Chapter 2: She Was Reborn

Dead?

Qiao Weiwei’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at Lin Zhiyi in shock.

"Shut up! Don't you dare curse Grandmother!"

Impossible! Grandmother was in excellent health; how could she possibly be dead?

Seeing her collapse, Lin Zhiyi finally smiled. It was a smile of immense satisfaction.

"I really don't know what kind of soul-stirring concoction you fed that old woman, but even after all the outrageous things you’ve done, she still protects you so fiercely. She even wanted you to marry Gu Zhiyuan. Since she wants to die so badly, I suppose I had to help her along."

The few words sent Qiao Weiwei plummeting into an icy abyss.

"It was you?"

Ever since she was adopted by Gu Zhiyuan, the Old Madam Gu had treated her like her own granddaughter. It was only after Qiao Weiwei committed a series of reckless acts that the old woman, in a fit of rage, had slapped her. Qiao Weiwei had retorted, causing the old woman’s heart condition to flare up and landing her in the hospital. She had always believed the old woman refused to forgive her, which was why she hadn't visited. For three years, she had lived in regret, even resorting to self-harm to atone. She had decided that this time, no matter how much the old woman scolded her, she would not leave; she would stay by her side forever.

But that hope had been cruelly shattered by Lin Zhiyi.

"Why! Grandmother was so good to you!" Qiao Weiwei’s eyes were bloodshot as she demanded an answer.

"Yes, it was me." Lin Zhiyi, the murderer, wore an innocent expression, as if she were merely commenting on the pleasant weather.

Trembling with rage, Qiao Weiwei raised her hand to strike her, but she saw a triumphant glint in Lin Zhiyi’s eyes. The next second, Lin Zhiyi collapsed to the floor, knocking over a music box. The shards cut her hand, staining the snow-white carpet with blood.

"Qiao Weiwei, you’re as stupid as ever. You will never win against me!"

"What are you doing?" Qiao Weiwei stared at Lin Zhiyi on the floor, an inexplicable fear rising within her.

The door was suddenly kicked open. Gu Zhiyuan rushed in, and upon seeing Lin Zhiyi’s blood-covered hands and the slap mark on her face, his brows furrowed deeply. He carefully helped Lin Zhiyi up, whispering comfortingly, "Are you alright?"

Such tenderness was something Qiao Weiwei had never seen before. He then turned his gaze toward her, his eyes filled with oppression.

*Slap!*

The blow to her face burned with pain.

"It seems three years of lessons weren't enough. I shouldn't have brought you back."

Qiao Weiwei clutched her face, stubbornly lifting her head. "Gu Zhiyuan, do you know that she is the one who killed Grandmother?"

Before she could finish, another slap landed.

"Enough! It’s not enough that you worried Grandmother to death, now you want to continue being willful!" Gu Zhiyuan looked at her with nothing but hatred, as if he wished to skin her alive.

Qiao Weiwei persisted. "It was this woman who killed Grandmother. She admitted it just now! If you don't believe me, you can re-investigate the cause of her death. Grandmother was so good to us; even if there is the slightest doubt, you cannot let it go."

Seeing her desperation, a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes.

"How could I possibly harm Grandmother? Weiwei, even if you hate me, you cannot slander me as a murderer!" Lin Zhiyi’s eyes turned red, as if she were suffering a great injustice. As if suddenly remembering something, she added with feigned concern, "The doctor said Weiwei’s condition is quite serious. Could it be the side effects of her medication..."

At those words, Gu Zhiyuan’s expression turned cold once more. "Since you aren't better yet, you should go back."

Recalling the dark, sunless three years, Qiao Weiwei couldn't help but shiver. But catching sight of the music box shards—a gift from Grandmother when she first arrived at the estate—she steadied her heart and stared into Gu Zhiyuan’s eyes.

"Gu Zhiyuan, I was wrong for my past recklessness, but I would never joke about Grandmother. Trust me one last time, just this once. Whatever punishment you want to inflict on me afterward, I will accept it. I only ask that you don't let the person who killed Grandmother get away."

But the man remained unmoved. "In three years, you haven't learned anything else, but you’ve certainly learned to play the victim. Take her away!"

The servants surrounded her, ready to drag her back to the sanitarium just as they had three years ago. Qiao Weiwei’s heart sank to the bottom. Her gaze swept over to Lin Zhiyi standing by the window; the smile on her face was the ultimate mockery.

At that moment, she had only one thought: even if she died, she would not let Lin Zhiyi go. With that, she broke free and lunged at Lin Zhiyi.

"Zhiyuan! Help me, Weiwei has gone mad!"

At the very last moment before she could reach her, the man moved with lightning speed, pulling Lin Zhiyi into his arms.

The next second, the world spun. Qiao Weiwei was shoved away forcefully by the man. The momentum left her unable to stop, and she tumbled straight out of the window. Glass cut into her face as she landed heavily on the ground below. Blood began to spread, and she could taste the metallic tang of it in her throat.

The instinct to survive made her reach out. "Save me... please, save me..."

However, the two figures by the window watched with cold indifference as she drew her final breath.

Her body grew light. Before consciousness faded, the events of the past five years flashed by like a revolving lantern. When they first met, she was like a frightened rabbit huddled in a corner, and he was like the spring sun, smiling as he reached out to her. "Don't be afraid. I will protect you from now on."

But later, when she laid her heart bare, he trampled it underfoot. "Qiao Weiwei, you are disgusting. I could never love you."

If she could start over... if heaven gave her one more chance to choose, she would definitely protect the people around her.

...

*Beep—*

A surge of electricity coursed through her body, and Qiao Weiwei opened her eyes. Everything before her was a blur of white, followed by a nurse’s soft cry.

"She’s awake! The patient is awake!"

After calling for the doctor, the nurse and others swarmed around her to conduct a check-up. She couldn't hear them clearly; the pain behind her head caused her to slip back into unconsciousness.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw a familiar, magnified face.

Gu Zhiyuan?

The terror from her previous life sent a chill down Qiao Weiwei’s spine, and she couldn't help but shrink back. But he caught her hand.

"Don't be afraid. I will protect you from now on."

As he spoke, the man’s eyes were filled with deep affection. While she wondered what had come over him, the doctor arrived to perform another full examination. Catching a glimpse of the calendar nearby, Qiao Weiwei’s consciousness gradually cleared.

She had actually returned to five years ago!

She had returned to the time when her parents had died in an accident, and she was about to be adopted by the Gu family. Her father had been a lawyer who often took on pro bono cases, and the Gu Corporation, which was always keen on charity, had been the main investor in her father’s firm. Out of respect for their past relationship, she had been taken in to be raised by Old Madam Gu.

The Old Madam had lost her husband in her later years and had three sons and a daughter. The eldest, Gu Huisheng, had died young, leaving behind his wife and son—Gu Zhiyuan—who lived in the main estate. The second son, Gu Huimin, was a playboy who had entered the entertainment industry; he remained unmarried and rarely came home. The third child, Gu Nian, had separated from her husband years ago and lived abroad. The fourth, Gu Huijin, was a business prodigy, but he was enigmatic and difficult to read; as the current head of the Gu family, he did not often visit the old estate either.

Because of this, it had always been Gu Zhiyuan who took care of her in her previous life.