Peerless Dancer

Chapter 1: Two Leftover Women

Having just attended an archaeology lecture, I opened the door and hung up my bag. Long Dan’s delightful voice called out, “Hey! Tonight’s dinner is tomato meatball soup!”

It’s as if I don't have a name; she always addresses me with “hey.”

Drawn by the enticing aroma, I submissively rushed to the kitchen. Long Dan, donned in an apron and wielding a large spatula, was in the midst of her culinary artistry.

Though I’m a woman too, I am hopeless at cooking. Hence, I must flatter this dear friend of mine.

I began with some nonsensical flattery, praising her culinary skills as unparalleled, stating that anyone who marries her would feel as though they’ve fallen into a vat of honey.

Then, with quick hands and eyes, I snatched a bite of the prepared locust tree buds, savoring the taste. She turned around, brandishing a greasy spatula in front of me.

“Wu Lan, you’ve got some nerve! I’ve told you a million times, I have no intention of ever getting married!”

I rolled my eyes, stood at attention, and saluted, saying, “Sister! Dear sister! I’ll accompany you, and we’ll both be happy single women!”

“Pah! Stop pretending! A 29-year-old who can’t get married and is crazy about weddings says she’ll keep her also-single sister company! Who would believe that?”

She snorted angrily, then took the soup bowl and ladled out the soup.

I gave her a playful punch, and Long Dan's fierce expression immediately turned into a mischievous smile as she swung her hand, shouting, “Hey! Take it easy, sis! You’ll kill me!”

I’ve trained in sanda (Chinese boxing). During university, I even participated in a provincial student sanda competition and won second place. Despite Long Dan's height of 1.75 meters compared to my mere 1.6 meters and scrawny frame, she is no match for me. Of course, I was only pretending to hit her; I would never actually harm her.

I quickly ran to set the table and ladled two bowls of the freshly made soup.

Long Dan’s face bloomed with a pleased smile as she yelled, “Wash your hands and grab a bowl!”

We sat down to eat. Long Dan, with her graceful demeanor, appeared every bit the lady. It was hard to believe that she had looked like a witch just moments ago, capable of such a swift transformation.

“I heard the research institute recently received some strange artifacts. They date back countless years. Benben mentioned that the strangest is a painting of a woman who looks remarkably like you. Isn’t that odd?”

Long Dan and I are both Ph.D. candidates in archaeology at a prestigious university, though with different advisors and research focuses. I specialize in the study of the ancient Shen Zhui Kingdom, while she focuses on the ancient Yao Yue Kingdom.

With just a month left until graduation, our theses are completed, and we’ve secured positions at our university’s research institute, where we are currently assisting with research.

I laughed, “You’ve been watching too much ‘The Myth.’ Do you want to design a time-traveling hero to save me?”

Long Dan chuckled, “Just kidding! Help me fetch my bag.”

Following her instruction, I retrieved her silver purse. She pulled out a piece of paper, which turned out to be a sketch of an ancient woman dressed in finery, looking remarkably like me.

She explained that Benben had drawn the sketch based on the ancient woman. Benben is quite the artist, and the sketch was lifelike.

I pointed out an impossible detail, “Look at this!”

She focused on it and laughed. The woman in the sketch was wearing a necklace we both recognized—my father’s pendant. The design and pattern were identical to mine, though it wasn’t noticeable at first glance.

My father said that the element of this pendant, discovered by scientists in 1900, has a stabilizing chemical property beneficial to the human body, promoting well-being without deteriorating over time.

How could such a necklace exist in an unknown era?

After dinner, I pitifully washed the dishes, my mind already on my computer. Unsteady, I dropped a plate but quickly threw it in the trash before Long Dan noticed.

If not for Long Dan scolding me for being lazy—never cooking and making her wash the dishes, threatening to cut ties with me—I’d wait until there were no dishes left to clean.

A few days ago, during a business trip to Shenzhen, I met a man ten years my senior, who was quite charming. I’m particularly drawn to older men for their care, tenderness, and understanding.

Despite countless relationships and numerous attempts to get married, fate has not favored me.

Though I may not have Long Dan’s stunning beauty, I am presentable, delicate, and sweet. I only seek a responsible, capable, and decent-looking man. Why can’t fate grant me this simple wish? Are all men truly unreliable?

Long Dan, at 29, is tall and perfectly proportioned, her face artistically refined, always ahead of the fashion curve, exuding an everlasting elegance.

She inherited her mother’s beauty. To understand what timeless allure means, one only needs to see her mother. At over fifty, she looks astonishing, like an immortal or a fairy.

Not only is Long Dan extraordinarily beautiful, but she’s also incredibly intelligent, excelling in both academics and the arts since childhood.

It seems the world’s blessings are showered upon her alone. With impeccable personal attributes and a notable family background—her father was a high-ranking general who doted on his only precious daughter—finding a boyfriend should be easy. Strangely, while I’ve had countless relationships from my first love at thirteen to my current age of twenty-nine, she remains single.