Time Travel: The Queen's Coronation

Three years after graduating from university, the endless hours of overtime have left me physically and mentally exhausted. Looking back, I didn't put much effort into developing my skills, which led to my constant struggles in finding a job upon graduation. I finally found a job, but even though it was at a state-owned enterprise, it was a stagnant, rigid environment. The salary was fixed, the rules were rigid, and even getting a mouse required a written application. With a monthly salary of just over 2,000 yuan, I was living paycheck to paycheck in this small, fifth-tier city.

"Xiao Wei, please rush out this plan and give it to me tomorrow morning." I was getting ready to leave work early, but I still heard the voice of my leader Huang Jiajun. It was really annoying!

"Okay," I answered with a blank expression on my face, but in fact I had already cursed him thousands of times in my heart. He started arranging work as soon as he was ready to get off work. What a weirdo.

I reluctantly opened the folder, then slowly opened the Excel spreadsheet and Word document. Since leaving get off work on time, or even early, was hopeless, I might as well just use the air conditioning here at the office. It was August, and the wind outside was scorching hot, so I decided to save on electricity any way I could.

Before I knew it, it was eight o'clock. I finally finished. I searched for Huang Jiajun's name on WeChat, sent him a message, and then left work. Driving my little electric scooter around the small city, I felt a pang of sadness. As a child, I imagined that when I grew up, I would work for a prestigious company, working from nine to five, leaving on time, and earning a good salary. I had a car for my daily commute. Although my house was mortgaged, my salary more than covered the monthly mortgage payments. As for why I didn't use my provident fund, I didn't even know about it when I was young, so it never occurred to me. I wore minimal makeup every day, confident and attentive, and dressed smartly for work... But now it's completely different. Although my salary is paid on time, it's so meager that it's barely enough to spend. My means of transportation isn't a car that can protect me from the elements, but a small electric scooter that's exposed to the elements. I come to work every day with no makeup on, even a bit messy. After all, if I had enough money to buy makeup, I'd have to take out a loan to go to work. And I rent a one-bedroom apartment.

The summer night breeze was still hot, caressing my cheeks. The more I thought about it, the more aggrieved I felt. This life was truly oppressive. There was a noodle shop up the street, so I could only go in and buy a bowl of noodles to fill my stomach. It would be difficult to cook on my own if I went back. I often worked overtime and couldn't eat on time, so when I did, I could only eat foods high in oil, salt, and carbohydrates. My weight just wouldn't drop. My promise to move my legs and control my diet simply wasn't working. My BMI remained stable at 24 year-round, just right—not fat, not skinny either.

I opened the door, and it was empty. No living creature could welcome me back. The grievances I'd endured at work hadn't been consoled after get off work. My frustrations reached a breaking point, and I collapsed on the bed, weeping.

As I cried and thought about my experiences, I felt even more sad. After crying for so long, my nose became completely blocked, and it was so uncomfortable that I couldn't breathe. I finally tried to control my emotions. Lying in bed, I thought about my past life, thinking about how great it would be to go back to high school. I would study hard and get into a good university. Wouldn't life be easier?

Thinking I had to go to work tomorrow, I struggled to get up and went to the bathroom to wash up. I turned the shower head on full blast, letting the water pour down from head to toe, wanting to clear my head and wash away the bad luck I had today.

I don’t know how long it took.

"Wei Qing, are you okay?" There was a knock on the door.

I woke up instantly and was even a little frightened, because this was my own rental house and the outside door was locked. Who was outside?

I asked tentatively, "Who is it?"

"Who are you asking? Look how long you have been in there. Your sister wants to go to the bathroom, come out quickly." This voice looks so familiar. Is this my mother's voice?

I noticed the restroom had been completely changed. This wasn't my rental bathroom, it was my own. Confused, I grabbed my clothes and tried to leave, but I realized they were actually my junior high school uniform! What the hell was going on? I needed to go check!

I put on my clothes and carefully opened the door. I found that it was really my mother outside, but the mother was younger now, and the child was my younger sister when she was little! She looked about seven or eight years old! Oh my God, did I travel through time?

"Look at you, you've been showering for so long. No matter how hot the weather is, you can't shower for so long." Mom complained as she asked her sister to go to the bathroom.

"Mom?" I was still a little confused.

"What's the use of talking about mother or not? Go to bed early and get up early tomorrow to plant rice in the rice fields together."

"Rice, do we have rice at home?" I remember that my family hasn't grown rice for a long time, and now we buy rice.

"No, but we rented someone's land. What happened to you today? I just told you at dinner, and you forgot everything. You just finished the high school entrance exam, so your memory is so bad."

"Did I just finish the high school entrance examination?" I asked half-doubtfully.

"What's wrong with you today? You said some strange things. Go get some rest. You don't have to go tomorrow. I think you should just rest at home. I wonder if this is the aftereffects of the stress from the high school entrance exam."

I walked into the living room, and it was exactly how my home looked ten years ago, unrenovated, just bare bones. Some of the red bricks still had words written in ink and brush from my childhood. I spotted the motorcycle, walked over, and looked in the rearview mirror. I realized I was actually fifteen years old! Oh my god! I'd truly traveled back ten years!

I fell asleep with surprise and confusion.