Everyone had a different personality, different experiences, and thus made different choices.
The book *Canglang Water* was clearly written for those who needed to navigate the workplace, blend into society, and drift with the tide.
Chen Jingle was not one of those people. His personality dictated that he could never master the intricate nuances of worldly politics. This was especially true after the unpleasant events he had experienced, which had left him with no desires and no fears.
It was an entirely different attitude toward life. In the context of the book, it was the difference between engaging with the world and withdrawing from it.
"I finally understand what you meant when you said ’reading is entertainment,’" Chen Jingle said thoughtfully.
Some books were meant to be read without the pressure of necessarily learning something from them; reading just for the sake of it was fine too. After all, some concepts and truths could only be truly understood and realized after experiencing them firsthand. Regardless, the first step was simply to read. Reading with a relaxed mindset was always easier than reading with a mandatory mission.
[It is wonderful that our smart little Chen Jingle can realize this.]
Chen Jingle smiled without saying a word and silently placed the book back on the shelf. He turned around and picked out a collection of classical poetry.
Compared to lengthy treatises, he actually preferred poetry. It had a certain elegance, as well as beautiful, lyrical emotions. And the true charm of ancient poetry was something perhaps only native speakers could fully grasp.
Whether it was a biased filter or an illusion, Chen Jingle always felt that people well-versed in classical poetry naturally exuded a scholarly aura. The few such individuals he had met truly embodied the saying that a person’s inner brilliance comes from their literary cultivation.
He was far from that level himself; he could only look on in envy. He envied how they could speak in elegant prose and quote literature effortlessly.
When expressing themselves, they could invoke the aesthetic beauty of "Drunk, I know not the sky is in the water; a boat filled with clear dreams presses upon the river of stars," the melancholy of "A few notes from a bamboo flute, evening at the farewell pavilion; you head for Xiaoxiang, while I head for Qin," or the absolute resolve of "Bitter sacrifice strengthens bold resolve, which dares to make sun and moon shine in new skies."
Instead of just defaulting to "Same here" or "Awesome."
This poetry collection was much thinner than *Canglang Water*, yet Chen Jingle spent far more time on it. He was not just reading; he was enjoying the process. After all, he had a genuine, heartfelt interest in classical poetry.
Being able to completely immerse himself in the ocean of verses, as if crossing the long river of time to converse with the ancients—nothing was more fascinating than this.
He read until the system notification chimed.
[After-class reading time is over. Let us stop our hard work here for today. Our smart little Chen Jingle has done a fantastic job. Next up is bedtime. Only with adequate sleep can you guarantee the speed of your body’s growth and development.]
"Uh, is it time?" Chen Jingle subconsciously checked the clock.
WHOA.
Without him realizing it, it was already 10:00 PM. He had been reading for almost three hours.
"Time to sleep then." He yawned and put the book back on the shelf.
He had already brushed his teeth while showering earlier, so all he needed to do was turn off the lights and lie down on the bed.
[The dark sky hangs low~]
[The bright stars follow~]
OH.
It actually came with a considerate lullaby feature.
Jokes aside, the system’s voice was quite beautiful when singing. That sensation of being wrapped in boundless love washed over him once again.
It was incredibly cozy.
However, before Chen Jingle could even see his life flash before his eyes in a sleepy haze, his eyelids began to fight each other. Halfway through a yawn, he fell fast asleep.
[Goodnight.]
An unknown amount of time later, he was jolted awake by the sound of an alarm clock.
An alarm clock?
He thought, "Wait, I didn’t set an alarm on my phone!"
Chen Jingle groggily opened his eyes, only to realize that it wasn’t his phone ringing at all—it was the system’s alarm.
[Baby, it’s time to wake up~]
"No way, it’s only six in the morning. Why get up so early?"
He had slept very well last night, and his head didn’t hurt at all. However, because he had worked out for a full hour yesterday afternoon, he woke up this morning exactly as expected: his entire body ached terribly, as if he had been brutally beaten up.
He didn’t want to move!
[Diligent children have already gotten up to brush their teeth, wash their faces, and eat breakfast by this time. Do not forget, little Chen Jingle needs to get up early to exercise.]
"I didn’t forget. You just never told me I had to get up early to exercise," Chen Jingle said, rolling his eyes amidst a yawn. Having to wake up bright and early just to work out—this was ridiculous!
[Anyway, hurry up and get out of bed! Time to rise and shine!]
"I know, I know!"
Complaints aside, Chen Jingle still dragged himself out of bed. He considered himself lucky that it was summer; if it were winter, there was no way he’d be able to crawl out from under the warm blankets.
He started with a glass of warm water, went to the bathroom to relieve himself, and emerged finally feeling awake.
"Are there any specific exercises assigned?"
[Free exercise is fine. The whole day’s work depends on a good start in the morning. Stretching your muscles and bones after waking up awakens dormant cells, injects vitality into your life, and lays a solid foundation for long-term health. You can definitely do it, right, baby?]
What can I say, man?
However, Chen Jingle had to carefully consider what exactly he was going to do.
First, he ruled out jogging. There were no professional tracks nearby, and he had no desire to make a fool of himself in the village and become the subject of after-dinner gossip for the neighborhood aunts and grannies. Furthermore, he definitely didn’t want to run aimlessly on the main roads and get run over for obstructing traffic.
It was best to stick to indoor exercises.
Given that the aftereffects of yesterday’s workout were still very present, he decided to temporarily skip strength training like push-ups and squats for today—or at least for this morning.
"I choose you, jump rope!"
He dug out a long-forgotten, dust-gathering cordless jump rope from a corner. Luckily, it still worked.
Jumping rope was actually an excellent fat-burning exercise. Keeping at it for an hour could burn around 200 calories. Not that this mattered much to him, considering he was already quite skinny. At the same time, jumping rope helped stimulate height growth. As long as one’s growth plates hadn’t closed yet, jumping rope frequently was highly beneficial.
Whether or not a thirty-year-old could still grow taller was debatable, but Chen Jingle knew that as long as he completed the tasks, the system would issue rewards.
That was enough. Even if the rewards were a bit unconventional, it didn’t matter. As the saying went, many drops make an ocean! As long as he persevered, it wouldn’t be long before his entire being underwent a world-shaking transformation.
"Let’s begin!" Chen Jingle was brimming with confidence.
After all, he was someone who had scored full marks in the jump rope portion of his middle school physical education exam. Even though that was fourteen or fifteen years ago, it didn’t stop him from feeling totally capable now.
Three minutes later.
Chen Jingle stood there, holding a rope ball in one hand while leaning against the wall with the other, panting heavily. "Give me a sec... Let me rest for a sec..."
He thought, "Damn it, I’m an idiot. There’s no minimum score requirement, so why the hell am I jumping so fast? It’s a full hour! I’ve only done a few hundred jumps, what am I supposed to do for the next fifty-seven minutes?"
He decisively changed his tactics, opting for a steady, even-paced jumping rhythm. He aimed to keep going for at least five minutes before taking a break. Five minutes was already pretty impressive—at least it was better than three minutes.
In the end, through unyielding perseverance and sheer willpower, Chen Jingle finally survived the hour.
He was dog-tired!
Moreover, he had sweated profusely. His whole body felt sticky and gross; he’d definitely need to shower soon.
[Baby is amazing! You have successfully completed the exercise task. Reward: Height +0.1 centimeters. Current height: 173.2 centimeters.]
Heh, he knew it.
Chen Jingle let out a soft sigh. "What’s next?"
[First, rest for ten minutes. Next is breakfast time. A regular diet and balanced nutrition are key factors for a baby’s healthy growth. Please ensure our little Chen Jingle completes his meal task on time. The breakfast duration is limited to half an hour. You can definitely do it, right, baby?]
"Fine. I guess I’ll shower after eating breakfast."