Became a National Couple with My Ex Chapter 61: Brilliant and Indispensable

As soon as Liang Yixuan stepped forward, no one else in the rehearsal room dared—or even felt the need—to do the same.

Casting in ballet doesn’t work the same way as it does in film or television. In this field, skill is judged by far more objective and consistent standards. There might be some subjectivity in how well someone fits a role, but whether a dancer is technically up to par is something professionals can see at a glance.

Liang Yixuan’s strong foundation was well recognized within the company, and her recent progress in expressive performance had also been clear to everyone. Before she stepped forward, some people might still have been entertaining the idea that they could be the "chosen one" among the lesser candidates. But now that she did, all those rumors about her leaving ballet for showbiz or retiring to marry rich fell apart. Everyone quietly gave up the idea of competing.

Some of the sharper ones also realized what was going on: Qin He knew everyone’s strengths and limits well. She had likely already intended for Liang Yixuan to take the role. But since Yixuan had always been calm, reserved, and noncompetitive, this "motivational speech" had probably been a strategy to push her into making a decision and stepping up.

Because the full-cast rehearsal was only a month away, there was no time to waste on prolonged casting. Deacon gave just one day to Liang Yixuan and the current primary candidate Zhu Xuemei to prepare, and required both of them to present their assigned excerpts that very night.

8:00 PM, at the Dance Center.

The entire A and B casts of《Giselle》gathered in the theater. On stage, Zhu Xuemei had just finished her performance. Down below, Deacon and Qin He were in a heated discussion.

Liang Yixuan stood backstage, waiting for her cue. She could vaguely hear Deacon pointing out several technical mistakes in Zhu Xuemei’s performance.

Qin He tried to smooth things over, saying the rushed preparation time had probably made her nervous.

But Deacon didn’t seem to accept that excuse. He shook his head and said, "A full day of prep for a two-minute excerpt shouldn’t be so difficult for a seasoned lead. I think Zhu’s biggest issue is that she doesn’t believe she is Giselle. Beyond the technical flaws, she also lacks emotional conviction."

"Deacon, this is already her second time attempting this role. She was discouraged by you the last time, too."

"I understand her concerns," Deacon replied firmly, "but we all know that handling pressure is a basic skill for any dancer. The stage is ruthless."

"Of course," Qin He nodded, ending the discussion. "The stage is ruthless."

The atmosphere in the theater suddenly turned tense.

Several supporting actors sitting in the audience exchanged glances, clearly worried that Deacon still hadn’t seen a performance he was satisfied with tonight.

After all, Liang Yixuan hadn’t always been known for outstanding mental resilience. With Zhu Xuemei’s underwhelming start and the mood in the room already cooled, it was likely that Liang Yixuan would be even more nervous now.

Qin He picked up the microphone and announced that Liang Yixuan was next.

The audience fell quiet, all eyes fixed on the stage.

Deacon had chosen a classic excerpt from Act I of《Giselle》—the scene where Lady Bathilde, daughter of the Duke, passes through Giselle’s village while out hunting with her father and is warmly welcomed by Giselle’s family.

The supporting cast took their positions on stage. Dressed in a simple cotton skirt, Liang Yixuan entered from the wings, playing Giselle. She helped bring out chairs and tea for the Duke and Lady Bathilde, carefully wiping the seats and teacups with her own apron to make sure there was no dust.

Lady Bathilde sat down gracefully. Giselle couldn’t take her eyes off the lady’s luxurious red gown.

She circled behind her, visibly mesmerized by the gown. Slowly, almost unknowingly, she stepped closer and knelt down to gently touch the hem of the dress.

Lady Bathilde suddenly turned around.

Startled, Giselle quickly backed away, bowed her head, and pressed her hands to her chest, trying to express her apology.

Lady Bathilde stood up, looked down at her skirt, and asked in surprise, "What’s wrong?"

Giselle opened her arms and gestured dramatically at the skirt: "Your dress is just so beautiful… I couldn’t help myself."

Her honest praise made Lady Bathilde laugh.

Even the old Duke, standing nearby, chuckled at her endearing behavior.

Giselle’s face lit up with hope as she asked, "I love to dance. May I perform a dance for you?"

Lady Bathilde responded with a graceful gesture of invitation.

Giselle danced around the stage like a bird freed from its cage, leaping with light, joyful steps in a full circle. She lifted her skirt and gave a graceful bow to Lady Bathilde, just about to begin her dance—when suddenly, her mother stepped in and stopped her.

Giselle, who loved dancing, had a heart condition. Her mother was worried about her health and forbade her from doing anything too strenuous.

But Lady Bathilde saw the longing in Giselle’s eyes and gently said, "It’s all right. Go ahead and dance."

Her mother frowned deeply and shook her head in concern.

But Giselle was overjoyed at the rare chance to dance. Smiling, she leaned in and gently rubbed her cheek against her mother’s, as if to comfort her.

In the audience, Deacon slowly sat up straight, pulling away from the back of his seat. He exchanged a glance with Qin He beside him.

Qin He could tell from Deacon’s eyes that he was impressed.

Liang Yixuan truly was different now.

If her previous stage performances had seemed like she was just dutifully completing assigned tasks—with expressions and gestures that were merely correct—then ever since her duet with Bian Xu, and especially tonight in《Giselle》, she had completely stepped out of her own personality. She had become the character she played, without holding back.

And just from this short opening scene, Giselle’s innocence, liveliness, and charm came through in every smile, every movement, every look and gesture.

On stage, Giselle lifted her arms confidently, rose onto her toes, and began to dance for Lady Bathilde.

The soft sound of violins joined by light, cheerful woodwinds signaled the start of the famous variation from Act I of《Giselle》.

Though the solo lasted less than two minutes, it was technically demanding. Deacon’s eyes were locked on Liang Yixuan, pen in hand, ready to jot down any mistakes—yet he didn’t write a single word.

Liang Yixuan’s technique was incredibly solid. Even in the most complex sequences, every extension, point, and rise was executed to perfection. Any freeze-frame from her performance could have been a diagram in a textbook.

When Deacon finally did spot a misstep—an incorrect hand position—he set his pen down instead of writing.

Because Liang Yixuan noticed the mistake right away and, without a trace of panic, adjusted her next movement to smoothly cover it up. Her smile never faltered—so it couldn't truly be called a mistake in the context of the performance.

Tonight, her emotional intensity completely made up for the physical expressiveness she once lacked. Deacon, normally strict and exacting, leaned back in his seat and relaxed, simply watching her performance with enjoyment.

Halfway through, the highlight of the dance arrived—the part often called the "technical showcase."

Liang Yixuan rose en pointe on one foot, effortlessly completing a series of thirty rapid pointe hops, followed by twenty smooth spins in time with the rising tempo of the orchestra. Her skirt twirled as she glided in a sweeping arc around the stage, then she knelt gracefully and bowed to Lady Bathilde in a flawless finish.

The music stopped abruptly. Liang Yixuan held her final pose, catching her breath in silence.

The audience was dead quiet—until Deacon stood up first and began clapping slowly.

One by one, the entire cast and crew behind him stood and shook their heads in awe.

"That was incredible… absolutely stunning…"

The applause thundered.

Qin He looked at the dancer on stage with satisfaction. For a moment, even she wasn’t sure—had Giselle’s confidence brought out Liang Yixuan’s confidence, or had Liang Yixuan’s confidence brought Giselle to life?

The applause gradually faded.

Liang Yixuan, coming out of character, shifted from "Giselle’s curtain call" to her own: "Liang Yixuan’s bow to the audience."

Qin He didn’t want to say too much in front of everyone, so she simply gave Liang Yixuan a big thumbs-up.

Liang Yixuan smiled in relief at Qin He—but just as she turned her gaze, she spotted a familiar figure standing quietly in the back row of the audience.

Bian Xu had shown up without saying a word. She had no idea how long he’d been watching.

After the performance, Qin He and Deacon announced that they would go back and review everything before announcing the final decision tomorrow.

But Liang Yixuan’s performance tonight was so impressive that the outcome was already clear. Everyone knew this formal review was just a courtesy to Zhu Xuemei.

Backstage, as soon as she returned, the cast gathered around to congratulate her in advance.

Liang Yixuan thanked them all, said goodbye, and hurried to the dressing room to change out of her costume. She pulled out her phone and sent a message to Bian Xu: Where are you?

She hadn’t dared make eye contact with him during the performance with so many eyes watching. Thankfully, Bian Xu had been considerate enough to keep a low profile—she just didn’t know where he was now, waiting for her.

After sending the message, she picked up her clothes and bag and walked out of the dressing room—only to bump right into Qin He.

Qin He smiled and walked over, patting her on the shoulder.

"Looks like we’ll have to turn down that New Year’s Eve gala invite."

Liang Yixuan blinked, catching the hidden meaning behind her words.

"Wait… was there actually a network asking me to perform?"

"Yes, and not just one provincial TV station," Qin He replied. "They thought inviting you would be a good look for the dance company, so they wanted to give you some exposure. But now…" She chuckled, "Even if you wanted to go, we couldn’t let you."

Liang Yixuan nodded. "My real job is still here in the theater. Performing on stage comes first."

"I know you’re a sincere kid," Qin He said with a smile. "You’ve worked hard today. Go home and rest early. Is someone picking you up? If not, I’ll drive you. My husband’s on his way now."

Liang Yixuan waved her hand. "No need to trouble you, Ms. Qin… My friend is already here."

Hearing that, Qin He paused in surprise.

Because this conversation felt just like the one they’d had at the airport after their European tour ended this summer.

What had she asked back then?

Oh right—she had asked if it was her boyfriend picking her up. The shy girl had said it was just her roommate.

And now, in just a few short months, Liang Yixuan had changed so much it was like night and day.

"This time it’s your boyfriend, isn’t it?" Qin He asked.

Liang Yixuan looked over Qin He’s shoulder and replied, "Mm-hmm…"

Qin He turned to follow her gaze and saw Bian Xu walking toward them. She smiled and sighed, "Looks like Coach Cao’s advice back then was spot-on."

Liang Yixuan gave a soft cough.

Qin He smiled and gave Bian Xu a polite nod, then said goodbye to both of them.

Now the hallway was empty except for the two of them.

Before Bian Xu could reach her, Liang Yixuan stepped forward quickly. "How did you know what time my performance was?"

"What, I’m not allowed to have eyes and ears at the National Ballet?"

"Why would you even need spies?"

Bian Xu gave a cool little snort. "Why wouldn’t I? Our Principal Dancer’s got herself a permanent male partner now. I’ve got to keep an eye on things."

Liang Yixuan pinched his waist playfully. Then, turning serious, she asked, "So you watched my performance—what did you think? How was I today?"

Even though she had already gotten approval from her professional mentors, Liang Yixuan still really wanted to hear Bian Xu’s opinion.

Bian Xu paused thoughtfully, then said, "I’ve got eight words for you—‘Powerful and smooth. Flawless and sharp.’"

"You’re really good at compliments," Liang Yixuan laughed as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Bian Xu hugged her back, raised an eyebrow, and looked down at her. "I can give you another eight."

"Huh?"

"The guy who crammed with you last night…" Bian Xu said with a grin, "was also wise and brilliant—totally indispensable."