funbook-pk Chapter 1 Time Travel and the Most Rudimentary System
Chapter 1 Time Travel and the Most Rudimentary System
As Li Si'an awoke from the blackout of angina, she couldn't help but take deep breaths.
Then he realized something was wrong. Instead of the familiar office air that smelled of air conditioning and coffee, he was breathing in a murky mix of foot odor, the smell of rubber sneakers, and a hint of laundry detergent.
The smell was both unfamiliar and familiar to him, reminding him of his dormitory in college.
He opened his eyes.
The room was dimly lit, and it was dark outside. The light from the hallway shone through the window in the door, allowing him to barely make out the layout of the room.
Opposite were two bunk beds, both occupied by sleeping people. Several different snores and teeth grinding could be heard.
This should also be a student dormitory. But it's definitely not his university dormitory.
He touched himself.
Then I realized this wasn't my original body. My chest didn't hurt anymore, my back didn't ache, my neck wasn't stiff, and I felt incredibly light all over.
He raised his hand and looked at it. His hand had changed; his fingers were slender and his knuckles were distinct. It was no longer the hand that had been used to type on a keyboard for twenty years, with calluses on the fingertips.
Li Si'an lay there, motionless. She had no phone and didn't know what time it was.
He needs to calm down.
The last scene of my past life is still vivid in my mind. I was writing code on the monitor when suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my chest, as if someone had squeezed it, and then everything went black. I knew nothing more.
Forty years of life, and that's how it ended.
There were no last words, no farewell, and not even a chance to save the last line of code.
He is now awake in a strange place, in a strange body.
crossed.
When this thought popped into his head, he wasn't so panicked anymore. He had read so many online novels in his past life, and he was familiar with all the tropes of transmigration, rebirth, and cultivation systems. Although it was unexpected that this would happen to him, it wasn't unacceptable.
He closed his eyes and began to receive the original owner's memories.
The moment the thought crossed his mind, the original owner's memories flowed into his brain like water from a tap that had been turned on.
The original owner's name was also Li Si'an, born on April 15, 1978. She was a local of Beijing and was 15 years old this year. In 1990, her uncle used his connections to get her into the Affiliated Secondary School of Beijing Dance Academy, and this was her third year there.
His parents divorced when he was 6 years old. His mother remarried and moved to Hong Kong, and his father soon remarried.
Neither side really cared for him, except for giving him money; he basically grew up with his maternal grandfather.
His father now gives him 100 yuan a month in child support without fail, while his mother frequently sends him things from Hong Kong, such as clothes, shoes, and celebrity posters.
Yuan was already quite handsome, and with all the designer brands his mother sent him—Nike, Reebok, Levi's denim jackets, jeans, and leather jackets—he was arguably the most fashionable guy at the Beijing Dance Academy Affiliated High School.
. . . . . .
Li Si'an felt that it took her quite a long time to extract this information from the original owner's memories of more than ten years of life.
However, when he turned his head to look out the window, it was still dark.
So he lay back down on his side, pulled the blanket up a little, and continued to think.
In his past life, he worked as a programmer for nearly twenty years before suddenly dying at his desk. Now that he's transmigrated and has been given a younger body, he's definitely going to have to live a different life this time.
What should I do after time travel?
Make money and become the richest person?
He immediately dismissed the thought. Making money was necessary, but becoming the richest person was unnecessary; it was too exhausting.
Li Si'an thought about her almost unchanging and boring life in her previous life.
Writing code, fixing bugs, attending meetings, working overtime, eating takeout, sleeping, and then doing it all again the next day, day after day, for twenty years.
He absolutely must live a more relaxed and exciting life in this lifetime. Ideally, he should be able to experience the hedonistic lifestyle he longed for in his previous life.
His current conditions aren't bad. He's a student at the Affiliated High School of Beijing Dance Academy, good-looking, and has a good physique. Maybe he could develop a career in the entertainment industry, which is a decadent and glamorous circle, isn't it?
Before he could think about it further, a "ding" sound suddenly went off in his head.
It rang directly in his head, like someone had struck a triangle inside him.
Then a semi-transparent panel appeared before my eyes, gleaming faintly in the dim room—
[Level: 0]
[Physical Fitness: 11]
【Spirit: 15】
[Assignable attribute points: 0]
He was stunned for three seconds.
system?
He had read online novels for twenty years in his previous life and had seen all kinds of systems—sign-in systems, lottery systems, super-rich systems, and invincible systems.
But those systems all have a beautiful UI, a cute assistant, and some even offer a "newbie gift pack".
That's fine. Just a simple "ding".
He spent half a day figuring out the rules: upgrading this thing requires gold. Each level requires ten times the gold of the previous level.
Level 1: 1 gram; Level 2: 10 grams; Level 3: 100 grams; Level 4: 1 kilogram... Each level up grants two attribute points, which can be added to either constitution or spirit.
It was so simple and brutal that it was outrageous.
He's currently at level zero. To level up to level one, he needs one gram of gold.
He turned off the panel and closed his eyes. Thinking about this now was useless; where was he going to find gold in the middle of the night? He'd go to sleep first and think about it tomorrow.
He turned over and slowly fell asleep again amidst the smell of stinky feet and snoring.
At six o'clock sharp, the alarm clock rang.
The ringing was sharp and bright, like someone scraping glass with a razor blade, piercing his eardrums.
The dormitory instantly erupted in chaos—five people jumped down from the top bunk, crawled out of their blankets, and fought over washbasins and toothpaste, making as much noise as a demolition.
"Anzi! Hurry up!" A round-faced boy in the lower bunk opposite him ran over from his bed carrying a basin.
This man is Liu Yang, the original owner's best friend. Li Si'an responded, pulled a washbasin from under the bed, and followed the crowd toward the washroom.
The washroom was packed with people. A dozen or so teenagers were crammed in front of a row of taps, some shirtless, some wearing long underwear, some rinsing their heads with cold water, and some brushing their teeth until their mouths were full of foam.
Li Si'an squeezed in a spot to get water and wash her face. The cold water instantly refreshed her.
He looked up at the mirror hanging on the wall of the washroom. The face in the mirror was indeed handsome. Clean, delicate, and with well-defined features.
The original owner's memories included clothes and shoes sent by his mother—Nike, Reebok, Levi's—which were kept in his dorm room closet.
Li Si'an thought to herself, it would be a waste not to make use of these conditions.
He carried the basin back to his dormitory and changed into his training clothes.
Meet on the playground at 6:20.
In early April in Beijing, the sky was just beginning to brighten. The poplar trees by the playground were sprouting new buds, the air was cool and smelled of earth.
Basic course teacher Sun Jianfen stood at the front of the line and shouted commands in a high-pitched, clear voice: "Attention! Right dress! Front dress! Count off!"
"One, two, three, four..."
Today's morning exercise routine includes: 800-meter jog, leg stretches, leg kicks, backbends, and basic exercise combinations, with each set consisting of four sets of eight counts.
Two laps of 800-meter jogging. Li Si'an ran in the middle of the group, her steps light and her breathing even. Her physique score of 11 wasn't high, but it was a little better than the average person's, and she only broke a light sweat after running two laps.
Leg stretches, no problem. He placed his left leg on the barre, leaned forward, and pressed his chest against his thigh. The original owner's bodily memories were still there, and the movement was very natural.
Kicking is fine too.
Then came the basic skills combination practice.
Teacher Sun, who teaches the basics, stood in front and demonstrated: wiping the floor, kicking her legs, squatting on one leg, and jumping, with the rhythm getting faster and faster. Li Si'an followed along, barely managing to get the first few movements right.
Once it spins, it's all over.
His mind knew the key points—shift your weight to your right foot, straighten your left leg, retract your arm, and fix your eyes on a point.
But the physical reaction was a completely different story. His center of gravity shifted, and he swayed to the left, staggering a couple of steps and bumping into Liu Yang next to him.
What are you doing?
"Excuse me."
The following slide and hop were even worse. When his right foot slid out, his center of gravity didn't keep up, his body leaned forward, and the movement was completely deformed. What should have been a smooth combination was turned into a mess.
A few classmates nearby chuckled quietly.
Liu Yang leaned closer and whispered, "What's wrong with you today? Have you lost your mind?"
Li Si'an did not answer.
He knew exactly what was going on. A forty-year-old programmer's mind had taken over a young body that had practiced dance for three years; daily activities were no problem.
But when it comes to dance moves that require precise control, it all falls apart. His instructions are either too slow or too forceful, failing to match the rhythm of the body.
After the morning exercises, Teacher Sun glanced at him but didn't say anything.
Li Si'an breathed a sigh of relief, but a sense of unease began to creep into her heart. She'd managed to get away with it today, but what about tomorrow? The day after? If she kept stumbling like this, the teacher would eventually notice something was wrong.
He thought of the system that had appeared in the early hours of the morning. If he could focus on his mental state and make his mind react faster, would things get better?
But the upgrade requires gold. A gram of gold costs eighty or ninety yuan. Where is he going to get it?
There definitely weren't any in the dormitory. The original owner's memories told him that his maternal grandfather's house might have some jewelry left by his mother.
When his mother married and moved to Hong Kong, she left behind some old-fashioned jewelry at home, which had been sitting untouched in a cabinet. But he has to stay at school this week, so he can't go to his maternal grandfather's house until the weekend at the earliest.
If all else fails, he'll have to save up to buy it. But his monthly living expenses are only 200 yuan, and buying one gram of gold would take up almost half of that. What will he eat this month?
He spent the morning's four classes in a daze, and at noon he went to the cafeteria with Liu Yang.
The cafeteria was bustling with noise. He carried his tray to the serving window and glanced inside—braised pork ribs, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and stir-fried bok choy.
"One meat dish, two vegetable dishes, and rice."
The auntie served pork ribs and vegetables and pushed the plate over.
Li Si'an looked down and saw three pieces of pork ribs and a few spoonfuls of vegetables.
"Auntie, could I have another serving of pork ribs? I'll pay for it."
"No." The aunt didn't even look up. "School rules state that students can only have one meat dish per meal."
Why?
"Stay in shape." Liu Yang walked past him with a tray of food. "Anzi, I have to say, you've really lost your mind today. This stupid rule has been in place for three years, and you've actually forgotten it?"
After asking Li Si'an, he angrily cursed, "Damn it, we music students don't have to dance on stage anymore, I don't know why this stupid rule doesn't even spare us."
Li Si'an didn't reply, sat down, and ate the three pieces of pork ribs.
It's not even enough to fill a gap between your teeth.
In his past life, he was a carnivore who couldn't live without meat. No matter how late he worked, he would always order a meat dish for takeout. Now, he eats three meals a day in the cafeteria, and each meal consists of only one meat dish. Those few pieces of meat are practically being given to a beggar.
"Are there any cheap restaurants outside?" he asked Liu Yang.
"There's a small restaurant on the street outside the south gate of the school. Braised pork is six yuan a serving, and beef noodles are three yuan a bowl." Liu Yang took a bite of rice and added, "Even if it's not expensive, I still can't afford to eat there every day."
Li Si'an did the math in her head. Two hundred yuan a month, and about 150 yuan a day for three meals in the cafeteria.
If you eat out every day, a bowl of beef noodles costs three yuan, and two bowls a day would cost six yuan, totaling one hundred and eighty yuan a month. The remaining money wouldn't even be enough to buy cassette tapes. If you eat braised pork, it costs six yuan a serving, which is even more expensive.
Two hundred yuan sounds like a lot, but it's easy to spend it all.
He wants to upgrade, which requires gold, and gold costs money. He wants to eat well, which also costs money. He wants to live a life of luxury and extravagance, which requires even more money.
I need to make money.
It's not about becoming the richest person; it's about having a bite to eat, putting in the effort to make myself look less embarrassed in dance class, and living a more relaxed and exciting life.
I stayed up from Monday to Saturday.
I get up at six o'clock every morning to do morning exercises, practice martial arts, and attend classes.
He still stumbled in dance class, spinning crookedly, jumping unsteadily, and sliding as if stepping on landmines.
Teacher Sun didn't name him, but the look in his eyes grew increasingly strange, clearly implying, "You're slacking off so openly, kid?"
Li Si'an was anxious, but there was nothing she could do.
Saturday afternoon was a holiday, and as soon as get out of class ended at noon, he changed into casual clothes and left the school.
The Affiliated Secondary School of Beijing Dance Academy is in Baishiqiao, and my maternal grandfather's house is in Wanshou Temple, about a ten-minute walk away. In April in Beijing, the weather is already warm, and the poplar trees along the roadside are sprouting new buds.
My maternal grandfather's house was a small courtyard house. The yard wasn't big, and there was a pomegranate tree planted there. When Li Si'an pushed open the door, Zhou Niansen was squatting in the yard watering the flowers.
"Grandpa."
The old man looked up and glanced at him: "You're back?"
"Um."
Have you eaten?
"No."
"There are steamed buns in the kitchen, go get some yourself."
Li Si'an went into the kitchen, took out two steamed buns, ate them while strolling around the yard, and then pushed open the door of the small house.
That used to be his mother's room.
The room wasn't big; it contained a single bed, a wardrobe, and a desk. A photograph hung on the wall: a woman holding a child, smiling happily.
Li Si'an opened the wardrobe, pushed aside the clothes, and felt for a small metal box at the very bottom. She opened it, and inside was a small cloth bag.
Inside the cloth bag lay a pair of gold earrings. They were simple in design, just two small circles, but in good condition.
He clutched the earring in his hand.
The "ding" sounded in my head, and the panel popped up—
Gold detected. Will it be absorbed?
He clicked "Yes".
A faint sheen appeared on the surface of the earring, which slowly shrank and then disappeared.
Current level: 1
Upgrade Required: 10 grams of gold
Available attribute points: 2
He put both attribute points into Spirit.
The spirit level increased from 15 to 17.
A warm current spread from his chest, so comforting that he wanted to sigh. After the warmth dissipated, he felt his mind clearer, as if a window covered with a thin layer of dust had been wiped clean.
[Physical Fitness: 11]
【Spirit: 17】
Current level: 1
Upgrade Required: 10 grams of gold
Available attribute points: 0
Li Si'an sat on the edge of the bed and closed her eyes to feel it.
My memory has definitely become clearer. Before, I could recall the general outline, but now I can remember more details. However, it's still vague, and I can't remember every single word.
He could recall the main content of the articles and posts he had read in his previous life, but he couldn't remember every single sentence.
But it's enough for now.
He opened his eyes and thought: If I could level up two more times and increase my spirit to 20, would things be different?
But that's for later. The next level requires ten grams of gold, which costs nearly a thousand dollars, and he can't afford that right now.
Li Si'an put the iron box back in the wardrobe, closed the door, and left the small room.
Zhou Niansen was still watering the flowers in the yard, not even looking up: "What were you doing in your mother's room?"
"Nothing much, just looking around."
The old man hummed in agreement, didn't ask any further questions, put down the kettle, patted the dirt off his hands, and said, "What would you like for dinner? I'll go buy the groceries."
"I'll go with you."
The grandmother and grandson left the alley and headed towards the vegetable market.
The April sun shone warmly on the gray bricks and tiles of the alley. Walking beside the old man, Li Si'an suddenly felt—this life wasn't so bad after all.