Liu recalled that when she first arrived, she took a taxi, and the driver immediately remarked upon hearing her accent.

"Learning that I am from Taiwan, the driver enthusiastically recommended beautiful and interesting places in Harbin throughout the journey, and advised me on what to eat, what to pay attention to, and where to seek medical help if I fell ill due to the unfamiliar climate," she said. "I felt like the driver was like a worried father, constantly advising his child before departure."

After careful consideration, she purchased a 260-square-meter space in a commercial office building for her studio.

Despite having broken up with her boyfriend, Liu remained undeterred.

"Although my journey in love ended, my new life in Harbin began, and I've experienced many random and heartwarming moments," she said. "I've met warmhearted neighbors who've helped me with renovations, and various Harbin friends at dinner parties. Harbin is an exceptionally inclusive and warm city."

Most of Liu's students are young women who are middle- to high-income white-collar workers, and so she hopes to provide more extended services in the future.

"We are going to provide beauty and massage services in the studio, making it a place where students can improve their dance skills, enjoy wellness and share a beautiful social circle," she said. "I also hope to open more studios with this model and build them into the most high-end studios in Harbin."

Liu has received great support from her family and friends, and her best friend has come to Harbin to assist her at her studio, she said.

"I hope there will be more young people from Taiwan who come to Harbin to develop their careers," she said.

"I want to show Harbin to my parents, and show them that their daughter is amazing and that Harbin is truly beautiful."

zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn