Chapter 7: Preparing for Military Training  

Lin Yumo’s slender fingers lightly traced the class group QR code printed on her admission letter, her phone screen reflecting her slightly glistening, moist eyes.  

With a soft “beep,” the scan was successful, and she held her breath as she waited for the group chat to load.  

The first pinned announcement made her fingers pause mid-air.  

“Freshman military training begins August 25.”  

Memories of military training from her past life flooded back—her skin reddened under the scorching sun, the embarrassing peeling afterward…  

Subconsciously, Lin Yumo touched the jasmine tattoo on her wrist, where a faint warmth pulsed imperceptibly.  

This time, she would prepare properly—stocking up on sunscreen and other essentials.  

Suddenly remembering something, she ran barefoot to her closet, pulling out a soft measuring tape to carefully take her measurements.  

The jasmine tattoo on her wrist gleamed softly under the light. Over the past month, subtle changes in her figure had made each measurement session a small moment of anticipation.  

“Height, 166 cm, weight…” she murmured as she jotted the numbers down in her notebook, only to realize her waist was two centimeters slimmer than it had been at this time in her past life, while her bust had grown slightly fuller.  

The discovery made the tips of her ears flush pink, but she recorded the numbers diligently.  

Just then, a new message popped up in the class group—a size chart for military training uniforms, posted by their homeroom teacher.  

Lin Yumo chewed on the cap of her pen as she compared the options, hesitating between “165/88A” and “170/88A.”  

She was already 166 cm tall, and with a month left before training, she was bound to grow even taller.  

“I’ll go with this one,” she decided, neatly filling in “170/88A” on the registration form.  

The thought of military training—wearing a well-fitted uniform, reuniting with classmates, and reliving high school life—filled her with quiet excitement.  

Returning to her desk, she flipped open her calendar and circled August 20 in pink highlighter—the day parents would submit registration fees and pick up uniforms, while students weren’t required to attend.  

Her fingertip slid down the dates, stopping at August 25, where she drew a tiny sun.  

That was the day her military training would begin.  

A notification chime from her phone drew her attention. Opening it, she found the group chat buzzing with activity—some sharing must-have item checklists, others discussing sun protection strategies.  

Lin Yumo quietly browsed through, bookmarking useful tips while mentally compiling her own list of essentials.  

After noting everything down, her gaze returned to the notice. When she saw the schedule for the “marching ceremony on the morning of September 10,” she could already picture herself standing tall and poised on the parade ground.  

Her eyes shifted to September 11—the first day of school. Her fingers curled slightly.  

This was the starting point for making up for the regrets of her past life, the beginning of her brand-new journey.  

She drew a small red flower on the calendar and wrote “First Day” beside it, her handwriting neat and resolute.  

A night breeze drifted in as Lin Yumo closed her phone and lifted her gaze to the starry sky outside her window, a faint smile touching her lips.  

This time, she wouldn’t miss a single moment.  

……  

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains into her bedroom. Lin Yumo was already standing before the full-length mirror in her walk-in closet.  

Her fingers skimmed through a row of clothes before settling on a white, flowy T-shirt. The soft fabric draped over her skin, subtly outlining the budding curves of her youthful figure.

She draped the gray contrast shawl casually over her shoulders, her fingertips lightly gathering the collar as the mirror reflected her slender neckline and delicate collarbones.  

Her lower half was clad in a sharply tailored gray miniskirt, the hem swaying slightly with her movements, revealing calves as fair and smooth as jade.  

Finally, she slipped into a pair of white chunky sneakers and twirled in front of the mirror, her raven-black hair gleaming softly in the morning light.  

“Uncle Wang, to Henglong Plaza,” Lin Yumo said, lifting the red backpack, the supple lambskin leather warm against her palm.  

Outside the car window, the shadows of plane trees flickered across her composed features as her fingers glided over a social media app. Under the search term “military training sunscreen,” reviews of luxury sunscreens shimmered in fragmented light.  

She frowned slightly, ticking off the filters one by one: “waterproof,” “sweatproof,” “SPF50+.”  

Her shopping list gradually took shape in her notes: ice-conducting masks for post-sun repair, a collapsible silicone water bottle, and imported Japanese invisible bandages.  

When an ad for an exorbitantly priced whitening serum popped up, the corners of her lips curled knowingly. The Jasmine design on her wrist pulsed faintly with warmth—far more effective than any skincare product.  

Suddenly remembering something, she added “30ml spray bottle” at the end of the list.  

In this life, with her Magical ability, she could maximize its potential. Spraying Jasmine essential oil might work better than sunscreen, but she hadn’t tested it yet. Better to buy sunscreen too—double protection.  

The glass façade of Henglong Plaza refracted the midsummer sunlight. Lin Yumo paused briefly at the automatic doors as a wave of chilled air, laced with the signature fragrance of luxury counters, rushed over her.  

Her fingers absently brushed the Jasmine design on her wrist as she headed toward the cosmetics section on the first floor.  

“Miss, are you looking for sunscreen?” A sales associate from a high-end brand keenly noticed this girl with an unusual aura.  

Lin Yumo nodded lightly, her gaze sweeping over the metallic sheen of the sunscreens on display. “The most waterproof one, please.”  

As she accepted the sample, the sales associate suddenly exclaimed, “Your skin is flawless—like mutton-fat jade!”  

Lin Yumo’s lashes fluttered as she recalled the same counter in her past life, where the sales associates had always recommended concealers to her.  

Now, she simply dabbed the sample onto her wrist, and the cool texture effortlessly spread into a transparent film.  

The fragrance section was suffused with a faint, elusive sweetness. Lin Yumo walked slowly, her eyes drifting over the dazzling array of products.  

Finally, she picked up a matte, frosted mini spray bottle.  

A saleswoman approached eagerly, suggesting, “Miss, citrus-based essential oils are the most popular—refreshing and uplifting.”  

She shook her head gently, her gaze serene, and pointed to the Jasmine absolute in the corner. “I’d like this one, please.”  

“Of course, miss. Judging by your age and what you’re buying, I’m guessing you’re preparing for military training? We also have a great facial cleanser here. Would you like to see it?”  

The sales associate maintained a professional smile.  

Lin Yumo looked up, returning a warm smile. “Sure, I’ll take two.”  

In the drugstore around the corner, she grabbed three boxes of freeze-dried masks.  

When a salesperson enthusiastically promoted new whitening products in the brightening section, she lingered instead in the basic hydration aisle. “Young skin—simpler is better.”  

In the upscale supermarket on the lower level, she placed a collapsible water bottle into her shopping basket.

As she passed by the refrigerated display case, Lin Yumo suddenly stopped in her tracks. The reflection in the glass showed her waistline had become slightly more slender than last week.  

When Lin Yumo stepped out of the mall carrying her shopping bags, the midsummer sunlight slanted gently across her shoulders.  

She instinctively raised a hand to shield herself, only to realize her skin glowed with a pearl-like luster under the sun—without even a hint of redness.  

“Uncle Wang, let’s go home,” she said as she settled into the car, placing the shopping bags beside her. The vehicle slowly pulled away.