Chapter 42: Our Chinese Youth Should Be Like This
Lin Lan was already over sixty, yet for the first time in her life, she felt such intense curiosity…
Like a reader eagerly waiting for an author’s update, she was now extremely eager to know the exact content of Pu Tong’s essay.
What a “promoting traditional culture” idea. What a Pu Tong.
All along, traditional culture and traditional dance had been neglected and overlooked.
Many people knew of them, but no one was willing to learn or inherit them…
These things seemed like relics abandoned by the times, living only in people’s memories—just like old folks like them.
When she was young, Lin Lan could only learn dance in a small village troupe.
Conditions there were extremely poor—there were no proper dance studios; they could only practice in the woods.
A crude stage, yet it could not stop a group of girls chasing their dreams in dance. They loved dancing and dreamed of a bigger stage.
But what about now?
People live better lives, stages are more luxurious, yet fewer and fewer people are truly interested in dance.
If they had such good facilities back then, how happy they would have been…
She had lived long enough to see much, but still couldn’t understand why parents now would rather force their children to learn foreign things than let them explore the skills passed down from their ancestors.
After so many years in the profession, this was the first time she had heard a younger generation speak about “promoting traditional culture.”
Isn’t this exactly what today’s youth lack most?
Lin Lan fiddled with a health ball in her hands, her emotions unable to calm down for a long time.
Xiao Xi hadn’t explained clearly over the phone, so she now urgently needed to see the original text herself. She truly wanted to know what exactly this young man named Pu Tong had written.
…
Pu Tong stared at his phone in a daze.
Although he didn’t know what had happened, it seemed that Lin Lan had taken an interest in him.
Someone of her level in the world of art—she was a true pillar, a national treasure-level figure wherever she went. Pu Tong deeply respected people like her.
And now such a person wanted to meet him. Even though he usually preferred a quiet, low-profile life, he couldn’t help feeling a bit excited.
Every old master of the arts deserved the highest respect.
If someone wanted to see him, he couldn’t possibly disrespect her intentions. Since she had spoken, he had to respond properly.
But… could he actually go?
If it was a visit, that would be fine. But if a great artist personally came to see him, that would be far too much honor for him to bear.
People of that level were usually extremely low-profile; once they made any big move, it would attract nationwide attention—let alone personally visiting a junior like him.
He could quietly go visit her, but letting her come to him was absolutely not acceptable.
Pu Tong picked up his phone and prepared to respond tactfully.
Pu Tong: “Um… can we discuss this?”
Lin Yuxi: “?”
Pu Tong: “When I have time, I’ll personally visit her. How about that?”
Lin Yuxi: “But she wants to see you now. If you don’t go, she’ll probably come herself.”
Absolutely not!
That would be way too much for him to handle!
He just wanted a quiet life!
Lin Yuxi: “Unless…”
Pu Tong: “?”
Unless?
Was there still a turning point?
Pu Tong frowned. He had a feeling he was being manipulated.
Lin Yuxi: “Unless you show her your essay!”
So that was her real goal?
She was using a more serious consequence to pressure him, then offering a slightly lighter alternative to force him into compromise.
Pu Tong: “Don’t tell me you mean…”
Lin Yuxi: “If my grandma can’t see your essay, she might get so anxious she comes to see you personally!”
Threat. A blatant threat.
And one that precisely targeted his inability to refuse.
On the other side, Lin Yuxi looked at Pu Tong’s “typing…” indicator and suddenly couldn’t help laughing.
Time rewinds twenty minutes earlier:
Lin Yuxi: “Fib, can you help me get Pu Tong to accept my friend request?”
Yu Wanwan: “Hmm? What for?”
The girl’s tone was full of caution—was this going to be some cliché “female friend stealing boyfriend” drama?
Absolutely not!
Lin Yuxi: “No one’s interested in your Pu Tong. My grandma just wants to see his essay.”
Yu Wanwan: “Not ‘my’…”
Yu Wanwan: “If you ask directly, he definitely won’t agree. I know him too well.”
Lin Yuxi: “Explain?”
Yu Wanwan: “He’ll dodge it in every way possible. If you want it, you have to give him a harder problem first. Then he’ll choose the lesser evil.”
Lin Yuxi: “What if he refuses both?”
Yu Wanwan: “Impossible. He’s not that bold.”
Lin Yuxi nodded thoughtfully.
Thus, the plan was born.
“Looks like Wanwan has him completely figured out,” Lin Yuxi thought.
In truth, Pu Tong had already seen through the trick.
But just as Yu Wanwan predicted—he didn’t dare gamble.
Even if Lin Lan never explicitly said she would come to see him, if she became anxious, that kind of thing might really happen.
“Lin Yuxi… definitely has backup,” he thought helplessly.
And he knew exactly who it was.
Pu Tong: “I’ll send it, but I hope Elder Lin keeps it private and doesn’t publish it.”
Lin Yuxi: “What are you thinking? My grandma doesn’t even know how to use a smartphone.”
Pu Tong: “Then that’s fine.”
She didn’t know how to use a smartphone? Perfect.
No problem then.
He quickly took photos of his essay and sent them over.
Pu Tong: [image.jpg]
Pu Tong: [image.jpg]
Pu Tong: “Your goal is achieved. Let’s cut ties.”
Lin Yuxi: “?”
She almost thought she would immediately be blocked.
Looks like he was a bit unhappy because of their scheme.
She forwarded the images to her father, then carefully looked at them again.
It’s really well written…
“Mom, Xixi got the essay.”
“Quick, let me see!”
Lin Lan took the phone and read carefully.
Her cloudy eyes gradually became clearer.
A memory surfaced:
“When I was young, we could only dance in small places. Why can ballet dancers stand on big stages?”
“Because our ethnic dance is too old… no one watches it anymore.”
The young Lin Lan remembered those words.
From that moment on, she made it her lifelong dream to bring traditional dance to the world stage.
Later, she succeeded. She gained global recognition.
But she still couldn’t truly popularize traditional dance among the masses…
In an instant, she suddenly understood what Xiao Xi had said with tearful eyes.
Times had changed.
If she wanted to bring these things back into the public eye, change was necessary.
Perhaps Xiao Xi was right.
She wiped her eyes and handed the phone back.
“Good. Very good. Excellent!”
“Such insight, such responsibility, such understanding of righteousness!”
“Send this out. Let people learn from it!”
The father quickly understood and logged into her verified account.
“Mom, add a caption?”
“Yes,” the old woman said softly.
“Write this:”
“Our Chinese youth should be like this.”
(End of Chapter)
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