Chapter 1 Rebirth

Burning, pain.

This was Qiao Yu’s only feeling in the darkness.

Feeling? Do people feel after death?

Her tightly closed eyelashes suddenly trembled, and the bright white light pierced into her eyes that had just opened a crack, forcing her into darkness again.

My head hurts, my nose is filled with the smell of disinfectant, and I hear a strange female voice in my ears, as if calling for a doctor.

Is she in the hospital? Has she been rescued?

No, it's impossible.

There was no way anyone could have rescued her from an explosion like that.

Is it a dream? Or an illusion?

“Tap—tap—”

There were steady footsteps coming from his ears, and it sounded like it should be a man. Qiao Yu didn't know whether it was a psychological effect or out of nostalgia, but he felt that the footsteps were somewhat familiar, like an old friend.

Sure enough, she must be dead, otherwise how could she hear Cheng Sinian's footsteps?

Did Cheng Sinian come to pick her up?

No, that's not right. Where's Ah Zhan? Why didn't he come in person? Didn't he want her anymore? How could he bear to let someone else come pick her up!

The sudden panic made Qiao Yu's struggle more obvious. Finally, after barely adjusting to the light, she slowly opened her eyes.

The place she saw was pure white. It must be a hospital ward. Qiao Yu didn't know why, but she felt that the ward in front of her was a little familiar. She seemed to have seen it somewhere before, but she couldn't remember where.

"You're awake. How do you feel?" The man at the door came in at this moment. Seeing that she opened her eyes, he walked closer and asked casually, completely unaware of the shock in her eyes.

Qiao Yu had been staring at him blankly since he appeared, completely unsure how to react. The man in front of her, wearing a white coat, held her medical records, his face smooth and handsome.

How come... there are no scars...

This was indeed the Cheng Sinian in her memory, but not the Cheng Sinian she was familiar with.

Or to be more precise, this was the Cheng Sinian in her memory before the end of the world.

Qiao Yu lowered her head in a daze, then slowly raised her trembling hands to her eyes. Her skin was fair and delicate, without any rough cracks or ugly scars. Even the thick calluses she remembered from constantly handling a knife had vanished. A needle was inserted into the back of her hand, receiving an IV. A red thread wrapped around her slender, smooth wrist, dangling from it was a jade pendant left to her by her mother. The pendant was intact, gleaming a shimmering emerald green in the morning sunlight.

Qiao Yu took a deep breath, and suddenly pulled out the needle and the tape on the back of his hand, then reached back and inserted it deep into the back of his hand.

If it bleeds, it will hurt.

It's not a dream, nor an illusion.

how so……

"Qiao Yu, what are you doing!"

Qiao Yu's prolonged silence had already made Cheng Sinian feel something was amiss. He glanced over and saw Qiao Yu yank the needle out with a fierce vengeance and thrust it back in. His voice trembled with fear, and he quickly reached out to pull the needle out, pressing the back of her hand to help her stop the bleeding. Just kidding! If anything happened to this little girl, Jiang Zhan would skin her alive!

The warm touch brought Qiao Yu back to her senses. She stared straight at Cheng Sinian, opened her mouth, and asked with some difficulty, "...What year is it now?"

"Huh? Didn't you just pull out a needle and poke yourself? Now you're playing dumb in front of me?" Cheng Sinian was almost amused by Qiao Yu, but after glancing at her pale face, he couldn't bear it. He sighed and continued, "Qiao Yu, I understand you're feeling wronged, but this engagement was indeed made when your parents were alive. Brother Zhan has never lied to you. It's still two months until your 20th birthday. I hope you can reconsider this. He truly loves you..."

When Qiao Yu heard the words "There are still two months until your 20th birthday", he heard a buzzing sound in his head, and then he could no longer hear any other sound.

At this moment, Qiao Yu finally understood why she felt this ward was familiar. Because she had indeed been here, just six months after her parents passed away.

At that time, Jiang Zhan came to her with her parents' will and told her that her parents had arranged a marriage for them before they died, and they would get married after her 20th birthday.

She was so frightened that she fell seriously ill with a high fever. When she woke up, she was in this ward.

But how long ago was that? What did she mean by "it's still two months until her 20th birthday"? Before her 20th birthday... wasn't that before the apocalypse? How could it be...

Qiao Yu was in a state of confusion. She glanced at a strange yet familiar mobile phone on the bedside table. She immediately leaned over to pick it up, pressed the lock screen button, and the date on the screen came into view.

All the information pointed to the most unlikely possibility. Qiao Yu's mind was blank, with only two words left: rebirth.

Moisture gradually filled Qiao Yu's eyes. She was really not dead... No, she was dead, but she was alive again... She actually... After experiencing the apocalypse for four years, she was reborn before the apocalypse.

This news made her both happy and terrified. She was happy because she had a second chance to live her life over again; but she was terrified because if the end of the world was going to come like it had in her previous life, then there were only 21 days left until the first signs of the apocalypse, and only 25 days until the full outbreak.

"...Where's Jiang Zhan?" Cheng Sinian was still rambling on, but Qiao Yu didn't hear a word he said and interrupted him. She just wanted to see Jiang Zhan and confirm with her own eyes that he was still alive.

Cheng Sinian paused and looked at Qiao Yu in surprise. Although there were tears in her eyes, she did not look angry. She stuttered when she answered, "Abroad..." This little ancestor actually wanted to find Jiang Zhan. Could it be that she was really persuaded by him?

Qiao Yu's eyes widened, his face a little anxious, and even his voice trembled slightly: "Why is he going abroad? How long will it take for him to come back?"

Cheng Sinian was startled again. If he hadn't just seen Qiao Yu a few days ago and personally treated Qiao Yu yesterday, he would have suspected that this little ancestor had been replaced. However, despite his complaints, Cheng Sinian quickly took out his phone, browsed the news about the Jiang family, and held it in front of Qiao Yu. "Brother Zhan is in the United States to discuss an acquisition project. It will probably take about two weeks for him to return. If you want to see him, I can contact him now and send you over."

Qiao Yu didn't say anything, his eyes fixed on the news on the phone screen.

"Jiang's Group officially acquired Simon's production equipment, R&D capabilities, sales channels, inventory, and multiple brands in the United States for 8.2 million euros... Jiang Zhan, President of Jiang's Group, attended the meeting..."

Qiao Yu raised her hand and gently stroked the stern face on the screen, and finally couldn't help but burst into tears.

Qiao Yu was born with a beautiful face, and as she grew older, her appearance became even more outstanding. Her beautiful eyes were always watery and pity-inducing even when they were not shedding tears, let alone now that she looked like a pear blossom in the rain, which was truly pitiful.

But such a beautiful scene was obviously beyond Cheng Sinian's appreciative range. The moment Qiao Yu burst into tears, Cheng Sinian was frightened and sweat broke out on his forehead. He pursed his lips, but didn't know what to say.

Cheng Sinian, a university student majoring in clinical medicine with a minor in psychology, could sense the mixed feelings of sadness and joy in Qiao Yu's heart, but he couldn't fathom the reason. Hadn't he just told Qiao Yu about Jiang Zhan's whereabouts? What on earth was this little bastard crying about? If Jiang Zhan knew about this, how could he possibly live happily ever after? Honestly, he hadn't done anything!

Qiao Yu looked at the familiar face on the phone and tried hard to suppress the urge to fly to him immediately without caring about anything.

No, at least not yet.

Just as Cheng Sinian was struggling with whether to risk his life to call Jiang Zhan for help, Qiao Yu finally stopped crying and whispered, "I, I want to be discharged from the hospital."