childhood

After arriving home from work, your stressful day makes you feel tired, so you lie on the sofa and fall asleep without realizing it. You suddenly wake up and realize that you have returned to your childhood appearance, and your surroundings have changed. You are in ... (text-colour:yellow)[[the 2010's]]

After school, you run home and put down your school bag. "Is the English tutor coming soon?" Your grandmother asks. “Yes! I’ll wait for her downstairs.” You said. (text-colour:yellow)[[go wait for the tutor downstairs]]

You run downstairs and bring a mobile phone with you. That was the very first mobile phone in your life. You come to the crooked path that leads to your building. It was just about time for the sun to go down, and the sunset was soothing and goodto see. You look towards the path in front of you, then check the time on your tiny mobile phone. "Should I call?" Just when you are thinking, You see your tutor coming your way. (text-colour:yellow)[[go back home]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[You and your tutor go back to your house together. She says she got a present for you. Then she took out something from her bag. It’s mango-flavored jelly! “I bought this online and it’s imported from Singapore!” says your tutor. You are so excited since this is your first time trying a mango-flavored jelly. It tastes so good! (text-colour:yellow)[[the tutoring start]] ]

As a transfer student, you can't keep up with the lessons a bit, so your dad got you an English tutor. Today's lesson is to learn English vocabulary. The teacher had prepared a lot of hand-copied vocabulary cards, and you started to get a big headache. What attracts your attention more than the vocabulary cards is a small black "computer" she pulled out of her bag, with a full letter keyboard on it, which was very small and delicate that you can hold it on your hand. "What's this?" You asked her. "It's an electronic dictionary!" She says. "Wow, I wish I had one." "You can have whatever you want when you grow up." For the rest of the lesson, your attention keep focusing on that little black box... The tutoring is finally over. (text-colour:yellow)[[someone is calling your name]]

The voice is coming from the outside. You open up the window and see your friend is calling you to go out and play. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[take some money and go]] [[go straight down]]

You take a few bucks to buy some snacks in the convenience store with your friend. After the snack, you and your friend decide to ride bicycles to start an "adventure" in the neighborhood community. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[start an adventure]]

You meet your neighbor downstairs, she is a few years older than you and she tells you that she could see the ghost and talk to them. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[it can’t be real]] [[curious about her words]]

You and your friend get back to your house and turn on the computer to play the computer game. It is a very popular game around your age, and everyone in the classroom is playing it. This game is like a novel that you can choose your own path, and you are like the writer that can choose the plot yourself. When the (text-colour:yellow)[[game starts]], you see the prompt...

There is no ghost in the world. You and your friend slips away, while your neighbor is still talking to the “ghost” without noticing you have already gone. “Dudududu……” It is the beep sound coming from my electronic watch. It’s game time! "Come to my house!" You said. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[ask your friend to come to your house]]

You are not quite sure about her words. You watch her chatting with ghosts by your side. “Come! Say hi to my friends!” She says. "Can you really see it? Where is he?" I ask. "It's right here, ah, on your right!" You look to the right and see nothing. "Hey, what have you been busy with lately?" She looks to my right and begins to ask. I still feel incredible. "I don't believe it," says my friend, “Let’s go!” We slip away quietly and left my neighbor talking to the ghost by herself. “Dudududu……” It is the beep sound coming from my electronic watch. It’s game time! "Come to my house!" You said. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[ask your friend to come to your house]]

You find yourself on the street. The sun is going down. There are many people in white shirts on the road riding bikes to get home. You have just finished your school day and are walking home with your school bag. The surrounding environment seems to take you back to the 1980's. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[encounter your dad]] [[go to backyard with your brother]]

A house in the corner of the community covered by ivy, with the sign "electricity distribution area, no one allowed to enter" sparks your interest. You look inside and there are many bright light spots. “What do those lights control?” You are thinking. “Dudududu……” It was the beep sound coming from your electronic watch. It’s game time! "Let’s go to my house!" You say. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[ask your friend to come to your house]]

// (align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")["A space-time tunnel appears in front of you. You have nowhere to go but to go ahead. Start your adventure now!"] (text-colour:yellow)[[jump into the portal]] //

You see your dad coming home from work. Dad tells you that there will be a big thing come to your house today. You are very curious and ask what it is, and dad says... (text-colour:yellow)[= [[we are going to have a television!]] [[I’ve bought you a keyboard!]]

You come to your backyard with your brother. You've got many hens in your backyard. Among them there is a white hen that belongs to your brother and a gray hen that belongs to you. Every day, you and your brother would have a competition about which hen lays more eggs. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[feed the hens]]

“We are finally going to have a TV at home!” You are very excited. Not many of your neighbors have TVs. Your family is going to be one of the few with TVs! (text-colour:yellow)[= [[watch the Television]] [[review the school work]]

Dad went to the United States on a business trip and brought gifts to the whole family. He bought you an electronic keyboard, a video recorder for my brother, and a washing machine for your mother. You've always been interested in music, so you are extremely excited. Your mother plans to find you a piano teacher, but you preferred to figure it out by yourself rather than having a teacher. However, your mom insists on finding you a teacher. You have no choice but let it be. Find some other things to do… (text-colour:yellow)[= [[review the school work]] [[watch the Television]]

Since your family got your very first Television in your house, the entertainment every night becomes watching TV. After dinner today, you can not wait to turn on the TV. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[watch TV with your family]] [[watch TV with your friends]]

You return to your own room and take out your textbook to start review today's lesson. The article that you learned today was called "Towards the 21st Century". “What will I be like in 2000?” You start to wonder. “I must have been very old at that time. I really wanted to grow up quickly.” “What would I be doing at that time? What will I look like, will I get married? Will I have kids? Will I join the work? Who will I get married to…” After thinking for a while, you feel a bit tired. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[watch the Television]]

You and your brother go to the brewery where your father works, trying to catch some worms for the hens in the backyard. In the evening, there are many crickets running under the streetlights. You and your brother come to catch bugs under the streetlights with beer bottles. A “bug catching competition” starts between you and your brother and end with both of you catching a full bottle of crickets. You take them home satisfied and feed it to the hens at home. As you are feeding the hens, you hear the bell from far away, from the direction of the school. “Dong-Dong-Dong…” The bell struck eight times. The time is already very late. You plan to ... (text-colour:yellow)[= [[review the school work]] [[watch the Television]]

"Watching TV series has become a favorite pastime for your family. After dinner, everyone assembles in your brother's room, where the TV is set up, and gathers around to watch "Huo Yuanjia" and "The Legend of the Condor Heroes." Animated discussions about the plots and characters ensue among your family members. As you discovering new TV programs, a new TV program called "The Times" draws your eye. The program theme is to bring you back in time and let you experience the progress of the ages. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[watch the program]]

Being one of the few families in possession of a TV, you frequently host your friends for TV gatherings at your place. You're particularly captivated by the TV commercials, and their catchy slogans quickly stick in your memory. Whenever you and your friends gather, you find yourselves eagerly reciting the lines even before they appear on screen. For instance, "Big crane, what a gain, tons of steel lifted with no strain!" As you discovering new TV programs, a new TV program called "The Times" draws your eye. The program theme is to bring you back in time and let you experience the progress of the ages. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[watch the program]]

The surrounding environment seems to be back to the 1940s and 1950s. You are walking on the path in the village. You don't have to go to school today. Do you want to go talk to someone? (text-colour:yellow)[= [[Goudaner lives next door]] [[climb tree]] [[the yard]]

(text-rotate-z:10)[(text-colour:black)[This program immediately captures your attention, and you can't help yourslef inching closer to the screen. Suddenly, the TV emits a blinding white light, intensifying to the point where you have to squint. As you open your eyes again, you realize that the [[entire surroundings]] have undergone a dramatic transformation."]]

You go to find Goudaner, is sitting at the door eating corn. Their family had a big corn field, and the corn was all very sweet. He notices you and waves to you, "Come on! Try this! Really good!!" he says, “I encountered something very strange” he continues “I heard a strange noise on the way home” (text-colour:yellow)[= [[you must be kidding]] [[really? I’ll walk with you next time]]

You arrive at your yard and see the donkey resting. Suddenly something comes to your mind, you want to ride the donkey. Unexpectedly, the donkey got annoyed and threw you off. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[tell great uncle]] [[forget it, go eat melon]] [[climb tree]] [[beyond the village]]

"It's impossible. We all know each other for miles around. You must be kidding." you say. "I heard it clearly!" he says. "Impossible!" you persist. Even though you said that, you still plan to follow him home and take a look. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[follow Goudaner home]]

You are walking home from school, passing through the wheat field, and hear rustling sounds from around you. Could it be that some bad guy is following you? (text-colour:yellow)[= [[speed up the pace]] [[stop and observe]]

You quicken your pace and find that no one is following you. You trot all the way home. When you finally get home, you tell your mother about the strange noise and she tells you that it was the sound of growing wheat. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[Mr. Li]] [[climb tree]]

You stop to observe and find that the sound continues, but no one is nearby. You put your ears close to the surroundings, and the rustling sound seems to be getting louder and louder. You find that the wheat around you is beating. As you look, it seems that the rustling sound is in the same frequency as the beating rhythm. "Look! The wheat is growing!" Goudaner looks at the wheat, and you find out that there is no bad guy! Goudaner breathes a sigh of relief. Let’s go (text-colour:yellow)[[climb tree]] meet (text-colour:yellow)[[Mr. Li]]

Mr. Li came to the village recently and seemed to be staying for a few days. He is a very funny guy and knows many interesting things. It started to get dark and soon the moon came out. But not long after, you find that the moon was gradually covered by black shadows. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[tell Mr. Li]] [[go home and tell your parents]]

You go to climb the tree trying to reach the bird's nest with your friends. This is not a difficult task for you since you often climb tall trees. You climb up swiftly and reach the nest, but you are startled when you touch something soft. “Snake!” Goudaner yells, and you are frightened and jump down from the tree. Now you don’t dare to steal the eggs. Forget it, let’s have some other fun. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[beyond the village]] [[bring the donkey to the market at county town]]

You tell Mr. Li that the moon was going to disappear. He looks up to the sky and says, "It's rare! It's a lunar eclipse! I've read a news report about it in the newspaper before!" You open your eyes wide, it's so magical! You stare at the moon for a long time and don't go home until the eclipse is over. It's already very late and you need to go to bed. You are planning to go to the market the next day. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[bring the donkey to the market at county town]]

When you return home, you see your parents finding a washbasin and a rolling pin. "The Celestial Dog is going to eat the moon. Make him spit it out! Find a way to drive it away! Come on, let's knock it together to scare the tengu away!" "You quickly took out the washbasin, picked up a branch from the ground, and started banging it with your parents. the next day, (text-colour:yellow)[= [[bring the donkey to the market at county town]]

Your grandfather takes you to the county town 20 miles away. The donkey carries goods to sell mung beans. You can eat a lot of delicious food in the county town. You and your grandfather have braised pork noodles, and also buy sneakers, peanuts, snacks, and flashlights when you go back. The flashlight becomes the only electrical appliance in the house, and you barely use it. It's very late when you get home, you and your friends decide to go… (text-colour:yellow)[= [[beyond the village]]

You and your friends go beyond the village and see a spark of fire in the distance. Is it a will-o'-the-wisp? (text-colour:yellow)[= [[get closer and have a look]] [[Forget it, it's a little scary]]

Your great uncle got very angry after you told him that. He tied the donkey to a tree and whipped it again and again. The donkey keeps braying and sweating. After that, the donkey no longer dares to disobey you. It will do whatever you ask it to do. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[bring the donkey to the market at county town]]

You look at your melon field. There are 5 acres of land with watermelons, muskmelons, winter melons, and all kinds of melons. You pull the cotton from the fields and watch the melon fields grow every day. At noon, when the adults go to bed, you secretly go to the field to pick up watermelons and come back to eat them. You want to give Gou Sheng your share. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[Goudaner lives next door]] [[climb tree]]

You and a few brave friends walk towards the direction of the light and get closer, but see nothing. You find yourself in a cemetery. It's dark all around. What happens? There is nothing. You and your friends leave in confusion. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[A few days later]]

After thinking about it, you are still a little scared, so forget it and leave it alone. You forget about it. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[A few days later]]

A few days later, you pass by the same place and see the "will-o'-the-wisp" again. You are confusing, but your eyes are not mistaken. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[go ask your parents]] [[go ask Mr. Li]]

You tell your mother about the will-o'-the-wisp thing. "You should avoid going to those places at night. It's not safe," your mother says. Oops, it’s getting late too, go to bed quickly! (text-colour:yellow)[= [[go to sleep]]

You take Mr. Li to the place where you see the will-o'-the-wisp. You all follow the fire to the cemetery again. "Oh! It's phosphorus!" "What is that?" Mr. Li smiles at you, "When you study and go to college, you will know everything!" "Okay, time to go home and sleep.” (text-colour:yellow)[= [[go to sleep]]

You lie down on your bed, but you don't feel sleepy. You are thinking (text-colour:yellow)[= [[What will be the future look like]] [[It’s getting brighter around]] [[you seem to hear a ringing sound]]

What does the future look like? You are wondering whether the fields at home can be planted with all kinds of melons and whether there will be a bumper harvest every year. Can I go to the city to go to the market more often? By then, the donkeys will be able to carry back baskets and baskets of things. . . You fell asleep (text-colour:yellow)[= [[the second day]]

The surroundings seemed to be getting brighter and brighter. . .You closed your eyes, and when you opened your eyes again you are back in front of the TV. You glance at the big floor-standing clock at home. It is already very late! You should go to bed. You returned to your room and quickly fell asleep. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[the next day]]

It's the ringing sound of the phone! Turning off the game, you and your friend are back in the 21st century. It is her family calling and telling her to go home. You agreed to go to school together tomorrow, and then you go to bed. (text-colour:yellow)[= [[next morning]]

You wake up again to an alarm clock and find yourself on the couch wearing the same clothes you wore to work yesterday. It turned out to be a dream. Something dropped on the ground, you reached out and touched it, it turned out to be your groundfather's diary. Your grandpa used to tell stories about his childhood. You look at your watch, it's already past seven o'clock. It's almost time to get ready to go to work.

You wake up again to an alarm clock and find yourself on the couch in the same clothes you wore to work yesterday. It turned out to be a dream. You hear a bam. It seems like something fell down, you touch it with your hand, it turns out to be a VR headset, you remember that you were watching a video with it last night. and ended up falling asleep. "You have a reminder, time for breakfast" comes the voice from the AI in your home. Time to go for work again...

You wake up again to an alarm clock and find yourself on the couch in the same clothes you wore to work yesterday. It turned out to be a dream. You find that the TV is on, it is much larger and with a clearer picture than the one in your dream. It's already broadcasting the morning news. It is almost time to go for work.