Chapter 3
Capital Beijing
Dong Xuebing's heart was still racing from his time-rewind experiment the previous night. He had managed to turn back time by precisely one minute, which was a breakthrough, but he wasn't sure how to control it or if it had limitations.
After a restless night, he spent the next day preparing for the Civil Servant test. The clock on his wall showed just past noon, and Dong Xuebing was reviewing his notes. He glanced at his alarm clock, the same one he had used for his experiment. 'If I can turn back time by a minute, could I use it to get ahead in my studies?' he thought.
In the kitchen, Luan Xiaoping was preparing lunch. The scent of stir-fried garlic pork and steamed cabbage filled the apartment. Dong Xuebing was still in his room when his mother called, "Lunch is ready, Xiao Bing!"
"Coming!" he shouted back, setting his notes aside and heading to the kitchen.
They sat down at the small table, and Dong Xuebing's mother served him a generous portion. She smiled warmly, her earlier sadness forgotten for the moment. "I spoke to Mrs. Xu this morning. She agreed that her son, Xiao Dong, might help you with your revisions," she said, trying to sound cheerful.
Dong Xuebing looked up, surprised. "Really? That's great! Thank you, Mum."
Luan Xiaoping nodded. "I'm sure it'll help. Xiao Dong is very smart and did well in his exams last year."
As they ate, Dong Xuebing couldn't stop thinking about the time-rewind. 'If I can turn back time by one minute, what if I could use that to improve my chances with the test?'
After lunch, Luan Xiaoping cleaned up while Dong Xuebing went back to his room. He wanted to experiment more with his newfound ability. He set his alarm clock to the current time, 1:00 PM, and took a deep breath.
"Turn back! Move back! Retreat! Back!" he chanted, focusing on the hands of the clock. This time, he hoped to achieve more than just one minute.
As he repeated the words, nothing seemed to happen. Dong Xuebing furrowed his brow in frustration. He tried again, but still no success. 'Maybe it only works once a day,' he thought. 'Or perhaps I need to be more specific with my intentions.'
He decided to take a break and go out for a walk. As he strolled through the bustling streets of Beijing, he saw people going about their daily routines. The realization hit him: he could use his ability to make a real difference, but he had to be careful.
He passed by the Panjiayuan Antique Market and saw his coworkers setting up for the day. The thought of how his part-time job could benefit from his ability crossed his mind. 'If I could go back and avoid mistakes or find better opportunities, it would make a huge difference,' he mused.
In the evening, Dong Xuebing returned home and found his mother already asleep. He tiptoed into his room, trying not to wake her. He grabbed the alarm clock again and began his second round of experiments for the day. He concentrated hard, repeating the magic words.
"Turn back! Move back! Retreat! Back!"
The clock hands moved backward slightly, and Dong Xuebing felt a rush of excitement. He had managed to turn back time by a few seconds this time, but it wasn't quite as precise as he hoped. He made a note to refine his technique and understand the limits of his power better.
As he lay in bed, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and anxiety. He had discovered something incredible, but he needed to figure out how to use it wisely. Tomorrow would be another day of experiments and learning. For now, he had to prepare for the Civil Servant test and hope his efforts would pay off.
With his mind racing and his heart full of hope, Dong Xuebing drifted off to sleep, ready to face the challenges ahead.