Lu Boyan was standing beside the French windows in his study, watching her from afar.

He had just ended a video conference call, but before he even had time to shut down his computer, Uncle Xu had come in and told him that Su Jianan was alone in the garden.

Throughout the three months she had been staying here, two-thirds of her time was spent in her room, where she would either sleep or watch a movie. The rest of her time was either spent in the kitchen or the dining room. Since when had the garden caught her fancy?

He moved in closer to the edge of the French windows, looking at her. She was like a little rabbit, hopping along the pebbled footpath in the garden. She was playing with her own shadow as if she did not have a care in the world.

He ma.s.saged his temples and turned around to head downstairs.

“Aren’t you sleepy?”

Su Jianan was in the midst of coming up with a way that would enable her to step on her own shadow when Lu Boyan’s voice came from behind.

Startled, she gasped, pressed a palm to her chest, and turned around. “Can’t you make a little noise when you walk?” she grumbled. “I took a long nap. Right now I don’t feel sleepy at all.”

“Come here.”

His tone was authoritative as usual, though now, amidst the night ambience, it actually sounded gentle.

Su Jianan looked at him suspiciously as she took tentative and hesitant steps on the same spot. “What do you want?”

Lu Boyan narrowed his eyes, an act which sent a chill down her spine. Pathetically, she began walking over to him slowly.

In that moment, the moonlight was akin to water cascading down from the sky, was.h.i.+ng over the surrounding ambience. There she was, bathing in the moonlight as she strolled in his direction. Her small and pretty face betrayed the reluctance and vexation that she was no doubt feeling, though she seemed to think that she had no choice but to obey him. The way she looked right now had sparked a desire inside him. The desire to bully her.

Wordlessly, Lu Boyan gripped his hands into tight fists and suppressed that urge, which he was sure would scare her off. With all the chivalry he could muster, he struck a pose that indicated an invitation to a dance.

It was beyond any of Su Jianan’s expectations that Lu Boyan would ask her for a dance. When he extended his hand, she honestly thought that he was tyring to flick her forehead again. Startled, she took a step back. Only then did she realize his pose-

She blinked her eyes and was completely stunned…

It was rare that Lu Boyan would ask another person to dance with him, yet Su Jianan had evaded him?

He frowned in displeasure and pulled Su Jianan into his arms unyieldingly. Su Jianan looked at him warily. “You… What are you doing?”

He placed a hand on Su Jianan’s slender waist. A tiny and indecipherable smile formed on his lips. In that instant, an aura of intimacy began ama.s.sing in the air above their heads.

Su Jianan gulped. All of a sudden, her breathing became irregular. She was feeling jittery, and yet at the same time, her heart was filled with antic.i.p.ation.

Lu Boyan bowed slightly, an act which caused his warm breath to tickle her ear. “I told you I’ll be teaching you how to dance. Now’s the time.”

“…” Su Jianan was still at a loss of words.

Perhaps he had noticed her stiff and speechless expression. He smiled in a way that bespoke nothing but poise. “What did you think I was about to do? Hm?”

“I…” After a considerable bout of stammering and mumbling, Su Jianan said, “I thought you were trying to hit me…”

“… Hold out your right hand!” Lu Boyan was practically grinding his teeth to dust at that point.

Su Jianan did as she was told obediently and held out her hand, which Lu Boyan grabbed. Then, Lu Boyan rested his left hand on her arm. She was in a complete blur at this point. “Are we doing a Waltz?”

“Mm,” Lu Boyan said. “Are you familiar with the box steps?”

“I’ve learnt before. But it’s been years since I’ve practiced. I don’t think I’ll be able to match your steps,” she said. Her tone had practically gone stiff with all the jitters she was feeling.

“Let’s give it a try first.”

Su Jianan remembered the opening steps, so they were off to a smooth start at least, which brought Su Jianan much relief.

Lu Boyan, on the other hand, displayed nothing but skill and elegance in all his dance steps. His masculine scent, together with the fragrance from the surrounding flowers, invaded her nostrils through her breaths. Before, she had been nervous. Now, she was close to being neurotic. Her limbs had gone stiff, and she could not for the life of her remember what the next steps were. Just then, she made a glorious display of… stepping on Lu Boyan’s foot.

She leaped away. “I’m sorry.”

Lu Boyan stared at her deeply. He looked as though he was sighing. “Jianan, what’s there to be nervous about?”

“Nervous?” At first, Su Jianan had gone completely blank. Then she recovered with a decisive shake of her head. “I wasn’t nervous! Just… I just forgot the steps…”

Lu Boyan stared her down with narrowed eyes, though he did not call her out on her lie. “Come here. I’ll teach you from the beginning.”

Still feeling hesitant, Su Jianan picked at the skin on her palm. After a moment, she relented and walked over to Lu Boyan. She placed her left hand on Lu Boyan’s arm. The fingers of her right hand interlaced with those of his left hand.

Amidst the stillness of the night, she could not only smell his scent, but also feel his body heat seeping through his white s.h.i.+rt and heating up her cheeks.

Would this count as… their growing a bit closer to each other?

“No, Su Jianan. You must calm down!” she reminded herself just in time. She had to stay calm and regain composure. Otherwise, Lu Boyan would figure out all her secrets!

At the thought, she plastered a grin on her face, one that she deemed as enchanting. “Instructor Lu, shall we begin?”

Lu Boyan smiled and began his instruction. They started with the forward box step, and then moved on to the backward box step. After that, they practiced the 90 degrees turn. Lu Boyan guided her through every step and every beat.

The Waltz was known for the gracefulness and softness in its dance steps. Su Jianan had no idea if it was due to the nature of the waltz itself or if it was just another one of her delusions, but right then, it seemed to her that everything in their surroundings had taken a new form. From the moon above her head to the flowers and gra.s.s surrounding them, everything had become infinitely more appealing in between their dance steps and 90-degree turns.

Right before her very eyes, Lu Boyan had also become so much taller, and so much more handsome.

Her breaths had turned ragged at this point. Her cheeks grew warmer and warmer.

“Jianan, don’t be nervous. Just relax a little.”

That magnetizing, masculine voice had entered her ears in a steady manner. Instead of relaxing her, that voice had made her even more nervous. She was afraid of failing. She was afraid that he would think of her as an idiot.

The only problem was that the more she desired to perform, the tauter her body would become. It was like Lu Boyan was chipping away at her resolve, tearing her grit apart, piece by piece…

One undeniable fact was that Lu Boyan was a very good teacher. He had guided her through every move patiently. He had told her the right way to move her body so that her limbs could move in perfect harmony. He had taught her how to present the most elegant facet of her body’s movements.

“Do you remember all I’ve told you?” Lu Boyan asked finally.

Su Jianan was a nervous wreck. She raised her head and met his gaze.

She could very much be mistaken, or it could be due to effect of the night’s ambience, but right then, she could see nothing but warmth and patience in his eyes.

A single glance was all it took to have her losing her footing and falling straight into this vortex of warmth.

At the same time, one glance was also all it took for Lu Boyan’s eyes to return to normal, as if her brief moment of shock and heart palpitations was nothing but an afterthought.

In her mind, she went through all the steps he had taught her just now. Then, she recalled all the tips and pointers he had given her. She nodded. “I remember.”

Lu Boyan did not believe her for a second. “Why don’t you prove it, then?”

Su Jianan puffed out her chest. “Fine! I’m not scared of you!”

Lu Boyan smirked and led her into the conservatory.

He switched on two lamps which were mounted on the wall, though the light they emitted was so meagre that she could barely make out his face amidst the murky ambience. Su Jianan was just about to start mocking him when she saw him lighting the candles which were placed on the flower racks, floor and table.

Countless specks of candlelight filled the s.p.a.ce between the flowers; some looked as if they were leaping and jiggling on the green, gra.s.sy ground. Candlelight illuminated his remarkable features and the fragrance of the scented candles wafted through the air. Su Jianan tilted her head. “Instructor Lu, what on earth are you doing?”

Lu Boyan turned around and did something with his hands. Soon, the entire conservatory was filled with the melodious notes of waltz music. Su Jianan was surprised at first. But after taking stock of the candles surrounding the conservatory, she suddenly began laughing.

“Ah, Instructor Lu… So he does have a romantic side after all,” she thought.

She looked really beautiful when smiling. Whenever she smiled, the image of blossoming flowers always came to mind. The candlelight had ama.s.sed within her dark pupils, brightening her smile, making it so much more adorable.

Lu Boyan asked her for a dance for the second time. This time she knew better than to shy away from him like a scared animal. Instead, she accepted his invitation with grace and openness.

Accompanied by the melodious music, Su Jianan followed Lu Boyan’s lead, stepping forward whenever he stepped backward. Together, they performed the 90-degree turns and danced around in a relaxed and natural manner. Lu Boyan was a good leader, and she was a willing follower.

They completed the full dance in the music and candlelight. Not once had Su Jianan stepped on Lu Boyan’s foot.

Lu Boyan smiled. “Looks like you’ve improved, disciple.”

Su Jianan returned his smile humbly. “That’s because Instructor Lu had taught me well! Thanks!”

Just then, the music began playing from the beginning, and Su Jianan was in the height of her excitement. She gripped Lu Boyan’s hand tightly. “Why don’t we go for another round? Don’t dismiss the cla.s.s just yet!”

Well, since she was so eager to learn… Lu Boyan held her hand and got into position. They went through the box steps again. Whenever he stepped forward, she would retreat, and vice versa. He took her through the turns as they made the rounds in the s.p.a.ce, all of which she followed along with perfection. When they were making the turns, her lips lifted in pleasure and her brows curved with joy. She looked like a vivacious elf with boundless energy.

Su Jianan was starting to feel addicted to dancing. Or she should say that she liked this kind of seamless interaction between herself and Lu Boyan. Right now, in the middle of the night within the walls of this conservatory, there were only the two of them and n.o.body else. It felt as if they were the only two people left in this world.

She had pestered Lu Boyan for one dance after another, as if she did not know the meaning of exhaustion.

Like a parent indulging his child, Lu Boyan had entertained all her requests and danced with her to her heart’s content.

The candlelight had cast both of their shadows on the ground, which looked extremely intimate with the way they were practically hugging each other.

They had danced so many rounds that they lost count, but at one point, Su Jianan finally expressed her wish to stop, claiming fatigue. She was panting slightly when they stopped moving. Lu Boyan did not release her hand.

She looked at him in confusion. “Teacher, cla.s.s is ending soon. Don’t you know that it’s annoying for a teacher to drag out a cla.s.s period?”

“I’ve taught you how to dance and have danced so many rounds with you. You’re not even going to thank me?”

Su Jianan knew that he would not have been satisfied with just a simple “thank you”.

All of a sudden, a bold idea came to Su Jianan. Before she could follow through with it, she had already began blus.h.i.+ng.

She mustered her courage and pepped herself up a few times. Amidst the wavering candlelight, she went up on her tippy toes and kissed Lu Boyan on the lips.

“Thank you so much, teacher!”

Then, she ran out of the conservatory as if her life depended on it.

She ran faster than a rabbit that was for sure. It did not take long for her figure to vanish from his view. What remained was the softness of her lips, which could still be felt on Lu Boyan’s lips.

His hand lifted inadvertently, touching the spot she had just kissed. Before he knew it, a smile had formed on his lips.

In his life, it was rare for him to encounter unforgettable moments. The experiences he had shared with her were the only ones that he would never forget as long as he lived.

That applied even to her touches.

After quite some time, Lu Boyan left the conservatory and went back to his room. When he pa.s.sed by Su Jianan’s room, he paused and stared at her door. He did not see any light. She was probably asleep.

The truth?

Su Jianan was not even close to being asleep. Instead, she was curled up in bed with her teeth biting down on the blanket, ruminating…