Became a National Couple with My Ex Chapter 36: Draw the Line

Shen Ji turned his head slightly, quietly observing the thoughtful look on Liang Yixuan’s face.

Two nights ago, Cheng Nuo had told him, "How will you know if it’s worth it unless you try?" and "At worst, just give it a shot and walk away if it doesn’t work."

So he convinced himself: one last try.

But then he realized—— even when they disagreed over something as small as doing the dishes—— he didn’t have the "energy" to argue with Liang Yixuan.

And now, as he tested the waters by sharing this whole theory with her and saw she didn’t disagree, he felt even more certain: this was where the trying should end.

The theory was just a way to explain things—— not a hard rule, not something definitively right or wrong.

But the moment she heard it, she instinctively saw herself in it. That reaction told him everything he needed to know about her choice.

To outsiders, maybe all he did—— this quiet watching, these gentle efforts—— might seem shallow or half-hearted.

But to him, someone used to managing risks at work, it was different. His job demanded that he evaluate every angle carefully and make decisions as soon as signs of risk appeared—— to cut losses early.

That deeply ingrained habit carried over into how he handled emotions, too.

Sometimes, he even envied Bian Xu—— how clearly and deeply he felt things, how sharply he loved or disliked someone without hesitation.

But Shen Ji always stayed somewhere in the middle. There was never someone he absolutely had to be with.

And maybe that was enough.

To go forward knowing it would fail would only create unnecessary trouble—— for both of them, or maybe even three people.

Shen Ji looked away, then let out a soft laugh, as if finally exhaling a long-held breath.

Liang Yixuan heard that laugh and turned to look at him, puzzled.

"You seem to… understand me really well. How did you figure all that out?"

She couldn’t remember ever telling Shen Ji about her family background.

Shen Ji paused for a moment, then pointed toward the camera crew nearby.

"Sorry, would you mind turning off the camera for a minute?"

The conversation between them had clearly become too interesting for the crew to cut short, and one of the cameramen tried to negotiate.

"Don’t worry, Mr. Shen—— anything private will definitely be edited out. How about this: we’ll show you the final cut for approval before it airs?"

Shen Ji nodded in agreement. A small compromise.

Then he turned back to Liang Yixuan.

"Do you remember I mentioned Director Qiao to you? I told you her husband is a senior in my field. After the show aired, the two of them shared a bit about your background with me."

"Oh." Liang Yixuan finally understood, and fell silent. Then she hesitated and asked softly, "Since you know about my family… according to your theory, what kind of energy do I even have that could attract someone? I feel like I’m just full of negative energy…"

"Not at all," Shen Ji shook his head with a warm smile. "Don’t you know how beautiful flowers that bloom among thorns can be?"

Liang Yixuan was startled.

Shen Ji gestured to the bouquet of lilies in her arms.

"If I wasn’t worried that the audience would read too much into the symbolism, I might not have given you lilies. I would’ve chosen roses—— something that suits you more."

"Roses?" Liang Yixuan echoed in surprise.

"When people think of roses, their first thought is usually passion and boldness. You probably feel like you’re the opposite of that. But roses have another trait—— they have thorns." Shen Ji said, recalling his first impression.

"The first time I saw your performance in 《Lu Bian》, I remember thinking, how could someone seem so pure, like a blank sheet of paper, yet still have this unshakable strength—— like there were invisible thorns protecting her."

"It’s a shame that at my age, I’ve become too calm and less curious about people and things. Otherwise… maybe I would’ve gone up and gotten to know you back then."

Liang Yixuan stared at him blankly, slowly blinking in surprise——

That performance of《By the Stove》, Shen Ji didn’t come to meet her.

But Bian Xu did.

With a mix of curiosity and reflection, Liang Yixuan went back to the dance center to watch《By the Stove》again.

In the same theater, listening to the same symphony, watching the alternate dancer perform the exact same choreography, Liang Yixuan began to recall her own state of mind when she danced that piece last December.

As the memories came back, she suddenly remembered—— before that performance, she had received a phone call from her mother.

Her mother said she had met with Teacher Cao, the instructor guiding the Southern Ballet, who told her that Liang Yixuan lacked emotion on stage, calling her stiff and unexpressive, and said she was disappointed in her.

After hanging up, it took Liang Yixuan a long time to collect herself. By the time she stepped on stage, she was holding herself together with sheer determination. The result was probably just what Shen Ji, as an observer, had seen so clearly.

Her teacher once said: Even if a dancer has practiced the choreography until it's second nature—— the muscles and facial expressions all locked into muscle memory—— no two performances are ever the same. They cannot be exactly reproduced.

Even she couldn’t recreate that version of《By the Stove》, with the same mindset and emotions.

Let alone anyone else.

So, if what Shen Ji said was true—— that she was "special"—— then maybe that night, when Bian Xu picked her out from so many ballet dancers, it wasn’t just a coincidence like she had always thought.

When she left the theater after the performance, her mind was no longer on the variety show recording.

Shen Ji seemed to notice her distraction and suggested they head back to Beijiao early.

She nodded in agreement, just about to leave with him when her phone rang. It was a call from Qin He.

"Hello, Teacher Qin, I’m still at the dance center," she answered, phone in hand.

"This might be hard to explain over the phone," Qin He said, "Would it be possible for you to check with the show staff and come upstairs to Meeting Room One?"

"Sure, I’ll be right there."

After hanging up, she turned to Shen Ji and apologized, "One of my dance teachers needs to speak with me. I’m not sure how long it’ll take. Why don’t you go back first?"

"It’s fine. Go ahead—— I’ll wait outside."

Liang Yixuan nodded, handed her bouquet of flowers to the crew member following her, and hurried upstairs to Meeting Room One. She knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in," a voice said.

As she pushed the door open, her eyes hadn’t yet found Qin He when they landed on two unfamiliar visitors seated at the table—— a man and a woman.

The man wore a plain black jacket. He looked simple and slightly overweight.

The woman was dressed in a black turtleneck sweater dress under a gray wool coat, paired with knee-high boots that revealed a bit of her pale legs. Her lipstick and makeup were immaculate, her figure slim.

As Liang Yixuan walked in, the woman turned her head slightly, as though sizing her up from behind her sunglasses.

The glasses made it hard to see the woman’s eyes clearly, but there was something vaguely familiar about her. Liang Yixuan couldn’t quite place it.

She quickly looked away and addressed Qin He, "Teacher Qin, I’m here."

Qin He stood up and began the introductions: "This is our principal soloist." Then she turned to Liang Yixuan and added, "Xuan, this is—"

But the woman suddenly raised a hand, cutting Qin He off. She pulled her sunglasses down slightly and said, "No need, Teacher. I think she knows who I am."

Liang Yixuan looked over and saw a very familiar face.

It wasn’t someone she had ever met in person—

But someone whose photos she had looked at over and over again online.

Her hand, hanging by her side, slowly clenched into a fist.

The woman took off her sunglasses, stood up, and extended her hand. "Hello. I’m Bei Ying."

After a brief moment of shock, Liang Yixuan regained her composure and reached out to shake her hand. "Hello. Liang Yixuan."

Bei Ying glanced at the man beside her. "Johnson, I’d like to speak with Miss Liang alone."

The man— Johnson— looked uncomfortable but, under Bei Ying’s gaze, reluctantly left the room, taking Qin He with him.

Before leaving, Qin He glanced at Liang Yixuan.

Liang Yixuan gave her a reassuring nod, then took a quiet breath and straightened her expression.

The door closed. The meeting room was now just the two of them.

Bei Ying sat back down in the swivel chair at the table and smiled, "I’ve heard a lot about you, Miss Liang. I’ve been meaning to visit, but haven’t had the time. I hope I didn’t scare you by dropping by like this."

Liang Yixuan adjusted the chair across from her, sat down, and smiled politely. "Not at all. Southern Ballet often welcomes visitors from the arts. We’re glad to have you here."

"Is Miss Liang glad I’m here?"

"As a member of Southern Ballet, of course I welcome you."

"I thought you might have some personal objections to me."

Liang Yixuan shook her head. "No, I don’t."

Three lines in a row— calm, polite, and businesslike. She didn’t take the bait.

Bei Ying raised an eyebrow slightly and nodded. "That’s good to hear. I came to discuss something work-related with you. Since there are no personal issues, I feel much more at ease."

"Please go ahead, Miss Bei."

"I'm currently shooting a music video," Bei Ying said with a smile, gesturing with her hand. "The theme relates to my original profession, and I need a ballet body double. I noticed that Miss Liang has a similar figure to mine, and our facial profiles are also quite alike— it's almost like looking at another version of myself. I think you're the perfect choice. Would you be willing to be my stand-in? Of course, I’ll pay you generously."

Liang Yixuan understood exactly what Bei Ying was getting at.

She didn’t believe for a second that Bei Ying had really come here just to find a dance double.

There might not even be an MV— that was a separate question.

All this talk was just a veiled insult, meant to provoke her, to mock her.

In the past, Liang Yixuan admitted, Bei Ying’s words might have stung.

But today, for some reason, they suddenly struck her as funny.

She could even clearly imagine what Bian Xu would say if he were here right now.

Turning slightly to face the transparent glass wall of the meeting room, she looked at the reflected side profiles of herself and Bei Ying.

Then, in the calm tone she was used to speaking in— as if channeling Bian Xu’s voice— she said: "You're right, Miss Bei. We both come from ballet backgrounds and, by coincidence, we both meet the industry’s typical ‘three long, one short’ proportions, so our figures are quite similar."

"And since we both have one nose, one mouth, a pair of eyes and ears, our features— by sheer biological design— do end up looking pretty similar in profile."

Bei Ying's smile froze on her face.

"Based on that, I understand your reasoning in considering me as a stand-in," Liang Yixuan continued. "But I do have one question. Since ballet is your original profession— if you haven't turned your back on it— why not perform the part yourself? And if you have moved on from it, then why take the risk of using a double? If this ever came to light, it would be a huge embarrassment for any serious artist."

She gave a polite nod.

"Once Miss Bei answers that question, I’ll let you know whether I’m willing to be your stand-in."

Bei Ying’s lips trembled, just about to speak— when the meeting room door was suddenly pushed open.

Liang Yixuan looked up and saw Bian Xu walk in. Her gaze flickered slightly.

Bei Ying turned around stiffly, still seated.

Bian Xu looked at Liang Yixuan, then slowly pushed the door all the way open.

He raised his eyes slightly toward Bei Ying, rubbed the back of his neck, and said coldly: "If I’m not mistaken, this is the third time you've crossed my line."

Bei Ying stood up from her chair. "Bian Xu, I was just—"

"I suggest," Bian Xu interrupted, raising his hand, "that you leave Southern Ballet within the next three minutes. Otherwise, I guarantee that within three days, no one in this industry will be able to find your name again."