Rebirth: Spoiling the Obsessive Film Emperor Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Intimate Dance

Rong Yu’s shopping list was fairly ordinary—just some colored lights and glow sticks, clearly meant to liven up the evening atmosphere.  

Yin Chengjue had listened to the new song Rong Yu’s team composed and even voted for it a few times. However, he had been busy with company matters lately, and with his attention divided by the promotional work for the new variety show, he had forgotten about it. Before he knew it, the voting deadline was approaching, and the program team had already begun recording the final performances.  

To ensure fairness, the program team didn’t publicize this recording session in advance. Even the location for the trainees’ performance was randomly selected at the last minute to prevent fans from swarming the venue and affecting the authenticity of the live reaction.  

Knowing that his face had been appearing frequently on trending searches lately, Yin Chengjue bought a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a mask during the shopping trip, covering his face completely—just playing the role of a silent delivery man.  

"Brother Rong! You're back!" Seeing Rong Yu carrying bags on both shoulders, the trainees who had been practicing rollerblading in the square immediately took off their skates and rushed over to help.  

"Huh? Is this Brother Rong’s friend?" Tao Li noticed Yin Chengjue following behind Rong Yu.  

It was hard not to notice him—Yin Chengjue’s height made him stand out.  

"Yeah, I didn’t expect to buy so much, so I had to call a friend to help carry everything. Come on, let’s get these decorations set up quickly!" Rong Yu handed one of the boxes to Tao Li. Seeing how easily both Rong Yu and Yin Chengjue were carrying two boxes each, Tao Li assumed it wouldn’t be too heavy. But the moment it landed in his hands, he nearly collapsed under the weight!  

"Damn! Brother Rong, you didn’t just buy ‘a bit’—you practically hauled the whole supermarket back! How is this so heavy?!" Tao Li wobbled unsteadily, almost falling over before Fang Mengda stepped in to steady him.  

"Give it to me. With your skinny frame, you’d just collapse," Fang Mengda said, effortlessly lifting the box with one hand.  

"Ugh!" Watching everyone else handle the boxes so easily, Tao Li felt utterly defeated.  

Yin Chengjue exchanged brief greetings with them.  

Seeing them up close, he realized these trainees really were quite handsome, no different from how they appeared in videos. The rumors about Hey Brother, Let's Debut! using heavy filters were clearly just baseless gossip.  

Remembering that most of the people here were part of the debut lineup in his past life, Yin Chengjue pulled out a notebook and pen from his pocket. "Actually, I’m not helping out for free. Sign this."  

The six trainees: "..."  

Tao Li signed his name in a daze, murmuring, "So this is what it feels like to sign for a fan? Why do I feel so conflicted?"  

The others: "..." Because no fan would demand a signature in a tone that sounds like they’re forcing you to sign a contract.  

"By the way, how’s the practice going? Have A-Yu and Xiao Li gotten the hang of it yet?" Rong Yu smoothly changed the subject.  

Wen Yu smiled shyly. "I’m good."  

Tao Li pumped his fist excitedly. "Me too! Next, we’re gonna choreograph a cool rollerblade dance, right? I bet tonight, we’ll be the hottest six guys in this square!"  

The others also looked eager.  

Though they had drawn this location randomly, luckily most of them knew how to rollerblade, and the two who didn’t learned quickly. As long as they polished their routine, their performance would definitely stand out compared to the usual singing and dancing acts.  

Technical skill wasn’t the priority—what mattered was being unique and eye-catching, making sure people would remember them as "those rollerblading trainees."  

Rong Yu explained, "Here’s my idea: since there are six of us, we can pair up for a dance. We’re short on time, so we’ll stick to our group choreography, but at the end of the song, we’ll add a hand-holding spin."  

As he spoke, Rong Yu put on his rollerblades. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he turned to Yin Chengjue. "Brother, can you rollerblade?"  

They had already agreed that, to avoid unnecessary trouble, Rong Yu would simply call him "Brother" in front of others.  

Yin Chengjue, who had been standing to the side observing, was caught off guard by the question but nodded.  

Rong Yu handed him a pair of rollerblades. Yin Chengjue took them and realized they were exactly his size.  

Was this a coincidence? How did Rong Yu know his shoe size?  

A strange thought flickered through Yin Chengjue’s mind, but before he could dwell on it, Rong Yu’s next words scattered his focus.  

"Brother, let me demonstrate with you!"  

Wait, even if you wanted to demonstrate, why pick me? Don’t you have five teammates right here?  

Yin Chengjue was baffled, but with so many people watching, he couldn’t refuse without making things awkward for Rong Yu. So he put on the skates, glided forward a few laps to get used to them, then stopped and steadied himself.  

Rong Yu had already started explaining his vision to his teammates. As the leader—and likely well-liked among them—they listened attentively, like obedient students.  

"...The group dance has a finale pose, right? My suggestion is to skip that and replace it with this move..." As he spoke, Rong Yu skated toward Yin Chengjue.  

Rong Yu’s figure was lean but not frail, his muscles well-defined, lending a sense of power to every motion. With a single effortless glide, he darted to Yin Chengjue’s side like a fish through water—without stopping, he grabbed Yin Chengjue’s hand where it hung naturally at his side.  

The momentum of his approach, combined with Rong Yu’s own strength, sent Yin Chengjue sliding several meters forward.  

Yin Chengjue barely managed to adjust his balance in time to match Rong Yu’s speed—otherwise, he would’ve been yanked straight off his feet.  

Rong Yu began spinning Yin Chengjue in place, seemingly unconcerned about him letting go. The rotations were wide and fast, their rollerblades tilting sharply against the ground.  

Unsure what to do, Yin Chengjue instinctively crouched down while Rong Yu circled him, spinning in place as he did.  

Through their tightly clasped hands, Yin Chengjue caught sight of Rong Yu’s smiling eyes.  

The rush of wind from their spinning seemed to drown out all other sounds, freezing time in that single moment, that single glance.  

Yin Chengjue saw Rong Yu’s lips move, silently asking: "What dances do you know?"

Yin Chengjue didn’t know any dances—except for the kind of ballroom dancing done at social events.  

"That works too." Rong Yu’s hand lifted slightly, and Yin Chengjue guessed he wanted to rise, so he followed suit.  

Their wide rotations gradually tightened, their bodies drawing closer until they were nearly pressed together. Yin Chengjue placed his left hand behind his back while his right held Rong Yu’s, raising it just enough for Rong Yu to spin beneath his arm.  

Then, at the right moment, Yin Chengjue’s left hand settled on Rong Yu’s waist.  

To his surprise, Rong Yu actually knew ballroom dancing—and the female part, at that.  

Rong Yu’s sweat-dampened shirt clung to his skin, nearly translucent, making it feel as if there was no fabric separating Yin Chengjue’s touch from his waist. With every movement, the places where their bodies brushed burned like fire.  

Fortunately, Rong Yu remembered this was just a demonstration and didn’t drag it out. After a few elegant spins in Yin Chengjue’s arms, he lifted one leg, hooking it around Yin Chengjue’s neck, then leaned back without hesitation.  

Yin Chengjue quickly tightened his grip on Rong Yu’s waist, his other hand catching Rong Yu’s raised one, completing the final pose.  

When the dance ended, silence enveloped the square.  

To Yin Chengjue, it felt like an eternity had passed, but in reality, they had only danced for three short minutes.  

Three minutes—spinning hand in hand, rising together, then seamlessly transitioning into a passionate rumba. The fiery, intimate Latin dance was the soul of the performance, and executing it on rollerblades without prior practice should’ve been a recipe for disaster.  

Yet they had pulled it off flawlessly, ending with a perfect finish. How could anyone not be stunned?  

Technicalities aside, the sight of two tall, well-built men performing such an intense, close-contact dance wasn’t the least bit awkward—in fact, it was mesmerizing.  

Even though only Rong Yu’s face was visible (Yin Chengjue remained hidden behind his mask, sunglasses, and low-pulled cap), it was more than enough to draw attention.  

The proof? Nearly everyone in the square—adults and kids alike, who had been casually strolling or skating—had gathered around, many already filming on their phones.  

Though Hey Brother, Let's Debut! had a dedicated fanbase but wasn’t widely recognized, so it made sense that the crowd didn’t recognize the trainees.  

And this was exactly what the program team wanted—to capture how the trainees could attract attention in a non-fan setting.  

"...That’s the general idea." Rong Yu, slightly breathless, accepted the water bottle Yin Chengjue handed him.  

The other five trainees paused mid-clap, their expressions screaming: Are you kidding me? 

Tao Li groaned, "Rong Rong, do you want me to faceplant?!"  

Chi Yang raised an eyebrow. "I don’t have a problem with it, but we have to consider the overall composition. Also, I only know the male part in rumba."  

Rong Yu blinked, realizing they had misunderstood. He laughed. "I meant the spinning part—just hold hands, spin a couple of times, then strike a cool pose. The focus is on singing, not dancing."  

The others: "..." Were we hallucinating?! What you just did was not "just spinning a couple of times"! You were practically grinding against your brother while doing pirouettes midair!  

With that in mind, they all glanced at Yin Chengjue, thinking: This guy’s grip strength is insane—getting yanked like that and still not letting go. 

Yin Chengjue, meanwhile, was chugging water, trying to suppress the restless heat coiling inside him. Sensing their stares, he adjusted his sunglasses and looked back coolly. "Aren’t you supposed to be practicing?"  

His voice was deep and slightly hoarse.  

"Oh! Right, right! Let’s get to it—we’ve got a big night ahead!" Tao Li pumped his fists.  

Yin Chengjue: Thank god I work out regularly. If I’d faceplanted from that yank, my dignity would’ve been shattered. 

Rong Yu: T_T I was trying to engineer a "fall-and-accidentally-kiss" scenario, but he didn’t even stumble! I yanked him so hard! Should I be happy he’s so strong or disappointed my plan failed? Stupid dating guide—I followed it to the letter, and it still didn’t work!