The moment Xing Yuan regained consciousness, she found herself on an airplane.
She furrowed her brow, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed her surroundings, then began to absorb the memories.
In this life, she was a CEO, not by inheriting her father's business, but by building it up through her own efforts.
Of course, her family background was also excellent. Her father was a businessman with considerable standing nationwide, her mother a quintessential socialite, and she had a younger brother seven years her junior.
Her life had been smooth sailing; whatever she set out to do, she succeeded. However, there was one thing that caused her to stumble spectacularly.
She fell in love with the sister of her next-door neighbor, who was three years her senior.
But in the end, her neighbor’s sister was snatched away by her own brother.
At the time, the domestic market was nearing saturation. She went abroad to sign a major contract. The other party was internationally renowned and made things difficult for her several times. This delay stretched for several months.
By the time she returned home, she received devastating news from her brother: he had successfully pursued the neighbor’s sister she loved.
She was so furious she gnashed her teeth. Without a second thought, under the guise of teaching her brother self-defense, she first beat him up, then went to gauge the neighbor’s sister’s feelings.
From the neighbor’s sister, she learned that her brother had been pursuing her for nearly a year. She didn't know when her feelings had changed, but by the time she received the news, their relationship was already solid.
Though her heart ached terribly, Xing Yuan had to suppress her true feelings and offer her congratulations. In her grief, she simply flew abroad, dedicating herself to her career to alleviate her sorrow.
She had considered trying to win her back, but what would be the point? The other woman didn't love her. This way, they could at least remain friends. If she had acted too desperately, there would likely only be resentment between them.
With many reservations, she became a deserter, even deliberately avoiding any news about them. A year later, a piece of news shocked her into returning home overnight.
Her neighbor’s sister had committed suicide!
She rushed back, but ultimately never saw her one last time. All she saw was a plain, four-sided urn.
No one had expected her to return. It made sense; in their eyes, she and her neighbor’s sister were merely friends, at most childhood acquaintances.
And with something like this happening, what could she possibly do to help?
She watched her neighbor’s sister being buried, her mind replaying memories. If she had never left, or if she had confessed earlier, even if the other woman had avoided her, would this outcome have been averted?
But it had already happened. She believed her neighbor’s sister was not a fragile person. She wanted to know who had driven her to her death, and then, she would avenge her.
She returned, carrying the flames of vengeance, the raging inferno burning towards everyone, even herself.
Soon, she uncovered some information.
After marriage, they forbade her from appearing in public, wanting her to be a mere trophy wife, content to stay at home. Her brother, who had once promised to cherish her forever, allowed them to erode her spirit.
Moreover, less than half a year after marriage, he cheated on her, sleeping with a popular young actress.
Under these multiple blows, she fell into depression.
The popular young actress, somehow learning of her condition, openly publicized her relationship with Xing Can online. She deliberately posted ambiguous remarks, leading netizens to believe that Ji Wen Yue was the one who had cheated.
As a public figure, every move she made was scrutinized. Various entertainment gossip accounts maliciously slandered her, and these vile comments inevitably reached her.
She persevered for a while, but eventually, consumed by pain and with no will to live, she chose suicide.
Upon learning everything, she slapped herself several times in remorse. If not for her own cowardice, perhaps she wouldn't have been driven to this point.
She had never been close to her family. After becoming financially independent upon reaching adulthood, she moved out. Now, hearing that the person she cherished most had died because of them, her intense resentment turned towards them.
First, under the guise of friendship, she sent lawyers' letters to the online rumor-mongers. In secret, she incited them to commit illegal and criminal acts.
Can spreading rumors lead to imprisonment? Generally, no.
And a light punishment was hardly comparable to a human life.
The popular young actress was blacklisted by her and eventually fell into destitution.
Finally, she spent several years orchestrating a plan, bit by bit devouring their most prized assets, ultimately leaving them to wander the streets. Meanwhile, Xing Can developed a gambling addiction and was constantly pursued by creditors.
With no other recourse, they sought her out.
She let out a cold laugh and nonchalantly told them, "Yes! The fact that you've ended up like this is all my doing."
"Why?"
"You ask me why? Hah! Because I wanted to, is that not enough?"
After speaking, she had security escort them out.
It was easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality. Death was easy, too simple. She didn't want to give them such an easy way out.
Within two days, she saw them post a video online accusing her of being heartless. She smiled faintly, her face radiating indifference. As long as she didn't care, no amount of gossip could defeat her.
However, she was too tired. She didn't even know the meaning of her own existence anymore.
She made her will, notarized her assets, and gratuitously donated them to official welfare organizations. They would not get a single cent from her.
She wrote her suicide note by hand, posting it online in the format she found. Her words bled tears, magnifying the injustices she suffered in childhood and the disgusting acts they had committed. Finally, she lay down in the same bathtub where her neighbor’s sister had died and took her own life in the same manner.
If they had no fate in this life, she wondered if there might be a chance in the next.