*Did I hit my head when I collapsed from heatstroke?* Ji Feng wondered, disbelief coursing through him as he grappled with the astonishing changes in his body.
The entire morning, Ji Feng was in a daze, his mind reeling from the discovery. To confirm whether the vivid recollection was a fluke, he pulled out all his textbooks and began reading chapters he hadn't yet studied. After finishing, he closed the books and waited a moment before attempting to recall the content in his mind.
The result left him both shocked and elated. Even the most complex English vocabulary and intricate physics formulas—material he'd never encountered before—came back to him with perfect clarity, word for word, as if etched into his brain.
He tested himself repeatedly, flipping through different subjects, and each time, the outcome was the same. The scenes flashing in his mind weren't an illusion—they were real.
Staring at his textbook, Ji Feng's heart raced with exhilaration. "I really have photographic memory!"
But why? How had this happened?
Confusion quickly followed his joy. Ji Feng knew his limits. Memorizing a single text used to take him days of painstaking effort. This newfound ability was a complete departure from the person he'd been.
He racked his brain for an explanation but came up empty. In the end, he shook his head, pushing the questions aside. Whatever the reason, he was secretly thrilled. With this ability, he could master all the material he'd struggled with before. Getting into a top university was now within reach—and that was just the beginning. Photographic memory opened doors to possibilities he'd never dared dream of.
The thought sent a flush of excitement across his face, and he scratched his head, grinning.
Zhang Lei, sitting beside him, raised an eyebrow. "Crazy, what's with you today? You're acting weird. Don't tell me you've actually lost it."
"Get lost!" Ji Feng shot him a playful glare, chuckling. "You're the crazy one."
"You're still snapping back, so you're fine," Zhang Lei said with a dramatic sigh, grinning. "Seriously, though, I was worried you'd let that snob Hu Xuehui mess with your head. She's not worth it, man. Forget her."
Ji Feng felt a surge of warmth at Zhang Lei's genuine concern. He nodded, smiling softly. "You're right, Lei. She's not worth it. I've already moved on."
In the hospital, seeing his mother's tears had been a wake-up call. From that moment, Ji Feng had resolved to erase Hu Xuehui from his heart. If her memory surfaced, it was nothing more than a fleeting thought, stripped of meaning.
His gaze drifted toward the front of the classroom, where Hu Xuehui now sat in the third row. Thinking of how blindly he'd once chased her, he shook his head with a wry smile. Growth always came at a cost.
Thankfully, Hu Xuehui's breakup had jolted him awake early. Without it, he might have wasted years lost in her shallow world, ruining his future.
Staring at her once-familiar silhouette, Ji Feng felt only calm resolve. *Don't scorn a poor youth,* he thought. *You love money? Fine. I'll work hard, earn more than I can count—not for your regret, not out of spite, but for my mother. I'll make those who mocked her wish they hadn't. But you, Hu Xuehui? You're nothing to me now.*
With one last glance, he turned away. From this moment, they were strangers, their paths destined never to cross again.
As if sensing his gaze, Hu Xuehui turned, catching sight of Ji Feng immersed in his book, his expression serene yet focused—frowning one moment, smiling the next. She curled her lip in disdain. *What's the point of a poor guy like him studying so hard? Even if he gets into college, can he afford it?*
---
The afternoon passed quietly, and soon the school day ended. Since it was the first day, there was no evening study session. Ji Feng declined Zhang Lei's offer to treat him to seafood, knowing his friend's comforting presence was more than enough. Zhang Lei, understanding Ji Feng's stubborn streak, didn't push.
After parting ways, Ji Feng jogged home. In the old town of Mangshi County, where they lived, the streets were lined with simple, privately built three- and four-story buildings. These lacked balconies, resembling basic hostels with doors opening onto shared corridors.
Most residents were renters like Ji Feng and his mother—low-income families scraping by. Uncle Zhang on the second floor collected scraps; Ji Feng's mother had sold to him when Ji Feng was young. Aunt Wang on the first floor, like Xiao Sumei, was a vegetable vendor. The landlord had set up a communal kitchen and bathroom in the courtyard, fostering a tight-knit community where neighbors helped each other, lending warmth to their modest lives.
Ji Feng and his mother rented a room on the third floor, originally a single space that Xiao Sumei had asked the landlord to divide. The outer area served as a living room by day and Ji Feng's bedroom by night. The dining table doubled as his desk, and a cheap sofa became his bed.
"Mom, I'm back!" Ji Feng called as he entered.
Xiao Sumei poked her head out of the communal kitchen, her face lighting up. "Feng'er, head upstairs. I'm almost done with one more dish!"
Ji Feng wanted to help, but the cramped kitchen left no room. Smiling, he nodded. "Alright, I'm going up."
Sitting on the sofa, Ji Feng hesitated, wondering if he should tell his mother about his newfound ability. After a moment, he decided to keep it secret for now. He'd surprise her after the college entrance exam with results that would make her proud.
Imagining her joy, Ji Feng couldn't help but smile.
"Feng'er, come help with the dishes!" Xiao Sumei's voice rang out.
Ji Feng bolted downstairs. Thanks to his mother's efforts, dinner was a feast—four dishes and a soup. Watching her son devour the meal, Xiao Sumei beamed with contentment.
---
That night, Ji Feng lay awake, his mind buzzing. No one could stay calm after discovering such a miraculous ability.
"With photographic memory, getting into college will be easy," he thought. "But how long will this last? What if it vanishes in a few days?"
His thoughts churned until exhaustion finally pulled him toward sleep. As he drifted off, a mechanical, synthesized voice suddenly echoed in his mind: *"Integration with host complete. Intelligent Brain No. 1, activating!"*
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