Chapter 1: The End and the Beginning
Li Mei had always been a practical person. She was the kind of woman who made lists, planned her future meticulously, and always stuck to her routines. At 28, she had a successful career in the city, a cozy apartment, and had finally saved enough to travel the world like she had always dreamed.
But none of that mattered now. The moment she felt the car crash, everything went black.
When she opened her eyes again, it was not to the sterile whiteness of a hospital, nor to the comforting familiarity of her cozy apartment. Instead, she was surrounded by warm blankets, muffled sounds, and a blinding light overhead. She tried to sit up but found her body unresponsive, her limbs too short and too weak to move. Her vision was blurry, but she could make out the face of an elderly man staring down at her with a mix of surprise and amusement.
"Welcome, little one," he murmured softly in Chinese, his voice tender and unfamiliar. His wrinkled hand gently stroked her cheek. "You are finally here."
Li Mei wanted to scream, to ask what was happening, but no words came out. She felt small, vulnerable, and utterly powerless. It was then that it hit herâshe had been reborn. Somehow, after dying in that accident, her soul had come back in the body of a newborn baby.
As the days passed, Li Mei tried to adjust to her new reality. She learned the old man's name was Ye YeâGrandfather in Chineseâand that she was in a remote village in southern China. There were no parents around, only Ye Ye, who cared for her with a gentle kindness.
But why was she here? Where were her parents? The questions gnawed at her as she slowly grew more aware of her surroundings.