Midas_goldturner

Lying in a pool of his own blood, Lu Chen watches helplessly as his wife clings to another man. His vision blurs, but the betrayal is crystal clear. Rage burns in his veins, but his body is too weak to move. Powerless, he can only watch as his life slips away. The final words he hears before darkness claims him are cold and mocking:
"You will always be nothing but second place."

A bullet rips through his chest, sealing his fate.

As the light fades, waves of regret wash over Lu Chen. The faces of those he neglected—those who once loved and trusted him—haunt his dying thoughts. If only he had cherished them. If only he had a second chance.

But fate isn't done with him yet.

Inexplicably, Lu Chen awakens to find himself in his 18-year-old body. The same face. The same youth. But with memories of betrayal and death still fresh in his mind. It seems the heavens have granted him the chance he so desperately wished for.

No longer the naive man who lost everything, Lu Chen is determined to rewrite his future. With the wisdom of his past and a heart hardened by pain, he vows to protect those who truly matter—and destroy those who once tore him apart.

But can he defy fate, or will the ghosts of his mistakes catch up with him once again?

3-chapters a day

From Shadows to Silver

Lu Chen stared into the bathroom mirror, his reflection still unfamiliar. I need to be certain. He raised his hand and—

"Ah!" A sharp pinch to his cheek left a red mark. The sting was undeniable.

"This is real!" The pain confirmed it—no dream, no illusion. He'd truly traveled back in time.

His brow furrowed. How? Time reversal defied all logic. And more importantly—why me? Of all people, why reward him, the arrogant fool who'd thrown everything away?

A second chance from the heavens? He nearly laughed at the absurdity—yet here he stood. If this was divine mercy, he wouldn't waste a single moment. Memories of his wasted life and lost family made his hands tremble.

I swear I'll change. The vow he'd once made for Liu Fei Fei now became his rebirth oath—to become someone worthy of this gift.

"Hey, Lu Chen! You giving birth in there? Move your ass!" Lu Hao's shout rattled the door.

...Maybe duct tape would solve two problems at once.

At the dining table, Lu Chen barely registered sitting down before his mother arrived with steaming pork buns. "Xiao Chen, I made your favorite—"

He didn't let her finish. The first bite unleashed a flood of memories—the savory pork, the crisp leeks, the warmth of home. He devoured them like a starved beast, cheeks bulging.

Lu Hao and Lu Aotian inched backward. "Slow down before you swallow your own hand," Lu Aotian warned, but Lu Chen couldn't stop. After years of Liu Fei Fei's cold meals, this was ambrosia.

His father's newspaper rustled as it lowered. "Change for school. Butler Wu leaves in five minutes." A stack of bills slid across the table. "Take extras and this spending money."

Three thousand yuan. The weight of the notes in his palm felt heavier than their monetary value. His father had always lived by one creed: Family above all. No sacrifice was too great for their safety.

Lu Chen's throat tightened. This—this was what he'd betrayed for a woman who'd never loved him. The warmth he'd foolishly abandoned now seared his soul with regret.

Never again. He'd guard this light with his life.

Return Part 2