In a parallel world, Huaxia in 1994 was undergoing an unprecedented transformation.
In Handong Province, a young man stood at the entrance of Handong University, clutching a bouquet of flowers, his expression dazed. Within him surged a blend of shock and an indescribable complexity of emotions.
Li Ziyi had originally been a member of the post-90s generation. In his previous life, he hailed from Xichuan Province, where his father was a local bureaucrat at the departmental level. This background had allowed him to navigate the political system with ease, and despite his youth, he had already become a section chief in the Second Office of the Municipal Party Committee. He possessed both talent and connections, and having mastered the nuances of human relationships, he had been riding the crest of a wave.
He didn't know why, but upon waking up, he found himself transfigured into the character Qi Tongwei from a television drama. This was an affront to the heavens! Fortunately, the current Qi Tongwei had not yet veered onto the wrong path. Li Ziyi could still attempt a salvage operation; otherwise, the beginning would be the end.
Qi Tongwei was currently standing at a crossroads in life. Looking at the flowers in his hands, it was clear what he had intended to do today. To advance meant to be forever tainted by gossip; to retreat meant never having a chance to rise again.
In the officialdom, timing, location, and human harmony are all indispensable. Simple competence only leads to being treated like a workhorse by one's superiors—working oneself to the bone only to retire as a middle-level official, a glorious life for an ordinary man. If one relies solely on connections, one cannot go very far either; after all, every leader has relatives. Background only guarantees a floor; it is not enough for a long ascent. Even with talent and background, without a stroke of luck, it is impossible to succeed. It is difficult indeed!
What should he do with this rebirth? How could he break the deadlock?
In this era, Qi Tongwei’s own conditions were actually exceptional; he only lacked a strong background. However, his teachers and classmates at university would eventually rise in the ranks, becoming assets in his future career. It was a pity that a small, capricious act by those in power would have ruined the life of a promising young man.
After absorbing the memories of the original Qi Tongwei, Li Ziyi sighed toward the sky. No matter how unwilling he was, he was now Qi Tongwei. His life was now Qi Tongwei’s life.
Propose to Liang Lu?
The mere thought of it made Qi Tongwei feel as disgusted as if he had swallowed filth. Setting aside other factors, Liang Lu was an "older auntie" ten years his senior who had been dumped by her former boyfriend. Even for the now somewhat fastidious Qi Tongwei, it was hard to stomach. Yet, that small, capricious abuse of power had left him with no way to turn things around.
How was he to break the deadlock?
Liang Lu... Liang Lu... why did you have to be so difficult with a farm boy like Qi Tongwei? I hear Li Dakang doesn’t look bad—should I try to set them up?
As Qi Tongwei was deep in thought, a man walked over, hand-in-hand with a young woman.
"Senior, what are you doing standing here with flowers?"
Qi Tongwei narrowed his eyes and saw that it was none other than the "Monkey King" himself—Hou Liangping. He was a man who claimed never to abuse his power, yet in the show, he used his influence at every turn to make things convenient for himself—from the school his son attended to the hospitals where he caused trouble. Every instance was a display of using power to intimidate others. That arrogance was nothing more than the result of Hou Liangping having an absolute safety net. If you hadn't "become a monk," would you be as arrogant as you were in the show?
Qi Tongwei kept these thoughts to himself for now, as the woman beside him was someone he could not afford to offend.
"Monkey! I'm just here at Handong University for a stroll," Qi Tongwei said.
Hou Liangping, never one to miss a chance to assert his presence, said with a sneer, "Old senior, you aren't here to propose to Professor Liang, are you?"
Zhong Xiao'ai, standing beside him, watched them both. She whispered to Hou Liangping, "Does Senior Qi like Professor Liang?"
Hou Liangping replied with a sneer, whispering, "It's not that he likes her; he's got his eye on the power behind her."
Qi Tongwei watched them whispering and knew they were mocking him. He wondered why things were such a coincidence; in the original story, the original Qi Tongwei happened to be there to propose just as they bumped into him. Handong University was not a small place, after all.
However, Qi Tongwei was not one to be outdone. He looked at Hou Liangping and said, "Professor Liang is our teacher. I’ve come specifically to thank her. How did you manage to turn that into a marriage proposal? And tell me, Monkey, why were you so quick to assume I was here to propose? It seems you have a very clear view of these things."
"Oh, that’s right, I forgot... Monkey, your past girlfriends have always had some... unique attributes, haven't they?"
Hou Liangping was stunned by this remark. He hurriedly looked at Zhong Xiao'ai, terrified that she might read some other meaning into it. Fortunately, Zhong Xiao'ai showed no reaction.
Hou Liangping glared at Qi Tongwei, his voice cold. "What are you talking about, senior? Everyone knows that."
Having lived two lives, Qi Tongwei keenly sensed the flicker of doubt in Zhong Xiao'ai's eyes and decided to fan the flames. *Good lad, you want to see me make a fool of myself? I’ll make sure you don't get to ring your bell.*
In his previous life, Qi Tongwei knew Hou Liangping was a snob. Every girlfriend he found had a special family background; he was just lucky enough to find someone willing to support him.
Zhong Xiao'ai asked, "Liangping, Senior, what are you two talking about? And senior, it’s not a holiday, so why are you here to thank Professor Liang?"
Qi Tongwei smiled slightly. "Zhong, you wouldn't know. If not for Professor Liang, I would never have become an anti-narcotics hero. During a mission, I took three bullets, and the province honored me as a model!"
Though proud, Zhong Xiao'ai couldn't help but admire Qi Tongwei's experience. After all, Qi Tongwei was handsome and possessed such a heroic history. The young Zhong Xiao'ai felt a twinge of respect.
Hou Liangping realized something was wrong. This was supposed to be his moment; why was this guy stealing the spotlight? He hurriedly interjected, "So, does that mean senior is being transferred out of the judicial office? Xiao'ai, you don't know—senior volunteered for the anti-narcotics team just to be closer to his beloved!"
Hou Liangping’s question was meant to mock Qi Tongwei, stripping his heroic deeds of nobility and framing them as motivated by pure greed and romantic obsession. Zhong Xiao'ai understood—it was all for his career and his love life. While still commendable, it wasn't enough to earn her true reverence.
Having accepted the original Qi Tongwei’s memories, Qi Tongwei felt the sting of Hou Liangping’s words. He looked at the two and said, "How can a hero be mocked so casually by a sycophant? Even if I am in the dark now, I will always strive toward the light. I have bled for this country; it is not for someone like you to disparage a man who has been awarded the title of hero. If you had taken three bullets yourself, you would be qualified to joke about me."
"I am not like you. Every time, you manage to find such 'excellent' girlfriends, so I have to rely on my own struggle. Is there something wrong with a person who works hard? Even if I am in the judicial office, I will serve the people well, be a useful member of society, and repay the country for its cultivation, unlike you, who can only wag your tongue!"
With that, Qi Tongwei walked away without looking back. His words hadn't denied his actions, but he had used Hou Liangping as a foil and planted a seed of doubt in Zhong Xiao'ai’s mind. He didn't believe she wouldn't start wondering.
Hou Liangping was silenced by Qi Tongwei’s outburst. Seeing Zhong Xiao'ai looking thoughtful, he hurried to change the subject, suggesting they go out to eat. However, Zhong Xiao'ai remained lost in thought. While Qi Tongwei’s actions had a degree of calculation, he had truly accomplished things. In contrast, Hou Liangping had done nothing but mock others. The scales in her heart tilted slightly.
"Liangping," Zhong Xiao'ai asked, "are you with me because of my background? And weren't you supposed to be seeing your first love? Why did the senior say you were always finding girlfriends?"
Hou Liangping’s heart skipped a beat. He had finally managed to secure a girlfriend with such a powerful background. Their relationship was still unstable, and Qi Tongwei’s words might have just jeopardized everything. He vowed to himself that he would get even sooner or later. Hou Liangping hurriedly whispered sweet nothings to Zhong Xiao'ai, finally calming her down.
The children of the inner circle were no fools; they all had their own sharp instincts. Zhong Xiao'ai still had many questions, but she decided to suppress them for now and investigate later. She couldn't afford to cause trouble for her family, given her special status.
Qi Tongwei walked down the road, knowing that Hou Liangping was the type to trip others up. That arrogant, haughty personality was something he couldn't stand—especially since Hou Liangping was essentially a social climber who relied on women, yet dared to mock him. Hou Liangping simply wanted to prove his own superiority by belittling others to gain a sense of achievement.
But that wasn't the pressing matter. For the sake of his future, the immediate priority was to deal with Liang Lu.