Reborn in 1977, I will no longer be my brother's blood bag.

The day before the deadline for college entrance examination registration.

County Middle School.

A long queue formed outside the registration office.

Some were nervous, some were excited, and some kept flipping through the documents.

The entire corridor was filled with hushed conversations.

Lin Xiuhe stood in the crowd.

He held the registration materials in his hand.

Letter of introduction, academic credentials, and identity documents were all provided.

Even so, she was still somewhat dazed. Because she had waited too long for this scene.

In her past life—she had also come here, but she was unable to enter.

That day, the textbooks were burned, the letter of introduction was delayed, and the family was in complete chaos.

By the time she arrived, registration had already closed.

She stood outside the school gate, watching others leave with their receipts, like someone forgotten by the world.

And now! She is finally standing here, truly standing here.

Thinking of this, she slowly exhaled, suppressing her emotions.

"Next."

Sounds came from the office, and the line moved forward, getting closer and closer.

Finally, it was her turn.

"Name."

The teacher in charge of registration didn't even look up.

"Lin Xiuhe".

"age."

"eighteen."

"The school I graduated from".

"The county's No. 1 High School".

The pen scratched across the paper, and with each word written, Lin Xiuhe's heart beat a beat faster.

Everything missed in the past life is being made up for little by little.

"Give me the materials."

She handed it over immediately, and the teacher took it and checked it carefully.

The office suddenly fell silent.

The only sound was the turning of pages, one page, two pages, three pages.

Time seemed to stretch out for a long time.

The teacher finally nodded.

"All materials are complete."

"You can register."

collapse--

It felt like something exploded in my mind.

Lin Xiuhe's fingers trembled slightly.

"Yes! You can register!" She had waited two lifetimes for those four words.

The teacher took out a registration form and placed it in front of her.

"signature."

Lin Xiuhe lowered her head and looked at the bottom of the form, where there was a blank line.

Signature area.

The pen was already laid out, and she slowly reached out and grasped it.

For an instant.

Countless images flooded my mind.

He started working in the fields at the age of ten to earn work points.

I was twelve years old when I washed all the family's clothes.

He was fourteen years old and came home from school to gather pig feed.

I gave my scholarship money to my family when I was sixteen.

He was admitted to the supply and marketing cooperative at the age of eighteen.

Then she was asked to give up her job to her younger brother.

And on the hospital bed, there was a savings book with only seven yuan and thirty cents left.

All the grievances, all the resentment, all the stolen moments of life.

At this moment, the answer was finally found.

She lowered her head and carefully wrote down three characters, stroke by stroke.

Forest.

Show.

millet.

The handwriting is clear and firm.

The teacher collected the registration forms.

Stamp with a red seal.

boom!

The bright red mark fell, like the sound of fate starting anew.

"alright."

Registration successful.

The teacher handed the reply slip back.

"Prepare well for the exam."

"Thank you, teacher."

Lin Xiuhe took the receipt, her voice slightly hoarse.

As I stepped out of the office, the sunlight illuminated the entire corridor.

She stood there, suddenly feeling like crying, but in the end she smiled.

Because she knew that from today onwards, many things would be different.

I've kept my job!

My salary is safe!

The book was saved!

The college entrance exam is saved!

This life—

She finally took her destiny back into her own hands.

Just then, footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

"Have you finished registering?"

A familiar voice rang out.

Lin Xiuhe turned around and saw Zhou Zhiyuan standing there, holding documents in his hand, as if he had just come out of the office.

"It's over."

She waved the reply slip, unable to suppress her smile.

"Congratulations."

Zhou Zhiyuan looked at her with a gentle gaze.

This is the sentence he said most often, and it is also the most sincere sentence.

"Thanks."

Lin Xiuhe spoke earnestly.

This time, it's not about thanking for the notification or the reminder, but about thanking for many things.

Although she couldn't explain it clearly.

But Zhou Zhiyuan seemed to understand.

The two looked at each other for a moment, and neither of them spoke.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the corridor.

a long time.

Zhou Zhiyuan suddenly spoke:

"What's next?"

"Review."

Lin Xiuhe answered without the slightest hesitation.

"Then take the college entrance exam."

"And then what?"

She paused for a moment, then looked up into the distance.

This is the first time I've seriously thought about this question.

And then?

past life.

She never dared to think about it.

But in this life.

Suddenly, she had many, many places she wanted to go.

There are so many things I want to do.

Thinking about this...

She smiled.

"And then."

"Go see a bigger world."

The wind blew through the corridor, carrying the chill of early winter, yet it warmed one's heart.

Zhou Zhiyuan stood there, looking at the light in her eyes.

After a long while, he smiled. Because he knew this was only the beginning.

Lin Xiuhe lowered her head and looked at the registration confirmation slip again.

At the very top was the name she had just written.

Lin Xiuhe.

She gently stroked the three words, her eyes tender yet firm.

This lifetime.

No one can decide her future.

No one gave up her dream for her.

No one can take away the life that belongs to her.

This time.

her name.

It belongs only to her.

The third day after the college entrance examination registration ended.

The area in front of the county high school was even more bustling than a few days ago.

Lin Xiuhe had just taken half a day off from the supply and marketing cooperative to come and confirm her registration receipt. She was worried—she had suffered too many losses in her previous life, and in this life, she wanted to personally verify everything related to the college entrance examination.

A long queue formed outside the registration point. There were educated youth, factory workers, high school graduates, and many rural youths wearing patched clothes and looking anxious. Each person clutched their documents as if they were their own lives.

Lin Xiuhe stood by the corridor, watching this scene, and suddenly felt a little dazed.

This was 1977. For many, it was the first time in their lives that fate could truly open a new door.

"Lin Xiuhe?"

A voice came from the registration office.

Lin Xiuhe immediately snapped out of her daze: "Yes."

The teacher in charge of registration handed her the receipt: "Your materials are fine, your registration has been confirmed."

Lin Xiuhe took the receipt, her fingertips gently tracing the red stamp on it. A weight finally lifted from her heart. Although she hadn't actually sat down in the examination hall yet, at least she had passed this hurdle.

"Thank you, teacher."

The teacher waved his hand: "Go back and study hard. Time is tight this year; whether you pass the exam depends on this last section."

"I know."

Lin Xiuhe put the receipt away and turned to leave the office.

Just as I reached the door, a timid voice suddenly came from behind me.

"Teacher, I want to ask... are previous high school graduates still eligible to apply?"

Lin Xiuhe paused and turned around.

The speaker was a young girl, probably nineteen years old, with two braids. Her gray cotton jacket was faded from washing, and the cuffs were frayed. She was clutching several sheets of paper tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white.

The teacher in charge of registration looked up at her and said, "The previous notice wasn't detailed enough. But we just received a supplementary notice from the county today, stating that eligible previous high school graduates can also participate."

The girl's eyes lit up immediately: "Really?"

"Of course it's true," the teacher said, picking up a mimeographed document from the table. "It was just posted. Go see for yourself."

The girl nodded quickly, "Thank you, teacher!"

She turned and ran towards the bulletin board. Perhaps she was in too much of a hurry, because she almost bumped into Lin Xiuhe as she passed the door.

"I'm sorry!" she hurriedly stopped.

"It's alright," Lin Xiuhe said, looking at her.

For some reason, she suddenly felt that those eyes were somewhat familiar. Not that she had seen them before, but rather that they resembled—resembled—her past self standing at the school gate, wanting to go in but too afraid to.

The girl quickly ran to the bulletin board and looked up at the newly posted supplementary notice. Others in the corridor also gathered around.

"Previous applicants can take the exam too? Really?"

"I thought only recent graduates could take the exam!"

"So I have a chance now?"

The crowd erupted in excitement. The gloom that had been weighing on many faces was suddenly illuminated by this thin notice.