Jiang Cheng left with a smile, and Zhao Na, who was in charge of registration, could still hear her own rapid heartbeat.

She stared at Jiang Cheng’s retreating figure, feeling that something was about to happen at the night school.

Jiang Cheng, who had just left the office, walked to the entrance as if nothing had happened and greeted Old Wang.

“Uncle Wang, I’ll start attending classes tomorrow.”

“That’s great. Your family is here to pick you up.”

Family?

Jiang Cheng looked in the direction Old Wang pointed and, with a helpless yet gentle smile, saw Grandma Shen standing in the middle, with Shen Yue and Shen Xing on either side.

The three of them wore identical awkward smiles. Upon seeing Jiang Cheng, they instinctively wanted to turn away but felt it would be too obvious, so they stood there hesitating.

“Grandma Shen, are you out for a walk?”

Jiang Cheng offered them an out.

“Yes, yes, just taking a stroll after dinner,” Grandma Shen quickly replied. Shen Xing secretly pursed his lips, thinking about how restless she had been at home, constantly glancing at the door.

But since Jiang Cheng had moved in with them, he, as the man of the house, felt he should take care of her a bit.

Jiang Cheng walked over and naturally took Shen Yue’s hand, saying, “Perfect, let’s go back together.”

“Alright, alright!”

Grandma Shen agreed repeatedly, feeling a bit uneasy doing this for the first time. Fortunately, it was dark, and no one could see.

She didn’t know what had come over her. Perhaps it was pity, or maybe a sense of shared hardship, but after Jiang Cheng left, as the sky darkened, she began to worry.

In the end, she simply took the two children out for a walk, and before she knew it, they had arrived at the night school’s entrance.

Jiang Cheng turned on her flashlight, and a beam of yellow light illuminated the path ahead for the four of them.

The sound of their footsteps echoed clearly in the quiet night.

Jiang Cheng moved the flashlight behind Shen Yue, causing her shadow to lengthen and shorten, grow fat and thin.

Shen Yue exclaimed in amazement, her voice rising with excitement, “Sister Jiang Cheng, do it again! Do it again!”

“Sister is so amazing!”

Shen Xing, standing nearby, felt a itch to join in, but he remained silent.

Though usually talkative, there were times when he was quiet.

Like now, even though he wanted to play, he didn’t say anything.

It wastes so much electricity!
Batteries are expensive!

It would be better to save the money to write to big brother.

“Student Shen Xing, do you know why the shadow changes like this?”

Jiang Cheng stood behind Shen Xing, moving the flashlight to alter his shadow.

“Hahaha! Brother looks so fat!”

Shen Yue pointed at Shen Xing’s shadow and laughed, her childish laughter infectious.

Shen Xing, who had been worrying about the battery, began to think seriously after hearing Jiang Cheng’s question. “It’s because the distance you’re holding the flashlight changes.”

Jiang Cheng nodded in approval. “You’re very observant. It indeed has to do with the position and distance of the flashlight.”

“The relationship between shadows and light is an optical phenomenon. The shape, size, and position of a shadow change depending on the position of the light source, the position of the object blocking the light, and the different angles of the object being illuminated…”

As Jiang Cheng explained, she repeatedly changed the position of the flashlight to help Shen Xing understand more deeply.

The quiet journey to the night school was now filled with laughter and joy on the way back.

When they returned home, Shen Xing was still eager for more, while Shen Yue was simply happy, with the knowledge Jiang Cheng shared passing like a breeze—heard but not retained.

Shen Xing and Shen Yue washed up and went to bed, sharing a room with Grandma Shen.

In the living room, Grandma Shen, who had been silent the entire way back, felt a mix of complexity and joy in her heart.

“Jiang Cheng… thank you.”

Jiang Cheng immediately supported Grandma Shen, saying, “It’s me who should thank you. If it weren’t for you taking me in, I would be sleeping on the streets.”

“Nonsense, you’re a capable person.”

“No wonder they say having an elder at home is like having a treasure. Your judgment is spot on!”

Jiang Cheng’s shameless self-praise made Grandma Shen laugh, and the two shared a smile before heading to their respective rooms to rest.

Back in her room, Jiang Cheng closed the doors and windows, drew the curtains, and settled on the bed. She took out a tablet and a small charging fan from her space and began studying.

She was fluent in five languages, but she wasn’t satisfied.

In her previous life, Jiang Cheng had also studied other languages, though she hadn’t reached the level of professional translation—she could manage daily conversations.

But since she had been given another lifetime, she wanted to master all her skills.

Fortunately, she had prepared study materials in her car, and the car’s space could also charge the tablet.

As Jiang Cheng immersed herself in her studies, Shen Xing in the next room was thinking about getting up early the next day to write a letter to his big brother.

Big brother had said that all matters, big or small, at home should be reported to him, and he didn’t mind receiving many letters.

Far away in a remote area, Shen Que sneezed several times while holding a newly received letter, thinking to himself, “Who would have thought having a dutiful younger brother could be so costly in stamps?”

Meanwhile, Shen Xing, having made his plans, closed his eyes to sleep, reviewing the knowledge Jiang Cheng had shared with him.

Behind the curtain, Shen Yue had already drifted into dreamland.

The next morning, Jiang Cheng woke up without needing an alarm clock.

In the courtyard, someone’s rooster was crowing incessantly, louder than any alarm clock.

Not just the rooster, but the sounds of various households starting their day subtly composed the symphony of life.

After getting up, Jiang Cheng didn’t go out immediately. Instead, she stood in the open space and performed a simplified version of the Five Animals Exercise.

She didn’t practice advanced martial arts, just simple exercises to maintain her health.

Jiang Cheng’s reasoning for exercising was: “If I get sick, it would delay important national matters.”

It must be said, once you raise your perspective, even mundane tasks feel more motivated.

With a light sweat, her morning exercise concluded.

Jiang Cheng checked once more to ensure nothing from her space was left outside, then opened the curtains.

“So impressive, he just got back and already landed a job, and at the machinery factory no less—that’s the biggest factory around here!”

“What kind of job?”

“In the security department. He starts today.”

The voice of Mother Lin outside the window, trying to show off while pretending not to, made Jiang Cheng purse her lips.

It seemed Lin Chengyuan had completed his job onboarding.

It was the same job mentioned in the book—the security department at the machinery factory.

In the book, one month after Lin Chengyuan started, his direct superior died while performing a heroic act, and Lin Chengyuan conveniently took over the position.

This promotion marked the beginning of Lin Chengyuan’s smooth-sailing life.

Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow and muttered to herself, “We can’t let the heart of a heroic do-gooder grow cold. It’s better if they live.”

There was still a month to go. No rush.

Jiang Cheng walked out of the bedroom and approached Grandma Shen, who was busy cooking.

“Grandma Shen, what can I do to help?”

Grandma Shen, who had been managing the cooking with ease, became flustered when interrupted.

“Stay away from me.”

Grandma Shen blurted out while stir-frying, only realizing afterward that her tone had been harsh.

But Jiang Cheng simply took three large steps back without a care.

“Understood, mission accomplished!”

Grandma Shen paused her stir-frying, while Shen Yue covered her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh.

She found Sister Jiang Cheng’s way of speaking so amusing, always making her want to laugh.

But then she remembered her little gap-toothed smile and didn’t dare to laugh.

What a sweet burden!

“Jiang Cheng, you liar! How dare you trick my sister-in-law out of her job? Come out here!”