At the tail end of the scorching summer, just as the last wave of heat from military training had dissipated, Wen Zhi welcomed her long-awaited university life.
Her schedule was almost entirely dominated by practical dance classes—a field she loved deeply and a stage for which she had poured countless drops of sweat.
On this day, the lingering glow of the sunset spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the dance studio, casting a golden halo over the room.
Having just finished an intense training session, Wen Zhi, like the other girls, was stretching and relaxing on the barre at the side of the classroom, utterly exhausted.
Her fair skin glowed faintly under the lights, her face slightly weary from the prolonged, vigorous exercise. A soft blush tinged her pale cheeks, as if a thin layer of rouge had been applied.
The bangs on her forehead were damp with sweat, clinging to her skin in messy strands.
Instructor Li stood quietly to the side, watching the young girls. But when her gaze swept over Wen Zhi, it held a hint of appreciation and affirmation.
Looking at Wen Zhi, she nodded inwardly. This girl truly had talent in dance. As long as she didn’t slack off, she would undoubtedly reach greater heights in the future.
“Alright, everyone, stop for a moment and listen to me,” Instructor Li clapped her hands and called out loudly to them.
Everyone turned to look.
The teacher smiled at them and said, “Here’s the thing. Our school’s anniversary celebration is coming up soon, and the dance academy is responsible for one of the performances. This time, we’ve decided to have the freshmen from the dance department take charge.”
“Later, I’ll announce in the group chat what piece we’ll be performing. We have a little over a week left, but based on how you’ve all performed in class, I believe that’s enough time to complete our rehearsals. There’s no need to worry or feel too nervous.”
Before the girls could react, her next words were what caught them most off guard.
“Also, I’ve decided that Wen Zhi will be the lead dancer for this performance. Any objections?”
As soon as the words were spoken, a girl in the front row couldn’t help but mutter, “What makes her so special that she gets to be the lead dancer right away? Is having that face such a big deal?”
Her voice wasn’t too loud, but in the quiet moment, it was still audible to everyone.
“You’re not convinced?” Instructor Li stared at her, expressionless.
Wen Zhi also glanced over at the girl. From what she remembered, her name seemed to be Zhang Lei?
They weren’t close, though—they hadn’t even spoken before.
Still, she did have a delicate and charming appearance.
Zhang Lei, now singled out, felt a bit intimidated by the teacher’s expression, but she braced herself and continued, “Isn’t the lead dancer usually decided after rehearsals? Isn’t this a bit unfair?”
Hearing this, Instructor Li let out a light scoff and shook her head. “If any of you could win as many prestigious awards as Wen Zhi has, I’d be happy to let everyone compete fairly.”
“But given the limited rehearsal time we have left, I can only choose the most capable dancer to ensure our performance ends perfectly.”
Faced with the teacher’s reasoning, even those who still felt unwilling had to admit that Wen Zhi truly had the skills.
The awards she had won were all widely recognized as major accolades in the dance world.
“Alright, Teacher Li, I’ll do my best.”
Under everyone’s gaze, Wen Zhi calmly accepted this heavy responsibility.
She had always been aware of her own abilities and would never pretend to be modest or decline by saying she couldn’t do it.
If she couldn’t, she would practice until she could—deep down, she was a very determined person.
However, time was not on her side. With just over a week left until the school anniversary celebration, she needed to perfect her dance within that period. Thus, in the following days, Wen Zhi practically became a regular at the dance studio. She left early and returned late, practicing the dance moves over and over again, leaving no detail overlooked.
Her roommates watched Wen Zhi’s busy figure with curiosity and asked about her situation. When they learned that she would be representing the dance department in the school anniversary performance, the dormitory erupted in excitement. They gathered around Wen Zhi, eagerly discussing the sensational effect this performance would create.
“Wen Zhi, how many boys are you going to charm this time?” teased her roommate Liang Zhilan.
Hearing this, Wen Zhi shook her head, but her mind inadvertently drifted to the boy she had briefly encountered at the supermarket.
Forget it, Wen Zhi, what are you thinking! He’s already taken!
In the days that followed, Wen Zhi practiced even harder. She continuously adjusted her movements and refined her rhythm, striving for perfection in every detail. Her figure leaped and twirled in the dance studio, like an elegant butterfly dancing gracefully among flowers.
Similarly, whenever she had free time, she would go to practice. During this process, her teammates couldn’t help but acknowledge that Wen Zhi’s dance foundation was remarkably solid.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, the day of the school anniversary arrived.
Night had fallen, but the school auditorium was still bathed in dazzling lights, as bright as day.
During the school anniversary performance, the VIP seats glittered with stars, gathering many rarely seen figures.
The college leaders sat among them, their presence adding solemnity and prestige to the celebration. At the same time, well-known figures from various fields who had graduated from the school also arrived in droves, their attendance making the performance even more eye-catching.
At that moment, their eyes were fixed on the stage, occasionally whispering to their companions beside them.
Backstage
Under dim yellow lights, Wen Zhi sat on a chair in the corner, seemingly isolated from the bustling stage. She wore an exquisite dance costume, its skirt as light as a cloud, trembling slightly with her breath.
Her gaze was distant, staring ahead as if lost in thought or pondering something.
Why did she seem a bit dazed? Because right now, she was absolutely starving!!
Since having breakfast this morning, not a single grain of rice had entered her stomach.
She was so hungry that her chest felt pressed against her back.
For dance students, going on stage on an empty stomach was a common practice—it helped maintain the best physique for optimal performance.
Wen Zhi and her team were performing a ribbon dance. Ribbon dance is a common form of classical group dance. Dancers wear long ribbons, skillfully manipulating them to make them flutter and twirl in the air, forming beautiful patterns and lines, providing a visual feast for the audience.
Wen Zhi was enduring the pangs of hunger when her phone chimed with a message. Her mother had sent her a photo—oh, great, a table full of crabs, with some already split open, revealing plump, rich roe! Ugh!
Before she could even voice her complaint, a voice message followed.
“Sis, sis, we’re having crabs tonight!” Wen Yan’s voice came through the phone, childish and unable to hide his excitement.
Wen Zhi thought: I’m not blind!