I, Suiren, will teach Ziyi how to make stockings.

I'm sick. I have abdominal pain, swelling, and bleeding. I have to go to the hospital for a colonoscopy tomorrow. Everyone, please don't drink too much. I've already owed you two days. I'm so impressed. I'm crying (?2?5д?2?5;))

It was a gloomy afternoon, the sky was covered by a huge gray curtain, and a heavy rain was about to pour down. At the crowded bus station, people were in a hurry, anxiously waiting for the bus to arrive.

In a remote corner of a bustling city, there's a small art supply shop owned by Grandpa Chen, nearly sixty years old. This shop carries his lifelong passion and dreams, and is filled with a wide variety of brushes, paints, and drawing paper, exuding a unique artistic atmosphere.

A girl named Xiaoyan often visits the shop. She's loved painting since childhood, her eyes always gleaming with a longing for art. Every time she enters the shop, she pauses for a long time before the brushes, carefully selecting one. Grandpa Chen patiently explains the characteristics of each brush to her. Although Xiaoyan comes from a humble background, she's steadily improving her painting skills through hard work. Her biggest dream is to hold her own exhibition, allowing more people to see the beautiful world she envisions.

However, life dealt Xiaoyan a heavy blow. In an important painting competition, she underperformed, her ranking plummeting. Her parents, who had once supported her painting, began to waver, believing it offered little future and urging her to focus on her academic studies. Xiaoyan fell into deep self-doubt. She stopped visiting Grandpa Chen's art shop, and the brushes seemed a distant luxury. She locked all her supplies in a cabinet, determined to give up painting.

Grandpa Chen noticed something was wrong with Xiaoyan and after making inquiries, he learned what was going on. One weekend, he knocked on Xiaoyan's door, carrying a set of exquisite paintbrushes and a painting album. Xiaoyan opened the door and saw Grandpa Chen, her eyes filled with surprise and emotion. Grandpa Chen smiled and said, "Girl, one failure is nothing. Look, these paintbrushes are waiting to bloom in your hands, and this painting album is filled with stories of great painters who have experienced setbacks and stood up again."

Xiaoyan took the paintbrush and album, gently flipping through it. Her hand unconsciously clenched around the paintbrush as she gazed at the inspiring words and paintings. Grandpa Chen added, "Grandpa, I've run an art supply store my whole life. I've seen so many talented children like you who love painting. How can you give up just because of a small setback? Dreams, if you grit your teeth and persevere, will eventually come true."

Encouraged by Grandpa Chen, Xiaoyan picked up her paintbrush again. After finishing her daily homework, she immersed herself in the world of painting, sketching sunrises and sunsets, and the everyday life in the streets and alleys. Later, she submitted her work to various online platforms, where it unexpectedly garnered widespread praise and acclaim. A gallery even contacted her, offering to help her organize an exhibition.

On the day of the exhibition, Grandpa Chen also attended. Looking at the wall filled with Xiaoyan's paintings and the renewed confidence in her eyes, he smiled with satisfaction. Xiaoyan approached Grandpa Chen and excitedly said, "Grandpa, if it weren't for you, I might have lost this paintbrush and my dream forever. Thank you." Grandpa Chen patted her shoulder and said, "Girl, it's you who didn't give up. Your persistence and passion are the most valuable. I hope you will create more wonderful works in the future." At that moment, the lights at the exhibition seemed to become especially warm, witnessing this beautiful story of dreams and perseverance.