Chapter 7: Advancing Toward the Goal

The sands of time slipped quietly away, and the results of the preliminary competition were revealed like a thunderclap. In this fierce contest, Li Yifei emerged as the undisputed victor.

This preliminary round, held at the county level, allowed only 60 participants citywide to advance—a number that starkly highlighted the brutal intensity of the competition.

With its formidable strength, No. 1 High School secured five successful candidates, while the remaining slots were shared among several city schools. Notably, only Li Yifei from No. 2 High School broke through, setting the total number of county qualifiers at six.

Li Yifei stood before the campus bulletin board, studying the list brimming with names, a confident smile curling at the corners of his lips. He knew well that this was merely the beginning; a broader stage awaited him ahead.

During the half-month wait before the provincial competition, Li Yifei displayed astonishing business acumen. Drawing upon memories from his past life and a keen market insight, he seized spare moments to adjust his stock portfolio.

Each trade seemed meticulously calculated. Amid the waves of the stock market, he maneuvered like a captain steering through hidden reefs, deftly avoiding hazards and grasping every opportunity. Before long, his investment account soared like a rocket, reaching a staggering 2.6 million yuan.

Such a sum was astronomical to the man he once was, a figure beyond his wildest dreams. Gazing at the ever-fluctuating numbers on his phone screen, Li Yifei quietly estimated that after next year’s college entrance examination, this figure might well surpass ten million.

By then, it was April 2006. For Li Yifei, who had been reborn, this moment held special significance. He vividly remembered that over a year remained before a momentous event that would alter countless lives.

Though aware of his humble standing, a deep sense of responsibility compelled him to contribute all he could to mitigate the harm that event might cause. To him, diligent study and admission to a top university were the only ways to accumulate the necessary leverage and secure greater influence.

Thus, alongside his bold financial ventures, Li Yifei plunged into an intense study regimen. By day, he absorbed every detail the teachers imparted in class; by night, while the campus slept, his dormitory remained lit by a desk lamp, books and test papers spread across the table. Like a parched sponge, he thirstily soaked up knowledge’s nourishing rain.

As May approached, the much-anticipated provincial competition arrived as scheduled. When he learned he would travel to the provincial capital for the final round, Li Yifei initially expected to go alone with his tutor, Mr. Zhang.

To his surprise, the final arrangement was to travel with the team from No. 1 High School. The team leader smiled and explained, “Once we leave the county, No. 1 and No. 2 High Schools are like family. Out there, everyone else is a competitor.” Thus, students and teachers from both schools formed a single delegation, embarking on their journey to the provincial capital.

The car cabin was quiet, the only sound the wheels turning against the road. Sitting by the window, Li Yifei’s gaze followed the receding scenery, his mind swirling with thoughts.

He had never before set foot in the provincial capital. This unfamiliar, bustling metropolis stirred both curiosity and a trace of nervousness within him.

Yet he knew this was no time for idle daydreams; the upcoming contest was paramount.

Upon arrival, the team leader swiftly guided everyone to locate the examination site and familiarize themselves with the surroundings. Once confirmed, they checked into a nearby hotel.

While other students brimmed with curiosity about this strange city, eagerly discussing plans for sightseeing after the exam, Li Yifei felt no desire to wander. Though unfamiliar with the place, he understood his sole purpose: to achieve excellent results in the competition.

Noticing his quietness, Mr. Zhang worried about Li Yifei’s boredom and sought to ease his pre-exam nerves by suggesting a stroll. Unexpectedly, Li Yifei politely declined. “Mr. Zhang, I’d like to review a bit more and adjust my mindset,” he said with calm resolve. Mr. Zhang, seeing the steadfast determination in the young man’s eyes, felt a surge of pride and did not press the matter.

The next morning, before dawn fully broke, Li Yifei awoke early. Drawing back the curtains, he watched as the eastern sky brightened to a pearly white, sunlight threading golden strands across the horizon, gradually awakening the bustling city.

Pedestrians grew more numerous on the streets, car horns honked, and vendors called out their wares, composing the lively overture of the metropolis. Yet Li Yifei seemed apart from it all, quietly seated, eyes closed in serene meditation, patiently awaiting the examination’s start.

Entering the examination hall, he scanned the other candidates. Many wore anxious expressions: some flipping nervously through review materials, others sweating and muttering formulas under their breath, while a few clenched their fists, taking deep breaths to calm their nerves.

Li Yifei, however, was composed and steady. He walked with measured steps to his seat and settled as though facing a mere practice test rather than a life-defining contest.

When the exam papers were distributed, he did not rush to begin. Instead, he calmly read through the entire paper, his eyes quickly skimming each question.

A faint smile curved his lips as he thought, “Fortunately, nothing here that I can’t handle.” Having deeply studied advanced mathematics through self-study in his previous life, he knew this competition demanded not only firm foundational knowledge but also sharp logical thinking and swift reflexes.

For him, these questions were intriguing puzzles waiting to be solved.

As the start bell rang, the room filled with the rustling sound of pens swiftly moving across paper.

Li Yifei took up his pen and began answering with ease. His thoughts flowed like a rushing river; even when facing difficult problems, he remained unflustered. His pen danced across the scratch paper, solutions bubbling up like a spring.

Under his hand, complex mathematical formulas seemed to come alive, intertwining and colliding until the correct answers emerged.

Time slipped away moment by moment. While others still wrestled with a single problem, Li Yifei had already completed most of the paper.

He occasionally glanced up at the anxious faces around him, a surge of indescribable confidence and pride swelling within. He knew he was far ahead of many—victory in this competition was within his grasp.

When the bell signaled the end, Li Yifei set down his pen, rose with calm poise, gathered his belongings, and walked confidently out of the hall.

Behind him, fellow students wore expressions ranging from disappointment to frustration to excitement, but none of it concerned him. His gaze was fixed on the distant horizon, already plotting his next goal: to excel in the forthcoming college entrance examination, gain admission to his dream university, amass more leverage, and prepare to face the extraordinary event looming ahead.

He firmly believed that, with his hard work and past-life experience, he would carve out his own realm in this world and fulfill his dream of defying fate itself.