With this role, she didn’t go to Hengdian this year. Who would’ve thought that on New Year’s Eve, after being missing for more than half a year, Doudou actually returned home? The moment she opened the door, her heart was so overwhelmed.
She held him tightly, petting his fur, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
She hadn’t seen him for more than half a year. He had grown a lot, surprisingly clean. Unfortunately, he couldn’t speak to answer her questions, but judging from his state, he was still the proud Mr. Dou from her home.
"It’s good you’re back, it’s good you’re back. You can’t just disappear like that again."
Doudou didn’t answer, but in his heart, he knew he couldn’t comply with that request. She said her part; he pretended not to hear it.
Even though she was celebrating by herself, Hua Yan still prepared a lot of ingredients and even made sausages. She pampered Mr. Dou well this year.
Having not eaten her food for half a year, Mr. Dou ate with an open belly upon returning. Although he still ended up lying flat on the ground to sleep, his return made Hua Yan feel that this finally resembled a home.
In early February, her first-time publication earned thirty thousand yuan, plus thirty thousand in February as manuscript fees and ten thousand as performance fees. Her savings were less than sixty-one because of daily expenses.
Hua Yan knew online novels were impressive over the years, but didn’t expect them to be this great. She certainly underestimated her own skills.
Last February, she completed Piano Level 8. She missed the opportunity to take the exams during the summer holiday, so this winter break she took Piano Ninth Level exams. This summer she was determined to achieve Piano Level 10 because she was about to graduate from elementary school.
Since the painting and dance courses her mom enrolled her in expired, she didn’t renew them because she found herself busier and didn’t have time to attend classes.
Other than piano lessons, all other interest classes were stopped.
At the end of February, the thirty thousand yuan child support for 2012 was credited. In total, it came to ninety thousand. This money wasn’t saved yet because it was planned to buy a house together with the remaining two fixed deposits!
In March, her "Cat Manual" successfully passed the evaluation, thus entering the Cultivation Secret Realm.
The so-called Cultivation Secret Realm meant releasing her into the Fantasy Forest for physical tempering.
She had only nine lives. If all nine lives were used without passing the assessment, she wouldn’t be able to advance.
The Fantasy Forest is a very realistic world where all animals fight upon meeting, with no friendships to speak of. During this process, she not only had to use various professional skills she learned but also apply them practically, like stealth, ambush, jumping, agility—these terms found in Cat Demons also needed to be practiced and tested here.
How does that saying go?
Practice is the only criterion for testing truth. After nearly two years of studying theoretical knowledge, mere recitation wouldn’t suffice; one had to know how to apply it. Look, the tough days are coming!
This Fantasy Forest is set with eighty-one challenges. Once inside, success is the only way out, and the time needed is unpredictable, forcing her to choose to tackle challenges during weekends or holidays.
Because once inside, it would likely take at least ten days to half a month or even several months. In the secret realm, energy replenishment is needed. Of course, the food sourced will be from within the secret realm, requiring her to identify and consume, be it animal or plant. If she chooses wrongly and dies, it’s her own responsibility.
"Cat Manual" is quite thick, but it doesn’t encompass everything.
Thus, the true test might only begin after entering the secret realm...
In June, the entrance exam for junior high school. The principle was to assign by area, but Hua Yan’s excellent grades got her directly recommended to Beijing Fourth Middle School in Xicheng District. It wasn’t far from Hua Yan’s house, about ten bus stops away or a forty-minute bike ride. She didn’t plan to live on campus.
The Ning Family held a celebration party for her and urged Ning Hao to learn from her. Hua Yan greatly helped Ning Hao by organizing many key points for her and tutoring him in English. Now Ning Hao’s grades could maintain him in the top five of his class, if not higher within the grade.
This summer, she didn’t go to Hengdian but instead leveraged her connections there to secure two minor roles in TV dramas. One shooting in Beijing’s film base and another in Hebei, both were short term and would likely be completed by July. By August, she could handle enrollment procedures.
In Beijing, she could take the subway directly; while for Hebei, a short-distance train. The travel arrangements weren’t complicated.
Perhaps influenced by Hua Yan’s drive, Ning Hao didn’t return to his old home this summer, instead planning to enroll himself in interest classes and acquire a library card for studying earnestly at home. For a child who would soon be starting fifth grade, once serious, he seemed a bit unfamiliar indeed!