Chapter 001: The most critical, most humiliating, and most painful summer

Peng Yuanzheng slowly sat down on the sofa and closed his eyes

Why is it so hot

Peng Yuanzheng smiled faintly and said, "It's nothing. It's quite good to go to the countryside for some training."

Peng Yuqiang, the father of Peng Yuanzheng, passed away due to illness in April 1976, at a time when the nationwide catastrophe was about to come to an end

The cement floor is very clean, with some low-lying areas still showing traces of water, likely because Mother has just mopped the floor not long ago. In the living room, the ceiling fan continues to spin endlessly, producing a humming sound, while on the coffee table in front of the old-fashioned spring sofa, several pieces of cut watermelon are covered by a fly-proof mesh.

On this day, everywhere was filled with white light, so bright it was blinding, so white it made one dizzy, as white as an A4 sheet of paper

Well, see you later

In 1987, Peng Yuanzheng was admitted to the prestigious Jinghua University. This year, he was assigned to the Baiyun Guan Township government upon graduation. During that time, government positions were not as sought after as they would become in later years, especially in rural areas. Upon hearing that her son had been almost exiled to a remote mountainous region, Meng Lin could no longer remain seated.

The girl walked over, her skirt swaying in the warm breeze, her face adorned with a radiant smile, as beautiful as a flower, moving gracefully.

However, this is merely the one-sided wish of Meng Qingtao and Zhang Lei. Peng Yuqiang and Meng Lin met and fell in love during difficult times, and Peng Yuqiang endured great hardships for her without changing his original intention, resulting in a deep bond between the couple. Meng Lin resolutely refuses to remarry, firstly because she finds it hard to forget her beloved husband, and secondly because she cannot abandon her young son.

This is the experience of Peng Yuanzheng in his previous life

Meng Qingtao was furious and had a fierce argument with Meng Lin. He declared that if Meng Lin did not remarry and did not abandon the illegitimate child of the Peng family, he would sever their father-daughter relationship and would not allow her to enter his home for the rest of her life

Why not just go and take a look? You only know how to ask all day long

Peng Yuanzheng opened his mouth and tentatively said, "Cao Ying?"

Meng Qiang, the second son of Meng Qingtao, entered public service and became a leading official, while his eldest daughter, Meng Ping, became an artist in a drama troupe

Disasters, hardships, poverty, and oppression... These constitute the entirety of the life marks of Mother Meng Lin.

... ...

After his mother passed away, Peng Yuanzheng fell seriously ill but eventually went to work at the township government. He spent five to six years in that remote township government before, by a stroke of luck, being transferred to the district government, where he became a junior staff member in the district government office. Subsequently, he cautiously endured many years in the bureaucracy before being promoted to a nominal position as deputy director, living a life of unfulfilled aspirations.

She brazenly took the initiative to visit, seeking assistance from her second brother, Meng Qiang, who had already become the Vice Mayor of Xinan City, to help her son, Peng Yuanzheng, transfer to a different unit, but was met with the ruthless humiliation from the Meng family

Meng Qingtao even personally selected a marriage partner for his daughter, who was his student—Zhang Lei, an associate professor in the Chinese Department at Jiangbei University. Although Meng Lin had been married before, she was just over 30 years old at the time, with beauty like a flower and an elegant demeanor, and Zhang Lei was very enamored with her

Subsequently, Meng Lin, having sought help from various sources in vain, was left with no choice but to embezzle 5,000 yuan from the funds while working as a cashier at the machinery factory to bribe the deputy director of the personnel bureau responsible for allocations. The result was exposure and a report against her, leading to her arrest. Although the Meng family later intervened to smooth over relations and reimbursed the embezzled funds, Meng Lin, who had always been proud and concerned about her reputation, could not come to terms with the situation and ultimately chose to end her life.

Although the home is simple, it is nonetheless spotless

In this era of strict enforcement, many criminals who have been severely punished, especially those facing imminent execution, those guilty of heinous crimes, and even those who are mentally disturbed, frequently make appearances on bulletin boards throughout the city

The township government is quite good, but it seems that this township is too remote and also very poor. Cao Ying frowned her beautiful willow-like brows and said, "You are a prestigious university student; you shouldn't be sent to the countryside, right? What is the personnel bureau thinking?"

The notice also featured a portrait, that of a convicted rapist sentenced to death. With a thin, yellowish face and a shaved head, he appeared to be just over 20 years old, yet he had a handsome appearance. However, it was reported that this individual had raped several women aged over 40 within a span of six months, including an 80-year-old elderly woman.

Peng Yuanzheng suddenly turned around and looked, only to see a beautiful girl standing there, with a delicate face, very fair skin, dressed in a white dress, and sporting the currently fashionable long hair, smiling and waving at him

... ...

Under the sunlight, the dense shadows of people are moving, and to Peng Yuanzheng's eyes, they seem to transform into countless characters drifting and dancing on a blank sheet of paper. The newly constructed wide road appears like the bare thigh of a giantess, smooth and straight, exuding a certain sensuality. Occasionally, a car speeds by, and in the blink of an eye, it vanishes from sight

As time rewinds to the year 1991, the scene before him in this rebirth stirs his emotions deeply

It is extremely hot

The reason he continues to live in this old house is to reminisce about his mother. Of course, it is also because the housing prices in his previous life were exceedingly outrageous. With his income as a minor official in the bureaucracy, which does not provide much in terms of financial gain, he is essentially unable to afford a new house

A young man and woman walked past Peng Yuanzheng side by side. The man seemed to want to take the woman's hand, but she quietly evaded him.

This is a notice stamped with a red seal, and similar notices have recently been posted all over the city

After the implementation of the policy, the Meng Qingtiao family looked down upon Peng Yuqiang and the Peng family, whom Meng Lin had married. They considered Peng Yuqiang to be an inferior person from a rural background, unworthy of their daughter. Consequently, the family strongly demanded that Meng Lin remarry and abandon Peng Yuqiang to the old Peng family in the countryside

He lived in this two-bedroom welfare apartment in the residential area of the Machinery Factory in Xinan City for 30 years, and only in 2000, when the building was forcibly demolished, did he reluctantly move to another apartment

Peng Yuqiang, born into a farming family, enlisted at the age of 16, which changed the course of his destiny. After serving for 8 years, he joined the Communist Party and was promoted from squad leader to platoon leader, and eventually to company commander. At the age of 24, he transitioned to civilian life and returned to his hometown in Jiangbei Province, where he became a workshop director at a mechanical factory in Xinan City.

Peng Yuanzheng numbly and stiffly shook the girl's soft and warm little hand, forcing a smile as he said, "Well... I have been assigned to the Baiyun Guan Township Government, but I have not reported for duty yet"

What are those people looking at

Cao Ying seemed to have something to attend to, so she waved her hand and said, "That works. Peng Yuanzheng, let's get together with our high school classmates another day. I still need to go to the department store to buy some things. See you later!"

Upon ascending the stairs, he opened the slightly swaying makeshift iron security door and stepped into his home. At the moment he crossed the threshold, Peng Yuanzheng could not help but be filled with tears.

This is truly outrageous

How would I know

After the special period ended, Meng Lin's father, Meng Qingtao, was quickly rehabilitated, and the Meng family re-entered high society. Meng Qingtao resumed his position as the university president, while his eldest son, Meng Jun, who had previously served as the deputy factory director in a state-owned enterprise, later ventured into the private sector during the wave of reform and opening up, amassing great wealth and becoming a well-known private entrepreneur

A crowd of men, women, and children has gathered in front of the bulletin board. Peng Yuanzheng stands at the back of the crowd, listening as a little girl innocently asks another little girl, "Lulu, what does 'bully' mean?" "It means a shameless villain bullies good people..."

Before him stood the familiar yet unfamiliar beige four-story old building. Peng Yuanzheng looked up, and on the window of the east unit on the third floor hung a light blue curtain. This touch of light blue added a hint of warmth to his otherwise calm heart.

It is extremely hot!

The crowd watched the commotion for a while before gradually dispersing. However, Peng Yuanzheng remained in a daze, fixated on the date on the notice—July 25, 1991—his eyes shimmering with an incredibly complex brilliance

Damn beast

... ...

After speaking, Cao Ying lightly ran across the street and boarded a bus that was puffing along. It was only after getting on the bus that Cao Ying felt her cheeks were slightly flushed.

In February 1969, Peng Yuqiang married Meng Lin, the daughter of Meng Qingtao, the president of Jiangbei University, who had been persecuted during a special period. The following year, they had a son, Peng Yuanzheng. Due to his marriage to Meng Lin, Peng Yuqiang, who originally came from a well-off and prestigious background, faced severe repercussions, being criticized daily, which led to a decline in his health. He eventually passed away, leaving behind a six-year-old Peng Yuanzheng.

After Meng Qingtao was diagnosed with liver cancer, he soon passed away, and several children of the Meng family from m.hetushu.com completely severed ties with Meng Lin as a result. Although Meng Qingtao's death had nothing to do with Meng Lin, the Meng family insisted that he died from being angered by her

... ...

He knew that his mother was not at home and must have just left a short while ago

Peng Yuanzheng silently followed behind the two individuals and arrived at the bulletin board located at the entrance of the living area of the machinery factory

Cao Ying walked forward, took a few steps, then turned around and smiled at Peng Yuanzheng, saying, "Peng Yuanzheng, I have been assigned to teach at No. 2 Middle School."

As he watched Cao Ying's departing figure, a trace of tenderness flickered in Peng Yuanzheng's eyes. He was already very certain that he had been reborn back to 1991, a summer that was the most critical, humiliating, and painful for him.

Peng Yuanzheng! A gentle voice called out from behind.

As the crowd points and gestures, if spittle could kill, it is likely that this rapist would have died countless times already

More than ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Meng Lin has endured hardships and relied on her son, Peng Yuanzheng, for companionship. Although life has been difficult, it has been warm and happy.

She returned to her parental home to address the issue of her only son's job placement after graduation. Having had no contact with her family for over ten years, she would never have crossed that threshold filled with humiliating memories if it were not for the desire to secure a good position for her son

Mother Meng Lin is a very neat and efficient woman, originally an elegant and beautiful lady with considerable cultural background and a certain level of social standing, who could have lived a very comfortable and refined life. However, her fate has taken her onto a completely opposite life path.

Cao Ying did not notice the complex bitterness at the corner of Peng Yuanzheng's mouth, and smiled as she extended her hand to him, "It has been over a year since we last met, old classmate. I heard from Aunt Meng that you have also graduated. Which organization have you been assigned to?"