["European Journal of Education, Volume 61, Issue 3, September 2026. ", "\nABSTRACT\nThis study explores the emotional journeys of three pre‐service teachers during their rural teaching practicum in China, focusing on how emotional labour develops and shapes teacher well‐being. Using reflexive thematic analysis of three narrative cases, the study traces participants' emotional labour trajectories over time. The findings show that all three teachers initially engaged in genuine expression before shifting to surface acting in response to practicum tensions, with two subsequently developing deep acting, whereas one remained reliant on surface acting. These divergent trajectories emerged through guided reflection that fostered critical emotional reflexivity, which was enabled or constrained by structural and contextual conditions. By providing a process‐oriented account of emotional labour trajectories during practicum, the study contributed to a deeper understanding of how pre‐service teacher well‐being evolved and fluctuated over time and offered practical implications for teacher education and rural practicum support.\n"]