Chapter 72

Ruan Ruan and Li Tong hadn’t been able to find Tang Tianman, which could only mean she was out of sight.

Given how well they knew her, they could pick her out even if she turned to ashes—not to mention if she were just wearing the same outfit.

“Where the hell did that little minx run off to?” Ruan Ruan frowned.

“I’m starting to think something’s really fishy here.” Li Tong frowned right along with her.

“What about the volleyball team?” Ruan Ruan asked. “Where’s your Wangwang Captain?”

“I’ll check.” Li Tong pulled out her phone.

A moment later, she said, “She says they’ve already arrived. They’re in the hall.”

“?????” Ruan Ruan looked incredulous. “Is everyone in the world invisible except us?”

“Let’s look again. Keep looking.” Li Tong gripped the railing and leaned further over it. “Maybe they’re in a blind spot?”

Ruan Ruan said, “I think I see them.”

Li Tong blinked. “Huh?”

Ruan Ruan’s eyes scanned the crowd one by one. “Look at those tall ones.”

Li Tong replied, “Aren’t they all guys?”

Ruan Ruan pointed. “That one, that one, that one—they’re all girls.”

Li Tong fell silent.

She stared at them in disbelief for a good long while, on the verge of breaking down.

They were dressed in men’s clothing—stylish stage costumes that were downright gorgeous.

One was in a full European military uniform, complete with long legs and knee-high boots that made her want to drop to her knees from three meters away.

“Damn…” Li Tong couldn’t hold it in. “What’s wrong with the world these days? What’s wrong with kids nowadays? Or is it me? I can’t even tell the gender of my own kind anymore!”

“That’s the charm of a costume ball,” Ruan Ruan said, patting her shoulder. “Can you spot your Wangwang Captain among them?”

“No way! I wouldn’t dare! What if I throw myself into some guy’s arms?” Li Tong grew more frantic by the second. “I should go back and grab a tape measure. We can check their heights one by one—the one who’s 185 is Wangwang!”

“You’d have to measure their heel heights too,” Ruan Ruan said, arching a brow with a hint of malicious glee, “and their shoe lifts.”

Li Tong fell silent again.

A group of girls averaging over 5’11” was a rare sight when together.

But scatter them, dress them up, and toss them into the crowd? Picking them out wasn’t so easy.

Li Tong had only met the volleyball team twice, and she couldn’t name half the faces even without masks. Now? Forget it.

She waved a hand in defeat. “I’m here for a good time. Who cares who they are? Isn’t that the whole point—thrills?”

Ruan Ruan adjusted her mask. “Let’s go get thrilled, then.”

“You got it.” Li Tong rubbed her hands together.

They made their way down, and Ruan Ruan glanced back several times.

Jiang Xue wasn’t following her anymore; she was out of sight now.

They’d arrived just in time. Barely a few minutes after entering the hall, the bright overhead lights suddenly dimmed. A voice echoed through the space: “Don’t fear the sudden darkness. Before winter comes, take the hand of the one beside you. Remember: only in companionship can you glimpse the spring.”

Li Tong snorted. “What kind of cheesy crap is that?”

Ruan Ruan grinned. “It’s telling you to loosen up and let your heart flutter.”

“Should I hold your hand, then?”

“Don’t touch me—you reek.”

Li Tong eyed the sparkling disco lights flickering to life around them. “Who planned this event? I suggest the Student Union fire them.”

Ruan Ruan said, “Tangdou signed off on it.”

“Oh. Where’s Tangdou?”

They were at the edge of the hall now, but the view was already obscured.

The lights were dim, and then the music blasted suddenly, firing up the crowd. Shouts, cheers, laughter—people grabbed hands with those nearby and started dancing wildly.

A tall figure approached Li Tong, bowed, and extended a hand.

Li Tong craned her neck to peer at the sliver of face not hidden by the mask. She gave the signal: “China vs. Netherlands—what’s the score?”

The figure smiled without answering, grabbed her arm, and pulled her into the throng.

“Aaaah, so bossy!” Li Tong yelled, laughing so hard she nearly hiccuped. “Damn, I love this vibe…”

Ruan Ruan watched her teammate vanish easily into the crowd, but she kept searching.

She wasn’t sure why she was looking for someone in a place like this, but if she wasn’t dancing, she needed a target.

Her roommate, stuffed full of secrets and emotions, would do.

But why wasn’t she dancing?

Ruan Ruan crossed her arms and watched the men and women go wild around her, frowning as she pondered.

Childish. Boring. Pointless.

Better to keep looking.

Someone familiar brushed past her.

She didn’t need to think twice about that feeling.

Ruan Ruan reached out to grab the person’s arm—only for someone else to beat her to it. She looked up to see a towering figure in a tailcoat who let out a loud “Hey!”

But that was all the time she got. The person was whisked away into the crowd.

Ruan Ruan wasn’t short for a girl, but in this setting, it wasn’t enough.

She bounced on her toes to see, catching only a glimpse of fabric through the gaps in the crowd.

Somehow, the paired dancing quickly devolved into a massive circle dance, everyone holding hands and flailing legs wildly.

No campfire in the middle—just the BGM to keep pace, courtesy of whatever DJ genius had curated the playlist.

Tang Tianman’s hand was gripped tightly in Zheng Xiyu’s, and she was over the moon.

She’d zipped back and forth across the hall several times already, spotting both Li Tong and Ruan Ruan. Li Tong hadn’t noticed her, but Ruan Ruan had—and just missed grabbing her.

Shielded by the crowd and the noise, she shouted up at Zheng Xiyu, “You’re so fast!!!”

Zheng Xiyu bent down, her voice low in her throat. “I’m not letting anyone else take you away again.”

Tang Tianman burst out laughing, tugging at their joined hands once, twice. Zheng Xiyu’s palm pressed flush against the back of her hand, leaving no room between them.

Tang Tianman couldn’t stop giggling.

At first, she’d come just to meet Zheng Xiyu. But during the planning, she’d realized this rendezvous would bring endless fun.

Like swapping clothes with classmates they’d prepped in advance, spy-style. Or having Zheng Xiyu rent men’s outfits for the volleyball team—perfect fits that hid all gender cues.

Or meeting Zheng Xiyu but letting others “steal” her away, watching her lover frantically search the crowd, desperate to reclaim her.

It was too exhilarating! Way too fun!!!

Where else in ordinary campus life could she feel this rush?

Back then, she’d teasingly told Zheng Xiyu to pretend they’d broken up for that “affair” thrill, just to soothe her guilt. But now? She was living it.

“Hahaha…” Tang Tianman laughed again, roughening her voice to hide her identity, sounding goofy and thick.

Someone tried to grab her free hand for the circle. They’d just tugged when Zheng Xiyu reached around from behind and broke the grip.

“Let’s go to the side,” Zheng Xiyu said.

“No, I want to stay in the middle and play.” Tang Tianman wasn’t having it.

“Be good,” Zheng Xiyu coaxed.

“Not being good.” If her face weren’t covered, Tang Tianman would have bared her teeth.

Zheng Xiyu looked at her, the curve of her mouth telling Tang Tianman she wore an expression of pure helplessness.

She wore a silver mask tilted to cover most of her face, exposing only her nose and mouth. Paired with her outfit, Tang Tianman thought she resembled the Phantom of the Opera.

She stretched up on tiptoe, peering from Zheng Xiyu’s stunning jawline. “Grip tighter.”

It sounded petulant, but that’s exactly what she wanted.

Zheng Xiyu’s grip didn’t change. She bent lower and met her eyes. “Does it hurt?”

“No,” Tang Tianman said.

Zheng Xiyu squeezed a little. “Now?”

“Nope.” Tang Tianman shook her head.

Zheng Xiyu added more pressure.

Tang Tianman winced—it did hurt now—but wasn’t this the thrill? Being confined, controlled, overwhelmed by fierce, all-consuming love?

“Have you seen Phantom of the Opera?” Tang Tianman asked.

“No,” Zheng Xiyu replied. “I’ll watch it tonight.”

“Heh heh,” Tang Tianman said shamelessly. “I feel like Christine.”

“Hm?”

“I could belt out a tune right now.”

“Want to sing?” Zheng Xiyu nodded toward the stage, which had a mic stand and microphone—who knew if it was decorative or functional.

“Nah.” Tang Tianman seized the distraction, darting sideways into the circle line and grabbing the nearest hand.

Zheng Xiyu couldn’t intercept this time. She got pulled in too—and realized the familiar presence beside her was Wang Tingxi.

The one who’d sworn she wouldn’t come was playing the hardest.

She’d dragged the whole women’s volleyball team—and even roped in the men’s team.

After all, Zheng Xiyu was footing the bill for costume rentals, drinks for the next half-month, and cleaning for half a month too.

Who had tricked whom? Hard to say.

Zheng Xiyu shook her hand in disgust but couldn’t break free.

Wang Tingxi leaned in for a closer look. “Yo, where’d this little sister pop up from?”

Tang Tianman yanked her hand free from Zheng Xiyu’s grasp and bellowed at Wang Tingxi in a rough voice, “Which academy are you girls from? You’re all so damn tall!!!”

“Shh, that’s a secret.” Wang Tingxi had pretty much exhausted her entire yearly supply of cheeky banter that night. With a sudden flick of her hand, she shoved Zheng Xiyu straight into the center of the circle.

Anyone else might not have been able to budge Zheng Xiyu.

But this was Wang Tingxi—her pushing power was unrivaled on the team. Zheng Xiyu’s slight frame was no challenge at all; it was effortless.

Zheng Xiyu stumbled forward in a big lurch and suddenly found herself at the center of every gaze.

Her outfit clung to her body like a second skin, highlighting her shoulders, her waist, her legs to perfection. A chorus of shouts erupted from the crowd.

“Fuck, those legs!!!”

“Fuck, that waist!!!”

“Fuck, so hot!!!”

“Long hair—she’s a girl!!!”

“Tons of guys have long hair, but a girl works for me too!!!”

“Sis or babe, I’m down for either!!!”

Tang Tianman: “…”

Zheng Xiyu started edging backward when Wang Tingxi suddenly bent down to whisper to Tang Tianman, “We’re from the Dance Academy. She’s killer on the dance floor.”

Tang Tianman: “Huh???”

Wang Tingxi slapped a hand onto her back—a firm, heavy push sent straight forward. Tang Tianman tumbled ahead like a bowling ball.

Right into Zheng Xiyu’s arms.

Of course Zheng Xiyu caught her. She always would. And Zheng Xiyu didn’t just catch her; she cradled her with exquisite care and affection, no matter how tightly their bodies pressed together in the clash.

Hormones and love might be concealed behind lips, eyes, and flushed cheeks, but they shone through in the subtle grace of every movement.

“AAAAAAHHHH!!!!” The crowd exploded around them.