The result was, of course, tragic.

A young woman and a man came together. The woman was young and beautiful, dressed with particular elegance. The man was more casual, his hair tied back in a ponytail, a large canvas bag slung over his shoulder, with a hint of an artist about him.

After embracing the beauty, Liu Xiaomei asked, "What brings you here?"

"Here to find you, beautiful lady." The girl stepped back and looked her over. "Still as lovely as ever."

Liu Xiaomei smiled. "No performance?"

"No performance? I've taken on a few jobs lately, and one of them specifically asked for you, so I brought him along." She introduced the man beside her. "Wu Tian. Heard of him?"

Liu Xiaomei thought for a moment. "From the Dance Academy?"

Wu Tian held out his hand. "That’s me. Nice to meet you."

Liu Xiaomei lightly shook his hand. "You’re my senior. Back when I was in school, our teachers idolized you. They said that among all the dancers in the country, you were the one most likely to surpass that star."

Wu Tian gave a self-mocking smile. "A little fame from school days means nothing. Who still remembers me now? On the other hand, your name, Miss Liu, rings everywhere. In the dance world, who doesn’t know it? That’s why I asked Lin Lan to come find you."

"You came from the capital?" Liu Xiaomei asked.

Lin Lan hefted the small bag slung over her shoulder. "See? I came like this. Didn’t even stop to rest before coming to find you. Touched yet?"

Liu Xiaomei said with a laugh that she was, then glanced at the time. "Too bad I can’t entertain you right away. I’ve got class now, probably until before seven tonight. If you’re free, you can watch me teach. If not, find a hotel first and I’ll call you later." Then she asked, "Why didn’t you call before coming over?"

Lin Lan sighed. "You changed your number. How was I supposed to know?"

Liu Xiaomei let out an "ah." "I forgot. It’s been so long since I changed it that I forgot."

"You’re like the Heavenly Maiden, the Immortal Sister who doesn’t eat the smoke and fire of the mortal world. You can quit whenever you want, but we can’t. We’re still hoping to make a fortune in this business." Lin Lan said, "Who are you teaching?"

"Starting at half past four. Coming or not?" Liu Xiaomei asked.

Lin Lan glanced at the time. "Let’s go. I want to see what you’re doing."

So they went. On the way to the attached primary school, Liu Xiaomei introduced Zhang Pa: "My student. The dumbest one."

"My student?" Lin Lan looked Zhang Pa over carefully. "Clearly no foundation at all."

Liu Xiaomei said, "He wants to learn, and I’m willing to teach."

"Heaven and earth are vast, but willingness is king. If you’re willing, there’s nothing more to say." Lin Lan said. "Good thing you were teaching, or else we wouldn’t even know where to find you." Then she asked, "Why do you still have class on a Saturday?"

Liu Xiaomei replied, "We’re a music conservatory. The dance program was added later, along with film and television directing and a few other majors. Originally classes were only arranged Monday through Friday. I asked for Saturday afternoon classes. The school doesn’t pay extra, and the students can come or not. That’s how it is."

Lin Lan clapped her hands. "Amazing. You really are amazing. So free and easy."

Liu Xiaomei said, "Not bad, though. No one skips class."

"Crazy. Who would skip your class? And it’s free." Lin Lan shook her head. "Only an idiot wouldn’t treasure it."

The group talked as they walked, and soon arrived at the classroom at the attached primary school.

When they entered, Wu Tian stayed outside. Lin Lan had not brought dance shoes, so she went in barefoot.

Zhang Pa changed into his dance clothes and took his place behind the children.

Once inside, Lin Lan’s first reaction was shock. She could hardly believe it. The renowned Liu Xiaomei was teaching an introductory class to a group of children? Wasn’t that the sort of thing only obscure people desperate to make money would do?

Then she saw the hulking, simple-minded Zhang Pa talking with a group of children, and Lin Lan felt as though the entire world had turned upside down. She was thoroughly unaccustomed to it.

Liu Xiaomei closed the classroom door and began the lesson. Just as Lin Lan had imagined, it truly was an introductory class.

Lin Lan was very beautiful. Wearing a short skirt, she now showed a pair of pale, long legs, and even more dazzling bare feet. She looked all the lovelier for it.

Zhang Pa looked twice, then suddenly realized Liu Xiaomei seemed to be watching him. He hurriedly lowered his eyelids and performed the dance movements with extreme seriousness. From that moment on, he made sure not only to ignore Lin Lan entirely, but even to stop seeing Liu Xiaomei; all he could see was the floor in front of him and the backs of the little children standing ahead.

Because someone was waiting, today’s dance class lasted two and a half hours. Zhang Pa’s extra practice was only twenty minutes, mainly checking breathing and vocalization to see whether the voice flowed smoothly without obstruction. Then they helped stretch his body a little, and the lesson was over.

Throughout the class, Lin Lan thought Zhang Pa was not just a little clumsy; and since he was the only adult in the room, it was hard not to be curious.

As soon as class ended, Lin Lan pulled Liu Xiaomei aside and asked, "Your man?"

Liu Xiaomei smiled and gave no answer. After Zhang Pa changed back into his clothes, they all went out together.

They found a restaurant near the school and sat down to eat while they talked. Lin Lan first explained the purpose of her trip.

There were three things in all. The first was that a private arts college wanted to hire Liu Xiaomei as a teacher at a high salary. This was the least important matter, only mentioned in passing.

A slightly more important matter was that a production team had invited Liu Xiaomei to serve as dance director and make a cameo appearance. Compared with a star’s fee, the pay was not especially high. But compared with a dance director’s compensation, it was considered generous.

The most important matter was Wu Tian’s project: he had secured sponsorship for a stage play and wanted to ask Liu Xiaomei to come out of retirement and join the performance. If luck was on their side, they might even go on tour abroad.

That was impressive. No matter how well one danced, simply being able to tour abroad was an honor in itself. Though Liu Xiaomei had won a stack of awards overseas, she had never truly had a commercially based tour. At the time, many dance troupes had invited her, but she had not joined any of them, and so naturally there had been no tour. At the same time, she had no patron, and thus even less chance of touring.

Of the three matters, Lin Lan was mainly speaking on behalf of the production team. The one involving Wu Tian was the one he was especially anxious about.

After hearing everything, Liu Xiaomei asked Lin Lan, "You’re attached to a crew now?"

"Not exactly. I do anything now. If I can act, that’s best. There are jobs at the television station too, and normal performances still need to be attended. In any case, unlike you, I have to do everything," Lin Lan said. "To be honest, I originally wanted to be a dance director. Just for this production alone, but the director wouldn’t agree, because I’m not famous. He wanted to go to Hong Kong or the United States to hire someone. Then Wu Tian happened to ask me for your contact information, so I said I’d ask you. If you’re willing to agree, help me out and give me a cameo role in it."

Liu Xiaomei laughed. "You went to such trouble to make this trip. I’d feel embarrassed refusing."

Lin Lan’s eyes lit up. "Really? You agree?"

Liu Xiaomei said, "I didn’t agree."

"And what about the dance teacher job?" Lin Lan said. "To be honest, the travel expenses for this trip were given by the school. They’re not just asking you; all the teachers are industry heavyweights. They say they’re building the strongest private arts college in the country, a factory for creating stars. I think it sounds pretty reliable."

Before Liu Xiaomei could answer, Lin Lan went on, "Let’s take a step back. Even if it’s not ideal, it’s still better than teaching a bunch of children. So many kids—wouldn’t that drive you to exhaustion?"

Liu Xiaomei said, "I like being with them."

"You like children? If you like them, have one yourself." Speaking of this, Lin Lan became even more curious about Zhang Pa and turned to look at him. "What’s your relationship with Xiaomei?"

Zhang Pa replied with a stern face, "I’m Miss Liu’s bodyguard."

"A bodyguard?" Lin Lan looked at Zhang Pa again. "A bodyguard eats at the same table as the boss?"

"We’ve always eaten like this," Zhang Pa replied.

Lin Lan shook her head.

At that moment, Wu Tian asked, "Can you consider my matter?"

Liu Xiaomei said, "It’s not as if I’m the only one who can dance."

"To be honest, raising sponsorship is risky for me," Wu Tian said. "You’re the guarantee at the box office. In order not to lose money, in order to have another performance, in order to tour abroad, there really aren’t many people in the country stronger than you. As long as you’re willing to join, everything else can be negotiated."

Liu Xiaomei did not even think about it. She answered directly, "Actually, I quite like my life now. It’s simple, easy, free, and not tiring." She looked at Zhang Pa as she spoke. "Besides, anything I do requires my bodyguard’s approval. To ensure my safety, that was a condition agreed upon from the very beginning."

"Your bodyguard has to approve? Since when is there such a thing?" Lin Lan said. "He must be your boyfriend."

Liu Xiaomei smiled and said to Wu Tian, "Sorry. I really don’t want to go back out there."

Lin Lan asked, "And my matter?"

"I don’t want to go to the capital. It’s nice being at home," Liu Xiaomei said. "I want to keep quiet for a while. I don’t know what the future holds, but at least for now, I really like this life."

Lin Lan said, "You’re wasting your talent."

Wu Tian said, "Out of tens of thousands of dancers, how many get the chance to tour? I think you should seize it."

Liu Xiaomei smiled. "Eat first. Let’s eat."

That was her way of saying she did not want to talk about it. So they ate, and the meal grew heavy and subdued. When the gathering ended, Lin Lan asked for the phone number and kept urging Liu Xiaomei to think it over again and again, before finally leaving with Wu Tian to find a place to stay.

After the two of them left, there was finally time for the two of them to be alone. Zhang Pa asked, "Isn’t touring a good thing?"

"It is," Liu Xiaomei answered simply.

Zhang Pa nodded and said nothing more.

Liu Xiaomei, however, looked at him with a smile, gazing at him in silence.

Zhang Pa said, "Watch the road."

Liu Xiaomei smiled and suddenly asked, "Was Lin Lan’s foot pretty?"

"What?" Zhang Pa was startled.

"Why were you looking at her feet? And her legs?" Liu Xiaomei asked again. "Were they pretty?"

Zhang Pa said, "I didn’t see clearly."

"Oh? Did you want to get closer and have a look?" Liu Xiaomei asked again.

"No, no, not at all." Zhang Pa answered solemnly.

"But Lin Lan’s feet really are very pretty. Soft and fair." Liu Xiaomei said. "Dancers’ feet always deform somewhat; calluses are perfectly normal. Lin Lan’s feet are very well cared for. It’s natural that you’d like looking at them."

Zhang Pa immediately cleared himself. "I didn’t look, I didn’t look. Besides, we were so far apart I couldn’t see anything."

Liu Xiaomei snorted. "You think I didn’t notice?"

"No, no, no." Zhang Pa refused to admit it.

Liu Xiaomei snorted again.

Zhang Pa said, "Boss, you have to believe me. In my eyes, there is only you, not her..."

"Sing it," Liu Xiaomei said suddenly.

Zhang Pa paused. "Good thing I’m smart enough, or I really wouldn’t have understood what you meant." Then he sang the line: "In my heart, there is only you, not her... I don’t know the rest."

Liu Xiaomei laughed softly and took Zhang Pa’s hand. "Come on. Sister’s taking you on a date."