Rebooting 60, let's go on a rampage with the orange cat!

When Zhong Hanzhe came home from school, he saw a bunch of adults and children huddled together, fighting over food. The table was filled with nothing but bland vegetables and pickled vegetables, with no oil or fat. He immediately felt a bit nauseous and missed the meat buns made by the street vendors and the cooking Huai'an used to make... His mother was not satisfied with his current behavior and grumbled, "Eating, eating, all you know is how to eat! A bunch of troublemakers! What good is studying? You'll still end up as peasants..."

Zhong Hanzhe ignored her, ate a little, and went back to his room to lie on the bed and start thinking.

He never expected to be in the same class as Shi Huai'an. This unexpected surprise left him quite astonished. Judging from Shi Huai'an's current age, she should be in first grade. Could it be that his rebirth had caused Huai'an's life to change? Why had she suddenly become so smart and had such a strong learning ability? Last time he was wandering around her neighborhood, he clearly saw her learning pinyin with the neighbors. How could she have suddenly skipped six grades and entered junior high school? This doesn't make sense!

In his previous life, Huai'an only ever met his father-in-law, Shi Renmei, as his current parents were his adoptive mother, Shi Renmei. At that time, Shi Renmei's adoptive mother had already passed away. Although Shi Renmei could use an abacus and read a few words, like most parents, she raised her child rather laissez-faire, not emphasizing education and never hiring a renowned tutor for Huai'an. Now, Huai'an has suddenly become a top student; something must have happened…

Moreover, Shi Huai'an seemed different from the one he remembered. She was indifferent to him and seemed to be deliberately avoiding his gaze, but shouldn't this be the first time they had met in this life? This feeling of being completely out of his control made him very uncomfortable.

Normally, wouldn't a young girl admire and idolize a handsome and academically excellent male classmate like me? That doesn't make sense!

He secretly analyzed in his heart that maybe they had both skipped grades to get into this class, and she had a natural hostility towards him, treating him as a competitor in his studies?

Yes, that's right. People who excel academically are usually strong-willed and competitive. You want to compete with me in academics? Hmph~ I won't give you the chance, Shi Huai'an. In the past life, you submitted to me, and in this life, I will make you submit to my admiration...

Shi Huai'an! Even if you were Sun Wukong, you couldn't escape the Buddha's palm...

Zhong Hanzhe possesses memories of his past life and feels that he has wronged Huai'an. He wants to make amends, so he keeps haunting her after his death, appearing in Huai'an's dreams every night for two consecutive years, refusing to drink the Meng Po soup and refusing to be reincarnated.

In Zhong Hanzhe's heart, Huai'an was kind-hearted and outstanding, attracting the covetous eyes of many men. He kept a close watch on Huai'an, fearing she might change her mind. But this love slowly soured. His suspicion grew stronger, to the point where he couldn't bear to see Huai'an speak a single word to another man; his control over Huai'an became increasingly strict, resorting to beatings and scoldings to vent his burning jealousy and resentment. After tormenting her, he would regret it and swear oaths of repentance to Huai'an.

Huai'an had four children with him and ran away from home several times, but he always came back because he couldn't bear to leave his children and his job. Each time, Zhong Hanzhe would tearfully beg Huai'an for forgiveness, but soon he would revert to his cruel and perverse ways.

He also hated himself for being so petty. He really cared about Huai'an, but he always doubted Huai'an's loyalty.

Huai'an endured hardship and humiliation for the sake of her children. She worked during the day and then served the whole family like a slave at home, serving him her entire life, yet she still couldn't put his mind at ease. All their savings were held by him, and Huai'an's salary was withdrawn monthly for living expenses; she had no savings of her own. She had to report to him and get his approval for anything she wanted to buy.

Later, when Chung Han-che fell ill, he was unable to take care of himself in the years leading up to his death. Sometimes he even soiled himself. It was Huai-an who took care of him diligently and patiently, keeping him clean and comfortable.

His children did not meet his expectations; he did not want them to serve him, he only wanted Huai'an. Huai'an's goodness and kindness made him feel deeply guilty before his death. Perhaps it was because he was about to die that he deeply blamed and reflected on himself. He wanted to make amends, but it was too late.

Chung Han-cheol died of heart failure at the age of 74 during the COVID-19 outbreak in China.

He knew his death would be a relief for his wife, Huai'an, but he didn't want it to end like this. A deep-seated obsession prevented him from letting go. His only concern was Huai'an; he wanted to take her with him...

His spirit wandered in the underworld, refusing to report to the underworld's office. He appeared in Huai'an's dreams every night, frightening Huai'an so much that he dared not sleep peacefully.

Zhong Hanzhe didn't understand why Huai'an was afraid. Even if she died, wouldn't she still be him? They had been husband and wife for over fifty years. He couldn't bear to part with her. Didn't all those fifty-odd years of affection deserve even the slightest bit of her lingering affection?

But Shi Huai'an not only had no attachment to the past, he also had his unfilial children invite a famous old Zen master to perform a ritual to expel his soul from his dreams, and to guide his soul into a lotus lamp placed in front of the Buddhist hall so that it could listen to Buddhist scriptures day and night.

He never believed in any religion during his lifetime, so how could he possibly convert after death? His most admired leader once said: "Down with all demons and monsters! Eliminate feudal superstition!" How could he be so easily subdued?

His spirit hysterically cried and laughed and made a ruckus in front of the Buddhist hall day and night. He could repent and admit his mistakes, but he could not sever all ties with Huai'an; he refused to be reincarnated, he was not afraid of his soul being scattered, and the resentment formed by this obsession grew heavier and heavier, disturbing the peace of the Buddhist hall.

The old Zen master sighed and asked, "The root of suffering lies in not severing ties with worldly desires. Why are you so deeply attached? Know that the person you cherish may not cherish you in return, what you consider deep love may not be accepted by others, and what you consider good may be evil in the eyes of others. You have been in this Buddhist hall for twenty-five years, in the blink of an eye, like a dream or a flash of lightning. Why have you not yet awakened?"

Zhong Hanzhe was stunned by what he heard. His soul seemed to float there blankly, and his thoughts surged like a tide. He thought of Shi Huai'an's lifelong hard work, of his own suspicion and hurt towards her, and of her final fear and helplessness.

“I…I just wanted to tell her I was wrong…” Zhong Hanzhe’s voice trembled slightly. “I wanted her to know that I regretted it…I want to start over…If I am reincarnated, I must be with her, to be husband and wife for all eternity…I want to wait for her…”

The old Zen master looked at him silently, a hint of pity flashing in his eyes. He said softly, "Since that's the case, do you know what true redemption is?"

Zhong Hanzhe shook his head blankly, then nodded: "Can you help me?"

The old Zen master said slowly, "True redemption is not about clinging to the past, but about cherishing the present. You should let go of your attachments and use your sincerity to influence others, rather than troubling their lives."

Zhong Hanzhe nodded thoughtfully, his eyes gradually becoming unfocused. "Thank you for your guidance, Zen Master. I think she might not be entirely heartless towards me… I hurt her so much, yet she treated me so well… She might not be completely devoid of affection…"

The old Zen master shook his head and said, "Alright, I'll see you off. I hope you get what you want and take good care of yourself. Remember, when you return, if you still don't realize your mistake, your soul will be scattered and you will never be reborn."

Then, the old Zen master, as thin as a withered tree, struck the wooden fish drum, his eyes wide open, and shouted, "Go—"

……

When Zhong Hanzhe slowly regained consciousness, his head felt heavy and dizzy, as if it weighed a ton. He struggled to open his eyes, only to be met with a desolate expanse of sand. The dry sand was scorching hot from the sun, radiating a burning heat.

He steadied himself and realized he was lying unguarded on the sandy bank of the river. Around him was a circle of children, some of them not quite adults. They were all excited, shouting and yelling at the top of their lungs, their voices deafening, as if they were tearing the sky apart.

Zhong Hanzhe's gaze swept across the crowd and soon landed on his third sister, Zhong Huizhen, who was sitting on the ground, wailing loudly. Her face was flushed red, tears were streaming down her face like a burst dam, and she was mumbling something incoherently.

At the same time, the thinner younger brother, "Stone," was shaking his body vigorously, anxiously shouting, "Big brother, get up! Tell the monkey to stop hitting him!"

Following the direction the 'stone' pointed, Zhong Hanzhe saw his second brother, nicknamed "Iron Ox," not far away. "Iron Ox" was only seven or eight years old at the time, using his brute strength to fight a group of boys. They were locked in a fierce battle, neither giving an inch. "Iron Ox's" face and body were covered in dust, but his eyes were filled with stubbornness and defiance, showing no sign of backing down.

Zhong Hanzhe stared in astonishment at himself, then at his younger brothers, realizing that his body was still in adolescence, and he was only twelve years old. Was this a dream? What had the old Zen master done to him? Had he been reborn at the age of twelve without saying a word? Why not 22? Why didn't he meet Huai'an? Instead, he had to meet these annoying brats?

He pinched the thigh next to him hard, and the 'Stone' next to him cried out in pain: "Brother, why did you pinch me?"

Oh no! He'd pinched the wrong spot! An embarrassed expression crossed his face. Just then, the children around him, seeing he'd woken up, all crowded around, chattering, "Boss, are you feeling better?"

Zhong Hanzhe composed himself slightly and began trying to recall what had happened using the original owner's memories. It turned out that his fourth sister, Zhong Huizhen, had been bullied on the street by the sister of a hooligan. The two quickly started arguing. The hooligan, Liu Hui, brought his men to help his sister, and 'Stone,' who was standing nearby, seeing the situation was getting out of hand, ran back to fetch their leader, Zhong Hanzhe, as reinforcements from their group of kids.

Upon hearing the news, Zhong Hanzhe rushed over with a group of friends without hesitation. However, upon arriving at the scene and before he could even offer assistance, he was inexplicably struck on the forehead by a stray rock. A sharp pain shot through his head, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

At that moment, he slowly reached out and gently touched the still-bleeding wound on his forehead, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes. He thought to himself: If I can't establish my authority here today, then endless troubles will likely come knocking on my door in the future.

As a great man once said: "A single punch can prevent a hundred more." This time, those who dare to provoke us will pay the price, no matter what!

Zhong Hanzhe stood up, stretched his limbs, and then walked step by step toward Liu Hui, the hooligan.

When Liu Hui, a hoodlum, saw Zhong Hanzhe approaching, a sense of fear rose in his heart, but he still tried to remain calm and shouted, "What do you want? Don't come any closer!"

His men had already pinned his third brother, "Tie Niu," to the ground. "Tie Niu," his face covered in sand, shouted at Zhong Hanzhe, "Big brother, if you don't do something soon, they're going to beat me to death!"

When Liu Hui saw Zhong Hanzhe walking aggressively towards him, he retreated in fear. Zhong Hanzhe was a notorious local bully, a very difficult person to deal with, and Liu Hui did not want to make enemies with him.

Zhong Hanzhe's lips curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful smile. "What, scared? Where did your arrogance go? Release him right now."

Liu Hui waved his hand, and his men had no choice but to release the monkey. 'Iron Bull' was still angry and felt that things hadn't gotten big enough, shouting, "Big brother, you have to avenge me."

Liu Hui quickly cupped his hands and said, "It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. I didn't know you were from your family."

Zhong Hanzhe said coldly, "Does ignorance give you the right to hit people?" With that, he suddenly threw a punch, striking the thug in the nose. Liu Hui screamed in pain, blood gushing from his nose, and he staggered to the ground.

The other children were stunned by what they saw; they had never seen Hanzhe Zhong so fierce and ruthless.

Zhong Hanzhe looked at Liu Hui, the scoundrel lying on the ground, and said coldly, "Don't let me see you bullying others again, or I'll beat you up every time I see you!"

After saying that, Chung Han-cheol left the scene with his younger siblings, leaving the hooligan groaning in pain on the spot.

The rest of them hadn't said much the way, probably because they felt their eldest brother was acting differently today. Usually, he would be a eloquent talker, describing things in vivid detail, but today he was silent.

Their home is in an old-fashioned courtyard. As soon as you enter, you can see a small and unique skylight. Sunlight shines down through the sky above, bringing a touch of brightness and warmth to the entire courtyard.

To the left of the courtyard was a single room, where a lonely old woman named Granny Jinxiu lived. She often sat alone in the doorway, basking in the sun, muttering something to herself, her eyes revealing the vicissitudes of time and memories of the past.

The Zhong family's house was on the left, with three rooms in total, yet eight people were crammed into this limited space. The children's noise and the adults' busy figures mingled together, making the family's home chaotic and cramped.

On the right is the Cao family's house, which has four rooms, but houses seven people. Although the three families have different paces of life and stories, they share a spacious main room, where the sounds of pots and pans clattering and people talking rise and fall.

The four-year-old fifth brother was sitting on the ground playing in the mud. When he saw his older brothers and sisters return, he stretched out his dirty little hands and ran over, hugging Zhong Hanzhe's leg and calling, "Brother..." He glanced at his sixth brother and a thought suddenly struck him. This younger brother had drowned when he was fifteen. If he were alive, would he and his other brothers gang up on him in the future? In any case, he was forbidden from swimming in the water from now on, and he would be beaten every time he saw him.

Mother Duan came over, holding her two-year-old son in her arms. She angrily scolded the children who had just returned home: "You lot, all you do is play outside all day long! You're nowhere to be seen all day! Look at you all, all dirty. You must have been fighting with someone again, right? And you even dragged your younger siblings into your mischief. You're getting more and more outrageous!"