room, “Yixuan, what happened?”

Tan Yixuan quickly responded, assuring her that everything was fine. She then walked to the balcony to grab a broom and started cleaning up the broken pieces. As she swept, Wang Sasa watched her with a smile and continued to ask, “So, how about it? Do you want to go?”

Tan Yixuan paused her movements, looked up at her with a somewhat stiff expression, and asked, “Wang Sasa, is there something wrong with your brain?”

Wang Sasa latched onto one particular word in her question and immediately smiled with crescent-shaped eyes, “So you’re finally acknowledging me?”

Tan Yixuan was furious: “…”

This person always misses the point.

Wang Sasa smiled as she watched her finish cleaning up the broken pieces, tie up the trash bag, and place it by the entrance. Then, seeing Tan Yixuan put on a light jacket, ready to go out, she remembered that Grandma Tan was about to head out for square dancing. She suddenly thought that there was no better time than the present, so she grabbed Tan Yixuan’s hand, turned around, and urged, “Grandma Tan, how about Yixuan and I join you for square dancing today?”

Grandma Tan was stunned for a moment, then broke into a wide grin.

Wang Sasa knew that most young people had a prejudice against square dancing, thinking it was beneath them. Society tended to stigmatize it rather than view it as a legitimate physical exercise. In the news, square dancing was often associated with noise pollution, disturbances, and unreasonable elderly women taking over public spaces.

However, square dancing was great exercise for the elderly, even if it wasn’t seen that way by younger generations. But who was Wang Sasa? She was the campus idol, the goddess in the hearts of male students! Would something as simple as square dancing stop her? For Wang Sasa, nothing was ever unsuitable!

When Grandma Tan heard that Wang Sasa wanted to take her shy granddaughter along for square dancing, her smile grew even bigger. She had planned to stay home and watch TV, but seeing the rare look of embarrassment on her granddaughter’s face, she figured that going out today might not be a bad idea.

Grandma Tan cleared her throat and seriously asked Tan Yixuan for her opinion, “Yixuan, do you want to go?”

Seeing how happy her grandmother was, Tan Yixuan couldn’t bring herself to refuse. She cast a fierce glance at the instigator but finally nodded in resignation, “We’ll just go for a bit, then come right back.”

The community where Tan Yixuan lived was called Jinyuan. It had a park as part of its facilities, and the place where Grandma Tan did square dancing was in the park’s square. The park was only about a hundred meters from the community. As soon as the three of them left the building, they could see the park in the distance and hear the music clearly.

The world in this book was based on reality, so the popular music was pretty similar. Wang Sasa tilted her head, listening. The music was blaring, and the lyrics just happened to be singing, “You and I will flutter and fly together, soaring through this mortal world, always by each other’s side…” Wang Sasa rolled her eyes; she knew this song. Before she entered the book, one of her friends loved playing it in the car, and after hearing it countless times, she was practically sick of it.

In the distance, she could see a few people scattered around one corner of the park—without exception, they were all elderly women.

The elderly ladies spotted Grandma Tan and greeted her with smiles. Their eyes quickly landed on Tan Yixuan and Wang Sasa, lighting up with surprise: “Your granddaughter has grown up so much? Both of them?”

Tan Yixuan didn’t usually come to this side of the park. She usually stayed in her room reading, so this was her first time at the square, and her first time participating in square dancing. Hence, it was also the first time the older ladies were seeing her.

Grandma Tan smiled as she replied, “This one’s my granddaughter, and the other one is her classmate.”

The elderly ladies took a closer look at Tan Yixuan and Wang Sasa, growing increasingly pleased. When they found out the two girls were there to learn square dancing, their smiles widened even more.

“Come over here, we’ll start from the beginning. You two stand in the last row and follow our movements.”

Wang Sasa followed instructions and moved to the back row. Seeing that Tan Yixuan was still standing there blankly, she raised her voice, “Tan Yixuan, hurry up and get over here!”

Wang Sasa’s loud voice instantly attracted the attention of passersby. Noticing their curious gazes, Tan Yixuan’s face flushed with embarrassment. She quickly walked over to Wang Sasa, lowered her voice, and gritted her teeth, “Can’t you keep it down?”

Wang Sasa cheerfully replied in a loud voice, “But if I don’t speak up, how would you hear me?”

Although the square dance music was played out loud, the elderly women were pretty restrained, knowing that the square was shared with many young people and even small children. So the music wasn’t too loud, but Tan Yixuan still felt that Wang Sasa was doing it on purpose—intentionally trying to make her look foolish.

Seeing the expression on Tan Yixuan’s face, Wang Sasa couldn’t help but feel a mischievous urge to tease her more. However, the elderly women in the front had already begun instructing the dance moves, so she restrained herself.

“First step, follow me. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight… small steps with your feet, lift your hands…”

The leader was an auntie in her thirties or forties. Her demonstration of the movements was on point. After teaching them two or three times, she pressed play and turned on the music so everyone could dance along.

Neither Wang Sasa nor Tan Yixuan was slow. In fact, they remembered the movements by the first round of instruction. Especially Wang Sasa, who already had a background in dance, so the simple square dance moves were a piece of cake for her. Tan Yixuan, on the other hand, had memorized the moves but struggled with coordination—her body couldn’t quite keep up with her brain, and her dancing was clumsy and awkward, much to Wang Sasa’s amusement.

As the music started with, “My dear, fly slowly, be careful of the thorny roses ahead,” Wang Sasa interrupted from the side, correcting, “Tan Yixuan, can’t you tell your left from your right? You’re supposed to lift your left hand first!”

Tan Yixuan silently switched to her left hand, pretending not to hear her.

“My dear, open your mouth. The fragrance of flowers in the wind will intoxicate you.”

Wang Sasa commented, “You should bend your knees more and make your movements bigger. Didn’t eat enough dinner? I said make your movements bigger!”

Tan Yixuan: “…”

Who gave her authority? Wait… Wang Sasa didn’t even have authority!

••••

“When autumn winds rise, leaves fall in piles, and I can wither with you, without regret.”

Wang Sasa: “This last move is the same as the first one. How many times do I have to tell you? And you did the head-turning part in the wrong direction just now!”

Wang Sasa was multitasking, and by the time the first round of music ended, she had pretty much criticized Tan Yixuan from beginning to end.

As the last note faded, Tan Yixuan’s chest rose and fell in frustration. Unable to hold it in any longer, she snapped, “Are you done yet?!”

Wang Sasa immediately put on a pitiful expression. “You can’t even dance square dance properly. How embarrassing would that be for me if word got out? Who am I doing this for?!”

Is being good at square dancing really something to be proud of? Why does Wang Sasa always obsess over such strange things? Tan Yixuan didn’t care about her dancing skills; she just wanted Wang Sasa to shut up!

The lead dance instructor, who had been observing the two newcomers, suddenly called out loudly, “You two girls, come here!”

Wang Sasa dragged a reluctant Tan Yixuan forward with a smile. “Teacher, what can we do for you?”

Seeing how well-behaved Wang Sasa was, the instructor nodded in satisfaction and asked them, “Have you memorized the moves?”

Wang Sasa pulled Tan Yixuan and nodded.

The instructor said, “Alright then, everyone else hold off for a moment. I’ll play the music, and let these two practice first.”

Wang Sasa had no objections, but Tan Yixuan’s face turned red with embarrassment.

Two high school girls among a group of middle-aged or elderly women doing square dancing was already quite eye-catching. Earlier, because of the large crowd, their height didn’t stand out too much, and Tan Yixuan had done her best to blend in. But now, being called to the front row, under everyone’s watchful eyes, felt like a public execution to her.

As she glanced at the aunties, who had stepped aside and were now pulling out their phones to act as an audience, thoroughly enjoying the show, Tan Yixuan’s lips moved slightly as she murmured, “I…” She even spotted her own grandmother among the crowd!

Wang Sasa cut her off, “Teacher, we’re ready!”

Tan Yixuan turned her head and gave Wang Sasa a deep, silent look.

Wang Sasa tilted her head, puzzled. “Is something wrong?”

Tan Yixuan muttered, “…Just you wait.”

Wang Sasa always danced her best no matter what. So, on the small square, there stood a spirited girl, enthusiastically dancing with exaggerated joy, even mimicking the jubilant expressions of the aunties with impressive accuracy! In stark contrast, beside her, Tan Yixuan moved stiffly like a robot, her face drained of hope.

After the last move, the two of them exchanged glances. Tan Yixuan, expressionless, looked at Wang Sasa, her mouth twitching slightly. She really wanted to crack open Wang Sasa’s head to see if it was just filled with water. Dancing was one thing, but mimicking expressions—what was that about?

When Wang Sasa and Tan Yixuan finished their routine, there was a brief moment of silence, followed by thunderous applause from the audience.

Wang Sasa graciously smiled and thanked everyone for their appreciation of their square dancing.

Tan Yixuan, however, felt nothing but deep embarrassment. A wave of heat quickly rushed to her cheeks. Instead of feeling proud, she just wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

The lead instructor, impressed by their abilities, thoughtfully said to Wang Sasa, “There’s going to be a square dance competition in our city next month. I think you two could participate. Would you be interested?”

Wang Sasa had originally just wanted to get Tan Yixuan involved in a new hobby but hadn’t expected such an unexpected opportunity. The best way to maintain a habit is by rewarding yourself along the way. A square dance competition was right up her alley.

Thinking about their age, Wang Sasa hesitated a little. “Are you sure it’s okay? We’re just high school students…”

The instructor reassured her, “It’s fine, the competition isn’t too formal.”

Tan Yixuan tried to protest, “No…”

But Wang Sasa quickly cut her off and agreed, “Alright! We’re in!”

Tan Yixuan forced out her last two words, “…We’re in.”

Wang Sasa looked at her in surprise, not expecting Tan Yixuan to agree.

Tan Yixuan thought to herself, “…” She had clearly meant to say no!

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