Chapter 103: Lou Tian's Reincarnation Extra

  The outside world has many names for me, such as the Chosen One of Heaven, God's Favorite, Diamond King, Winner of Life, and so on. Everyone thinks it's a blessing that I'm young and successful, with such a large fortune, something that many people can't achieve in eight lifetimes. However, this is only my glamorous side; no one sees the sorrow and pain in my heart. Yes, I am not happy at all. If possible, I would trade everything I have for happiness, to have those two people by my side, even if it's just for a day.

  One was my deceased mother, and the other was her.

  My mother is a pitiful and pathetic woman, who has been longing for an unattainable man with whom she only had a brief encounter her whole life. As a result, I was born out of wedlock. In that era, in such a closed small county town, it can be imagined how shocking and scandalous this was, so she bore tremendous pressure, having to endure the gossip and ridicule from people around her every day, even being insulted as a "broken shoe" or a "dang woman".

  Apart from the pressure of public opinion, the economic burden was also not light. Originally, she taught at a primary school in the county, but after her belly became obvious, she was fired, and with a bad reputation, she couldn't find any decent work. She was a weak woman who couldn't carry anything on her shoulders or lift anything with her hands, and since her parents were no longer around to help, she could only rely on washing clothes for others, sewing and mending to make ends meet. After I was born, the household expenses became even greater, and the little savings they had slowly disappeared. To make matters worse, I was a premature baby, weak and sickly, constantly getting injections and taking medicine, and sometimes when things got really tough, she could only ask relatives and friends for loans. As a result, our relatives who didn't get along with us to begin with became even more distant from us.

  At that time, I was still too young and didn't remember much. Moreover, my mother never complained about the hardships of life in front of me. Most of what I know was told to me by my maternal uncle and aunt later on. They were the only ones who didn't look down on us and treated us like their own family members, so I have always remembered this kindness they showed us.

  Although our family was poor, my mother never neglected my education. From the age of two or three, she taught me to recognize characters, do simple arithmetic, and also taught me how to be a good person. Although the content was shallow, these all gave me a head start in life and became my wealth for the rest of my life. I will always remember her smiling face, gently stroking my face and saying: "Everyone may abandon you, but knowledge and ability won't, so you must study hard, you are Mom's pride." I also remember her saying: "Tianren, no matter what time it is, you must remember to be an honest and kind person. Even if you are very poor, you cannot be timid; even if you are very rich, you cannot bully others."

  These words, I had always kept in mind, but later the great success of the Lou family's business and career made me proud and gradually blinded my eyes, also forgetting my mother's teachings, using power to bully a woman, but did not think that the woman would become my lifelong beloved.

  When I was a bit older, my mother insisted on sending me to primary school. At that time, I could already judge the situation at home from small details, and I knew there was something called money, which was very important, but our family didn't have it, so my mother had to work day and night doing odd jobs and manual labor, and there weren't as many dishes on the dinner table like other families, occasionally when there was some meat, my mother wouldn't eat it, saying she was afraid of getting fat and wanted me to eat instead. So I refused to go, because I knew going to school would also cost money, and I didn't want my mother to suffer more. Besides, I already knew the things they taught in school. Therefore, on registration day, I ran away secretly.

  This was the first time I disobeyed my mother, and I was very scared and nervous, but I still insisted that I had grown up and couldn't burden my mother anymore. So, I stayed outside until it got dark before returning home timidly.

  That night was the first time I saw my mother cry in my memory. Even when life was difficult, she never shed a tear. I thought she would scold me or hit me, and I had already prepared myself mentally to bear it, but she didn't. She just hugged me and apologized again and again: "I'm sorry, Tianren, it's all my fault as a mother. I couldn't give you a normal family life, making you worry about these things at such a young age. I'm not a good mother!" I also cried, hugging her and saying: "No, it's not your fault, mom. It's me being naughty and not wanting to study. Don't cry, mom. I was wrong, and I'll listen to you from now on."

  In the dilapidated hut, we hugged each other and cried bitterly. It was the sorrow of a poor mother and son, something that people who have never experienced it would not understand. So from then on, I vowed to make a lot of money in this lifetime, let my mother live a good life, no longer wear clothes that had been patched up again and again, and no longer ask others for loans and endure their cold stares. Unfortunately, later I succeeded, but she didn't live to see the day.

  Long-term exhaustion plus mental stress, my mother finally gave up on me and left before I turned 10. That day, my uncle called me out of the classroom, and when I saw his red eyes, I had a bad premonition. I rushed home like crazy but still couldn't see her one last time, those warm hands were already cold.

  My sky has fallen from now on.

  Without my mother, I became a true orphan. My uncle and aunt were kind and voluntarily offered to raise me. I didn't want to be a burden on anyone, even thinking of going down to reunite with my mother, the rope was already hanging from the beam, but ultimately gave up the idea of taking my own life. Not because I was afraid, but because I remembered my mother's expectations and teachings for me. I wanted to make something of myself, become her pride, let all those who had scolded her know that she was a good woman, a good mother, rather than dying in a pitiful state, letting her be filled with regret and unable to rest in peace. So, I chose to go to my uncle's home.

  My uncle's family treated me very well, but my arrival added another layer of burden to their already strained household. I saw the worried expressions on my uncle and aunt's faces over money, and my cousins had to cut back on food and clothing in order to make ends meet for me. Although no one blamed me or gave me a hard time, I still felt uncomfortable, so I gritted my teeth and endured until elementary school graduation, when I chose to leave with just a piece of paper.

  Because I was underage and didn't have an ID, most jobs wouldn't hire me. So I could only find the dirtiest, most tiring, and lowest-paying odd jobs. In those two years, I worked as a kitchen helper, picked up trash, cleaned sewers, slept in bridge caves, lived in parks, and ate leftover food. No matter how bitter or tired I was, I gritted my teeth and endured it all because I had a conviction in my heart: I wanted to make something of myself, I wanted to make mom proud!

  Later, through introduction, I went to a construction site to move bricks. Although it was very tiring, I was happy because I finally had a stable job and didn't have to change jobs every few days. After half a year, my originally fair skin became darkened to a bronze color, and my originally slender fingers developed thick calluses, making them look a bit ugly. My mother would feel heartbroken if she knew, so when I was free, I would hide my hands in my pockets, afraid that she would see them.

  Chinese New Year is approaching, I'm so excited. The foreman said that the wages will be paid at the end of the year, and with the money, I can buy a ticket back home! It's been a long time since I left, I don't know if anyone has weeded my mother's grave for her, or how my cousin's family is doing. I can buy them some things. Next year I'll be 16 years old, no longer a child laborer, and I can find a daytime job and go to night school to study...

  With a good vision, on the 25th day of the Lunar New Year, I got up early and went to the construction site with some colleagues to settle accounts. As a result... I was informed that the contractor had run away.

  Run away?!!

  Yes. The people at the construction site told us so.

  Will half a year's hard work be in vain? Can't go back home this year again?

  I'm resentful and hateful, at that moment I really had a strong urge to kill someone.

  I went to reason with them, but ended up being beaten half to death. As I lay on the ground, unable to move, spitting out blood and froth from my mouth, I was really scared. I'm not afraid of dying, but I'm afraid of dying in such a miserable way, without dignity, and not being able to see my mother again. What's more, I'm afraid of dying in this foreign land and becoming a wandering soul, unable to even catch a glimpse of her. So, I begged for mercy, and they didn't want things to escalate further, so they let me off.

  But I really need this money! Really need it!

  After going back, I thought carefully about it. The contractor ran away, but the project is still there. The owner is a very famous big company, and we can try to find them.

  But I didn't expect that this trip would change my life from then on.

  The man who looked 30% like me took me back to that mansion where countless people yearned for, but was full of intrigue and deception. There, I understood what "feud among the wealthy" and "brotherly strife" meant.

  In the end, I still won and became the sole owner of that mansion.

  With thoughts of my mother, gratitude towards my uncle's family and nostalgia for my hometown, I returned to C city after a long absence.

  I was full of joy and excitement, but I never thought that the one person closest to me, my last remaining family member, would deal me such a crushing blow. In the moment I woke up in the water, my heart turned to ashes.

  Then I met her.

  But it turned out to be just a fake "her".

  Fate has played another trick on me.

  For that fake "her", I first tried to cooperate with her, letting her seduce her ex-husband. As straight as she was, it was impossible for her to agree. Then I came up with another plan, getting Jiangzi to knock her out and then sending her to the bed of her drugged ex-husband. Although nothing happened between them in the end, the hurt she suffered was enough to pain me for a lifetime. Finally, I even forced her out of the country, forever forcing her out of my world.

  All of these were done by me.

  How could it be me who did it?

  Heavens! Why must I go through all this? Why are you treating me like this?!

  I used to think that after my mother left, there was nothing in this world that I couldn't let go of or give up on. Even if I lost something temporarily, I could rely on my own abilities to take it back and even have something better, until that day when I realized I was wrong.

  Losing her, my life turned from gray and white to complete darkness.

  At that time, the wound on my back had not healed yet. Every day, I had to go to the hospital for dressing and examination, and then went to see that fake "her" as usual, listened to her and her mother's nagging, and then returned to the company to deal with official duties. That day was no exception.

  I still remember that when the car was about to arrive at the company building, I received a call from the C City Public Security Bureau. At first, I thought it was about Lin Chenghua, for whom I had collected bribery evidence through someone I knew. But unexpectedly, the other party asked: "Mr. Lou, on x year x month x day around 10 pm, where were you? Were you thrown into a small stream near xx community in C City?"

  My heart skipped a beat, how did the police know! "Yes, I was thrown into the creek by someone, but later rescued, and there's no evidence, so I didn't report it to the police." I wasn't thinking of covering up for my uncle's family, if you do something wrong, you should pay the price, let alone murder, this is a different story from repaying kindness.

  "It's like this, someone anonymously sent us a video, which should be the person who saved you. The video shows the whole process of you being thrown into the water, as well as a scene of you being rescued afterwards, and a simple description of the time and place. We have already arrested the suspect based on this material, and you need to come and identify them."

  "This is impossible. The person who saved me clearly said that she didn't see anyone throwing me down, and she's already become my wife." I subconsciously dared not to believe it.

  "This we're not clear about, but we did receive a video like this."

  "Did you get a shot of that person?" I asked anxiously. For some reason, more than the evidence, I was concerned about who had saved me. There was a strange premonition in my heart, feeling that a huge truth was approaching.

  "No, the other party should not want us or you to know, no identity information was left behind, and her appearance was not captured, only the hand that performed CPR on you, it should be a young woman."

  "Alright, I'm on my way to the capital right now. Please keep this video safe and also help me investigate the other party's lead. I want to thank her in person." After hanging up the phone, my heart was filled with mixed emotions. If this person saved me, then what about the one in the hospital? For a moment, I was stunned and didn't dare think further.

  "Quickly, turn around and go to the airport, I want to take the earliest flight back to C City."

  "Good boss."

  A few hours later, I arrived in C City and went straight to the office of the Director of Public Security.

  "Director Wang, have you found out who it is?"

  "Mr. Lou, originally according to our regulations, when a witness provides clues but does not want to reveal their identity to the parties involved, we are required to keep it confidential. However, considering you are trying to repay a favor and this is a special situation, we also want to further understand the case, so we issued an investigation letter to the courier company that sent the package. The courier company just replied to us, and the video was sent from this address, the sender is a woman named 'Ji Xiaogu'."

  "What did you say? What's his name?" I thought I had auditory hallucinations, and grabbed the director of public security's arm without regard for my demeanor.

  "Mr. Lou, calm down, according to the express company's records, the sender is a woman named Ji Xiaogu, but whether she is the one who saved you or not cannot be confirmed at present, because she has already left the country and we are currently trying to contact her. Do you know her?"

  I didn't listen to what she said afterwards, no need to investigate further, I had a hunch it was her!

  Ji Xiaogu, Ji Xiaogu! Haha haha haha, how is that possible? Is heaven playing a joke on me? How could it be her?!

  But somehow, a voice in my heart tells me that she is the one who saved me that night, and is the "dream girl" who appears in my dreams every night.

  Because I had made a mistake once before, this time no matter what, I couldn't afford to make another one. I forced myself to calm down and think through the process of that day.

  If it was Ji Xiaogu who saved me, then where did she go afterwards? Why did I see Yang Ningning when I woke up the next day? What exactly happened that night?

  A complete muddle in my mind.

  Yes! And there's a hospital! Suddenly an idea struck me.

  "Director Wang, would you please check the hospital's 120 emergency records for that night and see who made the emergency call and who sent me to the hospital, was it Ji Xiaogu or this woman?" I took out Yang Ningning's photo from my phone and handed it to Director Wang.

  "Alright, please wait."

  Director Wang arranged for it to be done immediately and ordered the police officer to go and investigate. I waited in his office, every minute and second was torture.

  I hope it's that outcome, but I'm also afraid it's that outcome.

  A police officer came over and asked me to identify the perpetrator, but I didn't have the heart to, so I put it off for a while.

  However, from start to finish I didn't think of going to Yang Ningning for verification because I already don't know if I can still believe her or not.

  While searching here, Ji Zai also searched for Qixiao Gu's address and phone number abroad according to my instructions.

  The police were very efficient and the results came out half an hour later, which indeed showed Ji Xiaogu's phone number on the call records, but when medical personnel arrived, they found Yang Ningning instead.

  What's going on? Did they save me together? It's impossible with their relationship. Or did Ji Xiaogu save me and then abandon me, only for Yang Ningning to pass by and send me to the hospital later? Still full of doubts.

  The truth of the matter is probably only known to the two of them, but at least one thing can be proven: it was not Yang Ningning who saved me from the water, but rather Ji Xiaoguang. And the person I dream about every night is also her!

  It's all wrong!

  She saved me, but I...

  Why didn't she tell the truth every time we met, why did she let me be kept in the dark, for a moment, I even resented her, why did she make me such an unkind and unjust person! Why did she let me know the truth after I had paid my true heart!

  Ji Xiaogu, you're so ruthless!

  But thinking of our relationship, every time I see her it's always to bully Yang Ningning, and even secretly making her so miserable, what right does she have to say anything? With her pride, she wouldn't deign to use this kindness to ask me for anything, maybe in her heart she looks down on me. Thinking of this, my body's blood seemed to retreat, feeling a chill to the bone.

  I did a sloppy job of writing down what happened and identifying my cousin and younger brother. I left the police station.

  That night, I lay alone on the hotel bed, with a tablet playing the video that Zǐzi had given me. Although my heart knew it was better not to watch, and watching would definitely make me feel unwell, I still couldn't control myself and clicked play.

  Looking at her struggling so desperately, I turned red-eyed. It's all because of me, it's all because of me!

  It was my self-righteousness and arrogance that led her to suffer such harm.

  Every time she hits, my heart twitches. When the bright red blood flows down her forehead, my tears finally fall, and I slam them onto the screen.

  I'm sorry, really sorry. I stroked the frozen white face on the screen, apologizing repeatedly like a fool, hugging my tablet and imagining holding her in my arms.

  I really want to protect her...

  But what qualifications do I have? I am the culprit of all this.

  This is the first time I've cried since my mother passed away, for her.

  I don't know when I fell asleep, but in my dream, I saw her again. This time, I finally got a clear look at her face - it was definitely her! Xiaogu, my Xiaogu! I excitedly tried to hug her, but she gradually became transparent and turned into foam right before my eyes, flying away. I didn't catch her.

  The next day, I was restless and my mind was filled with last night's dreams. I kept telling myself that dreams are the opposite of reality, they're all opposite. Zhang Zhi hesitated and stuttered several times, wanting to speak but stopping himself, and I didn't bother him either. Later, he finally couldn't bear it anymore and confessed some things to me again.

  It turns out that Yang Ningning's lies to me went far beyond this one thing. It was because of her interference that Xiao Gu would divorce Lin Chenghua. This pair of vicious people even forced her to have an abortion, leaving her alone and helpless, with no choice but to flee to a distant land. And when she returned home for a visit, they again repeatedly pressured her. How could they, how dare they...!

  Thinking of the hardships she endured, my heart aches like being cut with a knife. Especially when I think that her suffering also has something to do with me, it's unbearable for me, and I couldn't help but slap myself several times.

  Xiao Gu, my Xiao Gu...

  Something so simple, Zhenzi could have figured it out in one night, and yet I was deceived for so long. Who can I blame? Who else can I blame?!

  Apart from that pair of dog man and woman, the one who was wrong the most is myself.

  Is there still a chance to make up for it? I dare not think of the answer.

  I couldn't wait any longer, I just wanted to fly to her side as soon as possible, even if I hadn't found a way to contact her yet, and insisted on flying to Paris that night.

  Two days later, I finally saw her in her studio.

  At that moment, I knew it was her. All the things that didn't make sense in the past suddenly had an explanation.

  I have a heart full of love to express, gratitude, confession and promise.

  However, she calmly replied to me: "Mr. Lou, if you want to know what happened that night, I can tell you. Yes, it was me who witnessed the process of you being thrown into the water and took a video of it. I also pulled you out of the water. Later, due to an emergency at home, my grandmother was hospitalized, so I had to leave. Afraid that your enemies would return and harm you again, I handed you over to another passerby, who is now your wife, Ms. Yang. I don't know how she explained it to you afterwards, but this is the truth."

  "Why didn't you tell me several times we met? If you had told me, I wouldn't have..." I couldn't help but ask her.

  "What do you think I should say in that situation, would you believe me? And saving you was just a simple matter of lifting my hand, out of civic duty and conscience, not to gain anything from you. Besides, even if it wasn't me who saved you, were the things you did to me justified? Since our values are different, Mr. Lou, please leave, I've received your thanks, and don't forget what you promised me before, I just want to live a peaceful life."

  At this moment, I finally understood how important my mother's words were. One misstep, every step is wrong. She was like her mother, with a gentle appearance but strong principles inside, not allowing even a grain of sand in her eyes.

  I almost fled in disarray, like a clown, although I was reluctant to leave, but what face do I have to stay? I'm more afraid of deepening her disgust and hatred for me, the current coldness is already enough for me. All I want to do is deal with domestic affairs as soon as possible, including my marriage, and then spend the rest of my life making up for it and getting her forgiveness.

  After returning to the capital, I found Yang Ningning and laid my cards on the table. I didn't want to pursue past matters anymore, as long as she was willing to divorce me. I thought I had been more than kind and righteous towards her, and even offered to give her some money so that she could get some treatment for her face. It wouldn't be worse than the current situation, and it would be a compensation for when she sent me to the hospital in the first place. We would then be even.

  It's not that I haven't thought of getting revenge for Xiaogu, it's just that with her personality, she wouldn't stoop to doing something like that. She probably wouldn't be happy if I did either. I don't dare act rashly, afraid of upsetting her even a little bit. I want to try my best to be a man she admires and is satisfied with, at least be a good person.

  But Yang Ningning has been making progress inch by inch. Not only did she cling to me and refuse to divorce, but also used those indecent language to insult and scold Xiaogu every day, even cursed her, and I found out that she was trying to hire someone to abort Xiaogu's pregnancy and sell the news to the media.

  I can finally no longer bear it, even if I go to hell, I will not let anyone harm Xiaogu by a single hair, this is what I owe her.

  So, during her crucial surgery, I had the doctor operate on her hands and feet. Her face, which could no longer be restored, became completely disfigured.

  Later on, she became addicted to plastic surgery and agreed to my divorce for the sake of surgical fees. I finally regained my freedom and this mistaken marriage came to an end, I breathed a sigh of relief.

  Later on, Xiaogu also got married, to a foreigner. Although it was heart-wrenching, I still hoped she could be happy, even if the person who made her happy wasn't me.

  Later on, perhaps moved by my sincerity and remorse, Xiaogu finally forgave me and we became friends. Every quarter I would fly all the way to France to have her tailor a suit for me. She would carefully take my measurements, accompany me in selecting fabrics, and sometimes even scold me for not taking care of myself, saying I had lost weight again. I would deny it with my mouth, but secretly feel happy that she still cared about me. Only at those moments could I fantasize that she was my wife, and we were a family.

  She gave birth to two beautiful mixed-blood children, a boy and a girl. The kids are lovely and well-behaved, they politely call me uncle, sometimes even ask me to hold them and tell them stories. My favorite story to tell is: In the depths of the sea, lives the Sea King and his six beautiful daughters...

  Every time it's mentioned that the little mermaid turned into foam and disappeared at sea, Princess Alisha would become sad and fall into my arms. Then I'd hold her and comfort her, telling her that the real ending wasn't like that, the little mermaid lived happily with the prince. And then she'd burst out laughing.

  This is also my wish.

  I'm very satisfied with this life, if there's a next life, mom, please bless me to meet her at the right time and not miss it again. We, and our children, will be happy together as a family forever. Is that okay?

  ...