"Leilei, wake up! It's your first day of high school, don't be late!" A voice that I was extremely familiar with echoed in my ears.
"Mom, my body feels like it's falling apart, just let me sleep a little longer!" I pulled the blanket over my head and said this out of habit.
Wait! I immediately jumped up from the bed. Didn't I buy a house in Yanjing City where my company is located and move there to live on my own? Why is my mom here?
I opened my eyes and looked around. A worn-out single bed, an old red lacquered desk, a messy bookshelf—everything felt both familiar and strange.
In front of me, my mother looked so young. Everything indicated that my "Yama" (King of Hell) hadn't lied to me—I had been reborn.
Of course, there's also the possibility that I'm dreaming. A very long dream. In the dream, I suddenly became a man in his thirties, the CEO of M Soft's China division, attended the wedding of my dream girl, and then died at her wedding. Afterward, I met the King of Hell...
Just thinking about this, I instinctively touched my chest. The "phone" the King of Hell gave me was still there, so it seems like I've truly been reborn.
I was so happy that I jumped out of bed and hugged my dear mom.
She patted my head and smiled, "Today, you're a high school student, a big kid now. Still acting spoiled in front of mom?"
I shook my head. The woman in front of me was my mom, and even though I was already in my thirties in my previous life, she would still hug me every time we met, calling me her little boy no matter how old I was.
I quickly got dressed and turned to my mom, who was organizing my schoolbag. "Mom, is today my first day of high school?"
"Of course it is!" My mom looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"Ah!" Unable to suppress my excitement, I couldn't help but shout. I had really been reborn. I had returned to 1994, right when I was about to start high school.
I was so happy because I knew that in this life, I could never miss Zhao Yanyan again. I opened the window, took a deep breath of fresh air, and shouted to the outside, "Beautiful girls, I'm here!"
I turned around and realized my mom was still standing in the room, mouth agape, staring at me.
"Hehe!" I laughed awkwardly. I could understand her reaction. If you saw your child, who had just entered high school, suddenly shout "beautiful girls," you'd probably feel the same.
My mom touched my forehead, "Leilei, are you sick?"
I smiled and shook my head, then went out of the room to the bathroom. I looked at my reflection in the mirror—my face was still youthful and my hair was a mess. Was I really like this when I was young? Wow, what an image! No wonder no girls liked me back then. This was a far cry from the handsome, charming me in college. I decided that my first task after being reborn would be to improve my image.
After a quick wash, I went to the kitchen. My mom was making breakfast, and my dad was sitting at the table reading the newspaper. At this time, my dad still didn't have wrinkles, and his hair was dark and thick—he was in his early thirties, full of energy, and at the peak of his career.
I remembered that at this time, my dad's state-owned factory had not yet gone bankrupt, and he was still the youngest engineer in the company with a bright future. But things are unpredictable, and if it weren't for my previous life's experience, no one would have guessed that the usually friendly factory manager would embezzle all the funds and workers' wages a year later and then escape. He was caught later, but all the funds had been transferred overseas, leaving behind a shell of a company burdened with billions of dollars in debt. Less than a month later, the factory was seized by the bank.
After my dad lost his job, he spent his days in despair, his hair turning gray, and he barely supported the family by pedaling a tricycle. This continued until I graduated from university and got a job at M Soft, finally solving the family's financial problems.
But my dad's health had already deteriorated, and a few years later, he passed away.
Now that I had been reborn, I was determined to avoid this tragedy. With my current abilities, I could easily support my family.
"Dad, I miss you so much!" Now that I had seen my dad, whom I thought I would never see again in my previous life, I couldn't hold back my emotions and threw myself into his arms.
My dad put down his newspaper, patted my back, and said with a confused tone, "What's going on with you today?"
I didn't want them to suspect anything, so I explained, "Dad, I had a bad dream last night. I dreamed that the factory manager, Zhang, embezzled all the money." I was just giving him a little warning in advance.
"Stop talking nonsense, Old Zhang is not that kind of person!" My dad angrily pushed me away.
I knew that the dream I made up wouldn't have any prophetic effect, so it seemed like I would have to take things one step at a time. Maybe by then, I would have my own business.
After breakfast, my parents accompanied me to school for registration. Originally, I planned to go alone, but my parents insisted on coming with me. It wasn't surprising, considering I had never gone farther than a kilometer away from home. My elementary school was just down the street, less than 500 meters away, and my middle school was nearby as well. Now, the high school I was attending, the Fourth High School of the city, was over ten bus stops away, so parents weren't likely to trust their children to go alone, especially on the first day.
At the entrance of the school, the crowd was buzzing, packed with students and parents all there for registration. Fourth High School was the top school in Songjiang City, and my dad had spent a lot of money to get me in. I was a typical poor student in middle school, and the school I went to was notorious for being bad. If it hadn't been for my introverted and timid personality, I might have gone down the wrong path. Only students who had attended that middle school could understand how terrible it was—robbery, murder, assault, gambling—most juvenile offenders in Songjiang came from there. To say this school could produce talent was a joke. I scored terribly on the city's entrance exam and had no choice but to attend Fourth High as a high-priced student.
As I looked at the fancy cars parked along the street, I couldn't help but sigh. There were still many rich people in this era. Based on my previous life's experience, I knew there were quite a few cars worth over a million. My gaze lingered on an Audi 100, but it wasn't the model that caught my attention, but the license plate. In my previous life, I didn't know what this plate number represented.
Plates starting with "Song 0" were all government vehicles, and this one had a small number, which meant it likely belonged to some big leader. It seemed that our school was hiding some secrets.
Everything unfolded just like in my previous life, and I was assigned to Class 1, Year 2. It was a special class, thanks to my dad pulling some strings and sending gifts.
I quickly met my class's reception teacher, a cute young girl who had just graduated from teacher's college—my future class advisor, Ye Xiaoxiao. Of course, this judgment was based on my previous life's thirty-something psychological age. My parents were puzzled back then, spending a lot of money to get me into this prestigious class, only to be assigned a freshly graduated young teacher.
Later, I found out that Ye Xiaoxiao had a big background. It was said that her father was a big shot in the education bureau. Aside from her teaching English, every other teacher in our class was a top-tier educator. The school arranged this to help Ye Xiaoxiao become a famous teacher after the high school entrance exam three years later. Indeed, after our graduation, Ye Xiaoxiao became a renowned teacher, and out of the 92 students in our class, all except for a few transfer students went on to university.
In my previous life, I didn't have a good impression of this beautiful class advisor, and I was sure she didn't think highly of me either. After all, I had dragged the class down during the first two years.
"What's your name?" Ye Xiaoxiao asked me.
"Teacher Ye, my name is Liu Lei," I answered calmly, with none of the nervousness that other students might have when meeting a teacher.
Ye Xiaoxiao looked at me in surprise, "How do you know my last name is Ye?"
I didn't answer and simply pointed at her name tag. I hadn't noticed before, but my class advisor's chest was quite impressive.
Ye Xiaoxiao noticed my gaze, but she didn't mind. She probably thought I was just looking at her name tag. No one would believe that a freshman high school student would be staring at his teacher's chest.
Ye Xiaoxiao then handed me a form to fill out, which was just basic information like my height, ethnicity, and which schools I attended. Ye Xiaoxiao was surprised to see how quickly I completed the form. Most students were careful, filling out the forms with hesitation and asking questions along the way.
Ye Xiaoxiao took the form I had filled out, and when her gaze lingered on the middle school I attended and my dismal entrance exam results, she couldn't help but furrow her brows. This was exactly what I had expected. The middle school I went to was widely regarded as one of the worst in the city, and I had failed two of the subjects in the city's entrance exam. I guess any slight good impression the beautiful teacher might have had of me was probably gone by now.
But honestly, this was for the best. I really didn't want her to pick me for some class leadership role. From my experience in my previous life, being a class officer in middle school was a thankless job, full of hassle with no real reward.
I followed Ye Xiaoxiao's instructions and stood in the line next to the red paper marking the area for Class 1-2. At my strong insistence, my parents reluctantly walked out of the school, looking back at me every few steps. Watching my peers part with their parents, I couldn't help but feel amused.
"Grandpa, you can go back now. I'll be fine here on my own," a refreshing, sweet voice echoed in my ear, striking a chord deep within me.
I turned around and, in an instant, felt a wave of excitement overwhelm me. There, before me, was the person I had longed for in my past life—Zhao Yanyan. She was exactly as I remembered her from that very day in my previous life: wearing a white dress, standing before me like a cool breeze in the sweltering heat of summer.
Zhao Yanyan was accompanied by a kindly old man, but for some reason, he seemed strangely familiar. Before I could think much of it, the old man spoke, addressing Zhao Yanyan: "Yanyan, it's your first day of high school. Grandpa can't help but worry."
Zhao Yanyan tugged at her grandfather's sleeve, pouting, "Grandpa, no one else has their parents here. If you stay, others will laugh at me."
Ah, Zhao Yanyan's coquettish tone made my heart flutter. Even though I was already in my thirties, a young girl of barely more than ten years old had me utterly mesmerized.
It seemed the old man couldn't resist his granddaughter's enchanting voice either. He shook his head, gave her a few more words of advice, and then said to a young man standing behind him, "Secretary Zhang, I have a meeting to attend. You can pick up Yanyan later this evening."
Secretary Zhang nodded in agreement, and together they left.
By the time most people had gathered, Ye Xiaoxiao walked over to us. She had us line up by height, boys in one row, girls in another. Everything unfolded just as I had experienced in my previous life. Due to my height, I was placed at the back of the boys' line, and in front of me stood a boy named Guo Qing, who would later become my best friend in high school.
Guo Qing, like my past self, was introverted but harbored dreams of one day becoming the center of attention. So, we quickly became good friends. Looking at his back, the boy who would always sit with me after class to discuss which girl was pretty or which celebrity had released a new album, I couldn't help but wonder: would we become friends again in this life?
Once everyone was in position, Ye Xiaoxiao led us to the door of a classroom on the second floor. I didn't remember much about the classroom, since in my previous life, the new teaching building had been completed by the time I was in my second year, and we moved there after splitting the classes into science and arts tracks.
Afterward, Ye Xiaoxiao directed us to sit in pairs, boys and girls alternately. As expected, everyone started calculating their positions, most concerned with which girl would become their desk mate. True to form, everyone's eyes lingered on Zhao Yanyan. Although no one spoke it aloud, it was clear that they were all hoping the girl in the white dress would be seated next to them.
I deliberately patted Guo Qing on the back and subtly pointed toward Zhao Yanyan, saying, "I wonder if she'll be my desk mate?"
As soon as I said this, several boys nearby gave me disdainful looks. In their eyes, I must have appeared as some frog dreaming of eating swan meat. I couldn't help but sneer inwardly. What's the matter? I'm just saying what all of you are thinking.
As it came time for our group, I could tell that each of the boys was anxiously looking toward the girls' side. Only I remained calm. With my memories of my past life, I knew for certain that Zhao Yanyan would be my desk mate.
When Zhao Yanyan and I walked into the classroom together, I could feel the jealous stares of many boys directed at me. It made me uncomfortable. How strange—why didn't I feel this way in my past life? Was it that my previous self was just late to mature, or were the boys in our class simply more precocious?
Zhao Yanyan and I, both of us relatively tall, were assigned to the third-to-last row of desks by the window, just as we were in my previous life.
Once we sat down, Zhao Yanyan extended her small hand toward me with a friendly smile. "Hi, I'm Zhao Yanyan."
I remembered how awkward I was in my past life at this moment, hesitating for ages before finally extending my hand, which made things painfully awkward between us. This time, however, I wouldn't act shy. After all, I was the CEO of a company in my past life, and had shaken hands with countless important people. I had seen it all. Plus, this was a rare opportunity to make a move—I couldn't let it slip by.
I confidently shook her hand and said, "Liu Lei. Please take care of me from now on!" As I released her hand, I made sure to gently squeeze it just the right amount. Zhao Yanyan's face immediately turned red, and I turned away, pretending not to notice, my mind secretly laughing. I never thought this little girl would blush.
After everyone had settled into their seats, Ye Xiaoxiao began her lengthy speech. She spoke about how high school was different from middle school, how the subjects were more challenging, and how entering a top-tier high school didn't guarantee success—it was just the beginning of the real challenge.
Although her voice was pleasant, I found it all rather tedious. Listening to someone my age—who had lived through so much more—give motivational speeches to children made me feel a little out of place.
As I gazed at Ye Xiaoxiao, whom I had despised in my previous life, I found myself studying her delicate face unconsciously. I realized just how late I had matured in my past life. How could I have disliked such a beautiful teacher? Unlike Zhao Yanyan, who was still in her youthful innocence, Ye Xiaoxiao had the allure of a more mature woman. No wonder many of the boys in my previous life flocked around her after class, constantly asking her questions.
My gaze lowered and landed on her ample chest. I couldn't help but wonder, did she have padding inside?
That thought made me feel a bit guilty. I was acting completely unlike my previous, serious self. Was this a result of holding back too long in my past life, and now finally breaking free? As someone once said, "If you don't erupt in silence, you'll die in silence." But what about me? Did I die in silence first, then get reborn and finally burst out?
Perhaps it's true that people who have experienced life and death change—both in personality and thoughts. In my previous life, I was so focused on my career that I forgot to enjoy life. In this life, I've decided to prioritize living, with work coming second.
Looking at my dear teacher Ye Xiaoxiao, I couldn't help but admire her beauty. She stood at about 1.7 meters tall, with long legs, and the tight jeans she wore accentuated her curvy figure. In terms of both appearance and figure, she was comparable to an adult Zhao Yanyan. Listening to her lecture was a genuine pleasure—I couldn't believe I had never noticed it before.
Next, each student was asked to introduce themselves in turn. Most people were nervous, simply stating their names and the middle school they came from before quickly sitting back down. Only two people, Xie Wei and Liu Kesheng, gave more detailed introductions, mentioning their positions and awards from middle school. I noticed that Ye Xiaoxiao cast a look of approval at them.
Liu Kesheng, in my previous life, was the class monitor, and we had significant conflicts. He was also one of Zhao Yanyan's admirers, and she was the class Communist Youth League secretary. Liu Kesheng often tried to get me to switch seats with him under the guise of discussing school matters. At first, I thought he was sincere, but later, I realized he had ulterior motives. As Zhao Yanyan's secret admirer, I certainly wasn't going to give my rival any opportunity. Over time, this led to conflicts between us, and he began badmouthing me to Ye Xiaoxiao, which only worsened my relationship with her.
Xie Wei, on the other hand, would eventually become one of the class officers. If I remember correctly, he was the class monitor, but he was removed during the sophomore year class officer elections due to declining academic performance.
Zhao Yanyan's self-introduction was nothing short of captivating. Her expressions were rich and vivid, making the boys in the class stare at her in awe. In contrast, my introduction was much more understated. Although I spoke calmly and confidently, it didn't seem to catch Ye Xiaoxiao's attention much.