Chapter 1

It has been five years since I opened my eyes in this strange but beautiful world, and every passing day still feels like a dream I am struggling to completely comprehend. Sometimes, when I sit quietly and stare at the peach blossoms outside my window, I wonder if perhaps all of this is just a long illusion, a fantasy woven by my tired mind from my previous life. But the warmth of my brother’s hand when he pats my head, the gentle smile of my mother when she returns from her expeditions, and the serious gaze of my father whenever he speaks to me remind me that this is all real. I was reborn, and whether it was the blessing of the heavens or the trick of fate, I now live a second life as Wei Ning.

In my previous life, I was an ordinary college student, buried beneath piles of assignments and surrounded by the never-ending chatter of campus life. My world then was filled with books—novels of all genres, each carrying me into worlds far beyond my small dormitory room. Among them, I particularly loved reincarnation stories. How ironic, that the very thing I spent nights reading and secretly praying for became my reality. I used to lie awake, staring at the ceiling fan in my cramped room, and whisper: *“If only I could reincarnate into another world, a world filled with grandeur, where life isn’t monotonous.”* Never did I expect the heavens—or fate—to actually listen.

When I first opened my eyes here, I was no longer a weary student but a small, fragile baby, cradled gently in my mother’s arms. Her eyes, soft as moonlight, looked down at me with indescribable tenderness. My father stood beside her, tall and protective, his gaze firm yet warm. For a while, I could not understand the sounds they made, but slowly, as days passed, I recognized the language: it was Chinese. It felt surreal, for in my past life I had studied only fragments of it. Eventually, I was given a name—Wei Ning.

My father is Wei Xiao, and my mother is Mei Lin. Both of them are archaeologists, people who dedicate their lives to uncovering the mysteries of civilizations long gone. Though they both belong to wealthy families, neither cared for riches or luxury. My father, especially, despite being the only heir to the vast Wei family fortune, turned away from the inheritance and chose a life among ruins and artifacts. People whispered about his stubbornness, but I found it admirable—choosing passion over gold.

My parents had me late in their lives. I also have an elder brother, Wei Chen, who is fifteen years older than me. At the time of my birth, he was already a youth with shoulders broad enough to carry the responsibilities of the family. When I was still a toddler, my brother assumed the role of the Wei family’s young head. Now, at twenty, he commands respect from elders and manages affairs with wisdom far beyond his age.

After I was born, my parents paused their expeditions for two whole years to raise me. Those years remain etched in my heart—my mother humming lullabies, my father reading me ancient legends, and the warmth of our home untainted by distance. But their passion for archaeology eventually called them back, and soon they resumed their travels, leaving me under the care of my grandparents. Yet, it was my brother, Wei Chen, who became the center of my little world.

Despite being weighed down by responsibilities, he never let me feel lonely. I remember one evening vividly, when I tugged at his sleeve while he was buried in stacks of documents.

“Gege,” I called softly, my voice timid.

He looked up, setting his brush aside. “What is it, Ning’er?”

“Will you play with me?” I asked, clutching a wooden toy horse.

A faint smile broke through his serious expression. “Of course. Documents can wait, but my little sister cannot.”

That night, we played until I fell asleep in his arms. It was moments like those that carved an unshakable bond between us.

On my mother’s side, she is the eldest daughter of the Mei family, a household of equal prestige. Her younger brother, Mei Fang, is now the CEO of their family’s vast company. Though my mother is often absent, her family showers me with affection. Between the Wei and Mei families, I was never short of love, yet the person I cherished most was always my brother.

Because I carried the memories of my past life, my behavior was never that of a typical child. I did not throw tantrums or demand unreasonable things. I spoke politely, thought deeply, and often startled adults with my composure. My parents, at first, were concerned. They took me to physicians, fearing something was wrong. After examinations, one doctor reassured them: *“Your daughter is simply more mature than others her age. She will be fine.”*

Relieved, my parents accepted it. This was one of the reasons they could return to their work without fear, for I never troubled anyone with childish chaos. My grandparents often remarked, *“Ning’er is unlike any child we have ever seen. She listens, observes, and learns as if she carries the mind of someone older.”* They were right, though they would never know the truth—that within this child’s body lived the soul of a young woman who once walked a different world.

Sometimes, in the quiet hours of the night, I question the reason for my reincarnation. Was it merely a twist of fate? Or was there a greater purpose waiting for me here, tied to the legacies of the Wei and Mei families? Whatever the answer may be, I know this: I will treasure the love I receive in this life, protect the family that embraces me, and walk a path that perhaps even fate itself cannot predict.

Thus, at the tender age of five, I live not merely as Wei Ning, but as someone who has lived twice—once in a world of mundane struggles, and now in a world woven with the threads of heritage, responsibility, and unspoken mysteries. And at the heart of it all, my brother Wei Chen remains the anchor of my existence, the person I love most in this vast, unfamiliar life.

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