Chapter 306: Novelty

Not long after they entered, Chen Xi pulled her grandparents and the eager Zhou Hao, Huang Mao, and Zhao Yuanyuan to the edge of the dance floor.

Her grandparents had originally said they would just sit and watch, but after Chen Xi’s encouragement—"Don’t be a third wheel to the young folks! Let’s get up and stretch our legs!"—and a bit of their own curiosity about new things, the two of them chuckled and followed her over. At the edge of the dance floor, they started to sway their bodies, uncoordinated but clearly enjoying themselves.

Don’t let their age fool you; the elderly couple’s "senior disco" had a unique charm all its own.

They drew the attention of many of the younger people nearby, some of whom even started to copy their moves.

In contrast to the two seniors, it was Huang Mao and the other young ones who seemed a bit lost on the dance floor.

At first, Huang Mao just stood there like a post, his limbs stiff, his face a mask of awkwardness and discomfort.

But when Zhao Yuanyuan, beside him, was swept up by the intense rhythm and the enthusiastic atmosphere, she began to try moving her body. Her clumsy wiggles, like a little penguin learning to walk, were both ridiculous and earnest, and they instantly set off Huang Mao’s laughter.

He couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Pointing at Zhao Yuanyuan, he started to tease her, "You dance like a bear!" But as it turned out, his own movements were even more comical than hers.

"Pfft! You’re one to talk? You look like a real bear scratching its back on a tree!" Zhao Yuanyuan doubled over laughing as she watched him.

Pointing at each other under the flashing, hazy lights, they both doubled over with laughter.

Their uninhibited teasing, far from distancing them, seemed to break through an invisible barrier between them.

Amidst the laughter, they unknowingly grew closer.

After teasing each other for a bit, they both relaxed. They stopped trying to follow any standard moves and instead started "swaying" to the rhythm in their own free, personal styles. Amid the roaring music, they found their own unique and cheerful rhythm.

Chen Mo had his arm around Su Yuqing’s waist but didn’t immediately lead her to the floor. He just sat with her at the edge of their booth, letting her get used to the deafening atmosphere.

Gradually, the initial shock wore off.

Su Yuqing began to look around curiously.

Dazzling laser beams cut through the swirling smoke. The dance floor was a sea of moving silhouettes, swaying, jumping, and spinning to the beat, lost in the moment. Every face shone with a kind of liberated, immersive joy.

The air was thick with the unique scent of the night—a mix of alcohol, perfume, and sweat.

The bizarre and dazzling scene held a kind of primal vitality and allure.

She was captivated by the powerful rhythm.

The driving drumbeat felt as if it were pounding directly on her heart, awakening some dormant sense of rhythm deep within her.

Leaning against Chen Mo, her body began to move unconsciously, swaying ever so slightly to the beat. First, her toes started tapping the floor, then her shoulders began to rock gently.

The excitement of being drawn into a new world danced in her bright eyes, and a charming blush, tinged with a desire to explore, slowly colored her fair cheeks.

As Chen Mo watched the girl in his arms go from initial, nervous bewilderment to looking around with curiosity, and finally to being so captivated by the rhythm that her body swayed unconsciously and a blush of excitement bloomed on her cheeks, he knew the time was right.

"Want to give it a try?" Chen Mo asked, leaning down immediately, having keenly noticed the subtle changes in her body and the eager look in her eyes.

His warm breath carried his low voice, delivering it clearly into Su Yuqing’s sensitive ear, cutting through the surrounding clamor.

Hearing his voice, Su Yuqing looked up at him.

The shifting, hazy colored lights swept over him, casting a chiaroscuro of shadows across his deep-set eyes and high-bridged nose. But his eyes, under the flashing lights, were like the calm deep sea, focused solely on her reflection.

Su Yuqing took a deep breath as if to draw courage, then nodded. A brilliant smile bloomed on her face, like a rose quietly blossoming in the night.

"Okay, I’ll go with you." A gentle smile touched Chen Mo’s lips as his large hand securely enveloped her small, slightly cool one.

He didn’t pull her directly into the center of the dance floor. Instead, he protectively led her to the edge of the moving crowd, letting her acclimate first.

He used his body to shield her from the jostling crowd, keeping an arm loosely around her side to form a protective circle.

At first, Su Yuqing’s movements were clearly stiff and reserved.

She just followed Chen Mo, mimicking his simplest, most basic steps—shifting her weight from side to side and swaying her body slightly to the drumbeat.

Her arms hung somewhat stiffly at her sides, and her eyes would occasionally dart toward the others dancing around them, as if trying to compare and learn.

"Don’t worry about anyone else," Chen Mo’s voice sounded in her ear again, full of encouraging laughter. "Just follow the music, follow your own feeling. Move however you want to move. There’s no right or wrong. This is a nightclub, not some dance competition."

He let go of her hand and began to demonstrate, swaying his body to the rhythm with bigger, more relaxed movements. His shoulders, arms, and hips all flowed naturally with the beat, his movements smooth and infectious, exuding a casual, freewheeling charm.

Su Yuqing watched Chen Mo, saw the pure enjoyment and relaxation in his eyes, and her nervousness gradually gave way to curiosity and the desire to try.

She tried closing her eyes, blocking out the distracting visual information around her, and focused only on feeling the vibration of the floor beneath her feet and the powerful, heartbeat-like thumping of the drums against her eardrums and chest.

THUMP... THUMP... THUMP...

Slowly, she found the pulse of the rhythm.

She opened her eyes and began to experiment. First, her shoulders shrugged slightly in time with the rhythm. Then her arms, as if parting invisible water, slowly lifted, tracing clumsy yet defined arcs to the beat.

Her waist also tried a slight sway—a small movement, but a breakthrough for her.

Her long hair swung gently with her movements, brushing against her flushed cheeks.

Chen Mo watched her the whole time with a smile, his eyes filled with admiration and encouragement.

He no longer deliberately guided her movements, instead matching her rhythm with a tacit understanding, dancing naturally by her side.

When a song with an even stronger rhythm and a catchier melody began to play, Chen Mo held out his hand to her.

Su Yuqing looked at his hand, then at his smiling eyes, and gathered her courage to place her hand in his.

Chen Mo gave a gentle tug, pulling her a little closer, and began to lead her in some simple, interactive moves.

Holding her hand, he guided her into a spin with the rhythm, his movements gentle and fluid.

At the song’s climax, he let go of her hand. They faced each other, moving their bodies freely to the soaring drumbeat, their arms tracing casual arcs in the air. Their eyes met, exchanging silent understanding and smiles.