Qiu Yingying is reborn and bound to a learning system.

Qiu Yingying drove her parents back to their house in the county town. Their mood had calmed down quite a bit. She also left several bags of cat food for the stray cats downstairs in the community so they could have a buffet for the New Year. The family went home and sat on the sofa to watch the Spring Festival Gala!

Photos of everyone from Ode to Joy were shared in the group chat. Andy and Liang Jiaozhou were seen smiling brightly in a photo taken in Shangri-La. Guan Juer sent a picture of the New Year's Eve dinner her mother had prepared. Fan Shengmei sent a picture of herself and her colleagues cooking hot pot together, with a large bouquet of roses next to them. Qu Xiaoxiao was seen hugging her mother and laughing cheerfully. Qiu Yingying also sent a picture of a table full of snacks prepared at home.

The sound of firecrackers outside the window gradually subsided. The Spring Festival Gala host said "Happy New Year" for the last time, and the TV screen went dark, leaving only the warm yellow light in the living room. Qiu Yingying pulled the blanket up a little, feeling that the room was still a bit cold, but her heart was very warm.

The things on the coffee table were barely touched; a small pile of nut shells remained, and the aroma of braised duck feet still lingered in the air. Mom broke an orange into segments and handed her one: "Have some fruit to cleanse your palate."

Qiu Yingying took the orange, put it in her mouth, and the sweet and sour taste instantly suppressed the emotion she had just felt. Looking at her parents, she suddenly felt a little unreal—the little girl who always felt she wasn't smart enough or pretty enough when she was a child could now have her parents sitting in front of her, saying, "I never thought you would be so successful."

"Back then, it was your dad's first time going to a big city. When he came back, he told me that the streets in the city were so clean they were practically sparkling, and the buildings were so tall that there were so many lights at night, like stars." The mother leaned back on the sofa, speaking slowly. "At that time, I thought, if only our Yingying could live in a place like that in the future."

The father nodded in agreement: "Yes, back then conditions in the countryside were poor. If you wanted to eat something, you had to wait until the market. When you were little, you had a sweet tooth. You would stare at other people eating a biscuit for ages. I thought to myself, I must make sure you can eat whatever you want in the future."

Qiu Yingying smiled and said, "I'm not that greedy."

"What do you mean no?" the mother retorted immediately. "When you were three years old, I bought you an apple. You didn't want to eat it, so you hid it under the covers. As a result, it got crushed, and you cried and said, 'The apple is bad.'"

The father smiled and said, "Another time, you saw a little pinwheel from the neighbor's child. You stood there watching it for more than half an hour, and when you came back, you told your mother, 'I want one too.' Your mother couldn't find one, so she made one for you out of colored paper, and you were so happy that you ran around all day."

Qiu Yingying actually remembered these things, but they were from so long ago, like old photos covered in dust. Now, with her parents talking about them, those scenes became clear again, tinged with a bittersweet feeling.

"We were poor back then, but we kept trying." The mother sighed. "When you were in junior high school, the school needed to pay for materials. Your dad was working on the construction site that day, and his hands were all blistered. When he came back, he smiled and said to you, 'It's okay, Dad has money.'"

The father waved his hand: "Why talk about these things? The children are all grown up now."

Qiu Yingying felt a tightness in her chest as she listened. She suddenly remembered when she first went to Shanghai, her salary was low, rent was expensive, and she had to carefully calculate even a decent meal. Her parents worried about her and always saved money to support her. Back then, what she feared most was calling home, afraid that her parents would hear the exhaustion in her voice.

"Were you particularly worried when I first went to Shanghai?" she asked.

The mother nodded: "We were worried sick. You're just a little girl in such a big city, and we couldn't help you much. Your father and I couldn't sleep at night back then, thinking, 'Will Yingying be mistreated?'"

"Back then, I thought that if you could find a good man and settle down in Shanghai, we would be at ease," the father said. "I never expected you to be so capable and do even better in your career than we imagined. That's the best, Yingying. You have confidence in yourself and in your parents. Our daughter is truly outstanding. Dad has always thought you were amazing."

Qiu Yingying smiled and said, "I didn't expect it either." She was so glad that she would get a second chance and that the learning system would help her. She was also able to take her parents to Shanghai. She was grateful to have been chosen and silently said to Duoduo the kitten, "Thank you, my little baby kitten!"

"Your quick wit comes from your mother," her mother said proudly.

The father immediately objected: "Mingming takes after me. I was very capable when I was young too."

Qiu Yingying was amused by them, but her eyes welled up with tears. She suddenly realized that her persistence over the years was not only for herself, but also to put her parents at ease, to make them feel that they had someone to rely on in their old age, and no longer afraid of sudden risks, because their daughter had become a strong tree for them.

"Dad, Mom," she said softly, "sometimes I feel like I miss you both a lot."

The mother immediately became anxious: "Is something wrong at work? Or is someone bullying you?"

"No." Qiu Yingying quickly shook her head. "It's just that the pace is too fast. Sometimes I work overtime until very late, and on my way home alone, I miss the moments when my parents held my hand and taught me how to walk when I was little."

The father was silent for a moment: "After your parents finish handing over their work, we have to go to Shanghai with you. Being together as a family is the most important thing."

The mother nodded, "Mom will cook you something delicious and play with my precious daughter. We'll also invite your friend Fan Shengmei to our house for the New Year. The child will be all alone. We'll invite your other friends over for dinner too."

Qiu Yingying felt a warmth in her heart and was happy. She would take her parents to enjoy a better life after the New Year!

"I love Shanghai very much," she said. "I gave so much there and received so much in return. I also love my hometown very much; it's where I was born and raised."

The mother sighed, "Mom understands. You've lived in Shanghai for so many years."

Her father looked at her and said, "Then you should work hard in Shanghai, and we'll go there to find jobs too."

Qiu Yingying nodded vigorously: "Yes, we can consider it. Let's come up with a business idea ourselves."

The fruit on the coffee table was almost gone, so her mother got up to tidy it up, while her father pulled the blanket over her. Qiu Yingying leaned back on the sofa, watching the occasional fireworks exploding outside the window, and suddenly felt that this year's New Year had been exceptionally peaceful.

She knew that the road ahead would still be filled with difficulties, grievances, and confusion. But she also knew that no matter where she went, her parents would always be her support.

And as long as they are there, she will never get lost.

In the new year, she wants to become stronger and make her parents' lives easier. She wants to take them to Shanghai to see the world and let them know that the little girl who used to chase windmills in the village has truly grown up.

She believes that as long as there is light in your heart, there will always be a way.

And this road will become wider and brighter as you walk along it.