Chu Chen walked slowly out of the prison.
He raised his head to look at the sky. The winter sunlight was still glaringly bright, yet it could not penetrate the dead silence of his heart.
Today was the day of his execution.
He had long known that he would be executed by firing squad today, and had spent the past few days trying to mentally prepare himself, but when death was finally at hand, fear was still unavoidable.
Thinking of the life he had led over the past few decades, boundless regret surged in his heart.
If he hadn't fallen out with his family in the first place, hadn't strayed from the path, and hadn't been betrayed by that damn traitor, he should be living with his family right now, enjoying wealth and luxury.
It was a pity that everything was too late.
"Any regrets?" A cold voice sounded beside his ear.
Chu Chen did not speak, only closing his eyes.
He knew this was the police officer executing his death sentence.
"Bang!"
A gunshot rang out, and Chu Chen lost consciousness.
"Slap!"
A crisp sound of a palm striking a face echoed through the room.
Chu Chen abruptly opened his eyes to see Bai Muyao with tears in her eyes, her hand that had just slapped him slightly raised, looking utterly humiliated.
"Even if you really did something to me, I won't be your girlfriend! I won't let you off, and neither will the Bai Family!"
Bai Muyao's voice trembled with a crying tone, yet it still could not conceal the firmness and determination in her words.
For a moment, Chu Chen was dazed. The girl in front of him had skin whiter than snow, so delicate it seemed a breath could break it, and a pair of almond eyes filled with tears made her look all the more pitiful and touching.
Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, accentuating her delicate facial features as if she were a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.
She truly lived up to her reputation as the pure campus belle of Yanjing University!
She truly deserved to be the number one beauty in Yanjing!
Chu Chen blinked, almost unable to believe everything before his eyes.
This in front of him was Bai Muyao, the young Bai Muyao!
Wasn't he executed by firing squad?
The news from the hotel television rang in his ears.
"The Nth Global Games will be held in the Capital, and people across the country are looking forward to the upcoming Global Games..."
Chu Chen couldn't help himself and dealt his own face a heavy blow.
"Slap!"
The crisp sound of a slap echoed through the room.
Bai Muyao was completely stunned, looking at Chu Chen in disbelief. "What are you doing? Don't think you can get away with this just because you hit yourself!"
Chu Chen immediately got up, forced himself to calm down, and flashed a friendly smile at Bai Muyao. "I'm sorry. Actually, I just wanted to scare you. I never thought you'd be scared like this, so I feel terrible about it. That's why I slapped myself."
Bai Muyao was deeply suspicious, looking Chu Chen up and down. Feeling that something wasn't quite right with him, she tentatively asked, "Really?"
Chu Chen's expression turned serious as well. "It really is true! It's just that you wouldn't agree to be my girlfriend, so I wanted to scare you. I didn't actually intend to do anything..."
Fearing that Bai Muyao wouldn't believe him, Chu Chen patted his chest in assurance. "I can send you home right now."
As he spoke, he quickly straightened his clothes and turned around, gesturing for Bai Muyao to tidy herself up, while a wave of surrealism washed over him.
If he hadn't guessed wrong, he had been reborn—and reborn right at the turning point of his life, the very day he had forced himself upon Bai Muyao.
In his past life, he had relentlessly pursued Bai Muyao, but she had regarded him as nothing more than an unmotivated, spoiled rich kid and therefore looked down upon his advances.
Instigated by a few of his cronies, he had lured Bai Muyao out and forced himself upon her.
At first, he really had just wanted to scare Bai Muyao into softening her stance and agreeing to his pursuit, but Bai Muyao had been far too stubborn, refusing to bow her head no matter what. In a moment of hot-headed impulse, Chu Chen had genuinely forced himself upon her.
Back then, he never considered the consequences of his actions, completely unaware that this incident would place the Bai Family and the Chu Family in direct opposition. The Bai Family created no end of trouble and obstacles for the Chu Family.
Meanwhile, Chu Chen's stepmother and younger brother seized the opportunity to stir up trouble, causing a bitter falling out between Chu Chen and his father. Feeling that his father favored his younger brother, Chu Chen left home in a fit of anger, led his gang of minor thugs into the underworld, and ultimately met his end before a firing squad.
Since he had been given a second chance at life, Chu Chen resolved that he would never repeat the same mistakes.
In his past life, he had pursued his dreams by any means necessary, snatching and grabbing all the way, only to end up with nothing. In this life, he still intended to take back what belonged to him, but he could no longer use the same methods as before.
With his back to Bai Muyao, he reviewed the events of his past life.
Right now, it was the year 2008. The Global Games had not yet taken place, and the rest of the world had yet to witness Huaguo's rise. Huaguo was on the verge of a true economic takeoff. He had to seize this time gap and use the memories in his head—twenty years ahead of the current era—to rapidly accumulate capital and soar to success.
In this lifetime, the things he wanted—the things that should have belonged to him in the first place—he would seize entirely through legitimate means!
Bai Muyao, meanwhile, had finished tidying her clothes and hair. Looking at Chu Chen's back, she thought to herself that this guy really didn't seem to be lying. After all, the sound of that slap he had just given himself was real enough.
Chu Chen turned around and looked at Bai Muyao before him. The memories of his past life intertwined with his rebirth in the present, leaving him momentarily dazed.
"Bai Muyao, I'm sorry." Chu Chen's voice was low and hoarse, carrying a trace of imperceptible tremor.
Bai Muyao was stunned; she hadn't expected Chu Chen to suddenly apologize to her.
"You..."
"I shouldn't have tricked you into coming out here, and even less should I have used such despicable methods." Chu Chen took a deep breath, his tone sincere. "I promise, it won't happen again."
Bai Muyao stared blankly at him, the sincerity in Chu Chen's eyes leaving her somewhat flustered.
"Let's go, I'll send you back." Chu Chen opened the door and motioned for Bai Muyao to go out first.
Only then did Bai Muyao snap out of it, looking away unnaturally. "Then let's go!"
The two walked out of the hotel one after the other. The early spring cold wind blew against his face, making Chu Chen's thoughts even clearer.
Chu Chen glanced sideways at Bai Muyao. "My motorcycle is parked in the lot. Can you wait for me a moment?"
Bai Muyao immediately refused. "No need, I'll just hail a cab back myself."
She pressed her lips together. "In this weather, I don't want a faceful of cold wind."
Figuring she had a point, Chu Chen reached out and flagged down a taxi. "All right, then be careful on your way."
He took the initiative to open the back door for Bai Muyao, leaned down to give the driver an address, and paid the fare in advance.
"Thank you, driver." Chu Chen closed the car door and watched the taxi drive away.
Sitting inside the car, Bai Muyao couldn't help turning her head to look at Chu Chen until his figure vanished from sight.
Pulling her gaze back, she couldn't help muttering under her breath, "This Chu Chen... since when did he get so polite..."
Chu Chen stood right where he was, feeling the howling gale whip his clothes about violently, his mind clearing for a moment.
Only now did he truly and deeply feel that he had come back to life.
"Boss, nice work!" Two of his underlings popped out from somewhere, laughing with wretched grins. "Did you completely conquer the campus belle?"
"As expected, when chasing women you've got to be tough! Just sleep with her until she submits!" Another underling chimed in.
Chu Chen cast a cold glance at them and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? I just wanted to scare her; I never planned on actually doing anything to her!"
The two underlings exchanged glances, catching a hint of chill in Chu Chen's eyes, and instantly fell silent.
"Let's go! Head back!" Chu Chen withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.
"Head back where, Boss?" one of the underlings pressed. "Are you going home, or back to school?"
Chu Chen's footsteps paused, his gaze turning sharper as he said, "I'm heading back to the Chu Family first."
"As for you two..." Chu Chen turned his head to look at the two underlings, his tone icy, "Go back to school and notify everyone: Monday at five in the afternoon, old place, meeting."
"Whoever doesn't show up needn't follow me anymore."