Power and Wealth - Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Capital Beijing





Eastern district, North Heping Street .

Dong Xuebing was still in shocked over his death experience yesterday . If time had not miraculously rewind, he would not get the chance to see his mother and Aunt Xuan . This was the first time he was grateful for being alive . He fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning, as lots of things were going through his mind . This was why it was 10 plus in the morning when he woke up . He got up from his old squeaking spring couch and headed for the washroom . He washed his face and yawned . He called out at the bedroom: “Mum, are you awake?”

Dong Xuebing’s mother, Luan Xiaoping, replied: “I am awake, and I am cleaning up the room . Do you still want breakfast?”

“I will wait for lunch . ” Dong Xuebing could feel something was off from his mother’s voice . He immediately pushes the door open and saw his mother sitting on the bed . She quickly wipes off her tears with the back of her hands when Dong Xuebing entered the room . His mother turned and looked at him and forced a smile and keeping an old black and white photograph into her wallet . It was her wedding photo, taken more than 20 years ago .

Dong Xuebing could feel his heart aching as he sat down beside his mother: “Thinking of dad?”

“No… I’m not . ” Dong Xuebing’s mother carefully kept the wallet and rubbed her eyes . “I took it out for a look when I saw it while cleaning . ”

This had happened countless times over the years . Dong Xuebing’s mother character was weak . Every time she remembers some unpleasant memories, she would hide in her room and cry . Dong Xuebing felt guilty and said: “Mum, it is all my fault for being so useless . I cannot study and do not have any skills . I don’t think I will pass the Civil Servant test . All I can do is to work part-time at Panjiayuan Antique Market during my holidays . If I was slightly more capable, I might have raised enough medical bills for dad, and he might still be around . ”

His mother patted his legs: “Stop talking nonsense . I know my son is the most capable and he will be a top government official in the future . ”

Dong Xuebing moved his lips but did not say anything .





His mother smiled and touch his hand: “Don’t think so much . I will make you a good lunch later . ”

A plate of stir-fried garlic pork, a plate of steam cabbage and half a pot of congee . This was considered a luxurious meal in Dong Xuebing’s household . Usually, when he was alone at home, he would not bear to eat such dishes . He would just cook some rice and stir-fry some vegetables and eat it for lunch and dinner . It was not because Dong Xuebing was thrifty . It was because his family was really poor .

Dong Xuebing was 23 years’ old and was a graduate .

He had average looks and height . Everything about him was ordinary .

The savings at home was not more than 5 figures .

During the year when Dong Xuebing’s father was hospitalized, they had used up all their savings . In the end, they even have to sell away their house . The one-bedroom apartment they were living was rented . After his father passed away, his mother lost her job for taking too much time off . The living expenses in Beijing was too high, and his mother returned back to her hometown in the countryside to work as a teacher there . She was trying her best to earn enough money for Dong Xuebing’s university’s fees . She will only return to Beijing to be with her son for one or two months during the school holidays .


All the living expenses, rents, bills, etc . depended on Dong Xuebing’s mother miserable salary, which was not enough . This was why Dong Xuebing took out part-time jobs as cashiers in supermarkets or some odd jobs at the Antique Market during his holidays and weekends . Other than his school fees, he was paying everything else . He could make his own living without asking for money from his mother .

Life was tough, but 4 years had passed in a flash .





After lunch, Dong Xuebing’s mother kept the dishes and watched some old black and white programs on the TV . Dong Xuebing returned back to the bedroom and lay there staring at the ceiling in a daze . Now, all the universities in Beijing no longer provide a job for their graduates . He had just graduated from Beijing Union University . What will he do if he fails his Civil Servant test?

Sigh…… how good will it be if I really have supernatural powers?

But I had tried so many times last night and did not succeed even once .

Shall I try again?

The door creak and opened . Dong Xuebing’s mother came in and said gently: “I will be going upstairs to speak to Mrs . Xu . I heard that her son will be taking the Civil Servant test this year at the same location as you . I want to see if she can ask her son to help you out with your revisions . Xiao Dong is good with his studies . ”

Dong Xuebing felt uncomfortable in his chest and mumbled a reply .

“I will be back later . ” She said and closed the door .

Dong Xuebing gritted his teeth and calm himself down before he starts on his experiments .

Turn back! Move back! Retreat! Back!





Dong Xuebing felt his body moved, but when he looked around, there were no changes . Fine . Those were not the magic words .

Just when Dong Xuebing was about to start to say some random words, the bedroom door opened .

His mother came in and looked at him: “I will be going upstairs to speak to Mrs . Xu . I heard that her son will be taking the Civil Servant test this year at the same location as you . I want to see if she can ask her son to help you out with your revisions . Xiao Dong is good with his studies . ”

Dong Xuebing was stunned and shouted: “Ah?”

It was exactly the same tone and words .

This was what just happened 50 to 60 seconds ago .

Seeing her son’s reaction, she said softly: “Mum knows that you have your pride, but her son, Xiao Dong had almost scored full marks for his exams last year . If he can help you with your revisions, you might stand a better chance of passing . ”

Dong Xuebing replied in a daze: “That’s not what I meant”

His mother looked at him and said: “Then I will be going . ”

After his mother left, Dong Xuebing gave himself a slap . That’s it! I succeeded!

Dong Xuebing quickly suppress his excitement and grabbed a small orange-colored alarm clock from the shelves . He stared at the hands of the clock and begin to repeat the “magic words . ”

Turn back! Move back! Retreat! Back!

Dong Xuebing continued to chant these words from afternoon till night . After dinner, he continued chanting the words . Finally, at 12 . 02 am 28 seconds, he successfully made a move back the time and returned to 12 . 01 am 28 seconds . It was precisely 1 minute!

No words could explain the excitement Dong Xuebing had .

Dong Xuebing knew that the time on this alarm clock was not accurate and he ran over to switch on the old 29in TV .

A military program was on and the time was shown on the top right corner . 23: 59: 19 .

Switching on the Tv should take about 19 seconds . That means when Dong Xuebing uses “Back” just now, it was exactly midnight . He blinked and made a bold hypothesis . This “Back” will reset at midnight, and he can only use it once a day . When he uses it, time will return back to 60 seconds before .

Oh my god!!!

If this was indeed real, lady luck had smiled on him!