“Classmate, classmate... are you alright?”
“Her head is so hot, she must have a fever. This is quite a bit of trouble.”
“Sigh, in her current state, she can’t continue the exam.”
……
A buzzing sound reached her ears.
Su Nuannuan slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw were two plainly dressed teachers, one male and one female. The male teacher saw Su Nuannuan wake up, gave the female teacher beside him a look, signaling her to look after Su Nuannuan, while he returned to the podium to continue invigilating.
Just upon waking, Su Nuannuan felt a splitting headache. She reached up to touch her forehead and found it scorching hot. She had a fever; no wonder she felt so lightheaded.
Seeing Su Nuannuan awake, the gentle-looking female teacher asked with concern.
“Classmate Su, you’re finally awake. How do you feel? Can you still continue the exam?”
What? Exam?
Su Nuannuan propped up her weak body, quickly contemplating what was going on in her mind.
A wave of dizziness suddenly hit her brain, but it only lasted five seconds before vanishing. The next moment, a massive influx of memories flooded her mind.
She had truly transmigrated, and her identity was Su Nuannuan, the person she dreamed about in her previous life. No, more accurately, she *was* Su Nuannuan.
After her soul and body completely merged, Su Nuannuan finally understood what the dream meant by "soul returning to its origin."
It turned out she wasn't Grandma’s biological granddaughter. She was originally this world’s Su Nuannuan. When she had a high fever at the age of six, her three souls and seven spirits left her body and transmigrated to the modern world. When Grandma found her, she had no memory, so she raised her. Now she had returned and recalled her original memories.
This country was called China, and although it wasn't the same timeline as the country she transmigrated from, the general historical progression was similar.
And she was currently taking the college entrance examination of 1960. Perhaps due to the return of her three souls and seven spirits to her body, the original host developed a high fever during the exam.
Although she was prepared for transmigration, who would expect to land directly at the college entrance exam site? The fever made Su Nuannuan feel terrible; her head felt as heavy as if it contained a weight.
Seeing Su Nuannuan ignore her, the female teacher thought the girl was delirious from the fever and asked with concern.
“Classmate Su Nuannuan, if you feel too unwell, you can stop the exam.”
Although the teacher suggested this, her tone was filled with regret.
Hearing this, Su Nuannuan forced her mind to clear, and spoke weakly in a hoarse voice.
“Teacher, I can continue. Could you please get me a cup of hot water?”
Seeing that Su Nuannuan could persist, the teacher hesitated for a moment before agreeing. He could have directly taken Su Nuannuan away, but that would invalidate her score for this college entrance exam. The teacher truly couldn't bear it, which is why he repeatedly asked if Su Nuannuan could continue the exam.
“Yes.”
After the female teacher left, Su Nuannuan pressed her finger onto the Red Mole on her left wrist and took out a Fever Reducer Medicine. This was the method Su Nuannuan figured out to retrieve items without entering the Space.
She pretended to be weak, leaning her body over the desk, burying her head between her shoulders, and took this opportunity to pop the Fever Reducer Medicine into her mouth.
Swallowing the medicine dry was unpleasant; as the drug entered her mouth, the sugar coating instantly melted, spreading bitterness. Su Nuannuan frowned in discomfort. Just then, the female teacher brought the water over. Su Nuannuan took it and gulped it down, finally washing away the bitterness.
Su Nuannuan looked at the female teacher, pulling a slight smile onto her pale face.
“Thank you, Teacher.”
The teacher nodded. Seeing that Su Nuannuan’s condition had improved significantly compared to before, she left with relief.
After the teacher left, Su Nuannuan finally focused her attention on the black and white test paper in front of her.
This was the 1960 college entrance exam; how could she possibly give up?
As for the 1977 college entrance exam, Su Nuannuan didn't consider it at all. By then, she would be over thirty, an age for enjoying life.
Fortunately, she transmigrated in time.
Unlike later generations, the 1960 exam required filling out the desired university first, then taking the test. What made Su Nuannuan happy was that the original host’s chosen major was the Clinical Medicine Major at Peking University.
At this time, the Clinical Medicine Major was not popular domestically; most people chose majors in literature, history, mathematics, physics, or chemistry.
The original host chose to apply for the Clinical Medicine Major at Peking University not because her grades were outstanding, but because Peking University was the best university in the country. Unlike her, the original host’s grades were mediocre; with some effort, she could barely scrape into a third-tier university. But the original host didn't see it that way, believing only Peking University was worthy of her.
Su Nuannuan was immensely grateful for the original host’s high aspirations at this moment.
This was the first session of the exam; half an hour had already passed, and not a single word was written on the paper. Su Nuannuan thanked heaven again for sending her over in time.
The difficulty of the paper wasn't high, just that some questions involved current political events that Su Nuannuan was unfamiliar with.
However, it wasn't a big problem.
She thanked her previous life’s Motherland for the twelve years of compulsory education, and thanked her own exceptionally good memory.
Perhaps the Fever Reducer Medicine she just drank was taking effect, Su Nuannuan’s previously muddled head gradually cleared, and her problem-solving speed increased significantly.
Picking up her pen, she focused all her attention on the test paper, beginning to answer the questions diligently. The sound of other examinees writing around her gradually faded away.
The invigilating teacher saw that Su Nuannuan could continue answering and withdrew his attention from her.
Teachers of this era were very strict. More than ordinary people, they understood the country's severe lack of talent and how many industries couldn't operate because of it, which is why they were so anxious about Su Nuannuan having a fever during the college entrance exam.
Time passed quickly; Su Nuannuan, engrossed in answering the questions, forgot about time.
When the invigilating teacher announced that there were only ten minutes left until the end of the exam, Su Nuannuan had not finished her essay.
The friction of the pen tip against the paper paused momentarily. Su Nuannuan quickly adjusted her state; the vibration of the Fountain Pen in her right hand quickened, and her handwriting became slightly messy.
Fortunately, just as she wrote the last word on the paper, the invigilating teacher blew the whistle hanging around his neck. Immediately following was his stern voice.
“This session is over. Candidates, please stop writing.”
Su Nuannuan let out a breath, moved her slightly stiff right hand, and the taut string in her mind gradually relaxed.
Although time was tight, the result was perfect.
There were two sessions in the morning: National Language and Mathematics, with a half-hour break in between. Su Nuannuan followed the others out of the examination hall and found the two invigilating teachers, expressing her gratitude to them.
The two teachers saw that although Su Nuannuan’s complexion was pale, her eyes were clear. They briefly inquired about her health and encouraged her to perform well in the rest of the exams to achieve good results.
The whistle sounded again, and Su Nuannuan was already seated in the classroom. This time it was Mathematics, which Su Nuannuan found easier than the morning session.
Su Nuannuan quickly finished the multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions, then began writing the verification process for the proof questions on the paper. She proceeded smoothly, and moments later, the previously blank paper was filled with dense mathematical symbols. Only when she wrote the final character did Su Nuannuan realize there was still an hour left until the exam ended.
The two invigilating teachers stood at the podium, their eyes sweeping back and forth among the examinees. Su Nuannuan dared not make any small movements and diligently checked her work over and over again.
Only when the exam concluded did Su Nuannuan exhale a breath of stale air. She shouldn't have written so fast; the waiting time was truly agonizing.
Walking out of the examination hall, the cold wind that hit her face felt quite comforting to Su Nuannuan, whose cheeks were flushed red. Touching her forehead, she realized the fever was gone. It was just too crowded, making her feel a bit stuffy.
The prolonged mental exertion made her feel hungry. Opening the original host’s small floral Shoulder bag, she discovered it contained five White Flour Steamed Buns.
These were prepared by Mother Su. Knowing Su Nuannuan was taking the college entrance exam today, she borrowed one jin of White Flour from the villagers and steamed five White Flour Steamed Buns for her. None of her three older brothers ate any, leaving them all for her. In her memory, she even saw the three brothers swallowing hard while looking at the White Flour Steamed Buns, then forcibly looking away upon learning they were provisions for their little sister’s college entrance exam.
Su Nuannuan’s feelings were very complicated. When she transmigrated, she had already recalled everything before the age of six and gained the original host’s memories. But she felt conflicted, thinking the original host was her, yet not her. Her childhood memories were too faint, and she didn't know how to face the parents of this world.
Ultimately, Su Nuannuan stopped overthinking. She felt that what the Ancestor said was right: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.