chapter 39

Rumors, Revolution, and Rice Soup

"Some girls plan their weddings. I plan my top-rank results—with a side of dumplings and diaper dreams."

---

The sun climbed gently over the courtyard walls, casting golden beams across the tiled floor. Jia Lan sat at the square dining table with a small stack of high school textbooks, a notepad filled with colorful annotations, and a head full of ambition.

Her seafoam green blouse, embroidered with tiny silver clouds along the collar, matched her soft-pressed cream trousers. She looked elegant—graceful even—but beneath that polished veneer was the soul of a girl determined to conquer chemistry and history in one lifetime.

She sipped warm mung bean porridge as her younger brother Jia Wei stumbled into the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Lan-jie, are you seriously studying this early again?"

"I have to," she replied, turning a page. "The country needs talent."

He blinked. "Huh?"

She set down her spoon with the poise of a noble scholar about to give a speech.

"It's 1976," Jia Lan said solemnly. "The winds of change are blowing. I have a feeling universities will reopen soon. When they do, I'll be ready."

Jia Wei narrowed his eyes. "Are you quoting a revolutionary poster again?"

Before she could answer, Grandfather Jia entered, chuckling. "Actually, she might be right."

Father Jia followed, newspaper tucked under his arm. "We've heard whispers too—from old connections in the municipal offices. There's talk of restoring the national college entrance exam system."

Jia Lan's face lit up.

"I knew it!" she declared. "It's fate! Destiny! My dreams are aligning with national policy!"

Grandmother Jia came in next, rolling her eyes. "Just make sure your dreams still include breakfast and eye rest."

Mother Lin Shunhua poured tea, smiling. "She's serious about it, Mother. She already asked for all the schoolbooks last week."

"I know," Grandmother muttered, inspecting her cup. "I saw her scribbling notes on the back of the noodle price list."

> Confiscated and recycled, Jia Lan thought proudly. Education waits for no pantry inventory.

Father Jia looked over at her. "We support you, Lanlan. If the opportunity truly comes, we'll help however we can."

Grandfather Jia nodded. "It's a good goal to have."

Encouraged, Jia Lan beamed and silently vowed to master algebra and impress her unborn niece or nephew with equations someday.

---

☀️ Midday – Studying & Strange Signs

By noon, Jia Lan had taken over half the living room. Her books were neatly arranged, her flashcards labeled, and her notes pinned along the window frames like banners of scholarly war.

She was halfway through translating a chemistry equation into rhyme (for memory's sake) when Xu Li walked by with a soft groan.

"Still going at it?" Xu Li asked, adjusting her scarf.

Jia Lan looked up and smiled. "Of course! Our future child needs an aunt who knows physics and how to peel oranges with flair."

Xu Li blinked. "Our future child?"

"You and Jia Zhe gege's, of course," Jia Lan teased lightly, not even noticing the faint blush that spread across Xu Li's face.

"Lanlan, you joke too much," Xu Li murmured, touching her temple. "I've been feeling off lately."

"Go rest," Jia Lan said. "You're pale. Maybe it's the season change?"

Xu Li nodded, moving toward her room.

Jia Lan watched her go, then frowned slightly.

> She's really not herself lately…

But the moment passed, and she returned to her color-coded diagram of the Ming dynasty.

---

🌙 Evening – One Dinner, Two Discoveries

Dinner was a typical Jia affair—overfilled plates, overlapping conversations, and food disappearing faster than it could cool. Lotus root fritters, stewed tofu, garlic pea shoots, and pickled radish were spread out in abundance.

Jia Zhe was sneakily plucking tofu chunks from Xu Li's bowl until she pushed it away with a grimace.

"Smells off today," she said softly, barely lifting her chopsticks.

Yao Jing narrowed her eyes. "Jiejie, what's wrong? You didn't even fight for the last fritter."

"I'm not sure. Everything just… smells wrong."

The room quieted.

Grandmother Jia's expression sharpened. Her trained eyes scanned Xu Li's face—pale, a bit bloated, and lightly sweating despite the cool breeze.

"You've been tired," the older woman said suddenly. "You winced this morning when you stood up. And now you're rejecting sour food?"

Xu Li blinked. "I—what?"

"She's pregnant," Grandmother Jia stated calmly.

Jia Zhe dropped his chopsticks.

"WHAT?!"

Even Jia Wei stopped chewing.

"You're sure?" Father Jia asked.

Grandmother Jia gave him a look. "Do you want me to draw a chart on the wall?"

Xu Li's hand trembled slightly. "I didn't even notice… really?"

Mother Lin gasped. "Oh heavens—then you've been running around the house for days!"

Xu Li looked like she might cry.

Grandfather Jia chuckled, lifting his teacup. "Looks like our family's growing again."

Suddenly the room was a waterfall of emotion. Lin Shunhua was wiping her eyes, Jia Wei was yelling about becoming the "coolest uncle," and Yao Jing had already begun listing baby names.

Jia Lan sat in her corner, resting her cheek in her palm, eyes soft with affection.

> A baby. A real one. In this chaotic, wonderful house.

She looked at Xu Li's glowing, shocked face and at her brother's absolute panic-stricken joy.

Then she smiled.

> This baby will be loved.

And I, Jia Lan, will make sure they grow up thinking their aunt is the cleverest person in the world.

"Jie," she called playfully, "when the baby's old enough to talk, I'll be tutoring them in math, so prepare them well."

Xu Li laughed through happy tears. "Only if you change their diapers too."

"I'll supervise," Jia Lan said solemnly. "With grace."

---

📖 Late Evening – Rice Soup and Revolutionary Vows

Later, the house quieted. The laughter had drifted into sleepy chatter. Jia Lan sat alone with a bowl of leftover rice soup and a fresh notebook.

The world's changing.

There will be new policies, new hopes… and a new life in our house.

She tapped her pen against her chin.

I'll study hard. For myself. For my family. And maybe, just maybe—so the next little Jia baby has someone to brag about at kindergarten.

A soft chime echoed in her mind:

> Ding!

🎁 Daily Check-in Complete

💴 Reward: 2 yuan and a sesame candy

She popped the candy into her mouth and smiled.

Sweet. Just like this day.