Volume 1, Chapter 2: Reincarnators Across Two Timelines

Returning to the day the college entrance examination ended, Li Yan found that things were unfolding quite differently from his memories. Could it be that he had remembered incorrectly?

"Li Yan, let's go," Luo Jiashuang said, holding his hand and gazing at him with a tender expression.

Li Yan was incredulous. Was this really the same Luo Jiashuang who had once begged him to let her go? He felt that something was deeply wrong.

Just then, a tall boy with a pompadour hairstyle blocked their path. "Luo Jiashuang, how could you accept Li Yan's confession? He is simply not good enough for you!" The boy’s neck turned red with agitation; he clearly disapproved of her choice.

Li Yan paused and looked at the boy. He felt a sense of familiarity, though nearly a decade had passed, and he had forgotten most of his high school classmates. However, he soon recalled. This must be Fu Hantao, who, if he remembered correctly, had also been interested in Luo Jiashuang.

Li Yan found Fu Hantao’s behavior childish and subconsciously wanted to ignore him. He needed to sort through his thoughts. Wasn't he just on the rooftop smoking a moment ago? How had he returned to the day the exams ended? Right, it must be 2012.

Luo Jiashuang’s previously gentle face darkened. She glared at Fu Hantao and said coldly, "Who are you? Whether I accept Li Yan’s confession is none of your business. Please move; my boyfriend and I are leaving."

Fu Hantao was stunned. "What did you say? Luo Jiashuang, you don't recognize me?"

They had sat in the same row. Before the exam, they had even encouraged each other, and he had felt they were on the verge of becoming a couple. He had been waiting for the exams to end so he could confess and start a relationship with her. But what had she just said? "Who are you?" It felt like a cold blade had pierced his heart.

"Let’s go, Li Yan," Luo Jiashuang said, ignoring the bewildered Fu Hantao. She looped her arm through Li Yan’s and led him away from the crowd.

Fu Hantao was left standing there in disarray.

Luo Jiashuang’s beautiful eyes remained fixed on Li Yan, as if she could never get enough of looking at him. She murmured, "Li Yan, I think you’re even cuter like this."

Seeing Li Yan with the youthful innocence and slight awkwardness still on his face, she was reminded of her past life. Indeed, she had been reborn as well.

In her previous life, she had cruelly rejected Li Yan, allowing Fu Hantao and others to mock him openly. At that time, she had thought him immature, and even though she had some feelings for him, she believed that once they went to separate universities, their relationship wouldn't survive the distance.

Who would have guessed that Li Yan would turn that humiliation into strength? After starting his own business in college, he became a legendary figure among student entrepreneurs, successfully breaking into the Hurun Rich List by the time he was twenty. She had never expected that the boy who used to blush when speaking to her would become so successful. How could she have let such a man slip away?

During her remaining four years of college, she had chased after him, trying to win him back. But by then, with his career, wealth, and status, Li Yan was surrounded by beautiful women and, having been hurt by her before, was impossible to reclaim. Even when he admitted he still had feelings for her, he already had someone else who could replace her, and he told her to find someone better suited for her.

Luo Jiashuang had been devastated; where was she to find someone else? Li Yan was deeply rooted in her heart. At his wedding, she had watched him look at the woman who had taken everything from her with such adoration. *These things should have been mine,* she thought. *But I was the one who rejected him and handed him to someone else.*

"Tormenting the man feels good for a moment, but the road to winning him back is a funeral pyre." At the wedding, she had drunk heavily and passed out. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Li Yan kneeling before her with a bouquet of roses.

In this life, she would never lose him again. With the memories of two lifetimes, she dared to say that no one understood him better than she did. Snatching him up and marrying him would be as easy as pie.

Two people from different worlds, different times, and different timelines—perhaps the heavens had shown them mercy, allowing them to return to the beginning to mend their regrets.

"Um, Luo Jiashuang, could you stop looking at me like that? It makes me feel very uncomfortable," Li Yan said. She seemed like a stranger, and while her gaze appeared gentle, it gave him the illusion that she wanted to devour him.

Luo Jiashuang chuckled. "It’s fine, you’ll get used to it. Li Yan, what do you want to do now?" She actually wanted to ask if he planned to start a business; she would support him with everything she had, even if it meant going bankrupt.

Li Yan scratched his head and looked at her earnestly. "Can we break up now?" He felt he didn't like her that much anymore. Since he had been reborn, he only wanted to make money; women would only slow him down. He never wanted to repeat the misery of his past life, being driven to the edge by debt collectors. In this life, he would reshuffle the deck and dominate the business world. He would make the giants of industry weep and force the elite to look up to him.

Luo Jiashuang was stunned, filled with confusion. Break up? How could they break up? She would never let that happen. In her past life, she had loved him to the point of desperation. In this life, she would not miss out.

"Li Yan, are you crazy? What breakup? You’ve already taken my first kiss; don't you want to take responsibility?"

Li Yan’s mouth twitched. Was this really the Luo Jiashuang from his memories? "Uh, well, you were the one who kissed me," he pointed out.

Luo Jiashuang tightened her grip on his arm, her eyes shimmering with tears as she looked at him pitifully. "Li Yan, you can't do this. You confessed to me, I accepted, and I kissed you. Now you want to break up? You can't do that."

Seeing the young Luo Jiashuang acting this way, Li Yan felt overwhelmed. He had never seen this side of her before. It was true—she had just announced to the world that he was her boyfriend; breaking up immediately would make no sense.

He felt his head spinning. "Fine, fine, let's not break up yet. My head is a mess. Could you stop holding me so tight? I’m not going to run away. I just want to be alone for a moment."

Hearing that he wouldn't break up, Luo Jiashuang burst into a teary smile. "Alright, that's fine. I'll stay with you."