Chapter 1: The Rhythm of Life

At five forty in the morning, before the alarm had a chance to ring, Li Ming's eyes were already open. This was his biological clock, precise after ten years of consistency—so accurate that he hardly needed an alarm. Outside the window, dawn had not fully broken, with only a faint glimmer of light appearing in the east. The city was still asleep, with only the occasional cleaning vehicle passing by, emitting a soft hum.

Li Ming—or Teacher Long Hua, as he was known at school—sat up in bed, stretched habitually, then walked to the bathroom. In the mirror stood a man in his early thirties, with refined features though not particularly handsome, clear eyes that revealed a hint of weariness—just one of the most ordinary members among millions of ordinary teachers.

"Another new day," he smiled faintly at his reflection before beginning his daily morning routine.

Fifteen minutes later, Long Hua sat at his desk, opening his lesson planner to organize the physics content he would teach today. In the final semester of senior year, the curriculum schedule was tight. He needed to complete the basics of relativity theory this week. His fingertips tapped lightly on the paper as he contemplated how to use more vivid metaphors to help students understand this abstract concept.

"Einstein's thought experiments, photon clocks..." Long Hua murmured, sketching several simple diagrams on his notes and marking key formulas. He enjoyed using stories and analogies to explain physics concepts, which made him quite popular among students, even though he didn't teach the top-ranked class.

Just as he was immersed in preparing his lesson, there was a gentle knock at the door.

"Long Hua, are you up yet?" It was Auntie Wang from next door, a retired teacher in her sixties who had been looking after him like her own child since his parents passed away.

"I am, Auntie Wang. I'm preparing my lessons," Long Hua put down his pen and went to open the door.

Auntie Wang stood outside, already neatly dressed, holding a thermal container in her hand. "I made millet porridge and some homemade pickles. Take this to eat before work." She pushed the container into Long Hua's hands, then looked him up and down. "Look at you, you've lost weight again. Teaching is hard work, but you must take care of yourself."

"Thank you, Auntie. You're too kind," Long Hua accepted the container, feeling warmth flow from his fingertips to his heart. "I'll come over for dinner next week when I'm off."

Auntie Wang nodded with satisfaction, then lowered her voice: "By the way, my niece is coming back from the provincial capital next week. She just finished graduate school and works at a hospital now—quite a good match. If you're free, why not come over?"

Long Hua smiled awkwardly. "Auntie, I'm just too busy now. Let's talk about it after the college entrance exams, okay?" This was the third time this month that Auntie Wang had brought up matchmaking.

"Young man, you're thirty now. It's time to start a family," Auntie Wang sighed, but didn't press further. "Alright, go on with your work, but don't forget to eat breakfast." With that, she turned and went back to her apartment.

After closing the door, Long Hua placed the thermal container on the dining table and lifted the lid. The steaming millet porridge released an enticing aroma. He ladled a bowl for himself and paired it with Auntie Wang's specialty pickles. The simple yet delicious breakfast gave him a sense of contentment.

After finishing breakfast, Long Hua gathered his teaching materials and notes, glanced at the wall clock—6:40, perfect timing to catch the 7 o'clock bus. He put on his slightly worn but clean navy blue jacket, shouldered his backpack filled with textbooks and homework assignments, locked the door, and headed for the elevator.

The residential complex was beginning to show signs of life. Elderly residents walked in small groups along the tree-lined paths for their morning exercise, while children with backpacks were being hurried out by their parents. Long Hua nodded and greeted familiar faces as he walked briskly toward the bus stop.

While waiting for the bus, he looked up at the sky. The early spring sunlight gently bathed the city, piercing through the thin mist to gild the tall buildings with a golden edge. This third-tier city wasn't particularly prosperous, but it had its own rhythm and warmth.

"This city, this sky..." Long Hua whispered to himself. "I've been here all my life, except for those college years, always looking at the same scenery." He wasn't sure why he felt particularly reflective today—perhaps because of the strange dream he had last night, where he flew toward the stars and saw the edge of the universe.

The bus arrived on time. Long Hua boarded with the flow of people and found a window seat. Outside, the city moved slowly past, sunlight streaming through the glass onto his face, warm and bright. He closed his eyes, feeling this warmth, his lips curving upward involuntarily.

No matter how ordinary the day, there were always small joys worth cherishing. This was Long Hua's life philosophy, the secret that had kept him on the ordinary path of teaching for ten years.

What he didn't know was that today's peaceful life would be completely disrupted by a small physics experiment.

The bus turned a corner and headed toward the city center. Long Hua opened his eyes, watching the increasingly bustling street scenes outside, his thoughts returning to the relativity theory lesson he was about to teach.

"Time is relative..." he said softly, completely unaware of how this statement would manifest in his life in an unimaginable way in the near future.