44: Chapter 44 New Year's Eve

"Dad, Mom." Pushing open the door, he was greeted by the aroma of food drifting from the kitchen and the busy figures of his parents.

"You're up? Quick, go wash up, breakfast is ready." His mother, Wang Juan, had a busy yet satisfied smile on her face as she walked quickly toward the small table in the living room carrying a bowl of steaming meat porridge.

The rich aroma of meat from the porridge wafted into Li Wen's nose, instantly whetting his appetite.

"Mm! Smells amazing!" he praised sincerely, following his mother into the cramped bathroom.

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

The family of three sat around the table, their juice glasses clinking gently in the air.

"Cheers! Happy New Year's Eve!" the three said in unison, smiles blooming on their faces.

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Worries about debt, injuries, and the hardships of cultivation were temporarily forgotten in a corner, replaced by the warm smiles of family and the crisp sound of clinking glasses.

This breakfast lasted an exceptionally long time, taking a full hour. A rare tenderness flowed slowly through the simple living room.

The bowls and chopsticks were set down, and after the sound of water from the sink faded, his mother Wang Juan spoke again with a knowing concern:

"A Wen, go to your room and study. Leave the rest out here to your father and me."

"Okay, Mom." Li Wen didn't decline at all; he had long understood this silent expectation.

After the brief warmth came a clearer, heavier responsibility. The key to changing this family's predicament lay within his day-after-day cultivation and study.

Only by mastering stronger power sooner could he truly change everything. He turned and returned to his room, gently closing the door to shut out the noise of the outside world.

At his desk, he took a deep breath and picked up the book as thick as a brick, "Galactic Common Tongue (Basic Advanced Edition)," and flipped open the pages.

Words and phrases flooded into his mind like a dense river of stars. In his mind, the panel's notification pings rang out rhythmically like a precise pendulum:

[You studied seriously for ten minutes, scholar experience +1]

[You studied seriously for ten minutes, scholar experience +1]

...

Time slipped away segment by segment, and the scholar experience increased bit by bit.

While Li Wen was studying seriously, Father Li and Mother Li were talking quietly in the kitchen.

"Are you really not planning to tell A Wen about your illness?" Mother Li, Wang Juan, lowered her head as she chopped vegetables.

"Cough~, there's no point in telling him. What can he do besides worry?" Father Li, Li Hong, leaned over to handle duck feathers and gave a light cough.

"Do you feel any better after taking the medicine?" Hearing Li Hong's cough, Mother Li, Wang Juan, asked with concern.

"Just the same, but I definitely won't die for now. The doctor said if I take the medicine on time, living for another year or two isn't a big problem. That's enough; A Wen will be in university by then." Thinking of Li Wen's recent progress, the pain on Li Hong's face lessened slightly.

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

Now, not only had he ranked in the top three of his class for the final exams, but he had also received a scholarship. Most of the weight on his heart had finally been lifted.

He just had to wait five months for the college entrance exam results. Once Li Wen got into a Martial Arts University, his last shred of worry would completely vanish.

No one who could get into a Martial Arts University failed to become a Martial Artist.

As long as Li Wen could become a Martial Artist, it would be much easier for the mother and son to survive in this society.

The only pity was that he wouldn't see his son start a family.

...

Time was like sand in an hourglass, flowing away silently in segments. That scholar experience value, representing wisdom and Mental Energy, climbed laboriously toward the halfway milestone through one notification after another.

Six hours passed. The sense of fulfillment brought by knowledge and a slight mental fatigue surged up simultaneously.

[You studied seriously for six hours, scholar experience +36]

[Class: Scholar lv5 (740→776/1600)]

"Whew..." Li Wen closed the book and rubbed his throbbing temples.

"776... still 824 to go. As expected, the further I go, the more experience each level requires. Leveling up is really slow..."

He muttered to himself with a hint of helplessness, yet full of determination to keep moving forward.

Just then, a rich and enticing aroma of food forcefully penetrated the thin door panel and wafted into his nostrils.

That was... the smell of Braised Lion's Head meatballs! His favorite dish! Instantly, the hunger pangs in his stomach were stirred.

Li Wen got up and opened the door. Behind the glass sliding door connecting the kitchen and living room, his mother was wearing an apron, focused on stir-frying the final pot of bright red, fragrant Lion's Head meatballs.

His father was assisting on the side. The scene was ordinary and warm.

A few minutes later, Li Wen held the bowl of freshly cooked, sizzling Braised Lion's Head meatballs with both hands, carefully placing it on the dining table already covered with dishes.

Nine dishes and one soup crowded the small round table, creating a striking visual impact.

Several of the dishes clearly used expensive high-energy ingredients, emitting a mouth-watering aura of energy—this was to stockpile fuel for his high-intensity cultivation in the afternoon. They had specially and "extravagantly" moved the New Year's Eve feast to lunch.

"Let's eat!" His mother took off her apron, her face flushed from labor and wearing a satisfied smile.

"Cheers!" Li Wen raised his juice, looking at his parents with sincere eyes.

"Cheers!" Li Hong and Wang Juan responded with smiles, and the three glasses filled with juice clinked together again with a crisp sound.

After more than half an hour of devouring the food, Li Wen stuffed the last large piece of energy-rich Exotic Beast Meat his parents had given him into his mouth, chewing and swallowing it with satisfaction. He picked up a tissue and wiped his mouth.

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

"Okay, be careful on the road, watch out for cars." His parents urged in unison, their eyes filled with unspoken concern and support.

Li Wen picked up the backpack he had prepared—stuffed with several bottles of cheap energy drinks and some high-calorie compressed food blocks—and, under his parents' gaze, pushed open the door and stepped out into the somewhat chilly afternoon sunlight of New Year's Eve.

...

The first-floor lobby of the Xinhuo Hall Qingshi Branch was a bit less serious and more festive than usual, but the will for martial arts cultivation did not stop for the holiday.

The flow of people was still considerable. Most were young people like Li Wen, unwilling to slacken for even a moment on the path to becoming strong.

Scanning the crowd, a few familiar figures came into view—Xue Jun and a few people from his circle had just come out from the service counter and were walking together toward the turnstiles leading to the higher floors.

Their gazes met briefly in the air. A flash of obvious surprise crossed Xue Jun's face; he clearly hadn't expected Li Wen to still be hanging around the bottom floor on New Year's Eve afternoon.

His gaze lingered briefly on Li Wen's training uniform and the backpack on his back. A complex look seemed to flicker deep in his eyes before he looked away, whispered something to his companions, swiped his card, and disappeared into the elevator entrance leading to the more Advanced areas.