Song Cheng had returned three days after the high school entrance exams. She remembered that her results hadn’t been very good that year—she’d fallen two points short of No. 1 High School’s minimum cutoff. Still, she’d been fairly satisfied at the time, because only she knew how far her mind had wandered in the lead-up to the exams. Back in her third year of middle school, she’d been so stressed that she’d become obsessed with novels. She would hide under the covers in the middle of the night, reading all kinds of romance novels. She’d read everything she could get her hands on, and the teachers had confiscated plenty of books. Her parents had talked to her about it many times, too, but none of it had done any good. Looking back now, she realized that she’d been at the age when a girl’s romantic fancies ran high. She’d already been quietly imagining whether the school heartthrob had the qualities of a novel’s male lead, then fantasizing about a romantic encounter with him. The thought was mortifying.
After her exam results came out, Uncle Qin had suggested that Mom send Song Cheng to No. 1 High School, though it would mean paying a school-choice fee. Song Cheng had thought that studying was studying, wherever she went. If she buckled down in high school, her intelligence should still be enough to get her into a good university. Besides, No. 2 High School was closer to home, and her parents wouldn’t have to pay extra for her.
But later she realized she’d been taking things for granted. She’d been so foolishly overconfident. No. 2 High School couldn’t compare with No. 1 in the quality of its teachers, its teaching methods, or its facilities. No. 1 was the best high school in the city; getting in meant you were already halfway through the university gates. She’d heard that even the worst class at No. 1 had a fifty percent chance of getting students into a key university. At No. 2, many students from wealthy families had bought their way in. Even at No. 1, anyone trying to buy their way in still had to score fairly close to the cutoff. So compared with No. 1, the academic atmosphere at No. 2 was much worse. Uncle Qin had told Mom all this time and again, but Mom Song felt the decision should be left mainly to the child. In the end, she had reluctantly turned him down, and Uncle Qin had been furious. Every time they met after that, he brought it up again. This time, Song Cheng decided to take his advice.
She checked the time. It was already five in the afternoon, and her parents would be getting off work soon. Song Cheng decided to make dinner.
Dad Song worked at a state-owned enterprise in the industrial district on the east side of the city. He worked regular nine-to-five hours, and his job was fairly easy. Mom Song ran a women’s clothing shop near the night market. There was an aviation vocational school nearby, so her shop had built up a steady group of regular customers. But with summer vacation starting recently, Mom Song had begun closing up earlier.
Song Cheng wasn’t much of a cook. She hadn’t had many chances to practice, and would only make simple home-style dishes now and then when her parents were out. They were usually nothing special.
Then Song Cheng remembered that her family had bought a cookbook. Dad Song had bought it back when she was in middle school, hoping to make sure she ate more nutritious meals. As it turned out, Dad Song had quite a knack for cooking. Because of the nature of his job, he had always been the one responsible for keeping the household running. That was why one of Song Cheng’s standards for a boyfriend in her previous life had been that he could cook. Even that had led her relatives to say she was too demanding.
Song Cheng found the cookbook on the bedside table in her parents’ bedroom. It looked well-used. She found a menu and got started.
An hour later, Song Cheng had set three dishes on the table: hot-and-sour shredded potatoes, twice-cooked pork with garlic shoots, and tomato-and-egg soup. Then she tidied up the kitchen. Just then, she heard the front door open, followed by Dad Song’s voice from the entryway.
“Chengcheng, you must be hungry. Dad’ll get dinner started right away.”
Song Cheng came out of the kitchen. Looking at his familiar yet unfamiliar young face, she thought instead of the white-haired man he had been in her previous life, his back bent under the weight of life, and the desolation in his eyes after a friend had deceived him. Now, Dad Song hadn’t yet been tricked by his friend, nor had he lost his chance at promotion by foolishly guaranteeing someone else’s debts. His face still carried the sweet burdens of family life.
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Are you hungry?” Song Mingnan asked when he saw Song Cheng standing motionless in the kitchen doorway.
“Dad, you’ve worked hard. I’m not hungry yet. And look—I’ve already made dinner today!” Song Cheng steadied herself and smiled at Dad Song.
“Oh, it’s all done? My goodness, my girl is so thoughtful—she can cook now! Let’s see whose child is as considerate as ours.” Dad Song saw the dishes on the table and beamed with pride.
Song Cheng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Dad, you can’t praise your own daughter like that. I’m not as wonderful as you say.”
“Why shouldn’t I praise you? I only have one daughter, and she’s so thoughtful.”
“I could hear you laughing from outside. What’s happened? Has your precious daughter done something to make you so happy again? Honestly, you’re such a doting father. Chengcheng could pour you a glass of water and you’d go around telling everyone about it.”
A clear, bright female voice came from the doorway.
Song Cheng looked over. Her mother, Qin Changxiu, walked in carrying a bag and said to her, “Chengcheng, I bought your favorite braised pig’s tail. They were sold out when I went yesterday, so I specifically asked Auntie Wang to save one for me. Otherwise, who knows what kind of fuss you’d have made, you little thing.” Mom Song said it as if she were complaining.
For a moment, Song Cheng felt dazed. She couldn’t remember whether she’d liked pig’s tail at that age. She only remembered that a braised-meat shop had been open for years across from their home, and the owner was very friendly. Every time they went in, she would exchange a few words with the neighbors she knew.
In the few minutes since she had seen her parents again, so many details she’d never paid attention to as a child came flooding back: Dad’s unrestrained praise, and Mom’s sharp tongue but soft heart. Song Cheng’s nose stung, and tears filled her eyes.
“Oh, what’s wrong? Didn’t Mom just buy you something tasty? Why are you crying?” Mom Song gently stroked her daughter’s head.
“It’s nothing. I just had a nightmare today. I dreamed you were gone and I was all alone. So I’m really happy to see you.” Song Cheng wiped her tears.
“You had a nightmare? Don’t be afraid. How could your dad and I ever leave you? You probably slept too long this afternoon and woke up groggy. Didn’t you go out with your classmates today? I’ll give you some money tomorrow so you can go have fun with them. The exams are over, so there’s nothing to worry about. Go enjoy yourself and relax.” Dad Song came out after changing his clothes.
“We’ll see about tomorrow, Dad. Mom, let’s eat before the food gets cold.”
“Well, this is a first. I never thought I’d live to see the day you cooked dinner for me. I’d better give it a proper taste.” Mom Song teased with a smile.
“Mom, listen to yourself. From now on, I’ll make dinner every evening and have it ready for you when you get home.”
Mom Song looked at Dad Song. Something wasn’t right. Had their daughter been through some kind of shock today? She used to be so lazy she wouldn’t eat fruit unless someone peeled it and put it right in her mouth. Why had she suddenly decided to cook? And now she was saying she’d do it every day. If she hadn’t been shaken by something, what else could it be? Dad and Mom Song exchanged a look, then turned to Song Cheng, both seeming to want to say something but holding back.
Song Cheng knew her parents were puzzled by her change. Honestly, she couldn’t remember whether she’d known how to cook at sixteen, but she was pretty sure she hadn’t. Even after graduating and starting work in the city, she’d go back home on weekends to freeload meals. When would she have had the chance to practice? No wonder her parents found her sudden change strange.
Seeing the hesitant looks on their faces, Song Cheng put down her chopsticks and addressed them solemnly. “Dad, Mom, I was wrong before. I knew how demanding my third year of middle school was, but I still didn’t focus on my studies and made you worry. You both worked so hard every day, and still came home to cook for me. That wasn’t right. I’m old enough to have learned to do housework long ago. You love me so much, and I love you too. I want to do things for you, too. So from now on, I’ll have dinner ready for you every evening. And don’t treat me like a little kid. I’ll study hard from now on, and I won’t make you worry about me again.”
Song Cheng no longer felt awkward telling her parents she loved them. When she died, her one regret had been that she hadn’t loved them well enough, taking their love for their child for granted.
Dad and Mom Song looked at their daughter, still young and not quite grown, speaking such thoughtful words. Their emotions were all over the place. They’d once heard a colleague say, “A child’s growth may seem slow, but real growth can happen in an instant. So don’t fixate too much on the details. Give them love, and they’ll feel it.”
It turned out that a child’s growth really could happen in an instant. Whether or not Chengcheng would follow through on what she’d said, at least today, Dad and Mom Song believed their daughter.
The family finished dinner in a warm, harmonious atmosphere. Mom Song even said to Dad Song, “I think Chengcheng’s cooking tastes better than yours.”
Dad Song looked proud. “Of course it does. Look who her father is. She must’ve inherited my cooking talent.”
“Just listen to you!” Mom Song said, exasperated.
Watching her parents tease each other, Song Cheng felt happiness well up inside her. They weren’t at each other’s throats like they had been in her previous life. After Dad had been tricked by his friend into guaranteeing someone else’s debts and losing a large sum of money, the family’s finances had plummeted. On top of that, competition in the area had grown fierce, and Mom’s clothing shop had done worse with each passing day. The financial strain led to frequent arguments, and the atmosphere at home became tense. Under the combined pressure of her family life and the gaokao, Song Cheng had grown even more introverted and sensitive. Her studies had become harder and harder, and reading novels had been her way of letting off steam. Back then, she’d poured her girlish thoughts into her diary, filling page after page with youthful angst. She’d paid no attention at all to what was happening at home, and in the end, she’d gone to a third-rate university.
It wasn’t until she went to university that the family’s finances recovered. By then, the couple had probably accepted their fate: a mediocre, useless daughter and an ordinary life without debt.
This time, she would make sure to remind Dad not to trust people too easily and to stay away from that so-called friend.
【Ding! New task completed: Make dinner for your parents. Reward: 10 points and 200 energy.】
Hearing the System’s voice, Song Cheng was momentarily stunned. But now wasn’t the time to worry about that. She should focus on enjoying dinner with her parents.
After washing up and lying in bed, Song Cheng checked her task attributes. Her points had risen to 10, and her energy to 200.
“System, I didn’t see you issue a task. Why did I get task points? And how is this energy generated?”
【The System has explicit tasks and hidden tasks. Explicit tasks are the ones you need to complete at your current stage, while hidden tasks are triggered when you interact with certain people or situations. They produce results directly. Like the task of cooking for your parents: your parents were deeply moved, so it generated 200 energy. The care between children and parents goes both ways. Many children keep thinking of themselves as little kids and only take from their parents, forgetting that parents need their children’s care, too. Doing what you can for your parents at the appropriate age helps build both parent-child and marital relationships.】
Song Cheng thought the System was right. Even at thirty, she had still been orbiting around her parents. Back then, she hardly did any housework at home. Her parents had always spoiled her so much that they wouldn’t even let her wash a dish. Whenever she tried to do something, they would say, “We’re retired anyway. We’ve got nothing else to do. If we don’t keep busy, we’ll get sick of having nothing to do.” Looking back, she had grown so accustomed to her parents’ selfless devotion that she automatically neglected her own responsibilities. She had always felt that even at thirty, she was still their precious little baby.
Song Cheng remembered the gene optimization fluid and Purification Pill and asked, “Will taking the gene optimization fluid and Purification Pill cause a really big change?”
【The gene optimization fluid repairs your genes. Aside from your intelligence and physical strength, things like your appearance will gradually change as you grow older. The changes won’t be complete until you’re eighteen. The Purification Pill removes impurities, which will just make you a little fairer, so it won’t make other people suspicious. It might hurt a little, though.】
“It might hurt a little? With benefits this good, a little pain is worth it.” Song Cheng picked up the gene optimization fluid and Purification Pill, planning to take them both. She carefully opened the cap. There was no smell, so she poured the fluid straight into her mouth, then swallowed the pill as well. It dissolved as soon as it touched her tongue. She smacked her lips; it didn’t taste strange. It slid down into her stomach, where she felt a warm, rather comfortable sensation.
Suddenly, a cramp seized her stomach. Then pain swept through every part of her body. Beads of sweat ran down her cheeks as Song Cheng collapsed onto the bed and clenched her teeth. Is this what you call “a little pain”? This is excruciating! It feels like I’ve been run over by a car and killed all over again.
【……】
【Who told you to take them both at once? Couldn’t you have waited a little?】The System felt that this host really did need to improve her intelligence.
Song Cheng bit down on the quilt to keep herself from making a sound. She had no time to listen to what the System was saying. It felt like an entire century passed before the pain finally eased. She closed her eyes. She was too exhausted to take a bath and drifted off to sleep.
In the middle of the night, Song Cheng woke up to a sour, foul smell. She touched the greasy skin on her face, leapt out of bed, and rushed into the bathroom. Seeing herself covered in grime in the mirror, she didn’t care whether there was hot water and began rinsing herself off. It took her an hour to finish washing and come out of the bathroom. In the mirror, she seemed a little fairer, but she couldn’t tell whether anything else had changed yet.
“I don’t look much different,” Song Cheng said to the mirror.
【Changes to your appearance happen gradually. You can check your other attributes on your Personal Panel.】
Song Cheng opened her Personal Panel. The figures displayed there had changed:
Name: Song Cheng
Gender: Female
Age: 16
Height: 16 (a little short)
Stamina: 100 (a little stronger than the average person; maximum 100)
Appearance: 75 (a fair-looking young woman; maximum 100)
Intelligence: 100 (the highest normal value; maximum 100)
Skills: None
Points: 10
Energy: 200
Favorability: (not yet unlocked)
Song Cheng stared at the intelligence score of 100 and asked, “I thought geniuses had a score of 200. Why can’t mine reach 200?”
【……The gene optimization fluid can optimize your genes, not alter them. You said geniuses score 200. You don’t have genius genes, so how am I supposed to make your intelligence 200? Why don’t you marry a genius someday? Then I can optimize your next generation.】a55 replied crossly.
Song Cheng was at a loss for words. The System had even learned to snap at her. “All right, don’t be mad. It’s still early. I’m going back to sleep.” As she spoke, she pulled the quilt over herself and went to sleep.