Chapter 8: Let’s Break Up
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In the backstage dressing room of the theater, Shen Yao sat in the quietest corner, tilting his head up to allow the makeup artist to apply his makeup.
As the process reached its final step, the makeup artist carefully placed a pair of realistic deer antlers onto Shen Yao’s head.
Opening his eyes, Shen Yao’s pupils showed a circle of brown. The antlers this time were even more realistic than the previous ones, resembling thin and slender branches.
“Wait.” The makeup artist stopped Shen Yao’s attempt to touch the antlers with his hand, and then he bent down to stick a few light green flowers onto the antlers. He smiled and said, “I almost forgot about this.”
“Okay.” Shen Yao habitually thanked, “Thank you.”
Bending down, the makeup artist tidied Shen Yao’s hair in front of his forehead. He looks at his face up close and couldn’t help but whisper, “I actually did makeup for your mom before. You and her look so alike.”
Shen Yao’s mother was a former dance chief, and when she first started working here, she ran into Shen Yao’s mother. Her hand was shaking as she applied makeup, but unexpectedly, her mother was very approachable and comforted her gently, saying, “Don’t be nervous. If you make a mistake, you can always wipe it off and start again.”
When she heard about what happened to his mother, everyone who had worked with her felt regretful and mournful. They knew her child was also talented, but never thought they would have a chance to see him again.
“When you were little, I actually held you before.”
Before leaving, the makeup artist poured him a cup of hot water and handed him a straw. She encouraged him in a soft voice, “I heard you’re just as good at dancing as your mother. Today is your first solo dance here. Good luck.”
The dressing room was not a separate room, and the usual rehearsals and training were all together. They were all very familiar with each other, and it was as lively as boiling hot water.
Shen Yao’s solitary corner stood out, but the others were used to it. Who knew that this talented little junior liked to be alone and never join in on gatherings.
Being able to enter the national representative stage was an extremely rare opportunity, and Shen Yao could perform a solo dance right after graduation; some people may feel envious, but you have to admit certain facts.
Shen Yao’s skill was good enough, and after getting to know him for a while, if you ask him questions about dance or ask him to help adjust improper movements, he was always willing to help.
Over time, they didn’t have as many opinions about Shen Yao, at most they gossipped about him behind his back for being strange.
Shen Yao bit on the straw as he drank hot water, his gaze never leaving himself in the mirror. It wasn’t because he was vain, but because he was admiring his attire.
He had already changed into his performance costume, which was made of a light and elegant material. The color was a lively light green, like the first tender sprout of spring. The costume was also embroidered with a few strands of golden thread, which would shimmer when caught in the light.
Both the color of the performance costume and the deer antlers on his head were chosen by Shen Yao himself after discussing them with his teacher.
His collaboration with Xu Yibai during the school anniversary was the beginning of their acquaintance, and the start of something between them.
The first time they met, Shen Yao remembered wearing his pea green dance practice clothes. He pushed open the door and locked eyes with Xu Yibai, whose fingers had just touched the piano keys.
Xu Yibai loved the piano, and he loved dancing.
This was how Shen Yao had decided to meet him after thinking about it for a long time. It was the perfect and romantic beginning to a love story, and it needed an equally beautiful ending.
As it began, it must end that way, and Shen Yao liked the ending to be without any regrets.
Barefoot, Shen Yao stepped onto the stage with a thin layer of gauze draped over him. When the lights suddenly shone, the gauze glimmered delicately, like the Milky Way draped over his body.
The music flowed out with the light, a fluent and beautiful piano melody.
Shen Yao rose up onto his tiptoes, using both hands to slowly lift the gauze that was draped over the deer antlers, revealing himself as a small deer gradually appearing before the audience.
This solo dance was very important to Shen Yao, and he had poured a lot of emotion into it. Every movement in the choreography was carefully crafted by him.
After being invested, the audience’s presence with every seat filled would not actually be of any concern to the performer.
The dancer’s face became clearer and clearer, and after recognizing him, Yan Yuan’s expression relaxed as she whispered to Yan Zhixing, “I remember that omega from the banquet.”
Yan Zhixing wasn’t face blind, on the contrary, he could remember every face. When they met again, he could retrieve it from a certain box in his memory.
As for Shen Yao’s face, it was both cold and passionate. Yan Zhixing remembered him without having to retrieve it; he could recall him at first glance.
He looked like a weak and vulnerable little white rabbit that was bullied, but that was only an appearance. He didn’t have a good impression of Shen Yao and furrowed his brows slightly.
Yan Yuan saw his expression and smiled, “I like pretty kids, and he’s very pretty. I’ve inquired, and he’s never dated before.”
Yan Zhixing looked ahead, watching the omega on stage jumping and spinning. The dance was beautiful, flawless even, and even for someone like him who didn’t have much appreciation for art, he could still sense a bit of artistic conception.
He caught onto Yan Yuan’s implication and straightforwardly replied, “I don’t like him.”
Yan Yuan was not surprised by Yan Zhixing’s answer and asked, “Have you found the omega you’ve been looking for?”
“No.”
His lips were tightly pursed, and he accidentally bumped into the alpha next to him when he raised his hand in frustration. Yan Zhixing realized and said, “Sorry” in a low voice.
There was no response; the alpha next to him was completely focused on the stage, unable to hear any sound around him.
Not to mention Yan Zhixing and Yan Yuan’s whispered conversation, the alpha couldn’t even hear Yan Zhixing’s not-so-quiet apology.
The omega on stage overlapped with his memories, and Xu Yibai finally understood why Shen Yao would call it a surprise, a dizzying surprise.
Shen Yao wore antlers and used his piano as background music, even the stage design coincided with the school anniversary.
He and Xu Yibai were a bit far apart, but it was a perfect distance.
Xu Yibai seemed to watch Shen Yao grow step by step. The first time he saw Shen Yao dance was in a spacious and bright dance studio, and later on the stage of the centennial school anniversary.
And now, Shen Yao danced gracefully on the stage of the grand theater. This solo dance was a milestone of extraordinary significance for all dancers.
Shen Yao carved his name into this milestone.
Amidst the crowd, this was a secret belonging only to him and Shen Yao.
As the music gradually faded away, after a final spin, Shen Yao curled up and laid on the stage.
The gauze was thrown up during the spin, floating in the air, gently falling down and quietly covering Shen Yao.
Applause erupted in an instant, and Shen Yao stood up.
He knew which seat he had given Xu Yibai’s ticket to. During the curtain call, he instinctively smiled with his eyes bent towards that direction.
The alpha beside Xu Yibai clapped twice without much sincerity and then stopped. This coincidence even surprised Shen Yao.
Shen Yao withdrew his gaze and bowed without changing his expression.
After the show, Shen Yao messaged Xu Yibai, asking him to come directly through the right safety passage.
There was no one in the safety passage, and it was quiet and deserted, with echoing footsteps.
Shen Yao sat on the corner window sill, which was a blind spot for surveillance. The window sill was a bit high, and he sat with his legs dangling.
He saw Xu Yibai and naturally opened his arms.
Xu Yibai hurried over and skillfully hugged him, asking, “Do you want me to carry you down?”
“No need.” Shen Yao just enjoyed the hug, “I just want to hug you.”
He hadn’t changed out of the thin performance outfit yet, so when he hugged him, Xu Yibai could feel the warmth from his body.
Shen Yao hugged him, his hot breath close, “Kiss me.”
His lips were already red, and the makeup artist hadn’t applied lipstick, just a layer of lip gloss, which made his clear lips even fuller.
“Yao Yao.”
Xu Yibai couldn’t resist the temptation and bent down to kiss Shen Yao’s lips.
Behind them was the dark night and the high-hanging moon, and all the ambiguous actions were exposed.
They kissed many times, Shen Yao skillfully holding Xu Yibai’s neck, tilting his chin and biting his lips.
At first, Xu Yibai used to be shy when kissing, but now he was not, even if the sound of their tongues entwining echoed in the corridor.
Xu Yibai was quite excited today. He held the back of Shen Yao’s neck and instinctively pushed him back.
Shen Yao’s head still had deer antlers on it, and when he leaned back, he knocked against the glass window. Xu Yibai reached out and touched it for some reason.
“Don’t…mmm…”
It wasn’t Shen Yao’s ear, but because of the unique way the antlers were worn, when they were moved, the small clips connected underneath would stimulate the sensitive nerves in his head.
It felt like being electrocuted.
Shen Yao’s hand went limp, and he didn’t even make a sound as he was swallowed up between their lips and teeth.
Tonight, Xu Yibai seemed to be so happy that he didn’t know what to do. In the past, he would have stopped in this situation.
“I don’t know how long we kissed,” Shen Yao’s already red lips were now even more rosy. He was still sitting on the windowsill, and he hooked his foot around Xu Yibai’s leg and asked, “Do you like my surprise?”
Xu Yibai’s voice was hoarse: “I do, I really like it. Why didn’t you…”
“It’s good that you like it,” Shen Yao interrupted his long speech, touching his cheek. “I won’t accompany you tonight, I have to go home for a bit.”
Shen Yao jumped off the windowsill and walked past Xu Yibai towards downstairs. “Get some rest and good night.”
Subconsciously, Xu Yibai reached out to pull Shen Yao, his fingers touching his arm, but only grabbing air. His emotions plummeted, and he chased after him and grabbed him. “Yao Yao…”
Shen Yao turned his face, seeming to be in a good mood tonight, and his smile made him even more beautiful. He pointed to the car downstairs. “I really have to go home for something.”
Although it was a good day, Xu Yibai inexplicably felt uneasy and refused to let go of Shen Yao.
Shen Yao smiled helplessly and tiptoed to give him a quick kiss, innocently saying, “The car has been waiting for me for a long time.”
Shen Yao walked downstairs without looking back, but he could feel Xu Yibai’s gaze on him.
He didn’t turn back, and instead closed his eyes and rested in the car that he had called earlier. Xu Yibai wanted to marry him, but he wouldn’t marry Xu Yibai.
Shen Yao believed that in life, there needed to be a perfect romance, where everything went smoothly like when he was in a relationship with Guan Shu.
But the breakup scene didn’t happen the way he wanted, and a major flaw appeared.
He didn’t go back to Shen’s house or his own home, but instead went to a little villa that nobody knew about.
After washing up, Shen Yao sat on the couch and watched the clock on the wall move past midnight.
He sent a message to Xu Yibai.
“Xu Yibai, let’s break up.”
This time, Shen Yao thought he had smoothly drawn a perfect end to their relationship.
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