Chapter 2
As the youngest son of the wealthy Lin family in Shanghai, **Lin Mian** had always been treated like a priceless treasure. Growing up, his parents never said the word “no” to him, and his older siblings shielded him from every harsh reality of the world. But indulgence breeds arrogance. By the time Lin Mian turned twenty-two, the sweet, pampered boy had morphed into a notorious, short-tempered socialite. His days were spent sleeping off hangovers, and his nights were swallowed by the flashing neon lights of high-end clubs, expensive wine, and explosive tantrums whenever things didn’t go his way.
The morning of his turning point started like any other, heavy with the scent of premium coffee and fried dumplings in the grand dining room.
Lin Mian slumped into his chair, his head throbbing from the previous night’s dissipation. At the head of the table sat his father, Master Lin, whose face was unusually stern.
“Xiao Mian,” Master Lin started, setting his teacup down with a heavy thud. “This lifestyle of yours ends today. You are a man now. It’s time you change your ways and start working at the family company.”
Lin Mian’s older brother, Lin Heng, and his older sister, Lin Ran, nodded in unison. “Xiao Mian, Dad is right. We’ve managed the business for years, it’s time you learn the ropes,” Lin Heng added gently.
Sitting across from Lin Mian was Lu Chen, his childhood friend. Lu Chen’s parents were currently out of the country expanding their international business, leaving the grand Lu mansion empty and lonely. Because of this, Lu Chen often joined the Lin family for breakfast. He was the epitome of the perfect heir-composed, brilliant, and secretly harboring a deep, unspoken affection for the chaotic Lin Mian.
Hearing the lecture, Lu Chen looked at Lin Mian and softly chimed in, “Xiao Mian, your father is just looking out for you. Maybe it’s time to take things seriously. I can help guide you at the office.”
Instead of listening, the advice felt like a coordinated attack to Lin Mian’s alcohol-fueled pride. He snapped.
“Who do you all think you are?!” Lin Mian shrieked, slamming his hands on the table, knocking over a glass of orange juice. “You think I’m a burden? And you, Lu Chen-you don’t even belong to this family! Don’t tell me what to do!”
Before anyone could soothe his rage, Lin Mian stormed out of the dining room. Blinded by tears of anger and a pounding headache, he threw open the front gates of the estate and bolted straight into the main road. He didn’t look left. He didn’t look right.
The sharp, deafening blare of a car horn pierced the morning air.
Lin Mian turned his head just in time to see a speeding black sedan. The driver slammed on the brakes, tyres screeching against the asphalt, but the momentum was too great.
*BANG.*
Inside the house, the family and Lu Chen heard the horrific crash. Heartbeats skipped. They rushed outside only to be greeted by a nightmare: Lin Mian’s broken body lay in a pool of crimson on the asphalt. He had died instantly.
Madam Lin collapsed, wailing in agonizing grief, while Master Lin aged ten years in a second. Lin Mian’s siblings froze in pure horror. Lu Chen dropped to his knees beside the body, his face pale as ash, trembling violently as he clutched Lin Mian’s cold hand, tears streaming down his face in a silent, broken sob.
Floating just above the scene, Lin Mian’s soul watched everything. He saw the pooling blood, the shattered pieces of his family, and the profound, devastating grief in Lu Chen’s eyes.
A wave of suffocating regret washed over his spirit *What have I done? Why was I so foolish?*
As his vision began to fade into a dark abyss, Lin Mian wept bitter ghostly tears, making a desperate vow to the universe: *If I am ever given a second chance… if I could just be born again… I promise I will change. I will protect them. I won’t be a monster anymore.*
To be continue
