Chapter 1
In this second chance at life, I didn’t accept my good friend’s invitation to visit. Instead, I devoured egg yolk pies all night and drove onto the highway. When the traffic police stopped me, I blew into the breathalyzer without hesitation. Then, grinning from ear to ear, I happily stepped into the police car. In my past life, my so-called “good friend” invited me to visit a famous collector, only to secretly steal a jade ornament when we let our guard down. After the police found the stolen goods on me, I knelt and begged the collector to vouch for me. But instead, he grabbed my sleeve and, together with my “friend,” pointed at me as the thief. My parents spent their entire fortune trying to save me, and my fiancée’s reputation was ruined because of me. In the end, I was hacked to death by an extremist antique enthusiast and left to rot in the wilderness. … “If you drive, don’t drink; if you drink, don’t drive—how did you even learn traffic laws?” On the highway, four or five police cars had set up a checkpoint, their engines roaring amid the chaotic voices. The traffic officer stared at the flashing breathalyzer in his hand and barked at me to get out of the car. As I unbuckled my seatbelt, I glanced at my phone—just as expected, the moment I unlocked it, a new message popped up. [Henry William: I remember you’ve always been into antiques. I recently met a collector—want to visit together?] The exact same message from my past life stared back at me. My heart skipped a beat, and my body trembled uncontrollably. “What’s wrong? Too drunk to move?” Just as the officer was about to call for help, I snapped out of it and cheerfully ran toward the police car. “Another lunatic!” “Must be too drunk to think straight—who the hell is eager to get arrested?” Inside the police car, a few intoxicated old men looked at me like I was an idiot. I ignored them, my grin stretching so wide it nearly split my face. At the hospital, a nurse prepared to draw my blood for alcohol testing. Maybe she noticed something off about me—she kept glancing up as she disinfected my skin, her movements slower than usual. “Jason Lynn, are you okay?” “Son, the police said you were drunk driving—is it true?” Just then, the door to the blood draw room burst open. My fiancée and parents rushed in simultaneously, their faces etched with panic. “What’s going on here? The test isn’t even done—why are you barging in?” “We’re here for Jason! If you have a problem, take it up with the three of us—leave him alone!” My father shielded me at the front while my mother and fiancée hurried over, their eyes filled with worry. Seeing their familiar faces, my nose stung with emotion. Good… There’s still time. In this life, I won’t let my parents’ hair turn white overnight, nor will I force them to bankrupt themselves to save me. I won’t let my fiancée’s reputation be ruined because of me, abandoned by everyone she knows. During the post-blood-test interrogation, the nurse kept glancing my way, and even the officer grew suspicious. “You didn’t actually drink, did you?” My blood ran cold. All warmth vanished in an instant, replaced by sheer panic. I didn’t know how he saw through me, but I forced out a stiff smile. Like every stubborn drunk driver in denial, I muttered: “Hah, of course not. I don’t know why the breathalyzer gave a false reading.” Luckily, he didn’t press further—just nodded and strolled off to deal with others. I exhaled shakily in relief… when my phone buzzed again. Opening WeChat, I saw a new voice message from Henry: “Asleep? Why aren’t you replying? I’ve already scheduled our visit—tomorrow at 9 AM sharp!” In my past life, the morning after Henry sent that invitation… He led me into the collector’s mansion—then vanished without a trace.