2 Chapter 2

The man's smile melted her heart in an instant. It was the same boy-next-door smile that she knew all too well.

She covered her mouth in shock. It was true. The man looked just like the boy she knew. But how was that possible? Liu Jin died when he was thirteen.

"Wha- H-how? Jin-gege?!"

He chuckled at her panicked and confused state.

"That's right. Missed me?" He smirked coyly.

Daiyu blushed. Liu Jin often teased her when they were younger but being teased by his adult version had a different, sexier charm to it.

"W-why are you here? And where are we?" She looked around, examining the place.

He paused, the smile on his face fading.

"That's what I should be asking you. Why are you here?" He asked, worry on his face.

"What do you mean?"

"This is the Platform of Regret. The trains here come once a day. All trains lead back to the past."

"The past?"

"That's right. Only people who die with hearts full of regret are able to reach this place. The trains will lead them back to the past, giving them a chance to rewrite their lives. A rebirth, so to say."

"…"

"So, tell me. Why are you here? What… what happened after I left?" He asked, looking at her with confusion in his eyes.

"So I really am dead…" Daiyu's eyes began to water.

"I… I died a horrible death. I was poisoned by my half-sister, Xia Xiulan." She started recalling in a panic.

"Ye Shun… he helped her poison me!"

"What? What do you mean?" He asked, his brows furrowed.

Finally realizing her unfortunate death, she broke down in tears. Instinctively, Liu Jin wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her closer and used his other hand to rub her back. She buried her face onto his chest, taking in his warmth as she sobbed.

She remembered now. Just moments ago, she was lying on the cold floor, coughing up blood as Xiulan mocked her.

Xiulan was her older half-sister, a child born from a maid who used to work for her father. In the past, her grandfather had already banished Xiulan and her mother away from the Wang household. But Daiyu grew up innocent and naïve. She pitied Xiulan and welcomed her back. Manipulated easily, Xiulan slowly ruined Daiyu's reputation, her career, and all her relationships.

Realizing how horribly her life ended, Daiyu continued sobbing. Liu Jin remained silent but continued stroking her back. When she finally ran out of tears, Liu Jin gently whispered into her ears.

"It's alright. I'm here now."

With just those words, his husky voice had soothed her soul.

"Jin… why did you leave me?" She asked, her heart full of regret.

Before Liu Jin had died, Daiyu was really close to him. In fact, before she fell in love with Ye Shun, she had a childhood crush on Liu Jin. He was her favorite big brother – the one who spoiled and doted on her. He was her prince charming, her knight in shining armor.

But he had died too soon. Upon realizing that, Daiyu slowly let go of him.

"T-then why are you here? Are you filled with regret too?" She looked up to him with worry in her eyes.

He smiled at her bitterly.

It was true. His stepmother had him kidnapped and killed. Up to this day, she remained married to his father. He was angry. But that was not what he had regretted the most.

"I regret not being able to grow old with you." He smirked.

"I'm serious!" She blushed, hitting his chest with her closed fist.

"I am too." He chuckled.

"Xiao Yu… You've grown up to become really beautiful." He said, before eyeing her breast. "There too."

"JIN-GEGE!"

He chuckled. In his past life, he had always loved her. But fate never gave him the chance to confess. At the young age of thirteen, his life was taken away.

"A-anyway. Why haven't you taken the train? If it takes you back to the past… why didn't you try to change your life?"

He did want to change the past. But he had always been afraid. What if Daiyu was already happy without him? What if changing his past meant destroying Daiyu's happiness? As he hesitated, before he noticed, ten years had passed and Daiyu herself appeared before him.

"I was a coward." He replied briefly.

"Eh?"

"Anyway, tell me more about you. What have you been doing, have you been dating, what cup size are you-

"JIN-GEGE!"

"What?"

She covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.

"So what cup size-

"D!"

"Great! You can tell me about your favorite color now."

She glared at him and he chuckled.

"Tell me everything about you. We have time." He said, tucking away a stray hair behind her ear. He noticed the acid burns on the side of her face but decided to wait for her to tell him about it herself.

"I want to know how my little Daiyu grew up." He said, warmth in his eyes.