After the performance, the rehearsal hall was quiet for a few seconds, then the choreographer's applause rang out: "Chen Nianxi, you danced very well! The soul of dance is not in technique, but in the transmission of emotion. You showed me the purest love and sincerity, which is more precious than any technique."

Lin Weiwei looked at Nianxi, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, then lowered her head, refraining from uttering any more sarcastic words. Nianxi, however, felt an indescribable joy and confidence welling up inside her—she had finally won recognition in her own way.

From then on, the atmosphere in the group gradually became more harmonious. Lin Weiwei began to actively exchange dance techniques with Nianxi and even lent her her treasured dance notes; the other girls also often reminded and encouraged each other during rehearsals. Nianxi felt the warmth of the group and devoted herself even more to training. Her progress became faster and faster, her movements more and more graceful and fluid, and her eyes became more and more confident and bright. The choreographer's eyes gradually showed more appreciation and expectation when he looked at her.

In mid-November, rehearsals for "Silk Road Flower Rain" entered a crucial stage. Nianxi, due to her outstanding performance, was selected by the choreographer to replace an injured senior dancer and take on a minor role in the "Reversed Pipa" dance segment. Although this role is not the main character, it has extremely high technical requirements, requiring the dancer to perform the difficult move of reversing the pipa while spinning rapidly, which is a great test of the dancer's balance, explosive power, and flexibility.

On the day she received the assignment, Nianxi was both excited and nervous. She knew it was a rare opportunity and a huge challenge. To perfect the role, she devoted almost all her time to rehearsals. Every morning, she would arrive at the rehearsal hall an hour early to practice spinning techniques until she was dizzy; at night, she would repeatedly study the performances of her predecessors on video, pondering the details and nuances of every movement.

After learning the news, Shen Tingzhou and Lin Wanqiu specially sent her a large box of supplies, including stomach-nourishing cakes made from iron yam and fox nuts grown in their space, as well as qi-tonifying soup made from ginseng and astragalus. The note said: "Girl, take care of yourself, just do your best. Your parents and brother will always be proud of you."

The day she received the package, Nianxi hugged the box in her dormitory, tears streaming down her face. She wrote a long letter home, telling her parents and brother that she was doing well and not to worry. She also secretly revealed that "Silk Road Flower Rain" was about to be performed, saying that she hoped they could come to Beijing to see her perform.

The rehearsal process was fraught with hardship. Once, while practicing continuous spins, she slipped and fell heavily to the floor, scraping her knee and causing her to cry from the pain. The director told her to rest for a few days, but knowing the rehearsal schedule was tight, she arrived at the rehearsal hall the next day wearing a knee brace and limping.

"Are you out of your mind?" Lin Weiwei looked at the knee brace on her knee, her tone filled with worry. "Health is the foundation of everything. If you keep pushing yourself like this, you might get even more injured, which will affect your performance."

"Thank you for your concern, I'm fine." Nianxi smiled and shook her head, stretching her knees. "The performance is less than a month away, I can't let everyone down."

Seeing Nianxi's determined gaze, Lin Weiwei didn't say anything more. Instead, during the following rehearsals, she subtly slowed down her pace to better match Nianxi's performance. The other girls also offered their help, actively protecting her and reminding her to be careful when she practiced difficult moves.

With everyone's help and her own hard work, Nianxi's "Reverse Pipa" dance became increasingly excellent. Her spins became more stable, her movements more graceful, and her eyes gradually captured the ethereal and carefree spirit the character should possess. Looking at her progress, the director said with satisfaction, "Chen Nianxi, you have great potential. As long as you maintain this level, you will definitely surprise the audience during the performance."

As the performance date drew closer, the atmosphere in the rehearsal hall grew increasingly tense. Everyone was striving to deliver the best performance, their faces showing fatigue yet also sparkling with excitement. Nianxi was no exception; she spent each day in a state of tension and anticipation, both looking forward to the performance and being able to showcase her hard work to her family and audience, and feeling somewhat uneasy, worried about making mistakes on stage.

One evening, she received a call from her brother, Shen Nian'an. His voice, filled with barely suppressed joy, said, "Little sister, Mom and Dad have bought train tickets to Beijing. We'll arrive next Friday. Don't worry, we've booked a hotel near the theater. We'll definitely come to see your performance and cheer you on!"

Upon hearing the news, Nianxi's eyes lit up instantly, as if all the fatigue of the past few days had vanished. She exclaimed excitedly, "Brother, that's wonderful! I'll be waiting for you! I'll take you sightseeing in Beijing and to eat Peking duck!"

“Okay, but right now the most important thing is your performance.” Shen Nian’an’s tone was full of affection. “Little sister, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. In our hearts, you will always be the best. No matter what the result is, we will be proud of you.”

After hanging up the phone, Nianxi sat by the dormitory window, gazing at the Beijing night view. The streetlights cast a warm and soft glow, illuminating the wide streets, while the distant skyscrapers shone brightly, outlining the city's prosperity and bustle. She knew that this city carried the dreams of countless people, and her own dream was slowly blossoming here.

She recalled her childhood, when she first saw a dance performance at a local arts festival and was deeply captivated by the graceful movements. From then on, she fell in love with dancing. Every day after school, she would secretly run to the window of the cultural center to watch the people rehearsing, and then go home to imitate them in front of the mirror. Her mother noticed her passion and saved money to enroll her in dance classes; her father, though not a man of many words, would always quietly hand her a glass of warm water when she was tired from practice; and her brother even saved his allowance to buy her dance shoes and practice clothes.

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