Back to 1990 with a Phone

"Mom, don't come into my room," Qu Ying called to her mother, Chen Hong, who was watching TV. There was a hint of displeasure in her voice.

Without even looking up, Chen Hong replied calmly, "Everything you have belongs to me, including you."

Qu Ying slammed the door and left. Chen Hong's eyes widened. "What's wrong with you? I'm your mother!"

Qu Ying replied calmly, "Could you at least respect my privacy?"

"What privacy? You're in my house!" Chen Hong's face flushed with anger.

Qu Ying resolutely packed her bags. "I'm leaving!"

Chen Hong put on a defiant front. "Go ahead, then. Where are you going in the middle of the night?"

Qu Ying left without a word. As the door closed, she thought she heard her mother muttering to herself, but she had no mind to listen closely. Suddenly, a crack of thunder split the night sky, and a torrential downpour began.

Qu Ying pressed on through the rain. Then her body suddenly felt heavy, as if countless icy hands were pulling at her. The floodwater slowly rose past her calves, and she realized with alarm how serious the situation was. Just then, a green umbrella appeared over her head, shielding her from the raging storm.

Beneath the umbrella, a slender, scarred hand came into view. Qu Ying looked up and was astonished to see that the woman before her looked exactly like her aunt had when she was young. "Are you... Chen Juan?"

Chen Juan smiled at her. "That's right, I'm Chen Hong's older sister. You're her classmate, aren't you?"

After the rain stopped and the sky cleared, Qu Ying looked around. The squat two-story buildings and the trash floating in puddles all seemed strange and old-fashioned. She realized that she might have transmigrated to the past.

Faced with this sudden change, Qu Ying could only give perfunctory replies to Chen Juan's warm welcome. Confusion and fear filled her heart, as if the ground beneath her feet were covered in sharp blades.

Not far away, a middle-aged woman was sweeping the street. Chen Juan greeted her familiarly, while Qu Ying took the opportunity to size up this unfamiliar era.

The watch on her wrist showed that it was already 9:30. She couldn't help wondering: had only half an hour passed? Her agitation grew.

As they reached the school gates, Qu Ying's heart sank further. She didn't know whether she had an identity in this era, or whether she had any reason to exist here.

The man who emerged from the guard room filled her with fear, but she soon learned from the school guard's words that she had a legal identity in this world too: Qu Ying, a student in the nursing class of the class of 1990. The coincidence brought her a little comfort, but left her even more confused.

To make sure all of this was real, she resolutely cut her wrist. The pain made her feel the reality of this world, while the concern and anxiety of the people around her brought her a little warmth.

In the infirmary, she felt the care and comfort of Teacher Xu and Chen Juan. Their words flowed over her like a warm current, warming her heart and giving her a small sense of belonging in this unfamiliar era.

Gradually, Qu Ying relaxed and fell peacefully asleep in Teacher Xu's arms. She knew that no matter when or where she was, someone would always be willing to shelter her.

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