Li Yuanjing: "...
I was careless."
At the edge of the homestay's terrace, Li Qingxun was surrounded by stacks of draft paper covered in bizarre and complex physics formulas. She was researching why Li Yuanjing had also regained memories from ancient times.
Meanwhile, Shen Wei sipped an ice-cold beer, her gaze drifting lazily toward Li Yuanjing.
Li Yuanjing awkwardly rubbed the bridge of his nose, his handsome face flushing with the embarrassment of being caught red-handed.
He hadn’t actually lost his memory.
But running into Shen Wei had been pure coincidence.
The development project for Longquan Mountain Scenic Area was planned and prepared by Li Yuanjing’s company. About half a month ago, a subsidiary had submitted a proposal to construct a new glass bridge tourist attraction on the mountain.
Fresh off a trip from Europe, Li Yuanjing reviewed the proposal and learned that Longquan Mountain was an ideal place for recuperation. He decided to visit personally—both to inspect the project and to rest.
At the mountain’s peak, he took an unexpected fall, hitting his head. To his surprise, strange and fragmented memories flooded his mind. In another world, he had been the emperor of Qing State, and by his side was a woman named Shen Wei. They had spent their lives together, growing old side by side.
Li Yuanjing was lost in thought for a long time.
Only one idea dominated his mind—he had to find Shen Wei.
Immediately, he ordered an investigation. Leveraging his corporation’s vast data network, he quickly identified a company in the capital called "Weinian Tech," with Shen Wei as its CEO.
The same face.
The same effect on his heart.
Li Yuanjing wanted to fly back to the capital at once, but his helicopter malfunctioned, forcing him to drive down the mountain instead. Midway, his car broke down, leaving him no choice but to trek through the mountain paths at night in search of help.
And that was how Shen Wei found him.
Fate always favored him, crafting coincidences that defied probability.
When Li Yuanjing woke up in the town hospital, he learned it was Shen Wei who had brought him there. Yet she showed no sentimentality, promptly abandoning him at the hospital. Left with no choice, Li Yuanjing pretended to have amnesia, stubbornly clinging to Shen Wei’s side—until she eventually saw through his act.
"Weiwei, if I hadn’t pretended to lose my memory, you would’ve left me behind," Li Yuanjing admitted with a candid smile, reverting to the version of himself Shen Wei once knew.
Shen Wei massaged her temples.
This was a headache she didn’t know how to handle.
That night, Shen Wei tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Frustrated, she sat up abruptly, opened her laptop, and began reviewing the new product materials Huo Ze had sent her.
Gradually, her attention was fully absorbed by the product details.
As she brainstormed improvements, a knock sounded at her door. Li Qingxun’s voice came from outside, "Shen Wei, I’m coming in, okay?"
Shen Wei let her in.
Noticing Shen Wei still working, Li Qingxun clicked her tongue. "Your company collaborates with research institutes on high-margin products. You’re already financially free—why are you still working so hard?"
Shen Wei worked hard.
Inspired, Li Qingxun did the same.
The two sat side by side on the bed—Shen Wei reviewing documents, Li Qingxun scribbling physics formulas.
As Li Qingxun rapidly calculated equations, she casually asked, "Are you kicking Li Yuanjing out tomorrow? You were married for a lifetime, after all. He clearly hasn’t forgotten you and wants to pick up where you left off."
Shen Wei replied, "Let fate decide. No need to force anything."
She was free now.
No longer did she need to cling to others for survival. Whether Li Yuanjing stayed or left depended entirely on her whims.
Li Qingxun muttered, "I checked his background on the government database—holy cow, the 'Li' in Li Yuanjing isn’t just any Li. His family is an ancient super-elite dynasty, spanning centuries. They own at least a hundred ports and docks."
Some people were born lucky.
Destined to be kings in every life.
After chatting for a while, Li Qingxun’s phone buzzed incessantly.
Rolling her eyes, she answered, "I’m still with Shen Wei—yeah, I had dinner, the mountain vegetables stir-fried with cured meat was amazing, I’ll bring some back for you—oh, and guess what? Do you know about Emperor Li Yuanjing of Qing State...?"
Li Qingxun rambled on with Zhang He'an, the two of them dissecting the "physics behind Li Yuanjing retaining memories from two lifetimes" over the phone, chattering endlessly.
Meanwhile, Shen Wei gazed out the floor-to-ceiling window. The night view of Longquan Mountain was breathtaking, with groups of university students hiking up the trails after dark. Below the window was the homestay courtyard, where Li Yuanjing remained awake, seated under an antique-style lantern, seemingly on a call.
Occasionally, he glanced up toward Shen Wei’s room.
His gaze was just as it had been in the past.
Never changing.
...
The next morning, Shen Wei rubbed her bleary eyes and went downstairs to fetch water and take her medication.
Li Yuanjing handed her a glass of warm water and the pills.
Shen Wei shot him a glance before accepting both. With few guests at the homestay that day, she ventured into the peach blossom grove, snipping branches to arrange in a vase back at the lodge.
Li Yuanjing assisted quietly.
Arms full of blossoms, Shen Wei finally spoke up, "Aren’t you going home?"
Given Li Yuanjing’s extraordinary family background, his family was probably frantic about him playing handyman at a homestay.
Li Yuanjing answered honestly, "Weiwei, home is wherever you are."
Whether in Qing State or the modern era, his only wish was to stay by Shen Wei’s side.
He couldn’t let go of her.
Never would.
Shen Wei dumped the peach branches into Li Yuanjing’s arms, dusted her hands, and walked away.
As they returned to the homestay, the front desk girl came running over excitedly. "CEO Shen! Our place is about to go viral! A mega international superstar just checked in!"
Shen Wei raised an eyebrow.
An international superstar?
Stepping into the courtyard, she spotted a figure seated beneath the tea pavilion. The man removed his sunglasses, revealing striking, fox-like eyes—exceptionally handsome.
It was Li Yuanli.
His face was as mesmerizing as ever, his smile just as familiar, his aura unchanged.
His dark eyes locked onto Shen Wei as his crimson lips curved slowly. "Long time no see, Shen Wei."
Shen Wei: "..."
Footsteps approached from behind. Li Yuanjing, arms laden with peach blossoms, called out, "Weiwei, I’ll bring the best branches to your room later."
Li Yuanli’s smile froze.
At the same time, Li Yuanjing noticed the figure in the wicker chair.
The brothers stared at each other.
The atmosphere instantly turned tense.
Li Yuanli let out a bitter laugh. "You always beat me to it. Is the heavens blind?"
After regaining his ancient memories, Li Yuanli had rushed back to the country and straight to Shen Wei’s tech company—only to learn she wasn’t there.
Pulling strings, he tracked her flight to Longquan Mountain Scenic Area. He drove overnight to the famed tourist spot, but a landslide had blocked part of the road, forcing him to wait until morning for repairs.
And yet, Li Yuanjing had still gotten to Shen Wei first.
Two lifetimes. Two lifetimes of arriving too late!
Li Yuanjing smirked. "Little brother, weren’t you refusing to return home despite Father’s wishes? And yet here you are, crawling back after all."
In this life, fate had dealt them the same hand—still brothers.
However, it seemed Li Yuanli was born with the script of a tragic antagonist. He was the illegitimate son of the Li family patriarch and his secretary. When the secretary became pregnant, she tried to leverage the situation to secure her position, only to be sent abroad by the Li family and left to fend for herself.
Li Yuanli refused to rely on the Li family and carved out his own success overseas. Later, as his father grew older, regret crept in for having driven away his youngest son in the past. The patriarch tried to make amends, offering shares and inheritance, but Li Yuanli rejected it all.
"If there’s someone I love here, I’ll return on my own," Li Yuanli sneered, throwing the words back at him.
The two were perpetually at odds.
The atmosphere was tense.
Shen Wei didn’t interfere, nor did she feel the need to choose between the two brothers.
Times had changed—she was no longer a fish waiting to be picked from a tank.
These brothers had better behave. They needed to pay their lodging fees and settle their bills, or she wouldn’t hesitate to kick them out.
Shen Wei called over the front desk girl and whispered, "Little Yuan, free publicity is too good to pass up. Later, go take a photo with that international superstar and post it on social media. With his fame, our inn will go viral. Hire a few more cooks and staff, and make sure everything’s ready."
Little Yuan, a recent college graduate, was eager and nodded vigorously. "Got it, Boss Shen! I’ll bring a stack of autograph papers for him to sign—they’ll sell like hotcakes!"
Shen Wei patted her shoulder, impressed by the girl’s business acumen. "Good. From now on, your salary is doubled, your social insurance will be at the highest rate, and if you perform well, there’s an annual bonus."
Beaming, Little Yuan hurried off to find the international superstar—Adrian, aka Li Yuanli—for that coveted photo.
This was a golden opportunity, and they couldn’t let it slip away.
...
By dusk, the inn was quiet, with no guests around. Little Yuan bustled about, preparing a hotpot dinner to entertain their celebrity guest.
Shen Wei and Li Qingxun washed vegetables, while Li Yuanjing, not one to sit idle, volunteered to slice the ham.
Li Yuanli, who had never done household chores or stepped foot in a kitchen, watched as Li Yuanjing deftly handled the knife, his lips twitching.
Li Yuanjing smirked, glancing at him. "You’re the guest—just sit back and relax."
With that one sentence, he positioned himself as part of the household and Li Yuanli as the outsider.
Li Yuanjing was competitive and wouldn’t give this latecomer any openings.
As the moon rose over the Longquan Mountain scenic area, the night was serene, the peach blossoms outside the courtyard glowing crimson under the twilight. Soft folk music played from the courtyard speakers, and the electric hotpot simmered, its rich aroma soon filling the air.
Since Shen Wei and Li Qingxun were both recovering from illness, they opted for a mild broth—a split pot with one spicy and one non-spicy side.
The spread was lavish: fatty beef, duck blood, chicken gizzards, tripe, and wild vegetables unique to Longquan Mountain, covering the entire table.
Shen Wei and Li Qingxun ate heartily, completely at ease.
Li Yuanjing and Li Yuanli, however, were anything but comfortable.
No matter the era, the two rarely shared a meal without tension. Even now, sitting at the same table, the air was thick with unspoken rivalry.
But that awkwardness dissolved when Shen Wei burst into laughter over something amusing she and Li Qingxun were discussing.
As Li Yuanjing savored the hotpot, his mind drifted to years ago in Prince Yan’s Mansion, where Shen Wei had once cooked hotpot in her little courtyard.
Memories, no matter when revisited, were always sweet.
As long as he could stay by Shen Wei’s side, life was complete.
"Beep beep—"
Shen Wei’s phone, left on the table, rang.
She was rummaging in the kitchen and didn’t hear it. Li Qingxun, still gnawing on a duck neck, asked Li Yuanjing to answer.
Li Yuanjing picked up the call.
"Shen Wei, your medication should be running low. I’ve mailed you a new batch—remember to check for it," came the warm voice of Dr. Fang Zheng.
Li Yuanjing’s eyes narrowed slightly.
A man’s instincts kicked in—something felt off.
"Shen Wei, are you there?" Fang Zheng asked.
Li Yuanjing replied casually, "Vivi’s busy. She can’t take your call right now."
A pause.
"And you are?" Fang Zheng inquired.
Calmly, Li Yuanjing said, "I’m her partner."
Another silence. Then Fang Zheng, ever polite, responded, "Please remind Shen Wei to take her medication on time."
Li Yuanjing hung up, his mood souring.
His Vivi was radiant—no matter the era, she always attracted admirers.
Shen Wei returned from the kitchen with a bottle of water just as Li Yuanjing ended the call. He explained coolly, "Dr. Fang Zheng called. Said he mailed your new medication."
Shen Wei sat back down. "I was about to call him. He’s always so efficient."
A truly dedicated doctor.
Late into the night, after the hotpot feast, Shen Wei took a stroll in the courtyard to digest before finally retiring to her room.
...
As Shen Wei predicted, once Little Yuan posted the photo with Adrian, the road up Longquan Mountain was jammed the next day.
Even on a weekday, fans and reporters swarmed the inn for a glimpse of the superstar.
Li Yuanli’s expression darkened.
He cornered Shen Wei in the backyard, staring at the face that haunted his dreams. "Are you forcing me to leave?"
Even in this new era, Shen Wei refused to give him a chance.
As a public figure, once his location was exposed, fans would flood Longquan Mountain. Under such pressure, he’d have no choice but to go.
His heart ached.
"Shen Wei," he asked, "why won’t you even look at me?"
She answered honestly, "I don’t like you. Even if I looked at you a thousand times, I’d never want a future with you."
Feelings couldn’t be forced—dislike was dislike.
Besides, Shen Wei had no plans to marry. In her mind, career and money were far more reliable than romance.
Li Yuanli closed his eyes.
In the past, Shen Wei had chosen Li Yuanjing out of necessity. But now, in this new world, she still preferred him?
Bitterly, he asked, "So you love Li Yuanjing?"
Shen Wei thought for a moment before murmuring, "I don’t know. But at least I don’t dislike him."
Keeping Li Yuanjing around was simply... habit.
Decades of companionship had made his presence familiar.
"I know how obsessive you are," Shen Wei warned. "Don’t even think about kidnapping or locking me up again. If you do, we won’t even be friends."
She returned to the front yard to help Little Yuan manage the sudden influx of guests.
In the backyard, Li Yuanli punched the wall in frustration.
Li Yuanjing emerged from some obscure corner, strolling leisurely behind Li Yuanli. He had overheard every word exchanged between Shen Wei and Li Yuanli.
Li Yuanjing was overjoyed, his lips curling upward uncontrollably.
Shen Wei had said she didn’t dislike him.
If she didn’t dislike him, then she must like him a lot!
His heart blossomed with delight as he sidled up to Li Yuanli. "The mountain road is blocked now, and the traffic police are swamped. For the sake of public order, you must leave Longquan Mountain immediately. Don’t worry about transportation—there’s a helipad at the summit. You can borrow my helicopter."
His tone was smug.
Infuriatingly so.
Li Yuanli gritted his teeth and threw a punch at him.
Li Yuanjing dodged effortlessly, offering faux sympathy. "There’s no hurdle in life that can’t be overcome. Why keep pining after your sister-in-law? Hurry along now, and don’t forget to visit Father often. I could even give you the family fortune if you want."
Li Yuanli sneered. "You’d really hand over everything?"
Li Yuanjing shrugged. "Just kidding. Raising Weiwei requires substantial resources. If I gave you all the assets, how would I protect myself? Besides, if Weiwei found out I surrendered my wealth for love, she’d think I’m an idiot."
Shen Wei wouldn’t love an idiot.
In any era, only a man with power and wealth could truly safeguard his woman.
A crack formed in Li Yuanli’s icy composure.
He wished he could kick Li Yuanjing to the ends of the earth.
What on earth did Shen Wei see in him?
In the end, Li Yuanli had no choice but to depart Longquan Mountain by helicopter. Before leaving, the front desk girl at the inn shamelessly asked for a stack of autographed photos.
After Li Yuanli’s departure, Shen Wei’s inn skyrocketed in popularity, flooded with tourists eager to visit the now-famous spot. Shen Wei transferred a generous licensing fee to Li Yuanli, then meticulously drafted a business plan for the inn and executed it flawlessly.
She had originally come to the inn just to recuperate.
But Shen Wei was never one to sit idle.
She had to admit—with a youthful body and boundless energy, she had no desire to laze around. Deep down, she thrived on the satisfaction of hard work and achievement.
Watching the once-struggling inn transform into Longquan Mountain’s most bustling establishment filled her with genuine, heartwarming pride.
Li Qingxun had intended to stay by Shen Wei’s side indefinitely, but a few days later, she received news from the capital. Zhang He’an had suffered minor injuries during an experiment.
The wounds weren’t serious, just a bit of blood loss.
Zhang He’an had "accidentally" sent Li Qingxun a photo of himself in his lab coat, thin-framed glasses perched on his nose, a scratch on his right cheek like a wounded white rose.
Though she suspected he was playing the sympathy card, Li Qingxun couldn’t shake her worry. She borrowed Li Yuanjing’s private jet and rushed back overnight.
...
A month later.
Shen Wei received a message from Huo Ze.
[Huo Ze]: "Holy—the inn’s revenue increased tenfold this month! Sis, you’re forever my idol! Even on vacation, you’re building an empire. I bow to you!"
[Shen Wei]: "No big deal."
[Huo Ze]: "But you really should rest. After three years as a coma patient, a month of nonstop activity must’ve taken a toll. Maybe relocate for more recovery time?"
[Shen Wei]: "No need. I’ve booked a flight back to the capital. Time to get back to work."
[Huo Ze]: "..."
Shen Wei felt invigorated, her energy limitless, her spirit unshakable.
Youth was a wonderful thing—boundless vitality, effortless movement.
She underwent a thorough medical checkup in the city, and the results confirmed her excellent health. Miraculously, her years as a coma patient had left almost no lasting damage.
Packing her belongings, Shen Wei drove away from Longquan Mountain. Li Yuanjing shamelessly claimed the passenger seat, scrolling through his phone. As long as he refused to be embarrassed, Shen Wei couldn’t eject him.
When she grew tired of driving, Li Yuanjing took the wheel without hesitation.
Shen Wei asked, "You’ve been on the mountain so long—hasn’t your family demanded your return?"
Li Yuanjing steered smoothly. "Weiwei, no one controls me except you."
It was the same as always—no matter the era or environment, he stood at the pinnacle.
Some men were born to rule.
Heaven had granted him extraordinary favor, and he possessed the power to command fate. The Li family was firmly in his grasp, his authority absolute.
...
...
The plane landed at the capital’s airport.
Huo Ze personally came to pick up Shen Wei. When he spotted Li Yuanjing beside her, his jaw dropped.
"Sis, is this con artist still clinging to you? I’ll call a lawyer!" Huo Ze fumed, mistaking Li Yuanjing for a scammer trying to extort money. He whipped out his phone, ready to dial legal support.
Li Yuanjing’s radar pinged. He sized up Huo Ze in one glance.
A rival.
But an amateurish one—no real threat.
Though annoyed, Li Yuanjing kept his expression neutral.
Shen Wei turned to him. "Let’s part ways here. Each to our own paths. If fate allows, we’ll meet again."
With that, Shen Wei and Huo Ze walked away, leaving Li Yuanjing standing alone, a pang of melancholy in his chest.
That "if fate allows" weighed heavily on him.
...
...
Shen Wei returned to her luxury penthouse. The roses on the balcony had bloomed wildly, nearly overtaking the space.
She fetched scissors and trimmed the overgrowth. After tidying up, she called Fang Zheng and scheduled another full medical exam.
The capital’s hospital had state-of-the-art equipment.
Once the tests concluded, Fang Zheng handed her the report. "All indicators are optimal. You’re in perfect health and can stop medication. Honestly, you’re a medical miracle."
Shen Wei accepted the report. "Thanks. I owe you a meal—free tonight?"
Fang Zheng agreed.
She tucked the report away. "I’ll send you the restaurant address later."
Work awaited at her company, so Shen Wei left immediately. Fang Zheng stood by the hospital window, watching her SUV drive off.
Adjusting his glasses, he swallowed the words he couldn’t speak.
Since their university days, Fang Zheng had noticed Shen Wei. Among the wide-eyed students, she shone like the sun—radiant and untouchable.
He had watched her build her empire, climb to greatness, and then collapse into a three-year coma. He never told her that throughout those years, he visited her hospital room daily.
Without fail.
Straightening his white coat, Fang Zheng prepared for their dinner. He wanted to look his best.
As he turned, he spotted a procession down the hospital corridor. The director and deputy directors flanked a striking young man in a tailored black suit.
The man’s sharp features exuded an almost tangible intensity, his presence commanding and unyielding.
"Mr. Li, this is our hospital's youngest and most outstanding doctor, Fang Zheng," the director introduced Fang Zheng to Li Yuanjing.
Fang Zheng didn’t know Li Yuanjing’s background, but anyone personally received by the director must be someone of extraordinary standing.
So Fang Zheng politely extended his hand and shook Li Yuanjing’s.
"Hello, Mr. Li," Fang Zheng said.
"Hello," Li Yuanjing replied.
As their hands clasped, the moment Li Yuanjing spoke, Fang Zheng immediately recognized him—he was the man who had answered Shen Wei’s call.
Li Yuanjing wore a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, his voice steady yet laced with implication. "These past few years, thank you for taking care of Weiwei, Dr. Fang."
Fang Zheng didn’t respond.
He knew this was Li Yuanjing openly staking his claim.
