Beep beep... beep beep...
"Watch out!" someone shouted.
Crash.
A deafening noise erupted in the street, and when you looked down, a woman lay on the ground, covered in blood, her life spilling out onto the pavement.
Thump-thump.
I never imagined that after all these years, I would find myself here, dying alone in this cold weather at the age of 25. A sigh escaped my lips. "Damn, I guess I'll miss my flight."
Every inch of my body felt shattered, and as I scanned my surroundings, I spotted a young boy standing nearby. Relief washed over me; at least the boy was safe.
After enduring so much suffering at that company, I had finally secured some time off—my much-deserved vacation—after working like a slave for five grueling years. But as I was about to leave, I saw that car careening out of control, destined to hit that child. I couldn't just stand by; in the end, at least I managed to save him.
Pain coursed through me, anger bubbling to the surface. My vision blurred, and I sensed that consciousness was slipping away. I tried to adjust my position but found it impossible.
Suddenly, a small smile tugged at my lips. "At least I should have broken up with that jerk," I mused, thinking back on my past relationships.
My gaze drifted once more, landing on my friend's book, Sweethearts Forever, now torn and stained with my blood. A wave of nostalgia washed over me. "I always enjoyed dating; I never thought much about marriage. But in this moment, I realize I would have liked to marry a wealthy man. How delightful it would be to live without the endless grind of work and to buy anything I wanted without a second thought."
I clenched my teeth, determination battling my despair. "I guess it's too late for that now."
Silence enveloped me.
Suddenly, a voice broke through the stillness. "If you had the chance to do it all over again, would you?"
My heart raced at the sound of the voice.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Startled, I trembled. "What?"
The voice repeated, "Would you like to do it all over again?"
I felt a surge of defiance as I replied, "If I could live again, I'd want a different life, not to repeat everything."
The voice chuckled softly. "Good answer."
Then, everything went dark.
"Why is it dark?"
"Where am I?"
Struggling to open my eyes, I finally managed to do so. I awoke with a heavy hand on my head, a terrible headache pounding through me, and the cold air biting at my skin.
Looking around, confusion set in. "Where am I? This doesn't look like my room."
I inhaled deeply and sat up, taking in the luxurious surroundings. "What a beautiful and opulent place... but where is this?"
My mind raced back to the accident. "Didn't I just have an accident?"
I scratched my head, trying to make sense of it all, and then my gaze landed on an ID card lying on the nightstand. Reaching for it, I examined the photo. It looked just like me, yet I had no recollection of ever taking it. Sifting through the papers scattered around, I stumbled upon a marriage certificate.
Squinting, I read the names on the document: Han Chen and Yang Liu.
Shock coursed through me, and I dropped it. "Yang Liu? But that's my name, isn't it? And that's my signature, right?"
"What the hell is going on?" I whispered to myself, my mind racing.
Nervously, I laughed, "Yang Liu, take a deep breath. Maybe you have a twin sister."
Just then, a knock on the door startled me.
"Madam, are you awake?"
Yang Liu froze, her heart skipping a beat. Madam? Me?
She quickly turned to the mirror, eyes widening at her reflection — her hair was slightly messy, and her blouse was wrinkled. Panic flickered in her chest at the thought of being seen like that. With hurried fingers, she smoothed down her clothes and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ears.
A quiet breath escaped her lips as she tried to pull herself together. Then her eyes darted to the floor, where the documents were scattered in disarray. She dropped to her knees, gathering the papers as quickly and neatly as she could, her fingers just a little unsteady.
"Just a minute, please!" she called out, trying to keep her voice steady.
Yang Liu had always been someone who thought quickly and adapted fast. So after one last deep breath, she straightened up, pressed the documents to her chest, and walked to the door — ready to face whatever was waiting on the other side.