Chapter 5: The Path of Growth

September arrived, and the sun’s blaze softened from the height of summer, spreading a gentle warmth. The air was faintly tinged with the sweet scent of osmanthus blossoms.

Li Yifei carried an unusual composure for his age as he stepped into the school’s admissions office. He quickly found the teacher who had personally delivered his acceptance letter long ago, and the registration process went remarkably smoothly. At the end, the teacher handed him a thick envelope.

“Here, this is financial aid from the school—ten thousand yuan,” the teacher said casually, as if passing over nothing more than ordinary paperwork.

Li Yifei took the envelope, feeling its weight in his hands. He understood this was more than money; it was a profound acknowledgment and trust.

Regarding accommodation, Li Yifei made a special request: he needed a single room.

His reason was straightforward—his study rhythm was unlike others’. Burning the midnight oil was routine, and the conflicting schedules of a shared dormitory were unavoidable.

After consideration, the school surprisingly approved this special request, on the condition that Li Yifei accept random checks from teachers regarding his study progress and effectiveness.

Without hesitation, Li Yifei agreed. Such privilege had to be earned through real effort.

As a student in the school’s intensive two-year high school program, Li Yifei was keenly aware of his unique position.

On the first day of school, with no warm-up, a challenging exam paper from Huanggang was placed before each student, serving as a “welcome gift” for the intensive class journey ahead.

In the exam room, Li Yifei unfurled the paper, his eyes scanning the questions. A strange sense of familiarity surged within him.

In his previous life, these questions had tormented him, but now, the methods to solve them were as clear as if etched into his mind.

He hesitated not at all; his pen glided swiftly across the paper with astonishing speed.

Having finished, even reviewing seemed superfluous. Amid the slightly astonished looks of his classmates, he was the first to stand and submit his paper, walking lightly toward the library.

The middle school library was modest in size, its collection no match for a university’s, but for Li Yifei, it was a sanctuary of knowledge.

Pushing open the door, the distinctive smell of ink mixed with a hint of dust greeted him.

Sunbeams slanted through high windows, casting warm shafts of light between the bookshelves.

Li Yifei moved through the sea of books with ease, selecting a few that piqued his interest before settling into a quiet corner.

Once immersed, time lost all meaning. Only when the sky outside turned a fiery orange did he realize an entire afternoon had slipped by unnoticed.

The evening glow bathed him in a soft golden light. After a simple meal in the cafeteria, the bell for evening study rang.

The classroom was silent, broken only by the rustling of pens on paper, creating a subdued soundtrack.

Li Yifei flipped through the newly received textbooks—from first to second year core subjects—a thick stack, not a single book superfluous.

The content was already familiar to him; now, leafing through it felt like tracing the threads and solidifying his memory.

At dawn the next day, when the sky was just beginning to pale, Li Yifei was already seated alone in the classroom.

He switched on the lights, the soft glow illuminating the open books before him.

He began reading aloud, his clear voice resonating through the stillness, breaking the final silence of early morning.

At half past six, homeroom teacher Mr. Wang arrived punctually, carrying the previous day’s exam papers, his expression stern. He walked directly to Li Yifei’s desk and placed the paper before him.

Li Yifei’s eyes fell on the score sheet: total score 747. Two points deducted on the Chinese essay, one on the English composition.

His face remained impassive, but inside stirred a quiet satisfaction born of control—the advantage of a second chance was indeed powerful.

Mr. Wang stepped onto the podium and cleared his throat. “The diagnostic exam results are out. Thirty students in total; ten scored above 640.”

His gaze swept over Li Yifei with a complex nuance. “The rest scored between 580 and 639—solid foundations all around.”

He then proceeded to outline the rigorous teaching plan and strict expectations ahead. The students listened attentively, taking meticulous notes.

Days passed steadily. Li Yifei maintained his steady pace. During a break, he visited the stock exchange.

The stock market was a crucial battleground for accumulating his initial capital. Drawing upon the experience and lessons of his previous life’s financial ventures, he had an almost instinctual grasp of certain trends.

He decisively liquidated his holdings, then carefully selected several “potential stocks” he recalled poised for an upsurge, investing all his funds—173,000 yuan.

He calculated inwardly: holding until mid-January 2006, conservatively, this sum could grow to around 800,000 yuan.

Such a figure had once been a distant dream in his former life, but now it was sharply outlined on the map of his plans.

Winter break approached. This semester, the teachers adopted a largely hands-off approach toward Li Yifei.

There was no other reason: his scores in every test consistently exceeded 745, leaving even those who wanted to challenge him at a loss.

Rather than constrain him with standard pacing, they preferred to give him room to explore freely.

Li Yifei did not squander this trust. While breezing through school courses, he expanded outward: systematically mastering university-level advanced mathematics at a remarkable pace;

He began consciously reading political analyses in newspapers, studying official document writing styles—each foray broadening his understanding.

His reputation quietly grew on campus, and attention toward him increased day by day. On the eve of the holiday, he returned to the stock exchange to rebalance his portfolio.

He knew well that the coming one to two years would be a special “golden period” for the A-share market. He carefully selected several stocks later known for their dramatic surges.

Initial estimates suggested that by holding them until March next year, his portfolio could approach 1.7 million yuan—a magnetic goal drawing him onward.

The snowball of initial capital must roll while the opportunity window remained open.

Returning to his familiar hometown, the rich atmosphere of the New Year embraced him.

Red lanterns hung along the streets; every household bustled preparing festive goods, the air thick with the aroma of fried delicacies and stewed meat.

Sporadic firecrackers exploded, heralding the approach of the New Year. His parents’ faces lit up with uncontainable joy upon seeing him.

That year, their son had spared them any worry. Even more joyous was the addition to their family the previous September: a baby sister whose arrival had infused new vitality into their home.

Watching the little one babble, a complex feeling flickered in Li Yifei’s heart. In his previous life, their impoverished circumstances had worn his parents thin, his sister’s education neglected and her grades dreadful.

His grandmother’s help had sparked resentment from his uncles, turning elder care into a family dispute, with his mother caught in the middle, enduring much hardship. This time, he vowed, such a situation would never repeat.

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, Li Yifei took out two thick envelopes and handed them to his parents. “Dad, Mom, here’s ten thousand yuan each. Take it and use it.”

His parents were stunned, their faces registering shock and concern. “Xiaofei, this… where did you get so much money?” his mother’s voice trembled slightly.

Li Yifei was prepared, his expression calm. “From writing articles—royalties from the publisher, all through legitimate channels.” He placed several clearly printed royalty statements on the table. “See, here are the proofs.”

His parents leaned in to examine the documents carefully; after repeated confirmation, they exhaled deeply, their faces breaking into relieved smiles, the wrinkles softening noticeably.

Seizing the harmonious moment, Li Yifei shared a long-formed plan: “Dad, Mom, we need to think about our little sister’s future. She’ll definitely attend school in the county town.

“Right now, housing prices there are low. I’ve checked—a 130-square-meter apartment with a garage costs around 150,000 yuan.

“Do you know? In a few years, the same property might easily rise to 800,000 yuan or more!” Pausing, he looked at his parents’ astonished faces and continued, “Money won’t be a problem. I have a stable income from writing novels and additional royalties from submissions. Buying a place outright won’t be a burden.”

His words left them speechless. Joy, gratitude, and pride in their son’s foresight and responsibility mingled so strongly they were at a loss for words.

When the holiday ended, Li Yifei returned to campus. The library became his most frequent haunt. The librarian had long since grown familiar with his presence, silently admiring his steadfast dedication through rain or shine.

A semester of deep cultivation yielded remarkable results. Li Yifei assessed his English proficiency as nearing the threshold of the highest professional level, though his spoken skills had yet to be tested in real situations.

He had thoroughly mastered advanced mathematics; he had also self-studied a considerable amount of physics and chemistry.

His only frustration was the growing scarcity of truly challenging resources to satisfy his higher thirst for knowledge, whether in the school library or the county’s Xinhua Bookstore.

Yet this did not discourage him. Wherever a channel existed, he would find a way to obtain what he needed.

The new semester’s courses officially entered the second-year stage. For Li Yifei, however, this was little more than reviewing old ground.

Last year, out of curiosity and challenge, teachers had repeatedly presented him with difficult problems and advanced test papers; invariably, his speed and accuracy won their admiration.

Now, the teachers had reached a consensus: they would periodically test his level with high-difficulty papers. As long as he remained firmly at the top, he could manage his class time independently.

This rare freedom was treasured by Li Yifei. Like a sponge immersed in an ocean of knowledge, he steadfastly absorbed sustenance toward his self-set goals.