With three superpowers at his fingertips, he could dominate the 1970s.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the four pairs of expectant eyes in front of her and shook her head helplessly.

"Wait."

She got up and went inside, took out some documents from her storage space, and then took out some Beijing-style pastries.

She placed the pastries on the table, then pushed the two documents in front of her father and godfather respectively.

"Here it is. Take a look."

Jiang Boxun picked up the document in front of him and turned to the first page.

The more I looked, the more excited I became; the more I looked, the more my hands trembled.

Su Wanqing tilted her head and leaned closer to look with him. Their heads were almost touching, and their breathing became rapid.

The documents for Qi Zhengli and his wife were much simpler.

Qi Zhengli glanced at it, not paying attention to a single word of the platitudes about exoneration and restoration of reputation—not because he didn't care, but because he was only eager to find the most crucial conclusion.

found it.

A line of text was printed at the end of the document, with a bright red official seal stamped neatly beside it:

**It is agreed that Comrades Qi Zhengli and Liu Hong be exonerated and restored to their original positions, ranks, and work benefits. They shall report to their original units for work from the date of this decision.**

Liu Hong's tears streamed down her face.

She didn't cry out loud, but her lips were tightly pressed together, and tears streamed down her cheeks, one drop after another falling onto the thin paper, staining a small patch next to the official seal.

Qi Zhengli's hands were trembling. He gripped the document so tightly that his knuckles turned white, as if he wanted to carve those words into his bones.

From the day they were sent down to the countryside, they never dared to think about the words "reinstatement." They thought they would be rooted in this poor, remote place for the rest of their lives, and that all those years of study and research had been in vain.

Now—original position, original rank, original benefits.

Report back to your original work unit.

With just a few words, they lightly brushed aside the suffering that almost made them unable to endure.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the two of them and said calmly, "This document was given to us by our former leader after his investigation."

She didn't say "casually"—it wasn't casual; those senior leaders had put in a lot of effort to get it done. But in front of Qi Zhengli and his wife, she didn't want to be too harsh, afraid that they would find it even more unbearable.

Jiang Boxun and Su Wanqing fell into a long silence after reading the document.

Qi Zhengli thought something had happened, so he went over and took the document to look at it.

Then he understood.

The couple wasn't unhappy; they were conflicted.

The document gave them two options:

One option is to return to a university in Shanghai, resume his teaching position, and take up the teaching post again.

Secondly, they went to the national research laboratory in the desert to conduct scientific research.

Two options, two completely different paths.

Returning to university, to familiar surroundings and colleagues, life was stable, but it also meant facing the complexities of interpersonal relationships again—they had been criticized and struggled against over the years, and they had witnessed too much infighting among intellectuals, which still made them shudder.

Going to the desert is tougher, more tiring, and more remote, but there are no interpersonal conflicts, only pure research. For those who truly love academia, it's paradise.

Both paths have their advantages and disadvantages.

Jiang Zhiyu did not urge them.

She picked up her glass, took a sip of water, and waited quietly. This was their own life, and they had to make their own decisions.

The courtyard was quiet, except for some bird chirping in the old locust tree, which chirped twice and then fell silent.

After a while, Jiang Zhenbang looked at his wife beside him.

"Wanqing, what are you thinking?"

Su Wanqing lowered her head, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the document, as if she were sorting out her chaotic thoughts.

She thought about it for a long time.

To be honest, she was tempted to do research in the desert. The pure research environment, free from the backstabbing and infighting, allowing her to quietly pursue her studies—this was an immense temptation for someone who had spent half her life in academia.

but--

She had just learned the news about her parents.

My older brother, Su Lixing, is in the US, and my mother, Shen Peiyu, is there too. Although the situation back home is still unclear, what if they could come back?

If she went to the desert, she wouldn't be able to come out for several years. Even if her mother and brother returned, she wouldn't be able to see them.

Eighteen years.

She has never received a single letter from her mother.

Su Wanqing raised her head and looked at her husband, a barely perceptible hint of moisture in her eyes:

"I still want to go back to Shanghai."

She paused, her voice softening, "We know everything there. And... I'm worried about my parents, and my brother. What if they come back and can't find us?"

Jiang Zhiyu hadn't thought about her maternal grandparents.

But she could understand her mother. The worry and longing in her heart for her own flesh and blood, whom she hadn't seen for nearly twenty years, was unimaginable. In this apocalyptic world, she had no relatives left; she could only imagine the pain of this longing through her mother's eyes.

Jiang Boxun breathed a sigh of relief after hearing his wife's words.

Actually, he also preferred to return to Shanghai—it wasn't that he was afraid of hardship; he wasn't afraid of the desert laboratory. But he also worried about the same things Wanqing was worried about. His parents-in-law were elderly, and his brother-in-law was far away overseas. If there was any news, they wouldn't be able to get back in time from the desert.

"Okay, then let's go back to Shanghai."

He reached out and gently squeezed his wife's hand.

Su Wanqing squeezed back, her nose felt a little sore, but the corners of her mouth curved into a smile.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her parents and patted the back of their hands.

"Don't worry."

Her tone was very certain, as if she were stating something that was absolutely certain:

"As far as I know, the college entrance examination will be reinstated soon."

These words startled all four of them.

Su Wanqing suddenly looked up at her daughter: "Yuyu, where did you hear this news? Is it reliable?"

Jiang Boxun and Qi Zhengli also looked at her in unison, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Reinstate the college entrance examination?

To them, those four words sounded like a fantasy. They knew better than anyone how chaotic the education system had become in recent years. Universities were practically shutting down, and they still had the college entrance exam?

Jiang Zhiyu shook her head: "Don't worry about where the news came from, and don't spread it."

Her tone was calm and resolute: "This is inevitable. Talent is essential for national development. You can now shine in your current positions, and you don't need to worry about those unpleasant things from before."

There was a moment of confusion in her eyes when she said this.

In my past life, the college entrance examination was reinstated in the winter of 1977. It was an exam that changed the fate of countless people, and millions of educated youth picked up their pens again, walking from the fields into the gates of universities.

The four exchanged glances. Although they still had doubts, seeing Jiang Zhiyu's confident demeanor, they couldn't help but believe her to some extent. This girl never did anything unprepared.

Jiang Zhiyu turned to look at Qi Zhengli and his wife.

"Godfather and Godmother, you're going back to Beijing, right?"

Qi Zhengli nodded: "Yes! My original work unit is in Beijing, so naturally I'll be going back."

Jiang Zhiyu thought for a moment and said, "I've retrieved all the things you mentioned to me before and put them in a safe place."

Qi Zhengli was taken aback for a moment, then waved his hand: "Hey! I said I'd give those things to you, so I meant it! A girl should have some dowry, shouldn't she?"

Liu Hong chimed in, "That's right! Yu Yu, we decided to give you those things the day your godfather and I became godparents. You can't refuse them anymore."

Jiang Zhiyu remained silent.

If we're talking about a girl's dowry, she has way too much right now—mountains of gold and jewelry, antiques and paintings, land deeds piled up in her space, she can't even be bothered to count them all.

But she couldn't refuse her godparents' kindness.

Never mind, let's wait for the right opportunity.

"Okay, I'll accept it." She didn't refuse again, just smiled, "I'll come see you once you've settled in the capital."

Qi Zhengli and Liu Hong both laughed, their tear stains still wet on their faces, but smiles were already overflowing from their eyes.

Late at night.

Filled with hope and trepidation, the four people returned to their respective rooms.

Both couples were whispering in their rooms about their hopes for the future.

And those hardships, without needing to be spoken, are understood by both of them.

Jiang Zhiyu sat in the courtyard, leaning against the old walnut tree, looking up at the starry sky.

The night sky in Northeast China is much cleaner than in Beijing. The Milky Way stretches across the sky overhead, shining like a shimmering river.

The wind blows by, carrying the scent of earth and crops, along with a faint fragrance of locust blossoms.

Looking at the peaceful mountain village, she suddenly felt a strange, indescribable feeling.

Actually, she quite likes this place.

Quiet, natural, and peaceful.

A few crickets were chirping in the yard, and occasionally a dog barked in the distance; other than that, there was no other sound.

This was a rare moment of peace for her since she transmigrated.

When I was in Beijing, there were things to do with my old boss, things to do with Zhuge Yunhe, and all sorts of commotion in the compound—it was lively, but I was always on edge.

Here, you don't have to think about anything.

She sat in the courtyard, listening to the crickets chirping, smelling the fragrance of locust blossoms, and watching the stars light up one by one.

Seventeen whispered in her mind, "Host, what are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking that it would be great if this peaceful and tranquil life could last a little longer, but people! No matter what kind of world they live in, things always push people forward, and people adapt to the environment."

Seventeen also remembered what Old Zhuge had mentioned, and it gently comforted Jiang Zhiyu.

"With great power comes great responsibility. Host, you are the best!"