C1 Rebirth

In the office of a multinational corporation's general manager, Qin Su packed her personal belongings into a cardboard box, taking one last look before turning away with a confident stride. A lifetime of hard work couldn't withstand the open and hidden attacks.

"Susu, actually I..." Jian Mingyan started to offer a weak defense, but realized every excuse sounded hollow.

Indeed, they were just excuses.

"No need to say more. Congratulations on successfully taking over my... position." Qin Su looked at Jian Mingyan with amusement. How did she ever fall for such a coward? But Jian Mingyan taught her a valuable lesson, albeit an expensive one. Still, as the saying goes, you live and learn. Qin Su didn't lose out, but she did need some time to regroup.

Two weeks later.

Qin Su joined a group of hikers heading into the Blue Ridge Mountains. Losing her job didn't faze her; she was still going to eat well and have fun, treating it like a vacation. Little did anyone know, Qin Su was secretly an heiress. If she wanted, her eager father would gladly transfer his assets to her and join her on this adventure. Unfortunately for him, she had no intention of giving him that chance!

Otherwise, it would be a disservice to her late mother.

...

Rock climbing is a technical skill, not something to be attempted lightly. This was the last thought in Qin Su's mind, as three seconds earlier, her climbing rope snapped, leaving her dangling from the edge of a 3,280-foot mountain peak.

All Qin Su could hear was the howling wind. Her head felt like it was about to explode, buzzing relentlessly. When she opened her eyes, the scene before her seemed dreamlike, as if she had traveled back many years.

She found herself in an old 750-square-foot house with two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Qin Su was sprawled on the couch, her head throbbing with pain.

“Why are you sleeping on the couch, honey? Go to your room before you catch a cold. Did your mom make you dinner?”

Was that... her dad, Guangjun? He sounded like he did when he was younger. Qin Su squinted through her blurry vision—sure enough, it was her dad from years ago.

Was she dreaming? It didn’t seem right. Ever since her mom passed away, even in dreams, she never saw Guangjun.

How long had it been? The last time she saw him was a year ago. It was New Year’s, and her dad, a bit tipsy, had his driver park his flashy Ferrari outside her apartment. He stood downstairs, calling for her. When she rushed down in a panic, she was met with his aging face, shamelessly calling her “honey.”

She didn’t acknowledge him, turned away, and said without looking back, “From the moment I lost my mom, I lost my dad too.”

She could hear the old man behind her sobbing, and it tore at her heart, but she didn’t turn back. Her dad was almost sixty, yet how could he still seem so young? For a moment, Qin Su felt a bit dazed.

"What are you thinking about standing there? Be good, go back to your room and sleep. Is your mom home? I'll make you something to eat," her dad said.

Just as Qin Su was feeling confused and overwhelmed, the door opened, and a shadowy figure stepped in. Qin Su's breath caught, and she stared blankly at the person she had only seen in dreams.

"Mom..."

Her voice was dry and shaky, and she had to muster all her strength not to cry.

"What’s going on? Why is your voice hoarse?" Hsing Guizhen quickly walked over and touched her daughter's forehead. "No fever. Are you feeling okay, sweetheart?"

"No, I'm fine. I just missed you, Mom. I'm hungry. Can you make me something good to eat?"

Qin Su found an excuse, and Hsing Guizhen smiled broadly. "Sure, I'll make you something right away. What do you feel like eating, honey?"

"Anything's fine."

Qin Su watched Hsing Guizhen eagerly, as if missing even a moment would be a regret. This made Qin Guangjun feel a mix of jealousy and helplessness.

The girl was always closer to her mom, but she had never acted like this before! He hadn't seen his daughter all day, yet she didn't seem to miss her dad at all. Her heart seemed to be leaning entirely towards her mom.

"Susu's hungry. I bought some pork, so let's have braised pork tonight. Get to it quickly."

The usual bossy tone grated on Qin Su's nerves. How had she been so careless before, thinking they were just an old married couple set in their ways? Now it seemed like her dad was just fed up with her mom, treating her like a servant.