Chapter 2
Chaoyang Middle School, a key city school for three consecutive years, boasts a reputation etched in the honor roll of its senior high school students admitted to key universities and the honor wall of its junior high specialty classes. The math Olympiad class's calculation papers fly like snowflakes through the corridors, drowned out by the majestic orchestral rendition of "Yellow River" from the instrument class. Yet, amidst this world of sound and numbers, the dance class's south-facing practice room always stands out.
Zhao Jinglu adjusted her breathing in front of the floor-length mirror, her pink training outfit outlining her nascent figure. All thirty-six girls in the class were talented young women, all born into dance immersion. When Lin Weiwei stood on her toes, the arch of her foot curved like meticulously fired white porcelain; Su Xiaowen performed a cloud hand, her fingertips imbued with the essence of a decade of folk dance. The air was thick with the scent of pine, sweat, and a certain unspoken competitive spirit.
For Zhao Jinglu, who grew up playing with boys, this overly refined and meticulous atmosphere sometimes made her feel suffocated.
"Jinglu, the middle position for 'playing with the spear' is yours!" Teacher Chen Ping's voice carried undeniable penetrating power. Zhao Jinglu quickly took her place, her back straight, her grip on the spear drawing a full arc. Her movements in the mirror were clean and precise, never dragging her feet. Her background at Blue Sky Kindergarten and her experience participating in television gala recordings since childhood had endowed her with a rare sense of stage presence. Whether dancing the majestic grandeur of Tibetan dance, the grace of ballet, or the rhythmic flow of street dance, she always managed to capture the essence of each style, her every gesture imbued with a captivating grace. Her question was never whether she could do it, but whether she could master it. Her natural muscular condition made her somewhat vulnerable in movements requiring extreme flexibility. In this class, packed with top talent from various dance styles, she stood firmly in the middle, like a piece of unpolished jade, gleaming but yet to be fully polished to its fullest potential.
During the break, the locker room buzzed with activity. The girls helped each other stretch and chatted about the cover of the recently arrived Contemporary Music magazine.
"Vic Chou is so handsome! He is my favorite in F4, a gentleman with a gentle demeanor." Li Yuanyuan sighed as she tied her hair, and Wang Yufei nodded beside her.
"I vote for Daomingsi. Hey! Have you seen "That Boy Is So Handsome"? Wow, it's so good! I still like the kind of guys who look badass but look handsome when they smile! Badass and handsome!" Su Xiaowen continued.
Zhao Jinglu was bending over to tie her dance shoes when she paused. The image of her face, grinning and sticking out its tongue in the sunlight, popped back into her mind. She straightened up and, as usual, did a hip-hop "wave" in the mirror. Her smooth movements drew the attention of several nearby girls.
"You're good! Any dance looks good on you." Class monitor Zhou Nan handed over a piece of paper with a smile, "Here, the high school party is in urgent need of a street dance instructor, and Teacher Chen recommends you." Hearing this, Su Xiaowen's smile faded for a moment, but soon returned to normal.
Zhao Jinglu took the notice, and Li Yuanyuan immediately leaned over and read aloud: "Assist with the rehearsal of the high school department's street dance program for the party. Every Friday after school, in the rehearsal room on the third floor of the high school activity center. Wow! This time I really get to be Teacher Zhao."
Zhao Jinglu didn't know who she was supposed to teach. The only thought that crossed her mind was: Will the seniors in the high school department be difficult to deal with? She clutched the notice tightly, the small spark of recognition in her heart intertwined with the uneasiness of facing an unfamiliar challenge, quietly growing in the noisy background of the locker room.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
