The first section, life can start anew

When I was in junior high school in my hometown of Nantang, my English foundation was poor. It was only when I came to the 195 Factory's affiliated school for high school that I realized the gap. This homeroom teacher was very kind to me and provided me with considerable assistance, allowing my English proficiency to improve rapidly during the three years of high school, which played a significant role in my successful admission to Lingnan University in the college entrance examination

It is not because that day marks the fifty-third anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, but rather because the news of my assignment back to my hometown, Nantang, has been confirmed

Having adapted to the indoor lighting, Lu Weimin diligently observed his surroundings

With a creak, the door was pushed open, and my mother's familiar figure appeared at the entrance, holding a basket filled with a bunch of scallions, some celery, and a piece of pork belly. "Sanzi, are you awake? Who did you drink so much with last night? Your body is your own; when you are young, you don't realize it, but when you get older, you will understand. Drink more water!"

This is my father's habit; every morning upon waking, he tears off a page from the calendar and then writes down the tasks to be accomplished for the day on today's calendar

Lu Weimin took a deep breath. On July 7, 1990, the fifty-third anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, it was a date he remembered quite vividly

With a sudden gasp, Lu Weimin sat up and looked around. He realized that he was not wearing his usual Plaid shirt, but rather a somewhat shabby, round-necked old T-shirt with a graphic on it. What was going on?

Since his mother passed away three years ago, Lu Weimin has not smelled such a fragrance again. Although his second sister can make fermented black beans, her skill is still a notch below that of their mother. Lu Weimin has never been able to forget the fermented black beans made by his mother herself

The gaze finally fixed on the old ceiling, where a solitary incandescent bulb hung in the center of the ceiling

Why does the calendar display the time from twenty-one years ago

What is going on? Biceps? This thing has been absent from my body for at least ten years.

His mouth had a slightly bitter odor, which was a sign of having drunk too much the night before. Lu Weimin instinctively turned over and got out of bed, walking barefoot a few steps to the square table. He picked up the large teacup and gulped down more than half of the cold tea in one go

And it is precisely for this reason that I had no choice but to return to my hometown—Nantan County in the Liyang area, which is my registered residence. Furthermore, due to not having had the opportunity to undertake any work previously, I was assigned to the most remote Dongbi Township.

Where is this

Lu Weimin let out a groan, instinctively rubbing his throbbing temples. He felt a bit dizzy, as if his thoughts were sluggish, akin to having been in a deep slumber for a long time, leaving him somewhat dazed.

As Lu Weimin was caught in a tangle of confusion and uncertainty, a series of faint footsteps echoed from outside the door. These footsteps, so familiar, could only exist in memory, leaving him somewhat incredulous.

He subconsciously touched his lower abdomen, which was flat and firm, with defined muscles subtly visible, while the excess fat accumulated over years of indulgent living and playing mahjong had completely vanished.

In the three years of high school before attending university, he spent his nights on this bed, and this somewhat worn round-necked T-shirt is actually one he picked up from his father to use as pajamas

Suddenly opening his eyes, Lu Weimin felt his heart pounding violently in his chest as if he had just undergone intense physical exertion. The blood pumped from his heart quickly flowed to every part of his body, a cold sweat trickling down his back, while his limbs felt somewhat cold.

What is going on today? Could it be an illusion? The hallucination caused by the severe injuries from the car accident doesn't seem right. Lu Weimin pinched his left bicep hard with his right hand, and a sharp pain surged through him, making him realize that this was not an illusion, but a tangible reality.

However, ... . ... Lu Weimin's gaze fell upon the rough-textured wall calendar, from which a page had just been torn off.

This ceiling without a drop ceiling seems very familiar yet has been absent for too long, reminiscent of the old Soviet-style red brick buildings. Aren't the dormitories in Factory 195 all in this style?

Mr. Mo? How many years has it been since I last saw him? Eight years or ten years? In my memory, it seems that I encountered him while serving as the director of the Longtai County Education Bureau during a meeting of the municipal education system. At that time, he was nearing retirement. Why does he appear to be much younger than the last time I saw him?

Lu Weimin was trying hard to recall and suddenly remembered, isn't this Teacher Mo?

The faint aroma of green peppers stir-fried with fermented black beans lingers in the air, and it has been a long time since I last encountered such a familiar scent

"Mom, it's nothing, just this once, I'm fine now." Lu Weimin's voice was somewhat subdued. Seeing his mother's concerned gaze, a wave of warmth surged from his chest, causing his eyes to involuntarily become a bit moist.

The French parasol trees outside the window completely shade the roads in the residential area, and the cicadas are desperately chirping. A few retired elderly women are chatting under the trees, and a somewhat familiar slender figure rides by on a bicycle outside the window. Who could that be

How could I be here? Could it be that the accident did not injure me?

He strives to control his fleeting consciousness

Lu Weimin sat dazedly on the bed, immersed in this unusual atmosphere. He did not dare to step outside, fearing that he might not be able to accept it. Whether it was overwhelming joy, confusion, or merely a fleeting happiness, he truly did not know what kind of feeling he would experience.

The homeroom teacher from my high school days

Mother sighed softly, put down the basket of vegetables, and said, "Sanzi, I know you are feeling upset. Seeing you like this, your father didn't sleep well last night either. He left early this morning. Our family has only this much capability. Your father can't let go of his pride, so don't blame him."

Indeed, everything before him is so familiar; he had lived in this room for three years

July 8, 1990! Sunday! A few bold red characters clearly caught my eye on the rough print of the calendar.

Many previous efforts have gone to waste, and hope has turned into a mirage

Lu Weimin may doubt his own eyes, and he may question his own consciousness, but he cannot deny his own feelings, the sense of relaxation throughout his body and that indescribable familiarity

He rubbed his eyes and looked at his palm again, wondering how it could be so smooth and full. Then he glanced at his arm, which, when bent, revealed the well-developed biceps. Lu Weimin was stunned

Lu Weimin was greatly alarmed. What has happened? Could it be that after a single car accident and the incident with the book, he ended up in the hospital, leading to such a significant change in his entire body?

Half a month ago, the Party Committee of Factory 195 rejected the previously agreed opinion of allowing themselves to enter the factory, only accepting the children of dual-income families. As they are a child of a single-income family and their household registration is not within the factory, they were turned away on the grounds that this precedent could not be broken.

He always felt that something was not quite right, yet he could not articulate it. Suddenly, he noticed that his hands seemed to have undergone some changes

At this moment, his mind seemed to become agile, yet Lu Weimin still could not grasp what had happened

This habit has continuously influenced me. Although I have not developed the habit of keeping a diary, I have learned from my father to write down the tasks that must be accomplished each day according to their level of importance and urgency, aiming to limit them to no more than three items daily. It is said that this is the most efficient way to work, and this habit has accompanied me for over twenty years. But what exactly is the reason behind this?

Suddenly recalling something, Lu Weimin looked around in shock. Indeed, wasn't this his original home?

It was impossible; even now, he could clearly feel the blood foam that had surged from Ye Man's lips and the large clots of blood she had later coughed up, as well as the shattered ribs in his own chest. The moment of blurred consciousness lasted only a few seconds, after which he could no longer recall anything.