Returning to 1949, I decided to hand it over to the state.

Since he couldn't write, Jiang Fan simply stopped struggling and quickly helped Aunt Su carry the food out of the kitchen.

Soon, three large bowls of steaming hot hand-pulled noodles were placed on the square table in the main room.

In those days, resources were extremely scarce. It was a rare treat for ordinary families to be able to eat a bowl of pure white noodles to their heart's content, only once or twice a year during festivals.

Aunt Su was right; I was lucky enough to get a delicious meal.

Jiang Fan and Jiang Daiji sat facing each other.

Aunt Su then brought out a plate of refreshing pickled radish and a plate of pickled garlic from the kitchen. Finally, she specially warmed a small pot of loose liquor for Jiang Daiji before taking off her apron and sitting down.

Jiang Daiji picked up his wine bowl, took a satisfying sip, squinted his eyes contentedly, smacked his lips, and then looked at Jiang Fan, smiling as he pointed to the noodle bowl with his chopsticks:

"Eat up, Tiger! Don't be shy at your uncle's house, eat as much as you want!"

According to the etiquette Jiang Fan learned, juniors should not eat before their elders have started eating.

Since "Uncle Jiang" had spoken, he naturally didn't stand on ceremony and picked up a mouthful of noodles with his chopsticks, stuffing them into his mouth.

I must say, although these noodles lack the fancy seasonings of later generations, their pure grain aroma and chewy texture make them truly satisfying to eat.

Aunt Su and Jiang Daiji exchanged a smile as they watched Jiang Fan eat, before picking up their bowls and joining him in the meal.

Noodles are indeed very filling. After finishing a large bowl of hot soup noodles, Jiang Fan's forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

He casually wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, looked at his great-grandfather Jiang Daiji sitting opposite him, slurping noodles with raw garlic, quickly weighed his options for a moment, and then forced himself to speak:

"Um... Uncle Jiang, I'd like to ask you something."

Jiang Daiji crunched down half a head of purple garlic, and without looking up, casually replied, "What is it? Tell me."

Jiang Fan stammered out a sentence:

"Um... do you have any plans to move in the future? Like... to Beiping or something?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fan was so embarrassed that he felt like he was digging his toes out of his shoes.

How can someone you've only known for a few days inexplicably urge you to move?

Surprisingly, Jiang Daiji and Aunt Su were not angry. They simply stopped eating, looked at each other, and then burst into laughter at the same time.

Aunt Su smiled and playfully scolded:

"Tiger, what's wrong with your head all day? Why are you suddenly asking this? We're doing just fine living in Anshan, why would we move?"

"The factory treats us well, the leaders are kind, and the workers are friendly. Now the government even gives us food coupons and ration coupons. Isn't life a hundred times better than when we were wandering around?"

Jiang Daiji, holding his wine bowl, took a sip, deeply agreeing with the sentiment.

"Your Aunt Su is right. Ansteel has just recovered, and the blast furnaces are ready to produce iron. It's the perfect time to work hard and get manpower on the job!"

"We old workers, putting everything else aside, just hearing the machines running in the workshop makes us feel at ease."

At this point, the man's rough face was full of anticipation:

"The country will be undertaking major construction projects in the future. No matter where you go, it's more practical to stay here and do your old job to contribute to the country. What's the point of going to Beiping? There's still a war going on there."

Hearing these simple yet powerful words, Jiang Fan fell completely silent, unsure how to respond.

He suddenly realized that he had made an empiricist mistake of an era.

For the generation of workers like my great-grandfather who came through hardship, what they considered a "good life" was a bowl of steaming white noodles, a mud-brick house that could shelter them from the wind and rain, and the pride of being able to sweat and contribute to the country.

They have absolutely no concept of capital and money.

In this age of pure faith, talking about the future is probably just a waste of time.

Jiang Fan sighed silently to himself, picked up the bowl, and drank the rest of the noodle soup in one gulp.

"Yes, it's good to stay."

He decided to stop trying to persuade him. Since his great-grandfather's approach was not working, he had to hurry back to the factory and find a way to get a pen to leave a note.

Whether this family can "change its fate" depends on the more flexible thinking of the grandfather's generation; we can't put all our hopes on the great-grandfather.

As soon as he put down the empty bowl, Jiang Fan suddenly felt a very subtle tingling sensation on his left wrist, as if a weak electric current was rapidly coursing through his skin.

Jiang Fan was taken aback. What was that commotion?

He subconsciously pressed his wrist under the edge of the table and glanced at the watch face out of the corner of his eye.

It's fine if you don't look, but once you do, it'll be something else entirely.

【00:02:58】

Only two minutes and fifty-eight seconds left?!

What the hell!

The first three days felt like time was passing incredibly slowly, but how come the last half hour went by so fast!

No, it's too late to get back to the factory!

And who knows if the system will suddenly burst out with some blinding white light during the transmission?

I absolutely cannot disappear in front of the two elderly people, otherwise I'll scare them half to death.

Jiang Fan immediately stood up, disregarding all formalities for a junior, and hastily uttered:

"Aunt Su, Uncle Jiang, I've finished eating. There's an urgent matter at the factory, so I have to go now."

Before he could finish speaking, he had already turned around and rushed out of the courtyard gate.

Aunt Su, still holding a mouthful of noodles in her chopsticks and not yet having put it in her mouth, was startled by his sudden action and quickly stood up and took two steps after him:

"Hey, Tiger, you're leaving already? We haven't even finished our meal! What's the rush that you can't even have a sip of water?"

Jiang Fan had already stepped out of the wooden fence gate of the courtyard and shouted without turning his head:

"It's alright, I'm really full. You guys take your time eating, no need to see me off!"

However, as he turned the corner of the wall outside the courtyard gate, his voice seemed to be quickly pulled away by some force.

The last syllable still lingered in the air, completely escaping Aunt Su's sight.

Aunt Su, holding chopsticks, chased after them to the courtyard gate, craning her neck to look outside.

On that dirt road, there was no trace of Jiang Fan.

Aunt Su held her chopsticks, stood frozen in the evening breeze for a long while, and then muttered to herself with a look of suspicion:

"This child... is he born in the Year of the Rabbit? How come he disappeared in the blink of an eye?"

……

At that moment, just as the countdown reached zero, Jiang Fan was completely enveloped in a ball of white light.

The feeling of weightlessness briefly robbed him of consciousness.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back in that mysterious space.

The same scene, except this time...

The string of numbers above the door frame has changed to:

【2026】

"Phew...I'm back."

Having gained experience, Jiang Fan opened the door directly in front of him.

Unexpectedly, the refresh point this time was actually my own bathroom.