Chapter 110: That's a Token of Appreciation
"Teacher Gu..." Sheng Xiangsi stood up anxiously, "That's not what I meant..."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Gu Shaohua raised his hand, "I understand what you mean. But as a dancer, if you want to prove yourself, you have to do it on stage! Wait until you have good relationships with everyone before you perform? Then what's the point of Mr. Fu putting in so much effort to send you here to me?"
She sighed as she looked at Sheng Xiangsi.
"You're obedient. If I ask you to slim down an inch, you slim down an inch."
Who was Gu Shaohua? With just one look, she could tell the weight and measurements of any girl in the troupe.
"You have this perseverance, why not use it on stage? Tell me, do you want to dance?"
Being trusted was such a happiness.
Sheng Xiangsi nodded solemnly, "Yes!"
"Then dance!" Gu Shaohua decided, "Dance your way to fame!"
"Yes, Teacher Gu." Sheng Xiangsi's heart surged with excitement, nodding repeatedly.
"You..."
As the atmosphere eased a bit, Gu Shaohua pointed at her and said, "Living in a network of relationships, do you think you can make everyone like you? Doing well on stage is the most important thing, stop thinking about unnecessary things."
"I'll remember that, Teacher Gu."
"Good."
Gu Shaohua was satisfied, jokingly adding, "Dance well. Lightning Dance Troupe has a big reputation. It's hard to get a ticket... If you don't dance well, it won't just be a small matter, but you'll ruin my reputation!"
"Teacher Gu."
Sheng Xiangsi was serious, nodding earnestly, "Don't worry, I'll practice hard!"
...
In the evening, Zhong Pei came to pick her up.
These days, they often met.
For no other reason, according to Zhong Pei's suggestion, they should continue this act for now.
Otherwise, who knew if Fu Hanjiang would suddenly change his mind about her?
Zhong Pei didn't put any pressure on Sheng Xiangsi about this.
He usually just dropped her off at West 12th Street, occasionally had a meal together, and they would split the bill evenly.
Tonight, Zhong Pei only dropped her off at the intersection of Wenchang Road.
"I have to go to the airport later."
"Is it work-related?"
"Yes." Zhong Pei nodded, "I need to go to LA. I'll probably be back in about a week."
"Oh." Sheng Xiangsi said, "Take care of yourself and rest well after dealing with the time difference."
She picked up her backpack and got out of the car.
"I'll go now so I won't delay you."
"Xiangsi!"
Zhong Pei stopped her.
Seeing his expression, Sheng Xiangsi couldn't help but smile, "What's up? Just say it."
He was already a very important friend to her.
"It's like this."
Zhong Pei scratched the back of his head, somewhat embarrassed, "After I come back, it will be almost my birthday. I want to... invite you to my birthday party."
His birthday party?
Sheng Xiangsi couldn't help but remember the one Fu Mingzhu organized for her at the Fu family's house. Would it be...
Would his family and others be there?
It wouldn't be appropriate for her to go then.
"It's not like that."
Zhong Pei shook his head with a smile, "It's not that grand. Grandma Fu probably had a purpose for organizing such a big event and inviting so many guests. My birthday party will just be some good friends getting together."
Oh.
In that case, it was fine.
Sheng Xiangsi breathed a sigh of relief. She was now considered his friend.
"Xiangsi?" Zhong Pei asked again, "Can you come then?"
"Of course."
Sheng Xiangsi nodded with a smile, "But you'd better give me the specific time so I can make sure I have no other plans."
"Alright! Great!"
Zhong Pei was extremely happy, smiling from ear to ear.
He checked his watch, "I'm running out of time, I have to go to the airport! See you when I get back!"
"See you when you get back!"
Sheng Xiangsi waved goodbye, watching him drive away before turning and walking into the alley, muttering to herself, "Birthday... I need to prepare a birthday gift. What should I get?"
By the way, she had money now.
Su Xingzhe's efficiency in handling things was so high that she had already received the alimony Fu Hanjiang gave her.
Well, quite a lot.
But no matter how much money she had, she couldn't spend it recklessly.
Firstly, it was due to her long-standing habits.
Secondly, there would be more expenses for Junjun in the future, so she needed to save it for him.
It's easy to be swayed by kind words and gestures, which was true.
Speaking of Zhong Pei's birthday gift, what should she give?
Considering Zhong Pei's family background, he naturally lacked nothing. For someone like him, a birthday gift would either be a luxurious present or a thoughtful token.
Luxury? Sheng Xiangsi couldn't afford it.
Then it's a token of appreciation.
On her way to the apartment, Sheng Xiangsi had already figured out what to give him.
Instead of going straight to her rented apartment, she went to the nearby night market. The night market on West 12th Street was bustling at night.
Besides food stalls, there were various daily necessities and small commodities available.
At this time, the night market hadn't officially opened yet, so there weren't many people.
Sheng Xiangsi was lucky and quickly bought what she wanted, and also bought some ingredients.
After returning to the apartment, she prepared the ingredients and steamed the corn.
She was about to perform on stage, so she had
to watch her figure.
Then, she changed into her practice clothes and diligently worked on her basic moves every day. Afterward, she took a shower, cooked dinner, and ate.
Once all these tasks were done, Sheng Xiangsi cleared the only large table in the apartment, leaving it spotless. Then, she opened a plastic bag.
Inside was what she had just bought from the night market—a piece of cloth.
Pure white, pure cotton.
This... was the birthday gift she prepared for Zhong Pei. She planned to make him a shirt by hand.
Yes, Sheng Xiangsi had some "skills."
Her grandmother, Sheng Minghui, was a tailor in her lifetime, and she supported Xiangsi's dance training through this profession.
Learning to dance was not a small expense, and Sheng Minghui truly loved her granddaughter.
Sheng Xiangsi was also a filial child. In her spare time, she followed her grandmother to help with chores, gradually learning some skills.
Although she couldn't compare to her grandmother, she could still make simple shirts, dresses, and the like.
At this moment, Sheng Xiangsi spread out the fabric, recalling Zhong Pei's body shape in her mind.
She roughly had an idea and started outlining the contours on the fabric with chalk.
Calculating the time, there was still more than a week left, which was enough time to make a shirt.
She needed to take it slow and be careful, to make it good.
After all, it was a birthday gift, and Zhong Pei had helped her so much, but she hadn't properly thanked him.
As she started cutting, some memories flashed through her mind...
She had made shirts for Fu Hanjiang before. But when he received them, he didn't seem happy.
Where did that shirt end up?
Perhaps it was buried at the bottom of a dusty box, or maybe... he had thrown it away a long time ago.
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