Cold!
An icy chill seeped into her bones. A surging wave of cold felt like ten thousand ants gnawing at her heart, and amid the agony, Ling Lu opened her eyes.
A harsh, bleak white light met her gaze. The sharp smell of disinfectant unique to hospitals stung her nostrils.
Ling Lu pressed a hand to her throbbing temple and slowly sat up. A flicker of bewilderment passed through her eyes, clear as glass.
Hadn’t I already died?
Scenes from the moments before her death appeared before her one by one, like images flashing past. She remembered the agony of the flames scorching her body alive, and the foul smell of her charred flesh roasting in the heat.
It had all been so real, as if it had happened yesterday.
But how could she explain this?
Out of the corner of her eye, Ling Lu spotted the electronic clock beside the hospital bed.
Had she… been reborn five years in the past?
At the realization, Ling Lu first stared in disbelief. Then tears welled up in her eyes, and her pale hands clenched into fists, trembling slightly.
So she really had been reborn in the past!
The thought made Ling Lu’s heart pound wildly.
It took a while for her turbulent emotions to settle. When she lowered her head, she saw the blue-and-white hospital gown she was wearing.
In her previous life, this was when she and Ling Lin had both been in a car accident. The family had all focused on Ling Lin. In their haste to get her out, they had completely forgotten Ling Lu, who was at the same accident scene.
It was the family’s servants who, afraid she might die, had taken her to the hospital.
Because of the delay in getting her to the hospital, her fractured leg had left her permanently disabled. She had spent the rest of her life confined to a wheelchair.
At the memory, a spark of fury flashed in Ling Lu’s eyes.
And that wasn’t all. After the accident in her previous life, her father, mother, and biological brothers had all believed she had orchestrated the crash herself to harm and get rid of Ling Lin, her adopted older sister.
No matter how she explained, they refused to believe she was innocent.
Ling Lu let out a cold laugh.
She had been so foolish back then.
She had spent so long crushed by her family’s suspicions that she’d missed the best window for her legs to recover, ultimately condemning herself to a lifetime of disability.
But this time, she would not repeat the same mistakes!
Ling Lu clenched her fists.
The memories of the moments before her death were still vivid.
In the burning building, she had held her unconscious mother and struggled forward, pushing her wheelchair. Then a charred wooden post had struck her. At the critical moment, she had summoned the last of her strength to push her mother to safety.
The scorching flames consumed everything, and the air shimmered in the terrifying heat.
She watched helplessly as her eldest brother rushed into the fire and rescued their mother. Then he turned and walked away without a moment’s hesitation, leaving Ling Lu behind.
“Big Brother, help… help me. I’m still here…”
“Please, just turn around and look at me. Save me…”
Tears blurred Ling Lu’s vision. Summoning every last ounce of strength, she crawled forward, her nails leaving streaks of blood across the floor.
But that tall figure didn’t turn back at her cries. He didn’t even pause for a moment…
A stream of clear tears traced its way down Ling Lu’s pale cheek.
Once, when Ling Lu had been brought back to the Ling family after years spent away, she had longed for the warmth of family, too.
Even though her biological parents and brothers had eyes only for Ling Lin, their adopted daughter, she had never resented them.
Instead, she had done everything she could to please them, hoping only to earn a single hug from her mother and a word of praise from her brothers.
But until the day she died, Ling Lu had never felt even the slightest warmth of family affection.
When the people bound to her by blood looked at her, all she ever saw was endless coldness and disgust.
Ling Lu opened her eyes and wiped away her tears. The flames in her gaze gradually died out, leaving only clarity.
Never mind. She no longer cared about any of the past…
Since Heaven had shown her favor and given her another chance, this time she would live for herself!
In her previous life, Lin Yueru had carried her for ten months and given her life. Later, Ling Lu had repaid that debt with every last bit of her flesh and blood.
In this life, she owed no one anything…
Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hospital room, followed by the heavy bang of the door being flung open. Just from the sound, Ling Lu could tell that whoever had arrived was furious.
The next moment, a tall, handsome man with deep-set eyes and strong brows appeared in the doorway. He was Ling Yeli, her second-eldest brother, born to the same mother.
A pair of silver-framed glasses perched on his straight nose, lending him a mild, scholarly air.
But when he looked at Ling Lu, his eyes were cold and fierce.
Without a word, he strode over. Showing no concern for Ling Lu’s frail state after just waking from unconsciousness, he grabbed her by the collar, hauled her up, and snarled:
“Are you satisfied now? Because of you, Linlin still hasn’t woken up in her hospital room!”
“And here you are, sitting up perfectly fine. You must be pretty pleased with yourself!”
“I’m warning you! If anything happens to her, you won’t get away with it!”
Ling Lu’s neck hurt where his grip tightened, and she could barely breathe.
“What the hell is wrong with you? Let go!”
Mustering all her strength, Ling Lu shoved Ling Yeli away. Ignoring the shock that flashed in his eyes, she snapped:
“You’re accusing me of hurting someone. Do you have proof? Without proof, that’s slander!”
“Ling Yeli, who do you think you are? You have no right to declare me guilty!”
What had she gained from spending her whole previous life swallowing her grievances and giving in? Everyone had treated her like something to be thrown away, like garbage.
This time, she wouldn’t cater to anyone!
She had already died once. What was there left to fear? Why should she put up with this humiliation?
Ling Lu looked at him with nothing but wariness, as if he were a stranger.
In her previous life, no matter how much her mother, father, and brothers favored Ling Lin, Ling Lu had always blamed herself. She had tried twice as hard to please them, and she had never once hurt Ling Lin.
On that, her conscience was clear!
At the sight of her, Ling Yeli froze. It was as if the look in Ling Lu’s eyes had stung him.
Ling Lu had never looked at him like that before. She had never spoken to him in that tone, either…
She used to cling to him like a burr, always wearing a fawning smile. A few words of scolding would make her cry, and it drove him crazy.
But before long, she would come crawling back, impossible to shake off no matter how hard he tried.
What irritated him even more was how Ling Lu was always picking on his precious little sister. Ever since she had joined the Ling family, Ling Lin had ended up in the hospital again and again, and every time Ling Lu was involved.
This time, Ling Lu had gone too far. She had actually dared to plan a car accident to kill Ling Lin!
When Ling Yeli heard the news, he had nearly gone mad with rage!
That vicious woman, Ling Lu, should never have been allowed into the Ling family!
Even though Ling family blood ran through her veins, he still found it sickening to be around her!
Ling Yeli was jolted back to himself by Ling Lu’s voice. Her words only made him angrier.
“You’ve done every wicked thing imaginable, and you still dare to act so brazenly? This time, I’ll make sure Father throws you out of the house!”
“Even if you kneel and beg me, it won’t do you any good!”