"This..." Jiang Cheng's mouth hung open in surprise.
Studying hard is a form of hardship, but dancing continuously for several years without interruption is equally difficult.
"Furthermore, we have to participate in various competitions and performances, sometimes dancing for several hours straight. Without enough physical strength, we simply wouldn't be able to persevere. That's why we must control our diet and not let ourselves get fat," Jiang Churan explained.
"Don't you feel tired?" Jiang Cheng asked.
"Of course I'm tired, but this is the path we chose. Since we've chosen it, we have to keep going. Think about it, how many dance students are there in all of China? Yet our school only admits a little over 300 new students every year. It's just like Tsinghua University or Peking University; how many people in a single province can actually get in? Those who don't work hard basically can't enter our school," Chu Ran said.
Although Chu Ran spoke about how difficult it was to get into her school, Jiang Cheng could hear a hint of loneliness and melancholy in her tone.
It was clear that Chu Ran set very high standards for herself.
She looked at Jiang Cheng with a touch of envy and said, "Most people's college lives are spent exploring things they like and engaging in various social activities. But for us, even after going out to have fun, we have to rush back to the dormitory to practice. We don't dare to relax for a single moment."
Seeing that Jiang Cheng was almost finished eating, Chu Ran immediately picked up her phone and walked quickly toward the lady taking orders.
Jiang Cheng didn't stop her from paying; he knew this was her way of showing her sincerity.
For such a rare and beautiful girl, one shouldn't just pamper her all the time, right?
Instead, one should bring her into real life and treat her like an ordinary girl.
Since she said she wanted to treat him, then let her pay the bill.
Jiang Cheng could just treat her to a meal next time.
With this back-and-forth, wouldn't the two of them get close very quickly?
Seeing that Chu Ran's rehearsal schedule was so heavy, Jiang Cheng didn't plan on dragging her anywhere else.
He directly offered to take her back to school.
Hearing this, Chu Ran truly felt a sense of relief in her heart.
Because she really didn't have much time. If she didn't head back at noon, she would definitely delay the progress of her other classmates.
The two of them walked back chatting and laughing, soon arriving at the place where the car was parked.
Before Jiang Cheng could even pull out his car keys, he saw a very high-profile red supercar parked in a nearby open space.
Soon, a girl stepped out from the passenger side of the supercar.
The girl had straight bangs, and her large, bright eyes sparkled with a lively light. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, giving her a fresh and sweet feel.
Her skin was as fair as snow, revealing a healthy glow, as delicate as porcelain.
The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, revealing a sweet smile.
She looked to be about 170cm tall, with a slender and long figure and smooth lines, giving off an elegant impression.
She held a thick down jacket in her hand and wore a red-and-white patterned sweater.
On her lower body, she wore black leggings paired with black ankle boots, and a white hat on her head, which complemented her sweet temperament perfectly.
Chu Ran was clearly surprised the moment she saw her.
She glanced at the supercar with an unreadable expression.
Chu Ran was the first to speak, calling out, "Senior Xu??"
The girl had originally been all smiles.
Seeing that it was Chu Ran greeting her, her expression became visibly flustered.
Her gaze flickered unnaturally toward the supercar behind her.
Then she stammered, "Chu Ran, why are you here? Don't you have to rehearse?"
Chu Ran looked at her, smiled slightly, and replied, "I took some time out to have a meal and am getting ready to head back now."
After saying that, Chu Ran immediately asked, "By the way, how is your program's rehearsal going?"
Seeing Chu Ran bring this up, a hint of sadness appeared on Xu Yan's face.
She lowered her head, gently rubbing her arm, and said softly, "I sprained my arm, and it won't get better anytime soon. Chen Ling has taken my place."
After speaking, Xu Yan looked up and forced a smile, but it looked very strained.
Chu Ran was clearly very saddened by this answer.
Chu Ran had never been someone very good at comforting others.
Her brow furrowed slightly and her lips trembled, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn't speak.
Xu Yan didn't seem to want the atmosphere to become so heavy.
She feigned a relaxed smile and said, "It's fine, don't be sad for me. After practicing for so many years, I finally have time to rest. I've felt so relaxed lately, not having to soak in the practice room every day. I'm doing quite well now."
Then she added with a stiff expression, "Of course, you can't follow my example. I don't have many chances left, but you... you have to keep working hard."
Hearing this, Chu Ran's eyes grew a bit moist.
She quickly comforted her, "Senior Xu, don't say that. As I've said, you are the goal I'm working toward. Get some good rest, and once you've recovered, it'll be fine. Your foundation is so good, you'll catch up in no time."
Chu Ran's words clearly had little effect; a deep sense of despair remained hidden in Xu Yan's eyes.
Just then, a fashionably dressed young man stepped out from the driver's seat of the supercar.
Wearing sunglasses and a confident smile on his face, he walked straight toward Xu Yan.
Seeing Jiang Cheng and Chu Ran standing beside Xu Yan, a flash of interest sparked in the Second-generation rich man's eyes, and the corners of his mouth curled into an imperceptible smile.
Although Xu Yan was good-looking and dressed very fashionably—one could say she was a definite beauty in a crowd—
due to natural attributes, when compared to the low-key dressed Chu Ran, she was clearly a notch below.
The young man spoke up and asked, "Xu Yan, is this your classmate?"
Xu Yan didn't seem to notice the Second-generation rich man's ulterior motives; she just nodded gently with a sincere smile on her face.
She introduced seriously, "Yes, she is my junior, Jiang Churan. She's a sophomore at the Dance Academy. Her skills are quite formidable; she's definitely among the top three!"
After saying that, Xu Yan introduced him to them somewhat unnaturally, "This is my friend, Shen An."
Chu Ran stood quietly to the side, her gaze falling upon the Second-generation rich man in front of her.
Although she didn't speak, her expression could hardly hide her inner thoughts.
The young man looked to be in his twenties, his short hair styled messily with hair gel, and his entire outfit was very trendy and fashionable.
He even had his ears pierced, wearing two shiny metal studs.
In terms of looks, he could be considered somewhat handsome.