Shi Xinxin didn't know why she felt she didn't belong, but she always felt a vast distance between herself and Sheng Chenjin. Yet, Sheng Chenjin's occasional tenderness towards her would spark endless fantasies. After each fantasy, she would desperately pull herself back to reality, not wanting to become a ridiculous figure like a clown. However, these daydreams had become more frequent lately, like an opened Pandora's Box, making it hard to suppress them.
She only wished to live an ordinary life. Even if one day she discovered she truly liked Sheng Chenjin, she wouldn't want it to disrupt her ordinary existence. She was never one to seek the spotlight. She merely wanted to do what most people did, living a life like the majority. After lunch, she returned to her room for a nap. The doctor checked on her again before her nap.
"Your concussion is recovering well, but you still need some rest," the doctor said. He explained that the dancing that morning had provided some moderate exercise, increasing Shi Xinxin's blood circulation, which was beneficial for her concussion recovery. The doctor was very encouraging of this activity. Sheng Chenjin seemed to gain encouragement too, finding more reason to practice dancing with Shi Xinxin. He hadn't originally planned for too many lessons. But since the doctor said so, he used the excuse of precaution to teach her several dance steps. As soon as Shi Xinxin mastered one, he would immediately switch to another. In short, before the weekend's dance party, he had taught Shi Xinxin eight dance steps under various pretexts.
During this time, Shi Xinxin desperately tried to suppress her budding feelings, but she found that the more she resisted, the more painful it became. She reasoned that after the dance party ended, Sheng Chenjin would probably ignore her again. At that point, things would likely return to how they were before, so she simply gave up resisting and increasingly enjoyed the time spent dancing with Sheng Chenjin. The more she enjoyed it, the more relaxed she became. As she relaxed, dancing became a form of physical expression that flowed naturally from her body, and she learned very quickly.
Their dance lessons turned into joyful times, much like going shopping. After dancing, they never felt tired, even though the butler had noticed beads of sweat on their foreheads. When he advised them to rest, they still behaved like preschoolers, replying "okay" while being unable to stop. Occasionally, during breaks, they would even wrestle playfully for a short while. Watching the two playful children, the butler couldn't help but smile.
Finally, the weekend arrived. When Shi Xinxin woke up, she still felt a knot of nervousness in her stomach. Although she had been comfortable with Sheng Chenjin these past few days and had learned to dance smoothly, mastering all the steps, she remained anxious. In what capacity would Sheng Chenjin introduce her at the party today? If he only called her a dance partner, would people object? She knew the ways of these high-society circles. When introducing someone, background was always considered. She, a mere white-collar worker with no background, might only attract more unwanted attention. Sheng Chenjin didn't seem like someone who would lie or create elaborate deceptions. If he directly stated her identity as an office worker, the socialites present would surely cast strange glances at her, and would her dancing still go smoothly then? She worried about these things. What would she do if she embarrassed Sheng Chenjin? With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Shi Xinxin couldn't sleep well all night and woke up very early in the morning.
By the time the butler brought the evening gown, Shi Xinxin had already finished washing up. The butler was quite surprised, and looking at her dark circles, he appeared concerned. "Miss, this is the gown Mr. prepared for you. Breakfast is ready downstairs. You can come down once you're ready."
Hmm? The butler didn't say his usual line, "Sir is waiting for you." Was Sheng Chenjin not at home? Curious, Shi Xinxin quickly asked before the butler left, "Is Mr. not at home?"
The butler turned back respectfully, "Earlier this morning, Mr. received a call from an overseas company. He has a last-minute meeting and needs to go to the office to handle it, so he left home very early. The matter was urgent, and he might not be back before the dance party. However, Mr. has made arrangements, and the driver will take you to the venue."
Hearing this, Shi Xinxin became even more nervous. Sheng Chenjin wouldn't be home before the dance party, meaning no one would be there to train her in those dances? And didn't that also mean he wouldn't be by her side when she arrived? What if she and the driver arrived too early? Would she have to stand there alone waiting for him? A wave of anxiety washed over Shi Xinxin.
"Miss? Miss?" the butler called out softly, and Shi Xinxin snapped back to attention. The butler smiled at her, "You zoned out for a moment. It seems you're anxious about the dance party tonight." The butler had seen through her thoughts at a glance. "It's alright, Miss. The driver will take you there, and then someone will be there to assist you. And although today's situation was sudden, it's not a difficult matter. I believe Mr. will arrive before then, and you'll likely see him by the time you get there. So, you don't need to worry so much."
Shi Xinxin nodded, half-convinced, but her heart remained uneasy. She still lacked confidence in her own status. After all, this was a high-society ball, incomparable to casual gatherings with friends. The only upper-class individual she had ever encountered was Sheng Chenjin; she had no idea what others were like. What if she was ridiculed? In their eyes, someone like her would be considered a bumpkin at best. She was going to this party solely because Sheng Chenjin lacked a dance partner, not because of her own merits. In that case, what reason would she have to hold her head high when people mocked her? Now, Sheng Chenjin wasn't even by her side when she made her entrance. How awkward would it be if someone blocked her at the door? Her mind raced uncontrollably with these thoughts. By the time she regained her senses, she was already seated at the dining table.
The butler had already had the servants bring out the prepared breakfast. He approached Shi Xinxin and said gently, "Now, please enjoy your breakfast. Breakfast is the source of energy for the entire day. Only after eating well will you have the energy to think about other things." xxs one
Shi Xinxin nodded. No matter how worried she was about this matter, she couldn't avoid it. And if she had been worrying about it since early morning, she shouldn't have agreed to learn dancing from Sheng Chenjin in the first place.