Come, let me take you home

"Alright, I'm heading out!"

Cai Junhuang folded her practice clothes, tightened the cap on her water bottle, and packed her things unhurriedly.

Her sweat hadn't completely dried, leaving her skin feeling sticky, but the drive in her heart remained undiminished.

There were no shortcuts on the path of dance. Day after day of practice, even if not for a long time, had to be maintained.

She wasn't worried about her academic grades; theoretically, the art exam would pose no obstacle for her.

But what if... what if something went wrong with her professional skills?

Practicing dance required perseverance. Even if she couldn't practice for long each day, she at least had to do it every day.

This thought cast a shadow of unease over her heart.

She naturally yearned to become a member of a girl group; that was her true dream.

A position shining brightly on stage, sweating under the spotlights in a foreign land, and winning applause—such scenes were constantly sketched out in her mind.

But just as she thought of this, a goofy face flashed through her mind.

She sighed softly, feeling a bit frustrated.

"Sigh, how could I give up my dream for this guy?"

Being with him was indeed relaxed and comfortable, full of laughter and joy, but... her dream was ultimately an indispensable part of her life.

This was also why she had never made her feelings clear.

Once it was out in the open, that silly guy would probably feel even more upset.

Harboring these thoughts, Cai Junhuang walked into the elevator.

The moment her fingertip pressed the close button, a figure stepped in just in time.

It was the boss of the company across the hall, Vina.

Vina obviously recognized her too. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as her gaze fell on Cai Junhuang.

"It's you. Your classmate didn't call me."

Cai Junhuang didn't avoid Vina's gaze. She raised her face, looking straight at her, and stated the facts in a flat tone:

"He said he wasn't interested. Plus, he's gone to Tianjing to attend a training camp for a national competition now, so he probably really has no interest in the modeling industry."

Hearing this, Vina didn't show much surprise, only nodding slightly. "I see. Then there's nothing to be done."

Seeing that Vina seemed to have truly given up, Cai Junhuang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

At least she wouldn't have to be bothered by this matter anymore.

The elevator descended smoothly, but Vina broke the silence again.

"What about you?" She changed the subject and threw out a direct question. "Why do you study dance? Is it out of pure love for dancing? Or are you trying to achieve a certain goal?"

The sudden, blunt question made Cai Junhuang's breath catch slightly. She took a deep breath and answered simply:

"I just want to dance, that's all."

Vina's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, her words carrying a hint of insight:

"Whether it's Korean wave girl groups or Japanese idol groups, they all have their unique merits. I know some people who might be scouting for trainees domestically in the next few years. Your physical appearance and dancing skills are both outstanding. I think this might interest you."

Cai Junhuang's heart skipped a beat.

She was a little surprised that the other woman could guess her inner goal.

She didn't follow up on Vina's words, just listening quietly.

Vina also knew when to stop and said no more.

Ding!

The first floor had arrived.

The elevator doors opened.

Cai Junhuang prepared to step out.

"Let me give you a ride. I drove."

Cai Junhuang paused her steps. "No need, I'm used to walking back."

"Alright!" Vina didn't say anything else.

The elevator doors closed and then descended toward the second basement level.

Cai Junhuang let out a long breath. A trainee?

It was indeed necessary.

When she walked out of the building, a 911 was parked on the road facing the entrance.

Cai Junhuang hadn't taken two steps when the sound of a horn abruptly blasted twice behind her, sharp and piercing.

But Cai Junhuang ignored it, not thinking the car was honking at her.

However, the 911 clearly had no intention of giving up. The wheels rolled slowly, following closely behind her. The horn honked twice more, louder than before, carrying a sense of impatience.

The car window rolled down.

"Hey! Cai Junhuang!"

Ye Minghui's unpleasant face poked out from the passenger side with the rolled-down window, his voice full of an unwarranted sense of familiarity.

"Get in!"

Cai Junhuang acted as if she hadn't heard him, her footsteps not stopping as she walked straight toward home.

"Beep!! Beep!!"

Ye Minghui persistently honked the horn, drawing sideways glances from passersby.

But Cai Junhuang still didn't give him the time of day.

There were plenty of ways to shake off this kind of person.

Before she could shake off Ye Minghui, a figure walked over.

As she was plotting, a figure inserted himself without warning, holding up a cell phone.

"Hello, 122? Yes, I want to report someone maliciously honking their horn in the city center. Yes, the really loud and long kind, as if he's afraid people won't know he owns a car."

The person's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear.

"The license plate is Yue ADN167, a white 911, located at the entrance of Hengtong Building. Okay, thank you for your trouble."

Fang Jun hung up the phone swiftly. Without even glancing at the sports car behind them that had instantly gone silent, he grabbed Cai Junhuang's wrist and ran toward the adjacent mall entrance without leaving any room for argument.

Feeling her wrist tighten, Cai Junhuang froze for a moment, but she didn't struggle, allowing him to pull her along at a brisk run.

They passed through the mall corridors that were about to be cleared out and exited from the other side.

At this time, the mall was already preparing to close.

Cai Junhuang came to a halt, looked at him, and finally asked a question.

"Why are you here?"

"I did a quick divination and calculated that an evil young master would be harassing a good woman on the streets today, so I came over specifically to carry out justice on behalf of heaven," Fang Jun said with a straight face.

Cai Junhuang's mouth twitched.

Seeing that she didn't believe him, Fang Jun changed his tune. "I was passing by and happened to see that idiot Ye Minghui, so I conveniently called the cops on him."

"It's just a ticket. I doubt it's of any use against a rich guy like him."

"It's best if it's useful, but it doesn't matter if it's not."

Fang Jun shrugged with a look of indifference. "The point is to give him a hard time; disgusting him a bit is good enough."

After he finished speaking, Cai Junhuang's gaze slowly moved downward, landing on their hands that were still clasped together.

The atmosphere fell quiet for a moment.

"My hand," she spoke softly, her tone betraying neither joy nor anger. "How long do you plan to hold it?"

As if he had been burned, Fang Jun released her hand in a flash and subconsciously rubbed his fingertips, giving a dry, awkward laugh. "I forgot, I forgot."

Cai Junhuang naturally wasn't angry. She had guessed why Fang Jun appeared, but she just didn't expose him. She simply rolled her eyes at him and walked forward.

"Alright, time to go home."

"Okay, I'll walk you." Fang Jun immediately followed, his footsteps as brisk as a rabbit's.

Listening to the footsteps behind her, the corners of Cai Junhuang's mouth unconsciously curled into a subtle smile, and even her own steps became a bit lighter.