Chapter 1 – Rebirth in the Rain
The rain fell like silver needles, piercing the night sky as thunder cracked over the glass towers of Huajin City. The streets below shimmered with light and water, but in the penthouse suite of the Lin Corporation's private skyscraper, the world was silent—except for the sound of a woman's shallow breath.
Meilin Xue lay on the marble floor, her long dark hair soaked in blood, her once-flawless white dress torn and stained. Her lips trembled, her voice weak.
"Why…?"
Standing above her was the man she had loved for seven years—Lin Haoxuan, her husband, her childhood sweetheart, and the only man she had ever believed in.
He looked down at her without a trace of emotion. No regret. No guilt. Only cold satisfaction.
"You were always too naive, Meilin," he said, adjusting the golden cufflinks on his suit. "I needed the Xue family's power. And your blood… well, let's just say it has uses beyond a marriage certificate."
The ritual circle behind him glowed a deep crimson. Meilin could feel her life force draining away, her limbs growing colder with every passing second.
She had sacrificed everything for him.
Her love.
Her loyalty.
Even her inheritance.
And he had used it all to climb higher—only to discard her like nothing more than a broken tool.
"I trusted you…" she whispered.
Lin Haoxuan crouched beside her, his smile cruel. "That was your first mistake."
Then he stood, turned his back to her, and walked away—leaving her dying body in the silence of his victory.
Meilin's vision blurred.
The lights above turned to stars.
The cold seeped into her soul.
> "If I could go back… I'd choose differently. I'd never trust you. I'd protect myself. I'd find a love that's real…"
And in that final moment, something listened.
A flash of light.
A sound like a chime from heaven.
And everything turned to darkness.
---
When Meilin opened her eyes, the rain was still falling—but softer, gentler, like a lover's whisper against her skin.
She sat up with a gasp.
Her body was warm. Whole. Alive.
The pain was gone.
She was… back in her old bedroom. The one from her university days. The walls were covered in pastel pink and ivory wallpaper. Her vanity table was scattered with makeup and jewelry she hadn't worn in a decade. Her favorite books still lined the shelves.
She shot up and ran to the mirror.
Her face.
She was eighteen again.
No scars. No blood. No sorrow in her eyes.
"What—what is this…?" she whispered, trembling.
Then, her palm burned.
She looked down—and there it was.
A golden symbol glowing faintly beneath her skin.
[ Celestial Marriage System Activated ]
> Welcome, Meilin Xue.
You have been granted a second chance at life.
To unlock your full potential, form a true and loving bond with your fated partner.
Rewards will be granted based on sincerity, trust, and progress.
Warning: Repeating your past mistakes will result in termination.
Current Level: 1
Status: Single
Main Mission: Avoid previous fate. Seek love. Claim justice.
Meilin's breath caught.
It wasn't a dream.
She had been reborn—and gifted something incredible.
A system… one that connected love and justice to strength and survival.
Her mind raced.
If she was truly eighteen again, then this was one year before her engagement to Lin Haoxuan. Two years before her family's company was taken over. Three years before she was trapped into marriage. And ten years before her death.
This was her chance.
She clenched her fists, the golden light slowly fading from her palm.
> "This time… I'll protect the Xue family. I'll never let Haoxuan get close. And I'll find someone who truly values me—for me."
A knock sounded at her door.
"Meilin? Sweetheart? You're going to be late for your first day of classes!" her mother's cheerful voice called from the hallway.
Her heart ached.
She hadn't heard her mother's voice in years.
"Coming!" she called back, voice breaking with emotion.
As she dressed in her old university uniform, Meilin caught her reflection in the mirror again. This time, she didn't see the broken woman from her past life. She saw someone fierce. Determined. Reborn.
And beneath her blazer, the golden glow pulsed once more.
[ Daily Quest Unlocked ]
> Mission: Smile at someone sincerely today
Reward: +10 Emotional Resonance Points
Bonus: +1 System Favor
A strange mix of amusement and awe filled her chest.
"A system that wants me to… love?" she murmured.
She could feel it already—this wasn't going to be a simple do-over.
This was a journey.
One of healing. One of danger.
And maybe… one of love.
---
By noon, Meilin stood outside Huajin Elite University, a place of marble columns and digital glass towers. Students from the most powerful families bustled around her, clutching designer bags, top-of-the-line tablets, and whispered secrets of connections and ambition.
Her heart pounded as she stepped onto campus, memories flooding her mind.
This was where she'd first met Lin Haoxuan.
Not this time.
She turned away from the business department and instead walked toward the arts building.
"New path, new life," she whispered.
But fate, it seemed, had a different plan.
As she turned a corner, she collided with someone tall and solid.
Books spilled to the ground.
She looked up—and froze.
He was breathtaking.
Dark hair slicked back carelessly, a sharp jawline, and eyes the color of obsidian—cold, unreadable, and hauntingly familiar.
Li Yanzhou.
In her past life, he was a name she only heard in whispers—CEO of the mysterious Yanzhou Group, rumored to control both tech giants and underground syndicates. Some said he was cruel. Others called him cursed. But all agreed: he was untouchable.
And now… she had literally crashed into him.
"Watch where you're going," he said, voice like ice.
She should've felt afraid.
But instead, her system chimed again.
[ System Alert! ]
> Potential Fated Partner Detected.
Compatibility Level: 78%
Hidden Affection Level: Unknown
Quest Updated: Engage in first conversation with target
Meilin blinked.
> "You've got to be kidding me…"