Author's Note:
I should apologise to everyone for the recent lapse. I had to temporarily put interviews and career commitments first because they took up the last few weeks.
We appreciate your patience and your continued interest in this story.
HE"AN MEDICAL CENTRE - NIGHT
That night, everything settled into it's muted rhythm, the absence she had felt since awaken was pressing down on her. Jingxu has finally acknowledged it everything that has happened without fear and without interest. Whatever it was, it hadn't saved her. It had merely wathced as she make correct choices as she always did.
SHEN RESIDENCE - SAME NIGHT
Far away from the medical centre, across a span of time that couldn't close the bridge, Shen Yicheng now 17, woke up abruptly in the middle of night in his own bed, his breath caught painfully in his chest.
His bedroom was dark and familiar, yet his heart can feel something is wrong and unfamiliar the absence of some important thing missing had left an imprint too deep to ignore. He sat up slowly, pressing a hand to his chest and trying to calm his violently beating heart.
".....Lin Jingxu" he said aloud, the name was clear and it echo loudly in his silent room.
He froze, confusion filled his mind, sharpening into something colder. He didn't know anyone by that name, neither heard this name from his family and friends. No memory followed it - no face, no voice, no shared moment, and yet the certaininty of the importance of Jingxu in his heart remained heavy and intimate, as though that name belonged to someone who has been misplaced.
He rose from his bed, pick up the glass of water from the bedside table, took a sip and start pacing the length of the room and stopped by the window "I don't remember you, but I know my heart feel restless at the moment, as if something is wrong around you." he said quietly to the night while watching the moon from his window and continue "I don't know why your name is here in my heart and mind"
Still the firm resolved and belief formed in his heart beneath the confusion surprised him "If you're real - and if you ever come in my life.... I won't walk away from you." he said calmly.
The thought settled in his mind and heart like a vow, like a promise to himself and Jingxu. He didn't understand why waiting suddenly felt necessary, but he understood one thing, she is important to him.
When he finally returned to his bed, sleep came slowly and the name lingering in his heart like an anchor embedded too deep to dislodge.
LIN RESIDENCE - A WEEK LATER
It's been a week, since Jingxu has been reborn, a week has been passed by she is trying to acknowldging her reality of being given a second chance.
Her strenth was slowly returning through painful physiotherapy sessions and her stubborn perseverance for getting healthy as soon as possible. At the Lin residence, life resumed to the old rhythms, though cracks had already begus to show.
NEXT DAY EVENING
It was day when their was inter school final round competition result was supposed to be declared. In which Jingxu was supposed to be part of the project team.
Qiu Suyin returned home that evening after receiving the result, she had been expected to won the First Prize, but she hadn't because the main member of this competition was Jingxu and she couldn't participate it.
Exhausted from long distance travel and the humilition she received today, she was burning red from anger. She had boasted about winning the competition without Jingxu, but reality slapped her hard when she couldn't enter the top three as well.
She entered the living room of Lin residence assuming no one is present other than her parents who have arrived today to meet with Jingxu, but unfortunately after travelling from another province, the butler informed the Qiu family that the family of three has went to visit the hospital for a regular check up scheduled today.
Her bag hit the redwood mahagony table almost crashing the Ming Dynasty blue and white porecelin vase which was auctioned last year from Honk Kong for 28 million yuan.
"This is unfair mother, we have worked hard for this inter school competition, Jingxu being the core member of the team our team was supposed to win. She even promised me to give all her credit for this competition," she snapped anger simmering inside her.
"If Lin Jingxu hadn't intervened - she would have been fine, but she likes to draw attention by showing how generous and magnamious she is, helping others especially those three free loaders who are sponsored by Lin family. " she added later after taking a deep breath to calm down her anger.
"I wouldn't have been humiliated so much and none of this has happened. I was supposed to shine." she hug her mother's arm cried while complaining.
Her mother coaxed her by saying sweet things but it all went past her ears due to her anger "She always ruin things for me mama" she continued bitterly. "Plays the pure and innocent soul, acts superior, and everyone loves her for this."
From the entrance of the corridor leading to the Lin residence family hall, stood the family of three, Lin parents and Jingxu, listening to every word Qiu Suyin has said from the beggining to end.
They rushed home after completing the test procedures because cousin have visited the home, and it's not good when the host is absent.
But they didn't expect the Qiu Suyin who lives in the very house of Lin family, will sprout non sense about the daughter of the Lin family.
The words hung in the air creating a dark atmosphere that Qiu family of three didn't notice, the words were unmistakable mean and cutting deep the Lin family not because they were spoken in the dark, but because they were spoken aloud.
Lin Zhenhao stepped out from the corner with Nuaxin following, his voice cold but was edged with steel "Enough"
Suyin and Qiu parents turned around and was shocked flashing acorss their face as they realized they have dicovered. Her mouth open and close again like a fish.
"You will never speak about my daughters and family like that ever again in Lin residence or anywhere you go." Zhenhao continured. "Not now, Not ever"
After apologizing and meeting the Lin family and asking about Jingxu health, Qiu parents lectured Suyin and told her to behave properly. before leaving.
LIN RESIDENCE - SAME NIGHT (FIRST SYSTEM PRESENCE)
After returning to her room from dinner, she stood up from her bed and walk towards her study table took out her diary and started taking notes of business opportunities, stocks trading, small details that she remembered.
She has been working on it since the day she has been returned to Lin residence, as she couldn't sleep well, since her rebirth, she has been restless her thoughts keep running towards her home.
Her real home Shen household, towards her children laughter, their bickering, their crying, Yoa's quiet patience with her during her long hospital treatment hours, Shen parents nagging, and Yicheng silent support.
She knows if she played her cards well, she can meet her family soon in much better situation, she knows they are waiting for her.
As soon as she lays down on her bed she started thinking about her past life, she wondered if these things still exist in this life, Shen family household full of laughter, love and care.
When she thinks about herself she feel inexplicable headache - a deep sensation in her brain nerves, as if she was at the edge of a vast system that is watching over her.
Her first instinct was irritation, "This is stress, a trauma, a fear of losing everything again." she told her self coldly, turned around and closed her eyes and fell asleep.
The next night after following the same schedule from daylight to night - this time something else accompanied by something else.
It wasn't instruction, it was patters, it was a clear blueprint.
Jingxu sat up slowly, she took out the diary from her drawer, and placed it on the pillow which was adjusted by her to balance the book. Her pen was moving without any conscious thought.
She wrote everything, date, trends, corporate shift, political shifts, but this wasn't like the last few days, this time she wrote everything even far ahead from decades later, every minute missed opportunities big and small.
While writing she also realized she has even written down the winning lottery number of international lottery which will be help in upcoming weeks, housing bubbles, banks shifts, financial trends, policy reform and most importantly crypto investment.
Half way through her book, her pen paused above, she furrowed her brows tightly, she didn't remember many things which has been missed by her, neither she remember the sequence of every event big or small. It wasn't like this, this didn't look like a memory, it looks like someone has pushed everything in her memory and force it to remember.
This is strange, she felt a nudge in her mind - not towards action but towards awareness.
Awareness of something unknown powerful presence.
"This isn't real, it's impossible to rememeber everything on a global level, from wars to everything, to medical and techonogical advancement. I don't believe in shortcuts and cheat codes."
She felt the air around her room heavier for a moment, and hear the sound in her mind
DENIAL REGISTERED.
NO PENALTY APPLIED.
Her hand froze again, that response was wrong. this is some hallucination.
But hallucinations didn't wait, neither they respond proportially, and they never acknowledge any refusal.
Jingxu didn't panic, but she calm her heart down, close her book and secure it safely like a treasure and lay back down.
"If you're real, you'll be there tomorrow as well" she thought to herself and fell asleep