Dancing
Zhan Aiping hosted her guests, serving them tea, fresh fruit, and a variety of cookies and pastries. It was fruit season, and everything was sweet and delicious.
Guobaorou and Little Tangyuan ate the small mango cubes their mom had cut for them, drizzled with sweet milk, and their resentment finally dissipated.
In the end, all they cared about was having something tasty to eat.
Xie Wan remarked, “The fruit here is so sweet.”
“Yes, I love the fruit here too,” Zhan Aiping replied, thinking to herself that it would taste even better chilled—if only they had a fridge.
Qin Lu commented, “Your son and daughter look so much like you.”
Her gaze fell on Guobaorou and Little Tangyuan. Having a daughter of her own, she naturally paid more attention to Zhan Aiping’s daughter. Little Tangyuan was adorable, with big eyes, a high nose bridge, and features that leaned more toward Gu Sheng’s. She was sure to grow up into a beautiful young woman.
Qin Lu’s daughter, Zhou Ting, was also observing Guobaorou and his sister. Zhou Ting was a year older than the two siblings. Dressed in a beautiful dress with neatly styled hair, she looked refined and sophisticated—clearly a city girl, far from the simplicity of the countryside.
“You’ve done a great job raising your daughter,” Zhan Aiping said.
“Of course,” Xie Wan replied. “Teacher Zhou and Qin Lu absolutely dote on her. I’m so envious—she started learning ballet at just two or three years old.”
“Really?” Zhan Aiping couldn’t help but feel a little envious. The little girl truly seemed just as talented as her mother had been at that age.
Qin Lu proudly added, “Tingting, why don’t you show Auntie Zhan a dance?”
For Zhou Ting, this was routine. She gracefully lifted her skirt, curtsied to Zhan Aiping, and began performing some simple ballet steps. Though she was still a child and couldn’t execute complex moves, her movements were smooth and practiced.
Every adult who saw a young girl like her dancing ballet couldn’t help but praise her, and Zhou Ting was used to this kind of admiration.
When Qin Lu was young, her own mother would often bring her out to perform for others like this.
“That’s amazing!” Zhan Aiping praised her. Such skill at a young age was proof that learning dance required an early start. But she had never thought about enrolling her kids in dance classes.
Based on her own childhood, she doubted her daughter had much potential for dance. Little Tangyuan might be better suited to martial arts, boxing, or wrestling.
After all, her daughter’s natural strength was maxed out. If Guobaorou and Little Tangyuan fought, the brother would undoubtedly lose to his younger sister.
Guobaorou had no choice but to resort to verbal attacks in his frustration.
The clever older brother had long learned to avoid physical confrontations with his sister, knowing it would be a losing battle.
Qin Lu smirked smugly, raising an eyebrow at Zhan Aiping. “What about your daughter? Doesn’t she learn any artistic skills?”
Surely she wasn’t spending her days in the countryside playing in the mud?
Deep down, Qin Lu looked down on Zhan Aiping, assuming she wouldn’t raise her daughter well. She imagined the girl growing up rough and unruly, just like her mother, fighting and causing trouble like a wild tomboy.
Zhan Aiping: “…”
As expected, all parents end up comparing their children—grades, talents, everything.
“My sister can draw!” Guobaorou quickly boasted, despite often calling his sister silly. His “little sister filter,” combined with the innocent confidence of a child, made him proud of her.
As children, no matter how smart they might be, their limited view of the world often left them with a natural confidence, believing themselves to be unique and special.
It’s only as they grow older and experience more of the world that they realize they’re just one among many.
“Yes,” Zhan Aiping said with a smile. “Yuanyuan loves drawing.”
Even if her daughter wasn’t very good at it, her maternal bias made her supportive of her hobbies.
“Really? She can draw? Let’s see her draw something for Auntie,” Qin Lu said.
Guobaorou confidently declared, “Auntie, I’ll draw for you!”
Zhan Aiping: “?!!!”
Her son could draw? She’d never seen him pick up a pencil before.
Guobaorou grabbed a pencil and quickly sketched on a piece of paper. His subject was the fruit platter they’d just eaten from. Though he’d never formally learned to draw, his strokes were vivid and lifelike.
Zhan Aiping was astonished—her son had inherited the same artistic talent as his father.
Seeing the drawing, Qin Lu’s expression froze for a moment, clearly unhappy with what she saw.
“I draw better than my sister!” Guobaorou declared proudly.
“That’s really good,” Zhan Aiping said. “Just like your dad—you’ve got a talent for art.”
Even if yesterday they were drawing on the bedsheets.
“Mom! Mom! I can dance too! I want to dance!” Little Tangyuan shouted, eager to show off her own talent after seeing her brother draw.
Surprised, Zhan Aiping asked, “Yuanyuan wants to dance?”
She’d never seen her daughter dance before.
Xie Wan blinked curiously. “Let your little one show us a dance!”
Qin Lu asked, “Did your child also learn ballet?”
Little Tangyuan replied, “Mommy, I can dance the Peacock Dance!”
With that, she began dancing. Her movements were agile and graceful, with a sense of flow and rhythm. Even though her steps were simple and rough, there was already a clear sense of dance in her movements—fluid yet powerful, slow moments elegant, and fast ones like a swallow skimming over water.
She had secretly picked it up by watching the village girls dance while they were traveling.
Zhan Aiping was stunned. “?! Our Yuanyuan dances so beautifully!”
Qin Lu froze. “…This is really your child?”
Xie Wan was brimming with envy. “I’m so jealous! I want a daughter who can dance too!”
Turning to her fiancé, she said, “Teacher Zhang, let’s have a daughter someday.”
Zhang Shuyang glanced at Guobaorou and thought to himself that he’d rather have a son than a daughter.
Qin Lu’s expression faltered. How could it be that Zhan Aiping’s daughter danced better than hers? That was impossible!
“How long has your daughter been learning to dance?” Qin Lu asked.
Zhan Aiping replied, “She… just picked it up casually.”
“Don’t be modest. You must have hired a folk dance teacher. Are you planning to have her join a performance troupe someday?”
“…Not really,” Zhan Aiping said, at a loss.
Neither she nor Gu Sheng had ever thought their children would have artistic talent.
That she, of all people, had given birth to a daughter who could dance left her in a state of dreamy disbelief.
As someone who had never been chosen for school performances or dance recitals in her youth, Zhan Aiping was beyond excited.
Proudly, she said, “Yuanyuan, when Daddy comes back, let’s dance for him!”
Though they had guests, she couldn’t hold back her excitement—having a daughter who could dance was something she wished everyone could know.
But Little Tangyuan, remembering yesterday’s ordeal of eating plain radishes and greens, declared firmly, “I won’t dance for Daddy!”
Guobaorou chimed in, “Yeah, we’re not dancing for Daddy!”
Xie Wan teased, “So much resentment toward their dad? Looks like your kids really take after you.”
Zhan Aiping: “…”
“Just wait until their dad comes back,” she said.
Their father might be the family chef, but he was also the kids’ ultimate provider. Outwardly, they acted tough, but in front of their dad, they’d be as obedient as could be, trying to curry favour.
When Gu Sheng returned, Little Tangyuan, full of energy, dashed out. She clung to her dad’s leg, transforming into a sweet little angel as her voice turned syrupy:
“Daddy, Yuanyuan will dance for you!”
She had realized how much adults loved watching her dance, and all the praise was irresistible.
Who knew it could bring such benefits?
Without missing a beat, Gu Sheng scooped her up, his mind already strategizing. Looking at his daughter, who bore such a striking resemblance to him, he decided it was best to tactfully steer her away from this newfound hobby.
“Good girl, Yuanyuan. Let’s save the dancing for another time.”
Preferably, never again.
“Tonight, Daddy will teach you how to draw,” he said.
Little Tangyuan hugged her dad’s neck and nodded. “Okay!”
Compared to dancing, which she could easily mimic, she found drawing more challenging and intriguing.
Carrying her inside, Gu Sheng saw his wife, whose radiant smile hadn’t faded. With a knowing grin, he said, “Your old friends came over, and you’re in such a good mood?”
Zhan Aiping thought to herself that her happiness came from discovering her son could draw and her daughter could dance. Clearly, some of her own artistic genes had made their way into her children.
“Gu Sheng, you’re back? Gosh—you two really are a perfect match, no doubt about it,” Xie Wan said, marvelling at the couple.
Seeing Gu Sheng, she thought, this isn’t a case of a beauty wasted on a beast. Gu Lao Wu is genuinely handsome.
With his tall, straight posture, crisp uniform, and striking good looks, he was undeniably a catch. Their children, having inherited their parents’ features, were destined to grow up attractive as well.
When Qin Lu saw Gu Sheng, her heart skipped a beat. Smiling, she said, “Gu Sheng, do you still remember who I am?”
Gu Sheng turned to his wife, who introduced her. “This is Qin Lu. That’s her daughter, Zhou Ting. She’s a year older than our Yuanyuan.”
Gu Sheng responded with a curt “Mm.”
“Yuanyuan just performed such a beautiful dance!” Zhan Aiping said enthusiastically.
Gu Sheng smiled at her. “Really?”
Overjoyed, she nudged his arm. If it weren’t for the guests, she’d have hugged him in celebration.
It feels like winning the lottery—having a daughter who can dance!
Without saying much, Gu Sheng headed to the kitchen to cook. The kids had been so full of resentment that they deserved a home-cooked meal today. To welcome the guests, Zhan Aiping had bought plenty of ingredients, and Gu Sheng had come home earlier than usual.
Guobaorou and Little Tangyuan followed their dad like little shadows, acting as his “helpers” in the kitchen.
Watching them trail after him, Zhan Aiping’s gaze softened. When she turned back, she saw Xie Wan looking at her with surprise.
“What is it?”
Xie Wan replied, “Oh, nothing… I was just thinking—you and your husband have a really good relationship.”
“When you two first got married, I really thought you’d be arguing every day,” Xie Wan said.
Zhan Aiping replied, “If we were going to argue all the time, we wouldn’t have gotten married in the first place.”
Xie Wan laughed, “Now that I think about it, back then, I feel like Gu Lao Wu only picked on you because he liked you.”
Zhan Aiping smiled, “You’re just realizing that now?”
“Ah, so you admit it! You’re shameless, flirting right in front of me, Zhan Da Ping!”
The two women laughed and chatted, while Qin Lu, sitting nearby, couldn’t get a word in. She eventually offered, “You two keep talking; I’ll go help in the kitchen.”
Xie Wan interjected, “No need, let our Teacher Zhang go instead. He can learn a thing or two.”
A hint of unease crossed Xie Wan’s mind. A man and a woman alone in the kitchen, even with the kids around, didn’t seem entirely appropriate.
Qin Lu smiled politely and stayed put.
“Mommy!” Little Tangyuan ran over, and Zhan Aiping scooped her up. The little girl whispered in her mother’s ear, “Daddy’s making your favorite!”
“He secretly bought meat.”
Zhan Aiping smiled and patted her daughter’s head. “Oh really? You’re such a little scout.”
Not just an artistic prodigy, her daughter seemed destined for reconnaissance missions too.
Watching the mother and daughter interact, Xie Wan couldn’t help but feel envious. “I really envy the bond you have with your daughter. I want a daughter too!”
Daughters truly were their mothers’ sweet little treasures.
Turning to Xie Wan, Zhan Aiping said, “I used to envy your relationship with your mom.”
“Your mom really doted on you.”
“Me and my mom?” Xie Wan chuckled. “When I was little, I envied you for having a mom like Auntie Ai.”
Zhan Aiping blinked. “You envied me and my mom?”
She’d never thought anyone could envy her for having a mother like Ai Feihong.
“Of course! Auntie Ai adored you.”
“She did?”
“Absolutely. When you were a kid, whatever you wanted, she’d get for you. All of us were so jealous of you. You always had the best food and the best toys.”
To Xie Wan, Ai Feihong’s indulgence was what had shaped Zhan Aiping’s strong-willed and slightly spoiled personality. As a child, whatever Zhan Aiping wanted, she wasn’t afraid to make a fuss to get it.
In Xie Wan’s family, her mother didn’t work and relied on her father’s income. Many things were beyond her reach—not just to ask for, but even to dream of.
Without Ai Feihong’s support, how could Zhan Aiping have spent so many years bickering and tussling with Gu Sheng, the youngest son of the Gu family?
Xie Wan’s own mother had taught her from a young age that no matter how much money one earned, a woman should always have her own job to be financially independent.
Now a teacher with a relaxed job and a sufficient salary, Xie Wan was content with her life. She didn’t envy those who became the wife of a commander or a bureau chief.
But—
“Honestly, I never imagined Gu Lao Wu could cook.”
“Is it because your cooking is so bad, Pingping?” Xie Wan teased.
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