The Springtime of the Village School Director

When Chen Xu opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the distinctive damp smell of an earthen wall.

Sunlight slanted through the wooden lattice window, and dust danced in the beam. He sat up and stared at the faded Zhongshan suit he was wearing, stunned for a full three minutes.

Memories came rushing back: Chen Xu, a young city dweller from the twenty-first century, had worked all night on a project, fallen asleep, and woken up as Chen Xu, director of studies at an elementary school in Xiangyao Mountain Village in 2006. Same name, same surname, a different life.

“System loading complete.” A cold, mechanical voice rang in his mind.