Chapter 74: The Accidental Kiss

It was not Jiang Cheng's voice.

"I'm sorry, I'd like to rest for a while first," Si Rong politely declined.

But the man did not leave; he stood nearby, staring at Si Rong and looking her over, trying hard to find a topic of conversation, "Are you a teacher or a nurse?"

"Neither."

Si Rong gave an apologetic smile.

"Then can you dance?"

The man asked again, then rubbed the back of his head, "I'm not very good at it. My older brother told me to come to this matchmaking event. If you can teach me, then after the social mixer is over, I can treat you to a meal."

This was the pickup technique taught to him by his married older brother.

It made it hard for a woman to refuse.

Just then, another man wearing a silver mask walked over, his figure tall and his bearing exceptional.

Si Rong felt that sometimes a mask could only cover the face, but things like bearing could not be hidden.

It was just like the man in front of her.

The man made an inviting gesture with one hand, "Miss, may I ask you for a dance?"

Before Si Rong could answer, the man who had just been standing next to her answered for her.

"No! She wants to rest for a while first!"

Besides, for things like this, there should be a first-come, first-served order, right?

He was the one who came first.

What he didn't expect was that the woman who had just told him she wanted to rest placed her hand directly into the man's palm.

Huh?

Didn't she want to rest? She finished resting so quickly?

Led by Jiang Cheng, Si Rong glided into the dance floor.

The dances performed at this kind of occasion were all social dances.

The movements were simple and easy to remember.

"Are you nervous?" Si Rong asked the man.

She felt that the hand Jiang Cheng had pressed against her back was a bit hot, and his left hand, which was holding her right hand, was even sweating.

"No," Jiang Cheng insisted stubbornly.

Si Rong felt a pain in her foot, raised her eyes, and gave him a playful glare, "But you've already stepped on my foot twice."

Jiang Cheng:...

"I'm sorry, I'm, sorry."

He had learned this social dance from Chen Shuo.

Originally, Chen Shuo had said he would find a young female soldier to teach him, but after he refused, Chen Shuo had stepped in himself.

Does that old rascal even know how to do it?

He even had the nerve to say that he had relied on social dancing to win over his wife back in the day.

Oh no! He stepped on Si Rong's foot again.

"Take it slow, don't be anxious, follow my steps," Si Rong was a Dance Teacher after all, so she had to be patient in this regard.

"Okay." Jiang Cheng was drawn in by this gentle voice and couldn't help but relax a little.

Fang Ting searched from the far east side of the hall to the far west, but couldn't find Jiang Cheng anywhere.

She had even managed to lose her good friend and romantic rival, Si Rong.

Could those two be together?

Soon, Fang Ting dismissed this thought; she had grown up with Jiang Cheng in the compound since they were children, so she was definitely more familiar with him than Si Rong, his matchmaking partner.

If she couldn't find him, Si Rong certainly couldn't find him either.

She didn't know who had stepped on her foot just now; just as Fang Ting wanted to sit down and rest for a bit, a masked man came to her side.

"I, I want to ask you to dance."

A stutterer?

Fang Ting felt that this person gave her a very familiar feeling, so she reached out and snatched the man's mask off, "Jiang Dacheng? I knew it was you!"

"Sister Ting," Jiang Dacheng put the mask back on, "Hurry up, Director Chen is patrolling nearby. If he sees anyone without a dance partner, he's going to lead everyone to mock them later. Do you want to be mocked?"

Fang Ting was a very strong-willed person; of course, she couldn't be mocked.

She was the one who mocked others!

Without further ado, she didn't care that Jiang Dacheng was the little tag-along she had hated most when she was a child, and started dancing with him.

Although everyone was dancing.

Soon, everyone was stunned by the few pairs who were dancing quite well.

It was at this moment that Fang Ting noticed Si Rong and Jiang Cheng.

They were all dancing, but every one of Si Rong's movements was better looking than everyone else's.

It wasn't just Jiang Cheng's gaze on her; there were many admiring gazes from both men and women.

She suddenly felt a bit sad.

"Sister Ting, what's wrong? Is it because I'm not dancing well? Don't cry!" Jiang Dacheng was frantic when he saw Fang Ting's eyes redden.

"I'm not crying!" Fang Ting said angrily, "You don't need to worry about me!"

She did not notice Jiang Dacheng's silent gaze.

But Jiang Dacheng was already used to it; he had been ignored for so many years anyway.

It had been like this for a long time; Sister Ting's gaze followed Brother Cheng, and his gaze had always followed Fang Ting.

After three songs, everyone was tired, and the host turned off the music to let everyone take a break.

A gaze was silently fixed on Si Rong.

It was as if staring at prey.

He seemed to have fallen in love at first sight, just now.

Although he had not seen the face of the woman under the mask, he was certain she must be a beauty.

For those who do not dance often, dancing three songs in a row was indeed a bit tiring.

But Si Rong did not feel so.

She was already accustomed to it from her daily training.

After drinking a few sips of lemonade, the social gathering quickly moved on to the second item.

Performing acts.

The military encourages a positive, enthusiastic, and lively attitude toward life.

Therefore, most people signed up themselves.

Just like Fang Ting, who signed up for boxing herself; besides that, there were Peking Opera performances, Bangzi opera, shadow puppetry, songs, and dances.

A dazzling array.

Si Rong was watching with great delight.

So she had not expected at all that someone would incite her to go on stage to perform.

After Fang Ting finished boxing.

"I heard Division Commander Jiang's partner is here today, go on stage and perform something, everyone is happy today!"

Si Rong subconsciously looked at Fang Ting.

But it was not her speaking; it was a young woman standing beside Fang Ting.

Fang Ting lowered her head with a guilty conscience.

Originally, this was her previous plan; after Si Rong drew her eyebrows for her, Fang Ting had intended to give up this plan, but since everyone was wearing masks, she had not found her friend, and things had turned into this situation.

"Um, how about I go up and perform one more?"

Fang Ting braced herself, preparing to go on stage to perform boxing again; after all, she was the one who caused this.

But unexpectedly, her friend held her back, "Company Commander Fang, we all know Division Commander Jiang's partner can dance, who wants to watch you box?"

Consequently, everyone followed suit, clamoring for Si Rong to go on stage.

Jiang Cheng was not here at the moment; just after dancing the ballroom dance, he was called away by Director Chen.

"Then I shall make a fool of myself."

Si Rong was not stage-frightened, and besides, she did not want to make the atmosphere awkward today.

She did not change her clothes, wearing only a simple white shirt and dress trousers to dance a piece of Swan Lake for everyone.

There was originally no accompaniment, but suddenly a man wearing a silver mask went on stage with a melodica and began to play Swan Lake.

Although the stage was crude and the costumes were simple, everyone was still captivated by the agile and elegant performance on stage.

Every movement seemed to bring everyone into a world of fairy tales.

When Jiang Cheng pushed the door and entered, this was the scene he saw.

As a science student, a poem immediately surfaced in his mind:

The peach tree is young and elegant; brilliant are its flowers. This young lady is going to her future home; she will order well her chamber and house.

When Si Rong danced, the whole world seemed to light up.

Fang Ting bit her lower lip; she admitted defeat. If she were Jiang Cheng, she would also like a woman like Si Rong.

The social gathering ended, and it was already afternoon when it suddenly began to rain heavily.

Misfortunes never come singly; when Si Rong was going downstairs, she accidentally sprained her foot.

The stairs were too slippery; if it were not for Jiang Cheng catching her in time, it might not have been as simple as just spraining her foot.

"How about you go to my dormitory first? When the rain stops, I will take you to see the military doctor," Jiang Cheng suggested.

There was no other way at the moment, and Si Rong's face had turned pale from the pain, so she nodded.

Jiang Cheng then borrowed an umbrella and carried Si Rong on his back to the dormitory.

The dormitory was very tidy. After Jiang Cheng entered, he wanted to let Si Rong sit on the edge of the bed first, but it was unclear if he was too nervous or what happened, he almost dropped Si Rong to the floor.

In his desperation, he went to catch her again, and as a result, both of them fell onto the single bed together.

His kiss landed on a soft spot.