Returning to '97, creating a new life

The system of grouping good students into classes resulted in all the top students in the school being concentrated in Class 1 and Class 2.

The decline of ordinary middle schools only leads to further decline. By the end of December, the first semester of the third year of junior high school was coming to a close, and the teachers had a clear picture of the students' condition.

In each class, basically only the first three rows or even the first two rows of students are still studying, or even fewer.

During evening self-study, teachers in classes one and two are lecturing and explaining the test papers. In the other classes, it's basically self-study. Very occasionally, a student will ask a question they don't understand. If the teacher thinks it's a common problem, they will get up and stand in front of the blackboard to explain it. There are usually only about ten students listening.

The daytime is fine, but in Northeast China, it gets dark early in winter. By the time the fourth period ends in the afternoon, it's already dark. The last two periods are evening self-study sessions, which last for two hours and continue until 6:50 pm. Many students choose to skip these classes.

Some parents know this and feel it's fine for their child to come back early, given their good grades. They're thinking of spending money to find a vocational school or technical school for their child to continue their studies.

The teacher knew that it was unnecessary to spend two hours at school in the dead of winter, except to disrupt classroom discipline, so they should just leave.

Every day, at least half of the students in the back rows of the classroom disappear.

As long as he's not the only one who stands out from the crowd, Xu Kai's special status won't attract hatred. While other students haven't even had a future yet, he's already taken a significant step ahead. The teachers feel the least guilty about him skipping classes.

Instead of skipping evening self-study, Xu Kai goes straight home and faces his mother, Sun Xiuyun, without any pressure. He achieved what his mother considered an unattainable goal with a perfect score more than half a year ahead of schedule. So what if he skips class? The most important thing for a sports specialty student is to pursue a sports career.

Sun Xiuyun didn't understand anything else, but she knew that according to Teacher Pu and her siblings, as long as Xu Kai performed well and maintained his current state, he would definitely be able to attend university in the future.

Park In-ji is worldly-wise and knows how to navigate social situations. After only a few words with Sun Soo-yun, he understood her level of understanding and drew two lines for her: if she studies hard in high school and her academic grades hover around the passing mark, even if she doesn't excel in basketball, she can at least get into a junior college; if she has outstanding grades and improves her academic scores a little, she can attend a proper university and may even receive tuition and fee reductions and scholarships.

Suddenly, Sun Xiuyun felt completely at ease. She became more tolerant of her son's behavior and respected his words.

Instead of attending evening self-study, Sun Xiuyun came home to wrap apples as gifts. Seeing the beautiful apples being wrapped, she, having learned how, joined in to help her son.

"Son, selling it at such a high price, does anyone actually buy it?"

"Mom, it's mainly among students. I plan to sell it at No. 1 High School, No. 1 Railway High School, and our own school. That adds up to nearly 10,000 students. Students spend three to five yuan to give a small gift to someone of the opposite sex. It's only once a year that they have a legitimate opportunity to give it to someone of the opposite sex. It's not hard to sell."

Sun Xiuyun was still skeptical, but since she had already bought it and brought it home, she had to try it no matter what. Her hands were busy, and her mouth was also busy. She was still dissatisfied with her son's "recklessness" and muttered what she thought was a safe philosophy of life. Such a risky thing should not be done in the first place.

Xu Kai was already adept at getting along with his mother. His mother, with little education and experience, was honest, simple, and somewhat timid. Her philosophy of life was to live a peaceful and stable life, expressing her inner anxieties through constant nagging. As her son, he simply let it be.

From now on, the goal should be to subtly cultivate a sense of ownership in the family, and at the very least, to change the mother's attitude towards her son's behavior from resigned acquiescence to silent support.

The first batch of apples selected were large and had relatively good skin. After Xu Kai packed them, he gently placed them one by one in the box. He would sell them for four or five yuan each, and the profit would definitely double. Even with the addition of wrapping paper and ribbons, the five-yuan apples would also come with a transparent hard plastic carrying bag. Even if a large apple weighed nearly half a pound, the wholesale price was already high, so the final cost would still be less than half of the selling price.

Later, he picked out the smaller ones with poorer fur and set them aside. He prioritized packaging the smaller ones that were of good quality, selling them for three yuan each.

Finally, he prepared to sell the less desirable ones for two yuan or two and a half yuan.

Never underestimate students' spending power. Even those with tight allowances can save money for meals or school supplies on weekdays and still spend it on this special holiday. These things aren't expensive, and they're good for gifting. If someone gives you something, how can you not reciprocate? This is also why Xu Kai chose to sell in batches over two natural days. There will always be some people who feel compelled to buy on the 24th at noon, just to save face and maintain a certain level of vanity.

Tieyi Middle School lets out at 8 o'clock, and No. 1 High School lets out at nearly 10 o'clock. Students also have a "snack" in the evening. Most of them get a few yuan every day. During the long break at four or five o'clock, they buy bread or sausages. Those in this group who are a little short of money don't care about spending three or five yuan.

Seeing that her son was still awake past 10 p.m., Sun Xiuyun didn't rest either. She watched her two favorite TV series in the evening in a hurry, focusing more on helping her son with gift wrapping.

It was late at night, and Xu Kai had finished most of it. Only after being urged by his mother did he go to sleep.

Before going to bed, he still prepared water for his mother to wash her feet. The two of them squeezed into a foot bath and soaked their feet for a while. After soaking for a while, Xu Kai lowered his head, lathered his own feet with soap, and dried them. Without looking up, he took the soap and lathered his mother's feet, washing and drying them.

Sun Xiuyun's eyes welled up with tears. She no longer wanted to think about anything she couldn't understand or even doubted or opposed. "My son has grown up. He hasn't done anything wrong. As his mother, I should support him unconditionally."

………………

The small house was filled with apples. That night, Xu Kai slept on a heated kang bed with his mother. His mother slept at the head of the bed, and he slept at the foot. He tossed and turned for a long time without falling asleep. Xu Kai sat up, smiled self-deprecatingly in the darkness, and pressed his temples with his hands. He never expected that he would be so nervous and uneasy because of a business deal worth a few thousand yuan.

I could hear my mother snoring. Her easygoing and plump figure was a blessing, a psychological shield that allowed her to raise her son alone. Someone with a more troubled mind would find it hard to be this happy every day, let alone spend weekends with family playing mahjong.

Those who are overly critical or picky might say that Sun Xiuyun has no ambition or drive, that she's complacent despite her poor family background, and that she should strive harder so that her son can have a brighter future as a single mother.

Xu Kai felt that his mother was truly blessed to be reborn, to see her young self again. He felt it was even better, a gift from heaven. In this life, he wouldn't cause his mother any worry or hardship, and he believed she would be much happier.

I have never wronged anyone, including my ex-wife who was introduced to me by a mutual friend because I was getting older and we didn't have much of an emotional foundation. After a few years, we realized we weren't compatible and didn't dare to have children. While she still had a little youth left, we parted amicably.

He left the house and most of the family savings to his ex-wife. There was no debt owed, only mutual respect. During holidays, his ex-wife would still call his mother to send her greetings.

Xu Kai feels he has done his best for his family and friends. He wouldn't dare say he did well, but he'd definitely score above 80. He also feels he owes them nothing.

Only towards his mother, Xu Kai felt he could have done better but failed. Unfortunately, time flies by, and with a more mature mind, he looks back on his youthful rebellion and absurdity. If he could have done better, would his mother have been happier and able to enjoy life more comfortably and earlier?

His mother lost her job, which greatly increased her stress. In just a few years, her hair turned much whiter, her back became hunched, and her waist bent. Those years were also the most rebellious time for Xu Kai. He did some absurd things and talked back to his mother more than once, even arguing with her. Even though he wanted to make amends when he grew up, how could the damage done in the past be repaired in a few words?

This time, Xu Kai will not let his mother experience the pain and confusion of being laid off. He will not only not be a burden to his mother, but will also become her pillar.

He drifted off to sleep, but his sleep was restless. Before the alarm rang in the morning, Xu Kai opened his eyes. Seeing that it was still early, he decided not to go back to sleep. He got up to add fuel to the fire, made breakfast for his mother, filled a large pot with hot water, and wrapped a few apples in the remaining time.

At 6:20, he pushed his tricycle toward the school gate.

He was skilled at operating the vehicle and could ride it for a while. He arrived at the school gate before 6:30. He brought his old quilt from home and bought a cheap but brightly colored quilt cover at the wholesale market to make it look nice. He put it on the outermost quilt and covered the cover on the tricycle.

It looks clean, tidy, and vibrant, covering the old blanket used to keep the apples warm underneath, elevating the overall look by more than one level.

When celebrating Western holidays, buying gifts naturally leads to a good mood.

Sun Xiuyun's definition of "clean" is that she washes it clean, but the fact that it's old and the colors are dull cannot be changed. What you call clean may not be acceptable to customers.

A brightly colored new duvet cover, even if the edges and corners are dirty, still looks new, giving customers a good impression and making them feel that the purchase is worth the price.

I greeted the gatekeeper, offered him a cigarette, and then gave him an apple: "Sir, it's a Western holiday, so let's join in the fun. This is a peace apple; I wish you peace and good health."

"Hey kid, watch the time. It's past seven o'clock, move aside a bit, don't block the gate."

"Okay, don't worry, I won't make you feel awkward."

Holding a battery-powered speaker, even though the current version doesn't have a recording loop function, is still better than straining your neck to shout.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Give a peace apple to someone important in your life, wishing them peace, good health, and happiness…