The street was the same, the building hadn't changed, and even the broken streetlight was still there. Standing at the front door of his house, Chen Hansheng initially intended to knock gently, but the sound of his hand on the door came out louder than expected: *thump, thump*. He couldn't help calling out, "Mom, I'm back!"
*Creak.*
The wooden door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman in her forties. She shot Chen Hansheng a sharp look as she scolded, "Why so loud? The whole building can hear you. How old are you, coming home without your keys?"
"It's the same old routine, the same familiar feeling," Chen Hansheng thought to himself.
Environments hold memories, just like how the walls of the Forbidden City are said to sometimes show ghostly images of palace maids during thunderstorms. Legend has it that the magnetic field captures and stores past images. Chen Hansheng, who had initially felt a bit anxious, was instantly pulled back 17 years by his mother Liang Meijuan's familiar way of speaking, making everything feel unchanged.
Walking past his mother's scrutinizing gaze into the living room, Chen Hansheng didn't feel a bit nervous. He started looking for the remote control, muttering, "It's so stuffy in here, didn't think to turn on the air conditioner. Where's Dad?"
Liang Meijuan pulled out a chilled watermelon from the fridge and said, "All you care about is the air conditioner as soon as you come home. Your dad's not back from work yet."
Seeing the watermelon, Chen Hansheng grinned, "Still, my mom knows how to spoil me."
"All talk," Liang Meijuan muttered. She watched her lively son with a satisfied heart but maintained her strict tone: "Where's your college admission letter?"
Chen Hansheng tossed the envelope containing the admission letter onto the dining table carelessly. "Over there."
"Are you crazy?!"
Liang Meijuan quickly picked up the envelope, checking to see if it had any watermelon juice on it, then gave Chen Hansheng a light whack with a spatula. "You little rascal, do you still want to go to college?"
She carefully opened the envelope and, seeing the official letter that read *"This is to inform you, Chen Hansheng, that you have been admitted to study in the Public Administration program. Please report on September 1, 2002,"* a broad smile spread across her face.
Even though university enrollment had expanded in 1999, its impact hadn't fully resonated yet. Being a college student still carried significant prestige.
Liang Meijuan felt particularly proud because none of her nieces or nephews had made it to college. Although her son could be unruly, his academic performance brought her joy. It was only a second-tier college, but there was always the possibility of going for a postgraduate degree later on.
While she was daydreaming, Chen Hansheng had already devoured half of the watermelon and was heading to the bathroom for a cold shower. Liang Meijuan called after him, "Let the water heat up for ten minutes first, or you'll catch a chill."
The house still used a solar-powered water heater, so showers required some prep time. Ignoring her, Chen Hansheng grabbed his clothes and walked into the bathroom. "It's so hot outside; cold showers are the best."
"You rascal!" Liang Meijuan muttered, unable to stop him. She turned back to look at the admission letter and felt a wave of relief.
Raising a child until they went off to college demanded significant financial and emotional investment. "Just four more years, and Lao Chen and I will finally have some peace. We can help take care of grandkids then and live a simple life."
This was the dream life of Liang Meijuan, an ordinary woman from Gangcheng.
…
Chen Hansheng stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed. He stared at himself in the mirror, seeing a young, healthy, and energetic face staring back at him. Covering his eyes, the reflection was that of an 18-year-old. Uncovering them revealed a depth in his gaze that wasn't typical for someone his age.
Pointing a finger at the mirror, he said firmly, "Now that I'm back, I'll make a mark. Sure, I wouldn't have been short of money in my original path, but where's the fun in that?"
At that moment, he heard the sound of the iron gate and voices in the living room. The serious look faded from his face as he slipped into a loose house shirt and shorts and walked out with a carefree greeting, "Hey, Dad's back!"
Standing in the living room was a middle-aged, handsome man who shared some resemblance with Chen Hansheng. This was his father, Chen Zhaojun. The two shared six out of ten facial features, but their personalities were worlds apart.
Chen Zhaojun was a man of few words. Liang Meijuan often complained that he "wouldn't say a word even if you beat him," whereas his son was lively and always full of ideas, not one to care about conventions.
Even when his only son greeted him, Chen Zhaojun just nodded with a soft *"Mm."* However, seeing that Chen Hansheng had just bathed and still had water droplets on his back, Chen Zhaojun silently adjusted the air conditioner temperature a little higher.
Before Chen Hansheng could start a conversation, Liang Meijuan appeared with his trousers and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, slapping it on the table with a thud. "So, you secretly learned to smoke?"
The pack of Red Jinling cigarettes was something Chen Hansheng had "confiscated" from his teacher Lao Xu earlier. He had forgotten to hide them, and now his mother had found them.
Chen Hansheng didn't flinch. "Lao Xu insisted I take them. He said my performance in the college entrance exam was average and gave me this pack to cheer me up."
"Rubbish!"
Liang Meijuan scoffed. "What kind of teacher gives a student cigarettes? Chen Zhaojun, are you going to do something about your son?"
Chen Zhaojun was ready to slip away to the bedroom when Liang Meijuan's glare pulled him back. He glanced at his indifferent son and his annoyed wife, ultimately siding with the latter.
"It's too early for you to smoke," Chen Zhaojun said calmly. "Even considering the social aspect, you shouldn't start until you're officially in college. I'll hold onto this pack for now."
As he spoke, he pocketed the cigarettes. Chen Hansheng thought it amusing that his father ended up with them. Still, he figured that coming back empty-handed was a bit embarrassing, so he considered the cigarettes a gift.
"Oh well, let's call it a welcome-home present," Chen Hansheng mused.
The family then sat down to eat. Liang Meijuan spoke between bites, "Remember to take time off so we can send Hansheng to college together."
Chen Zhaojun nodded, but Chen Hansheng shook his head. "I can go on my own. You two should stick to your schedules."
"It's hundreds of kilometers away! And don't forget the tuition fees," Liang Meijuan reminded him.
"I'll carry the money with me," Chen Hansheng said.
In 2002, tuition was usually paid in cash. Chen Hansheng remembered feeling nervous carrying that much money on the bus back then.
"Also," Chen Hansheng added, "If our family qualified for a student loan, I would've applied for one myself. But since we don't, I won't bother with fake documents just to take advantage of the system."
"Ridiculous!" Liang Meijuan scolded. "We're not rich, but we can afford to send you to college. Don't try to pull any stunts. Focus on learning and keep out of trouble."
She knew her son well enough to understand that he was full of unpredictable ideas.
Chen Hansheng shrugged. "I've made up my mind. After the first semester, I won't ask for any tuition or living expenses. I'll find a way to earn money on my own."
"You wouldn't dare!" Liang Meijuan snapped.
"Try me!" Chen Hansheng challenged.
"Chen Zhaojun, say something!"
As always, whenever mother and son argued, Chen Zhaojun had to act as the judge. He thought for a moment and said slowly, "Hansheng's a young man. It's good that he wants to be independent and take on challenges. But studying can't be neglected."
Seeing her husband's agreement with their son's plan, Liang Meijuan was unhappy. "He used to be such a well-behaved child. Then you started saying things like, 'Boys need independence,' 'They need resilience,' and 'They should learn responsibility.' You always encouraged him to follow those strange ideas. Now look, he doesn't even listen to his mother anymore."
In the end, the family "vote" passed 2 to 1, allowing Chen Hansheng to go to college alone and try to earn his way through school. That night, Liang Meijuan lay in bed, still somewhat upset.
Chen Zhaojun comforted her, saying, "Hansheng may not be the best student, but notice how much better his hands-on skills and emotional intelligence are than his peers. That'll become more apparent when he steps into the world."
In his previous life, Chen Hansheng had started his first business right after graduation. Though he failed many times, he kept trying and eventually succeeded. Much of that resilience and social ability came from his father's influence.
"That