Could this have been my past life? So utterly pathetic.

At twenty-one, Shu Nian had returned to her homeland, sitting within the lavish study of the Shu family estate.

Suddenly, she collapsed backward from the ornately carved wooden chair in the exquisite study.

The world around her twisted and shifted.

In an instant, the scene froze upon a familiar cobblestone alleyway.

At the alley’s entrance:

“Shu Nian, I know I’ve wronged you, but you understand long-distance relationships come with no guarantees, especially ones across countries. Isn’t that to be expected?”

A renowned, tall, and handsome man felt a flicker of guilt, but it quickly vanished.

After all, she never even let me hold her hand, let alone kiss or sleep with me.

A playful smile curled at his lips as he turned and embraced a finely made-up woman.

“I just happened to meet someone who truly moves my heart.”

Beside him, a gentlemanly-looking man chimed in, “Yeah, Shu Nian, you’ve been away for so long. Even if he hadn’t met anyone, Yun Yang would still have his physical needs.”

Shu Nian knew that man to be Yu Zhixing, Yun Yang’s close friend.

He believed that as long as it didn’t harm his interests, his friends could be with whomever they wished.

And in critical moments, it was acceptable to defend a friend’s reputation.

Hearing Yu Zhixing’s words, others cast mocking glances at Shu Nian.

One even sneered, “Look, you shouldn’t be playing the mistress. Take us for example—we can at least fulfill your basic needs. Who knows?”

They appraised her from head to toe, their sticky, lecherous gaze making her skin crawl.

“Did you have anyone… abroad?”

Everyone understood what the unfinished sentence implied.

Yet they stood there like spectators at a show.

No one came to her defense.

Shu Nian felt suffocated, unable to breathe.

It was as if the entire sky had flipped upside down.

No matter how she tried, she could neither escape nor hide.

“Alright, alright, Shu Nian, come here. Let me introduce you to a girl. She’s kind and wonderful—you’ll definitely like her.”

Someone broke the awkward silence.

Following the crowd’s gaze, Shu Nian looked toward the woman Yun Yang was holding.

Indeed, the woman was petite and delicate.

Everyone present then turned their eyes to Shu Nian, the woman, and Yun Yang.

Their expressions blended schadenfreude, amusement, and disdain—it was quite the spectacle.

Yu Zhixing thought, Yun Yang, with this girlfriend, was cunning and fond of elevating himself by putting others down—not someone to trust.

The woman beside him extended a fair, slender hand.

“Let me introduce myself—I’m Yun Yang’s legitimate girlfriend, Lin Rui. You can call me Ruìruì.”

“Oh, and by the way, you’re welcome to attend my wedding next time.”

Her voice was soft and fragile, stirring a protective instinct in others.

But her challenging gaze was as sharp as a blade, stabbing Shu Nian’s heart with agony.

Hidden among the crowd, a woman stepped before Shu Nian, glancing at Lin Rui.

“Oh, Ruìruì, you’re something else. Look, she doesn’t appreciate it, yet you still foolishly shake her hand.”

Zhang Hong then cast a contemptuous look at Shu Nian.

“Is she really from a wealthy family? Such poor upbringing.”

Zhang Hong was a woman who thrived on belittling others to elevate herself.

Yun Yang, seeing the provocative looks from the two women beside him, glanced at Shu Nian with satisfaction.

Deep down, he thought Shu Nian far too proud, even beyond his own awareness.

Shu Nian clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.

The pain brought her clarity, tears silently streaming down.

Those were the first tears Shu Nian had ever shed in public.

Her alluring, fox-like eyes brimmed with sorrow.

She had always cried alone, hidden away in her room.

The expressions of those around her shifted slightly.

Yun Yang felt a pang of heartache, fleeting as it was.

His so-called friends merely looked on with the urge to humiliate her.

At that moment, she felt an inexplicable sense of relief wash over her.

It was time to let go of him.

Perhaps it was because her obsession ran too deep, or because she loved Yun Yang too much, but she somehow became a pawn of the law.

Later, after schemes against Lin Rui, she was heartlessly sold by the male lead to the world’s largest organ trafficking center—betrayed body and soul, meeting a gruesome, incomplete death.

Shu Nian slowly opened her eyes; her forehead still ached slightly.

A pair of steady, strong hands gently moved her clenched fists away and touched her forehead.

She looked at the man’s anxious expression and concerned tone.

“Are you alright? How could you faint just sitting in the study? Your health is really poor.”

Her elder brother, Shu Han, spoke before Shu Nian could respond.

Beside him, a cautious woman glanced at Shu Nian.

“Let’s not disturb her. Your sister is still resting.”

Her stepmother, He Xun, looked at Shu Nian lying on the bed, her eyes slowly opening.

Her face momentarily stiffened.

This girl was even more beautiful now—what about my Rou’er?

Shu Nian’s father observed his daughter’s dazed face.

One moment flushed pale and red, the next a swirl of dark hues.

He found it amusing; his daughter was even more withdrawn than before after studying abroad.

He then gently ushered the two women out, carefully closing the door behind them.

He reminded Shu Nian to rest well.

Shu Nian still hadn’t fully grasped what had happened.

They had left her alone, while she remained immersed in her own world.

Could this be her past life?

In her previous life, the man she loved, Yun Yang, had agonized endlessly.

It seemed she had gone abroad to become independent and strong, aspiring to be the mistress of the Yun family.

But she never imagined that upon her return, she would witness such a scene.

Even Shu Nian herself found it ridiculous.

She walked to the bathroom, gazed into the mirror, washed her face, and admired her own stunning beauty.

She studied the exquisitely gorgeous face reflected back at her.

A faint smile tugged at her lips, adding a touch of rebellious pride.

Her skin was plump with collagen.

She gently touched her cheek, fingertips gliding over the delicate flesh.

The woman in the mirror embodied both a fierce beauty and the innocence and vivacity of youth.

These qualities blended perfectly, leaving a lasting impression.

Now, thinking back:

I must have awakened memories from my past life. I’ve only just returned to the country.

Fortunately, I haven’t cried or been in a pitiful state, nor faced life-or-death moments.

I’m still this beautiful.

Now, Shu Nian felt an overwhelming lightness.

When what is to come unfolds, I will despise myself.

Heaven has allowed me to awaken; I can defy fate.

Shu Nian felt terrifyingly strong.

At only twenty, she had graduated from Harvard and conducted three years of mathematical research during university.

At twenty-one, she was hired as an assistant professor at the University of California, becoming the youngest professor in the school’s history.

Though her future was bright and flourishing, her thoughts remained haunted by that scoundrel Yun Yang.

A year later, she resigned her professorship and returned home.

Later, after her family went bankrupt and provoked by Lin Rui, she entered the entertainment industry.

Recalling this brought a pang of heartache—perhaps a lingering aftereffect.

She struggled through the entertainment world and eventually became an award-winning actress, for the influence of such fame was immense.

She had hoped to use that influence to destroy Lin Rui’s chances for redemption, yet it backfired on her.

Now, she realized how foolish she had been in her last life, blinded by love.

You speak of influence, but who can truly compete with capital?

Alas, Yun Yang was capital itself—a commoner fighting capital is a fool’s dream.

The end was inevitable: she died without a grave.

This time, I will amass wealth, wealth, wealth—important enough to say it countless times.

I will become capital myself, keep far away from those two scumbags Yun Yang and Lin Rui.

Then find an opportunity for revenge; I know them well.

I will never be blinded by love again. Let all worthless men and women get lost.

I will achieve financial freedom.

At that moment, her phone rang...