Chapter 1: Unemployment Upon Crossing Over

So far, the people that Chen Qiang has encountered are all dressed in short attire; they are all laborers working as carters. However, this middle-aged man is certainly not engaged in manual labor, as he is wearing a long gown

Countless fragments of memories in his mind became increasingly clear, gradually coming together, and in the next moment, the young man suddenly realized that he had traveled through time

Liu Zhanggui let out a long sigh: "Enough! Since you haven't been run over by a cart, consider yourself fortunate! In these chaotic times, if the King of Hell doesn't take you, then you, a good-for-nothing, should just live well from now on. However, you will no longer be able to do the work of pulling carts!"

The young man did not understand why this was happening, but he still made an effort to open his eyes. The first thing that came into view was a dark ceiling.

Chen Qiang was taken aback for a moment, and then he realized that he was unemployed

The feeling of headache gradually diminished, and Chen Qiang's mind became increasingly clear. He squinted his eyes and secretly observed everything around him

Old Shanghai was indeed so cruel; the poor had no place to voice their grievances. When a wealthy and powerful family collided with a rickshaw driver, not only were they not held responsible, but the driver was also expected to cover the repair costs. If Chen Qiang had been killed, it would have been a case of death erasing all debts, and the dignitaries would not bother to argue with a dead man, as it would be too inauspicious. However, since Chen Qiang survived, it is possible that they would indeed demand that he pay for the repairs, which would certainly pose a problem for the rickshaw company.

Before his time travel, he had been a professional athlete, worked as a professional coach, and even served as a sports commentator. Later, he became a professor at a sports university, and he was quite renowned in that capacity. His research achievements in the field of sports have gained a certain level of recognition even internationally

Strange images flashed through the young man's mind, causing him excruciating pain.

After all, the rickshaw puller is at the bottom of society. The old Shanghai police station would not care about the life or death of a rickshaw puller. Not only that, but the rickshaw puller who was hit would also bear full responsibility. It would be a blessing if they did not ask you for repair costs, and matters like staging an accident are simply out of the question.

It seems that it won't die after all! This is still a troublesome matter..." Liu, the shopkeeper, muttered to himself.

Xiao Qiang has woken up, come quickly, Xiao Qiang has woken up

With a large forehead and small eyes, a pair of thin mustaches above his lips, a somewhat pale complexion, and a long gown that faintly shows a few greasy stains, Liu Zhanggui does not appear to be a respectable person

The income of the newspaper boys in old Shanghai was not substantial, and often it was insufficient to meet even their basic needs. In order to earn more money to satisfy his hunger, Chen Qiang decided to change jobs and found work at a rickshaw company, transitioning to become a rickshaw puller

Chen Qiang instantly understood what Manager Liu meant by "trouble"

Why? Chen Qiang asked instinctively

Still not dead? When he was brought back, wasn't it said that he was exhaling more than inhaling? Yet he is still alive now! Liu Zhanggui frowned, not intentionally wishing for Chen Qiang to pass away sooner, but simply feeling surprised.

"Shopkeeper, that kid Chen Qiang is still alive," a voice said, coming from the person who had just fed Chen Qiang some brown sugar water.

Mr. Hu Shi once wrote an article titled "The Rickshaw Puller," which contains a passage where a passenger asks the rickshaw puller how old he is. The puller replies: "I am sixteen this year, and I have been pulling rickshaws for three years. Please do not doubt my words, sir." This implies that the puller began working as a rickshaw driver at the age of thirteen. Therefore, it was quite normal for a fifteen-year-old rickshaw puller to exist at that time

The Chen family has some assets in Jinan, making them a prominent household. Chinese people place great importance on education, and naturally, a wealthy family would not hesitate to provide for their children's schooling. Thus, Chen Qiang began his early education at the age of three, and later attended the best primary and secondary schools in Jinan.

The shopkeeper has returned! Someone even flatteringly stepped forward to greet him

"I just gave him a bowl of brown sugar water, and this little rascal actually came back to life. It seems he won't die after all," the man replied.

He was hit by a car, and at that moment, Chen Qiang lost half of his life, falling into a coma. Naturally, the rickshaw puller, being a poor man, could not afford a doctor or a hospital; after being hit by the car, he could only leave his fate to chance. A kind-hearted fellow worker carried Chen Qiang back to the rickshaw station to await death

Have I really traveled through time? 1929? Have I truly arrived in 1929? Is this the old Shanghai of the Republic of China?

The sound of footsteps echoed as a middle-aged man, approximately forty years old, walked in. He was of short stature and slightly overweight. Unlike others, he was dressed in a long gown.

Immediately, someone stepped forward to help Chen Qiang sit up and move around

The young man rolled his eyes and looked around, seeing the same dark walls. On the wall hung a yellowed poster, featuring a woman in a qipao, and it was hand-drawn, resembling a product from the Republic of China era

Pulling a rickshaw is more profitable than selling newspapers. In old Shanghai, pulling a rickshaw could easily provide for a family of three. Unfortunately, Chen Qiang was very unlucky; on the second day of becoming a rickshaw puller, he was struck by a car.

Confusion, helplessness, fear, anxiety... Various negative emotions surged like a fountain, and Chen Qiang wished so much that this was a dream; he just needed to open his eyes wide and he could wake up from this nightmare

I was fired on the first day of crossing over

Now, he has transformed into a fifteen-year-old young man, and his current name is Chen Qiang

In fact, Manager Liu is also uncertain whether that wealthy family will come to demand payment for the car repairs, but he knows that he cannot afford to offend someone who can afford a car. The saying goes, it is better to avoid trouble than to invite it; getting rid of Chen Qiang is undoubtedly a permanent solution. Moreover, Manager Liu does not lack for a "minor driver" under his employ.

Manager Liu said, instructing those around him: "Help him up and see if he can move!"

Liu Zhanggui waved his hand and said, "Alright, hurry up and leave! You won't be able to stay in this profession as a coachman, so find another livelihood in the future!"

Liu Zhanggui spoke up, saying: "I just went to see Master Gu. Master Gu is benevolent and said that since this was our car dealership's responsibility, we cannot neglect it just because he was killed in an accident. He has asked us to take care of the arrangements for his funeral. I heard that this young man has no relatives and is a destitute refugee, which makes things easier. You all find a place to bury him later, so that his body won't be left exposed in the wilderness without even a complete corpse. Remember to dig the grave a bit deeper, so that wild dogs won't dig him up. This is a direct instruction from Master Gu." I heard that this young man has no relatives and is a destitute refugee, which makes things easier. You all find a place to bury him later, so that his body won't be left exposed in the wilderness without even a complete corpse. Remember to dig the grave a bit deeper, so that wild dogs won't dig him up. This is a direct instruction from Master Gu.

Whether he can endure it depends on his fate Another voice spoke up

Manager Liu stared at Chen Qiang for a long time and noticed that Chen Qiang had already regained consciousness and awareness. He then muttered to himself, "It seems this good-for-nothing won't die after all. What incredible luck to survive being thrown so far by a car."

In these chaotic times, countless corpses are thrown into the Huangpu River every day, and the loss of Chen Qiang is of no significance.

After arriving in Shanghai, Chen Qiang was neither deceived by human traffickers into becoming a laborer for sale nor did he fall into a life of theft. Instead, with his education and literacy, he became a newsboy, earning a meager living each day, managing to survive until 1929

"If I were to keep you here, and the owner of the car that hit you comes looking for compensation for the repairs, would you be able to pay? You cannot afford it, and they would expect me to cover the costs for this car dealership. That is a four-wheeled automobile, not my two-wheeled carriage; selling this dealership wouldn't even be enough to buy a single car! What do I have to compensate them with? Therefore, in this small establishment of mine, you cannot stay any longer. Once you leave, it will no longer be related to my car dealership," said Manager Liu coldly. "What do I have to compensate them with? Therefore, in this small establishment of mine, you cannot stay any longer. Once you leave, it will no longer be related to my car dealership," said Manager Liu coldly.

At least in the eyes of most people, Chen Qiang's life is worth less than a car's bumper

"Take me to have a look," Manager Liu instructed. Within a few seconds, Manager Liu's face appeared in Chen Qiang's line of sight

With the call of "shopkeeper," Chen Qiang's memory also surfaced information about this shopkeeper. This person, whose surname is Liu, is the head shopkeeper of this car dealership

This is a fragment of memory, a memory that does not belong to him

In fact, after consuming the brown sugar water that night, Chen Qiang became aware. At that moment, he was already able to move, yet he remained lying in place, unable to come to terms with the reality of his time travel, struggling to accept the transformation of his identity and living environment

The rickshaw pullers endure great hardship, but for Chen Qiang, who has experienced the devastation of losing his family, enduring some suffering is nothing. Moreover, he grew up in a wealthy family, enjoying good food and ample nutrition from a young age. Coupled with the robust genes of a Shandong man, even at just fifteen years old, he is tall and strong, appearing to possess considerable strength, making him capable of handling such laborious work as pulling a rickshaw

This was followed by the scene of a physical education university professor traveling through time. After consuming a bowl of inferior brown sugar water, the previous Chen Qiang had died, and the current Chen Qiang had become a future physical education professor

Looking around, there is a dilapidated cabinet, several stools, a square table, on which sits a greasy glass-covered kerosene lamp, a worn inkstone, a greasy brush, and items resembling account books.

Liu Zhanggui continued, "You worthless fellow, if you were dead, I wouldn't worry about the car owner coming to cause trouble; wealthy families don't seek out misfortune. But now that you are not dead, if the car owner comes to ask me for repair costs, I certainly cannot afford it"

Chen Qiang hails from Jinan, Shandong, and his ancestors produced a successful candidate in the imperial examination, thus the Chen family can be considered a scholarly lineage

I am not dead, I have actually traveled through time! It is now the year 1929! I have returned a hundred years into the past. Upon realizing this, the boy's breathing began to quicken.

... ...

Upon seeing the man in the long gown, the people in the carriage immediately stepped aside, and their expressions appeared to be very respectful, indicating that this man in the long gown held a position of significance

In the next moment, a dark, wrinkled face appeared in the boy's line of sight. He examined the boy closely and immediately shouted, "He really is awake, he is not dead yet, quickly go get a bowl of brown sugar water, it might just save his life!"

Moments later, someone approached holding a broken porcelain bowl, which contained some murky soup. Without any explanation, they poured it all into the young man's mouth

At this moment, Chen Qiang still cannot accept the fact that he has traveled through time, and his mind is completely blank.

The young man felt that the bowl of brown sugar water was not sweet at all, and even had a hint of bitterness, clearly indicating that the quality of the brown sugar was not very good. Fortunately, the brown sugar water was hot, and a bowl of hot liquid helped to restore some clarity to his mind

Who would have thought that while one sits at home, disaster would come from the sky

In the year 1929, those who could afford a car were either wealthy or of high social status. If a dignitary or a foreigner driving a car were to accidentally kill a rickshaw puller, it would be as if nothing had happened

What era is it, and there are still people using kerosene lamps and selling antiques! The young man was pondering this when he heard another voice beside him:

According to the normal trajectory of life, after graduating from high school, Chen Qiang would take an entrance examination for a university and then enter society

Chen Qiang felt a sense of dissatisfaction in his heart; he had not died, yet Manager Liu appeared to be quite disappointed. Moreover, he even referred to it as a "troublesome matter." It seemed that Manager Liu completely disregarded the value of human life.

In 1928, when Chen Qiang was fourteen years old, the horrifying Jinan Incident occurred. Chen Qiang's entire family perished in the Jinan Incident, while he happened to be at school at the time, narrowly escaping with his life. After fleeing the city, he traveled south with a group of refugees, wandering until he arrived in Shanghai.

The memories in his mind became increasingly coherent and clearer, and he finally understood the background of the young man named "Chen Qiang"

Some may think that at fifteen, one is still a child, not fully grown, and the idea of pulling a rickshaw is utterly absurd. However, in old China, it was not uncommon for a fifteen-year-old to pull a rickshaw