---
The city woke under a pale morning sun, the mist curling around glass towers and the sound of traffic humming like a pulse beneath the clouds.
Inside the Gu family mansion, silence stretched through the halls until it was broken by the faint clatter of dishes and the low murmur of servants.
Li Meiyun sat by the living room window, a notebook open in her lap. She had begun recording every event she remembered from her previous life—the betrayals, the traps, the exact moments that had turned her love into ruin.
Each line of ink carried a quiet determination: This time, it will be different.
---
The Day Repeats
Today's date glared back at her from the corner of the page.
March 15th.
Her fingers tightened around the pen.
The birthday party.
In her past life, this day had seemed like a celebration—Gu Yichen's business partner, Mr. Zhao Rui, had hosted a lavish banquet for her birthday. She had gone in a bright red dress, radiant and foolishly proud, unaware that the entire event had been a setup orchestrated by Gu Zeyan and Li Wen.
That night, photographs of her being "too close" to Zhao Rui had spread online.
The scandal had shattered her marriage and humiliated Gu Yichen publicly.
But this time…
She closed the notebook and stood up.
She would not walk into that trap again.
---
A Changed Wife
Gu Yichen came downstairs soon after, still fastening his cufflinks. His expression was as unreadable as always, but his eyes flickered briefly when they met hers.
"You're up early," he said.
"I couldn't sleep," Meiyun replied softly. "I was planning today's schedule."
His brow lifted slightly. "Today's your birthday. You're supposed to rest."
"I know." Her lips curved into a small smile. "But last time… I wasted too many birthdays waiting for other people to celebrate me. This year, I'll spend it differently."
Yichen didn't comment, but his gaze lingered a little longer than usual before he left for work.
---
An Uninvited Call
Shortly after, her phone rang.
The name flashing across the screen made her heart clench: Zhao Rui.
Exactly like before.
She let the phone ring twice before answering. "Mr. Zhao."
"Madam Gu! Happy birthday," came his smooth voice. "I've arranged a small party at the Imperial Jade Hotel tonight—same as before. You'll come, won't you? It won't be the same without you."
In her past life, she had been flattered.
This time, her smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Thank you, Mr. Zhao, but I'll be celebrating with my family this year."
There was a pause on the other end. "Ah… I see. Still the same caring wife."
He laughed lightly. "Tell Yichen I said hello."
She hung up before he could say more.
One trap avoided.
---
Ten New Faces
By noon, Meiyun headed to the Gu Group headquarters. It had been years since she had walked into the towering glass building. Her new assistant, a young graduate named Chen Lin, greeted her nervously.
"Madam Gu, I've arranged your meetings for the afternoon. You'll be seeing Mr. Han from the marketing branch, Ms. Qiao from public relations, and Director Su from the finance department."
"Good," she said with a polite smile. "And I want the press handled carefully today."
"Yes, Madam."
As they entered the boardroom, she met several new faces—each one destined to shape her future differently this time.
There was Han Qiming, a loyal but overlooked manager. In her last life, he had been fired unfairly due to a fake report planted by Li Wen.
There was Qiao Fei, the young PR head who had once hesitated to defend Meiyun when the scandal broke.
And Su Mingcheng, the finance director, who had secretly sided with Gu Zeyan to leak company documents.
Now, sitting before them, Meiyun smiled with calm authority.
"I'll be joining the charity event next month personally," she said. "Let's make sure the Gu Group's image reflects integrity, not just profit."
Han Qiming blinked, surprised. "Madam, that's… different from before."
"I've learned some lessons," she replied simply.
Even Su Mingcheng, who had always hidden his contempt behind a smile, shifted uncomfortably.
---
Echoes of Betrayal
Later that afternoon, the media arrived—ten reporters from various outlets, including two she recognized from her past life: Lu An and Wei Shanshan.
They had been the ones to publish the scandalous photos of her before.
This time, she greeted them personally.
"Thank you all for coming," she said warmly. "But I'll have to request that personal questions be avoided today. This conference is about our new partnership with the Bai Group."
The reporters exchanged looks but nodded.
Midway through the meeting, she noticed one of them—Lu An—quietly texting under the table.
In her last life, that exact moment had been when the scandal photos were sent to his phone.
She smiled faintly.
"Mr. Lu," she said suddenly, her voice sharp yet polite. "You seem distracted. Is there something urgent?"
He froze, flustered. "Ah—no, Madam Gu! Just taking notes!"
She held his gaze until he lowered his phone.
Not this time.
---
A Whisper of the Past
By evening, she returned home, exhaustion tugging at her shoulders. The house was warm, filled with the scent of fresh dumplings. The children ran to greet her—Tian with cautious excitement, Xiaoxi clutching a handmade card.
"Happy birthday, Mommy!" Xiaoxi said shyly.
Meiyun's heart melted. "Thank you, sweetheart."
Gu Yichen was there too, still in his suit. He had arranged a quiet dinner with the children—no grand gestures, no public event, just family.
For the first time in years, Meiyun smiled without pretense.
They ate together, laughter slowly replacing silence. Tian even told a few clumsy jokes that made Xiaoxi giggle uncontrollably.
As the candles flickered on her birthday cake, Meiyun looked at them—her husband, her son, her daughter—and whispered silently:
This is what I destroyed before. This is what I'll protect now.
---
The Shadow Returns
Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, her phone buzzed again.
A single message.
> "You think avoiding Zhao Rui will save you?"
The sender: Li Wen.
Meiyun's eyes darkened.
So it begins again.
She closed her phone, took a deep breath, and whispered, "Then let's see who wins this time."
Morning Calm Before the Storm
The next day dawned crisp and clear. From the terrace of the Gu mansion, Li Meiyun could see the city spreading out beneath the morning sun—silver glass, streaks of traffic, life moving forward as if nothing had changed.
But everything had.
She had rewritten the ending of her birthday. No photographs. No scandal. No public shame.
Yet the memory of her past life still pressed behind her ribs like a bruise.
In that other lifetime, today—the day after her birthday—had been the beginning of Gu Zeyan's next move: the business-deal trap.
---
The Meeting That Once Destroyed Everything
Back then, Yichen had been negotiating a partnership with the Bai Group and the He Consortium, two of the city's most powerful companies.
Zeyan had interfered, forging documents and planting evidence that made it seem as though Meiyun had leaked confidential information to a competitor.
Within twenty-four hours, her name had become poison.
She could still remember Yichen's cold voice from that night: "If you wanted revenge, you could have asked for it. Why destroy everything?"
Then came the divorce papers. The first crack that would lead to her death.
Now, she was standing before the same crossroads again.
---
A Different Choice
At nine a.m., she walked into the Gu Group's executive boardroom.
Her tailored cream suit, light makeup, and calm expression made her look like an entirely different woman from the one who once screamed through these halls.
"Good morning, Madam Gu," said Director Su Mingcheng, standing as she entered. His tone was careful—too careful.
"Let's begin," she said simply.
Around the table sat new and returning faces:
Han Qiming, the loyal manager she had protected yesterday.
Qiao Fei, head of PR.
Director He Mingyu from the He Consortium—smooth-spoken, always calculating.
Bai Jinglan, the poised heir of the Bai Group, elegant and observant.
Lin Zhuoran, a young analyst who once admired Meiyun but had been dismissed in her past life because of Li Wen's schemes.
Ten more—assistants, legal advisors, journalists—hovered along the room's edges, their pens ready.
Gu Yichen entered last, tall and expressionless, yet every gaze shifted toward him with quiet respect.
He nodded slightly to Meiyun. "Let's proceed."
---
A Familiar Attack
Halfway through the discussion, Meiyun noticed Su Mingcheng sliding a USB drive across the table to a secretary—exactly as he had done before.
In her past life, that drive had contained the falsified "evidence" of her leaking data.
This time, she didn't wait.
"Director Su," she said pleasantly, "before you distribute any files, please send them to my office for preliminary review."
He blinked. "Madam Gu, that's not standard protocol—"
"It is now." Her tone left no room for argument. "Security verification is our new standard. All drives, all correspondence, all attachments."
Gu Yichen's gaze sharpened, glancing between them. "Do it."
Su Mingcheng hesitated, forced a smile, and nodded. "Of course."
Within an hour, IT reported back: the USB contained encrypted spyware.
In the conference room, Yichen's eyes turned glacial. "Who authorized this?"
Su Mingcheng stammered, sweating. "It—it must be a misunderstanding!"
Meiyun folded her hands. "In my experience, misunderstandings don't come with corporate malware."
That single line silenced the room.
---
A Ripple of Respect
After the meeting, as people dispersed, whispers followed her down the corridor.
"She's changed."
"Madam Gu isn't the pushover we thought."
"Or the tyrant either."
Gu Yichen caught up with her outside the elevator. "You knew about the USB," he said quietly.
"I remembered what could have happened," she answered.
He studied her face for a long moment, something unreadable flickering behind his eyes. "You seem to remember a lot lately."
"Maybe I've finally started paying attention," she said with a faint smile.
The elevator doors closed between them, his reflection lingering in the mirrored wall until the last second.
---
New Players Appear
That afternoon, Meiyun attended a luncheon hosted by Madam Qin Ruolan, a philanthropist and the mother of Bai Jinglan.
In her past life, Qin Ruolan had avoided her after the scandal, claiming "bad associations."
Now, Meiyun greeted her with calm grace.
There were new faces everywhere—
Gao Lina, a rising fashion editor;
Professor Liang, the economist advising Gu Group;
Tang Xiaoyu, a sweet-voiced secretary who carried rumors like perfume;
He Xiang, the rival consortium's charming representative;
and Wen Haoran, a young investor who once had a secret crush on Meiyun.
She smiled at each of them, her composure disarming.
During dessert, Qin Ruolan leaned closer. "Madam Gu, rumor says you've changed your image entirely. Some call it rebirth."
Meiyun lifted her teacup. "Then let's hope I was reborn into a better person."
The older woman laughed, unexpectedly warm. "I like this version of you."
---
An Old Enemy's Move
That evening, her phone buzzed again—a news notification:
> Anonymous sources claim Gu Group's vice president may be involved in document forgery.
Exactly the same headline as before.
Only this time, the accompanying photo wasn't of her—it was of Su Mingcheng being led out of the building by security.
Meiyun stared at the screen, a wry smile touching her lips.
So the story reversed itself.
---
Homecoming
When she returned home, the lights in the children's playroom were still on.
Tian sat on the carpet, half-asleep, waiting for her.
"Mommy, I drew you again," he murmured, handing her a paper.
She looked at it—and nearly cried.
In the picture, their family stood together under a blue sky. This time, she wasn't drawn far away. She was right beside them, holding their hands.
She tucked the boy into bed, kissed his forehead, and whispered, "Thank you for drawing me closer."
Down the hall, Gu Yichen's office door was slightly ajar.
He looked up from his paperwork as she appeared. "Long day?"
"Productive," she said, leaning against the frame. "I stopped a few storms before they began."
He watched her silently, then—almost imperceptibly—smiled.
"Keep doing that," he murmured. "The company could use fewer storms."
For a heartbeat, the distance between them felt smaller.
---
The Quiet Before the Next Wave
Later, when the house was still, Meiyun stood on the balcony again.
The city shimmered below, the same skyline that had once witnessed her downfall.
But tonight, she wasn't a ghost returning to haunt her own life.
She was alive, breathing, choosing differently.
And somewhere in the darkness, unseen eyes were watching—Li Wen's fury growing, Gu Zeyan plotting his next step, and new players waiting for their turn on the board.
Meiyun closed her notebook and whispered to the night,
"Let them come. I've already rewritten the ending once—
I can do it again."