Chapter 1: Rebirth

‘What would I do if I could live it all over again?’ This is the question Xiaoqi has been pondering lately, or rather, ‘Why should I start over again?’

I forgot to introduce Xiaoqi! Xiaoqi, a woman, one of those leftover women in the city. Her hobbies are reading and writing novels. Her current job is a senior employee in a monopoly industry in a second-tier provincial capital city. Her side job is a low-profile writer for a top-tier original literature website!

Why is she called Xiaoqi? There were eight bunks in the university dormitory, like sworn brothers. By the end, she was the seventh. Most people would have called her, “Seventh!” But the eldest brother glanced at the short Xiaoqi and said, “Just Xiaoqi!” And so the name has stuck with that group of friends for years, and they’ve gotten used to it.

Rebirth: Xiaoqi doesn’t know why. Yesterday, after finishing her night shift, she made a cup of coffee and went to the window to look at the moon, the stars, and the reservoir...

It was beautiful, and then, just then, the moon and stars lined up in the sky. Stupid Xiao Qi was still thinking about checking online to figure out what was going on, but she ended up heading straight back to Guangzhou without even reaching her computer! It wasn't that Xiao Qi was irresponsible, but right now, she simply couldn't think about what she'd do if she were suddenly gone from her workplace. She was still wondering what she was going to do.

Yeah, why would she have to start over? It wasn't like she was dissatisfied with her life. She hadn't had a failed marriage, or gone bankrupt, or faced any setbacks in life. Why would she have to start over? Xiao Qi pondered, her head drooping.

Of course, this kind of contemplation wouldn't last long. In fact, her brain, as her father had said, was just barely adequate. She'd basically be unable to come up with an answer to anything too complex.

Speaking of which, Xiao Qi was also a writer and had read countless rebirth stories. At one point, she really wanted to write one, but a friend put the brakes on her idea. What setbacks had you faced in your life? What dissatisfactions were you feeling? What could you possibly do if you started over again? Come to think of it, Xiao Qi was the kind of person who couldn't even decide where to eat. Asking her to rethink her life was a joke, wasn't it? 2

After much thought, she figured if she were reborn, she'd honestly start over and do it all over again, never causing any trouble. So, what else could she write about? So, she gave up. Now that she'd truly been reborn, what would she do?

She sat under a banyan tree in a military district in Guangzhou in 1986, propping her head up at the sky, wondering over and over why. Of course, it was useless. Nothing but question marks followed by ellipsis, no help at all! You see, her mind was always occupied, except when she was coming up with plot ideas. No wasted time at all. Now, here she was, all over again. What should she do?

Xiao Qi remembered this place. It was 1986. She was six years old. This was her last summer before returning to Wuhan to attend elementary school. Her mother and sister were in Wuhan, and she and her father were in the army. Don't worry, Xiao Qi's parents weren't divorced, they were just living apart. Her father was actually doing well in the army and had long wanted Xiao Qi's mother to come with him. But her mother refused, saying that her relatives were all in Wuhan and she wouldn't recognize anyone if she followed him. 2

Xiao Qi's little brain suggested that Mom was afraid of being bullied by Dad if she actually joined the army. She had a strong personality, was the youngest in the family, and her brothers and sisters gave in to her. Xiao Qi's dad only went home a few days a year, so he naturally doted on her even more. Who knows what would happen if they really were together.

Facts have proven that it's indeed impossible. Two people with strong personalities, long-term together, are like a clash of titans. Although Xiao Qi always thought Dad was a good person, honestly, after seeing their marriage, she wasn't very interested in getting married.

Oh, I've gotten off topic. Why, why! Why do we have to start over again?