Chapter 2: Revival in Despair

Pain! Her body ached with pain. Her wrist was in agony. The pain was inescapable! Jian Jianan eyes flew open. Her eyes still burned with lingering hatred. “Nannan, are you awake?” “Sister Nannan…” Jian Jianan’s left hand was gripped by another hand that was big, warm, and rough. Her other hand was held by one that was soft and tiny. The steady warmth from both put her heart at ease. She peered at the two concerned faces. Suddenly, her face turned ashen and she sat upright in the bed. Her pale face was wrought with disbelief and touched with a spark of excitement. “Dad… Little Bei… You two…” ‘What is happening? Wasn’t she murdered by Xiao Yihan, Qi Xiaorou, and Qi Xiuli? Didn’t she die on an operating table? Why is she at home? Also, wasn’t her father killed in that car accident? What was most important was Little Bei. Didn’t he pass away in an unfortunate accident five years ago? How could he be right in front of her? Dear God, was she dreaming? Or was she already dead, and she had been reunited with her father and younger brother in Hell?’ A series of questions ran through Jian Jianan’s mind. The surge of pain in her wrist was so intense and impossible to ignore. Noticing the surprise on her face, Jian Ansheng asked, in a worried tone, “Nannan, are you alright? Is your wrist in a lot of pain?” ‘Wrist? Indeed, why did her wrist hurt so much?’ she thought. She lowered her head to take a look. Her wrist was wrapped in a white gauze. ‘That couldn’t be right. Her lower abdomen and her eyes were definitely the parts that were injured when she was on that operating table. Why would her wrist be hurting instead?’ She recalled a time when she had hurt her wrist. It was five years ago! ‘Five years ago? Little Bei was still alive!’ “Father…” Jian Jianan gripped Jian Ansheng’s hands in desperation. She anxiously asked her father, her voice tremulous. “What year is it?” “It’s August of 2012. Nannan, are you okay? Don’t frighten your father. No. I better call you a doctor…” “Dad…” Jian Jianan held Jian Ansheng back. “I’m fine, I’m just kidding.” 2012. This meant that she had traveled back in time five years! She looked around the room. It was definitely hers. Not the room she had in the 2017. It was hers from five years ago. At the time, rumors had circulated saying that doomsday would take place on December 21, 2012. That was why her room was full of statues of gods like Buddha, Guan Yin, and, from the West, Jesus. When it turned out the apocalypse did not come, she moved all of them to her storeroom the morning of the 22nd. She felt an instant rush of excitement and gratitude, alongside a mixture of undecided emotions. Jian Jianan gave Jian Ansheng and Jian Huaibei a hug. “Father, Little Bei, this time, I’m not letting either of you leave me ever again!” Tears streamed down her face as she cried. Jian Ansheng pat her back, trying to comfort her. “Silly child, please don’t do anything so reckless again. If you don’t want to, I’m not going to force you to marry the Gu family. But, how could you do such a stupid thing? Sigh, your father is to blame. I didn’t know you were so in love with Xiao Yihan. The marriage between the Gu and Jian families was organised by your mother while she was still alive. I don’t know what I’m going to tell her if you break off the engagement. Nevermind, forget it. After all, my daughter’s happiness is most important…” Jian Jianan snapped her head towards Jian Ansheng. That confirmed it, she had gone back five years. During that time, she was already in love with Xiao Yihan, a doctor. She had only learned that she was engaged to the Gu family when she wanted to be with Xiao Yihan. She had wanted to break off the engagement, but her father opposed it. Because of that, she threw a tantrum so extreme she, in the end, slashed her wrist to force her father into agreeing. As a result of the ordeal, the relationship between the Jian and Gu families had worsened. Remembering this, Jian Jianan spoke, her voice stern. “Father… I don’t want to cancel the engagement…” “Ahh, but didn’t you…” His daughter cut her wrist and nearly lost her life just to end the engagement. Why was she suddenly behaving differently now? “I don’t know if it’s because I almost died, but I have a clearer mind now. To be honest, the Gu family isn’t that bad. I don’t want to make mother upset too…” “But the Gu family has agreed to dissolve the engagement…” Jian Jianan frowned. In her previous life, she recalled that the Gu family agreed to calling off the engagement immediately. The Gu family was reputable; they would never have tolerated her recklessness. Back then, the Gu and Jian family made the same official statements: that the arranged marriage was just a little joke among adults. Now that they were older, the children had their own respective crushes, and thus, the engagement was called off. After some thought, Jian Jianan firmly said. “Father, I don’t want you to worry about this. Your daughter knows what to do!” Jian Ansheng amiably pat her on the back. “Nannan, to tell you the truth, I only care about your happiness. Nothing else matters!” Jian Jianan’s eyes teared up instantly. “Father, I’m sorry… and thank you too…” If she had not been so reckless in the past, Xiao Yihan might not have killed her father! “Alright, you should rest. I’ll ask the kitchen staff to cook your favorite mushroom and chicken porridge!” “Okay!” “Little Bei, come with me. Let your sister rest for a while!” “But…” “Father, it’s fine. I want to stay with him a little longer!” He nodded with a smile as he watched Jian Huaibei crawl under Jian Jianan’s quilt. “Alright then. However, Nannan, you must let me know if you’re not feeling well!” “Okay, I will!” After Jian Ansheng left, Jian Jianan embraced Jian Huaibei’s tiny figure. “Little Bei, your sister missed you so much!” She had a lump in her throat and started to weep again. Jian Jianan could still remember the winter break when Jian Huaibei passed away. She kept pestering Xiao Yihan to bring her to ski in Harbin. They had barely had enough fun when she received her father’s call telling her that an accident had taken Little Bei away. Little Bei had a Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (CIP). The common explanation was that he could not feel pain, even if he was injured. It was exceptionally dangerous, because he would not even notice blood draining from him. If she was correct, the kindergarten had brought the students sightseeing at the wild animal park. During the trip, Little Bei had gotten off the safari bus and an animal had bitten him. The attempt to resuscitate him had failed, and he lost too much blood before he could get to the hospital. She hurried back home, but she never got to see his final moments. All she saw was his cold, dead body. There was no pain on his face. Instead, there was a faint smile. In her old life, she regretted this incident the most. In this new chance at life, she would not let this mishap repeat itself. She could not live with those regrets again. However, back then, she thought that Little Bei’s death was just a tragic accident. But now, she dared not say if it was really an accident or a disaster engineered by someone else. Little Bei was a great and obedient boy. Her father and her had always talked to him about safety awareness because of his CIP. Why would he open the door and get off the bus? In this new life, she must protect her father and Little Bei at all costs. She would not let those bi*ches do whatever they pleased! “Little Bei is right at sister’s side and sister still misses Little Bei?” “Yes, I miss… I miss you terribly!” After a little while, someone knocked on the door. “Come in!” “Sister, are you feeling better?” Jian Jianan’s eyes were filled with spite the moment she saw Qi Xiaorou. Yes, in the past, Qi Xiaorou always kept her company and cared for her whenever she was sick. She would tell Qi Xiaorou anything and everything. She treated her like a younger sister. But, now, she knew Qi Xiaorou had another motive… ‘Qi Xiaorou, don’t you dare try deceiving me this time!’ she thought. Instead, Jian Jianan replied, with a tender smile, “Yes, I’m feeling better now! Why are you here?” “You just woke up and you’re still weak, so I brought you your mushroom and chicken porridge! Come, eat it while it’s hot!” Qi Xiaorou scooped a spoonful of porridge and brought it to Jian Jianan’s mouth. Jian Jianan opened her mouth wide and, just as she was just about to eat, she let out a sudden sneeze. The porridge splattered all over Qi Xiaorou’s face. “Oh no, Xiaorou, I’m so sorry…“ Jian Huaibei was delighted . “Sister Xiaorou, your face looks so funny!” Qi Xiaorou glared at Jian Huaibei. She was mad, but a smile graced her face. “Oh don’t worry about it. I’m sure it was unintentional…” “What if I said it was intentional?”