The antique girlfriend of a chaebol heir

Shen Ci knew better than anyone that she should never have any private contact with Xie Shuheng.

But everything around her was too strange, like an invisible net that tightly wrapped around her.

Her gaze was fixed on Xie Shuheng's lit-up phone screen, and her breath caught in her throat.

On the screen was a painting, a painting she knew all too well.

That was a painting of orchids that she personally drew on her last birthday before she passed away in her previous life.

The orchid at the very top has petals that unfold like butterfly wings.

On the third petal on the right, there is a dark brown spot.

Shen Ci still remembered how that color came about.

At that time, she picked up a pen, intending to draw a birthday greeting for herself—

This should be the last one.

She knew her body wouldn't last until spring.

As she drew the last stroke, a metallic taste suddenly welled up in her throat. She turned her head to cough, but her fingertips pressed down on the paper first.

Blood seeped into the Xuan paper and landed on the orchid petal.

She didn't change the paper afterward.

Firstly, I was exhausted, and secondly, I felt... this was for the best.

There's also a small vermilion seal in the lower right corner.

The seal script characters are as thin as mosquito legs; they were hand-drawn by her.

She can't be mistaken.

That was indeed her painting.

This is an undeniable fact, and there is no room for argument.

After arriving in this world, Shen Ci repeatedly confirmed that this place had no connection with her previous life; the timeline, history, and characters all didn't match up.

Therefore, she couldn't understand why this painting, which should have turned to ashes along with her physical body in her previous life, had transcended time and space to appear completely intact on Xie Shuheng's phone...

On the north-facing balcony, much of the noise from the guests was filtered out.

Shen Ci reached out and held onto the cold metal railing, the chill in her palm calming her chaotic thoughts slightly.

In the gentle breeze, her skirt was blown up to her knees and then swayed gently.

Xie Shuheng stood half a step away from her, his elbow casually resting on the railing.

"Thank you, senior," Shen Ci's voice was not loud, and it was somewhat scattered by the wind, "You came to find me because of the seal on this painting, right?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, many previously scattered clues instantly connected in Shen Ci's mind.

She suddenly remembered that Xie Shuheng's condition was a bit off when the intangible cultural heritage association held its last exhibition.

If she guessed correctly, her inside-painted works happened to be on display in the exhibition area at that time. One of the frosted teapots was quite special, as it was the first time she had tried to hand-paint her name seal on the inside of the teapot.

At the time, for the sake of convenience, she hardly hesitated and habitually used the nameplate from her previous life.

Perhaps it was from that moment that the seal, which should not have appeared in this world, fell into Xie Shuheng's eyes.

Xie Shuheng must have started to have doubts about her around that time, which is why he came to her today to find out what was wrong.

She pondered, her brows slightly furrowed, her clear eyes filled with wariness and defensiveness.

Looking at her like this, Xie Shuheng suddenly felt a void in his heart.

Even breathing felt strangely bitter.

The image of her beside Jiang Duo uncontrollably floated into his mind.

Even a simple exchange of glances or a quiet standing side by side between them reveals a natural understanding and affection.

But clearly... clearly there was a deeper and more unique bond between him and her.

On what grounds?

Why is she so cold to me?

Xie Shuheng did not answer her question.

He lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed on a point in the void, his voice low and slow:

"I've been having the same dream a lot lately, let me tell you about it."

He told her, word by word, about the dreams he had had repeatedly and which had almost become part of his very being.

"...In the end, the man never married. His biggest regret was probably that he never let the woman he loved know his feelings."

"The boy in my dream," he said, emphasizing each word, "shared my name and surname. He even... had the same face as me."

"And the woman in my dream... shares your name and resembles you."

As he spoke, he looked intently at her, as if waiting for her response.

Shen Ci listened quietly, and the turmoil in her heart gradually subsided.

She did have some recollection of the "little brother" he mentioned.

When I was very young, a richly dressed boy did indeed come to the mansion.

However, she was too young at the time to ask the boy's name.

Moreover, the details of the mansions and characters in his story matched her memories from her previous life perfectly.

She was certain that Xie Shuheng must have acquired a memory that didn't belong to him through some kind of fortuitous encounter.

Shen Ci was indeed surprised at first, but then she thought about it and realized that she herself could live another life in another identity and another body.

What bizarre and fantastical thing in this world is impossible?

Shen Ci turned his head to the side.

Xie Shuheng was looking at her, a dark fire burning in his eyes, filled with hope and determination.

Perhaps, in those lingering images of past lives that didn't belong to him, he felt the obsession of that boy, to the point that he is now bewitched, taking the man in his dreams who was filled with regret for the rest of his life as himself.

"Senior Xie," she said, her voice slightly cool, "your story was very moving."

Xie Shuheng's pupils contracted slightly.

The fire in his eyes burned even brighter and became even more dangerous.

"But that's all."

After Shen Ci finished speaking, he took a step back.

"Senior Xie, even if the people and events in the dream are real," she looked at him, her gaze clear and calm.

That's someone else's life, it has nothing to do with you or me.

Xie Shuheng didn't miss a single subtle expression on Shen Ci's face.

Even though she tried her best to maintain that calm and composed demeanor.

But he knew that she had an intricate connection with the woman in his dream.

To be precise, that woman might be her past life.

Like him, she also somehow regained memories of her past life.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to draw the same name stamp.

She wouldn't say that she painted the picture while in the car, or while she was in a delirious state, in his arms.

But she remained indifferent.

She wanted to sever all ties with him.

Xie Shuheng's fingers, hanging by his sides, curled up little by little, his knuckles turning pale from the force.

That suppressed, almost obsessive resentment grew wildly in his heart like vines, almost devouring his reason.

He watched as Shen Ci took another step back and turned to leave.

In that instant—a string that had been stretched for too long in Xie Shuheng's mind snapped.

He took a sudden step forward, his shoe sole hitting the blue brick ground with a dull thud.

Shen Ci clearly noticed this and quickened his pace.

Before she could even step inside, a burning hot hand had already grabbed her wrist.

"Thanks--"

Her gasp was cut off in her throat.