Era: Rise from the Wilderness

Looking up, I saw that a large patch of skin on the outside of my calf, near my ankle, had been worn away by the rough cement. Bright red flesh was mixed with dark gray sand, and tiny beads of blood were seeping from the edges. A burning, stinging pain came in waves.

"Dude, are you okay? Sorry! I didn't see you!"

The "blue bull" who knocked him down and his teammate who stepped on him rushed over in a panic, looking apologetic.

Li Yunjing waved his hand and tried to move his ankle; thankfully, the bone was fine.

"It's nothing, just a minor injury."

"Continue, continue."

He gritted his teeth and continued for another seven or eight minutes until the old electronic bell in the teaching building emitted a piercing yet long "ding-a-ling" sound, announcing the end of the class.

Under the blazing sun, the playground was instantly filled with a stream of people pouring out of the classrooms, creating a noisy and bustling atmosphere.

The crowd on the basketball court dispersed, grabbing their clothes hanging on the wire mesh and rushing towards the cafeteria.

Li Yunjing limped to the sidelines and picked up his school uniform.

The pain from the sweat soaking his wound made him gasp for breath.

My mood was like the afternoon weather—sultry and irritable.

"Li Yunjing! This way! Come here!"

A familiar shout came through the noisy crowd.

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw his best friends Fu Chao and Ding Dong standing under the faded red brick porch of the teaching building, waving their arms at him vigorously.

Fu Chao was wearing trendy baggy jeans and had no intention of wearing a school uniform, while Ding Dong was wearing a full school uniform meticulously.

Li Yunjing's eyes lit up; he needed the help of these two "local bullies" for something.

He endured the pain, quickened his pace, and tried not to make his limp too obvious as he walked towards them.

"You're pretty good, kid!"

Fu Chao came up to him, grinning, and lightly punched him on the shoulder. "It's only been a week since school started, and you've already figured out Old Gao's tricks and skipped his class? We just saw you playing ball downstairs through the window. You've got some nerve!"

"Don't even mention it."

Li Yunjing's face fell, and he pointed to his wretched calf. "Today has been incredibly unlucky; nothing's going right. There's something I need you two brothers to help me out with."

Fu Chao thumped his chest loudly, looking every bit the tough guy: "What's up? Just say the word! If Ding Dong and I can handle it, we won't hesitate!"

The three walked to the camphor tree by the porch, where it was relatively quiet.

Li Yunjing then recounted the entire morning's "fantastic adventure": from being reprimanded by the homeroom teacher during morning reading, to being caught whistling in the corridor, to the verbal battle with the "Black-faced Yama" at the disciplinary office, and finally the "bloodshed" on the basketball court.

The true origins of his rebirth and English proficiency are simply omitted.

Fu Chao and Ding Dong's eyes widened at first, then they couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Ding Dong laughed so hard he bent over, pointing at Li Yunjing, and gasped for breath for a moment: "Hahaha... Li Yunjing, what bad luck you had today! This experience could fill a novel!"

"Class 4, Grade 12, Guan Shengming, right?"

Fu Chao stopped laughing, a glint of loyalty and impulsiveness flashing in his eyes, typical of boys his age. "No need to wait until later, let's do it this afternoon after school."

"I'll find a few guys who 'specialize in handling technical issues' to 'talk' to him."

"Don't worry, they're all veterans, clean and efficient. He'll never suspect you."

"Won't this cause trouble for your brothers?"

Li Yunjing looked at Fu Chao.

He knew that Fu Chao came from a special family background and knew some friends who had a slightly "street-smart" vibe.

"trouble?"

Fu Chao chuckled, "Those guys have already been talked to by their homeroom teacher several times. The teacher's words were basically advising them to 'use their talents' and go to vocational school as soon as possible."

"Anyway, they can't sit still; it's pure torture for them here."

"Leave early, and both sides will be more relaxed."

Upon hearing this, Li Yunjing was slightly taken aback, but then understood.

This was an unspoken "rule" in many schools in the late 1990s.

In order to improve the college entrance examination pass rate and average score, some students with poor grades were encouraged to switch to vocational education.

It may seem cruel, but for those students who feel like they're sitting on pins and needles in the classroom, it might really be a way out.

His thoughts drifted a little further away.

In my past life, many of my classmates who entered technical schools early were later assigned to county shipyards and machinery factories that were quite profitable at the time.

While I was still in college spending my parents' hard-earned living expenses, they had already started earning wages and learning technical skills.

While I was holding my graduation certificate and worrying about finding a job, others had already become the technical backbone of their work team, with their salaries increasing year by year, and they were getting housing, getting married, and everything going smoothly.

I remember my first high school reunion. I was just starting out in the workforce and was short of money. Looking at my old classmates who were already financially independent and generous, I felt a complex mix of emotions about the "usefulness of education."

"What are you thinking about?"

Fu Chao gave him a push, "It's lunchtime, let's go out for lunch! It's on me!"

"Let's eat first!"

Li Yunjing put aside his thoughts, hunger taking over.

"Okay, Fu Chao, Ding Dong, thank you!"

Li Yunjing smiled.

"Damn it, you're not treating us like friends anymore!"

Fu Chao immediately put on a stern face.

"Exactly! If someone gives you trouble, we'll take care of them for you. It's no big deal!"

Ding Dong echoed this sentiment.

"I was being too polite just now."

Seeing that the two genuinely considered him a friend, Li Yunjing felt a warmth in his heart and nodded, "Let's go to Old Ma's Restaurant for dinner later, it's on me!"

Fu Chao was taken aback: "If it's about this, we won't eat!"

"Dream on!"

Li Yunjing laughed and scolded, "You're treating me to dinner over something so trivial? I have something important to discuss with you."

Fu Chao and Ding Dong then burst into laughter.

It would be truly inappropriate to host a dinner party just to settle a trivial matter like dealing with Guan Shengming.

When the three of them passed by the convenience store, Li Yunjing told them to wait at the door while he went inside.

Seeing his father tidying up the shelves, he went up to him and said, "Dad, give me some money. I want to treat two classmates to dinner."

"You've already learned how to treat others to meals at such a young age?"

While giving change to the customer, He Ling frowned: "We can't let them pick up bad habits."

Li Hongfeng didn't seem to care much, and pulled out a handful of change from his pocket: "How much do you want?"

That's enough.

Li Yunjing swiftly snatched a fifty-yuan note from his father's hand and laughed, "Money emboldens the coward, the rest will be handed over to the authorities tonight!"

"You little rascal, save your money. Give me the rest tonight!"

"Okay, Dad, I'm off!"

Before leaving, Li Yunjing took out three bottles of chilled soda and three crispy ice cream bars from the freezer.

Watching her son's departing figure, He Ling asked worriedly, "Why did you give him so much money?"

"fine,"

Li Hongfeng didn't take it seriously, saying, "My son is sensible now; he'll give us an explanation when he comes home tonight."