Chapter 74: The Eve Before the Leap

The days had started to slip by like sand through fingers—swift, silent, and unstoppable.

As October neared its end, the crispness of late autumn was already in the air. Trees had shed most of their leaves, and winter loomed quietly behind each morning breeze. In the Jia household, however, the air was tense with a quiet energy. Not of fear—but of hope and anticipation.

Every morning began the same for Jia Lan now. Before the sun rose completely, she would wrap a scarf around her neck, slip her arms into a padded jacket, and join Grandfather Jia and Grandmother Jia for their walk. Their steps were slow but steady, and Jia Lan, though occasionally tempted to grumble about her stolen beauty sleep, found these walks peaceful.

Grandmother Jia often pointed out things like dew-tipped leaves or chirping sparrows. Grandfather Jia offered nuggets of philosophy, such as, "A steady heart wins even the fiercest battle." Jia Lan listened carefully—even if she sometimes joked about being too sleepy to absorb any wisdom.

Once home, it was breakfast time—always a carefully crafted meal by Mother Jia or Grandmother Jia, both ensuring her brain had all the fuel it needed. Sesame walnut porridge, steamed egg custard, wolfberry jujube soup. Not one day did she eat the same breakfast twice. If she ever skipped so much as a spoonful, Mother Jia would frown and gently tap her bowl with the ladle, saying, "Your brain needs this. Don't you want to walk into that exam hall glowing like a full moon?"

After breakfast, Jia Lan would gather her work bag and make her way to the Youth Arts Bureau. Her days there had grown shorter. Director Xu had already made arrangements for all aspiring exam takers to work half-days and focus on revision. The air at the Bureau buzzed with quiet determination. Even Wang Fei had taken to solving practice math papers between filing reports.

Sometimes he'd peek over his desk and say, "Jia Lan, how do you solve this trigonometry identity?"

She'd help him without hesitation, gently correcting his approach or giving him alternate methods. "Focus on simplification first, Wang Fei. Most questions are easier than they look."

He'd groan dramatically and thank her with a sheepish grin. "Your brain really is something else."

Her afternoons and evenings were entirely dedicated to studying. Grandfather Jia had given up on asking her to prune the bonsai with him. Jia Wei and Jia Zhe were under strict orders to keep Baby Naun away from her study room. Xu Li made sure Jia Lan always had warm hand towels and fresh fruit. Yao Jing brought her calming tea blends from the herbal shop.

And Jia Lan?

She had finished her third full review of high school content. Thanks to her system's supercharged memory and focus boosters, she had completed more than fifty mock test papers in total. Her scores? Consistently excellent.

Every system reward she had received had been invested in this journey: herbal clarity tonics, mental focus incense, practice papers curated by imagined top scholars, and even posture-correcting back support.

She was prepared.

But still… nerves bloomed quietly as the sun set on October 20th.

That night, dinner was extra quiet. Even Baby Naun sensed the tension, gazing at her favorite aunt with wide, curious eyes from Xu Li's lap. Jia Zhe served Jia Lan an extra portion of chicken soup, and Jia Wei added a spoonful of lotus root salad to her plate.

Grandmother Jia gently touched her hand. "Lan'er, you've worked harder than anyone. Now, rest well tonight. Tomorrow is just the next step in your journey."

Mother Jia stood and returned with a bowl of warm goji and white fungus soup, specially brewed to calm the nerves and replenish energy. "You'll drink this and go to bed early. No staying up tonight."

Jia Lan smiled softly. "Yes, Mama."

Even her inner monologue—usually lively and sarcastic—was quiet tonight. She felt like her entire soul was standing on a stage, about to step into the spotlight.

After bidding her family goodnight, she retreated into her room, the system ping gently echoing in her mind.

System Check-In Reward

"Clarity of Mind" Special Focus Elixir (One-time use, effect lasts 24 hours)

"Exam Strategy Scroll": Tailored guidance for pacing and question analysis under timed pressure

Jia Lan stared at the elixir for a long moment.

"So tomorrow… it all begins."

She placed the scroll into her study desk drawer and took a light sip of the elixir. A wave of calmness settled over her—like a lake with no ripples. Her heart, which had thudded nervously all evening, began to steady.

She pulled up her quilt and slid into bed.

Outside her window, the trees rustled lightly in the wind.

Inside her heart, there was peace.

Tomorrow, she would walk into the exam hall not just as someone reborn—but as someone who had earned her second chance.