Nianxi looked in the direction of the voice and saw her parents and brother. Her eyes lit up instantly, and a joyful smile appeared on her face. She ran over quickly: "Mom! Dad! Brother! You really came!"
"Silly girl, how could we go back on our promise?" Lin Wanqiu hugged her daughter tightly, feeling her warm body, and tears welled up in her eyes again. "You danced so well just now, Mom is so proud of you!"
Shen Tingzhou stood aside, watching the mother and daughter embrace and weep, a gentle smile on his lips, and gently stroked Nianxi's hair: "Girl, you did a great job."
Shen Nian'an stepped forward and handed the food box to Nianxi: "Little sister, quickly try the soft cake I made for you to replenish your energy. You must be starving after seeing how hard you were jumping earlier."
Nianxi took the food box, opened it, and saw familiar soft cakes and warm ginseng tea inside. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears: "Thank you, brother. You understand me best." She picked up a piece of soft cake and put it in her mouth. The familiar taste spread on her tongue, and her heart was filled with warmth.
"Nianxi, an old professor just asked you about your dance, saying it's very captivating!" Lin Weiwei, a fellow student in the same group, walked over and said to Nianxi with a smile, her eyes full of sincere admiration.
"Yes, Nianxi, you did a fantastic job today!" The other dancers also gathered around to congratulate her.
Nianxi blushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed by everyone's praise. "Thank you everyone, this is the result of our joint efforts." She knew that her achievements today were inseparable from the help and support of her team.
Just then, a sprightly elderly man with gray hair approached, accompanied by the choreographer. It was Professor Zhang, a renowned dance critic in China. “Chen Nianxi,” Professor Zhang said with a smile, his voice loud yet gentle, “your performance was absolutely brilliant! Especially the ‘Reverse Pipa’ section—it was both expressive and emotionally resonant, perfectly capturing the ethereal and sacred nature of the flying apsaras. You are very talented, and even more remarkable is your perseverance and passion. The future is bright!”
"Thank you for your praise, Professor Zhang. I will continue to work hard!" Nianxi quickly bowed to express her gratitude, her eyes filled with thanks and determination.
Seeing this, reporters swarmed around Nianxi and Professor Zhang, taking photos and asking questions. "Ms. Shen, is this your first time participating in such a large-scale performance?" "Are you satisfied with your performance today?" "What are your future plans in the field of dance?"
Nianxi answered the reporters' questions calmly and confidently. Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou stood by, watching their daughter handle the situation with ease, their hearts filled with pride. Shen Nian'an, meanwhile, maintained order, preventing the reporters from crowding together.
After finally seeing off the reporter and Professor Zhang, it was already getting late. Nianxi brought her family to her dormitory. The dormitory was not large, but it was clean and tidy. There were dance posters on the walls, and several dance theory books and a thick practice notebook on the desk.
"Mom, are you tired from the journey? Have you booked a hotel in Beijing?" Nianxi poured water for her parents and brother and asked with concern.
"It's booked. It's near the theater, and the environment is quite nice." Lin Wanqiu held her daughter's hand and looked her over carefully. "Are you getting used to living here? Is practicing martial arts hard? Has anyone bullied you?"
“Mom, I’m all grown up now and can take care of myself,” Nianxi said with a smile. “Everyone takes good care of me. Lin Weiwei even teaches me dance techniques often. Practicing is quite hard, but I like it, so I don’t feel tired.”
Shen Nian sat to one side, watching her younger sister excitedly recount her life in the song and dance troupe, occasionally adding a few words; the dormitory was filled with laughter. Shen Tingzhou sat by the window, watching his wife, daughter, and son enjoying themselves, thinking to himself: This trip to Beijing, besides supporting Nianxi's performance, would also allow him to accompany Wanqiu on a tour, and perhaps see if he could expand the Beijing market for the food shop.
They chatted until late at night. Lin Wanqiu was worried that Nianxi would have to rehearse the next day, so she urged her to rest: "Girl, get some rest early. You've had a tiring day. We'll come see you again tomorrow."
"Mom, Dad, Brother, thank you for coming to my performance." Nianxi saw her family to the door, her eyes filled with reluctance. "I'll treat you to Peking duck tomorrow!"
"Okay, we'll wait." Chen Nian'an said with a smile, "Little sister, get some rest and don't think too much."
Back at the hotel, Lin Wanqiu lay on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep. The image of Nianxi on stage kept replaying in her mind, her heart filled with emotion. Shen Tingzhou noticed her thoughts, lay down beside her, and gently took her hand: "What are you thinking about?"
"Thinking about how far we've come, it hasn't been easy," Lin Wanqiu sighed. "Back in the Hongqi Production Brigade, life was incredibly hard, and I was always worried that I wouldn't be able to give the children a good life. Now things are much better. Nian'an has achieved success in his career, and Nianxi has also realized her dream. I can finally feel at ease."
“Yes, it’s not easy,” Shen Tingzhou said with emotion. “But you’ve done a great job, holding this family together and raising such outstanding children.” He paused, then added, “After this performance, I’d like to accompany you back to the Hongqi Production Brigade to see our old neighbors. It’s been so many years since we’ve been back, and I wonder how Aunt Wang and Uncle Li are doing.”
Lin Wanqiu's heart stirred, and a trace of nostalgia flashed in her eyes: "Okay, I miss them too. If it weren't for their help back then, Nian'an and I might not have made it through. This time when we go back, let's bring more things and visit them properly."
“Yes, that’s what I was thinking too.” Shen Tingzhou nodded. “We’ll set off once Nianxi’s business is finished.”
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