I was born and listened to my neighbor's older sister talk about her family of origin.

When Jiang Cheng arrived, the homeroom teacher of Class 3, Grade 3 was preparing to pack up and leave.

Jiang Cheng strode into the classroom, slightly out of breath.

She still smelled of dish soap – clearly she had run straight out of the kitchen, not even having had time to untie her apron, only pulling it off halfway and stuffing it into the back seat of her electric scooter.

"Teacher! I'm sorry I'm late."

The homeroom teacher looked up at the unfamiliar man with blond hair.

"Who are you?"

"I am Xu Zhiyu's..."

Jiang Cheng paused for a moment, then straightened his back.

"Parents."

The homeroom teacher gave him a suspicious look and flipped through the parents' information in the handbook.

Xu Zhiyu's parents didn't attend the previous two parent-teacher meetings, and they were late this time as well.

He couldn't help but frown and began to lecture.

"You parents are really something, not caring about your own children. Xu Zhiyu's grades are clearly very good, why didn't she come the first two times?"

Jiang Cheng listened without refuting, repeatedly saying yes.

Xu Zhiyu stood at the classroom door, watching this scene, her fingers clenching the corner of the report card.

Jiang Cheng sat down casually in the parents' section, sitting upright with a serious expression.

Like a real father.

The homeroom teacher was forced to work overtime, opened the report book, and began to talk about Xu Zhiyu's academic performance.

Jiang Cheng listened attentively, nodding occasionally, and even took out a pen to jot down key points on the back of his hand—he had forgotten to bring his notebook.

At the other end of the corridor, Hao Mei held Xu Zhiyu's hand and stood by the window, gazing at the scene in the classroom.

Xu Zhiyu didn't say anything.

But with her other hand, she quietly tightened her grip on Hao Mei's fingers.

[Mission successful.]

The reward has been issued.

This was the fastest Jiang Ye had ever completed a mission.

Ms. Hao has done a great service once again!

After the parents' meeting ended, Jiang Cheng came out and the first thing he did was walk up to Xu Zhiyu, squat down, and pat her on the head.

"Seventh in the grade, that's impressive."

He grinned from ear to ear, as if praising his own child.

That's all.

Xu Zhiyu's eyes reddened.

She bit her lip, desperately trying to hold back her tears.

Hao Mei watched from the side, then reached out and gently pulled Xu Zhiyu into her arms.

"Come on, Auntie will take you to eat something delicious."

On the way out of the school, Jiang Ye and Ji Xiaoxiao were already waiting at the door.

Ji Xiaoxiao rushed over from afar.

"Sister Little Fish! Ah Ye said your class's parent-teacher meeting is over—"

She saw Xu Zhiyu's slightly red eyes and stopped talking abruptly.

Then she grabbed Xu Zhiyu's arm.

I didn't ask anything, I just hugged her.

Jiang Ye walked to Xu Zhiyu's side but didn't say anything to comfort her.

He simply took a chocolate out of his pocket and handed it to him.

It was the same brand as the one Hao Mei had given her back then.

Xu Zhiyu took the chocolate, and finally couldn't resist.

Tears fell onto her school uniform.

She kept her head down, her voice muffled.

"A-Ye... your mother and father are so kind."

This was the second time Xu Zhiyu had said this.

The first time was in front of Jiang Ye's crib.

Jiang Ye glanced at her, his voice gentle.

"Little Fish, our door is always open for you."

The setting sun stretched the shadows of several people, which overlapped crookedly.

On her way home, Xu Zhiyu suddenly stopped.

"Ano."

"Um?"

"Next semester... I want to be number one in my grade."

Her voice was soft, but steady.

Jiang Ye smiled.

"That's perfect, shall we have a competition?"

Xu Zhiyu raised her head, her eyes still red, but nodded earnestly.

What she didn't say was—

It's not for Mom to come to the parent-teacher conference.

It was so that next time, she would have the right to sit at A-Ye's dinner table and say with confidence:

I also came in first place.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Fourth grade.

Jiang Ye was ten years old, and Xu Zhiyu was twelve years old.

Three years is neither a long nor a short time; it's enough for many things to change.

For example, Jiang Ye's height has increased significantly, finally exceeding 1.4 meters.

Now, looking at Xu Zhiyu, at least she doesn't have to crane her neck at such an uncomfortable angle anymore—although she still has to lift it slightly, it looks much better.

That afternoon, in Jiang Ye's living room.

"Ji Xiaoxiao!"

Jiang Ye tapped his pen on the exam paper with a crisp "snap," successfully pulling the head of the person opposite him back from his reverie.

"Huh? What's wrong, A-Ye?"

Ji Xiaoxiao looked completely innocent.

"I've explained this problem three times, three times!"

Jiang Ye pointed at the geometric figures on the exam paper, looking disappointed and disillusioned.

"Auxiliary lines! The auxiliary lines should be drawn here! You've drawn them in the next city!"

Ji Xiaoxiao leaned over to take a look and muttered softly, "They look about the same..."

"Almost? Far from it!"

Jiang Ye rubbed his temples in anger.

"I've been tutoring you for three years, and your grades finally climbed from last place to the middle, but I've already got three gray hairs! Three! Do you know what that means?"

His face was filled with sorrow: "I'm pouring my heart and soul into you, burning my precious youth!"

Ji Xiaoxiao couldn't help but burst out laughing. Hao Mei, who happened to be carrying fruit out of the kitchen, also laughed when she heard this.

"Alright, Jiang Xiaoye, stop bullying Xiaoxiao. It's about time to rest for a bit and have some fruit."

Ji Xiaoxiao cheered and dropped her pen to grab the watermelon.

Jiang Ye sighed, leaned back on the sofa, and felt like an old cadre who had retired early.

He began to miss the quiet and gentle Xu Zhiyu.

Over the years, he didn't need to worry about it; his grades steadily climbed from seventh in the grade to the top three, remaining as stable as a straight line.

The only thing that's worry-free is the grades.

Jiang Ye rested his chin on his hand, his gaze darkening as he thought of something else.

Xu Zhiyu's life, apart from attending classes and doing homework, is almost entirely filled with dance.

Her mother, Cheng Jinglan, was like a tireless spinning top, and Xu Zhiyu was the one being whipped and spun around by her.

One competition after another, from the south of the city to the north, and then to other cities.

Despite winning awards left and right, Xu Zhiyu has never smiled happily.

Jiang Ye remembers that once, Xu Zhiyu won the silver award in the Jiangcheng children's group.

A twelve-year-old girl is already among the best of her peers.

That same day, he heard Cheng Jinglan's voice, which was filled with suppressed anger, coming from outside the door.

"You were so close! If you had just put in a little more effort, first place would have been yours!"

"Silver prize? Sounds good, but frankly, isn't it just being the biggest loser?"

Jiang Ye, standing outside the door, clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly.

He didn't go in.

He might be able to go in and give Cheng Jinglan a long lecture, but reasoning with someone whose thinking is so deeply ingrained is useless.

In particular, the words spoken by a child who is not even ten years old have no weight and are unlikely to make Cheng Jinglan reflect on them.

He needs time, he needs to grow up, and he needs to become stronger.

Money, fame, power—anything is acceptable.

Only in this way can we have the strength to pull Xu Zhiyu out of the mire and achieve true redemption.

Therefore, Jiang Ye rarely asked Xu Zhiyu about her dancing.

Some wounds, if you ask about them, will only hurt more by peeling off the scab.

Therefore, Jiang Ye never asked.

He just does it.

Every time Xu Zhiyu returned from a competition, no matter how late it was, he would immediately pull her out of that oppressive home without saying a word.

There are many destinations, but Xu Zhiyu's favorite is...

It's an arcade.

The deafening music, the colorful disco balls, the air filled with the smell of sweat and the sweet scent of popcorn—everything here was completely out of place in Xu Zhiyu's usual world.

She took off her elegant yet restrictive dance costume, which resembled a white swan, and changed into a simple T-shirt and jeans. When she stood on the dance machine, she seemed to have transformed into a completely different person.

There were no judges, no standard movements, and no so-called artistic expression scores.

There are only constantly falling arrows and the word "Perfect" that explodes when you step on it.

Sweat dripped from her hair, tracing glistening arcs under the light.

She was radiant, not the kind of light that is carefully crafted on stage, but a wild, unrestrained vitality.

Soon, a crowd gathered around her dance machine.

"Holy crap, who's this kid? A pro gamer?"

"That combo... the screen's about to explode!"

Xu Zhiyu couldn't hear anything; her eyes were only on the screen, and she moved with incredible speed.

Until the song ended, she was frozen on the screen with a record-breaking high score, and cheers and whistles erupted around her that were a hundred times more sincere than those from the judges in the dance hall.

She braced herself on her knees, panting heavily, her chest heaving, sweat soaking her hair, but her cheeks were a healthy rosy glow.

Jiang Ye handed him a bottle of iced cola.

Xu Zhiyu took it, unscrewed it, took a big gulp, and then let out a long, satisfied "Ha—".

"Feeling good?"

Jiang Ye asked with a smile.

"Um!"

She nodded emphatically, her eyes shining brightly, and an irrepressible smile playing on her lips.

Only at times like these would the weariness and gloom in her eyes completely dissipate, and she would transform back into the little girl with bright, sparkling eyes who would say she wanted to get first place at his dinner table.

She liked the carefree atmosphere here, and she also liked the undisguised admiration and appreciation she received from those around her.

Just then, Jiang Ye's phone rang like a death knell.

He took it out, looked at it, and laughed.

As soon as the call connected, Ji Xiaoxiao's loud voice came through.

"Ah Ye! Help! Do I have to draw the auxiliary lines all the way to the Pacific Ocean for this problem?!"

Jiang Ye slowly stretched.

This life will be different, won't it?

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