Li He trembled all over, staring into the distance in amazement before looking up at the sky in a daze.


    The scorching sun blazed overhead, making the ground feel like it was on fire.


    The heat was so intense that it felt suffocating.


    Rebirth.


    He had actually been reborn.


    Looking at the dilapidated earthen houses behind him, he still couldn''t believe it.


    But the calendar on the wall was unmistakable—July 11, 1979.


    It was the only new thing in the entire house.


    He had only gone out to meet an old friend, had a few drinks, and taken a nap at a hotel.


    When he woke up, he found himself sitting at the doorstep of his childhood home—back in his 18-year-old body.


    He had undergone annual physical checkups and was in good health.


    How could he have died just like that?


    What would happen to his mother, wife, and children in that world? The thought of it was suffocating, as if he were drowning, unable to breathe.


    He had been a wealthy man in his fifties, in the prime of his life, full of ambition.


    He had many children and grandchildren and was enjoying the happiness of family. His days were spent leisurely with his wife, growing flowers, and walking their dog.


    Life had been so comfortable.


    Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. Decades of struggle, decades of steady progress—gone in an instant.


    Was this karma?


    The cycle of reincarnation?


    But he had always lived with a clear conscience.


    He had never done anything to deserve punishment from the heavens.


    "Aguo, I''m coming to catch eels with you too!"


    (Note: "Aguo" (阿国) is a nickname for Li He, given by his family. It reflects a common Chinese naming convention where "A" (阿) is prefixed to a name as a form of endearment, especially for younger family members)


    A skinny little girl with a pale face and short legs jumped onto Li He.


    She was the youngest in the family, only five years old.


    Li He was sharpening a piece of wire with a stone.


    When he saw her rushing toward him, he quickly put the wire down and hoisted her onto his shoulders, making her giggle.


    His father, Li Zhaokun, was a well-known scoundrel in the village.


    He wasn''t a thief, but he was lazy and unwilling to work in the fields for work points.


    He always used to say, "A model worker might die of exhaustion, and I don''t want that fate."


    Naturally, in an era when production teams determined one''s livelihood, a man who only cared about feeding himself and his family wasn''t well respected.


    His mother, Wang Yulan, could be described as gentle at best—or a pushover at worst.


    She was someone anyone could bully, a pitiful woman.


    Yet, as a mother, she was fiercely protective of her children.


    She had swallowed her pride and borrowed money from anyone willing to lend it, just so she could pay Li He''s 3.2-yuan high school tuition.


    (Note:  3.2 Yuan ≈ 2.13 USD in 1979.)


    Whether in his past life or now, thinking about this always made him feel like crying.


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    He was the second child in the family, now 18 years old, and had just finished taking the college entrance exam.


    He had been reborn on the second day of the exam in 1979. If he remembered correctly, university admission letters would be sent out soon.


    Becoming a college student was a rarity in his village, especially coming from a family like his.


    Now, looking back, he realized how selfish he had been in his previous life.


    He had turned a blind eye to his family''s struggles, gone off to study, and never fulfilled his responsibilities toward them.


    There were five children in the family—it was a miracle none of them had starved to death.


    They had survived on wild vegetables and corn paste, and all of them were pale and thin from malnutrition.


    His eldest sister, Li Mei, was already 21 years old and still unmarried—a rare thing in an era when early marriage was the norm.


    He himself hadn''t married until he was 26. Fortunately, his brother-in-law had been an ambitious man.


    With his support, they had contracted a fish pond, which later flourished into a successful business, easing much of Li He''s guilt.


    His younger brother, Li Long, was 16 and had started working in the fields immediately after finishing elementary school. Later, he had married a woman who was known for her sharp tongue—she would argue tenfold in response to a single remark, making family life chaotic.


    The fourth child, Li Bing, was 12, while the youngest, Li Qin, was only 5—both girls.


    In his previous life, once Li He''s circumstances improved, he had supported Li Bing through medical school.


    She had eventually graduated from junior college and even became an associate professor later in life.


    As for Li Qin, she had followed him after finishing junior high school.


    Though she was somewhat spoiled, her business ventures had been smooth sailing.


    At that moment, his mother and eldest sister were squatting at the doorstep, rubbing corn cobs.


    His third brother had taken his fourth sister out to collect firewood.


    Not only was food rationed, but firewood was too.


    Corn stalks, wheat stalks, cotton stubble, bean stalks, and sweet potato stalks—all were divided among households.


    With so many mouths to feed and no strong laborers earning work points, the Li family barely had enough wheat and rice stalks to burn.


    Li He looked at the crumbling mud houses and felt utterly hopeless.


    He had no heroic spirit, no drive to start over from nothing.


    Seven people were crammed into three mud-walled rooms.


    No one knew where Li Zhaokun had wandered off to.


    His mother, Wang Yulan, shared a room with his eldest sister and youngest sister, while he shared a room with his younger siblings.


    He had spent a miserable childhood here.


    He had no fond memories of it—only hunger and cold.


    Nostalgia for such suffering would be the mark of a fool.


    But now, he had an immense responsibility.


    He needed to change his family''s living conditions—give his eldest sister a proper dowry, ensure his younger brother had enough to offer a bride price.


    He couldn''t afford to waste even a single moment.


    The mess at home was overwhelming.


    Just looking at it made him feel physically sick.


    There was a saying: The timid starve, while the bold feast.


    He had made up his mind—he couldn''t sit idly by any longer.


    If he only relied on work points from the production brigade, the Li family would remain trapped in poverty forever.


    But he had heard rumors—Xiaogang Village might have secretly started implementing the contract responsibility system.


    If that was true, it could be an opportunity.


    He had to find a way.


    Even if it was just to ensure they didn''t have to eat corn porridge tomorrow, he would go to the county town and see if there was any way to make money.


    The air smelled of opportunity.


    But for him, money was far more important than fresh air.


    Li He gently set his youngest sister down and stood up.


    He grabbed a worm and threaded it onto the sharpened wire hook—a simple but highly effective tool for catching eels.


    He may not have been a scholar in his past life, but when it came to unconventional survival skills—fishing for eels, catching loaches, and trapping fish—he was second to none.


    Carrying a shovel and gripping the eel hook in his hand, he set off with his youngest sister.


    "Aguo, carry the basket for your brother," Li He said, feeling a pang of guilt when he saw his little sister struggling to hold the basket with both hands, panting as she tried to keep up.


    "Aguo can carry it!" she declared stubbornly.


    "Alright, just walk slower."


    As he looked down, he spotted several eel holes.


    The soil on the embankment was hard, making it easier to catch them.


    He didn''t even need the hook—he simply poured water into the entrance of the hole, forcing the eels to wriggle out in panic.


    He remained calm, waiting for the right moment.


    Then, with a quick flick of his fingers, he grabbed a fat yellow eel—at least three taels in weight—with one hand.


    His youngest sister excitedly placed the eel into the basket.


    At that moment, his third brother, Li Long, arrived after delivering firewood back home.


    He always seemed a little fearful of Li He and never dared to argue in front of him.


    "Take these baskets home and bring back some empty ones. And take our little sister with you—it''s getting hot now," Li He instructed, glancing up at the sky and estimating that it was already around ten o''clock.


    "Aguo, It''s not hot!" His youngest sister was sweating all over but still bouncing with excitement.


    "Be good and go home with me," Li Long said simply, not bothering to argue.


    He picked her up with one hand and carried the basket in the other.


    Meanwhile, Li He continued his work.


    He built a small dam along the nearby ditch and drained the water.


    Soon, crucian carp, grass carp, and even a few bearded carp flopped in the mud, while hairy crabs scuttled between the cracks in the rocks.


    This was a real jackpot.


    "What are you standing around for? Hurry up and pick up the fish! Take them home, and keep the big ones in water—don''t damage their scales," Li He called out as Li Long rushed back to help.


    "Xiaoyu, tell my eldest sister to make fish soup for lunch. The extra fish can be dried for later," Li He added, wiping the sweat from his forehead before pulling off his shirt.


    For the first time since waking up in this body, he felt a glimmer of hope.


    This was only the beginning. If he wanted to truly change their fate, he had a long road ahead of him.