Chapter Three: Transformation

“The tuition must be paid. We can’t let your studies be delayed!” Xu Fei nodded. “By the way, how much is it?”

“Two yuan and fifty cents!”

Xu Fei patted his pockets, not finding a single coin. Embarrassed, he looked over at Du Man. “Um… do you have two fifty you can give to Little Sister?”

Du Man was taken aback, not expecting him to agree so readily.

Every time Little Sister needed a bit of pocket money before, Xu Fei would either scold or beat her, never giving her a cent and forbidding her from handing any over. With the family in dire straits lately—barely enough to eat, with only five yuan and eighty cents left at the bottom of the chest—the matter had been put off again and again.

“What, don’t you have it either?” Xu Fei asked.

“I have it, I’ll go get it now!” Even the most difficult person to persuade could not refuse at this moment. Du Man turned and fetched the money from under the bedside table in their room, counting out two fifty and handing it to Li Qing.

Xu Qing was stunned as well.

She hadn’t really held out any hope, bracing herself for a scolding instead.

But in the blink of an eye, the money was in her hands!

So simple, so decisive, without a hint of hesitation!

This…

Xu Qing’s gaze toward Xu Fei grew increasingly strange.

“Well, you must all be hungry; I’ll go make dinner!” Feeling somewhat awkward under her gaze, Xu Fei quickly headed for the kitchen.

“Let me do it. Since when do you know how to cook?” Du Man picked up the apron with practiced hands and tied it around her waist.

“No need, I’ve got it. You go clean up the broken glass in the living room!” Xu Fei grabbed the celery from the vegetable basket and began sorting it.

Once again, Du Man was stunned.

Was the world turning upside down?

A man who all day did nothing but smoke, drink, and gamble was now volunteering to cook?

“All right, then!” She answered, scarcely able to believe it. After a moment’s hesitation, she untied the apron and fastened it around Xu Fei instead.

“Sister-in-law!” Xu Qing, looking as though she’d seen a ghost, pulled Du Man aside and whispered, “Sister-in-law, what’s going on with him? He’s like a different person. Is something up?”

“I have no idea either,” Du Man shook her head, bewildered.

“Do you think he might be up to something bad?”

“How can you think that of your brother?”

“Well, since things went wrong at home, when has he ever done anything reliable? Sister-in-law, you should ask him later—find out what he’s up to,” Xu Qing said, glancing toward the kitchen.

“I’m not asking. If you want to know, you ask…” Du Man pouted.

For she truly had no idea what to make of Xu Fei’s behavior.

She had no desire to start a row again.

Xu Fei busied himself in the kitchen, quickly realizing just how poor the family really was.

Aside from half a pound of celery in the basket, two potatoes, a few green onions, and a bowl of salted dried radish in the cupboard, there was nothing else.

Even the rice in the jar was running dangerously low—a thin layer, barely enough for one person.

Fortunately, there were still a few pounds of mixed noodles left. Noodles it would be.

In his previous life, Xu Fei had been a golden bachelor and a social elite, but he cooked often and had a keen interest in food.

So it was no great challenge.

He chopped the vegetables swiftly, tossed them into the pot, and stir-fried them.

Then, with a bit of vegetable broth and fresh water, he cooked the noodles.

In less than an hour, everything was ready.

“Come, it’s time for dinner!”

Du Man and Xu Qing, still muttering to themselves, set up the table and chairs, watching as Xu Fei brought out a large pot of noodles and two stir-fried dishes, their eyes wide with astonishment.

“It smells amazing!” Little brother Xu Yun swallowed hard.

“Be quiet!” Xu Qing gave him a quick slap.

“What are you all staring at me for? Eat!” Xu Fei said.

“You really cooked this?” Du Man asked, barely able to believe it.

“If I didn’t, who did? A ghost?” Xu Fei laughed helplessly.

“A weasel paying New Year’s calls to a chicken—nothing good can come of it!” Xu Qing remained suspicious. “Comrade Xu Fei, be honest. Are you up to something, trying to curry favor?”

“It’s just a meal—what favor is there to curry?” Xu Fei picked up his bowl. “Are you eating or not? If you’re not, I’ll eat it all myself!”

“I want noodles!” Xu Yun could no longer contain his hunger.

“Then let’s eat!” At Xu Fei’s signal, everyone dug in.

There were only some celery, potatoes, and a pot of noodles. Simple, yes, but the taste was not bad at all.

“I remember you never cooked before, never even set foot in the kitchen,” Du Man couldn’t help but be curious—the meal Xu Fei had made was even tastier than hers.

“Well… I actually could cook. I was just too lazy before,” Xu Fei answered vaguely.

……

Under the orange glow of the lamp, the four family members sat down together for a peaceful meal—a rare occasion.

The atmosphere was strange and awkward, but there was a faint touch of warmth as well.

“I’ll clean up,” Du Man said, quickly gathering the dishes after the meal.

Xu Fei scratched his head. “Well, I’m going out for a walk.”

“You’re going to gamble again, aren’t you?” Du Man’s face darkened instantly, almost by reflex.

“Huh? Gamble? No—I just ate too much and want to walk it off, that’s all,” Xu Fei replied, pulling open the wooden door and stepping outside.

Du Man and Xu Qing exchanged wide-eyed glances. After a while, Xu Qing finally spoke, “Sister-in-law, do you think my brother really means to turn over a new leaf?”

Du Man had no answer. If Xu Fei could truly change his ways, it would be nothing short of a miracle.

A gentle night breeze greeted him as he stepped outside.

May in Donghai was the most pleasant time of year.

Standing on the street, Xu Fei looked around at the low houses—most of them red brick and blue tile, with quite a few still made of earth.

Overhead, the wires on the poles crisscrossed like a tangled sweater, dense and haphazard.

This was the hour when lights shone in every window.

There were no bright neon signs, no dazzling nightlife.

Instead, there were the sounds of parents scolding children, wives being nagged, and the endless chatter of daily life.

The air was thick with the warmth of ordinary existence—a true flavor of the 1980s.

Only now did Xu Fei fully realize that he had truly arrived in 1985 and become part of this world.

“Well, I had a good enough life in my last go-around—since I’m here, I might as well live anew,” Xu Fei muttered, pulling a pack of Red Pagoda Mountain cigarettes from his pocket, lighting one, and exhaling a cloud of smoke.

First, he’d have to deal with the debt.

In his eyes, street thugs like Ma San’er weren’t worth a glance.

But now, flat broke and burdened with a family, he couldn’t afford to let flies buzz around him.

Making money was his forte, and the eighties and nineties were a golden era, filled with opportunities that later generations could only dream of. So many legends began here!

Every street and alley teemed with business potential.

But at the root of it, capital was needed.

To pay off Ma San’er’s five hundred yuan in three days—that was a real headache.

As Xu Fei pondered the problem, a familiar figure appeared before him.