The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 675 - 674: Guidance

Chapter 675: Chapter 674: Guidance

Watching Ren Yingying throw a tantrum and refuse to get into the car, Uncle Tian, the driver, felt quite troubled.

With only one car at his disposal, what could he do?

However, his trouble didn’t last long.

Ren Jingshu simply tossed Ren Yingying’s schoolbag out of the car, "If you don’t want to ride, then take a taxi back by yourself."

Having said that, under Ren Yingying’s incredulous gaze, she slammed the car door shut with a bang.

Uncle Tian glanced at Ren Yingying outside the car and then back at Ren Jingshu inside the car, suddenly realizing, "Ah, the second miss wants to take a cab by herself. Second Miss, you should go to the intersection; there are more taxis over there."

Without waiting for Ren Yingying to respond, he got into the driver’s seat, started the car, and drove off.

The entire process took no more than five seconds.

By the time Ren Yingying came to her senses, the car had already driven about ten meters away, covering her face in exhaust fumes.

"Ah! Aaaah!!"

Infuriated, Ren Yingying stood on the spot, going mad and kicking her schoolbag away.

The schoolbag drew a perfect parabola in mid-air and, as luck would have it, fell into the ditch and was carried away by the water.

"My schoolbag!"

After being stunned for two seconds, she realized—it was her schoolbag! Inside were her wallet and all kinds of favorite trinkets.

Through the rear car window, seeing Ren Yingying scrambling down into the ditch to retrieve her schoolbag, Ren Jingshu laughed so hard she was bending over backward.

Uncle Tian also saw the scene in his rearview mirror and, somewhat worried, said, "Eldest Miss, shall we go back and pick up the second miss? She isn’t good with water. What if..."

"You go back and take her home. I’m heading to the rehearsal room."

As Ren Jingshu stepped out of the car without a backward glance and left, Uncle Tian sighed, turned the car around, and went back to pick up Ren Yingying.

...

Passing by a small stall selling mixed grain pancakes, Ren Jingshu stopped.

Under her mother’s strict control, she had never bought anything from roadside stalls to eat.

"Miss, how about a pancake? They’re cheap, good, and tasty."

Enticed by the stall owner’s enthusiastic promotion, Ren Jingshu bought a mixed grain pancake.

The ready-made pancake was evidently more than she had bargained for, and knowing she couldn’t finish it, the considerate owner helped her by cutting it into two pieces.

After getting into the cab, Ren Jingshu gave one piece of the pancake to the driver, asking him to share it with her.

Unable to refuse such generosity, the driver found a shady spot to park, shared the meal with Ren Jingshu, and only after they finished did he drive her to her destination.

Perhaps to thank Ren Jingshu for the half piece of pancake, the cab driver timed everything so well that when they arrived, Ren Jingshu had just finished eating her piece.

...

After changing into her practice clothes, Ren Jingshu didn’t start right away but instead walked slowly around the rehearsal room.

She didn’t really want to dance; she just wanted an excuse not to go home.

Going home at this time would surely mean chaos.

She wasn’t afraid of facing her parents’ reproach; she just didn’t want her current good mood to be spoiled, even if it was just a fleeting joy.

The roadside pancake tasted much better than she expected, only a bit too salty. Next time, she’d ask the owner to put less sauce.

Next time, she’d try the soy pancake and invite Zhao Yun to come along, so she wouldn’t have to worry about waste if she couldn’t finish.

She wouldn’t give in to Ren Yingying any longer; she was the older sister, and a sister should be like a mother. If Ren Yingying dared to provoke her again, she would teach her a lesson just like she did today.

Originally not in the mood to dance, she walked a few laps around and then, inexplicably, felt the urge to start.

Ren Jingshu raised her arms, took her position, and began to dance right there, even without any music playing.

Turning, jumping, flipping backward.

Every move Ren Jingshu made was very casual, completely discarding technique and design, dancing only according to her own heart’s desires.

She danced until she was drenched in sweat and could dance no more. Only then did she stop, leaning against the barre, panting for breath.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

The sudden applause startled Ren Jingshu.

Turning around, she saw, standing outside the dance studio door, a group of men and women of extraordinary appearance and temperament whom she hadn’t noticed arriving.

Among them were her dance teacher and the dean of the training academy.

"Ren student, come here,"

Summoned by the dean, Ren Jingshu adjusted her appearance before approaching the group.

"Dean He, Teacher Wan,"

Dean He placed his hand on her shoulder and introduced her to a young woman with exceptional charisma, "This is one of our excellent students in the training class, Ren Jingshu, runner-up in the city dance competition."

"Jingshu, this is Teacher Ai Qing. I don’t need to say much about her brilliant achievements, do I? Our dance studio has an entire wall dedicated to her biography."

Ren Jingshu, looking at the elegant and beautiful woman, was so excited she was lost for words.

She had felt that the woman looked familiar but had never dared to think in that direction.

Ai Qing, a national first-class performer, the Zhongyang Dance Team’s lead dancer, winner of multiple prestigious dance competition gold medals and championships at home and abroad, the first dancer to perform a solo on the Spring Festival Gala, and also an associate professor of classical dance at the Capital Dance Academy.

And she was her idol.

"Jingshu, what are you standing there for? Go and say hello to Teacher Ai. Are you too excited to speak?"

After Teacher Wan nudged Ren Jingshu, he explained to Ai Qing, "Jingshu has always looked up to you as her idol. She has your performance posters up in her locker and bedroom and says she wants to learn from you."

"Teacher Ai, hello. I really love your works ’Spring’ and ’Peacock Flying Southeast,’"

she said, bowing to express her respect.

Ai Qing helped her up and, while examining her arms, nodded in admiration, "Not bad, you’re a promising danseuse."

Dean He took the opportunity to ask Ai Qing to give Ren Jingshu some advice.

"Certainly,"

Seeing Ai Qing agree so readily, the dean and the teachers all showed joy, but Ren Jingshu was filled with nervousness and apprehension.

She had been dancing randomly just now. Had she known she would meet her idol, she would have danced with all her heart.

"I watched the second half of your dance earlier. While it was casual and the movements not standardized, it nonetheless conveyed a sense of solitary courage and decisiveness, very compelling, making me feel that the few minutes I stayed to watch were well worth it."

Everyone had expected Ai Qing to utter some official platitudes, but she gave a serious critique and high praise to Ren Jingshu.

Dean He and Teacher Wan were both shocked and delighted, while Ren Jingshu was utterly dumbfounded.

From childhood to adulthood, teachers and judges had always said her dancing was flawless in technique, but lacked the emotion to move people.

Even in the last city dance competition, she lost to the champion for that reason.

She had been confused and pained by this and could never grasp what exactly the judges meant by "emotional touch."

She was so earnest and engaged, making the utmost effort to perform, but it always fell short of expectations.

Yet, who could have imagined that her haphazard dancing would earn praise from her idol?

Her bewildered mind suddenly cleared, a ray of light rising in the darkness.

"At the National Youth Dance Competition in October, I will be one of the judges. I’m very much looking forward to your performance. Good luck,"

"Thank you, Teacher Ai. I will do my best,"

For a young Ren Jingshu, words of encouragement from her idol were as effective as a magical cure.

In that moment, the seed of her dream began to take root and sprout in her heart.

Teacher Wan soon returned to the dance studio and couldn’t contain her excitement and curiosity. "Tell me, what happened? How did you suddenly get it? Your dance just now was a complete transformation; you were in a completely different state than