{"id":10259,"date":"2019-12-28T14:00:48","date_gmt":"2019-12-28T19:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/?p=10259"},"modified":"2020-03-21T17:03:13","modified_gmt":"2020-03-21T21:03:13","slug":"epiphanies-of-rebirth-25-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/epiphanies-of-rebirth-25-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Epiphanies of Rebirth 25.2"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"10259\" class=\"elementor elementor-10259\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2f035568 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2f035568\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column 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data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chapter 25.2<\/span><\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-67aa1986 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"67aa1986\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-32971be7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"32971be7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The news about Shen City Stock Exchange\u2019s popularity boom reached even Liyun Town.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in this era, most ordinary people had little interest in such matters. Though they might exclaim in shock or wonder, for them, the stock market was a strange world full of pitfalls\u2014it was fine to observe from the distance, but it was best not to get involved.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lin Jingzhe usually didn\u2019t read newspapers, so it was only a month later when a front-page article caught his eye. By then, the value of Aeon Technology\u2019s stock had increased several times, and his 500,000 yuan turned into over 2 million.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lin Jingzhe glanced through the newspaper and put it down. Strangely, this news caused barely a ripple in his heart\u2014finishing packing his luggage seemed much more important.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, Zhou Haitang&#8217;s father had asked for leave and didn&#8217;t go to the factory. He sat at a table with Deng Mai&#8217;s father, Deng Feng, smoking the cigarettes Lin Jingzhe had brought from Shen City. They sucked on their cigarettes cautiously and reverently, careful to not waste even a bit of smoke.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deng Fengshou squinted at the newspaper. He normally paid no attention to the world outside of Liyun Town and his organization, so he was quite surprised. \u201cHey, it seems that the country is starting to promote capitalism.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Father Zhou shook his head. \u201cSome people from Liyun Town also went\u2014I know of two coal plant workers. When the factory heard about it, they were directly fired. You tell me, should they really have done that? Now they are jobless.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deng Fengshou sobered up. \u201cYes, we should keep our feet on the ground, work steadily and make solid progress, not give in to flights of fancy. Otherwise, it could all be for nothing!\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Sheng and Zhou Haitang, who were folding their clothes, exchanged looks. Then, along with Deng Mai, they glanced over at Lin Jingzhe.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lin Jingzhe met their stares with a poker face, silently warning them to not say anything. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of somebody\u2019s figure and quickly turned in that direction, smiling courteously. \u201cAuntie Zhou.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Ah!&#8221; Mother Zhou came in holding a few jars. She kindly said, \u201cLast time, didn&#8217;t you say that my pickled eggplant was delicious? I specially pickled some nice and ripe eggplants for you to bring to school. No, don\u2019t pack it, it\u2019s heavy\u2014I\u2019ll put it in Haitang\u2019s luggage. After you arrive, let him help you move your things to the university dorm.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As she spoke, she stuffed Zhou Haitang\u2019s bag with jars of pickled eggplant, pickled radish, pickled bamboo shoots\u2026 She seemed to be afraid that the children wouldn\u2019t eat well in Yan City, and had been busy as a bee, preparing long-lasting food.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hu Yu and Mother Deng were looking through old newspapers, doing research. From time to time, an exclamation would sound\u2014<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMinus twenty degrees Celsius? How cold is that? Winter in Yan City is too terrible\u2014what was the lowest temperature we had here last winter?\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[T\/N: -20 \u00b0C = -4 \u00b0F; -5 \u00b0C = 23 \u00b0F]<\/span><\/em><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFive below zero? Anyway, it was cold enough. Is there a big difference between minus five and minus twenty?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unable to endure, Deng Fengshou said to his wife, \u201cDo you even need to ask? It\u2019s fifteen degrees. In summer, is there a big difference between twenty degrees and thirty-five?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mother Deng took out the cotton-padded jacket she\u2019d just packed and examined it. \u201cThen this won\u2019t be thick enough\u2026\u201d she said anxiously.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cJust give them money and let them buy more clothes in Yan City!\u201d Father Zhou turned to Mother Zhou and patted the table. \u201cAll right, stop stuffing the bag, it\u2019s almost splitting at the seams! Why don\u2019t you put in a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.xuehua.us\/2018\/07\/09\/%E6%B8%A9%E5%B7%9E%E4%BA%BA%E7%9A%84%E7%85%A4%E7%90%83%E8%AE%B0%E5%BF%86%EF%BC%8C%E9%82%A3%E6%8C%87%E7%BC%9D%E9%97%B4%E6%9C%AA%E6%9B%BE%E8%A4%AA%E5%8E%BB%E7%9A%84%E9%A2%9C%E8%89%B2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>briquette stove<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as well?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeing the elders in such a mess, Lin Jingzhe wanted to laugh. He went over to his friends to try on the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/g-search1.alicdn.com\/img\/bao\/uploaded\/i6\/TB1ddPnRVXXXXbyapXXYXGcGpXX_M2.SS2_300x300.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>cloth shoes<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the mothers had hurriedly sewn.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The shoes had hard soles but were sweat-absorbent and breathable, which made them comfortable to wear in summer. In addition, the mothers had good taste\u2014the shoes were constructed in the style of canvas slip-ons, similar to a trend that would be popular in the future.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lin Jingzhe wore the set of white casual clothes and a pair of cloth shoes as he carried an extremely light duffel bag (also made by the clever-handed mothers) with only some basic necessities and a few sets of thin summer clothes inside. He and his three friends bid farewell to their elders.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Silence fell. The mothers\u2019 eyes were red; they gathered together to secretly wipe their tears. The fathers smoked cigarettes, not saying a word. After a moment, Deng Fengshou asked, \u201cAre you certain you don\u2019t need us to accompany you?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI don\u2019t think this is a good idea,\u201d Father Zhou said, still uneasy. \u201cI\u2019ll take some days off and\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019m certain, we\u2019ll be fine.\u201d Lin Jingzhe had already declined this proposition several times, and this time he also refused with a smile. \u201cWe\u2019re a group of four young men. After we arrive at the provincial capital, we\u2019ll board the train going directly to Yan City, and the school staff members sent to pick up the freshmen will be waiting at the train station. We won\u2019t have to worry about anything, but for you\u2014how many days would be wasted for a round trip to Yan City? Not to mention, the tickets are expensive.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hu Yu, a teacher, couldn\u2019t leave so close to the beginning of the school year. Neither Mother Zhou nor Mother Deng had ever been so far away from home, and it would be even more dangerous for the women to travel by themselves. The special investigation team led by Deng Fengshou was about to wrap up the antiques\u2019 case, initiated by the attempted seizure of Lin Jingzhe\u2019s bronzeware, and it was impossible for him to get away. As for Father Zhou\u2026<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, the thermos factory had been looking for excuses to lay off workers. If he took leave now, he\u2019d probably have no job to come back to.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lin Jingzhe planned to help him and Mother Zhou to start up their own business, but this wasn\u2019t the right time. Besides, all of his capital was tied up in stocks, and it was still too early to sell them.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The elders\u2019 difficulties were not a secret to anyone. The fathers felt very guilty\u2014their children were about to leave home for the first time and attend university, yet they couldn\u2019t send them off. It was so irresponsible of them!<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mother Deng wiped her tears and took out several small waist bags. She fastened them over the young men\u2019s waists, repeatedly reminding them, \u201cThe tuition fees and living expenses for the next six months are sewn inside. I\u2019ll tie it over your waists with a knot that\u2019s impossible to unravel on its own\u2014only open it when it\u2019s time to pay the tuition, all right? Don\u2019t talk to strangers on the road, don&#8217;t eat anything that strangers give you, and sleep lightly when you\u2019re on the train. Take care of each other and be careful!\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deng Mai glanced at Lin Jingzhe. Lin Jingzhe gave him a minute nod, signaling him to accept.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, the parents bought them bus tickets. The mothers gave their sons pocket money for unexpected expenses, also shoving 100 yuan at Lin Jingzhe.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lin Jingzhe tried to refuse: \u201cI really do have money!\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cJust keep it! What a disobedient child!\u201d Hu Yu sniffed, stuffing it into his pocket and patting him on the back as a warning against his refusal. She looked up at him, smiling through her tears. \u201cYou rascal, when did you get so tall?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The parents accompanied their children to the bus, warning and nagging them, only getting off when it was about to leave. They stood in a tight group, looking towards the bus windows, the mothers crying.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Father Zhou had already smoked half a pack of cigarettes. As he looked up at Zhou Haitang\u2019s face, his heart was full of both distress and gratification.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His son was going to study in Yan City, and in a few years, he would be a university graduate. A while ago, he and his wife steeled themselves, hiding their embarrassment, and borrowed money from anyone and everyone.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right as the bus was departing, Deng Fengshou rushed forward, thrust his hand through the open window, and slapped his son\u2019s head with an iron palm. \u201cSince you\u2019ve made up your mind to go to college, you have to study hard!\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deng Mai wiped his eyes, stuck his head out the window, and waved at him before sitting back down. For the first time, this eternally sunny young man burst out crying. \u201cMom, Dad, I\u2019m sorry!\u201d he wailed loudly.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Silent, Lin Jingzhe looked back at the group of people who had been left behind. They chased after the bus for a while but still got farther and farther away. After the bus turned a corner, they finally disappeared completely.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He glanced at Deng Mai\u2019s tear-covered cheeks and let out a soft sigh.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHave you changed your mind and decided to study after all?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deng Mai hesitated but still shook his head.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;When we arrive in Yan City, I&#8217;ll take you to apply for a passbook. After a few months, you\u2019ll send the tuition money back to your parents and tell them you earned it by working part-time.\u201d Lin Jingzhe gently patted Deng Mai on the shoulder, comforting him.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the past few days, college and university freshmen all began to leave home to enroll in their new schools. There were many people going to the provincial capital to take a bus or train to another city, and instead of the single vehicle that usually ran alone to Qunnan City, there were several. After getting off, Lin Jingzhe unexpectedly saw several acquaintances.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Yu Zhiliang noticed him in the distance, he called out\u00a0 and immediately ran over. Standing in front of him, he eyed Lin Jingzhe\u2019s luggage with a hint of envy and asked, \u201cAre you going to Yan University, Classmate Lin Jingzhe?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His parents followed after him, also loaded with luggage; his skinny father even carried a rolled-up bedding on his shoulder.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aiya!<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> We actually were lucky enough to run into you, Lin Jingzhe. I&#8217;ve heard from Zhiliang that in the college entrance exam, you won the first place in our town! And you were also admitted to the famous Yan University!\u201d Yu Zhiliang\u2019s mother exclaimed enthusiastically. Then, without saying anything further, she took out a few crumpled banknotes and tried to put them in Lin Jingzhe\u2019s hand, but the young man didn\u2019t let her. Finally she said with some embarrassment, \u201cThis child! We\u2019re trying to thank you, don\u2019t be so polite!\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Yu Zhiliang\u2019s taciturn father whispered, flashing a reserved smile.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThank you, but I&#8217;m not short of money.\u201d Lin Jingzhe took Mother Yu\u2019s hand and warmly persuaded her, \u201cYou should keep it\u2014Yu Zhiliang will have to buy a lot of things for school. If you really want to thank me, Auntie, then next time I\u2019m back in Liyun Town, I\u2019ll go to your house for dinner.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mother Yu was overjoyed: \u201cYes, yes, you should come over! Be sure to come!\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling complex, Yu Zhiliang looked at his parents\u2019 worn-out clothes, then at Lin Jingzhe, who displayed not a shred of impatience or annoyance. After a long moment, he said softly, \u201cI wish you a smooth journey, Classmate Lin Jingzhe.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou too.\u201d Lin Jingzhe gave him a slight nod.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several familiar figures appeared not far away. Lin Jingzhe subconsciously looked in that direction and discovered that they were Jiang Run and his parents.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why they weren\u2019t driving to the provincial capital was a mystery, but the three descended the bus carrying bags of various sizes with somewhat humiliated expressions on their faces. Jiang Xiaoyun looked rather haggard. After setting foot on the ground, she raised her head to glance around, frowning and complaining about something. Then, her eyes fell on Lin Jingzhe and she froze.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stunned, she stood still. It took her a moment to recover, then her expression turned complicated. She veered away as if she had been stabbed.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Noticing her abnormality, Jiang Run and his father, Liu De, looked over. Upon seeing Lin Jingzhe, they also turned into stone statues for a short while.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jiang Xiaorun didn\u2019t complain any longer, just pushed the backs of her son and husband, urging them to leave. All of them walked away in silence, not daring to look up again.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deng Mai also saw them. He had already stopped crying, and now promptly switched back to his gossip king persona. \u201cI heard that Jiang Run didn\u2019t do well on the exam and didn\u2019t get into any of the universities he\u2019d filled out in his college application form. His parents wanted to get him into Qunnan University using their connections, but after the results came out, his score was almost thirty points below what was required for admission. This was too much and they had no choice but to give up,\u201d he said into Lin Jingzhe\u2019s ear.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yu Zhiliang and his parents said goodbye and left, and the Jiang family, luggage-laden and hurrying away as if they were being chased by ghosts, disappeared through the bus station exit. Lin Jingzhe looked away, his expression calm, and let out a quiet hum.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jiang Xiaoyun walked out of the station, sweating all over. She cautiously glanced over her shoulder, relieved that Lin Jingzhe hadn\u2019t followed them.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Liu De watched her actions with cold eyes, feeling bitter. He only lit another cigarette, however, letting the feeling smoulder in his heart, suppressed.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jiang Run&#8217;s mood was complicated. The moment his mother pushed his back, he clearly felt the earth-shattering difference between Lin Jingzhe and himself.<\/span><\/p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lin Jingzhe should be going to Yan City, right?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> He was the town champion, as well as third in the entire province, and news of his admission to Yan University had long spread throughout the high school students. For the parents in Liyun Town, his name became almost synonymous with \u201cother people\u2019s children.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just now, Yu Zhiliang and his parents had been riding on the same bus. They probably knew about the Jiang family\u2019s attempt to snatch the Qunnan University admission spot by bribing Li Yurong because they\u2019d been particularly cold, pretending they hadn\u2019t noticed the Jiang family at all. Yu Zhiliang, however, was the center of attention, the freshmen\u2019s parents talking incessantly about his imminent admission to Qunnan University.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every time this topic was mentioned, it was like a sword piercing through Jiang Run\u2019s heart. He\u2019d huddled in his seat, his head sinking lower and lower and his back more and more bent.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He felt that all the students and parents in the bus were giving him strange looks and were mocking him secretly.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, Lin Jingzhe was about to set off for Yan City, and the Qunnan University seniors that had been waiting at the station already picked up Yu Zhiliang. It was only him\u2014like a rat that had tried to scurry into the gutter but was pulled out by its tail, he had to enroll in a school that he had never wanted to attend.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jiang Run sniffed, he himself not knowing who exactly he should resent. As they moved to the edge of the sidewalk to hail a taxi, he muttered under his breath, \u201cIt\u2019s so hot and I knew I would see them\u2026 Why couldn\u2019t we have driven?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jiang Xiaoyun heard his whisper and her steps paused for a second. She glanced at her son, embarrassment flashing in her eyes.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She\u2019d kept it secret from Jiang Run, but the car had actually been sold before the college entrance examination. She had no other choice\u2014the company had lacked funds.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There was no backer who could help, and Section Head Wang from the Provincial Bureau of Land and Resources, with whom she and her brother had gotten acquainted with great difficulty, couldn\u2019t be contacted. Recently, the company was having a hard time developing its real estate business. The money from selling the car was far from enough; Jiang Xiaoyun sold the several apartments that her father had left for her in Qunnan City in the hopes that the money would be sufficient for them to survive this crisis.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She sighed heavily, wondering why she was having such a hard time. Her previously meek and docile husband had become more and more sarcastic recently. After they got on the taxi that had been quite difficult to hail, he asked caustically, \u201cYou have such a good relationship with your sister and have worked so hard for her sake\u2014how come she can\u2019t even be bothered to pick you up?\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cShut up!\u201d Hit at her sore spot, Jiang Xiaoyun glared at Liu De furiously, angry and humiliated.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She deeply regretted contacting her sister, regretted it so much that she could neither sleep nor eat in peace\u2014the trouble with Section Head Wang had started after Jiang Qiaqia got involved. She never expected that her elder sister, who always seemed so smart and kept her nose high in the air, was actually a failure who would <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%E6%88%90%E4%BA%8B%E4%B8%8D%E8%B6%B3%EF%BC%8C%E6%95%97%E4%BA%8B%E6%9C%89%E9%A4%98\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>spoil everything without accomplishing even a single thing<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jiang Qiaqia didn\u2019t pick them up? Even if she did, the first thing Jiang Xiaoyun would do after seeing her would be to rush at her and claw her face!<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-467bacf elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"467bacf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70ec29c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"70ec29c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1990, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High-speed_rail_in_China\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>high-speed rail in China<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was barely in the planning stage\u2014the train moved slowly and swayed quite a bit. Fortunately, it was similar to how a baby\u2019s cradle would sway and as such, was rather comfortable.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The scenery familiar to Lin Jingzhe passed by outside the train windows. They crossed several tunnels and as the night got deeper, it became increasingly difficult to distinguish whether they were inside a tunnel or not.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Initially, Gao Sheng and the others were excited by the sleeper car, running back and forth or leaning against the window to look outside. After a dozen or so hours, however, the novelty wore off.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this moment, Lin Jingzhe dearly missed the future high-speed rail. At the same time, he was amazed\u2014in just over twenty years, the world\u2019s science and technology would develop so rapidly that it was hard for him to accept that, currently, many things were still so backward and inefficient.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, innumerable business opportunities were buried around every change, waiting to be dug out like a hidden treasure.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than thirty hours later, they arrived at Yan City Railway Station.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The moment he stepped off the train with his luggage, Lin Jingzhe looked around, taking in the familiar yet strange scenery.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His new journey began here and now.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-042c569 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"042c569\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11cc40a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"11cc40a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Translator&#8217;s Notes:<\/h2><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em><strong>\u201cFor the parents in Liyun Town, his name practically became synonymous with \u2018other people\u2019s children\u2019\u201d<\/strong><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; children who parents like to hold up as an example to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>their<\/em> <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">children (you probably heard it too: <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhy are your grades so bad? Just look at the neighbors\u2019 kid!\u201d<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCan\u2019t you be as well-behaved as your cousin?\u201d<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and so on).<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3d76eae5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3d76eae5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-38674ce8\" data-id=\"38674ce8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-50b5930 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"50b5930\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6cd91a0c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6cd91a0c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Translator: Eques<\/em><br \/><em>Editor: Luoshenhua<br \/>Proofreader: &#8211;<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d65fd52 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"2d65fd52\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd8331f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cd8331f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Attention! Recruiting:<\/span><\/strong><\/h3><p><del>Financial consultant<\/del> someone with some knowledge of economy\/finances to check if my translation makes sense. All you will need to do is join our Discord and answer some questions from time to time.<\/p><p>&#8230;Guys, I&#8217;m serioussssssss \ud83d\ude2d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7c14d728 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7c14d728\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7544ad7c\" data-id=\"7544ad7c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47abfc44 elementor-button-info elementor-align-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"47abfc44\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-xs\" href=\"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/epiphanies-of-rebirth-25-1\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Previous<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1f737a4a\" data-id=\"1f737a4a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-339fa6f elementor-button-info elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"339fa6f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/epiphanies-of-rebirth\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Project Page<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4f12f416\" data-id=\"4f12f416\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70cf5ebc elementor-align-right elementor-button-info elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"70cf5ebc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-xs\" href=\"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/epiphanies-of-rebirth-26-1\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Next<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c545038 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c545038\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b58f857\" data-id=\"b58f857\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[35,39,68,41],"class_list":["post-10259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-eor","tag-bl","tag-modern","tag-power-couple","tag-second-chance"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10259"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11308,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10259\/revisions\/11308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}