Chapter 12

There was still one day left before Lin Yilan’s school term began.

Just before the start of the semester, Lin Yilan made a special effort to say goodbye to her friend Fang Fang, who lived in the same residential compound.

Since deciding to retake the college entrance exam, Fang Fang had already returned to school for her repeat year.

Lin Yilan arrived just as classes were letting out at noon.

To avoid disturbing Fang Fang’s studies, Lin Yilan planned to have lunch with her.

She waited less than three minutes at the school gate before seeing Fang Fang sprinting out.

“I’m here!”

Lin Yilan stood on her tiptoes, waving to Fang Fang, who was still scanning the crowd.

Hearing Lin Yilan’s voice, Fang Fang’s eyes lit up, and she made her way over with the flow of students.

“Xiao Lan, we’ve only been apart for a few days, but it feels like an eternity.”

Lin Yilan handed Fang Fang a bag she was carrying. “I’m reporting tomorrow. These are some snacks I bought for you—if you get hungry, you can have some.”

Without hesitation, Fang Fang opened the bag and her eyes sparkled. “Xiao Lan, you’re way too good to me. You even went to the Friendship Store to get me chocolate. You’re practically my half-sister—my real sister wouldn’t even buy me this chocolate.”

She hugged Lin Yilan’s arm. “Do you still have money? If you don’t, just tell me—I can lend you some! I saved up quite a bit before, but now that I’m studying again, I don’t really need it.”

“Don’t worry. This is money I earned working in the countryside. The state also gives subsidies for university, and my grandparents, parents, and siblings all give me money,” Lin Yilan said, steering Fang Fang toward a newly opened private restaurant by the roadside.

She wasn’t careless enough to empty her pockets buying gifts for a friend without a plan.

The reason Lin Yilan had gone to such effort and expense to buy chocolate was not only because they were friends but also to repay the kindness Fang Fang’s mother had shown her since she came to the compound.

She looked at the increasingly lively school gate. Although it wasn’t yet as bustling as it would be in later years, it was already beginning to resemble the vibrant street scenes of the future.

Street vendors sold sweet potatoes, roasted sunflower seeds, hair ties, bootleg celebrity posters and merchandise, as well as some quality stationery. The shops, too, offered an equally diverse array of goods.

When she first came here, there hadn’t been such novelties. Truly, times were changing rapidly.

As they sat waiting for their food, Fang Fang relayed the information Lin Yilan had asked her to dig up: “Xiao Lan, you wanted me to check on Du Ronglan, right? I asked around. She’s now renting a place with her mother near Jing University, selling braised pork. I heard she’s started selling tea eggs too.”

“I’ve eaten their braised pork before—it’s pretty good,” Fang Fang added.

Lin Yilan paused with her chopsticks. Du Ronglan’s family situation remained unchanged, just as in the original story.

“Xiao Lan, do you want me to ask my mom to buy some and bring it to your school?” Fang Fang asked curiously.

Lin Yilan looked into Fang Fang’s big, dark eyes and gently tapped her. “Focus on your studies. If I want some, I’ll buy it myself.”

Fang Fang covered her forehead. “I heard university is really busy. My deskmate’s neighbor’s kid is in college and told me that besides classes, they basically spend all their time in the library.”

“College sounds amazing—you get to learn so much. No wonder so many people want to go.”

Hearing that, Lin Yilan couldn’t help but smile. It was the first time she’d heard such a description.

“So if you envy me, make sure to study hard. If there’s something you don’t understand, save your questions. When I report to school, I’ll give you the address so you can write to me. Or I’ll come back to the compound and visit you.”

Fang Fang put down her chopsticks, sighing, “I always say the people in the compound are just jealous of your family, so they talk badly about you all the time. You’re so kind-hearted, but they say you’re arrogant. If they knew how much you helped me, they’d probably be furious.”

Lin Yilan smiled but didn’t answer. “Finish your meal quickly. You can rest a little after going back to class.”

Fang Fang nodded vigorously.

After finishing their meal and settling the bill, Lin Yilan accompanied Fang Fang back to school.

Watching her friend’s retreating figure, Lin Yilan marveled at the mysterious bonds between people.

From her past life to this one, she knew clearly she was not a warmhearted person, so she could guess how others judged her.

Unlike her second sister, who was cold outside but warm inside, Lin Yilan felt her nature was consistent inside and out.

Yet this life was a little different from the last; in her previous life, she had no one she wanted to protect, but this time, anyone who harmed her family would have to trample over her first.

After all, that was the one thing she owned across both lives.

Lin Yilan looked up as a sparse flock of sparrows flew past.

—

Time passed swiftly.

For students, registration day was a whirlwind of activity.

In Lin Yilan’s family, besides teachers, everyone was a student. On registration day, no one had it easy.

Since her siblings attended different schools, Lin Yilan had to handle her own registration alone.

Her parents, being teachers, were busier than all five children combined.

The family felt guilty—after all, university registration was very important.

But Lin Yilan didn’t mind in the slightest; to her, it wasn’t that crucial.

After completing all the registration formalities, she finally went to her dorm to unpack.

Standing before the dormitory building, Lin Yilan was momentarily stunned despite having prepared herself mentally.

If she hadn’t misheard, this dormitory had just been newly built.

The entire building looked dingy and gray. Although it was daytime, the lighting made it seem dark.

Especially the staircase, where the cement steps confirmed the dorm was new. But cement inside really affected the lighting.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so dark in the stairwell on such a bright day.

Passing through the dim stairs, she finally reached the fourth floor.

Just as she had expected, the dorm room door was open.

After all, keeping the door open allowed more light inside.

When Lin Yilan stood at the door, she saw two girls already tidying their beds.

Seeing her enter, they paused and greeted her.

“Hello, I’m Wang Xiaohong.”

“Hello, I’m Hang Xiulan.”

Lin Yilan looked at the two girls. Wang Xiaohong’s complexion was pale and her clothes patched, much like most people at the time, although her face was slightly healthier. Hang Xiulan was very different—thin but with fair skin, wearing a fashionable pink “Dacron” shirt, clearly a wealthy and trendy girl.

After a quick glance, Lin Yilan smiled and waved. “Hello, I’m Lin Yilan from the Architecture Department.”

While Lin Yilan sized them up, they were also observing her.

Especially Wang Xiaohong, who had been nervous upon seeing Hang Xiulan’s appearance but relaxed when she saw Lin Yilan dressed in a military green short-sleeve top, black pants, and liberation shoes.

Though it might be embarrassing to admit, facing Hang Xiulan’s obvious “city girl” aura had made her uneasy.

As Wang Xiaohong’s mind raced with various thoughts, Hang Xiulan spoke up.

“Aren’t you in Automation? We’re all in Automation. You’re not in the wrong dorm, are you?”

Lin Yilan shook her head and placed her bag on the upper bed by the window. “No, I’m not. When I registered earlier, the dorm supervisor said this dorm houses students from different majors.”

Hang Xiulan nodded thoughtfully. “So that’s how it is.”

The room fell quiet again as the three focused on their own tasks.

After cleaning her bed and desk, Lin Yilan left the dorm.

After touring the library, Lin Yilan couldn’t help but feel moved.

No wonder everyone chose to study there—using the dormitory would strain the eyes.

Next, she took her registration proof to the cafeteria.

“Teacher, I’m a new student here to exchange this month’s meal tickets.”

“All right, Comrade Lin Yilan. Architecture Department, right?”

“Yes.”

After receiving a stack of meal tickets, she queued up at the bathhouse to exchange for bath tokens.

Once all formalities were complete, Lin Yilan found a quiet spot to zone out.

The last time she had seen such vouchers was, it seemed, during a visit to an old artifacts exhibition in her previous life.

She carefully counted all the tickets before tucking them away.

These were her basic living provisions for the coming month.

At this moment, Lin Yilan suddenly gained a new appreciation for attending university.

Though she had heard many say college was wonderful, and had heard about the privileged life of university students in her previous life, she had never truly felt it until holding this stack of meal tickets.

Now she truly understood that going to university was indeed a precious opportunity to be cherished.