As soon as Chen Shi stepped into his office in the morning, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Chen Shi called out, setting his briefcase on the desk.
The door opened, and a secretary from the Culture Office entered with a bright smile. "Director, I have good news to share!"
"What's got you grinning like that?" Chen Shi asked with a smile of his own.
The secretary handed over a document. "One of the works we submitted to the provincial office last month has been selected."
Chen Shi's interest piqued as he took the document. A quick glance revealed that the chosen piece was none other than (Breaking the Formation), a traditional-style poem penned by Cheng Xing. It was one of two works Chen Shi had sent for consideration—a submission he hadn't placed much hope in, given the fierce competition.
The other piece, a modern poem about autumn by a well-regarded local poet from the city's Writers' Association, had been a safer choice. Though not entirely to Chen Shi's liking, it was still among the better works submitted. Yet, that poem had not made the cut.
In contrast, Cheng Xing's poem was leagues ahead. Its quality had genuinely surprised Chen Shi when he first read it. Despite this, he hadn't expected it to be selected. The odds were stacked against it: the provincial capital's literary circles were dominated by established writers, and the Provincial Cultural Daily notoriously favored modern poetry over traditional forms. For an unknown author's classical poem to stand out in such a competitive arena was almost unheard of.
Now, holding the document in his hands, Chen Shi felt a mix of delight and disbelief.
Since assuming his role as the head of Ancheng's Cultural Bureau, he had diligently submitted works to the provincial office every year, but none had ever been published. This breakthrough felt monumental. Once the poem was printed in the Provincial Cultural Daily, the accompanying author's introduction would mention Ancheng, bringing recognition and pride to the city.
"When will the next issue of the Provincial Cultural Daily be out?" Chen Shi asked, his excitement barely contained.
"Next Monday," the secretary replied, her grin widening.
"Good. Make sure a copy is on my desk when I come in that day," Chen Shi instructed.
"Don't worry, Director. It'll be waiting for you," she assured him, brimming with confidence.
Chen Shi nodded, satisfied, and turned his attention back to the document.
Outside, the late-autumn wind had lost the crisp refreshment of early fall, replaced by a biting chill. Cheng Xing reached over and closed the window next to him.
Although only a month and a half had passed since his rebirth in early September, two seasons had already slipped by. Soon, autumn would fade completely, and Ancheng would embrace the harshness of its northern winter.
Time felt different now—slower, more vivid. Each day unfolded deliberately, marked by the rise and fall of the sun, the soft caress of dawn breezes, the warmth of midday light, and the coolness of evening air.
In his previous life, time had been a blur. Days seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye. Another blink, and the night was gone.
The years had rushed by too, even during the drawn-out hardships of the three-year pandemic. By the time Cheng Xing turned thirty, the fast-forward pace of life had left him stunned. Middle age had crept in, accompanied by the weight of societal labels—"old," "single," and the inescapable realization of missed opportunities.
But now, in 2010, everything was different. Time unfolded slowly, each moment rich with meaning. Every second mattered.
In the classroom, the soft murmur of reading voices filled the air, punctuated by the occasional rustle of pages. Cheng Xing soaked in the tranquility, deeply grateful for this second chance.
"Cheng, I'm going to nap for a bit. Let me know if the teacher comes," Zhou Yuan muttered, resting his head on the desk.
Cheng Xing glanced at his friend. "What have you been up to lately? You're always tired in class."
"Nothing much," Zhou Yuan mumbled, closing his eyes. "Just been going to the internet café."
Cheng Xing raised an eyebrow. In his past life, he might have accepted the excuse at face value. But now he knew better. Zhou Yuan's strict father would never tolerate his son staying out late, and Zhou Yuan wasn't the type to risk it.
Something didn't add up. Zhou Yuan had been arriving to class exhausted every day, just barely making it in time. Whatever he was up to, it wasn't as simple as sneaking off to play games.
After the second period, Cheng Xing picked up his newly purchased tea cup and made his way to the school's water station.
The cup was a recent acquisition, bought just the night before. Along with it, Cheng Xing had brought some tea leaves to school. In the colder weather, hot tea was far more appealing than the bottled water he'd relied on during summer.
He wasn't the only one with this idea. The water station was crowded, students jostling for space as they waited to fill their cups.
In the throng, Cheng Xing spotted a few familiar faces—Chen Qing and Jiang Luxi among them.
"Chen Qing, hand me your cup," said Li Dan, stepping forward. "I see Guo Kan inside. I'll have him fill ours."
"Alright," Chen Qing said, passing her cup to Li Dan.
Li Dan pushed her way through the crowd, managing to hand the cups to Guo Kan, who was already at the front with his friends. Moments later, the boys emerged, their cups steaming with freshly boiled water.
"Thanks," Chen Qing said with a polite smile.
The boys, who were from the neighboring Class 2, turned red at her gratitude. They waved their hands awkwardly. "No need to thank us. We're classmates—it's nothing."
Li Dan, noticing their embarrassment, smirked. "What's the matter? Haven't seen anyone as pretty as Chen Qing before?"
The boys stammered, unable to respond, their faces growing even redder.
"We'll be going now," one of them mumbled before they hurriedly retreated.
Li Dan chuckled. "Such thin skin. How are they ever going to chase girls in the future?"
Chen Qing said nothing, but as she turned to leave, her eyes landed on Cheng Xing, standing nearby with his tea cup.
"Hello." Cheng Xing greeted with a smile as Chen Qing glanced over.
Hearing the unexpected greeting, Chen Qing froze momentarily. This was the first time she had heard such a warm tone from Cheng Xing.
She walked over and explained, "I have nothing to do with them. Li Dan thought the line was too slow, so she took my cup and asked them to help fill it. Since they helped, I just said a few thank-you words." For reasons she didn't fully understand, Chen Qing felt the need to clarify her actions.
"That's fair," Cheng Xing said with a smile.
"Are you here for water too?" After a brief silence, Chen Qing broke the pause.
"Yes," Cheng Xing replied. "It's getting cold, so I wanted some hot water."
"You never used to line up for water," Chen Qing remarked with a faint smile.
"That was then. Now is now. I just want to be a model student," Cheng Xing replied, a playful grin spreading across his face.
"That's good," Chen Qing said, nodding approvingly. "You used to make trouble for Aunt Deng all the time. I've always told you there's nothing good about being a delinquent. You're smart. If you put your mind to studying, you'll learn quickly. Knowledge is very important these days." She looked at him seriously as she spoke.
"That's why I'm studying hard now!" Cheng Xing laughed, his eyes bright.
"Good." Chen Qing smiled warmly.
"Oh, you don't have a meal card, right? I have one. You can use mine." Chen Qing took out her meal card and handed it to him without hesitation.
Everyone nearby froze at the sight. Li Dan, standing a short distance away, looked particularly stunned. In all the years she had known Chen Qing, she had never seen her treat any boy so kindly—not even Cheng Xing before now.
Chen Qing's words earlier that morning had already surprised Li Dan. But now, seeing this gesture, she was even more shocked. Could it be that Chen Qing really liked Cheng Xing?
In the past, both Li Dan and Wang Yan had known that Cheng Xing and Chen Qing were close, but they were equally certain that Chen Qing had no romantic interest in him. It had always seemed one-sided.
"Moving so fast? She just said she'd give him a chance this morning, and now she's offering him her meal card?" a boy near Jiang Luxi muttered, his tone tinged with frustration.
"Looks like Chen Qing, our school's flower, will be picked by Cheng Xing," another boy sighed.
"Of course. Girls love bad boys. Why do all the good girls go for these bad boys?" a third boy grumbled.
"Shh! Stop talking. If Cheng Xing hears you, you're done for," his friend warned, quickly shutting him up.
"That's not true. What about Jiang Luxi? She's pretty and a top student. Not all good girls like bad boys. As long as Jiang Luxi stays single, I don't care about the rest," another boy added with conviction.
"Exactly. Jiang Luxi would never like someone like Cheng Xing," others agreed readily.
"But what if Jiang Luxi doesn't like us good guys either? Maybe she just doesn't want to date in high school," someone speculated aloud.
"Come on, Liu Qiang, why do you have to be so realistic?" another boy groaned.
"Well, it's fine. If Jiang Luxi stays single, it's like none of us succeeded, so there's nothing to feel bad about," one of them joked, sparking laughter.
Jiang Luxi, who had been quietly observing the interactions, looked up briefly. Her gaze flickered between Cheng Xing and Chen Qing, who were talking and laughing together, before shifting to the chimney of the water room, where thick black smoke from burning coal curled into the sky.
Cheng Xing stared at the meal card Chen Qing offered, hesitating. He had indeed forgotten his own card.
Actually, it wasn't just forgetting. His card had never been topped up. In the past, others always treated him to meals or drinks, and he never had to queue for water. Topping up his card had always seemed unnecessary. Perhaps that was why Chen Qing now offered hers without a second thought.
But Cheng Xing didn't take it. He smiled and said, "No need. I already borrowed Zhou Yuan's."
"Alright, since you have one, I won't lend mine," Chen Qing said with a small smile. "Shall we go?"
"Okay," Cheng Xing nodded.
Chen Qing turned to leave, heading back with Li Dan.
"Chen Qing, do you really like Cheng Xing?" Li Dan couldn't help but ask once they were a distance away.
"What? No! Why would you ask that?" Chen Qing looked genuinely confused.
"Then why did you offer him your meal card?"
"This card was topped up by Cheng Xing at the start of the term. Lending it to him isn't a big deal."
"And what about what you said this morning?"
"I just said that if he turns over a new leaf and gets into a good university, many girls would like him. I never said I'm one of them. Plus, he's so behind on his studies—how can he get into a top university with such little time?"
"I don't know," Li Dan said thoughtfully. "I just feel like you're treating Cheng Xing differently lately."
"Nothing's different," Chen Qing replied firmly.
Their teaching building was quite far from the water room. Cheng Xing's building was near the west cafeteria, while the water room was closer to the larger north cafeteria. The trip took about ten minutes round trip.
Since he was already there, Cheng Xing decided not to go back to ask Zhou Yuan for his card.
Instead, he walked toward Jiang Luxi, who was standing a short distance away.
Several boys were already vying for her attention.
"Need help with your water? Just give me your cup, and I'll fill it," one boy offered with a smile.
"Pass me your cup. There's still a long line ahead," another chimed in.
Jiang Luxi stood calmly, refusing each offer with a polite shake of her head.
Then, Cheng Xing approached. He handed her his cup and said, "Help me get some water?"
Jiang Luxi's bright eyes lifted, meeting his gaze.