New Year's Eve

"Dad, Mom." When he opened the door, the aroma of food from the kitchen and the sight of his busy parents greeted him.

"You're up? Good, go wash up. Breakfast is ready." His mother, Wang Juan, wore a busy but contented smile as she carried a steaming bowl of meat porridge briskly toward the little table in the living room.

The rich, savory aroma of the porridge tickled his nose, instantly whetting Li Wen's appetite.

"Mmm! It smells amazing!" he praised sincerely, following his mother into the cramped washroom.

The cold water washed away the last traces of sleepiness. A sumptuous breakfast was already spread across the little table—not just meat porridge, but also fried eggs and side dishes prepared especially for him.

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The family of three sat around the table, their juice glasses clinking lightly together in midair.

"Cheers! Happy New Year's Eve!" they said in unison, smiles blooming across their faces.

Their worries about debt, injuries, and the hardships of cultivation were temporarily forgotten in the warmth of their family's smiles and the clear chime of clinking glasses.

Breakfast stretched on unusually long, taking a full hour. A rare warmth drifted slowly through the modest living room.

After they set down their bowls and chopsticks and the water ran in the sink, his mother, Wang Juan, spoke again, her concern tinged with understanding.

"Wen, go study in your room. Your dad and I can take care of everything out here."

"Okay, Mom." Li Wen didn't hesitate. He had long understood the unspoken hope behind her words.

After that brief warmth came responsibilities, clearer and heavier than before. The key to changing his family's desperate circumstances lay in his daily cultivation and studies.

Only by mastering greater power as soon as possible could he truly change everything. He turned back to his room and gently shut the door, shutting out the noise beyond.

At his desk, he took a deep breath, picked up the thick, brick-like Galactic Common Language (Basic and Advanced Edition), and opened it.

The words flowed into his mind like a dense river of stars. In his mind, the panel's notification rang out with the steady rhythm of a precise pendulum:

[You studied diligently for ten minutes. Scholar EXP +1]

[You studied diligently for ten minutes. Scholar EXP +1]

...

Time passed in segments, and his Scholar experience slowly accumulated.

While Li Wen studied diligently, his parents, Li Hong and Wang Juan, spoke in hushed voices in the kitchen.

"Are you really not going to tell Wen about your illness?" His mother, Wang Juan, lowered her head as she chopped vegetables.

"Cough... There's no point telling him. What could he do besides worry?" His father, Li Hong, bent over as he plucked the duck, coughing softly.

"Have the pills helped?" Hearing Li Hong cough, Wang Juan asked with concern.

"It's about the same. But I'm definitely not going to die just yet. The doctor said that if I take my medicine on time, living another year or two shouldn't be a problem. That's enough. Wen will be in college by then." Thinking of Li Wen's recent progress, some of the pain faded from Li Hong's face.

When he first learned he was gravely ill, his biggest worry had been that Li Wen wouldn't get into a Martial Arts University.

Now Li Wen had not only placed in the top three in his class on the final exams, but had also won a scholarship. At last, much of the weight on Li Hong's heart had lifted.

All that remained was to wait five months for the college entrance exam results. Once Li Wen got into a Martial Arts University, his last lingering worry would finally disappear.

No one who got into a Martial Arts University ever failed to become a Warrior.

As long as Li Wen became a Warrior, it would be much easier for his mother and him to survive in this society.

The only regret was that he wouldn't live to see his son start a family.

Time slipped away like sand in an hourglass, each moment passing soundlessly. With every notification, the [Scholar] EXP—representing knowledge and mental power—climbed arduously toward the halfway milestone.

Six hours passed. The sense of fulfillment brought by knowledge and the faint weariness of his mind rose together.

[You studied diligently for six hours. Scholar EXP +36]

[Profession: Scholar Lv5 (740→776/1600)]

"Phew..." Li Wen closed the book and rubbed his slightly aching temples.

"776... That leaves 824. As expected, each level takes a huge amount more experience than the last. Leveling up is so slow..."

He murmured to himself, a little helpless, but resolved to keep pressing forward.

Just then, the rich, tempting aroma of food pushed through the thin door and filled his nostrils.

That was... red-braised lion's head meatballs! His favorite dish! His stomach growled at once.

Li Wen got up and opened the door. Beyond the glass sliding door connecting the kitchen and living room, his mother stood in an apron, focused on stir-frying the last batch of lion's head meatballs, their glossy red sauce bubbling as their fragrance filled the air.

His father helped beside her. The scene was ordinary and warm.

A few minutes later, Li Wen carefully carried the freshly cooked lion's head meatballs, still sizzling, in both hands and set them on the dining table, already laden with dishes.

Nine dishes and one soup crowded the small round table, an astonishing feast for the eyes.

A few dishes had clearly been made with expensive, high-energy ingredients, their enticing energy practically wafting from them. They were fuel for his intense cultivation that afternoon; for the occasion, the family had "splurged" and moved their New Year's Eve feast to lunchtime.

"Let's eat!" His mother untied her apron, her face flushed from work and lit by a satisfied smile.

"Cheers!" Li Wen raised his juice and looked sincerely at his parents.

"Cheers!" Li Hong and Wang Juan replied with smiles. The three juice-filled glasses clinked lightly once more, ringing out clearly.

After more than half an hour of eating with gusto, Li Wen stuffed the last big chunk of energy-rich mutant beast meat his parents had put in his bowl into his mouth, chewing and swallowing with satisfaction. He picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth.

"Dad, Mom, I'm going to Xinhuo Hall."

"Okay. Be careful on the way, and watch out for traffic." His parents gave their reminders in unison, their care and support clear without needing to be put into words.

Li Wen slung on the backpack he had prepared earlier—stuffed with several bottles of cheap energy drinks and some high-calorie food bars—and, under his parents' gaze, opened the door and strode into the chilly afternoon sunlight of New Year's Eve.

The first-floor lobby of Xinhuo Hall's Qingshi Branch was less solemn than usual and more lively with the festive bustle, but the will to practice martial arts had not paused for the holiday.

There was still a steady crowd, mostly young people like Li Wen, unwilling to slack off for even a moment on the road to strength.

He scanned the crowd, and a few familiar faces caught his eye. Xue Jun and several people from his circle had just left the service counter and were heading together toward the turnstiles leading to the higher floors.

Their gazes met briefly. A trace of surprise crossed Xue Jun's face; clearly, he hadn't expected Li Wen to still be working out on the ground floor on New Year's Eve.

His eyes lingered briefly on Li Wen's training suit and backpack. Something complicated seemed to flicker deep in his gaze. Then he looked away and murmured something to his companions before swiping his card and disappearing into the elevator entrance to the more advanced areas.