Jiang Tingyan brought Lin Yuelin to the dance cram school. Lin Yuelin was wearing simple and fitted training clothes, with an upright posture and elegant temperament. Her long hair was neatly tied behind her head, swaying gently with her steps. Jiang Tingyan was wearing decent casual clothes, and his eyes showed his concern and support for his daughter.

After entering the cram school, Jiang Tingyan sat down in the parent lounge area nearby. Soon, some parents gathered around her. One parent was the first to ask, “How long has your child been learning dance? I see that she has a very good temperament, so she must have learned it for a long time.” Jiang Tingyan smiled and replied, “She started learning it when she was young and has always been interested in dance.”

Another parent continued, “My child always complained of being tired when he first started learning. Did your child Yuelin have this problem when she first started?” Jiang Tingyan patiently shared, “It will be a bit tiring at the beginning. After all, dance training requires a certain amount of physical strength and endurance. I think the key is to guide children to find the fun of dance, such as letting them appreciate more beautiful dance works and feel the emotions expressed by dance. When she truly loves dance, she will be more motivated to overcome difficulties.”

The parents nodded one after another, and another parent asked, “How do you usually urge her to practice? My child will be lazy if I don’t keep an eye on her.” Jiang Tingyan thought for a moment and responded, “I won’t put too much pressure on her. The main thing is to cultivate her self-awareness. I will work with her to develop a practice plan, break down the big goals into small goals, and give her a small reward for each small goal she completes. This way, she will feel more accomplished and more willing to take the initiative to practice. And I will also watch some performance videos of dance masters with her so that she can learn skills and expressiveness from them.”

During the communication process, Jiang Tingyan not only shared his own parenting experience, but also listened carefully to the stories and methods of other parents, and occasionally put forward some constructive opinions and suggestions. He knows that every child is unique, and parenting methods also need to be tailored to the individual, but through such communication, more wisdom can be gained and better support can be provided for Lin Yuelin’s growth.

In the dance studio, Lin Yuelin is concentrating on practicing dance moves following the teacher’s instructions. Her eyes are firm and focused, and she strives to be precise and graceful in every gesture, every spin, and every jump. Her figure is like a smart swan under the lights, dancing gracefully. Sweat gradually soaks her training clothes, but she does not slack off at all, as if the whole world is only her conversation with dance. Jiang Tingyan looks at his daughter’s efforts through the glass of the classroom, and his heart is full of relief and expectations. He knows that Lin Yuelin is moving forward step by step in the pursuit of her dance dream, and he will always be silently guarding and supporting her from behind.

When Jiang Tingyan was chatting happily with other parents, he caught a glimpse of a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar figure from the corner of his eye. He looked closely and found that it was Su Yao, an old classmate he had not seen for many years. In his memory, Su Yao was not a stunning beauty, but her delicate face and gentle temperament were like a fresh little flower, blooming with the unique charm of a beautiful girl. She used to smile sweetly, with two dimples looming, as if she could dispel all the haze in the world.

But now, she stood in front of me with a slightly haggard face, bearing the marks of life. Her clothes were clean but worn out, showing the wear and tear of time and the pressure of life. A young child followed her, holding tightly to the corner of her clothes, with a hint of timidity and anxiety in his eyes.

Su Yao obviously saw Jiang Tingyan, and a trace of embarrassment and panic flashed in her eyes. Her steps also slowed down unconsciously, as if she wanted to find a place to hide. Jiang Tingyan felt a complex emotion, including the joy of meeting his old classmate, and a little surprise and sympathy for her current situation. He walked up to her without hesitation, with a warm and friendly smile on his face, and said softly: “Su Yao, it’s really you! Long time no see.”

Su Yao lowered her head slightly, forced a smile, and responded: “Jiang Tingyan, long time no see. I didn’t expect to meet you here.” She subconsciously adjusted the corners of her clothes and secretly glanced at Jiang Tingyan. He was tall and straight, wearing simple and fashionable clothes. His handsome face was more mature and stable after years of precipitation, exuding a charming charm. The youthfulness of the past was gone, replaced by a calm and confident aura. Su Yao couldn’t help but feel bitter, thinking of the time when she had secretly liked him, and then looking at her current appearance, a sense of inferiority arose.

Jiang Tingyan looked at Su Yao and asked with concern: “How are you doing recently? Is this your child?”

Su Yao gently stroked the child’s head, her eyes revealing a hint of tenderness and helplessness. She sighed slightly, and said with a slightly gloomy expression: “Well, this is my Xiaobao. I… Well, to be honest, life is very difficult.” She paused slightly, as if she had mustered up a lot of courage, and continued, “I am divorced. My ex-husband is a gambler. He lost all our family savings and owed a lot of debts. In order to draw a clear line with him, I had to take Xiaobao and move out, and live in an old community in the east of the city.” At this point, a trace of pain and determination flashed in her eyes, and her brows unconsciously frowned.

Jiang Tingyan’s face showed shock and sympathy. He frowned slightly, his eyes full of worry: “How could this happen? How do you live now?”

Su Yao smiled bitterly, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, but full of self-mockery: “I found a part-time job as a clerk in a small company. Although the income is not high, it can barely support the lives of Xiaobao and me. Apart from work, I usually take care of children and the elderly, and life is very tight. I am busy like a top every day, and I have no time to rest for a moment.” As she spoke, she shook her head helplessly, with deep fatigue in her eyes.

Jiang Tingyan hurriedly said, “It’s not easy for you to bear so much alone. It must be very hard for you to raise a child alone, right?”

This sentence seemed to touch the grievance deep in Su Yao’s heart. Her eyes instantly turned red and her nose felt slightly sour. She sniffed hard and tried not to let the tears fall: “It’s hard for sure, but as long as the child can grow up healthy and happy, I will be satisfied. Where is your Yuelin?”

“Yuelin is learning dance. She has always loved dance, so I support her to stick with it. Wanyi and I both hope that she can shine in the field she loves.” Jiang Tingyan said, his eyes full of tenderness and love when he mentioned his wife. “We now have two children. Yuelin is our eldest daughter, and our youngest son Ruize is also very sensible and is working hard to learn. Wanyi and I are very pleased to see them grow up little by little.”

After Su Yao heard this, a complicated look flashed in her eyes, but she quickly returned to normal: “That’s good, I’m really happy for you.”

Jiang Tingyan looked at Su Yao, hesitated for a moment, and sincerely invited her: “Su Yao, I see we haven’t seen each other for so long, and there are so many things I want to talk about. There is a coffee shop nearby with a good environment. Why don’t we go there and sit down and reminisce about the past?”

Su Yao was a little surprised. She subconsciously looked at her clothes, then looked at the child beside her, and said with difficulty: “I’m carrying a child here, it’s not very convenient.”

Jiang Tingyan smiled, squatted down and looked at Xiaobao, and said gently: “Xiaobao, uncle knows a place with a lot of delicious snacks and delicious juice. Do you want to go?”

Xiaobao’s eyes lit up, and he looked up at his mother with a hint of expectation. Su Yao was a little shaken when she saw the child’s expression.

Seeing this, Jiang Tingyan said again: “It’s okay, Su Yao. The coffee shop is relatively quiet, we can have a good chat, and the child can also relax while eating something next to him.”

Su Yao hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded: “Okay, thank you for your help.”

So, Jiang Tingyan brought Su Yao and her son to the coffee shop. Jiang Tingyan carefully ordered coffee, juice and snacks for Su Yao and Xiaobao. Su Yao sat on the soft sofa, looking at the elegant environment around her, feeling a lot of emotion in her heart.

Jiang Tingyan was the first to break the silence: “Su Yao, you have really experienced a lot in these years. Have you ever thought about your future plans?”

Su Yao gently stirred the coffee in front of her, her eyes a little confused: “I can only take one step at a time now, take good care of Xiaobao first, and provide him with education. As for the future, I dare not think too much.” Jiang Tingyan pondered for a moment and said, “If you have any difficulties, please don’t hesitate to tell me. Although we all have our own families and lives, the friendship between old classmates is still there.”

Su Yao felt warm in her heart, and looked up at Jiang Tingyan: “Thank you, Jiang Tingyan. In fact, I feel much better to be able to talk to you today. I have been carrying it alone before, and sometimes I really feel tired.”

Su Yao took a sip of coffee, sighed slightly, and said, “You know, Jiang Tingyan, when I just got divorced, I felt like the sky was falling. Facing so many debts alone and having children to raise, I often couldn’t sleep all night, not knowing where the future lies.”

Jiang Tingyan listened attentively, his eyes full of sympathy and concern. He said softly, “That kind of pressure must be unbearable, but it’s amazing that you can stick to it. So how is your part-time job going now?”

Su Yao smiled bitterly and shook her head: “It can’t be said to be smooth. The work content is tedious, the salary is low, and it depends on the boss’s face. But I dare not resign easily, for fear that I can’t find another job and cut off my source of income.”

Jiang Tingyan frowned: “Have you ever thought about improving your skills and getting a better job? Maybe I can help you find suitable training courses or job opportunities.”

Su Yao’s eyes flashed with gratitude, but soon dimmed: “I have thought about it, but now I have to take care of the children and work, and I can’t spare too much time and energy. And training also costs money, my current financial situation…”

Jiang Tingyan nodded in understanding: “Yes, this is indeed a difficult problem. But don’t lose heart, there will always be a way. By the way, how is Xiaobao’s study going?”

When talking about the child, Su Yao’s eyes were filled with tenderness and hope: “Xiaobao is very smart and is quite self-motivated in his studies. It’s just that sometimes I’m too busy with work to properly tutor him, and I feel guilty about that.”

Jiang Tingyan comforted him, “You have tried your best, and the children will understand. My Ruize and Yuelin sometimes arrange their own studies. Children nowadays are very sensible. You can communicate more with Xiaobao’s teacher to understand his situation in school, so that you can help him better.”

Su Yao nodded thoughtfully: “Well, you are right. I do not communicate with teachers very often, so I have to pay attention to it in the future.”

Jiang Tingyan paused, then asked, “Have your parents’ health improved? Do they need professional help to take care of them?”

Su Yao said helplessly: “It’s still the same, sometimes good and sometimes bad. It’s too expensive to ask someone to take care of it, so I can only work harder myself. Sometimes I really feel overwhelmed, but there is no other way.”

Jiang Tingyan patted Su Yao’s shoulder gently: “You are too hard. If you need it, I can help you contact some community volunteer services to see if I can provide you with some help.”

Su Yao looked at Jiang Tingyan gratefully: “Jiang Tingyan, you are so nice. After talking to you so much today, I feel like the burden in my heart seems to be lighter.”

Jiang Tingyan smiled and said, “Old classmates should help each other. No matter what happens in the future, you can tell me. I will never refuse to help you if I can.”

Su Yao’s eyes were slightly red: “I really didn’t expect that after so many years, you would still be willing to help me like this. When I was in school before, I thought you were a very enthusiastic person.”

Jiang Tingyan couldn’t help laughing when recalling his school days: “We were so innocent back then, unlike now, when we have so many worries. However, although life is not easy, as long as we don’t give up, it will always get better and better.”

Su Yao nodded firmly: “well, I believe it too. I will try my best to make my life and Xiaobao’s life better.”

The two chatted for a while, from the trivialities of life to the ideals of life, as if they had regained the feeling of talking about everything on campus. Unknowingly, it was getting late. Su Yao looked at the time and said, “It’s getting late. I have to take Xiaobao back. Thank you so much today, Jiang Tingyan.”

Jiang Tingyan stood up and said, “You’re welcome. We’ll meet again if we have the chance. I’ll take you back.”

Su Yao Wan refused: “No, you should go back and be with your family early. I have already troubled you a lot today.”

Jiang Tingyan had no choice but to nod: “Okay then, be careful on the road. Remember to contact me if anything happens.”

Su Yao took Xiaobao out of the coffee shop. Jiang Tingyan looked at their backs, feeling a lot of emotion in his heart. He knew that everyone would encounter difficulties on the road of life, but as long as there is hope in the heart and the support of friends, they will be able to move forward bravely. (End of this chapter)