Rebooting 60, let's go on a rampage with the orange cat!

Xiuzhi couldn't help but shed tears upon hearing this, saying, "No, Huai'an, your dream is real. I believe you're not lying." She wiped away her tears and continued, "Actually, I've been keeping your illness a secret. Last year, I started feeling unwell, and the doctor told me I had urticaria and that it was difficult to treat. I've never told anyone about this. I thought treatment would cost a lot of money, and since it wouldn't be cured anyway, I wouldn't waste the money. In May, I went to ask again, and the doctor said there were signs of cancer cells spreading. If I treated it, I'd only have three to five years left; if I didn't, it would be two or three years..." She covered her face and cried, "Is this all predetermined?"

Shi Renmei hugged Xiuzhi's shoulders tightly, and said with heartache, "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you get treatment? Huai'an, tell me quickly how to change things... Didn't your master say last time that your mother was fine?"

Huai'an hurriedly said, "I found a vaccine that looks like a candy bean in my space. It's for Mom's illness. I tricked her into taking the vaccine, thinking it would help. Mom, as long as you increase your nutrition and exercise, you'll be fine." Huai'an didn't dare say that he couldn't be sure if she would get better, fearing that his mother's anxiety would negatively affect her condition. Telling her now that she would get better would help improve her mood and strengthen her confidence in fighting the illness.

To everyone's surprise, Xiuzhi continued, "That's why I said Huai'an's dream really has its reasons. In the past few months, I've felt healthier and healthier. My colleagues all say I have a good complexion, I walk with a spring in my step, and I'm getting more and more energetic. I was wondering if the doctor had made a mistake in the diagnosis. Besides, Master Liu took my pulse and prescribed medicine for me for so long, so I went to the hospital for a check-up last month."

The doctor was also puzzled and asked if I had received any treatment or taken any special medication. He said my cancer cells had weakened significantly, suggesting a possible recovery, and advised me to maintain a positive mood, avoid getting upset, and increase my nutrition. I also found it strange and wondered if I should go to another hospital in a few months to confirm. But after hearing what Huai'an said, I understood. It must be the vaccine you gave me that's working, plus my life has unknowingly improved, my mood has improved, and I'm probably getting better soon!

She was overjoyed and full of confidence. Shi Renmei also said happily, "Huai'an had such a good dream! We will definitely be fine. In the future, Huai'an should keep her eyes open and find a good family. We're not in a hurry. Seventeen is too young. Mom and Dad can't bear to marry Huai'an off!"

All the troubles and losses that Wu Yue'e had brought to the family vanished in an instant, and the faces of the Shi couple were no longer clouded with worry.

Huai'an nodded with satisfaction and said, "Dad is right. We're not in a hurry to get married. Let's cook here tonight. I'll teach you how to use the kitchen appliances. This is the washing machine, the refrigerator..." She introduced them one by one.

The Shi couple were astonished as children. Xiuzhi clapped her hands repeatedly and said, "No wonder you wash your clothes every day, but no one has ever seen you go to the well to wash them. It turns out you have an automatic washing machine! This machine is much better than manual labor. I was wondering why your clothes had a special fragrance. It turns out you're using this laundry detergent."

Huai'an earnestly reminded them, "The key is that you absolutely mustn't tell anyone outside. There's a shortage of supplies and various restrictions outside right now. If outsiders find out, it'll easily arouse suspicion and jealousy. If you want to give away some rice and flour from your space, or help your uncle's family, you must be careful and remove the packaging from here. Don't send it out in the same packaging. These are things that will only be available in the future, and you need a proper excuse. Otherwise, someone might report you for petty bourgeois hedonism. In short, think carefully before you do anything. For the safety of the three of us, we can't leave any evidence against us. The fewer people who know, the better. Otherwise, disaster will come knocking."

Xiuzhi nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice, agreeing: "Now we all realize the excuse you used back then, and we'll follow suit!"

Looking at the beautifully packaged pastries and food, Shi Renmei nodded and said, "We do need to be careful and avoid causing trouble. The authorities are cracking down hard outside; even the smallest thing gets a big fuss about it. We should just keep to ourselves and live our own lives. Your uncle is my brother, and I originally wanted to help them, but your aunt is greedy and easily turns on you. I can't let her appetite grow any bigger. I'll know my limits, don't worry! Luckily, people outside can't see or touch this space. If we can have such a good life in the future, that would be wonderful."

Xiuzhi patted her chest and said, "Yes, I'm about to be driven crazy by your aunt's family. Sigh, forget it, let's not get angry or upset, and the less we pay attention to them, the less likely we are to get sick..."

Huai'an laughed and said, "That's right, don't get angry. Getting angry will only make you sick, and no one can take your place. Let me tell you, everything in this space will probably be like this in forty or fifty years. In the future, every household will be able to live such a good life. When the country opens up a bit more, in the 1980s, I can take you to the capital to see Tiananmen Square and take you on a tour of the whole country..."

Xiuzhi laughed and said, "Forty or fifty years from now? I'll be over ninety by then, I'll really be gone. Thanks to An'an, I estimate I'll be in my sixties or seventies in the 1980s. If I'm still able to walk, I'd like to visit the capital. I've never ridden a train before. We're enjoying our future life ahead of time now. But what if our family comes to visit since we're all staying in this space?"

Huai'an said, "Duoduo and I can sense it. As soon as there is any movement outside, we can go out through the space and appear wherever we want without anyone noticing. But you must keep it a secret. I will also work hard to upgrade it. Protecting the space is protecting the happiness of our whole family."

Duoduo immediately jumped onto Huai'an's shoulder, meowing repeatedly, "Meow~ I'll help you watch the house..."

Mr. and Mrs. Shi were so shocked their jaws almost dropped. "My God! How come even the cat can talk after entering this space? It's amazing!" They quickly promised to keep the secret of the space and not tell anyone.

Huai'an led his parents around the kitchen, showing them how to use the remote to turn on the big-screen TV and helping them find shows to watch. Wow, there were action movies, period dramas, and historical dramas—you name it! His parents adapted quickly, immediately becoming engrossed in the stories, their eyes glued to the screen, completely forgetting about the radio. The actors in these dramas were so good; they made them laugh one minute and cry the next. They kept exclaiming, "Oh my, I never imagined I'd live such a wonderful life!"

After settling his parents in, Huai'an went into the space studio to start practicing acupuncture. The high-tech features, such as the faceless dolls, immediately shocked Shi Renmei and Xiuzhi, leaving them stunned and unable to calm down for a long time.

Especially when Huai'an used the doll's drug-testing function, the faceless doll gave feedback based on the prescription and even said, "It's so bitter. The effect is acceptable, but the formula can be improved..." He was stunned. No, the problem is that the doll has no mouth. How did it taste the bitterness?

The day brought more surprises than half a lifetime, but the warm and comfortable space was far better than the damp and cold environment outside, making it hard to leave. Moreover, the refrigerator was full of food that could be used indefinitely, so the elderly couple would stretch their limbs and move around after watching TV for a while, and take the time to explore how to use these small kitchen appliances to cook food...

The key is that this TV series is so addictive! Every night, they would drag Huai'an into their space to cook and watch the show. It's a pity they can't share it with outsiders, which makes them so envious. The two of them can only happily chat about it.

If the neighbors knew there was a TV show playing, they'd probably crammed the space to bursting...

Before we knew it, it was the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. A traditional custom of the Lantern Festival is to welcome the lanterns. Usually, the lanterns are lit starting from the eighth day of the first lunar month and are not taken down until the Lantern Festival. On this day, every household sets off a string of firecrackers to signify the end of the New Year and the official start of work.

Xiuzhi took out black sesame-filled glutinous rice balls from her spatial storage. Following Huai'an's instructions, she put the packaging bag into the spatial trash can, and the trash automatically disappeared.

After cooking the glutinous rice balls, she delivered a large bowl to the other three households in the courtyard. When Grandma Zhang and Aunt Yu returned the bowls, they both asked, "Why are these glutinous rice balls so delicious? Where did you buy them?"

Xiuzhi's lying skills are now so refined that she can do it off the top of her head. She often answers with a smile, "I saw an older woman on the street carrying a basket and selling things secretly. She was probably a street vendor!"

Grandma Zhang and Aunt Yu would agree, saying, "The craftsmanship is really good. It's a pity we didn't come here, otherwise we would have bought some too."

When Wallace Chung ate the glutinous rice balls, he was stunned. The glutinous rice balls were so delicately made, and the texture and taste were not like the local 'Yuanxiao'. Instead, they tasted like a certain brand of large glutinous rice balls from a supermarket in his previous life, which was sweet but not greasy.

Zhong Hanzhe couldn't help but smile. It must be his imagination! Today is his 14th birthday; he wondered if Huai'an still remembered. A pang of disappointment welled up inside him…

School reopened on March 1st, and the campus returned to its usual bustling activity. Students chatted and laughed, teachers were busy and fulfilled, and everything was full of life and energy.

Now that Shi Huai'an has explained the matter of the space to her parents, she feels relieved and no longer worries about trivial matters in life. She can focus on her studies and successfully passed the Shennong Herbal Examination. She was rewarded with 100 points for passing the test ahead of schedule, and now she has 1300 points. She still owes 8700 points of principal without interest, but she has also gained 2 points of physical strength and 10 points of intelligence, making her learning progress even faster.

March 6th was a sunny Sunday. For Shi Huai'an, it was not only the weekend, but also her ninth birthday according to the lunar calendar—the ninth day of the second lunar month. Huai'an woke up early, in an exceptionally cheerful mood. When she opened the window, she found a pot of jasmine on the windowsill!

Despite the still cold weather, the jasmine plant was growing tenaciously, with several small green buds swelling up and ready to bloom among the dense green leaves.

Huai'an was pleasantly surprised. She gently stroked the flower petals, feeling the warmth of this unexpected birthday gift. Could this be a gift from her mother?

She moved the jasmine plant to her desk and sat down to admire it quietly. Xiuzhi knocked on the door and then pushed it open. Seeing the jasmine plant on the desk, she smiled and asked, "When did you buy this? I didn't see it yesterday."

Huai'an stammered, "Um, oh, this was a gift from a classmate. I'll put it in the yard later; it won't survive if I keep it inside... I'm hungry..."

Xiuzhi smiled and said, "Come on, it's your 9th birthday today. I cooked longevity noodles and added a chicken leg and a poached egg for you. Go brush your teeth first, and eat it while it's hot." Now that there are plenty of ingredients at home, Xiuzhi can add meat to her noodles.

在当地，凡生日逢到满9就算大生日，做生日就是摆酒席庆祝之意。例如满9岁、满19岁就是一种成年礼，要在娘家过生日摆席面；满29、39岁是夫家做生日摆席；49岁悄悄过，59、69岁后就是儿女为父母做生日了。

Huai'an is nine years old this year, which is considered a tenth birthday according to the traditional Chinese age reckoning. A banquet is traditionally held to celebrate this milestone with relatives and friends. However, due to current economic conditions and the ongoing rectification campaign, many old customs have been abandoned.

At this time of year, birthday cakes are not usually a big deal. A bowl of noodles with a poached egg is considered quite good. Some families with limited means simply don't celebrate birthdays at all.

Now that the Shi family is better off, although they can't afford a lavish wedding with relatives and friends, cooking a few good dishes is no problem. Xiuzhi started stewing chicken early in the morning, and the aroma filled the entire yard. Neighbors, smelling the fragrance, teased, "This is too extravagant! Are they trying to ruin their lives?"

Xiuzhi then said, "Oh dear~ It's always good to have a few extra dishes for a child's birthday. Besides, we don't care about anything else, as long as they are healthy. I've come to terms with it, so I'm not saving any money anymore. My salary is mostly spent on food. Otherwise, if I save any, his sister-in-law from the countryside will come and make a fuss. I can't stand her, but can't I at least eat my own food?"

Everyone nodded, assuming she was suffering terribly because of her sister-in-law's troubles in the countryside, and was spending money in a fit of pique. Xiuzhi's face was now rosy, she spoke louder, and her personality was much more cheerful.

At home, we use the space's toothpaste instead of salt when brushing our teeth. As Huai'an squeezed the toothpaste, she thought: If the flowers weren't sent by my mother, then who else could they be besides Zhong Hanzhe?

She was speechless for a moment, but she didn't intend to throw away the jasmine flowers. The flowers were innocent; she would just leave them in the yard to be rained on and sunned, to receive the nourishment of nature...

On a sunny afternoon, Xiuzhi rolled up her sleeves and began to tidy up the room carefully. She gently picked up the pot of vibrant jasmine and carefully moved it to a corner near the wall of her yard.

Just then, Grandma Zhang, who was airing out her quilts not far away, happened to catch a glimpse of this scene and couldn't help but smile and praise, "Oh my, Xiuzhi, you're going to grow flowers! The fragrance of jasmine when it blooms is truly wonderful."

Upon hearing this, Xiuzhi's face blossomed into a radiant smile, and she replied, "Yes, Grandma Zhang. It was Huai'an's birthday a few days ago, and I don't know which of her classmates gave her this gift, saying that it would be easier to keep her alive if she kept here."

At that moment, Zhong Hanzhe, who was sitting by the window inside the room, was engrossed in the book in his hands, but his ears were constantly listening to every move outside the window.

When he overheard Xiuzhi and Grandma Zhang's conversation about jasmine flowers, a ripple stirred in his previously calm heart, and a sense of loss welled up within him.

He thought to himself: Huai'an used to love the fresh and elegant fragrance of jasmine the most, and would always place them by his bedside in his bedroom to fall asleep with the fragrance of flowers.

Why is this jasmine plant now in the yard? Has her interest changed after my rebirth?

Thinking of this, Zhong Hanzhe gently closed the book, his gaze lingering on the jasmine plant placed in the corner of the yard through the window.

He went through a lot of trouble to get this jasmine plant from someone at the park management office. There aren't many flower shops on the market these days, so getting a plant you like isn't easy...