America: I came here to study, not to show mercy.

Chapter 197 The Waltz will punish everyone whose limbs are stiff. Li Xiaoen: "??"

"Didn't your elders come?"

It wasn't until he ate two steaks and filled his empty stomach that Li Xiaoen felt much better. He slowly ate his avocado while looking at Serafina, who had just returned after dealing with a group of men and women.

"What are they doing at our young people's birthday party?"

Serafina rolled her eyes and waved her hand. "I already had lunch with them."

"Oh, I see."

Li Xiaoen nodded. No wonder he looked around and didn't see anyone who was even slightly older.

Turning around, Lee Shawn looked at Victoria, who was standing beside him with her eyes fixed on the stage, and couldn't help but laugh and tease her.

"Victoria, do you want to go up and dance?"

"what?"

Turning her head and looking over blankly, Victoria quickly shook her head, "No, it's just that their dance moves really have a lot of irregularities."

"is it?"

Li Xiaoen was somewhat amused and exasperated, perhaps this was the only aspect of the girl's obsession with being so serious.

[Virtual Time Pool LV1 Usage, Selected Direction: Social Dance, Investment Time: One Year]

[Virtual Time Pool LV1 successfully used. Ignoring all obstacles, it automatically simulates the host's social dance training in the current environment for one year.]

[Current virtual time pool retention: 19 years]

[One year of training experience, virtual exercises loading...]

[Loading progress: 0%]

[Loading progress: 1%]

……

"Perhaps my dance skills may not satisfy you, but I would still like to invite you, beautiful Miss Victoria."

Judging by the time, Li Xiaoen moved to stand in front of Victoria, looked at the girl and smiled, then bent down slightly and extended his hand.

"Would you like to dance with me?"

"Sean..."

Victoria's eyes widened, and she exclaimed in surprise, "You...you know this kind of dance?"

"I did some simple learning while rehearsing the play 'Romeo and Juliet'."

Li Xiaoen replied with a smile, "Also, my hands are so sore..."

“Your physical strength is not that weak.”

Rolling her eyes, Victoria gave a soft snort, still maintaining a smile, and lifted the hem of her skirt with both hands before placing her hand on the young man's palm.

Without seeking the center of the spotlight, the two stopped at the edge.

The girl in front of him raised her fair and pretty face. Even under the spotlight, Li Xiaoen could not find a single flaw. He took her small hand and led her behind him.

Victoria obediently twirled gracefully in place, and before she could stop to look at the young man, she saw the young man's hand moving backward, round and round.

"Eh……"

It was already the third lap when she finally realized something was wrong and let out another exclamation, "Eh..."

"Sean..."

Victoria quickly regained her balance, tightened her grip on the young man's hand, gritted her teeth and smiled, glaring at him, "You're playing tricks on me again!"

"Ha ha……"

Li Xiaoen chuckled and looked at the system screen currently displayed by the virtual air conditioner. The loading speed was really slow in the second half, which made him quite helpless. He had no choice but to say, "My dance foundation is not very good. You may have to forgive me."

"Don't worry, I can teach you."

Victoria looked up proudly, one hand shaking the young man's, the other resting on his shoulder. "Just follow my rhythm..."

After she finished speaking, she looked up at the young man in front of her, and her whole body tensed up instantly.

"what happened?"

"No, it's nothing."

It was Victoria's first time dancing with a boy, and she quickly shook her head, took a deep breath to recover, and said, "Let's begin..."

"it is good……"

"Sean, your body is too stiff, relax..."

"Sean, don't be afraid of stepping on my feet. Just go with the flow and think about where you should and feel most comfortable..."

"Sean..."

After the dance ended, everyone else had left the stage under the spotlight. Victoria silently looked at the bewildered young man in front of her, and couldn't help but raise her hand to cover her mouth and chuckle.

Li Xiaoen also sighed wearily, feeling extremely helpless. Back when he was in the play, he only learned a simple and short dance routine. Years later, even if he had become rusty, he still couldn't handle a complete waltz.

He activated his "Eye of Insight" to avoid stepping on Victoria's foot, which would have been even more embarrassing.

"Sean, do you know?"

It was rare to see this side of the young man, and Victoria laughed non-stop, her eyes crinkling. "Your stiff dance moves just now were really as bad as the cursed frog prince's."

Have you ever seen the Frog Prince dance?

Li Xiaoen raised an eyebrow. "Your Highness, you should know that the Frog Prince needs your redemptive kiss to return to his original form. Would you be willing to help me?"

Why do we need to change back?

Victoria smiled mischievously, "I think the Frog Prince would be perfect."

"okay."

Li Xiaoen nodded helplessly, "Miss Victoria, I think I must make it clear to you that the Frog Prince is also a prince."

"Oh?"

Victoria opened her mouth, looking incredibly cute.

"Just watch."

Li Xiaoen chuckled. The next dance music had already started. He took the girl's hand and confidently began to walk along with the gradually melodious music.

"Sean..."

Victoria was taken aback by the young man's unexpectedly skillful and natural dance moves, and then exclaimed in surprise.

Before she could ask any more questions, she subconsciously followed the other person's guidance, letting go of one hand to create distance between them, then turning around and hugging him back.

"You used to know these dances?"

Only then did she have the opportunity to ask a question.

Why ask such a question at a time like this?

Li Xiaoen smiled and met those bright emerald green eyes. "What we need to do now is enjoy this dance."

After saying that, Li Xiaoen placed his hand on the girl's slender waist, guiding her to turn around to other parts of the stage. The fluffy skirt billowed up as she turned.

Unlike the two dancers' relaxed and joyful demeanor, the other people in the hall and outside the stage watched the two dancers' confident and elegant movements in silence, and couldn't help but be a little stunned.

Victoria was very beautiful and attracted a lot of attention as soon as she came on stage. However, after the first song, seeing the young man who was her dance partner's unfamiliarity and stiffness, many boys couldn't help but feel jealous and wanted to take her place. It wasn't until they saw this moment that they came to their senses.

It turns out they were standing on the third floor, giving their dance partner a surprise.

Li Xiaoen was naturally unaware of what others were thinking. As the music ended, her dance gradually subsided until the two of them stood calmly in place.

"You're so good at teasing people, you did this on purpose again..."

Looking up, Victoria gave him a reproachful glare.

"Are you still going to jump?"

Li Xiaoen didn't answer but asked a question in return.

Upon hearing this, Victoria paused for a moment, noticing the gazes fixed on her in the hall, and quickly shook her head, "No need, that's enough."

"Okay. Let's go back."

Li Xiaoen nodded, took the girl's hand, and walked side by side with her toward the corner outside the stage.

"Actually, you really do know these dances!"

Before she even got close, Serafina glared at the other girls, her voice tinged with indignation, "From now on, we'll definitely have to listen to the opposite of what this jerk says."

"Oh, you mean the opposite of what you mean?"

Li Xiaoen picked up the fruit wine from the small table next to him, took a sip, and glanced over. "Then I must say, Serafina, you're so beautiful, you have such a great personality, so gentle and lovely..."

"Shut up!" Gritting her teeth, Serafina pretended to splash the fruit wine in her hand at the young man to scare him, then turned her head back to the stage.

"Sean, I want to go up and dance too. Will you come up with me?"

After a moment of hesitation, she turned her head and looked at him intently.

"..."

Out of the corner of his eye, Li Xiaoen was observing Su Feier's condition. Upon hearing this, he turned his head and looked over, momentarily dazed. "What?"

"Tonight is my birthday, there's no reason for me, the main character, not to go on stage and dance."

Serafina replied calmly, "Since you're here today, you can come up with me."

"What do you mean?"

Li Xiaoen's expression turned strange. "Can you dance these dances?"

Based on his previous interactions with her, and his understanding of Serafina's interests and hobbies, he didn't believe she would do something so elegant.

"I've learned it before, and even if I don't know how, I can learn it. Since you know how, you can guide me."

Averting her gaze from the stage, Serafina nodded casually, “Just like Victoria guided you during the first piece.”

"Who invites a dance partner like that?"

Looking at Serafina's somewhat defiant attitude, Sean Lee couldn't help but mutter, "Isn't this a bit too strange?"

Victoria watched the two silently, intending to remain silent, but suddenly noticed the subtle gazes directed at her from across the hall. A sense of unease crept into her heart, and she reached out to tug at Li Xiaoen's arm, offering words of comfort:
"Sean, today is Serafina's birthday, just say yes to her."

"..."

Sensing the worry in the girl's eyes, Li Xiaoen narrowed his eyes slightly and nodded.

"That's fine."

Upon hearing this, a smile finally appeared on Serafina's face.

"Oh, right, put on the glasses I gave you."

Just before setting off, Serafina suddenly brought up the glasses that Sean Lee had taken off and put in his pocket.

"It's a deal, you need to watch where you step, don't step on me."

As the dance music ended, Sean Lee led Serafina by the hand toward the stage, but couldn't help but warn her beforehand, "If it's more than three times, I'm running away..."

"I know, you lying bastard..."

A new dance tune begins.

"Hey, you stepped on my foot..."

"Oh, sorry."

"Phew... Did you really study this before? Don't be so stiff like a log, okay? Relax a little..."

"Oh……"

"Hiss—three times, three times already, Serafina, I really suspect you don't know anything at all, or are doing it on purpose..."

"Shut up!"

"Hey...you stepped on my foot, and you're acting like this?"

"Okay, your movements are even worse than mine at first. I believe you've never practiced before..."

After the dance ended, Li Xiaoen, who felt like each day was an eternity, still led the silent Serafina back, taking off his glasses and shaking his head at Victoria with a sigh.

“Victoria, if I were the Frog Prince, then she would be Pinocchio’s brother or sister…”

He was a little frustrated. No matter who was stiff or couldn't waltz, it seemed like he was the one who was unlucky.
"..."

"Ha ha……"

After a brief pause, Victoria burst into laughter, quickly moved to stand in front of Sean Lee, and raised her hand to comfort the two of them.

"Alright, this is Serafina's first time dancing, and she's already done very well..."

Ignoring the fierce gaze directed at him, Li Xiaoen turned to look at Mary, who was looking at him expectantly, and still reached out his hand.

"Mary, you should be a little better than a wooden doll, right?"

After the girl offered her hand, considering the safety of his footing tonight, Li Xiaoen asked another question.

"Ha ha……"

Shifting her gaze from Serafina, Mary smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, although I'm not as good as Victoria, I still have some basic dance skills."

As it turned out, Mary wasn't a fraud like Serafina. After successfully completing the dance without any major incident, as soon as Sean Lee returned, he looked at Sophie, who was slowly drinking at the small table, and reached out his hand.

"I won't."

Suffer glanced down at the young man, said calmly, and turned to look in the other direction.

"I can teach you."

"Not interested in."

"Can I guide you? Isn't the atmosphere tonight perfect for dancing?"

"Aren't you afraid of getting trampled on?"

"Not afraid."

"Oh, is it?"

Sophie's voice held a hint of amusement, "But I'm still not interested."

"..."

As the two were talking, Victoria and the other girls stared at them blankly. Li Xiaoen looked up and met those mischievous, expectant blue eyes. He couldn't help but take a deep breath and straighten up.

Before the girls could even react with stunned looks, he reached out and took Su Feier's hand, which was clasped under her elbow, and walked towards the stage.

"Hey……"

Sophie tried to break free, but the young man snatched the wine glass from her other hand and placed it on the small table.

With a furrowed brow, Suffer was about to speak when the young man suddenly pulled her onto the stage under the spotlight.

"Sophie, you're so beautiful, but..."

Looking down at the girl's somber face, Li Xiaoen smiled and said, "Your hand hurts a little."

"Didn't you think about the consequences of acting so presumptuously?"

Gritting her teeth, Suffer took a deep breath to suppress her agitation.

"I've thought of something, but..."

Li Xiaoen nodded honestly and said slowly, "We're already here, aren't you really going to dance a song?"

"Humph……"

Upon hearing this, Suffer sneered, "Are you planning to create a fait accompli and use it to coerce me?"

"No."

Li Xiaoen shook his head, raised his hand to caress the girl's slender waist, forcibly endured the even more intense pain coming from his other hand which was holding hers, and spoke softly.

"Sophie~~Sophie~~"

"Sufeil..."

"Shut up!"

The young man's repeated calls reached her ears, and Suffer couldn't help but glare at him with annoyance. "Is this your method of coaxing and pestering?"

"more than……"

Li Xiaoen gave a meaningful smile.

With her eyes slightly narrowed, Sufiel stared blankly at the young man for a long while before taking a deep breath, raising her hand, and placing it on his shoulder.

"Ha ha……"

Li Xiaoen breathed a sigh of relief, but was immediately met with a cold glare. He quickly suppressed his smile and began to dance with the girl.

"I want to be right in the center of the spotlight."

Just as she began to dance, Sophie whispered something.

Li Xiaoen paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded repeatedly.

"it is good."

(End of this chapter)