Chapter 95:A Lazy Weekend Beckons

The golden hues of sunset spilled across the quiet courtyard as the tall gates creaked open and Jia Lan rolled in slowly on her bicycle. The wheels clicked gently over the cobbled path, and the air still carried a soft warmth, with a hint of autumn whispering through the trees.

Aunt Li was already at the doorstep, wiping her hands on a clean white apron, a welcoming smile lighting up her gentle face.

"You're back, Miss Lan. You're a little late today." Her voice was as soothing as ever, like a lullaby wrapped in care.

Jia Lan parked her bicycle neatly and adjusted the soft cream-colored scarf draped over her shoulder. Today she wore a pale lavender blouse tucked into a tailored beige skirt, her hair pulled back in a loose but elegant braid. A faint pink blush still lingered on her cheeks from the chilly breeze outside, and her eyes sparkled with that peculiar glint of having encountered something or someone interesting.

She stepped out of her shoes at the doorway, her voice lilting as she replied, "I stopped for a chat with a new acquaintance."

"Oh?" Aunt Li's brows lifted with quiet curiosity. "Someone from your college?"

Jia Lan nodded as she removed her coat and hung it carefully on the stand by the door. "Mhm. His name is Zhao Cheng. He's in the engineering department or chinese literature, I think. I ran into him by chance. He's… well-mannered."

She didn't mention how tall he stood under the rustling gingko tree, sunlight brushing across his serious face. Nor how his voice was steady when he introduced himself, or how she had frozen for just a breath when she heard his name Zhao Cheng a name from the book she had read in her previous life. A name with a tragic arc.

"Zhao Cheng? That name sounds familiar," Aunt Li murmured while walking toward the kitchen. "Well, it's the weekend tomorrow. Are you planning to go out?"

Jia Lan stretched her arms lightly and let out a satisfied sigh. "Not a chance. I'm going to be a lazy beauty and sleep in. Just one day without classes or lectures… it's a blessing."

She padded into her bedroom, her feet bare against the smooth wood floor, and grabbed her towel. "Auntie, I'm going to bathe first. Make something warm and sweet for dinner?"

"What would you like?"

Jia Lan's voice rang from behind the door, soft and relaxed. "Noodles. Something with soup. And… red bean soup or osmanthus cake if you have time."

Aunt Li chuckled. "That I can do. I'll make it all from scratch."

Steam curled around Jia Lan as she slipped into the bath. The water was just right warm enough to dissolve all the fatigue from her body. The faint scent of jasmine bath powder mixed with soft steam, enveloping her in comfort. As she lay there, her thoughts drifted again to Zhao Cheng.

He had stood with a worn satchel slung over one shoulder, his shirt neatly pressed but a little faded. There was nothing overly eye-catching about him, but his composure was firm, like someone who had braved hardship and walked out stronger.

"Zhao Cheng… I can't believe he survived," she murmured to herself, letting the water hug her.

In the original book, his story had ended in the countryside overlooked, neglected, and tragically discarded by the family who should have loved him.The book didn't write about him or his family much.But now, he was here. Alive. Reborn, maybe?

"Maybe this life will be kinder to him," she thought, smiling faintly.

After her bath, wrapped in a fluffy towel robe, Jia Lan sat by the desk in her room, the retro green telephone in the corner silently waiting. She dialed the long string of numbers that connected her to her home back in the provincial city.

"Lan Lan!" her mother's warm, excited voice crackled through the line. "It's so late! I was just about to call you!"

Jia Lan giggled. "I was in the bath. How is everything at home?"

"Oh, busy as ever. Your father's colleagues came over yesterday. We had a tea tasting. Your grandmother's going to visit next week. And guess what? Aunt Xu's daughter ran away with a cinema usher! Everyone is talking about it!"

Jia Lan's mouth dropped open. "No way! Really?"

"I'll send you a letter about the details," her mother said conspiratorially. "Tell me, how is school? Still topping the class, I hope?"

"I'm managing," Jia Lan said humbly, then added, "Actually, I met someone interesting today. Zhao Cheng."

There was a long pause. "Zhao Cheng? That name… why does it sound familiar?"

Jia Lan leaned forward. "He's the one from the Zhao family. You remember the gossip, right? His father changed his own son's name just to get his nephews to the countryside posting…"

"Oh, that family! That poor boy." Her mother sighed. "I always said, that man has a heart made of stone. Imagine raising your son like that. I heard the aunt still walks around with her nose in the air like her sons are little emperors."

"Well," Jia Lan said thoughtfully, "He's here now. He made it. Got into college, even looks well. I was glad to see it."

"Hmm. Keep your eyes open around that family, though. They'll squeeze anyone for their own gain if given the chance."

Jia Lan hummed in agreement. After a few more exchanges of news, laughter, and reminders to eat properly, she hung up and padded to the dining area.

The small dining table was already set with steaming bowls. Handmade wheat noodles floated in rich bone broth, topped with greens, sliced egg, and tofu. A little bowl of chili oil sat on the side, and beside it an exquisite red bean soup, still steaming, with a sprinkle of osmanthus petals.

"Aunt Li, you're a treasure," Jia Lan declared as she dug in.

"You spoil me with praise, Miss," Aunt Li replied, sitting at the edge of the room while knitting a small cap.

After dinner, Jia Lan slipped into a cozy knit cardigan and walked barefoot into the quiet moonlit garden. The lanterns were already lit, casting soft glows between the trees. Crickets sang in the bushes. Her steps were light on the stone path as she paused to look up at the waxing moon.

Ding! Ding! System Check-In Complete.

Reward: 20 Yuan + Sweet Rice Cakes

She chuckled. "Perfect for midnight snack."

As she returned indoors, Aunt Li handed her a warm glass of milk. "Sleep early, Miss Lan. Rest is important too."

Jia Lan smiled, her eyes crinkling softly. "I will. Goodnight, Auntie."

She returned to her room, changed into soft pink cotton nightwear, and snuggled under the covers. Her fluffy quilt smelled faintly of lavender sachets, and her pillow was just the right firmness.

The world outside may still be noisy, spinning fast with exams, politics, and the expectations of the time but here, in her little courtyard haven, Jia Lan was safe, warm, and content.

Tomorrow, she would be lazy. Tomorrow, she would dream.

And maybe just maybe she would dream of alot of money and food.