"It's a pity that I'm just a poor student right now. My family has to support both me and my sister through school, and we're so broke you can hear the coins clanging. Otherwise, if I had the money to open a few internet cafes, I'd definitely make a fortune. Even if I didn't open an internet cafe, doing some small business would still make money. This era is exactly the decade of China's economic boom—there's gold everywhere!"

The historical details have become somewhat ambiguous, but the overall trend is unstoppable like a surging tide.

"Convincing my parents to borrow money to start a business would be tough. But, if my memory serves me right, in less than half a year, Dad will be laid off. The grain station will be privatized, and all employees will get a buyout. I think the buyout is either twenty or thirty thousand... Maybe I can get Dad to use that money to open an internet cafe."

"Soon, 'Legend of Mir' will be released. This Korean game took all of China by storm, leading countless kids down the path of internet cafes with no return."

"All I can do now is wait."

Brian Bolton thought, feeling a bit uncertain.

If the historical details hadn't changed, he would be planning everything with full confidence. But now, who knows where history might take a turn? What if internet cafes never become popular? What if 'Legend of Mir' disappears?

"For now, I just need to adapt to being a student, then write some novels, send them to publishers, and make a bit of pocket money. With money in hand, I won't feel anxious."

Thinking this, Brian Bolton took out the money he brought from his pocket and counted it over and over again.

A total of 1,500 yuan: 800 for tuition, 400 for accommodation, 200 for Brian Bolton's monthly living expenses, and the remaining 100 yuan—80 of which was given by his grandpa, and the other 20 he earned over the summer selling "old river shrimp."

"Old river shrimp" aren't actually river shrimp, but local crayfish with hard red shells, waving their claws, not afraid of people at all.

These crayfish aren't big, but they roam the fields, ponds, and ditches, and are very easy to catch. The price is pretty high too—over a yuan per jin. Scrub them clean with a toothbrush, and when stir-fried, they taste especially crispy and fragrant. If you don't want to stir-fry them, you can peel the meat and cook it into a shrimp paste, which makes you eat two extra bowls of rice.

But right now, eating crayfish doesn't seem to be popular in Hefei.

In the future, though, Hefei will be known as the freshwater crayfish capital of China, and crayfish cuisine will become one of Hefei's calling cards.

Chapter 003: Shuangdun High School

"Maybe I should just quit school and go home to farm crayfish... No, farming crayfish is too tacky. It's rare to get a second chance at life—I have to improve my taste."

After reminiscing for a while about the deliciousness of crayfish, Brian Bolton once again pondered his future in the bumpy, crowded bus.

He was never an ambitious person. An ordinary guy is still an ordinary guy; being reborn doesn't suddenly make you tall, rich, and handsome. But that doesn't mean ordinary people don't have ideas.

Ordinary people should also strive to improve their taste and live a more artistic life.

"If I remember right, 'Legends of Today and the Past' has both a martial arts and a fantasy edition. I used to buy them all the time. There's also 'Martial Arts Stories' published in Zhengzhou. These two should be the most popular fiction magazines right now. Oh, and 'Science Fiction World.' They all serialize martial arts, fantasy, and sci-fi novels that go against traditional literature."

"So, what kind of novel should I write to earn manuscript fees?"

"Online novels from the future can't be written yet—they're too novel, and people might not accept them. Better to stick to the basics and write some martial arts novels first. But what should I write about? Jin, Gu, Huang, Liang, Wen—these veteran martial arts authors, I wonder if they're still around."

Without a computer or internet, Brian Bolton couldn't get much information.

"If all the familiar martial arts novels have already been published, I'll just have to think of something else."

Swaying along, the half-hour bus ride ended, and the Xinya Bus Station arrived. Carrying his big bags, Brian Bolton stood at the station entrance. Xinya Bus Station was located in Shuanggang, but at this time, Brian Bolton had no impression of Shuanggang at all. Fifteen years later, Hefei changed every day, but right now, Hefei was as rundown as could be.

"It really feels like everything is waiting to be rebuilt."

Brian Bolton raised his hand and looked at the sun in the sky—it was a bit dazzling.

"Hey, kid, where are you headed?" A tricycle driver hanging around the station pulled up in front of Brian Bolton and called out loudly.

"To Changyun Bus Station. How much?" Brian Bolton asked.

"Changyun? The one across the bridge?"

"Yeah."

The driver glanced at Brian Bolton and, in a tone like he was getting the short end of the stick, said, "Since you're a student, just give me ten yuan and hop on."

Brian Bolton opened his mouth, suddenly remembering back then—he had just come to school, didn't know where Changyun Bus Station was, so he took a tricycle and was charged ten yuan. In reality, Changyun Bus Station was just across the bridge and down one street, and a taxi would only cost the starting fare of five yuan.

"Boss, you're trying to take advantage of a kid, huh? I'll give you two yuan. If you want to take me, fine. If not, forget it."

If he wasn't carrying so many bags, making it hard to walk, Brian Bolton wouldn't even want to take a ride. He actually wanted to get to know what Hefei looked like fifteen years ago.

The tricycle driver grinned, not the least bit embarrassed about overcharging, and asked, "You're going to school, high school?"

"Yeah."