The moment the door closed, her mother slowly raised her head and gazed deeply at her retreating back.
Where Chang Xuyu couldn't see, the woman's eyes flickered with guilt.
A little later, the downstairs auntie came by to chat with her mother, bringing a bag of sweet pastries.
"Xuyu, Auntie Xue brought some snacks. Come out and have some."
Her mother adjusted her emotions and called out to the inner room.
Chang Xuyu hesitated for a moment, then opened the door and walked out slowly, greeting the woman politely.
Xue Jinyu was still wearing bright red lipstick, but her smile was very warm.
"What were you doing in your room, Xuyu?"
Chang Xuyu looked at her, composed herself, and said quietly, "I finished my arithmetic problems and drew for a while."
After speaking, she glanced at her mother. Seeing no reaction, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Xue Jinyu let out an "Oh," the tone rising with interest. "Can Auntie see Xuyu's drawings?"
Before Chang Xuyu could answer, her mother waved dismissively and said casually, "She just draws things little kids like. Nothing worth seeing."
Hearing this, Chang Xuyu froze, then hung her head.
She pursed her lips, no longer wanting to show her work.
Xue Jinyu patted Chang Xuyu's mother on the arm and said in a mock reproachful tone, "Hey, don't say that. People in the arts say passion is the first seed of talent. It's fine, Xuyu. Let Auntie see your drawing."
Chang Xuyu thought for a moment, didn't look at her mother again, and went straight to her room to get the drawing. It was a sketch.
She took a soft breath and tried to introduce it: "I learned by watching an art teacher sketching in the park. It's not very good..."
Her voice grew quieter.
Xue Jinyu stepped forward to examine it, her eyes sparkling.
"What do you mean not good! So young and self-taught! Look how talented your daughter is!"
The woman praised the drawing profusely, pulling Chang Xuyu's mother's sleeve to make her look.
Her mother's ears felt a little hot. She reluctantly stepped forward to glance at it and let out a couple of "Mm-hmms."
Xue Jinyu thought for a moment, then smiled. "I invested in an art institute a while ago. How about letting Xuyu study there? We can't waste such a good seedling!"
Chang Xuyu's mother assumed she was joking.
"I'm not joking, Haiyan! I mean it!"
Both Chang Xuyu and her mother were momentarily stunned.
...
Since someone was sponsoring Chang Xuyu's education, her mother naturally had no reason to refuse.
Xue Jinyu wasn't short on money and was very generous. That weekend, she took Chang Xuyu to the institute she had invested in.
The art teacher crouched down slightly to look at the somewhat timid little girl, smiled, and patted her shoulder. "No foundation?"
Xue Jinyu answered for her: "She's amazing. She's already self-taught. You'll see when you teach her."
The teacher nodded. Everyone knew that the most dreaded kinds of students were "talented freaks" and "childhood practitioners." Facing such competition, there was nothing you could do but accept it.
But teachers loved students like that.
Talented, gifted, and diligent.
"Alright, little Xuyu. From now on, you'll study professional art with me."
Under the hopeful gazes of the teacher and Auntie Xue, Chang Xuyu took a deep breath, blushed, and slowly nodded.
"Thank you."
That cold winter, which had been all silver and white, suddenly began to blaze with color like the height of summer.
From then on, Chang Xuyu went to the institute every Saturday to study art exam preparation.
One day after sketch class, a classmate came over with a bag of snacks to chat with Chang Xuyu. The little girl crouched beside her, watching her draw, and praised, "Wow, Xuyu, you learn so fast! You just finished copying geometric shapes, and now you can sketch from photos?"
Chang Xuyu smiled.
Watching her for a while, the girl realized Chang Xuyu truly loved drawing—she could sit there quietly and draw for an entire day without a word.
Amazing.
Full of admiration, she thought for a moment, then pulled Chang Xuyu up to go to the window for some fresh air.
Chang Xuyu stood up, feeling a bit sore in her legs. Standing was good.
The two of them leaned against the windowsill, eating small french fries and chatting while the breeze blew.
"Hey, Xuyu, look across the street. It's a super impressive tutoring center. I heard all the teachers there are masters."
Chang Xuyu followed her gaze. It was a very ordinary building.
"Really?"
She had never been to a cram school, so she was a little curious.