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

No need to read it, sorry.

In a quiet seaside town, there lived a girl named Lin Xiao. Life in this small town was always slow and leisurely, the sea breeze gently caressing the palm trees lining the streets, and the sun shining on the well-proportioned houses, painting a picture of peaceful times. But in Lin Xiao's heart, she cherished a big dream, a glimmer of light in the distance, constantly drawing her attention.

Lin Xiao has shown a remarkable talent for painting since childhood. With a simple brush, she could depict every corner of her town on paper, from the waves lapping at the seaside to the busy fishermen at the dock. Everything seemed to come alive through her hands. The walls of her home are covered with her childhood drawings, those delicate yet vibrant lines bearing witness to her ever-growing love for painting.

However, Lin Xiao's family wasn't wealthy; his parents made ends meet by running a small grocery store in their small town. While his parents expressed support for Lin Xiao's dream of studying professional painting in a big city and becoming a painter, their worried eyes betrayed their inner concerns. After all, the high cost of living in a big city and the hefty tuition fees were undoubtedly a heavy burden for this modest family.

Despite this, Lin Xiao had no intention of backing down. After graduating from high school, she resolutely packed her bags, carrying her meager savings and a heart full of hope, and boarded a train bound for the bustling city. Arriving in the big city, the towering skyscrapers and bustling streets filled her with both excitement and a touch of bewilderment. She rented a small, dimly lit basement, its damp air and simple surroundings a stark contrast to her comfortable small-town home. But she didn't care; her only concern was how to quickly enroll in a professional painting training institution.

To earn tuition and living expenses, Lin Xiao went out before dawn every day to paint portraits on the street. She set up a simple easel, arranged her painting tools, and waited for passersby to stop and have their portraits painted. At first, interest was scarce; the occasional curious passerby would glance over, only to shake their heads and walk away. Undeterred, Lin Xiao constantly refined her painting style, using more delicate brushstrokes and more vivid colors to capture the spirit of her subjects. Gradually, more people came to her for portraits, and she began to earn a small income.

Finally, after saving enough for her first painting course, Lin Xiao entered the training center she'd always dreamed of. The classroom was filled with professional painting tools, paintings by masters hung on the walls, and she was surrounded by classmates who shared her passion for painting. At that moment, she felt one step closer to her dream. In class, she eagerly learned various painting techniques, listening attentively to the teacher's every word. After class, she would stay in the classroom to practice repeatedly, often dragging her exhausted body back to the basement late at night.

As time went by, Lin Xiao's painting skills improved dramatically. She began to enter small painting competitions. Although she didn't achieve great results at first, she carefully recorded the judges' comments, pondered them carefully, and made targeted improvements.

By chance, a local gallery was hosting an exhibition of works by young artists and soliciting submissions. Lin Xiao was thrilled to learn this, believing it was a rare opportunity to showcase her talents. So, she spent nearly a month meticulously creating an oil painting titled "Morning Light in a Seaside Town." In the painting, the seaside town shimmers in the morning sunlight, a few seagulls soar in the sky, and the coastal houses are shrouded in a faint golden halo, imbued with an atmosphere of tranquility and beauty.

When she submitted this work for the competition, she was actually quite nervous, considering the numerous competitors, many of whom were already established artists. However, she was surprised to see it stand out from the crowd and be selected by the gallery for exhibition. On the opening day, Lin Xiao stood in front of her work, watching the visitors stop to admire it and listening to their praises. Her eyes welled up. In that moment, she knew all her years of hard work had paid off. The dream that had once been out of reach now seemed within reach.

With the success of this exhibition, Lin Xiao began to gain some fame in the local painting community. She began to receive commissions from clients, and even galleries expressed interest in long-term collaborations. She also moved from her dark basement to a small apartment, significantly improving her living conditions. However, she remained unperturbed by this success, continuing to paint daily and exploring new styles and themes.

She often thought of her parents in the small town where she had come from. She used the money she earned to send them gifts, assuring them that everything was fine and asking them not to worry. Receiving the gifts, her parents were relieved and touched, and immensely proud of their daughter's perseverance and success.

In the years that followed, Lin Xiao continued to participate in various large-scale art exhibitions, and her work gained increasing recognition and appreciation. Her paintings began to transcend the city and reach a wider world. The glimmer of her dream had now converged into a brilliant light, illuminating her path forward. With the same passion and perseverance she had at the beginning, she continued to pursue her dreams in the world of painting, using her brush to depict more beautiful stories in life and inspire young people with similar dreams. With perseverance, that glimmer of hope will eventually blossom into a dazzling brilliance.