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

The library was very quiet.

The setting sun streamed through the window, casting a pale golden light on the table.

Lin Xiuhe looked up and saw Professor Chen standing beside her.

Only when she got closer could she truly see the old professor clearly—

His hair was already gray, but his eyes were bright, unlike the dull eyes of many older people. Instead, they had a sharpness that came from long-term thinking.

"Professor Chen." She stood up.

The old man waved his hand: "Sit down, the library isn't an office."

After speaking, he pulled out a chair and sat down, his gaze falling on the table—

English textbooks, vocabulary books, and grammar books were stacked one on top of another, and the notebook next to him was already full of words.

Professor Chen was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed: "It seems you didn't do very well on the English test."

Lin Xiuhe smiled and said, "A little."

"Just a little bit?" The old man looked at her. "Being in the middle of the class is not just a little bit for someone who is ranked first in their major."

Lin Xiuhe did not deny it, because it was the truth.

In her previous life, she had taken English courses, but that was after she started working. Now that she's back to eighteen, she has to start all over again.

Professor Chen did not continue the topic, but instead picked up a notebook next to him and casually flipped through it.

It contains a list of words she compiled, as well as many technical terms.

The old man's gaze grew more earnest as he looked at the notes: "Did you write these down today?"

"Um."

"You've memorized it all?"

"almost."

Professor Chen paused for a moment, then put the notebook back in its place: "Not bad."

The two words were spoken softly, yet they drew the attention of several students nearby.

As everyone knows, Professor Chen rarely praises people, let alone a freshman.

But Lin Xiuhe didn't react much; she just sat quietly.

The old man suddenly became interested: "Aren't you curious why I'm looking for you?"

"A little."

"Then why aren't you asking?"

You will speak when you want to.

Professor Chen was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter.

The laughter was particularly noticeable in the quiet library, drawing the attention of many students.

He looked at Lin Xiuhe, his gaze revealing obvious admiration for the first time.

Many young people get nervous or eager to impress a professor. But this girl was different—

Thinking of this, Professor Chen suddenly asked, "Lin Xiuhe, why did you come to Tsinghua University?"

The question was posed, and the air seemed to quiet down for a moment.

This question is both simple and complex.

If it were someone else, they might answer: to get ahead, to bring honor to their ancestors, or for the sake of national development.

Lin Xiuhe remained silent for a few seconds before slowly speaking, "In order to leave."

Professor Chen was slightly taken aback: "Leave?"

"Um."

"Leave what?"

Lin Xiuhe looked out the window, where the leaves of trees rustled softly in the wind in the distance: "Leaving my old life, leaving the life that others arranged for me."

The voice was calm, but it made Professor Chen slowly put away his smile.

Because he realized it was the truth.

After a long silence, the old man nodded gently: "And then?"

"Then look at the outside world."

"Just looking?"

"If I have the ability," Lin Xiuhe paused, "I want to change some things."

Professor Chen didn't speak, he just looked at her quietly.

The library remained quiet, but for some reason, at that moment the old man suddenly recalled his youth—

They were like that back then, believing in knowledge, believing in the future, and believing they could change something.

After a long silence, Professor Chen suddenly smiled: "Very good, at least better than those who just talk a good game."

After he finished speaking, he pulled a few sheets of paper from the folder and placed them on the table: "Take a look."

Lin Xiuhe looked down; at the top of the paper were a few words: "Fundamentals of Automation Control".

Her gaze sharpened slightly; this was no longer ordinary classroom content, and even exceeded the scope of first-year courses.

"This is?"

"It's a small research project," Professor Chen said. "I have a discussion tomorrow afternoon; come and listen."

Lin Xiuhe looked up: "Me?"

"What?" the old man asked deliberately, "Do you feel you're not qualified?"

"No."

"Then let's go."

With just a few simple words, the matter was settled.

Professor Chen stood up to leave, but after taking a few steps, he suddenly turned back: "By the way, don't rush your English. Technical talent can give you a significant advantage."

"English is not enough—it's just a tool, and we can catch up sooner or later."

After saying that, the old man turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing among the bookshelves.

Lin Xiuhe looked down at the table, where the research materials lay quietly.

She flipped to the first page and glanced at it a few times, her gaze gradually becoming serious.

She was able to understand quite a bit of this content, not because she had studied it before, but because she had encountered similar concepts in her previous life.

For the first time since her rebirth, she felt so clearly that her advantages might not be limited to the college entrance examination.

Just then, a voice suddenly came from the side: "Professor Chen actually gave you the materials?"

Lin Xiuhe looked up and saw a bespectacled young man, around twenty years old, with a refined demeanor but sharp eyes.

He had obviously been sitting nearby the whole time.

"Is there a problem?"

The boy was silent for two seconds, then extended his hand: "Li Mingyuan, Department of Automation."

Lin Xiuhe's eyes flickered slightly—they had finally met.

She ranked second in the Department of Automation's preliminary exam and is currently the strongest competitor she knows.

The two shook hands briefly and then quickly parted ways.

Li Mingyuan glanced at the research materials on the table and suddenly smiled: "It seems Professor Chen thinks highly of you."

"fine."

"I hope you'll understand tomorrow too." He said it very politely, but for some reason, it always felt like there was something more to it.

Lin Xiuhe simply looked at him calmly and said, "I hope so too."

Li Mingyuan was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting her to answer like that.

A few seconds later he smiled, turned and left.

Lin Xiuhe lowered her head again, her gaze falling on the first page of the documents.

As night deepened outside the window, the library lights grew brighter and brighter.

She knew the real competition would begin tomorrow.