Chapter 2

Chapter 2: No Changes for a Hundred Years

Lin You Xi’s name was no stranger to Mei Fang when he was in school. At any public event during high school, she could be seen as a student representative giving speeches.

As the perennial top student, she always topped the list of Star Students. Since they were in adjacent classes, Mei Fang often encountered her. She was a super studious girl with a very aloof and cold demeanor. In his previous life, Mei Fang never had a single conversation with her, so naturally, there was no interaction between them.

Who would have thought that she would be such a mischievous child in kindergarten?

What exactly did she go through back then…

It truly piqued curiosity.

At four o’clock in the afternoon, when school was over, the classroom was filled with parents waiting outside to pick up their children. They entered one by one, greeted the teacher, and took their kids home.

Mei Fang immediately recognized his father, Mei Lijun, who had abundant hair. Apart from that, he looked almost the same as twenty years later, just a bit less wrinkled.

However, today, he was having an accident with his pants and a bloody nose, so he couldn’t take him away right away.

Lin You Xi’s parents arrived late and were also kept behind—a thin-framed glasses-wearing man.

After all, Lin You Xi had some friction with Mei Fang today, so it was necessary to know a little about it. Lin You Xi’s father kept apologizing to Mei Lijun with a sincere attitude. Although Lin You Xi was being held by her father, she kept her head down and didn’t speak.

Parents in this era were accustomed to their children’s minor accidents. A simple apology resolved the issue.

Mei Fang’s father, Mei Lijun, even gave Mei Fang a good thump on the head.

“Another bedwetting incident at kindergarten! What kind of kid are you? You’ve made me lose face!”

“Hey hey, don’t hit him, don’t hit him. Why hit the child? He didn’t mean it.”

Teacher Li tried to intervene, but Mei Fang remained silent. Seeing that the child wasn’t crying or causing a scene like usual, Mei Lijun felt disappointed and dragged Mei Fang onto a motorcycle to go home.

Reflecting, apart from lacking strength, this five-year-old body still had many troubles…

He thought he could finally rest at home, but after arriving, his mother, Xiang Xiaoxia, heard about his “glorious deeds” and hit him again with a clothes hanger.

Mei Lijun saw his wife hitting the child so fiercely and stopped her: “Honey, enough is enough. I already hit him once in class. If you keep hitting him, he’ll hold a grudge.”

“What’s to worry about? I’m his biological mother! Besides, he’s so young; he’ll forget everything when he grows up.”

How could he forget now!

Mei Fang seriously doubted how he grew up healthily in such a household without any shadows.

Compared to his father, whose only noticeable change was in his hair, his mother, Xiang Xiaoxia, appeared to have changed significantly. Her hands were slender, and her face had almost no wrinkles.

Mei Fang seemed to realize for the first time that his nagging, annoying mother, who always urged him to date, used to be quite pretty when younger.

Time is merciless…

Today, Mei Fang did not cry or act out as usual. Instead, he just complained a bit and didn’t cry when hit. Afterward, he silently ate and watched TV.

Mei Lijun, after finishing his meal, picked his teeth on the sofa and noticed Mei Fang constantly changing channels. Curiously, he asked, “Why aren’t you watching cartoons today? Don’t you love the Four Wheel Brothers?”

“Tired of it. Only kids watch that.”

Mei Fang switched to the sports channel and saw a football match being broadcast. Realizing this, he spoke up.

“Dad, is there a World Cup match going on now?”

“Still concerned about this?”

After a moment, Mei Fang nodded, “This is our national team’s most glorious moment.”

“Not bad. You actually understand these things.”

In Mei Fang’s memory, his father was always a die-hard football fan, often staying up late to watch games. Clearly, he was excited:

“Do you know, our federation said they want to win a game, get a point, and score a goal. How unambitious!”

“Because it’s their first time in the World Cup, this goal seems reasonable to me.”

“What reasonable goal? Too small-minded! With the strength we showed in qualifying matches, we could easily beat Costa Rica. Even if they are making their second appearance, drawing should be acceptable. Losing to Brazil is fine; they are a football kingdom, after all.”

Mei Lijun was displeased with his son’s complicated expression, “Can’t you listen properly? Why do you look like you don’t believe your old man’s professional predictions?”

“Father, let’s make a bet. If our national team doesn’t qualify, you give me 100 yuan.”

Showing his ambition as a reincarnated character.

“You want so much money!”

Mei Lijun became furious and hit Mei Fang’s head hard.

“As a Chinese man, how can you lack confidence in the national team! This is our first entry into the World Cup in 44 years. Sun Xiaohai plays in the Premier League, and Fan Dajiang is invincible. And that guy, he’s our East Continent’s top striker. Without a doubt, this is the beginning of a legend, the first step of a great journey!”

“100 yuan isn’t a bet. How about 50?”

Mei Fang wasn’t giving up, “The match is tomorrow, right? Let’s bet on losing to Costa Rica in the first game.”

“Why bet so much? I’ll only bet 10 yuan with you.”

Mei Lijun thought for a moment, “If you lose, no snacks or toys for a month.”

“Alright…” Mei Fang feigned reluctance, thinking 10 yuan for this was too much.

Mei Fang reviewed the current situation by watching the news and was urged by his mother to go to bed, starting to plan his money-making schemes.

Kindergarten children were accompanied by their parents for pickup and drop-off. They needed permission to play outside and could only play in the neighborhood park with nearby friends.

Fortunately, it was already June, and in less than a month, he would become a primary school student. Ordinary families in the county allowed their children to roam freely, increasing their freedom significantly, allowing them to do as they pleased.

Before entering primary school, however, Mei Fang had one more thing he couldn’t miss—betting on the World Cup lottery.

Returning from 20 years later, Mei Fang couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity to unlock wealth.

Early the next morning, around six o’clock, Mei Fang was pulled up by his family to go to school.

“Putting on your own clothes today? Impressive, kid.”

Xiang Xiaoxia rubbed Mei Fang’s round head, somewhat puzzled, “It feels like you’ve changed since yesterday after wetting the bed. You didn’t cry when hit. So strong.”

Mei Lijun nodded, pretending to be profound, “Maybe, this is growth.”

Actually, Mei Fang planned to let his family slowly adapt to his independence. Fortunately, his parents didn’t suspect much about his changes. It was unimaginable for ordinary people to think this way.

But he couldn’t act too out of character; he had to behave like a child.

Arriving at the kindergarten entrance on his father’s motorcycle, Mei Fang reached out to his father.

“Father, give me a yuan. I want to buy a lollipop.”

“Sure, showing your true colors,” Mei Lijun frowned. “You’ve been well-behaved today, so it’s all for food.”

“I’m not eating it myself. I cried Summer Yuan yesterday, so I’m here to apologize.”

“Summer Yuan… the girl who lives in the same neighborhood? How did you two get along? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t play with girls before?”

Mei Lijun pinched his son’s cheek, “Did you change your mind and fancy her now?”

Mei Fang pushed his father’s hand away, “Less chatter, just give me the money.”

“How dare you talk to your father like that! Buying a lollipop needs a yuan, you’re really bold!”

Mei Fang got another thump.

Despite the beating, Mei Lijun bought a strawberry-flavored Alvis lollipop for fifty cents at the kindergarten store to show his generosity as a father.

Sigh… Originally, he planned to pretend to buy it and save the money, but the plan failed.

Mei Fang was among the early arrivals at the kindergarten, but Summer Yuan and Lin You Xi were even earlier. They were doing crafts and playing early in the morning.

So Summer Yuan and Lin You Xi are good friends… They seem to get along well…

Mei Fang didn’t sit near them, but when he entered the classroom, Summer Yuan ran over.

“Mei Fang, Mei Fang, I did something wrong yesterday, I need to apologize.”

“Apologize? For what…”

Summer Yuan said seriously, “Mom says I cry too easily, which won’t be liked when I grow up. I need to correct my flaws.”

She stood with her hands behind her back, then extended both hands, palms up, holding a paper crane, “This is a paper crane I folded. I want to give it to you.”

…

It was a pink paper crane, and its head was painted red, showing effort.

Thinking that no girl had ever given him a gift in his previous life, Mei Fang suddenly felt touched.

“Th-thank you…”

“And… Lin You Xi pushed you yesterday. She secretly told me it was an accident, so she wants to apologize too.”

Mei Fang looked up at Lin You Xi beside Summer Yuan. She had her head down, seemingly deep in thought. Only when Summer Yuan gently nudged her did she look up, handed the item to Mei Fang, and softly said sorry before quickly running behind Summer Yuan.

Isn’t this a good opportunity to communicate?

Is it because she’s shy in front of adults?

“No problem, no problem. I don’t mind.”

The former top student humbly sought forgiveness, which gave him an inexplicable sense of satisfaction!

Mei Fang fell into silence.

Why am I like this…

Lin You Xi also folded a paper crane, but it was blue and crumpled, clearly having been folded many times.

Mei Fang didn’t pay much attention to this. Remembering the item in his pocket, he handed the lollipop to Summer Yuan.

“Right, this is what I promised yesterday, a lollipop for you.”

“You remembered! I forgot!” Summer Yuan happily accepted Mei Fang’s lollipop.

“This is what we agreed on.”

Lin You Xi quietly watched the lollipop, as if pondering something.

“Now that everyone has made up, we can be friends again!”

“Friends? When…”

Summer Yuan didn’t notice Mei Fang’s confusion. She grabbed his hand, revealing dimples and a radiant smile like the rising sun.

“Mei Fang, Mei Fang, can we do the handshake again from yesterday!”

“It’s fine with me. What do you want to promise this time?”

Summer Yuan extended her right pinky finger and hooked it with Mei Fang’s, pulling him to Lin You Xi.

“Lin You Xi, come on?”

“…”

Mei Fang read a hint of reluctance in Lin You Xi’s gaze but followed obediently.

Indeed, she was just reluctantly joining in as a friend’s request…

Come to think of it, maybe she pushed me yesterday because she was jealous of my closeness with Summer Yuan?

Thinking this way, he suddenly found it quite cute, hahaha…

Three children intertwined their pinky fingers. Then, Summer Yuan shared her wish:

“From now on, we can’t argue anymore. We must always be good friends!”

“Hook, hook, a hundred years, no changes!”

Feeling the warmth left by their fingers, Mei Fang suddenly felt inexplicably melancholic.

In his previous life, he remained single until his untimely death at work, believing he had never been noticed by a girl.

But this Summer Yuan seems to genuinely like me… Even if she’s just a child.

According to Mei Fang’s father, he usually played only with boys, and although Summer Yuan lived in the same neighborhood and was close to him, they weren’t particularly close.

Moreover, Mei Fang moved houses in fourth grade, perhaps losing contact then?

That is to say, this person who could have developed a closer relationship with him, a potential childhood sweetheart, had somehow missed the chance back then for unknown reasons.

Of course, countless people were missed due to various reasons in life, but now Mei Fang had the mindset and experience of an adult.

Once he met his destined person, he would never let go.

As for Summer Yuan—

Although she was a docile, mom-loving crybaby, she was quite adorable, haha…

Mmm… The future is promising!

(End of Chapter 2)