Ji-li is in music class when she’s summoned to the principal’s office. That’s every kid’s worst nightmare.
It’s not what you think, though: There’s a People’s Liberation Army officer there who asks her to show off her bends. Um, okay.
Ji-li is a little confused. Why would the Liberation Army care about how well she does her martial arts?
Still, she struts her stuff and nails it.
Later that day, the principal calls her out of class again. Uh-oh·
This time, Principal Long announces that Ji-li and three other students have been chosen to audition for the Liberation Army’s dance class.
Boom.
Ji-li is thrilled she’s always wanted to be a performer, just like her mom. She must have passed the test.
Rushing home, Ji-li can barely contain herself. She can’t wait to spill the beans to her family about this big honor.
When she gets there, though, her dad doesn’t think it’s such a good idea.
Her mom explains that the dance troupe is super-competitive.
They make Dance Moms look like a spa day.
That’s not why Ji-li’s dad isn’t stoked, though. Sure, the dance troupe is bloodthirsty, but Ji-li’s dad is more worried about what the Liberation Army will find out about the family if she joins.
See, before people can call themselves part of the renowned dance troupe, they have to go through a background check. We’re talking black-ops, James Bond level of rigorous check.
Ji-li’s dad knows their family won’t pass that level of scrutiny, and he’d rather not have their dirty laundry aired in public.
Wait, what? Ji-li is shocked. She always thought she had a perfect life; she never knew her family had skeletons in the closet.
Even more frustrating, her dad won’t fill her in on the deets, instead busting out the age-old parent line “you’re too young to understand.” Ugh.
Bummed out, Ji-li sulks a little in her room. She tells us a little bit about her family.
Her dad is an actor who mainly plays the villain in children’s theater but is always loving and kind at home. Even though her mom doesn’t work anymore, she was an amazing performer, too.
Then there’s her grandma. She helped start Xin Er Primary School (where Ji-li now goes) back in the day when it was a lot tougher for women to have careers in China. (Remember, the book takes place in 1966, so this is way back in the day.)
Ji-li also has two younger siblings: Ji-yong (who is 11) and Ji-yun (who is 10). Everyone lives together, along with the housekeeper, Song Po-po.
Sometimes her dad’s buddies come over for a salon. Ji-li’s not exactly sure what that is, but they all have interesting stories and are nice to her.
The next day at school, Ji-li delivers the bad news that she won’t be auditioning for the troupe.
She’s too chicken to tell anyone, though, so she hands Principal Long a note from her dad and runs away.
Later, her bestie, An Yi says Ji-li’s acting like a different person now; she’s all quiet and hiding in the shadows instead of talking to anyone.
Ji-li tells us that’s because she doesn’t want people to question her about the troupe. She’s not sure what she would say.
Even though her other classmates don’t make it past the audition, Ji-li is still really bummed out. It’s not just about the troupe, though she doesn’t know what her future will be like in general now. It’s as though everything’s different than she planne
Remember! This is just a sample.
You can get a custom paper by one of our expert writers.
Get your custom essay
Helping students since 2015
Essay Writing Service Features
Our Experience
No matter how complex your assignment is, we can find the right professional for your specific task. Contact Essay is an essay writing company that hires only the smartest minds to help you with your projects. Our expertise allows us to provide students with high-quality academic writing, editing & proofreading services.
Free Features
Free revision policy
$10Free bibliography & reference
$8Free title page
$8Free formatting
$8How Our Essay Writing Service Works
First, you will need to complete an order form. It's not difficult but, in case there is anything you find not to be clear, you may always call us so that we can guide you through it. On the order form, you will need to include some basic information concerning your order: subject, topic, number of pages, etc. We also encourage our clients to upload any relevant information or sources that will help.
Complete the order form
Once we have all the information and instructions that we need, we select the most suitable writer for your assignment. While everything seems to be clear, the writer, who has complete knowledge of the subject, may need clarification from you. It is at that point that you would receive a call or email from us.
Writer’s assignment
As soon as the writer has finished, it will be delivered both to the website and to your email address so that you will not miss it. If your deadline is close at hand, we will place a call to you to make sure that you receive the paper on time.
Completing the order and download