Chapter four: Li man’s rebirth

Li Man watched the transformation of her stepsister with disbelief. Was it possible that Li Tao had been reborn? The thought was bewildering, and yet, it was the only explanation for the dramatic change she saw in her. It was a cruel irony, because Li Man herself had been reborn, but not in the same fortunate way.

In her previous life, Li Man had made a calculated sacrifice. Lu Zhao, a kind and caring man, who was not at home all year long had proposed to her by the matchmaker, but she had declined. Instead, she had given him to her stepsister, thinking that she was getting rid of a useless burden. But she had been mistaken. Li Tao had not cherished Lu Zhao, and yet, she had become the wife of a CEO, living a life of luxury while Li Man had nothing.

Li Man had married Bai Fang, an educated man who had seemed like her ticket out of the village. He was delicate and clean, always wearing beautiful glasses. But once she had stepped into the county, she had realized her mistake. Bai Fang's mother and sister treated her poorly, mocking her at every turn. She had become a slave in her own home, her husband contributing nothing but drinking and gambling. He had lost his right to attend university, and in his frustration, he had taken out his anger on Li Man.

She had suffered six miscarriages and worked tirelessly, both inside and outside the home. She had never even bought clothes for herself. And then one day, she had seen a poster of Li Tao and her children, looking like the perfect family. The sight had filled her with rage and bitterness. Those should have been her blessings, but they had been stolen by her stepsister.

One day, when she was off from her work,She was so tired that she was not paying attention to her surroundings and then out of nowhere she saw a car rushing towards her, and before she could react, she was hit. As she lay dying, she made a vow. She would reclaim everything that Li Tao had taken from her.

When she woke up, she found herself 15 years in the past, still in her mother's house with her youthful body intact. Nothing had happened yet. She saw it as a second chance given by fate. She made a promise to herself: she would not let Lu Zhao slip through her fingers this time. Even if he was already married with Li Tao and had two kids.

She would become Lu Zhao's wife, and those children Li Tao had given birth to, she would sell them. She would give Lu Zhao a beautiful, fat boy as his rightful heir. This was the solemn promise Li Man made.

She scoffed at the thought of her naive stepsister. Li Tao was foolish, and she, Li Man, would manipulate her stepsister to her will. She had been given a second chance, and she would seize it with both hands. She would rewrite her destiny and claim the life she believed was rightfully hers.