My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 12: The Strategic Policy of "Strengthening the Body and Studying Diligently"

Lin Ziping's hands had already recovered from the swelling. Although there were still faint bruises on his face, he had to admit that the ointment was incredibly effective.

Drawing lessons from his own painful experience of collapsing at his workstation and being born into this world, and his belief in "knowledge changes destiny," Lin Ziping, in light of the current environment, has drafted a strategic policy of "strengthening the body and studying diligently," and formulated action plans such as "training in the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer" and "burning the midnight oil and working until dawn."

Lin Ziping has become a master of time management. He gets up at six in the morning to do stretching exercises in his bedroom, and runs around the yard after sunrise. Since he took martial arts as an elective in college, he practices basic long fist and tai chi with muscle memory. He eats around nine, starts studying at ten, takes a half-hour nap, continues in the afternoon, and practices the Baduanjin exercise he followed with videos when he was trying to lose weight before going to bed.

Seeing this, Granny Liao couldn't help but sigh, "Lin Ziping has grown up and become sensible."

Lin Ziping...

"When children grow up and become sensible," is indeed the perfect excuse adults find after a child has changed.

However, I'm also glad that my behavior was different from the original owner's.

The characters in this world are similar to traditional Chinese characters, but there are still some differences. Of course, it's also possible that Lin Ziping didn't know many traditional Chinese characters to begin with (?˙ー˙?).

After studying in a way similar to "hanging one's head from the beam and pricking one's thigh with an awl," Lin Ziping felt good about himself, finally shedding his "illiterate" status and gaining a general understanding of the world's written language.

Because Zhu Zi's literacy was limited and he knew only a few books, he learned that Granny Liao, Steward Tao, and his original uncle Lin Zhong were all literate. Steward Tao and Lin Zhong were rarely seen. Lin Ziping took a book and pestered Granny Liao to read to him, thereby increasing his knowledge.

When Lin Zhong learned of this, he was very pleased and praised Lin Ziping highly. Then, Steward Tao sent over several books similar to "Two Boys Arguing About the Sun" and asked Granny Liao to read them to Lin Ziping.

Lin Ziping couldn't help but lament that if he had had the same drive and perseverance when he was young, he wouldn't have needed to perform exceptionally well in the college entrance exam to get into a good university. He could have gone straight to a combined bachelor's, master's, and doctoral program, skipped the struggles of being a "small-town exam taker," and wouldn't have had to work as a slave to achieve success. He could have crossed the gap between the previous generation and the rest of the family...

However, I'm not a genius. I was just a child back then, and I'll grow up to be an ordinary person. I don't have that kind of awareness. It's already good enough to be able to live happily every day and grow up step by step.

Putting aside his thoughts for the moment, although he can read, his handwriting is still crooked. Recalling the pen control techniques he learned in previous videos, Lin Ziping realized that he would probably be using a calligraphy brush for a long time in the future. He focused on strengthening his wrist strength and brush control.

Every time I'm so tired that I can't even lift my arms, I feel like crying inside. It perfectly illustrates the saying "a skill is never a burden." I should have practiced calligraphy more with videos before, so I wouldn't be completely clueless now. (┯_┯)

As the amount of calligraphy practice increases, the paper at this stage becomes similar to scrap paper and is somewhat rough. Unlike A4 paper, it cannot be used on both sides, resulting in a significant waste of paper during the calligraphy practice period.

Lin Ziping once again sincerely admired the time travelers described in the time travel novels he had read before. Before time travel, they were just ordinary people like himself, but after time travel, they could make gunpowder, make cement, and do everything else. Improving paper was just a basic operation for them.

It makes me reflect: we all received nine years of compulsory education, so why are others so outstanding? I really should reflect on myself and look for the reasons within myself. Why is what I've learned over the years so incomplete? I've only focused on exams, and why haven't I combined theory with practice?

However, being able to distinguish the components of gunpowder and cement from everyday items, and finding potassium permanganate in this day and age to perform the most basic experiment of converting hydrogen peroxide into oxygen, would make any chemistry teacher laugh in their sleep; being able to deduce and verify universal gravitation would make Newton jump out of his coffin! After all, he is not Zhang Heng, who could invent the seismograph, nor is he Zu Chongzhi, who could calculate the last seven digits of pi based on Liu Hui's work.

A well-known formula, a calculation method, new materials, and new methods are all products of historical development. We should thank our ancestors for planting trees so that future generations can enjoy their shade.

Unable to change the paper for the time being, Lin Ziping chose to change himself.

During his stay at home, Lin Ziping got to know everyone in the Lin family. He met his original uncle, Lin Zhong, then Steward Tao and Granny Liao, the two guards, Master Li and Master Zhang, Granny Wei and Uncle Chang, who worked in the kitchen and were a couple. Xiao Ya used to help Granny Wei with chores. Zhu Zi and Shun Zi were Granny Liao's nephews. The gatekeeper was a mute. Zhu Zi said that he used to be a soldier, but he injured his leg and became lame. A year ago, he was brought back by Lin Zhong, covered in wounds. After he recovered, he stayed at the mansion to guard the gate and deliver messages. Zhu Zi didn't know his name or where he came from, so he just called him Uncle Mute.

Including Lin Ziping and Lin Zhong, the Lin family has a total of 12 people. According to period dramas, this was considered a relatively well-off standard of living in ancient times. How did the Lin family make a living?

During the month or so that Lin Ziping was in this world, Lin Zhong was often too busy to be seen. Occasionally, he would bring some pastries or other things. Knowing that Lin Ziping started exercising in the morning, Lin Zhong thought that Lin Ziping was just flailing around in the yard and was worried that he might go astray. So the next day, he arranged for the guards to teach Lin Ziping martial arts.

Adhering to the spirit of "it's the same whether you're herding one sheep or a flock of sheep," Lin Ziping used the excuse that Zhu Zi, Shun Zi, and Xiao Ya could protect themselves after they finished learning their skills, and then took the opportunity to get the three of them to learn from Masters Li and Zhang.

Lin Zhong rarely appeared in Lin Ziping's courtyard. Although he had given up and didn't care if others suspected him, Lin Ziping still didn't dare to ask Granny Liao what Lin Zhong was doing. He could only ask Zhu Zi, but Zhu Zi couldn't explain Lin Zhong's whereabouts either, so Lin Ziping had to give up.

Time flies. After several days of practice, Lin Ziping barely managed to complete Master Li's book-copying requirements. He knew it was about time to go to school.

Sure enough, while Lin Ziping was practicing the Eight Pieces of Brocade, Granny Liao came to tell her to go to school the next day.

Lin Ziping stopped what he was doing, wiped the sweat from his brow, opened the door, and went to the study to pack the things he needed for school. Ever since he overheard Zhu Zi and Xiao Ya's conversation, Lin Ziping had stopped letting Zhu Zi into the study, worried that Zhu Zi would discover the inconsistency between his handwriting and that of the original owner of this body. He also wanted to reduce contact with Zhu Zi, as he was still not used to having someone constantly following him around.

Sitting at his desk, Lin Ziping propped his head up with one hand, staring blankly at the candle flame. How would Teacher Li handle the matter of He Jinbao pushing the original owner into the water tomorrow at school? Would He Jinbao continue to cause him trouble?