11
Youth Filled with Regrets
Qi Guojun had been beating around the bush before finally awkwardly getting to the point. “How did you do on the exam?”
Upon hearing this, Qi Lei immediately rolled his eyes. “I mean, Dad, you weren’t this gentle when you used to hit me!”
Qi Guojun was taken aback. “I… I haven’t hit you in years, have I?”
Tsk, tsk. Qi Lei clicked his tongue. Well, he’d been hit plenty before—it left a deep impression.
Alright, overall, Qi Guojun was a reasonable man, not the type of hot-tempered father who’d resort to violence at the slightest disagreement.
But Qi Lei had been too disobedient as a child, and the three brothers were just too much of a handful.
At this, Qi Guojun felt a bit awkward. The kids were grown up now—he couldn’t hit them anymore.
Rubbing the back of his head, he said, “If you didn’t cause trouble, why would I hit you? Right? Think about it—did you deserve it? Hitting you was for your own good!”
Qi Lei shot him another eye-roll. Enough already! Even a child would see through such a lame excuse.
He couldn’t help but picture his mom brandishing a broom and his dad gritting his teeth, pinning him down to take the punishment.
Afterward, he’d be dragged to a corner and given a solemn lecture about how the beating was for his own good and out of concern—what a miserable scene.
He shook his head with a bitter smile. “Dad, I think we should just talk about the exam.”
“If you don’t ask soon, I’ll start wondering if I’m really your son!”
Qi Guojun was speechless. “You little brat, who do you think you’re talking to?”
But his son flashed a wide grin. “Leaving work early, coming with me to check the guitar—isn’t it all for this?”
“I was just afraid you’d act up again! Your mom has a weak heart—she can’t take your nonsense anymore!”
A pang of guilt struck Qi Lei, and he suddenly dropped the teasing. “Dad…”
“Huh?”
“I won’t do it anymore.”
“Won’t do what?”
“I’ll never make you and Mom angry again.”
Qi Guojun was stunned once more. His first thought: This kid isn’t acting normal today! Did he cause trouble? Or did he completely bomb the exam? Why is he being so docile?
He’d already lost his patience. “Just tell me straight—how did you do?”
Qi Lei thought for a moment and answered truthfully, “It’s hard to estimate. But probably somewhere between 300 and 400 points.”
Qi Guojun froze for the third time, staring blankly at Qi Lei for a long moment.
Suddenly, he threw the guitar onto the bed. “You little bastard! Can’t you ever give a straight answer?”
With that, he stormed out angrily.
He went to the kitchen, where Guo Lihua was preparing vegetables. As soon as she saw him, she asked, “Did you find out?”
Still processing what had happened, Qi Guojun nodded subconsciously, then shook his head.
Guo Lihua, who had a quick temper to begin with, got so annoyed that she hit him with an eggplant. “Well, did you ask or not?”
Qi Guojun said, “I asked.”
“He didn’t tell you?”
“He did.”
“So how did he do?”
Qi Guojun’s face twisted into a grimace. “He said he could score around 300 to 400 points.”
“What?” This time, it was Guo Lihua’s turn to be dumbfounded.
As the shock set in, her eyes reddened. With teary eyes, she inexplicably hit Qi Guojun several times.
While hitting him, she scolded, “That good-for-nothing! Look at the good-for-nothing you raised! Why can’t he ever give us any peace?”
Qi Guojun felt utterly wronged. “Why are you taking it out on me? I didn’t do anything to you!”
Guo Lihua snapped, “Who else should I blame if not you? Shitou takes after you. You were just as hopeless at his age! He learned all this from you! Not studying properly and never keeping your word!”
“I…” Qi Guojun found himself speechless.
Qi Lei stood at the kitchen doorway, listening to his parents crying and arguing over him… and felt immensely relieved!
Thank goodness in his previous life he never married or had children. What would he have done if he’d ended up with a troublesome son like himself?
Stepping into the kitchen, he offered, “Mom, let me help you?”
Guo Lihua hadn’t expected Qi Lei to barge in. She stopped scolding, quickly turned to rub her eyes, then turned back. “Trying to show off? Go sit somewhere else!”
But Qi Lei had already snatched the scallions and garlic from the cutting board and squatted in front of the trash bin.
The kitchen was small to begin with, and with all three of them crammed inside, it was difficult to even turn around.
Guo Lihua and Qi Guojun stared blankly as Qi Lei peeled the scallions and garlic. Finally, Qi Guojun had no choice but to turn and leave, leaving mother and son to work in the kitchen.
“Mom, Little Wei next door is already dating. See how much more sensible I am?”
“Mom, why don’t you teach me how to cook? Then when you come home, dinner will be ready.”
“Mom, your son seems to have had an epiphany. I suddenly want to study properly.”
“Mom, you haven’t even noticed, but I’ve been reviewing English seriously these past few days.”
“Mom, I even guessed the essay topic correctly! If you don’t believe me, ask Wu Ning and Tang Yi.”
…
“Mom, I really did okay on this exam. Definitely won’t embarrass you.”
“Mom, I’ve decided not to waste these two months of summer vacation. I want to do something meaningful.”
“Mom, what do you think I should do? Maybe I should get a job? Earn my own tuition so I don’t have to spend your money. See how responsible I am?”
Having lived two lifetimes, was he really going to fail at handling one little old lady?
He deliberately said all the right things, not just to cheer up his mother but also to prepare her gradually.
If he turned out too different from his previous self, at least his mother wouldn’t get too shocked.
When had Guo Lihua ever seen this kind of son? This wasn’t her usual breed!
Qi Lei’s sweet talk took her from tears to confusion, from confusion to laughter, until she was grinning from ear to ear. She kept calling for Qi Guojun, “Old Qi! Old Qi! Did you hear that?”
Qi Guojun responded from the yard, “What are you yelling about? I heard!”
“Hey! You old fool!” Guo Lihua shouted as she rushed out of the kitchen. “Say that again?”
“Say what?” Qi Guojun stiffened his neck, putting on a fierce expression. “I didn’t say anything!”
Watching through the window, Qi Lei finally understood what it meant to use the toughest tone to say the most cowardly words.
After dinner, Guo Lihua couldn’t wait to visit the Tang family. Even Qi Guojun, who normally disliked social visits, unusually tagged along.
As it happened, both Tang Yi and Wu Ning were home. When asked, it turned out Qi Lei hadn’t been lying—he really had guessed the essay topic correctly.
Though pleasantly surprised, the couple couldn’t help sighing. Why hadn’t he done this earlier?
If their son had shown this desire to study seriously even half a semester ago, it wouldn’t have been too late.
But now…
As for Qi Lei’s claims about studying English and doing well on exams, the couple took them with a grain of salt.
If you suddenly decide to study seriously and immediately show results, that would be strange! Most likely it’s just empty talk to fool them.
Just as his parents left, Qi Lei lay on his bed staring at the ceiling.
The high school entrance exams were over. It was time to seriously plan his new life in this rebirth.
First and foremost, the greatest regrets of his past life were his studies, his parents, his brothers, the many beautiful memories he missed at this age, the university of his dreams, the girl he longed for, the games he never played, and the missed chance to experience the live concert of “Zongguan Line.”
Yes, these were the things Qi Lei yearned for and regretted all his life.
Later generations referred to Qi Lei’s generation as the “Post-80s”—born at the dawn of great reforms, raised amidst turbulent waves, and labeled as the “collapsed generation.”
But who truly understood what troubled the Post-80s generation the most?
It was how fast the times changed!
So fast that they barely had time to look back and savor the moment before boarding the express train to the next era.
The youth of the Post-80s was filled with regrets.
Take Qi Lei, for example—he grew up before he could see the continuation of the national tournament in “Slam Dunk.”
He never got to witness Vivian Chow’s return to the music scene before Gigi Leung ascended to the throne as the sweetheart queen.
He never mastered the Drunken Immortal skill in “The Legend of Sword and Fairy.”
Nor did he pull off the Zergling to Mutalisk trick in “StarCraft.”
The awkwardness in NetEase chat rooms had just faded when the “di-di-di” of QQ echoed through internet cafes.
From “Half-Life” to the forever-stagnant levels in “The Legend of Mir 2.” From the Dragon Slayer in someone else’s hands to the endlessly vast maps in “World of Warcraft.”
From the girl in the next class to the dormitory rule that whoever had cigarettes was the boss.
Everything changed too quickly. Before he could even reminisce, he was no longer a youth or a young adult but a greasy middle-aged man.
…