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 stepped out of the mansion dressed in his crisp white school uniform. The pristine fabric gave him an air of nobility, though the effect was somewhat ruined by his unkempt long hair.

"I'll deal with this later," he muttered to himself as he approached the waiting car. Standing by the door was a 70-year-old man in immaculate butler attire. "Good morning, Elder Wu," Lu Chen greeted with a respectful nod.

Elder Wu had served the Lu family for two generations, having worked under Lu Chen's grandfather before serving his father. The old butler returned the greeting with a warm smile. "Good morning, young master. The car is ready for you." He opened the door of the black limousine with practiced ease.

As the car pulled away from the mansion, Lu Chen gazed out the window, lost in thought. The question of how to change the past occupied his mind. There were countless possibilities, but he needed to determine the most effective path forward.

First, he needed to establish his temporal coordinates. "Elder Wu, what's today's date?" The question came suddenly but was delivered with calm precision.

"Today is May 10th, young master," Elder Wu replied without missing a beat, his eyes remaining on the road.

May 10th. That gives me about a month, Lu Chen calculated silently. Enough time to properly prepare for the gaokao exams. In his previous life, he had barely studied for the crucial tests, resulting in abysmal scores. Only his father's influence and generous donations had secured him admission to a decent university.

The realization brought a quiet sigh of relief. At least he'd been sent back far enough to correct most of his past mistakes. But one immediate change demanded attention.

"Elder Wu, please take me to a barbershop after school today. I need a haircut." The request was simple, but it caused the veteran butler's hands to momentarily tighten on the steering wheel.

The young master wanted to cut his hair? After three years of stubbornly maintaining his long locks, only trimming split ends when absolutely necessary? Elder Wu waited until they stopped at a red light before turning to study Lu Chen's face. "Are you certain about this, young master?"

Lu Chen met his gaze steadily. "Quite certain. It's become a nuisance - blocking my vision, requiring constant care. With summer approaching, it's only going to get worse. I could tie it up, but I'd rather be rid of it entirely."

The light turned green. "Understood," Elder Wu said as he resumed driving. "I'll locate a suitable salon by the end of the school day."

"Thank you, Elder Wu." The words carried genuine gratitude, another surprise for the old butler. It had been years since the young master had expressed thanks so sincerely.

Elder Wu shook his head slightly. "No thanks necessary, young master. I'm simply performing my duties."

"Nevertheless, I appreciate it," Lu Chen replied softly before turning his attention back to the passing scenery. He understood Elder Wu's surprise perfectly. Looking back, his reasons for keeping the long hair had been embarrassingly childish. A quiet chuckle escaped him as he remembered his former self's foolish vanity.

Change Part 1