The Secret of Early Returns

Old Liu's alarm clock is always five minutes faster than others. It's not that he deliberately set it that way, it's just that it's fast on its own. This problem has been with him for several years, he can't fix it, and he's too lazy to fix it anyway. Today is the third day of the Lunar New Year, the day for visiting relatives. When Old Liu's family was ready to leave, he habitually glanced at his watch, it was exactly ten o'clock in the morning.

"Let's go, it's already this late," his wife urged. Old Liu thought, it's almost ten o'clock, if they don't hurry, they'll miss the lunch at Old Li's place.

Along the way, Old Liu noticed that there were fewer cars on the road than in previous years. He was even happy, saying that everyone wanted a bit of peace this year. When they arrived at Old Li's house, they found that Old Li was also getting ready to leave. "Old Liu, why are you only arriving now? I was just about to lock the door and leave," Old Li said with a smile, holding a car key in his hand.

Old Liu was stunned, "Old Li, where are you going? I just got here, haven't even had a sip of water!"

Old Li patted him on the shoulder, "Oh, my old brother, you're too slow. When visiting relatives on the third day, everyone arrives in the morning and has to leave quickly, haven't you forgotten this rule?"

Old Liu scratched his head, rule? He didn't remember this rule. "Then where are you going, Old Li?"

"Me? I have to rush to the next place, Old Wang's place is waiting for me," Old Li said, driving away.

Old Liu and his family of three were left standing there. They went inside, and Old Li's wife invited them to sit down. Before they even had two sips of tea, Old Li's wife urged them, "You should also leave quickly, you still have to rush to other homes this afternoon."

Old Liu was completely confused. When did visiting relatives on the third day become a rush? He looked at his watch, it was just past eleven o'clock.

The next few relatives' homes were the same. Everyone was rushing, as if there was an invisible whip cracking behind them. At the last house, Old Liu finally couldn't help but ask, "Why is everyone rushing when visiting relatives on the third day? I don't remember it being like this before?"

Old Liu's younger cousin sighed and said, "Oh, cousin, don't you know? Nowadays, no one has enough time. On this third day, everyone's 'time' becomes particularly precious, if you stay too long, they lose out."

"Time precious?" Old Liu didn't understand.

His cousin pointed to the clock on the wall. "Look, it's two ten in the afternoon now, but look at that clock."

Old Liu looked in the direction he pointed, and the clock on the wall showed 3:30 PM.

"This...what's going on?" Old Liu asked in surprise.

"Now every family has a time accelerator. On the third day, everyone secretly accelerates time, so they can spend less time hosting more relatives and have more time for themselves. But to maintain the appearance of harmony, everyone tacitly agrees that they have to leave early on the third day, and no one can stay too long, to avoid exposing the secret of time."

Old Liu finally understood, no wonder everyone was in such a hurry. He suddenly remembered his own alarm clock that was five minutes fast. He seemed to understand something.

"Then...then is it that those with slower time, are at a disadvantage?"

His cousin gave a wry smile, "Of course, that's why 'fast pace' is popular now. Whoever controls time, has the advantage."

On the way home, Old Liu was puzzled. He looked at his watch, it was four o'clock in the afternoon, but the sky outside looked like dusk. He suddenly remembered that his family's alarm clock was always five minutes fast. He quickly took out his phone and looked at the time, it was four ten in the afternoon. He felt like his time was faster than others.

He vaguely sensed that the world's time was indeed being secretly accelerated by something. And the custom of returning early on the third day was just a fig leaf for this accelerated world.

When he got home, Old Liu's wife was still tidying up, complaining that visiting relatives today was too rushed. Old Liu walked to the window and looked outside. The setting sun was slowly sliding towards the horizon. He suddenly remembered that his family's alarm clock was faster than the world by more than five minutes. He seemed to have grasped something, but he couldn't say anything, he could only silently accept this world swept along by time. He looked at his wife, as if looking at someone from another world. His family's alarm clock ticked, making a tireless sound, as if mocking this accelerated world. He slowly took the battery out of the alarm clock and threw it into the trash. He knew that some truths are better left buried in time forever.