Chapter 1: Reborn in School Days, Saving the School Beauty Bai Qingxia

"What did you say? The only vote I got when I ran for sports committee back then—wasn't it from Hu Caiwei?"

"But the handwriting was clearly hers."

Shadows flickered across the café. At thirty-two, Lu Yuanqiu, impeccably dressed in a suit, looked at the man sitting opposite him in astonishment, voicing his confusion.

The man’s name was Gao Qiang, a high school classmate of his. Gao Qiang took a small sip of his coffee and replied, "No, it wasn't her. We went to the same university, and she told me herself."

Lu Yuanqiu pondered for a moment, then suddenly let out a self-mocking laugh and picked up his coffee. "If it wasn’t her, then who was it?"

The memories surged back. That year, in his second year of high school, Lu Yuanqiu had mustered the courage to run for sports committee, but there were five other candidates. Even though he was now worth hundreds of millions, back then he had been at the bottom of the class.

During lessons, he was either in the classroom’s far corner with the troublemakers or standing by the podium as a disciplinary ‘bodyguard.’ Not only was he a poor student, but he was also seen as a ‘bad kid’—no one liked him.

But sports was his pride and joy.

He watched as all fifty-two classmates cast their votes for the other five boys, not a single one for him. Standing on the podium, he feigned indifference, a careless smile on his face, but inside, he was utterly dejected.

At that age, no one is truly carefree. Most are sensitive at heart. Lu Yuanqiu was no exception, especially in moments like this.

Until the last slip was pulled from the box.

He saw, written in sharp, elegant handwriting, his own name: "Lu Yuanqiu"—

That moment, his forced smile became genuine. He didn’t win the election, but the encouragement he received was immense.

Fifteen years later, he still remembered that slip of paper with gratitude. Whenever he found himself in adversity, he would recall the comfort of that moment.

As a certain stand-up comedian once said:

No matter the circumstances, as long as you bravely stay true to yourself, someone will love you.

But Lu Yuanqiu had always believed the one who "loved" him was Hu Caiwei.

He had half-heartedly admired her, but ever since that day, he had become more and more devoted.

Gao Qiang paused, then said, "Yuanqiu, do you remember that there was a girl in our class whose handwriting looked a lot like Hu Caiwei's? Even the teachers often mixed them up."

"Her name was Bai Qingxia."

In that instant, Lu Yuanqiu looked up.

His mind rang as if struck by a heavy blow.

Her? The girl whose life had ended fifteen years ago?

...

"Yuanqiu? What's wrong?"

"Yuanqiu?"

He could feel Gao Qiang shaking his arm, but the world was spinning before his eyes.

A glaring white light flooded his vision, and when he opened his eyes again, he was in a bedroom both familiar and strange.

Lu Yuanqiu sat on the bed, staring blankly at the red Jay hoodie hanging on the wall across from him.

His gaze fell to the basketball and guitar by the bed.

A terrifying thought struck him, and he quickly looked at the calendar on the wall.

Fifteen years ago...

He had returned to fifteen years ago!

Wait... August thirtieth?

August thirtieth, fifteen years ago!

Realizing this, Lu Yuanqiu leapt out of bed to put on his shoes, a wild smile on his face. He was so excited that his hands shook as he laced his shoes, fumbling twice before tying them into a bow.

He could never forget this day.

Today was the day before the start of senior year. That afternoon, while helping out at the family grocery store, he saw Bai Qingxia, a classmate, pocketing goods from the shelves on the security camera.

Since he barely knew her and had never spoken to her, Lu Yuanqiu chose to look the other way, sparing her embarrassment.

But the next day, he heard she had died in a car accident.

Crushed under a truck, her death was gruesome, her body unrecognizable.

The accident happened soon after she left the store.

Lu Yuanqiu remembered being in a daze for a long time upon hearing the news.

If only he hadn’t looked away that day—if only he’d stopped her, even if it embarrassed her—at least she would have lived.

He couldn’t recall the exact time of the accident, only that it was after 3 p.m. It was now two o’clock; there was still time.

Lu Yuanqiu raced out of the bedroom—he had to save her!

He had to pull the girl who had secretly voted for him back from the gates of hell!

In the living room, his fourteen-year-old sister sat on a chair, picking at her toes.

Their mother had just come out of the kitchen, removing her apron, her hair still jet black.

"Oh, Qiu’er, your father’s gone for supplies. Go watch the store."

"I know!"

Lu Yuanqiu, elated, rushed forward and gave his mother a big hug.

His attractive mother blinked in surprise.

His sister shot him a look of disdain, but Lu Yuanqiu just pointed at her and said playfully, "Don’t worry, I’ll come back and hug you tonight."

Lu Yidong, his younger sister, jumped off her stool in disgust, backing away with her slender arms raised. "Lu Yuanqiu, what’s wrong with you? If you dare touch me, you’re dead!"

Mother and daughter exchanged a puzzled glance as Lu Yuanqiu dashed out the door.

"Strange, hasn’t your brother always thought being a cashier was embarrassing?"

"Brother’s got a screw loose!"

The short-haired little girl crossed her arms and muttered, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

...

Riding his bike, Lu Yuanqiu replayed high school memories in his mind.

Bai Qingxia had always been a model student, her grades and conduct impeccable. Every term she sat in the very front row, so all he ever saw was her back.

But she was also strange.

She was aloof, unapproachable, never smiling, often studying late into the evening before heading to the cafeteria, and seemingly had no friends.

She was always alone, silent, forever wrapped tightly in her school uniform.

So even though she was far more beautiful than his goddess Hu Caiwei, Lu Yuanqiu had never considered approaching her.

Hu Caiwei was a goddess within reach.

But Bai Qingxia was a beautiful fantasy, untouchable.

Back in school days, if a girl was beautiful enough and cold enough, most boys wouldn’t dare get close—not even to meet her gaze.

Yet Bai Qingxia, with whom he’d never exchanged a word, had quietly given him the only vote in last semester’s sports committee election?

Lu Yuanqiu was baffled.

The voting was unified; she couldn’t have pitied him for having no votes and written his name out of sympathy.

It meant that, from the very start, Bai Qingxia had chosen him, and had been his only supporter in the class.

This girl seemed to carry many secrets.

But in his previous life, she took those secrets with her to a cold, bloody grave.

Lu Yuanqiu took a deep breath, pedaled faster, and finally arrived at the store.

He sat at the cashier’s desk, face serious, watching every customer.

Half an hour later, a girl in school uniform with a backpack walked in.

Lu Yuanqiu glanced up discreetly.

Fair, delicate skin; a refined profile half hidden by dark hair; large, glistening eyes; lashes long and curled.

A ponytail fell naturally, revealing a pale nape. Her nose and the lines of her face seemed crafted with divine precision.

No makeup, naturally radiant.

In her blue-and-white school uniform, with that face—she was the stuff of youthful dreams.

Though Lu Yuanqiu had seen many beauties in the world of fame and fortune, none had ever stunned him like the first time he saw Bai Qingxia in high school.

She was the kind of girl who looked pure and gentle.

He only glanced at her before turning his attention to the security monitor.

Bai Qingxia moved slowly, but with purpose, to the food aisle.

She picked up a loaf of bread, checked the price, hesitated for a long moment, then put it back.

Circling the shelves, she returned to the bread, looked around, lowered her head, and after a moment’s indecision, made her choice.

She brought her backpack to the front, unzipped it, and slipped the bread inside.

She took three in total before zipping the bag shut.

By then, Lu Yuanqiu had already used his phone to photograph the evidence from the monitor.

As Bai Qingxia prepared to leave, Lu Yuanqiu stood up.

He knew it was time to make his entrance.